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Tourism Malaysia

Penang Food Trail

Ask any Malaysian about Penang, and they’ll definitely talk about the food. From char kuey teow to nasi kandar, cendol to rojak and more; there’s just so much to taste and try at the food capital of Malaysia. So where do you begin, you ask? Fret not, we’ve gone on the hunt for all the must-try goodies and compiled them for you here.

First stop: Jalan Burma

Must try:

Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng

Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng
Seng Lee Cafe
270, Jalan Burma, Georgetown
Opening hours: 8am – 6pm (Closed on Monday)

One of the most famous mee goreng (fried noodles) stall in Penang, the Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng is a great way to start your gastronomic adventure. The stall has been operating for generations at the corner of Bangkok Lane and Burma Road. Flavourful noodles fried to perfection with potatoes and spicy sotong (cuttlefish), topped with a squeeze of lime.

Also in the area:

Assam Laksa Lemak Laksa
Kedai Kop Sin Hwa
329, Jalan Burma, Georgetown
Opening hours: 10.30am – 4.30pm (Closed on Thursday)

Apom Manis
Stall at Lorong Kuching, next to Kedai Kopi New Cathay
425, Jalan Burma, Georgetown
Opening hours: 7am – 1pm (Closed on Sunday)

Next stop: Jalan Rangoon/Lorong Selamat

Must try:

02_01HotBowlCurryMee

White Curry Mee

White Curry Mee (Non-Halal)
Hot Spicy Bowl Nyonya Delights
58, Jalan Rangoon, Georgetown
Opening hours: 8am to 3pm (Closed on Monday)

Don’t be surprised when your bowl of curry noodles is served white. There’s a container of chilli paste on each table for you to add into your noodles – you can put as much as you want! Topped with fresh cockles, cuttlefish, tofu and bean sprouts, the flavour of the curry mee here is truly authentic.

Lorong Selamat Char Kuey Teow

Lorong Selamat Char Kuey Teow (Non-Halal)
Kafe Heng Huat
108, Lorong Selamat, Georgetown
Opening hours: 11:30am – 6pm (Closed on Tuesday)

No trip to Penang is complete without a plate of char kuey teow (fried noodles). The Lorong Selamat version of the char kuey teow may be one of the most expensive in Penang, but it’s hands down one of the best in town. Flat rice noodles, fried to perfection with large, juicy prawns – you may wipe the drool off your chin now

Third stop: Jalan Penang

Must try:

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul

Teochew Chendul
Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
475, Jalan Penang, Georgetown
Opening hours: 10:30am – 7pm (Monday to Friday) 10am – 7:30pm (Saturday to Sunday)

There’s nothing better than an ice cold dessert on a hot, sunny day. Chendul (also spelt cendol) is a popular dessert made with coconut milk, palm sugar syrup, kidney beans and green jelly, topped with shaved ice. This roadside stall has been in operation since 1963! You can queue up for the chendul and have it standing around the stall, or enjoy it in the coffee shop next to it for a slight surcharge.

Assam Laksa

Assam Laksa

Assam Laksa
Joo Hooi Cafe
475, Jalan Penang, Georgetown
Opening hours: 11:30am – 5pm

Ranked 7th in the world’s 50 best foods by CNN, the assam laksa is another Penang favourite. The thick, sourish soup is made with fish and tamarind, and topped over thick rice noodles. The Joo Hooi Cafe version is really addictive, with just the right amount of sourness.

Nasi Kandar

Nasi Kandar
Nasi Kandar Line Clear
Corner of Lebuh Chulia and Jalan Penang, Georgetown
Opening hours: 24 hours

Located in an alley at the corner of Lebuh Chulia Jalan Penang, Nasi Kandar Line Clear might not be the prettiest sight in town. But one whiff of the curries, and you’ll forget about the surroundings. You’ll be given a choice of plain steamed rice or briyani rice, and a selection of meat, curries and vegetables.

Also in the area:

Popiah
Kek Seng Coffeeshop
382, Jalan Penang, Georgetown
Opening hours: 11am – 4:30pm

Lorbak (Non-halal)
Kafe Kheng Pin
80, Jalan Penang, Georgetown
Opening hours:  7am – 3pm (Closed on Monday)

Fourth Stop: Lebuh Union Lebuh Chulia

Must try:

Pasembor

Pasembor
Kareem Pasembor Rojak
Lebuh Union, Georgetown
Opening hours: 11am – 7pm (Closed on Sunday)

Pasembor is a kind of salad consisting of shredded cucumber, potatoes, fried beancurd, prawn fritters and egg topped with a special sweet and spicy nut sauce. You can choose to mix and match the ingredients, or order one with everything. The texture of the prawn fritters are just right, not too soft or chewy. And with a generous helping of the sauce, Kareem’s pasembor doesn’t disappoint.

Chicken Tandoori

Tandoori
Restoran Kapitan
93, Lebuh Chulia, Georgetown
Opening hours: 24 hours

The chicken tandoori here is very tender and flavourful. Served with a fluffy naan, it’s a pretty filling meal. If you’re looking for a heavier meal, the claypot briyani at Restoran Kapitan is also recommended.

Also in the area:

Hot Puthu
Jelutong Hot Puthu
Lebuh Penang, Georgetown
Opening hours: from 5pm

Mee Goreng Hameed Coconut Shake
Kota Selera Padang Kota Lama
Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah, Georgetown
Opening hours: 11:30am – 8pm (Closed on Sunday)

Last stop: Lebuh Kimberley Jalan Siam

Duck Kway Chap

Duck Kway Chap (Non-halal)
Restoran Kimberly
Lebuh Kimberley, Georgetown
Opening hours: 6:30pm – 11:30pm (Closed on Thursday)

Kway Chap is a special handmade rice noodle, served in a slightly herbal broth. This stall here has been serving duck kway chap for over three decades. Each bowl comes with a generous portion of braised duck, innards, egg and a choice of kway chap, rice or porridge. The flavoursome soup is really delicious, you’ll be slurping till the very last drop!

05_02SiamCKT

Jalan Siam Char Kuey Teow

Char Kuey Teow (Non-halal)
Siam Road Char Kuey Teow
Jalan Siam, Georgetown
Opening hours: 3pm to 11pm (Closed on Monday)

Ask any Penangite where the best char kuey teow is, and they’ll most likely lead you to Jalan Siam. A 5 minute drive away from Lebuh Kimberley, this char kuey teow stall has been here for decades. An elderly man fries the noodles, while his son brings them over to the coffeeshop opposite where you can sit and have your meal. A word of advice, don’t come here on an empty stomach as the wait can be up to an hour! It’s worth the wait though, if you have the time.

 

Also try …

Here are some other yummy goodies you should try, if you are in the area.

Hokkien Mee

Hokkien Mee (Non-Halal)
Cecil Street Market
40-48, Lebuh Cecil, Georgetown
Opening hours: 7am until late

Curry Mee (Non-Halal)
Lorong Seratus Tahun Curry Mee
Lorong Seratus Tahun, Georgetown
Opening hours: 7:30am – 2pm (Closed on Thursday)

Apom Chooi

Apom Manis
Apom Chooi
Jalan Burma (Near Union Primary School), Georgetown
Opening hours: 10am – 6pm (Closed on Sunday)

Hawker Food (Non-halal)
New Lane Hawker Centre
Lorong Baru, Georgetown
Opening hours: 6pm till late

 

Here’s a map to help you on your food hunt:

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Hope we’ve got your stomach growling with this guide! Book your trip to Penang now, or find out more at www.tourism.gov.my

 

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not represent Tourism Malaysia and is not endorsed by Tourism Malaysia.

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Tourism Malaysia

Mystical Eve Interview: Pop Shuvit

December 23, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Two members of Pop Shuvit were spotted at the Mystical Eve Countdown Party press conference recently. AJ and JD were kind enough to answer the questions we lined up for them. Enjoy!

M.com: How does it feel to be invited to perform at the Mystical Eve Countdown Party?
JD: Definitely excited. I am really excited because we have never played here before in a new environment. Usually, New Year’s eve parties are always held at the usual places, so this year it is going to be different and better!

AJ: It is also going to be our 11th year playing together as a group. I’m happy that we are still being invited to play for New Year’s eve after so long!

Pop Shuvit, the great Malaysian indie band is set to perform during Mystical Eve at ENCORP Strand

M.com: What are your New Year’s resolutions?
JD: The million dollar question…
AJ: For Pop Shuvit, it would probably to get a Grammy, as we have always been aiming for one. We aim big, so every year we try to get closer and closer to that.
JD: So we probably set one huge and unrealistic goal, but along the way we probably set smaller goals. So every year we set those little goals which brings us closer to our big goal of winning a Grammy.

M.com: Do you have any personal goals or any personal resolutions?
JD: *Jokes* I want to be a solo singer-writer like Reza Salleh! Or maybe I want to do a K-Pop album and sell millions! *laughs at his comment*

M.com: Or maybe you do not believe in resolutions?
AJ: Personally I don’t, but it is good to have something like that. Like in my case, me and my wife are expecting our baby in 3 months’ time, so I want to be a good daddy and provide for him as much as I can.

M.com: Based on your experience, has any of your New Year’s resolutions came true in the past?

JD: Hmm… normally by January 31st I will be like, ‘What did I put as my resolutions this year?’. *laughs*

M.com: Any plans in store for the coming year? As the group Pop Shuvit?
JD: Despite all personal stuff, for the group we plan to take our music and expand it internationally. Our brand new album is out, it’s called Cherry Blossom Love Affair, so we will try to promote and get it distributed by some of the regional factories in Indonesia and the Philippines. We also hope to secure a lot more tours in United States and Europe as well.


M.com: If Pop Shuvit fans in Malaysia would like to get their hands on your latest album, where can they go to get it?

JD: The album is currently being sold in any major record stores like Rock Corner or Speedy Video. It is retailing for RM29 at the moment and there are 12 songs in the album.

M.com: Before your Pop Shuvit days, how did you spend your New Year’s eve? And are you guys usually busy performing during New Year’s eve?
JD: For the past 10 years at least, we have been busy doing a show almost every New Year’s eve. That is basically our memory of New Year’s eve, performing on stage and doing the countdown with the band mates, who are like our family.
AJ: At least they become our ‘brothers’ on the 31st of December every year… *laughs*

M.com: You mentioned that you did a lot of performances during the New Year’s eve. What would be your most memorable New Year’s eve performance?
AJ: Our first performance actually…
JD: Where was it? Was that the first New Year’s eve performance? I don’t remember…

M.com: Tell us about the one that you remember the most…
AJ: I remember one time, during one of our earlier performances and it was held at Bukit Bintang. There was this HUGE crowd from the front of Starhill where we were playing right up to the end of Jalan Alor! It felt so cool to finally play for such a big crowd, for all our Malaysian fans.

M.com: Was that the biggest turnout that you guys have played to so far?
AJ: There were bigger crowds after that, but that was the one that left the biggest impression. We stopped Bukit Bintang from operating their normal business hours.

M.com: How has the year been for Pop Shuvit?
JD: This year has been really really good. We had a wonderful first half of the year because we started recording our album since middle of last year and we managed to finish it in the first quarter of 2011. The album was released in middle of this year. Running up to that, we also had a very big show this year which was the MTV World Stage that was held at I-City in Shah Alam. That was a massive show where we got a full on set and played with big names like Thirty Seconds to Mars, Neon Trees and Beast. The biggest thing was that the performance was that it was broadcast to about 60 million households. It was really huge publicity for the group. So that made 2011 a good year for us.
AJ: And that also kind of put Malaysian music on the world map.

M.com: We agree. Pop Shuvit has contributed a lot to the Malaysian indie music scene over the years…
JD: We are probably one of the first independent groups to made it.
AJ: We took it and did it ourselves and made our name.
JD: Before there was an Indie explosion in the Malaysia music industry…
AJ: Yeah, before Indie music became cool!

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