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.
Wat Buppharam may not appear on every traveller’s must-see list in Penang, but those who step into its tranquil embrace are often rewarded with sacred and unexpected discoveries. Can a silent statue whisper the truth of your wishes? Within its shrine hall rests a humble, one-foot-tall figure known as the “Lifting Buddha”, a sacred icon believed to be able to reveal just that!
It was a bright, sun-dappled morning when I stepped into the grounds of Penang Buddhist Association (PBA) and there it stood – the magnificent Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa). I marvelled at its presence, imagining the journey of the sapling that once was – now grown into a towering testament of faith and endurance. This is no ordinary tree. A sacred gift from Sri Lanka, it is believed to be a direct descendant of the very fig tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. Its lineage, through the revered Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura – planted in 288 BCE – connects Penang to a living legacy of over two millennia.
I have always been captivated by Chef Petr Fehér’s culinary artistry – his creations are delicate yet brimming with flavour, and each dish is plated with a refined elegance that reflects his passion and skill. His masterful touch transforms quality ingredients into sumptuous delights that enchant the senses and linger in memory.
“You should wash your hands using water poured over the inside chambers of a hollowed durian skin. It will remove the strong odour from your fingers", urged Mr Teh, my neighbour who accompanied me on a durian feast at one of the many durian orchards in Balik Pulau. That morning, we had a satisfying breakfast like no other, amidst the natural surroundings of the orchard, shaded by towering durian trees.
Thanks to Nazlina Hussin, I had the opportunity to attend an intimate food tasting session at Siam Social, a stylish new restaurant and bar on Noordin Street. We were welcomed by Calvin Lim, a former banker who has transitioned into the restaurant scene with a creative flair for interior design and a thoughtful appreciation for good food. The menu offers an interesting mix of Western fare infused with Northern Thai influences, including items ranging from pastas and pizzas to more regionally inspired dishes. To make selection easier, the menu also includes set items for both individuals and groups.
Penang is widely acclaimed as a food paradise, renowned not only for its delectable street food and authentic Nyonya cuisine but also for its eclectic mix of foreign flavours. During fruit seasons, Penang is celebrated for its famous Balik Pulau durians as well as a variety of exotic tropical fruits including rambutans, mangosteens, cempedak (jackfruit) and langsat.
In the quiet hush of a cold morning at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, I stood amidst the lingering mist, each breath a visible puff in the air. I saw hills of shoes, silent witnesses to lives extinguished. Then came the photographs, frozen in time, capturing emaciated bodies, hollow eyes, and unspeakable suffering. I stepped into the remnants of the gas chambers, where silence screamed louder than words. The chill was no longer just physical; it was emotional, moral, spiritual. It was a searing reminder of the horrors man can inflict on his fellow human beings. The hatred. The cruelty. The machinery of death carried out with cold precision.
Le Dux Patisserie – where passion rises with the dough
At the quiet break of dawn, while the city still slumbers, a warm glow begins to stir behind the glass walls of Le Dux Patisserie in upper Beach Street. By 5:00 am, Chef Belle Tan Phey Phey, a maître pâtissière, is already gently coaxing butter into layers of delicate croissant dough – a ritual she repeats each day (except on off days). It is here, in the heart of George Town, that craft meets care in the art of French pastry.
People have their own preferences when it comes to durians and mine lean strongly towards fruits from older trees. These tend to yield durians with a smoother, creamier texture and a deeper, more pronounced aroma and flavour. Interestingly, even durians from the same tree can taste different from one season to the next, influenced by soil composition and changing weather conditions. For instance, the much-coveted Or Chi (Black Thorn) does not always deliver the same profile each year.
I am game for all things durian. Durian egg tarts are delicious. Homemade durian ice cream is such a sinful treat, especially eaten with crispy kuih kapit (love letters). Passion Heart Cafe bakes one-of-a-kind Fresh Cream Durian Cake; it is a sponge cake layered with fresh cream and creamy durian paste, topped with durian kaya (coconut jam). This is one of my favourite cakes at the cafe.
In the vast range of local fruits available in Penang, the rambutan is a popular choice among Penangites. Rambutans are tied up in bunches of 50 or 100 each and sold at roadside stalls, at marketplaces and by some fruit vendors when in season. Prices vary according to size and quality. Rambutans sold in Penang are always fresh as they come straight from the local orchards.
In 1845, a large endowment of land in the Pulau Tikus area was made to the Theravada Buddhists, principally Thai and Burmese, whose importance is recorded in local street names to this day. Today, the extensive lands surrounding the Thai Wat Chaiyamangalaram are home to a small and thriving kampong of about thirty families (approximately 120 persons) of Thai Chinese and Hindu Indians. (The Changing Perceptions of Waqf, as Social, Cultural and Symbolic Capital in Penang, Judith Nagata)