Even though I’m from KL, I think Penang has the best food in Malaysia. West Malaysia, at least. ;)

Here are some of my favourite foods that I enjoyed during my short stay there last month. First up, my all-time favourite: Char Kuay Teow, or Penang Fried Kuay Teow as it is known outside of Penang.

fried-kuay-teow

Wok-fried flat rice noodles with egg, prawns, cockles, beansprouts and chives. Yum.

Next is also a famous food export out of Penang, Hokkien Mee, or Penang Prawn Mee everywhere else.

hokkien-mee

Hokkien egg noodles, vermicelli, prawns, sliced boiled pork, half an hard-boiled egg, kang-kong greens, beansprouts, all served in a hearty prawn broth with a dollop of sambal belacan. Wooo.

This is a slightly more simple item: Kuay Teow Tng. It consists of flat rice noodles, fish-cake, fishballs, slivers of chicken, pieces of congealed pork blood in clear chicken broth.

kuay-teow-tng

Real Mee Goreng, fried by either ethnic Chinese or Indian hawkers? You betcha.

mee-goreng

This is Char Kuay Kak – blocks of rice cakes, similar in texture to rice noodles, fried in a similar style to Char Kuay Teow. Delicious? Yes!

fried-rice-squares

And finally, Ice Kacang – Penang’s version of the shaved-ice dessert that is popular throughout South-East Asia.

ice-kacang

I miss Penang food. :)