Penang today is very much an amalgam of the old and the new – a bustling port, a heritage city and an industrial base. Perhaps it has more to offer per square mile than any other place in the world. For sheer variety of locales, cultures and foods, Penang is hard to beat. Here are stories about Penang and more.
Set within the elaborately decorated oceanic-themed dining hall at Anovia Banquet Art Centre, an intimate birthday celebration was held in honour of Dato’ Lillian Tong, a respected custodian of Penang’s Chinese Peranakan heritage and a woman deeply devoted to preserving its traditions. Family and friends gathered across two tables, brought together by good food and even better company.
During my month-long holiday in London in 1996, I made a point of seeking out its theatres, drawn by spellbinding musicals like The Phantom of the Opera, Blood Brothers, Oliver!, Miss Saigon and more. What captivated me, time and again, was the convergence of creative energy, brilliant collaboration, and the art of storytelling brought to life through music, lights, and heart. The moment the curtain rises, something shifts. Live performance, in its immediacy, propels you almost instantaneously into another realm.
Seri Muka (literally means "radiant face" in Malay) or Kuih Salat is a dainty sweet cake that consists of two layers. The base is made from glutinous rice which is topped with a green custard layer, scented and coloured with pandan juice. Santan (coconut milk) is a key ingredient as it imparts the “lemak” (rich) taste to the glutinous rice as well as the custard layer.
When it comes to good food, the only one you have to really satisfy is yourself. When it comes to cooking (without deviating too far from the recipe), you can add whatever you like to your dish and omit all the ingredients that do not tickle your taste buds.
Book review by Andrea Filmer
The Star, Monday, 26 July 2021
Even with the country in lockdown, Balik Pulau has continued to receive a steady stream of visitors.
Coming in from the long, winding roads that connect the old town with the rest of Penang island, travellers now are not heading for the durian estates or famous laksa stalls.
Rather, most have their attention on their GPS devices, trying to make their way to the mega vaccination centre (PPV) at the Balik Pulau Sports Complex that has been administering hundreds of Covid-19 vaccines daily to those living in the state’s south-west district.
Feringgi Grill, one of Penang's premier Western-style grill restaurants, has won numerous awards and accolades since 1973, delighting some of the most discerning diners. It is one of my favourite restaurants to celebrate a romantic evening or to mark a special occasion.
On 27 February 2026, I stood in the High Court in Penang, watching my old friend step forward to don a new robe. That Friday morning, the courtroom was formal and composed, yet it was clear that this moment marked the culmination of many years of hard work. The man standing there, Somaasundram Sinnathamby, was not just another petitioner being admitted to the Bar. He was Soma, the boy I had known since Standard One at La Salle School.
Jim Richardson once noted that if you want to be a better photographer, "you should stand in front of more interesting stuff". Richardson is a renowned photographer for the National Geographic Magazine. Many would agree with Richardson and with the advent of social media, it is easy to turn an unknown location like Bukit Katak (Frog Hill) into one of Penang's much sought after Instagrammable hotspots.
Steaming pulut is easy. All you have to do is rinse and soak the pulut overnight. The following day, drain and steam the pulut with santan and pandan leaves. Enjoying pulut with nangka (a local term for jackfruit), mango or durian is truly delicious.
Ice kacang, the mother of all Malaysian desserts, is also known as ang tau s'ng (Hokkien for iced red beans) or ABC (ais batu campur in Malay). Although “kacang” means beans in Malay, this jubilant offering contains more than just ice and beans. Brimming in a bowl, the colourful concoction is made of a tower of shaved ice swirled with a mixture of red beans, leong fan (grass jelly or cincau in Malay), creamy sweet corn, chewy tapioca pearls and translucent attap chee (nipa palm fruit), smothered with at least two types of syrup and evaporated milk. You can further top it with a scoop of ice cream (especially durian, making it even more sinful).
When my seven siblings and I were young, my late Dad would cook up a storm for breakfast, having many hungry mouths to feed. French toast was one of his popular breakfast dishes.
At dusk, when women with white sceptre-like masks ventured out of their homes to purchase a snack or visit neighbours, children would gawk while adults would shrug their shoulders in indifference.