3 Famous Penang Food We Can't Wait To Eat Again

Hello, friends! We hope you are safe and well. Today we wanted to tell you about some of the famous Penang food that is deliciously invading our dreams. Most of us are in some form of lockdown/quarantine and it’s making us crave some of the things we took for granted before. So here are three delicious Penang dishes we’ll be heading straight for when this is over!

Penang Char Koay Teow

We’re always suprised that this mouth-watering local favourite isn’t more well known among travelers. Lovingly referenced as CKT by locals, this dish is quite straightforward in technique, but masters of the craft can imbue it with intense flavour and variation. It arrived in Southeast Asia with Chinese migrants from the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong in China, and has since grown to include various local ingredients and accommodate different palates.

Penang Char Koay Teow is rare documented proof heaven exists. Picture taken at Joo Hooi Cafe.

In Penang, a plate of Char Koay Teow is a savoury, spicy and aromatic indulgence of the rich abundance of flavour in southeast Asia. Chinese cooks masterfully bring together the rustic flavours of Chinese cooking with the strong, pungent flavour of chili and spices from their new homes. Adding to this fragrant and heady mix is fresh local seafood, the satisfying flavours of chicken or duck eggs and appetising aromatics like kuchai - a local version of chives.

It’s no wonder that this dish has become an obsession among locals. But many believe the best versions are, of course, in Penang.

Penang Laksa (and also all the other kinds of Laksa)

This is one of the more well-known Penang dishes, at least among fans of the late Anthony Bourdain. Even before the world-famous chef and TV host traveled to Penang to try this revered dish, it was something of an open secret among chefs and foodies around the world. Today, you can find laksa at food trucks and restaurant menus from Wellington to New York. But many travelers are very suprised when they finally try a bowl of Laksa in Penang.

Siamese Laksa is also a celebrity in Penang - caught here by the paparazzi with a bulb of torch ginger flower

The first thing you’ve got to know that laksa isn’t one dish, there are easily 20 different types of dishes that we call laksa. This variation spans the width and breadth of Southeast Asia and almost every nation has different versions of laksa. Broadly there are a few constants: there’s almost always a type of round rice noodle, the broth base is most often fish and coconut milk, and almost all laksa include laksa leaf as an ingredient. Laksa leaf is often called Vietnamese mint or sometimes labeled as Vietnamese Coriander.

There are also a few different types of laksa in Penang. But the catch is, unlike most other laksa in the world, we don’t use coconut milk. So the Penang laksa has a unique taste - a crescendo of sweet, sour, spicy, fruity, umami and more that is hard to recreate elsewhere. It takes some getting used to but once you’ve gotten a taste, it’s addictive. Although really great Penang Laksa places are becoming few and far between, people in Penang remain extremely passionate about the popular laksa spots and cherish them greatly.

We offer Penang laksa and char koay teow on our lunch tour. So if you’re interested to try these dishes and learn more about their historic context, get in touch with us!

Penang Nasi Kandar

Some people say the most popular sports in Malaysia are football (“soccer” in American) and Badminton. But we say the most popular sports are football, badminton and Nasi Kandar. Malaysians are mad about Nasi Kandar and take their passion for this unique Penang dish to the extreme. Case in point, when Malaysia went into quarantine, the police had to stop people from going out to Nasi Kandar restaurants. Malaysians will give up life and limb for this dish.

Nasi Kandar was invented in Penang and to this day remains the bastion of flavour to many Malaysian fans. Some of the heritage shops here go back to the start of the 20th century and have been serving Nasi Kandar to lines of loyal enthusiasts for over a century. Many of us have grown up with this dish and it’s usually one of the first things a Malaysian will recommend you try here.

Penang Nasi Kandar: we swear there is rice under this mountain of side dishes and curries. Picture taken at Hameediyah Restaurant.

But what is Nasi Kandar exactly? Well, it consists of two parts. One, there’s rice. But each shop might have a different version of the rice. Most often it’s fragrant white rice cooked with pandan leaves or lemongrass, but it can also be ghee rice, briyani rice (rice cooked with spices, ghee, raisins and cashews), tomato rice or several of the above options.

Two, there’s the curries. Oh, the curries. Any self-respecting Nasi Kandar shop will have at least 10 different curries to choose from. Some of the larger ones might have several dozens. Recipes from the Indo-Persian world, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South Asia all combine in a unique fusion that is as decadently delicious as it is mind-boggling. You can spend a decade at a single shop before tasting every possible combination of flavour on offer. Is it any suprise that it is such an obsession for Malaysians?

There you have it, folks. The 3 dishes we’re currently obsessing over and will definitely be making a beeline for when quarantine is over. What’s your current food obsession? Be safe and be well. We know things are tough right now but they will look up soon. In the meantime, we’ll be entertaining you with more delicious things to see and eat in Penang.

Need to indulge in more Penang food? Read about 3 Types of Penang Noodles here.

Nasi Kandar is actually an option on our dinner tour. Let us know while you’re booking if you’d like to try some of the famous Penang nasi kandar.