International tourists and ex-pats need not worry as there is an assortment of international food outlets and restaurants to remind them of home. Locals often patronise them for a change in diet . . . actually Penangites are game to eat anything, anywhere. Most of the international restaurants are pricey compared to local pricing standards.
Neapolitan delights
The Italians have great skills with pasta, turning this basic staple into a virtual encyclopaedia of dishes, ranging from marinara to lasagna.
Japanese temptations
The cuisine of Japan has enjoyed an unprecedented boom in popularity here in Penang. The Japanese believe a feast begins with the eyes and the presentation of even the simplest dish is always a masterpiece of colour and texture. Japanese temptations include sushi (seaweed paper spread with rice and topped with one or more fillings), sashimi (thin slices of raw fish), sukiyaki, tempura and teppanyaki.
Thai cuisines
Thai chefs are skilled in whipping up tongue-tingling delights at Penang's top Thai restaurants. A local favourite is tom yam soup with its fiery, rather acidic blend of flavours. Pandan chicken, featuring morsels of chicken barbecue in pandan leaf, is also extremely popular.
Western and continental fare
Fast-food chains such as Mc Donalds, Pizza Hut, Colonel Sanders' famous Kentucky Fries Chicken and Kenny Rogers' Chicken are everywhere and Penang. On the other side of the coin, you have fine dining restaurants offering a wide range of Continental cuisine. You can feast on wild game dishes, slice through a done-to-perfection steak or sample succulent Boston lobsters and leave some room for sinful desserts and treats.
Middle Eastern meals
Middle Eastern cuisine spanning parts of three continents includes Arab, Persian, Jewish, Assyrian, Kurdish, Cypriot and Turkish dishes. The cuisine of the region is diverse comprising primarily of hummus, falafel, tahini, tabouleh, baklava, pita bread, baba ghannouj, foul mudammes and lokum as well as various meats and vegetables. Their style of cooking incorporates heavy use of olive oil and a diverse variety of spices. Indulge and sample authentic Middle Eastern meals in Penang as there are good restaurants located within the heart of the city, along Tanjung Tokong and Batu Feringghi.
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Written and photographed by Adrian Cheah © All rights reserved
Updated: 15 May 2021
As long as the meal is not meant to take centre stage, I highly recommend a trip up to Bukit Genting. Here, one can enjoy al fresco dining with amazing views of the Straits of Malacca and the South Channel. Surrounded by forested hills, the breathtaking vistas of the rustic village of Balik Pulau below come complete with paddy fields. The view at sunset when the sun dips into the ocean is even more spectacular!
Located on the first floor of the Blue Mansion, Indigo restaurant is inspired by Cheong Fatt Tze himself, offering a fusion between East and West. My friend and I had the 3-course set meal priced at RM75++ per person, available only for lunch. We selected one dish for each course.
My family and I enjoyed a memorable evening hosted by Dato' Welf and Datin Susan at Sigi's Bar & Grill at Golden Sands Resort Penang by Shangri-La. Although we could dine in air-conditioned comfort, or up on the upper deck with an elevated view, we chose an alfresco dining area near the beachfront of Batu Feringghi. The stunning vista of the beautifully landscaped gardens and the ocean beyond were priceless. The Resident Manager of the resort, Christoph Düker was at hand to greet Welf and Susan. He was also kind enough to take the above photo for us.
“When it comes to crafting a dish, each mouthful is meant to be savoured, like how it is when one reads a book. There are many layers to be explored and with every bite, we hope to bring you a surprising burst of flavour.” – The Book Sandwich Cafe
What The Duck Restaurant specialises in both Western and Asian-styles duck dishes among others. Claiming to be "the best duck specialist in town", my family and I had to sample its creations to see if this held water. The contemporary setting of a conducive casual dining was welcoming. The restaurant has two outlets in Penang, one in Setia Spice Canopy and the other in the heart of George Town at 40, Nagore Road.
If you are dining at the Java Tree of the E&O Hotel, I would recommend that you arrive an hour earlier to enjoy classic cocktails and good wine at the Farquhar's Bar. This was exactly what my friends and I did. It provided us the opportunity to catch up on recent happenings and engage in meaningful conversations.
I am happy that my birthday which falls on the 2nd of January every year offers me the opportunity to start off each new year with a celebration. Turning 52 this year, I headed to The View at Hotel Equatorial for a delightful evening.
How much are you willing to pay for a great dining experience? If the sky is the limit, then Le Venue is just the place for you. With a brilliant flare of culinary magic, Chef Petr Fehér is able to transform top quality ingredients from the four corners of the world into sumptuous delights. His ultimate artistic presentation is a visual feast and the ingenious combination of flavours is simply astounding.
Renowned as one of the most established fine dining restaurants in Penang, the View offered an ideal setting for the Le Altanza Wine Dinner held on Saturday, 20 July 2019. Its panoramic views from the restaurant, impeccable service and cosy ambience set the perfect stage for a memorable evening.
Appetisers are delicate petit morsels that tantalise our taste buds to increase our appetite. A well-planned menu would select appetisers that would coordinate and lead up to the flavours of the main dishes in a meal. In short, appetisers should give you an idea about the main course. Great appetisers put you in the mood; they get you excited about what else lies in store for you. We started our dinner at La Vie with an alluring march of four appetisers – crispy unagi, prawn salad, crab meat croquettes and clams in Thai-style sauce. Such an incredible quartet that kept us clamouring for more.
I love criss-crossing Penang on my motorcycle because it avoids two major headaches – traffic jams and parking problems. Thus, it is easy for me the head down to Hometown Vietnam Taste Restaurant (formerly Que Huong Toi Enterprise) to slurp up a bowl of delicious phở bò (Vietnamese beef koay teow soup).
The Ferringhi Garden Restaurant has an amazing lush garden filled with flowers in full bloom. Even before looking through the menu, we could not resist taking a few photographs of its tranquil and beautiful dining ambience.