Fellow ex-Chowhounds, JFores and deansa were in Malaysia’s food capital, Penang, last week. We were all active on the old Chowhound’s UK board back in the 2000s-2010s, and it’s really, really good to catch up again.
We tried to cover as much during the 3 full days they were here, but could merely scratch the surface of Penang’s vast dining possibilities. This is Day One.
- 𝗔𝗱𝘆𝗮𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻 for breakfast. We had:
Sambar vada.
Masala dosa.
Onion dosa.
Rava onion dosa.
Ghee roast dosa.
Took walk around George Town’s historic UNESCO world heritage site-listed colonial quarter, and onto Armenian Street.
- Knowing JFores’s predilection for Indian cuisine, we had lunch at South Indian spot, 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘂 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 on Acheen Street. Anthony Bourdain ate here and featured it in Season 8, Episode 8 of No Reservations.
Waiters bearing little side-dishes of various morsels would come by for customers to select our choices - a practice the local Indian restaurateurs adopted from Chinese dim sum houses.
The good thing: you see what you like right in front of you, and you can pick it up immediately.
The bad thing: you will over-order! 
The good thing about eating out with JFores - absolutely nothing goes to waste, he will finish everything. 
- Second lunch at 𝗚𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝗻 & 𝗡𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀 on Campbell Street.
Sar hor fun. It consists of a mixture of wide, flat rice noodles with fine “bee hoon” noodles, first wok-fried in lard, sesame oil, dark and light soy sauce till aromatic. Then, a braising sauce with pork, pig’s liver, prawns, fish-meat and “choy sum” greens are prepared and poured over the noodles.
Yee fu meen. - the dish utilises a crisp-fried, rehydrated, then fried “yee fu” noodles which has an aromatic scent and spongey texture. The braised meat & seafood sauce slathered over the noodles is the same as the one for the “sar hor fun” dish.
Singapore fried bee hoon. - this is a classic that is NOT to be found in Singapore, as it’s actually invented by Hong Kong chefs who thought that Singaporeans put curry powder into everything we eat (we don’t 
). The Malaysian take on the dish eschewed the curry powder bit, and is a tasty stir-fry with pork, shrimps and fish-cakes. Chinese lettuce leaves are scattered on top, and calamansi limes are provided, to be squeezed on the noodles, which will be eaten with a generous dollop of sambal belacan.
- Afternoon tea was at MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-listed Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay & Canteen, so JFores and his wife can have their first taste of Nyonya kueh.
A brief guide here:
https://guide.michelin.com/my/en/article/features/different-types-of-kueh-in-malaysia-and-singapore
Our kueh selection:
It was back to JFores’s hotel for some drinks at the bar afterwards. I didn’t join them for dinner at NEP! later that evening. My tummy space does have its limits.
