The retail and dining precinct in Island Glades, a middle-class suburb on the outskirts of George Town, is bounded by four streets: Lorong Delima 3, Lorong Delima 5, Lorong Delima 6 and Lorong Delima 7. There are 4 large traditional Chinese-style coffeeshops or kopitiams on each of the four corners of the retail area: ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ (which only opens for breakfast & lunch), ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ which opens for dinner, and ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ and ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ which opens throughout the day.
This post looks at some of my favourite dinner options at ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐.
Khao ka moo - Thai-style braised pigโs trotters with rice. Terrific version here, and as authentic-tasting as any Iโd had in Bangkok.
Roti canai - South Indian paratha. Although the Indian populace in Penang (like elsewhere in Malaysia and Singapore) are mainly Tamilian, the local roti canai (called roti prata in Singapore) actually resembles the Keralan paratha: lighter, fluffier and crispy on the edges.
The very popular stall in Delima Mas serves one of the better ones Iโd found in this Batu Lanchang/Bukit Gelugor area. I like mine drenched with just dhal curry (called paruppu here).
Thosai - these were some of the best ones Iโd come across in this area: thick, spongey, pillowy-soft South Indian savoury crepes from a small stall called ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐.
Thosai is made from a mixture of ground ๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ (black lentils), ๐ค๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ (Bengal gram) and a few fenugreek seeds, and soaked raw rice. The batter is left to ferment, before being griddle-cooked, yielding thick, spongey dinner plate-sized pancakes, to be eaten with earthy, spiced ๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ - yellow lentil curry, flavoured with a tempered mix of ginger, mustard seeds, curry leaves and cilantro. I was also given a red-hued Tamilian fish curry, sour with tamarind, mouth-wateringly aromatic. Only RM3 (US 65 cents) for a satisfying meal thatโs big on flavours. Thatโs Southern comfort for me.
Sar hor fun and Yee fu mein - we ordered two types of Cantonese-style fried noodles here. There are stalls specialising in sar hor fun and yee fu mein in the other 3 kopitiams, but the ones here are the best-tasting Iโd had thus far.
Sar hor fun is a very tasty, wok-seared flat โhor funโ rice noodles and โmai funโ rice vermicelli noodle dish, blanketed with a delicious eggy gravy, with prawns, pigโs liver, pork and choy sum greens.
Yee fu mein are a form of very aromatic, roasted noodles which has been re-hydrated then wok-seared with lard, dark/light soy sauce and sesame oil, before being blanketed with the same delicious gravy as for the โsar hor funโ dish. Both dishes are served with pickled green chilis to cut through the eggy-richness of the dishes.
Delima Mas still has a few other popular stalls which weโve yet to try, so a return visit beckons.
Address
Delima Mas
Lorong Delima 6, Island Glades, 11700 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +6016-443 3304
Opening hours: 7am to 10pm, Mon, Wed to Sun. Closed on Tuesdays. (Note: Different stalls open for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. This review was done at dinner-time, i.e. 5pm - 7pm).
