Penang, Malaysia, has some amazing food. Which sounds great in theory, but it can be a little overwhelming for first timers or those with a delicate stomach. So where should you start?
I’m a strong believer in giving everything a try, although I would probably draw the line at brains! Most of the food in Penang is less scary than other destinations in South East Asia, so a fairly safe place to try things.
For the less brave it’s a good idea to hover near a stall where they are serving and see what other people are getting. This way you can easily determine what either the locals or the visitors are eating first.
The tourist office in Penang issues a very handy leaflet, which provides the details of food places serving all of the local specialities as well as a short synopsis of what to expect. So my best recommendation is to grab yourself one of these and start working down the list.
My favourites
Unless you are vegetarian, you will want to try most of the following dishes for yourself:
Char Koay Teow
One of the most famous dishes in Penang are these flat noodles stir fried in a wok with beansprouts, egg and prawns. There are also cockles in here, but don’t let that put you off, I’m not a fan either but still love this dish.
Won Ton Mee
Mee is Chinese for noodles. This dish is served with a choice of steamed or deep fried Won Ton (pork dumplings), sometimes also with prawns. Typically this dish is served with egg noodles and you can either have them in a soup (wet) or dry. There are usually 4-6 dumplings and a few slices of BBQ pork. I prefer the soup but like to get both steamed and fried Won Ton along with the pork, so I get a variety.
Laksa
Another soupy dish, with a fishy and spicy broth. You have to try this curry like soup.
Roti Canai
Indian bread a bit like naan but more oily. It is served with a curry sauce and usually around breakfast time. I can’t imagine anyone not looking this – unless they dislike curry.
Satay
Ok, so it’s not something that you probably haven’t tried already. Meat on sticks with a spicy peanut sauce. The fact you can just pick up a few satay and wander around eating them, makes this a great snack.
