If you are a foodie then you are going to love a visit to Penang in Malaysia! Just imagine street upon street packed with vendors or food hawkers as they are called making and selling every imaginable local delicacy; these dishes can be sweet or sour, savoury or sizzling or sometimes a combination of all these too! Penang is not only known for its colourful culture but culinary concoctions as well and one of the great things about its street food scene is that dishes are made right then and there.
Be it barbequed, deep boiled, fried or sizzled, these dishes are bursting with colour and flavour and visitors will find it hard to stop at just one dish. What you will find here is something like a food court setting outdoors, with locals and tourists all brought together through a love of food. With so much to eat and savour throughout the day it’s important to find a place to stay that is close to the areas where you can enjoy this street food. The Penang property belonging to Berjaya Hotels & Resorts is an ideal option since it lets you get into the thick of the action as well as being a great place to give weary legs and content tummies a good rest after your foodie tours.
The best way to soak up the atmosphere is to stroll along its busy streets, checking out each stall or eatery and following your nose as different aromas battle for your attention. Some ‘must try’ highlights would most definitely include Mee Goreng which is a kind of juicy noodle dish infused with spices, egg and meat varieties, Laksa Lemak a type of soup dish with noodles and shrimp or fish, Wanton Mee which also has noodles generally in a broth with pork, prawns or chicken and Rojak Pasembur which comes with tofu, bean sprouts, hardboiled egg and cucumber slivers topped off with spicy gravy. Of course these are by no means the only dishes on offer and juicy kebabs, freshly made roti and naan and even fruit mixed with chilli powder and salt all are worth trying out.
What’s a good meal without dessert! Part of the speciality of Penang street food is its yummy sweet treats. Probably the most popular is what is known as Ais Kacang (sometimes referred to as ABC) which is made up of milk, shaved-ice and rose and sugar syrups. Beneath the ice you will find jelly, sweet corns and even kidney beans which give it an amazing taste. If you want some good refreshment after all your adventures, Ais Kacang would be perfect. Other popular desserts for those with a sweet tooth to try include Cendol which is another dish that has shaved ice along with coconut milk, sugar and jelly noodles as well as Apom which is an Indian pancake of sorts that is sweet and which has a crispy out layer followed by a soft fluffy centre.
After you have had your fill, the best way to burn off those calories would be to take a leisurely stroll through Georgetown where you will find some real intriguing street art. Once your waistline has receded and you have worked up an appetite make sure you try some more street food and introduce your taste buds to a whole new world of flavours.
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.