George Town, Penang - Street Food Midday

POH PNIAH 

The Poh Pniah or "thin biscuit' in Fujian dialect - delectable, delicious and divine as made by the Padang Brown stall, only available from 12 noon onwards until sold out.  My rating for this particular dish is a 8.5 out of ten.  Freshly made poh pniah skin is a good start - followed by filling in fresh and adequately textured ingredients like crabmeat, dried shrimp, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, cooked pork bits, grated Chinese turnip (or jicama), cut lettuce and grated carrots. The sauce is made with blending soy, rice wine, Hoisin sauce and oyster sauce.

Suggested Other Sources of Poh Pniah:

1. Sin Yin Nam Cafe at New Lane junction near Macalister Road.  New Lane has been localised in name to 'Lorong Baru".

2.  Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

3.   Stall at New World Park food court, Swatow Lane (from 11am to 4pm each day).

4.   Wah Leong Coffee Shop, along Burma Road.

High hygienic practices can be adhered by street food stalls in George Town.

AIS KACANG, CENDOL AND CUT FRUITS

Fresh fruit and veg juices and slices are essential to stay refreshed and quenched in an equatorial climate.  This scene is from the New World Park at Swatow Lane,  where a visit often means compulsorily having the Ais Kacang, a concoction of ice shaving, sweetness, crunchiness and delight!  The New World Park is open from 11am to 4pm each day.  I score the Ais Kacang here an 8 out of ten.

The Cendol is another dessert common throughout South-east Asia (for example in Thailand it is known as Lod Chong; in Vietnam, Banh Lot; and in Bandung and Yogyakarta, Jendot).    The Penang version is served chilled, has strong hints of palm sugar with coconut milk mixed with shaved ice and garnished with red beans, black grass jelly bits and the compulsory green coloured rice flour bits.  The green colour is obtained from using extracts of Pandanus leaves.

Suggested Other Sources of Ais Kacang:

1.  Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

2.  Low Eng Hoo Coffee Shop, Lorong Selamat near Macalister Road.

Suggested Source of Cendol:

1.  Stall for Teochew Cendol, Junction of Penang Road with Keng Kwee Street,  near Chowrasta Market.  A tourist gathering point! There are also branches of this dotted across other suburbs of Penang Island.

FISH STOCK LAKSA

I found  the Thai laksa, pictured above,  allowing me to soak our palates in the aroma of Thai herbs and spices.  Photo shows an appreciated home made version.
The difference between curry laksa and the other types of laksa described here is that in the latter,  the use of grounded fish in the soup base - and in the sourish taste, often garnished with cut Spanish onions, fresh chili bits,  sliced cucumbers and thicker noodles.

There are four types of laksa  - the curry laksa, the tamarind based laksa, the lemak or coconut milk based version and the Thai aromatic herbs recipe.

Suggested Sources of Tamarind Based Laksa:

1. Stalls in Air Itam Market near the Kek Lok Si Temple Complex in Air Itam (Black Water Village).  Popular with tourists.
2. Stalls in the Balik Pulau Market food court - this is on the western side of Penang island and not in George Town.  A gathering point for visitors from outside Balik Pulau.
3. Kek Seng Coffee Shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open from 800am to 5pm.
4. Kheng Pin coffee shop, 80 Penang Road, at corner of upper Penang and Sri Bahari Roads. Closed on Mondays, the coffee shop is otherwise one from 7am to 3pm.
5.  New World Park food court, Swatow Lane - from 11am to 4pm daily.
6.  Swee Kong Coffee Shop, near the corner of Moulmein and Burma Roads, opposite the Pulau Tikus police station.
7. Joo Hooi Cafe, 475 Penang Road - corner with Keng Kwee Street (refer to Cendol entry above)

STIR FRIED GLASS VERMICELLI

A yummy Fujian special - tang hoon, or the glass vermicelli, seen at an oyster noodle shop (open from noon till sold out) in Lintang MacCullum, an area land reclaimed from the Penang Channel.  The noodles are slimy yummy and the flavours of the prawns permeate throughout.  My rating for this dish as shown above an 8 out of ten.

CHICKEN CURRY PUFFS

Teatime favourite of mine - chicken curry puffs, which can  be found in various versions, the best of which I prefer are either based on the south Indian or Straits Chinese recipes. The trick is in the crust! Photo taken at the Continental Bakery in Georgetown ( at 33 Nagore Road and open from 10an to 7pm every day - last orders taken by 4pm).

HERBAL TEA, JELLIES AND SOUPS

How they make and store the cooling Guangzhou herbal teas at an outlet along Kimberly Street.
Kimberly Street is within the UNESCO designated heritage area of Georgetown.  Also worth trying in this shop is the Guilin jelly, which  is a good option during the late afternoon - my rating is a 7 out of  ten for this dessert.

PASTRY PIES

These pies are especially appealing to my eye!  I have not eaten a banana pie before.
Continental Bakery at 33 Nagore Road.

PENANG CURRY MEE

The name of this dish can be a misnomer in Penang.  Unlike the curry laksa, not much curry paste is utilised at all in this dish.  Instead what is critical to the soup of the Penang curry mee is the sambal condiment, which is made by the choice of good quality fermented shrimp paste, chili paste, garlic, onion, salt and sugar.  

For obtaining the variation of white curry mee, the chicken and prawn shell based soup is always cooked and served separately from the noodles, so that the customer can decide on how much colour to have for his or her final choice of soup - akin to the Swiss practice of serving chocolate separately from milk.  The colour from the Penang curry mee comes from how much chili and coconut milk are used in proportion.

Ingredients then added to the noodles and soup are commonly coagulated pig's blood, chicken slices, bean sprouts and the puffed bean curd (the tau hoo pok), 

Penang offers its own variation of the curry laksa, in the white curry mee, which had a spike in popularity in 2014.

Suggested Sources of Penang Curry Mee:

1. Tua Pui curry mee at 23 Kimberly Street from 9am to 5pm -  in George Town UNESCO designated heritage area.

2. Bee Hooi Coffee Shop at the corner of Pulau Tikus Lane and Burma Road, with the curry mee stall open in the mornings.  Please note that this coffee shop is also open for business at night, nut with different stalls and street food.

3. New Cathy Cafe, corner of Kuching Lane and Burma Road, opposite the Union Primary Girls School. Evenings only. Closed on Sundays.

4. Coffee shop at corner of Naning Street and Lorong Seratus Tahun in George Town UNESCO designated heritage area. 

5. Stall at the Pulau Tikus Market each morning.

6. Taman Emas coffee shop near corner of Gottlieb and Scott Roads, opposite the Penang Chinese Girls High School. Opening hours are from noon to 5pm.

SAR HOR FUN

The hot wok is used to stir fry broad based rice noodles and vermicelli, with other ingredients of prawns, octopus,  pork or chicken, eggs and local green with stems on. There is a gelatinous sheen over the noodles. Many years ago, some vendor in George Town started making a-go-go dancing moves while stir frying the Sar Hor Fun - he must have loved his job and was a showman at heart!  The heat of a good wok shows through in the aroma of the finished product - so if the wok has been used cooking this all day, it really radiates through in the taste which can be a bit burnt but which brings up the quality of this dish.

Suggested Sources of Sar Hor Fun:

1.  Foo Heong Restaurant, 56-58 Cintra Street, open by lunch time.

2.   Hon Kei Food Corner/ Cafe, 55 Lorong Kampung Malabar, open from morning.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

CHEE CHEONG FUN

It may sound like a person's name in the Cantonese dialect, but this is truly a whiz of a pick-me-up on the run.  Usually eaten for breakfast, in Penang, it is readily available at any time of the day, but at different outlets.  The dish on first impression looks like rolls of rice noodles, cut into squares or in cross sections, smeared with sweet hoisin sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds spread out on your serving plate - but the crucial ingredients are the variety of chili based sauces used to lift up the taste! These can be made from sambal or just the hot sauce in commercially available bottles.  XO sauce and soy sauce are also put into the mix.  The resulting outcomes will then determine the quality of any particular serving in front of you.

Suggested Sources of Chee Cheong Fun:

1.  Seow Fong Lye Chee Cheong Fun at 94C Macalister Lane - opening hours are from 730am to 1230pm.

2.  Cheong Kok Choy stall at New Lane (or Lorong Baru), off Macalister Road.  Opening hours are from 630pm to 1130pm.

You may want to check out

http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/george-town-penang-street-food-in.html

POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops ask for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, Lebuh refers to a street, Solok indicates a  cul-de-sac, Lorong means a lane and Lebuhraya is an avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in  food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out. The above food outlets featured in this specific blog post are open from lunch time, unless otherwise stated.   Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us secure a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.

George Town, Penang - My Favourite Things

NUTMEGS

Nutmeg seeds drying in the sun, off Chulia Street in the UNESCO heritage designated area of George Town - the outer covering of such seeds, the mace, has been removed here.  Nutmegs were first planted by the British East India Company on Penang Island after seeds were transplanted form their native home in the Banda Islands. The British colonials also successfully grew nutmeg trees on what is now the island nation of Grenada in the Caribbean.

My quickly depleting nutmeg drink, stirred with sour plum to create a cooling tasty effect.

SWEET STEAMED SNACKS

Sweet sticky cakes in miniature baskets freshly steamed - a significant cultural concoction for the southern Chinese, especially for the Lunar New Year.  You an also taste such snacks in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and in the Asian suburbs of Western cities.  Preparation and photo credit - Ms S.K Teoh.

WESTERN STYLED TEA BREWS

Teatime relaxation, with ginger lemon (background) and chamomile (foreground) at ChinaHouse at 183B Victoria Street, a great idea to get away from the midday sun and enervating humidity.  Victoria Street is within the UNESCO designated heritage area of Georgetown.

DEEP FRIED FISH

Shanghai has its really fatty pork, Germany has its pork knuckle and Greeks love their olives.
I reckon Penangites love their crunchy deep and belly stuffed fried fish! 

BAKERY CREATIONS

The Rocky Road slice at the Gala Restaurant, corner of Mounter and Leigh Streets.

People, Planning and Performance

So the cabin crew lady forgets, or omits, to bring you the juice you have asked for two times, even with your fellow passengers being aware of this.  This is on Silk Air between Penang and Singapore on the scheduled 1215pm flight on 28 February 2015.  Aw, is this only a minor thing?

However, on a later connecting flight, its parent airline, Singapore, consistently provides quality customer engagement, whether for business class or economy class passengers, on the flight sector between Singapore and Sydney.  The cabin crew members on the upper deck of the Airbus 380 exude greater training, better personality, show initiative and reach out beyond their mere job role on this overnight flight of SQ221, arriving at Sydney Airport around 735am on Sunday 1 March 2015.  The on-board in-flight entertainment facility was out of action for a while mid-flight, but I reckon no one passenger was bothered much.  This is because the overall flying experience with SQ on this flight was good, primarily because its attending staff knew how to respond in micro situations as well when interacting with passengers. And technically Singapore has always been ahead of its competitors in technology - on that flight we could send text messages from our smart phones and for a fee, have access to the internet.  Most important of all, the pilots handled the rather disturbing turbulences pretty well for short periods over certain portions of sea and land.

What makes the difference, in the level and nuance of service between two airlines, echoes the varying levels of focused business management, not only at the operational level, but also reflects the implementation of effective strategic values transformed to staff behaviour.    Every one would have experienced the ineptitude of airline staff who seriously believe they are more important than passengers, mainly because of the me me me emphasis when they grew up and in how they are trained for their job.  I have seen Silk Air ground crew at Penang Airport asking couples with infants to line up with the rest of the queue - hello?  At the same time, they did not know how to optimally handle those irritating passenger types who on arrival at the gate lounge, walk up to the counter demanding they get to board first, when the aircraft is not even ready and has to be cleaned.

Ground staff representing airlines are the first point of impression for their customers, as these are the very first people customers see and interact with, whether upon checking in or when waiting to board. I witnessed such a ground staff member shouting to passengers because a boarding area in  Sydney International Airport does not provide simple microphone facilities for the boarding gate for an Airbus 380 flight. Whether such  staff individuals are from an outsourced contract arrangement or full employees for the airline is not relevant.  Airline management must negotiate better with the management of whatever airport in the world to understand better what a passenger goes through in utilising services for which they have prepaid.

Why does Changi Airport in Singapore open the gates to A5 in Terminal Three so late these days?  Is it cost saving or for a more rational reason? When passenger numbers build up for the hand luggage security check, the risk of stress, over crowding and rushing late passengers increases dramatically.

A flight from Penang to Singapore is officially and technically by all counts a trip between two separate countries.  I cannot for several years and even now fathom why the Silk Air ground crew checking in passengers at Penang Airport cannot open their counters at the very latest two hours before flight time.  Are they subconsciously treating such flights as more of within domestic counter opening times?

I am thankful for safety and security aspects promoted and practised on airline travel. However, personal, corporate and community attitudes can vary in making the passenger experience a rather varied spectrum.  For example, when one is used to punctuality, it can be unnerving to watch laid back attitudes cause issues which logically impact negatively on the passenger experience.  Passenger numbers have escalated, revenues have risen and yet service is getting patchy in the new age of airline travel, whether with budget airlines or not.  Reasons for delays in and hiccups to commercial airline travel due to weather risks are most acceptable; those relating to human service gaps, bureaucracy and lack of professional behaviour are not.  You may only want to fly with one specific airline, but practical code-sharing these days can really mean you actually fly with other airlines on certain sectors of your ticket, even if you want to avoid such a specific other airline.

Positive attributes for example are shown in carefully selecting the path on how an aircraft takes off or lands.  Subject to the permission of the related local airport authorities, it is appreciated when the pilot of your commercial aircraft flies over close to a rather uninhabited isle that you have always wondered about and now get to view. Thai Airways allow you to view the camera panorama from the pilot's cockpit.  Some considerate pilots mention on the PA system when the plane is flying over significant landmarks. Fun aircraft pre-takeoff videos for passengers are a welcome feature of Air New Zealand flights.  Helpful ground crew provided for arriving transit passengers from long haul flights are a privileged experience, not a standard any more.  A smiling steward who speaks clear English even if it is not his mother tongue on Emirates is not to be taken for granted. The varied backgrounds of Cathay Pacific crew resonates well with their multi demographic passenger profile.

Helpful security check officers are desired instead of those treating passengers in a condescending manner.  I have heard accounts by passengers, at Sydney International Airport, who have had their hand luggage taken by other unauthorised passengers or go missing, whilst such items are supposedly under security scrutiny on the first entry security check machines and conveyor belt.  What is more critical is how such passengers were treated when they realised that their hand luggage had gone missing. I have not heard such negative accounts from people who go on domestic flights within Australia.

Go figure.

Golden Phoenix Cantonese Restaurant, Equatorial Hotel - Penang

Abalone, sea cucumber and all that to restore the body's inner health.

Penang's Chinese demographic  cannot shake off its penchant for the three treasures at each restaurant dinner - the marinated cut chilis, the garlic and the soy sauce.

Rice noodles - the sar hor fun - with a mocktail.

Delicately braised tender scallops served with steamed broccoli.

The Beijing duck, accompanied by wraps and a light pomelo and prawn cold salad.

Types of Chinese smoked tea, taken hot without any other addition to taste, palate and texture.

Birds nest soup in a light broth of coolness.

Celebrating the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, traditionally to commemorate the birth of humankind, my group had an elegant experience of what Cantonese can do in cuisine.   We aimed for things away from the usual banquets that are served all over the city, the country and really, the East Asian region and south-east Asia in these two weeks of festive delight, gatherings and celebration. We did not want the roast meat nor the noodles laden with seafood. We wanted something more delicate, creations that made more use of the inherent flavours of ingredients and showed the potential of carefully combined items when served on a plate.

We had contrasts of duck with a light pomelo laden salad.  The unavoidable gaminess of an essentially wet fowl has been balanced with the freshness of a rather light citrus!   We are against the harvesting of sharks fins, so we chose the restorative powers of other sea creatures.  We wanted each dish to have meaning to mark the arrival of another Lunar New Year.  And we still wanted to eat a share of greens.

There is a long standing proverb in China that it is fortunate to be born in Guangzhou, for its cuisine has reputedly been the best in over a thousand years. Harmony is desired in all eastern Asian cultures, the perpetual balancing of the yin and yang. Even when partaking food at the table, Chinese all over the world consider their cultural heritage.  This is especially appreciated as we look over the past and focus our eyes and heart to the future. We are so through the festive rush, as epitomised by the traffic, vehicle parking and noisy dinner halls - but we relish the opportunity to meet, synchronise hearts amongst long standing friends and have a reunion with family and more.

George Town, Penang - Street Food in the Morning

CHAR KOAY TEOW

Char Koay Teow - significant are the subtlety in fresh ingredients, how they are sliced, clever use of the wok heat and the texture of rice noodles.
Every Penangite has his or her own preference of how you want this dish, so go for your inner heart in whether you prefer it a bit wet with scrambled eggs, or take with fancy seafood or go with the basics - Cantonese sausage cuts, fresh springy bean sprouts, pork lard bits, garlic accentuated flavours and with kuchai greens.  The version shown above was captured by me at the Padang Brown food stalls which are open from late morning till sold out - my rating is 6.5 out of ten.  Padang Brown, named after colonial figure David Brown, is a rectangular field surrounded by Anson, Perak and Datuk Keramat Roads.

Suggested Other Sources of Char Koay Teow:

1. Ah Leng Char Koay Teow, at the Khoon Hiang Cafe, corner of Merican and Datuk Keramat Roads, a good stop by on your way to the Kek Lok Si Temple Complex in Air Itam (Black Water Village). Visit this stall early, as on popular days the stall is closed by 1pm.  They have versions with duck egg or large mantis shrimp. (Please note that in the evenings the father of the family running Ah Leng, Mr Teoh Koon Leng, runs his pop up char koay teow stall in suburban Air Itam from 5pm in the evenings at Lorong Zoo 6, opposite a seafood restaurant.).
2.  Road side push cart hawker at Siam Road - the veteran cooks using traditional charcoal, so the taste is enhanced and special as opposed to gas cooked food.ö
Available from 2pm till sold out.
http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/classic-georgetown-charcoal-fired-wok.html

3. CKT stall at the corner coffeeshop Sin Guat Keong, Kimberly and Cintra Streets in the Chinatown section of the UNESCO designated heritage area. Open from 530pm to midnight every evening.

We arrived too early for the char koay teow stall to open in the evening from 5pm - corner of Kimberly and Cintra Streets  in the heart of Chinese Georgetown.

BARISTA COFFEE

More significant than just providing wi-fi, service engagement and cafe location is the the aroma and play on your taste buds from the so many blends of barista coffee these days.  Philip suggested the SiTigun Cafe at 30 Nagore Road near the New World Park hawker and restaurant hub (cafe closed on Mondays). I tried the Sicilian ice coffee blend and it was above satisfactory, robust in aroma, strong in taste and made well to quench the thirst on a humid morning.  We also got to unexpectedly enjoy a live lion dance performance across the road through a heritage styled window frame.  I enjoyed this coffee - my rating is 7.5 out of ten.

Suggested Other Sources of Barista made Coffee:

1. Coffee Atelier, 47-55 Stewart Lane, behind the Goddess of Mercy Temple  (within the UNESCO designated heritage area)  Open every day from 830am till late.
2. ChinaHouse, 183B Victoria Street  (also accessible from 153-155 Beach Street) near Penang Harbour. Open every day from 10am till late.
3. Moustache Houze, 24 Campbell Street (within the UNESCO designated heritage area)  Open every day but usually from 4pm.
4.  Twelve Cups, White Aways Arcade, 12 Beach Street  (in banking district, near the cruise passenger terminal and Queen Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower and within the UNESCO designated heritage area) Open every day from 10am till late.
5.  Bibi's Fashion Bakery and Cafe located in a bungalow at 87D Kelawai Road at corner with Leandros Lane (open every day from 9am to 7pm except Thursdays)

6. Coffee Lane at 10B King Street, a brew to order cafe in the colonial part of the UNESCO designated heritage area. Operates from 11am to 8pm daily except for Thursdays.

WANTON MEE

To me, the best such soy sauce mixed egg noodles with char siew and prawn-pork dumplings (locally known as wanton mee or tok tok mee in Penang) are found in Hong Kong, Vancouver and Kuala Lumpur.  My recent experience of this dish in Penang was at the Gou Lou coffee shop ( at 55 Lorong Kampung Malabar, near the corner with Penang Road in the city centre of George Town)  The texture of the al dente noodles, with freshly made dumpling skin and accompanying vinegar green chili cuts - make this rated a 7 out of ten; only the red lined char siew could improve in my opinion.  Also to try in the same coffee shop - sar hor fun, with broad rice noodles, seafood and a zesty wok stir fry aroma; and pan mee, those hand made noodles that first came to peninsular Malaya through Sabah and China.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

Suggested Other Sources of Wanton Mee:

1. Sai Lam where Chulia and Carnavon Streets
meet, a true street side experience.
2. Chee Meng Cafe, 20 Dato Koyah Road, near upper Penang Road. Closed on Tuesdays 

and otherwise open from 7am to 1pm.

3. Tai Wah Coffee House, 86 Argyll Road. Closed every Tuesday, otherwise open from 730am to 1130am.

4. Pop up stall in front of the Union Girls Primary School, Burma Road (only at night)

BAK KUT TEH

Bak kut teh, with herbal mixes in the dark soup, accompanied by succulent stewed pork ribs, was created by Chinese immigrants for working class consumption in 19th century Malaya and Singapore.  It has nutritive qualities apart from being eaten at any time of the day, but more popular at night.  Fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and dang gui Chinese herbs are utilised to prepare the soup in  flurry of fusion between south-east Asian and Chinese culinary influences.

Often served with hot piping smoked tea like at yum cha sessions, there are related servings of the deep fried yau char kwai (Cantonese for deep fried crullers or you tiao in Mandarin), fish balls, mushrooms and stir-fried greens.  The version above was served at Aristoga , an informal dining area under an elevated warehouse cover but open to the sea breezes along Penang's iconic Gurney Drive.   Street parking is limited so many customers do park their vehicles at the nearby Corner Club and this cafe is also near the long established New Zealand Cafe.  My rating for the Aristoga  Bak Kut Teh?  A 7 out of ten.  The Aristoga is open from early morning till night time. 

(Note - within walking distance of the Gurney and Paragon shopping centres)

Suggested Other Sources of Bak Kut Teh:

1. Super Lai Lai BKT, at corner of Naning and Macalister Roads, a walk of a few blocks from lower Penang Road. Closed on Thursdays,  otherwise open in the evenings every day from 6pm till 1am.  Opposite the Red Rock Hotel.

PORK CONGEE

Modest looking as it may be, the pork based congee is one of my favourite comfort food dishes. With the stock soup brewed overnight, before being dished out in the morning, it is a benign choice for old and young alike. The key is in its stock - followed by the freshness and suppleness of its varied ingredients and garnishing.  You have to slice it thin and bite-size, whether you just have the minced pork, pig liver, cooked innards, spring onions or more. A choice of good rice and pepper gives the X factor.  The picture above shows the variety served at the Hon Kei Food Corner/ Cafe located at 45 Lorong Kampung Malabar in central Georgetown, open for business from morning.  My score for this bak moey dish is a 7.5 out of ten.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

Suggested Other Sources of Pork Congee:

1.  Pop up pork congee stall on street side in front of the Ho Ping Cafe at Lorong Kampung Malabar from 6pm to midnight every evening.  You sit on chairs at tables just opened for the few hours and there is a community feel to the experience.
2. Chee Cheong Chok stall at the corner of New Lane and Macalister Road, from 5pm until sold out (outside the heritage zone but a few blocks away from lower Penang Road)

Suggested Sources of Chicken Congee:

1. Yee Sang Kai Chok along Cintra Street (near to junction with Chulia Street) -  again only at night from 8pm but closed on Sundays.

LOBAK

Lobak, or deep fried soy bean skin rolls with a pork packing inside, accompanied by hay ken (or deep fried battered shrimp snacks) are great with beer and served with a choice of sauces (one brown and another chili hot) and cut cucumber slices.  Servings are delicate and compact at this Hon Kei Food Corner/ Cafe outlet but every bite is yummy.  I found this particular lobak shown above crunchy outside, not salty and with quality ingredients inside, with no over whelming hint of the Chinese five spice powder used to marinate the meat.
My rating is for an eight out of ten.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

Suggested Other Sources of Lobak:
1. Kheng Pin Cafe, 80 penang Road, at the corner of Penang and Sri Bahari Roads.  Backpackers can recognise this aging corner coffeeshop if they hang around upper Penang Road, buy their nutmegs at nearby Chowrasta Market and have their share of roti canai at roadside stalls and and consume their Nasi Kandar at Line Clear.  Closed on Mondays, open from 7am to 3pm.

2. Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

Map of Georgetown - Copyright Chiang-mai.org

The staff preparing the lobak at the Hon Kei Food Corner/Cafe are energetic, confident and know their stuff!

OTHER DISHES RECOMMENDED:

1.  Kaya spread toast, poached eggs and local Penang coffee - Toh Soon Cafe , near corner of Campbell Street and Upper Penang Road. 7 to 8am every day.
2. Hainan Chicken Rice - Tho Yuen Chicken Rice Restaurant, 94 Campbell Street. Open 6am to 3pm every day.
3. Straits Chinese snacks and cakes - Moh Teng Phew Nyonya Kueh, Jalan Mesjid, off Chulia Street. Closed on Mondays.
4. Ban Chien Kueh or the peanut filled pancake laden with smashed corn, at the Pulau Tikus morning markets  or in the evenings from 6pm, at the Anson Road pop up stall in front of the Lok Pin coffee shop

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POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops can be yours for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, and Lebuh refers to a street, Solok indicates a cul-de-sac, Lorong means Lane and Lebuhraya is an  avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in a food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out. The above food outlets featured in this specific blog post are open in the mornings at least until lunchtime, unless otherwise stated.  Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh, for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us identify and visit a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.