Penang food

Penang hawker food is so legendary that tourists are known to flock there just for the best char kuay teow, oyster omelette, laksa, curry noodles, prawn mee, rojak, popiah, loh bak and chendol.

Though I had only several hours in Penang, I was determined to eat my fill. Luckily my lovely client was more than happy to oblige.

For breakfast, she brought me to a famous loh bak stall.

Besides loh bak (meat roll wrapped in beancurd skin), the stall also sells deep fried fish, cuttlefish and shrimp fritters, served with 2 dipping sauces - chilli and a starchy sauce flavoured with spices.

This loh bak combo was just the side dish. We each had a plate of char kuay teow.

This was a special order, cooked using duck eggs which made the dish extra aromatic and delicious!

My host is really funny. Two hours after breakfast, she asked if I was ready for lunch. While I don't normally take lunch, I just couldn't pass up this opportunity to sample more Penang food.

I had wanted to eat the famous prawn mee soup and fruit rojak but the few good stalls that we went to were closed. Finally we had to settle for this one nearby.

The spicy broth, made using prawn shells and heads, was rich and flavourful. The prawn mee here is slightly different from the ones served in Singapore.

Our order came with hardboiled egg, small boiled prawns, roast pork and a big spoonful of chilli sauce.

Alas, there was no fruit rojak or chendol (pandan-flavored noodles, shaved ice, red beans in coconut milk and palm sugar syrup) stall in sight. So I ordered ice kachang instead.

I left for the airport after lunch to catch the evening flight back to Singapore. I wish I had more time to try a larger variety of hawker food. Some of the best stalls are found along Gurney Drive, a popular seafront promenade that only comes alive at night. Looks like I have to come back to Penang some time soon, with my fellow foodies so we can eat up a storm.