In my opinion Penang in Malaysia is one of the best food destinations in the world. 1. Because Malaysia itself is an amazing concoction of Malay, Chinese and Indian people. Resulting in amazing food. 2. In Penang specifically, there are dishes that you cannot get anywhere else. Whether outside the country or even outside of Penang. And even if you do find, it is nowhere near the same quality and taste. Read more about Penang here. In this guide I have collected some of these dishes. These are the five dishes you have to absolutely try when in Penang!
1. Roti Canai
Can breakfast get any better? No better way to start your day of exploring. This specific one from Transfer Road is legendary and has cult status amongst real foodies.
Roti Canai is flatbread with curry – can get chicken or lentil. The roti (flatbread) was made fresh (you can watch them make it) and it was super flaky and the chicken curry was rich and packed full of flavour. The roti was served under the curry so it was already soaked in all that curry goodness. They also do teh tarik (delicious pulled milk tea) and kaya toast (regrettably, we did not get it from here – we instead waited to try it at a super awesome place that does it in Singapore). They open very early and get busy very early. They close as soon as they finish, which is before midday! Love such experiences.
Google Maps Location: click here
2. Char Kway Teow
One of the must have dishes in Penang, Malaysia. We’ve had it in other places, but nothing matches the ones in Penang. It was made by one man who branded himself as the left handed man – he used his left hand only to cook this. He is located on an outside stall (typical of Penang) right next to the Cendol place (see below) on this buzzing small foodie road.
Watch him in action here.
3. Assam Laksa
If there’s one dish you have to try in Penang, Malaysia, it has has to be this dish! The Assam Laksa! Malaysia is known for its laksas- which is a spicy noodle soup and you can get different types of it in the country. The Assam Laksa is the one which is from Penang.
Just to show you how great this dish is – CNN ranked Penang Assam Laksa number 7 on the list of ‘World’s 50 Best Foods’ in 2020. And it’s the sole Malaysian dish that has been in this list for many many years now. That’s saying something because Malaysia has some absolutely amazing dishes.
What is it? It’s a bowl of thick wheat noodles that comes loaded with poached, flaked mackerel, tamarind, chili, mint, lemongrass, onion, and pineapple. May sound a random mix, but nothing about it is random! It works like butter works on toast! The fishy taste in the broth is strong, but the tamarind and pineapple help to counter that perfectly.
It is addictive, spicy, sour and moreish all in one go. With each bite you get a different experience of flavours and tastes. I have a list of epic dishes where not many make it… this one is on that list! And you have to try this dish here in Penang – it’s just not the same anywhere else.
Google Maps Location: click here
4. Nasi Kandar
Nasi kandar is another super popular Malaysian dish and a must try when in Malaysia. It originates from Penang, but is readily available all over the country. It is basically a plate of rice (nasi = rice) with loads of different curries and side dishes served alongside it. You have to pick your curries from a crazy selection – loads of varieties always available.
It was popularized by traders from India. A lot of nasi kandar places operate 24/7… literally. No joke. So, basically you can get your curry fix at 7 in the morning… if you wanted to.
If you’re in Penang, you absolutely have to try Line Clear – this restaurant supposedly serves some of the best nasi kandar. Not pictured. Unfortunately, we couldn’t try it here as the queue was too long and our flight time was close. So, we had to choose between flight and nasi kandar at line clear. Some would say we chose the wrong option.
Google Maps Location: click here
5. Cendol
Can’t do this guide without a dessert. And there’s no better dessert in Penang to include than the cendol! Cendol is a sweet shaved ice Malaysian dessert that has soft fresh pandan-flavoured palm flour noodles, coconut milk, kidney beans and a sugar syrup known as gula malaka. You can find many different variations of this around the country with many weird and wonderful toppings such as jackfruit and durian!
The most famous place serving this treat is probably this small pushcart in Penang – Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul. Tan Teik Fuang, the founder, learned making and began selling Cendol at Penang Road back in 1936 – with the intention to create a living for his family. 1936!!! And they are still going strong. They now have multiple outlets. To this day, you can still find the original one tucked in Penang Road. It is super popular and the queues are evidence of that! Locals and tourists alike queue up in the scorching heat to get a taste of this. You do get your bowl of Cendol in no time upon ordering – so you’re not in the queue for long. It’s almost impossible to get a seat, so it’s a stand up and consume kinda dish.
Google Maps Location: click here
