OTP’s Guide to Street Food: Penang
Photo by: jjay69
Penang blends a beachy, coastal vibe, some international urban flair and a unique South Asian perspective to make one delicious bowl of Malaysian curry mee. Whether you’re visiting for a month, or passing through to renew your visa from Thailand for the day, Penang is the street food capital of the country and worth stopping by just to chow down.
Photo by: jayhan
These fried noodles are worth your firstborn and a soda–or 4 Ringgit (about $1.35 USD) in common currency. They also happen to be the city’s signature drunk food. Loaded with beastly prawns, cockles (mussel-esque shellfish) and a smoky taste that schools Pad See Yew (a Thai noodle dish), these ribbon noodles will cure whatever buzz you’re rollin’ on, in the three minutes it takes to make them. Unless you’re washing them down with a Carlsberg, of course, which we highly recommend.
BANANA LEAF MEALS
The only way to experience this culinary mouth-sterbation fully is by taking it down on a banana leaf. Be sure to wash your hands before and after; banana leaf foodin’ is straight outta Karnataka and will make your right hand the middle-man between you and your biodegradable plate. South Indian swagger is the modus in Penang’s Little India, where you can get street-side Masala Dosa, vadai and other Dravidian eats while grooving to the latest Indian music videos. If you’re looking to get as local as possible, order Roti Cenai, a thick, buttery flatbread served with chutneys, or unmistakably Penang-inspired fish cakes.
OTP TIP: If you liked the meal, fold your banana leaf towards you. If you didn’t, fold it towards the fat guy across the room and go have a bitch fit around the corner.
Photo by: wongyunguang
Chendol is the national dessert of Malaysia. Don’t let the bright- green, wormy-looking things on the top of that mound of shaved ice scare you, they’re just gelatinous noodles made out of green pea flour (safe for vegetarians). The shaved ice is doused in coconut milk and palm sugar and some places will add sweet red beans. Since it’s hot as balls there, this dessert will definitely cool you off. For a crunchier, trendier take on the dish, try Ais Kacang, full of colorful syrups and featuring giant kacang (peanuts).
Photo by: momofuku ando
This magical hangover-curing noodle dish will have you feeling awe-ssam in no time. That’s not to say that hangovers are the only reason for eating this epic noodle-soup. Heaping chunks of mackerel and spicy/sour tamarind-lemongrass broth, loaded with ginger and shrimp paste make this soup a flavorful meal, suitable for those that don’t wreak of Saturday night. A good Laksa will turn the heat up. Have a tissue ready for the nasal drip.
OH CHIEN
Forget the myth that oysters are swanky Rockefeller-grub, Penang’s got ‘em on the menu for three meals a day and all you need is a couple Ringgit. Tapioca flour is the secret ingredient that lends the classic gooeyness to this omelet, which packs at least twenty little libido-bomb oysters per, giving you more than enough reason to finish that last bite. Visit Slippery Senoritas to get your Oh Chien! face on.
Photo by: huppypie
This noodle bowl is a tasty shout-out to the Chinese influence running through the Malaysian street food scene. Wan Tan Mee puts thick slices of BBQ-pork, prawns, veggies and killer won tons in your face on a big bed of steaming noodles and broth. In Asian cuisine, noodles act as a delivery system for the good stuff’ and one bowl of Wan Tan Mee should put you in a beach-nap-curable food coma.
Photo by: Camemberu
Rolls make the Asian world go round. Whether they’re vermicelli rolls in Vietnam, Philippine lumpia, or egg rolls in China, each country has their own interpretation and Penang is no exception. Penang proudly presents popiah (basically, big ass spring rolls.) Made with crepe-like dough that absorbs sauces as it’s fried, these burrito-sized monsters are crammed with lettuce, veggie stew, eggs and tofu.
TEH TARIK
Although it’s hard to determine whether this drink is Indian or Malay in origin (depends on who you ask and where they’re from), the best Teh Tarik can be found in Little India. A drink with a show, watching Teh Tarik being made will hypnotize you like a light show at a rave– steaming hot black tea is mixed with condensed milk and then poured from glass to glass by the vendor in crazy arcs. If all that tea trickery doesn’t get you smiling, then the insane flavors of cardamom and ginger might–or, a Zoloft crushed into the frothy brew.
Three meals a day just don’t cut it in Penang. Boost your metabolism by scarfing down at least six to get all the goodness of Malaysian street food under your quickly tightening belt.
Unbridled reality, bitches!
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Hey love the article! Big fan of Malaysian cuisine especially Popiah and Laksa. Found another article on cheap eats in Penang. Thought you might find it interesting and worth a read http://www.travelwireasia.com/936/top-6-budget-eats-in-penang-malaysia/ Let me know what you think of it!