Eating Out at Penang...

The delightful variety of Penang food reflects the different cooking styles and tastes of its multiracial population. There is mouth watering selection of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Nyonya cuisine to sample, not to mention the irresistible hawker fare.

Peranakan or Nyonya cooking consists of an exotic blend of Chinese and Malay savoury cuisines. The style of cooking is quite elaborate involving a fine mixture of spices and herbs with onions, garlic and chillies.

Not to be missed hawker favourites are noodle dishes such as asam laksa, hokkien mee, char koay teow, and pasembor, a local salad dish.

Nyonya cuisine includes mee siam, otak-otak, kerabu, enche kabin and curry kapitan. The Nyonyas are also famous for their delicious cakes and desserts. Heading the list of Indian cuisine is nasi kandar, a dish of Indian Muslim origin. South Indian favourites include tosai and idiapom served with thick dhall curry. Northen Indian naan bread with chicken tandoori or chicken tikka are also worth trying.

Chinese restaurants offer Cantonese, Szechuan, Hokkien, Teochew and Hainanese food such as dim sum, rice porridge, chicken rice, diced chicken with dried chillies and a variety of noodles.

Malay food typified by dishes such as sambal tumis, masak lemak and sambal belacan are easily available. A traditional favourites with local and foreigners alike is satay.