Penang Food Tour: Hokkien Mee, Assam Laksa & Street Food Classics

Penang is widely considered the food capital of Malaysia. This was my first time in Southeast Asia. We landed and started eating immediately. There was no other reasonable approach.

(We had a layover in Singapore on the way, where I finally tried Singapore Laksa at the Blossom Lounge. Good timing to get a reference point before Penang.)

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First Drinks: Chrysanthemum Tea and Grass Jelly

Vincent started me off with local drinks before we got into the food.

Chrysanthemum tea: Slightly sweet with a mild floral honey quality. Not what I expected. Very good.

Grass jelly drink: A common local drink that I was curious about. Worth trying once.

We also had bread with Sambal Hijau, a green chili paste. I went in nervous about the heat level but as someone who eats a lot of spicy Korean food, this was actually very manageable. Sweet and spicy in a balanced way.

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Dinner: The Main Event

We ordered broadly and shared everything.

Hokkien Mee (Michelin Guide listed): We ordered the white noodle version. The broth is savory, strong, and has a real seafood base with roasted three-layer pork. Spicy but at a level that is manageable rather than punishing. This was the best dish of the night.

Claypot Rice: Arrived bubbling hot. Dark rice with pork and an egg mixed in. If you have had Korean dolsot bibimbap and like the crispy toasted rice at the bottom of the stone bowl, Claypot Rice lands in a similar place. The texture contrast between the soft interior and the crisped bottom layer is what makes it work.

Assam Laksa: This one caught me off guard. The broth is sour and fermented, and the first spoonful reminded me immediately of a very sour Korean kimchi soup made with mackerel. The noodles are thick and starchy. It is a polarizing dish but it is genuinely iconic to Penang. I preferred the Hokkien Mee, but you should try the Assam Laksa at least once while you are here.

Wonton Mee: Penang-style, served slightly wet with dumplings and a side of jalapeno-like chili. Good chewy noodle texture. A cleaner, more straightforward dish compared to the others.

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Street Food Round

We were full. We kept eating anyway.

Penang Rojak: My first time seeing this dish. Fruits and vegetables tossed in a dark, sweet, sticky peanut sauce. The combination of textures is strange and then it works. An interesting one.

Chicken and Beef Satay: The peanut sauce here is completely different from the Singaporean version. Much richer and more flavorful. The marinade on the meat was well-done. This was one of the better satay versions we had anywhere on the trip.

Penang Fried Oyster: Fried with eggs, with a starchy, sticky, slightly soft texture. It sits somewhere between a fritter and a Japanese okonomiyaki pancake. Worth ordering as part of a street food spread.

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Drinks to Close

Penang White Coffee: Served very hot. Tastes like a significantly stronger, creamier version of instant coffee. A local classic for good reason.

Asam Boi: Vincent ordered this for me. It is a warm, sour plum and lemon drink. It looks similar to a Mexican tamarind candy and the sourness is the main event. I was skeptical before it arrived and more skeptical after the first sip. Fresh pressed watermelon juice will be my Penang drink going forward.