When is our last time having Roti Bak Kwa? Our guess is when Malaysia is still under Japanese hands. We recently found this childhood bun at Ah Beng Roti Bak Kwa 阿明肉干 (GPS: 5.41381,100.33080) in ICT Komtar Penang.
Penang food
Break n Eat Cafe @ Elit Avenue, Penang
With restaurants come and go in Elit Avenue, Bayan Baru, Penang, sometimes we think our “Publish this post” button is equivalent to “Close this business” in which restaurants closed for good (for whatever reasons) the moment we publish our post. Break n Eat Cafe (GPS: 5.32211,100.28222), however, is a dark horse.
Nyonya Delights Cafe @ Victoria Street, Penang
Wake up early in the morning during weekend and looking for breakfast in Penang island? Other than Dim Sum and coffee shops, there are not many choices especially if you are looking for a cozy cafe for a sip of coffee. Located few shops away from Da Shu Xia Seafood Restaurant 大树下海鲜饭店 at Victoria Street, Nyonya Delights Cafe (GPS: 5.41397,100.33947) is an accidental discovery and since then, we visited it three times for breakfast.
Saigon House Cuisine @ Sri Bahari Road, Penang
After Thai restaurants, Vietnamese restaurants show significant grow in Penang in recent years. Saigon House Cuisine (GPS: 5.42152,100.33164) is located at Sri Bahari Road (same road in which The Ship and Foong Wei Heong Restaurant 风味小食馆 are located) occupying a unit of the renovated heritage shoplot. It was one evening when we were craving for Tomyam and planned to visit a Thai Fusion Cafe at Sri Bahari Road, just to find out that the cafe was under renovation. As a result, we walked few shops away and stumbled upon this Vietnamese restaurant. No Thai, Vietnamese also OK.
Loaf U Butterworth
For people living in the mainland, now you no need to travel across the sea, facing unthinkable traffic of George Town for “sandwich-on-chair” by Loaf U as the cafe now has an outlet in Bukit Mertajam and Butterworth respectively. We stumbled upon Loaf U Butterworth in Teras Jaya Business Park near Raja Uda (GPS: 5.43372,100.38936) when we were hunting for breakfast recently.
Vege Delight @ Arena Curve, Penang
Since Arena Curve near Olive Tree Hotel imposed paid parking system, cheapskates like us seldom visit this new commercial building in Bayan Baru. Still you can park your vehicle outside the private compound for free. Fortunately, Vege Delight (GPS: 5.32601,100.28006) in Arena Curve is located just opposite of Arang Coffee and we walked our way to this new restaurant one evening for some “Choo Char” dishes in vegetarian way.
Chia Foo 吃福餐馆 @ Bayan Point, Penang
If you are like us who miss morning Dim Sum during week days due to 9-5 job, the new Chia Foo Restaurant 吃福餐馆 (GPS: 5.33270,100.29478) at Bayan Point is a great place for lunch in which you can have both Dim Sum and egg noodle/rice set at the same time. Now, how should we classify this restaurant? Dim Sum or “Choo Char” restaurant?
Waka Waka @ Sungai Ara, Penang
Want to try one of the hottest chili in the world? Come to Waka Waka (GPS: 5.31964,100.26929) in Sungai Ara, Penang. At first, we thought the staff was stingy by providing us chili paste less than a teaspoonful, just to find out later that it was actually for our own good. After all, they don’t want to have few dead bodies in the premise after dipping grilled chicken with world’s hottest chili.
Pearl Garden Cafe @ Tanjung Tokong
Visiting Penang’s “Avatar” at Tanjung Tokong? Why not stopping by 70+ years old’s Pearl Garden Cafe 海珠屿海鲜 (GPS: 5.46404,100.30792) for some fresh and juicy seafood? Their menu is pretty limited (seriously, we don’t recall they have a menu) featuring simple cooking methods (usually salt-baked something something) with the intention to retain the original flavor of the seafood at its best.
Richard Rivalee @ M Mall, Penang
Previously located at Bangkok Lane near Pulau Tikus, Richard Rivalee – the fashion designer cum chef is now relocated to M Mall with more spacious dining environment, an event room, and more important, you can walk in 7 days a week for tantalizing Nyonya cuisine.