I’ll start by saying Penang is a brilliant place to visit. It’s known fondly as the food capital of Malaysia, and had a certain quirkiness to it that really appealed to me.
If you do make a stop on Penang Island, look no further than Kheng Pin Cafe in island capital Georgetown to try out some culinary delights! Char Kway Teow is one of the most famous recipes from the island, but don’t miss out on other delicacies like Loh Bak (five spice pork rolls) or Wantan Mee (fried noodles with barbeque pork, shiitake mushrooms, poached chicken and wantan dumplings).
Along with local specialities, I did have a taste from home during my time in this foodie paradise, which came in the form of a cheeky nandos!
It’s a lot of fun trying out new foods from all over the world, but this was also the first time I’d travelled to a place where nandos exists outside the UK, and I was intrigued to see how different it might be.
It naturally caters to local tastes, so the lemon & herb marinade I’d been used to in the UK was off the menu, as were the mixed olives (which to be honest are about 50% of the reason I go to nandos)! Being the daredevil that I am, I stepped up to… MEDIUM 🌶️🌶️🌶️ the next local twist came when the waiter took my order, and asked if I wanted crispy cheese or egg & chutney with my chicken wrap… I wasn’t massive on either but he forced a decision out of me, so crispy cheese it was.
All in all, not a terrible experience but not one to tempt me away from Nandos UK. Other foodie adventures throughout the week included some pretty amazing mexican food at this place…
Did I go in just because it was called Holy Guacamole? Yes. Yes I did. You’ll find them on Love Lane, Georgetown along with a host of other bars, and also my first hostel on the island… Old Penang Guesthouse.
If you’re looking for a hostel in town; this place has great facilities, a central location and it’s set in a beautiful early 20th Century building that looks a little like a saloon from a Western.
And what better way to end a day than with extravagant, cinnamon cone ice cream? Head over to Rollney for just that, definitely try out the black vanilla flavour (always perplexed me why they made vanilla synonymous with being white), and throw on all sorts of fun toppings!
Given the title, I feel I should at some point mention the brilliant street art that gave Penang such a unique identity from the other parts of Asia I’d visited.
You want even more quirkiness I hear you say? Well you’re in luck. Head to one of Penang’s crazy museum’s.
- Check out a tasty Mona Lisa at the Wonderfood Museum…
2. Warp perspective at the 3D Trick Art Museum
3. Or follow my footsteps all the way onto the ceiling at the Upside Down Museum
There a lots more to choose from, they generally cost about ÂŁ5-6 to get in and are a pretty entertaining way to spend an afternoon.
I’ll finish off this post with the best way to finish a meal… with cheesecake, of course! Way too much cheesecake. If you’re a fan of desserts don’t miss China House, where they make and serve 50 cakes daily, and have pretty much anything you can think up.
I opted for this delicious (and hench) Salted Camamel Cheesecake, and couldn’t resist returning on my final night for another slice.
The place is a little mad, so be prepared for waiters, customers and possibly a flan flying past you at ridiculous speeds. It’s definitely worth the trouble though!
Penang was actually a staging point for my last big experience of the whole trip, coming up in the next post; but it exceeded my expectations with its cuisine, quirky traits, and colourful colonial architecture…
See you on the next one!
A Pocketful of Postcards 