Penang Restaurant Tips by kenyneo Top 5 Page for this destination

Hawker food: Hokkien Mee

There is two types of Hokkien Mee ( Hokkien or Fujian in Mandarin is one of the province in China ) , one is with soup and the other is fried noodle ala Hokkien ( called Hokkien Char )

Hokkien mee

The soup's main ingredient is prawn's and chicken bones or pork-rib bones ( without the latter means the soup will not be nice )
Its a little spicy but manageable. Then you have some water convolvulus (kangkong) and sprinkle of fried onion

You can find nice one in New Lane and 3rd Street ( I forgot the name of the road next to Nordin Street ( 2nd street ) - both only sold at night

Tips Nicer to go with Pai Kut ( ribs ) and Foon Cheong ( intestines )

Address: New Lane hawker centre

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Bingo Restaurant: Vietnamese cuisine

Well the restaurant is classy one , European style but food is mainly from Vietnam, since we dont have as much Vietnamese restaurant as Thai restaurant in Penang ...this is a favourite place among the Penagite who has a penchant for good food ...

Favorite Dish: Prawns with Sugarcane

Vietnamese Noodle

Address: Kelawai Road

Comparison: about average

Directions: Pulau Tikus

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Hawker food: Siam Laksa, Asam laksa and Sarawak Laksa

Asam Laksa - stall at Air Itam (
Penang ) bus station

Siamese Laksa Lemak - Stall
opposite Pulau Tikus ( Penang ) Police
Station

Sarawak Laksa - Alexis Bistro
( Bangsar,KL)

Favorite Dish: All laksa uses a smooth and slippery white noodle ( or laksa ) and they differ mainly in the way the soup is prepared.

Asam Laksa ( Penang Laksa)

This version of Laksa consist of watery soup which is sour due to the use of tamarind ( or locally called Asam Jawa, thats why you have the name asam Laksa ) and lots of fish is used in making the soup ( you will probably find sediments of meat on the bed of your bowl , dont worry they are fish meat ).

Siamese Laksa Lemak

This seving of laksa is not so soupy instead its very thick , creamy and a little spicy. You will notice that a lot of people thought its the same as Sarawak laksa but its actually different . Its not as soupy as Sarawak Laksa and it uses one distinctive ingredient that is "Tumeric". So the soup should rightfully be yellowish ( as compared to Sarawak Laksa which is orangey )

Sarawak Laksa , think should be called Laksa Lemak , just that its more soupy than Siamese Laksa Lemak and doesnt use tumeric. Its just like curry mee but much more creamy and thicker !

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Hawker food: Curry Mee

Curry Mee ( Curry Noodle ) -

try the one in Lorong Seratus Tahun ( One Hundred Year's lane open from morning till noon only ..( they have another stall at Anson Road , near Anson Road Market .

Ingredient's includes cuttle fish, prawns, tau pok (a form of tauhu ) ,small hardened cubes of pork blood ( dont faint ..its true and its super delicious , I always ask for more ...ever fancy tasting blood ? here's your chance ) , beansprout, clams , peppermint in a coconut milk soup

tip -

1) you can sometimes ask to add Quail eggs or Fish Balls for extra charged

2) if you dont feel like trying the blood , just tell the hawker to exclude them, its still yummy

3) besides going with noodle or bee hoon, you can also go with " Chee cheoung fun "

4) make sure you try the chilli in oil paste when you visit this stall, coz this is what makes his curry mee so good and so different

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Hawker food: Char Koay Teow

Char Koay Teow

Char means fried in Chinese Hokkien while Koay Teow refer to a type of white Chinese flat noodle. The ingredients includes big prawn ( if you are willing to pay for it ) , clams , chinese lap cheong ( pork sausage ) , ku chai and chicken eggs !

got to be the one "Ah Leng Char Koay Teow" Kimberley Street ( at night only ) and the one in Lorong Selamat ( morning till afternoon ) ,

people was telling me about Sister's Char Koay Teow in Macalister Road , been there once and find it to be so-so only ..probably becoz at one time the place is so jammed packed that quality was sacrifice for sake of speed.

tips
1) you can opt for duck egg instead of chicken egg , which will double the finger licking taste !

warning
1) make sure you ask them to cook the clams till its well done, coz you might get hepatitis , else just ask them not to include it

2) make sure you tell them how big you want your plate to be , else they will happily give you the biggest one !

Address: Kimberley Street or Lorong Selamat

Comparison: about average

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Different flavour of authentic Indian Cuisine: Indian Cuisine

Indian food ( Part 3 of 3 )
---------------

For Indian Food try the Nasi kandar at Kayu in Penang Road ...try the Ayam Madu ( Honey Chicken ) which they are famous for ...and if you cannot find this place there are plenty of Nasi kandar stalls along Penang Road .

And the Mee Goreng in Esplanade is damn cool ( I think even malaysian should try it ) its quite spicy though. So for those who cannot take spicy food ..pls ask the stall keeper to have Mercy on you ...the sauce and squids are awesome ...( as there are a few stalls selling the same thing there be careful. ) if you are coming from the main road the stall if on the left end of the foodcourt ) ...just watch for the busiest non stop stall ...hope you will find it !

BANANA LEAF RICE
Well for those who love banana leaf rice , with yummy curry and cruncy papadam..head for Banana Leaf restaurant in Burmah Square. The ambience is good and price is reasonable

Favorite Dish: Ayam Madu ( Honey Chicken ) - Kayu Restaurant

Mee Goreng Sotong - Explanade Food Court

Banana Leaf Rice - Burmah Square

Address: Penang Road ( Kayu rest.) and Explanade area

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: geoargetown

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Indian

Hawker food: Chendol

Dessert ....( and the finale )
--------------

Your stay in Penang will never be complete without Chendol -even a must for every malaysian from other states in Malaysia

Cendol looks like spaggetti but its green in colour and its very much softer, and is mixed with coconut milk, brown sugar and big yummy red beans.Served cold .

For those who is watching their diet, do ask the vendor to put less sugar , coz it can sometimes be too sweet !

Favorite Dish: For Chendol , it has to be Penang Road chendol...there are two stalls right in front of each other ..both also worth the journey ...just ask anyone and they will direct you there

( alternatively there is another Chendol stall in Super Komtar food court ground floor , supposedly the franchise of the one in Penang Road )

Address: off Penang road

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Dessert

Hawker food: Ais kacang (literally means Ice Beans )

You can find nice Ais kacang in Swatow Lane ( try the Taukuah Rendang there as well )....Near Burma Road also ( opens from lunch time till around 7pm ) or alternatively go Kek Seng Coffee shop in penang Road

A normal bowl will cost around RM 1.50 to Rm 2.00

Favorite Dish: Looking at the picture is enough to tempt you and make you salivate ...originally the dessert's main ingregients mainly consist of creamy sweet corns, read beans, leong fun ( a black colour herbal jelly ),raisins and" ah tap chi " ( white transparent but soft nuts ) but just like penang it has revolutionised to something so maginificient and tall as you see can see in the picture ...

now with ice creams of different flavours and peppered with nuts ...it can be too huge for a dessert sometimes...

Address: ( Kek Seng Coffee Shop ) Penang Road, Swatow Lane

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Town area

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Dessert

Hawker food: Nasi Lemak ( Malay Cuisine )

You can find in most of the hawkers centre in Penang or just ask for direction ...originally a malay suisine ...now chinese too are selling Chinese Nasi Lemak with a little twist to it ..but are also something you should not miss...

Favorite Dish: Nasi lemak is a simple but hearty meal that can be eaten as breakfast, lunch, dinner or a midnight snack. People from various races que up together just to get their hands on a single packet of this nasi lemak from the food stalls.

Though Nasi lemak can be in a form of small packets which cost less tha Rm1.00 with either anchovies or egg or small fish inside ( something like a Malaysian FAST food )to theone displayed where you get to choose the accompanying dishes you want from a wide variety ...of course it cost more ..but reasonable !

Address: Oriental Seafood , Sri Weld Coffee Shop

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Oriental Seafood ( near Gurney Drive round about ) , Sri Weld ( for small pocket version o fnasi lemak) ( near Weld Quay ) -

Both only open for lunch

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Street Vendor

Rambutan - the hairy fruit

The rambutan season takes place twice a year.Though the rambutan's hair like spines can look intimidating, they are actually quite soft, and hide an incredibly sweet and succulent white fruit.

Thats why people say dont judge a book by its cover !

The outside of the fruit is bright red, and it grows in small bunches from a tree. The skin and seed are discarded, but the flesh is usually white, sweet, and juicy.

Address: Along Macalister Road or any orchard in Malaysia

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Other