Penang Travel Guide

Penang's food scene well deserves the accolades and yearnings that come from far and near, yet some border on the superfluous: "At any given time, one half of Penang is cooking for the other half to eat." And, on the corny: "The Palate of the Orient". The island hosts numerous unforgettable eating experiences, and travelers never suffer disappointment. Just ask someone in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, who regularly travels to the island for a feast pilgrimage. To everyone's delight, the drinking and pubbing scene is shaping up very nicely too.

So we earnestly say, "When in Penang, if in doubt, just eat."

Hawker Fare, Coffee Shops & Good-Value Restaurants Penang's hawkers offer such great fare that some put their children through overseas universities and become quiet millionaires on the strength of a sidewalk pushcart. It appears as an unlikely killer business model, this ramshackle stall with a few tables and dozens of chairs strewn carelessly along the exposed drains where cars whiz past within brushing distances of patrons. Take a seat, tuck in and be bowled over.

Although Penang hawker fare provides a popular and sure-fire Food and Beverage promotional theme in glitzy hotels from Beijing to Brisbane, the real treasures are found in the historic streets of Georgetown and in the leafy suburbs. In the heart of Chinatown, along Lebuh Kimberly and Lebuh Cintra, lie a host of coffee shops and restaurants known for good local Chinese dishes, while in the evenings hawker stalls come alive with delicious offerings. Goh Swee Kee Teochew Restaurant gained fame for its authentic Teochew flavours, De Tai Tong Café is one of the many dim sum teahouses, Foo Heong Restaurant serves up great char hor fun, while Kin Leong Cafe sells wonderful fish head bee hoon and assorted fare.

Elsewhere downtown, sample the many tasty hawker dishes in air-conditioned comfort at the Food court at KOMTAR, and in the same building, the Mandarin Cafe dishes up more local goodies. Along Jalan Penang, check for the island's great chendol and laksa at Joo Hooi Cafe and yummy Indian curries at Kedai Kopi Merlin. While walking along Lebuh Chulia, try them out as the names pop into view-- Goh Thow Chick Famous Hainan Chicken Rice, the Rainforest Forest Restaurant, with a cheap and good selection of Western, Mexican and local dishes, and Secret Garden for inexpensive Western food and drinks.

The gastronomic extravaganza does not end there—far from it. The suburban districts of Air Itam and Pulau Tikus conceal equally great, if not greater, offerings. The former lists New Asia Restaurant, a perpetually crowded haunt with hard-to-beat hawker varieties, and a long line of commendable hawkers and coffee shops.

Pulau Tikus supplies an even better selection. Along Jalan Burma, Lorong Swatow boasts its prize-winning ice kacang, great laksa, kway teow soup and curry mee. Commendable eateries in the vicinity include Kwai Hock Coffee Shop, known for its delectable bak kut the, and New Shanghai Restaurant, which whips up unbeatable duck, chicken, roast pork and char siew rice.

Nearby, along Gurney Drive, lurks Jaws, which specializes in fish head curry, Sayang Selera and its famous mee goreng, and Song River Seafood Restaurant with its top-notch hawker fare. Ang Hoay Lor, at Jalan Cantonment, is a veteran of delectable Hokkien delicacies.

Upmarket Dining Establishments With uncountable cheap and delicious hawker offerings, you might wonder if the more expensive eateries garner enough patronage to pay the rent. True enough, fine dining ventures suffer from a high turnover, but this helps ensure the highest standards. As a renowned tourist destination, Penang offers a wide array of international cuisines.

Beginning with Japanese, Akebono ranks amongst the island's very best, and the House of Four Seasons serves sumptuous Cantonese and Szechuan dishes. La Farfalla offers a relatively expensive but exquisite Italian menu compared to its rivals further down the grades such as La Cucina, the bistro at Modesto's (Bar, Bistro & Club) and Bella Casa. Penang boasts some of the best Nonya food found anywhere, and in this genre, the lavishly furnished new entrant Hot Wok Nyonya Restaurant springs forth, plus a list of old but enduring establishments like Nonya Corner and Mariner's Restaurant. For Thai cuisine, D'Chiengmai is one of the oldest and arguably the best, while Coca brings them in for its steamboat and authentic Thai dishes.

Indian food offers another large and crowded category. Besides the mid- and low-priced options like Khaleel Restaurant,Taj Restaurant, Innira's Restaurant and Hameediyah Restaurant, there are several more tastefully decorated and more heftily priced choices. Passage Thru' India, Jaipur Court and Tandoori House rate as temples of feasting with high culinary standards to match.

The arena of Malay food gets plenty of help from top choices like Anggerik Biru, Bob Nasi Kampong and Eliza The Malay Restaurant.

Cafes, Bistros, Pubs and the Party Scene The choices here often dazzle the young and spendthrifts. The hip and trendy frequent joints like 20 Leith Street, Club Mixx, Royce Bistro, Brix (Bar & Bistro), Orange Cafe and Bar and Vintage to indulge themselves in wines, designer snacks, imported beers and dressy company. Malaysia never drifts far from the world's trends, and coffee culture has firmly taken roots. Many coffee haunts now tout expensive caffeine on the tried-and-tested formula of posh decor and a chic image. Besides the sprawling Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf chain, there are Coffee Hut and SUNZ Café, to name but two, plying the lucrative trade.

Nevertheless, the appeal of Penang to many backpackers lies in its Old World charm, even the seediness of Chulia Street. This is why the old timers like the Hong Kong Bar, Hard Life Café, Green Planet and Soho Free House retain a collective vote on how Penang entertains.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 364