Penang - 7 Dishes To Try For The Uninitiated, George Town, Malaysia

Penang has and always been a food haven for both Malaysians and foreigners alike. Penangites pride themselves over their tasty street food while cafes with their delectable treats are mushrooming around town. My latest visit to the island was during the Chinese New Year holidays and the focus was to try as many food as time and tummy allow us to consume. These seven dishes are but a small percentage of all the “must-try” foods there so rest assured that more food trips up north will be in the pipeline.

Prawn noodles are basically noodles with some shrimp and veggie all in a thick broth. But what really makes the prawn noodles at Ayu’s stands out from the rest is the freshness of the shrimps (not surprising since the restaurant is by a fishing village) and the tastiness of the broth. The broth is made of shrimp stock so you have that double-whammy shrimp flavor but it gets nicely toned down with the inclusion chili that also gives the red color. Believe me, once the shrimp and noodles are long gone you’ll be slurping the broth down to the last drop.

“Forget the overrated Line Clear and Beratur. If you want the local’s nasi kandar, go to Deen.” Wise words from my wife’s cousin when we meet up during Hari Raya last year. A visit to Deen in the neighborhood of Jelutong would necessitate you queuing up even at midnight. The mixed curries flooding the rice are well-balanced texture and taste wise while the free range fried chicken is seasoned to perfection. Veggie dishes at a nasi kandar joint are non-existent so be grateful if you can get two boiled okras to go with the rice. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).