If you've been traveling in Singapore or elsewhere in Malaysia, you'll see some familiar names, but don't be fooled: Penang laksa or hokkien mee are quite different from what you'd get in, say, Kuala Lumpur. Topping the list are:
Mee Sotong - Hameed’s spicy Mee Rebus, noodles served with a fishy, spicy sauce made with chilli and cuttle fish, has been at the Kota Selera Hawker Center in Padang Kota Lama (Fort Cornwallis) for nearly 30 years.
Assam Laksa - A far cry from the sweet, coconutty Singapore version, this noodle soup comes with sour broth flavored with tamarind (assam) with pureed fish, fruits, veggies and a generous helping of chili mixed in. Watch out, the combination is powerful and will have the uninitiated breathing fire! Famous assam laksa include Air Itam market, Gottlieb Road, Gurney Drive, etc.
Penang Char Koay Teow (炒馃条) - The definitive version of the ubiquitous stir-fried flat rice noodles, tossed with bean sprouts, cockles, and anything else the chef has handy. Eggs are additional and cockles can be opt out, if preferred by the customer; request when placing order. Some say the best Char Koay Teow can be found at Lorong Selamat but it costs at least RM5 per plate and that only if you have the patience of a saint to wait for it. Another choice is Ah Leng Char Koay Teow and the Char Koay Teow in Bukit Emas Restaurant, Seberang Perai.
Penang Nasi Kandar - White rice (nasi) with anything else that you want with it! Usually served with fried chicken, fried fish, prawns, squid, hardboiled eggs, various vegetables, and a curry (which is poured onto the rice). Be careful though! Taking too many of the 'side dishes' can be quite expensive. Can be found at various places around Georgetown. The most popular restaurant selling nasi kandar is Nasi Kandar Line Clear in Penang Road and Restoran Kapitan at Chulia Street.
Hokkien Mee - Two types of noodles in prawn and pork soup with slices of pork, prawns, hard boiled egg, vegetable, beans sprout and sprinkling of deep fried shallots.
Koay Teow Th'ng - Flat rice noodles (Koay Teow) in clear chicken soup (Th'ng) with slices of chicken, pork and fish cake. Garnish with chopped spring onions. Some places have duck meat and other organ meats as extras. Some say the shops in Hutton Lane and a couple of shops opposite Tandoori House are a good choices for this dish. You can also get good KTT at Gurney Drive, though at higher prices.
Lobak, or Lorbak - Minced pork wrapped in tofu skin) - Very famous in Penang, Lorbak is similar to sausage (Lor means a kind of sauce whereas bak means meat in Hokkien). You can choose the accompanying servings of prawn fritters, tofu, fish cakes, Taiwan sausages, century egg (preserved duck egg, unique taste and texture. Usually eaten with pickled young ginger) and others. Locals dip Lorbak in sweet sauce and chilli sauce. Can be found in rather consistent quality all over Penang. Also available at Gurney Drive's hawker center and New World Park.
Penang Sar Hor Fun (炒河粉) - A local dish with koay teow (flat rice cakes) in a delicious broth of beaten eggs and seafood bits. Goes best with pickled green chillies.
Seafood - As you might expect on an island, seafood is abundant. Head for the fishing village of Teluk Bahang in the north, or go to Batu Maung / Teluk Kumbar in the south for fresh fare at local prices. You can also get good seafood at Batu Ferringhi beach.
Or Chen (Oyster Omelette) - This is a popular dish available in multiple locations all around Georgetown. The food center at Gurney Drive is a tourist-friendly place to get an oyster omelette. It is next to the Gurney Plaza shopping center and a stone's throw away from G Hotel. Expect to queue for ten to fifteen minutes; the price ranges from RM 8 to RM 16 depending on the portion you are ordering.
Pasembor (Indian mixed fruits) - Despite its name, this dish does not contain any fruit. Basically it is cucumber plus your chosen ingredients covered in spicy peanut sauce. You can choose to add squid, sausage, tofu, local crackers, crabs, potato, eggs, and fish cake, among other possibilities. Prices range from RM 5 to RM 20, depending on the ingredients you want on your pasembor. Available at the food center at Gurney Drive.
Lor Mee (Noodles) - A bowl of yellow noodles in sticky brown colored gravy. Unique to this part of Malaysia and a must try, lor mee can be found on the road called "Lebuh Presgrave" in town. There is a little link house converted to a restaurant that serves them. Also available in other hawker centers. Depending on the cook, it may or may not contain innards such as intestines, stomach, and liver. You can ask them first and if they do serve innards, you may request a serving without them. Lor mee are commonly served with shreds of chicken breast and some pork slices. Prices range from RM 3 to RM 6.
Satay (Malay: sate) - the famous meat-on-a-stick, is a traditional Malay food typically made from marinated meat - chicken, mutton or beef, skewered onto bamboo sticks and grilled over hot charcoals. A fresh salad of cucumbers & onions are served together with a spicy-sweet peanut dipping sauce for dipping.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Penang
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Penang - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Penang hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Penang Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
