Conde Nast Traveler’s current July-August 2025 issue looks at Penang’s burgeoning food scene:
Conde Nast Traveler’s Global Digital Director, Arati Menon, had visited Penang earlier this year, and we managed to catch up for some street food then:
With Tan Chong Kim, 60, who’s in charge of the Penang Road Famous Teochew Cendul family business. He is the grandson of the founder, Tan Teik Fuang, who started the business back in 1936. Cendol is a sweet dessert of short, green rice noodles, which got its color from the natural extract of pandan leaves, which also imparts a subtle, fragrant aroma. The cendol noodles are served with fresh coconut milk, sweetened with liquid palm sugar.
The oldest written records mentioning cendol are found in Java, where it was better known as dawet. Dawet was first mentioned in an Old Javanese manuscript - the Kakawin Kresnayana written by palace scribe, Mpu Triguna of the Kediri Kingdom, circa 1104 AD.
The word cendol likely came from the word “jendol” which, in the East Javanese dialect, means “bulge or swell”, referring to the way the noodles swelled up when soaked in water.
Indian sweet apom by father-and-son duo, Martin Lourdes and Christie Paul. Apom is a South Indian staple which is believed to have been introduced by the Malayalees to Malaya in the 19th-century.
Asam laksa from Michelin Bib Gourmand-listed Penang Road Famous Asam Laksa. Rice noodles, served in tamarind-flavored fish soup. The soup will contain flaked fish-meat, and garnished with finely-chopped fresh cucumber, onions and pineapple, topped with fresh mint leaves and torch ginger flower. A spoonful of pungent, salty “hae koh” (fermented shrimp paste) will also be provided, to be stirred in as one desires.
Penang Road Famous Laksa was started 53 years ago by Madam Teh Siew Heoh. Today, her daughter-in-law, Mdm Nguang Siik Hee, and grandson, Leow Woo Taid, run the stall. It was included in the Michelin Guide to KL & Penang 2025 under its Bib Gourmand list.
While I can’t (and won’t) argue about the Street food in Penang, my experiences at the more upscale places differ from the CN Traveler reviews!
Because I only visited for two nights, I was limited in choice so moved ‘upscale’. While I would certainly have attempted Au Jardin, it was closed both days I was there, so had to pass.
I did get to Lucky Hole (tattoos and all). But, although the food was well prepared, the restaurant as a whole was very ‘hit and miss’ – mostly miss. I typically enjoy wine with food, and the list (I use the word loosely) was a disaster – only one selection available (Argentine Malbec) – multiple bottles of a single wine (which happened to be red; no whites or sparklers).
So, I leaned towards red meat – the Australian Lamb looked promising – except it wasn’t available (our reservation was at 6:30pm) - we were told they only had one serving that day and somebody else had already ordered it.
The menu had choices of oyster, salmon, prawn; some veggie options and Wagyu sirloin – this latter did go well with the wine, but, overall, a disappointing experience, although the dishes we received were all accomplished.
My favourite meal in Penang was at Communal Table by Gen (actually my favourite meal of the entire trip) – and that was superb. The staff were fully engaged and suggested adjustments to our preliminary choices – not all of which I accepted. And the disappointing things were all where I had ignored the suggestions (so that’s on me). Wine list was exceptional (I chose an Austrian Gruner Veltliner that went superbly with the food). More details to follow if any interest – I still haven’t unpacked from the trip!
I can imagine your experience. Independent fine dining restaurants is a fairly recent trend in Penang, where street food dining hold sway. Most are not more than 4 or 5 years old!
In comparison, similar establishments in, say, San Francisco, are so matured. I remembered when I first went to Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse in 2004, it’s already been around for 33 years! And Judy Rodgers’ Zuni Cafe (my go-to place on Friday nights during my SF years) was already 25 years old at the time.
