Great Penang

Adrian Cheah loves Penang. He brings you interesting insights into the UNESCO heritage city of George Town where he calls home.

Great Penang © Adrian Cheah

Bazaar-Ria 2026 – Buffet By The Sea at The Tamarra: The Gathering, The Feast

BazaarRia 2026 at The Tamarra; photos © Adrian Cheah

Words, like spices, travel.

They wander across oceans and time, changing and evolving as they cross from tongue to tongue, until they reach us bearing history and memory. One such word is "bāzār". Persian in origin, it is preserved in the records of Middle Persian during the age of the Sasanian Empire, when cities across the Iranian plateau organised their commercial life along vaulted corridors of exchange. In those ancient urban arteries, goods flowed from caravan to stall, from stall to household, and ideas, languages, recipes, and ambitions flowed just as freely. In cities such as Isfahan, the bazaar became its breathing lung, and to enter it was to enter a world of enchantment and wonder filled with goods from distant lands.

Spongy Kuih Bahulu recipe

Kuih Bahulu © Adrian Cheah

Kuih Bahulu (also known as Kuih Baulu or Kuih Bolu) is a perennial favourite among Malaysians of all ages. In Hokkien, it is called Kay Nui Koh. It is a mini light and fluffy sponge cake made from eggs, flour and sugar. It has a slightly crusty outer layer with a soft and fluffy inside, quite similar in taste and texture to a French Madeleine. However, when compared to many western cakes, Kuih Bahulu is much lighter in texture and has a subtle sweetness.

Nasi lemak – a parcel of Malaysian goodness

Nasi lemak © Adrian Cheah

A favourite breakfast dish for most Malaysians is Nasi Lemak – something which transcends the often-tenuous ethnic boundaries in this multi-racial country, as Malays, Indians and Chinese, all love it!

Traditional Malay cooking at Lagenda Café in the heart of George Town

Lagenda Café © Adrian Cheah

The key signature in traditional Malay cuisine is definitely the generous use of local herbs, spices and belacan (shrimp paste). Santan (coconut milk) is a common addition to impart a creamy texture to Malay dishes. In Penang and the northern states of Malaysia, Malay cooking has further integrated Thai flavours. Meats and seafood are usually marinated with a special blend of herbs and spices before being cooked. Vegetables are often stir-fried and some eaten raw, always with sambal belacan. I love Malay dishes because of their strong, spicy and aromatic oomph. For an authentic Malay feast, visit Lagenda Café.

Irama Dining, the rhythm of a fresh and modern dining experience

Irama Dining © Adrian Cheah

Penang is truly a food paradise that has an extensive culinary scene, offering diverse delights from various cuisines, including delicious Malay fare. Irama Dining stands out as a culinary revelation for me. It brilliantly blends the bold, aromatic Malay cooking style with the vibrant flavours of local herbs and spices. The presentation of dishes is impeccable, complemented by the understated elegance of the dining space.

Roti Jala (net crepes) are simply irresistible with curry chicken and potatoes

Roti Jala © Adrian Cheah

If you are a tourist in Penang during Ramadhan, you have to add the Ramadhan bazaar to your list of must-see places. The month-long Ramadhan bazaar (opens from 3:30 – 7:30 pm) offers a wide variety of Malay specialities and it is a wonderful market to scout for delicious treats. Roti Jala is something I will usually buy among many others.

Fanning the flames of satay

Satay © Adrian Cheah

Satay is an example of how Penang cuisine was greatly influenced by the Arabs who came here to trade from the Middle East. Some say that this dish has Turkish roots. Be that as it may, satay has been available in Malaysia for many years already and is synonymous with Malay cuisine.

Memories of Auntie Jo's delightful jelly mooncakes

jelly mooncake © Adrian Cheah

The story of the mooncake stretches far back into the mists of antiquity. As early as the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC) and the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC), their predecessor, the taishi cake, was already present. Over centuries, mooncakes evolved into a symbolic offering for the Mid-Autumn Festival, a tradition that continues to this very day. Though the classic baked mooncake has endured for thousands of years, the art of mooncake-making has never stood still. It has adapted, innovated and reimagined itself in step with the times.

Discover legendary handmade mooncakes by Chef Chong Kei

Mooncake © Adrian Cheah

Celebrated by the Chinese on the 15th day of the eighth lunar moon (between September to October), the Mooncake Festival commemorates the overthrow of the Mongols, when the insurgent leaders, by way of smuggling secret messages in mooncakes, called the people to revolt.

The humble golden kee changs that are extraordinary

kee chang © Adrian Cheah

The preparation of kee chang (alkaline dumplings) commences a week ahead. It entails the painstaking task of separating jasmine rice grains from a mound of glutinous rice, a process that demands both time and patience. This laborious undertaking is essential to achieve the desired translucent appearance of the dumplings. Even the slightest presence of rice grains would mar the enchanting allure of the kee chang's transparency.

Discovering Zhejiang Cuisine at Longjing, Gurney Drive

Longjing; photos © Adrian Cheah

I have often wondered about my paternal grandfather, Cheah Siang Tee, a man I never met or even seen in a photograph. Yet I carry his surname, and with it, many unanswered questions. There is so much I would like to know about him, especially the flavours he loved and the comfort foods of his time.

An authentic Hakka luncheon in Balik Pulau

Hakka Village © Adrian Cheah

In Penang, where do you go for classic home-cooked Hakka favourites? To answer that, I ventured to the village of Balik Pulau, where about 30 percent of the Chinese are presumed to be Hakkas. Perched on a hillock in Pulau Betong is a restaurant located at Balik Pulau Lodge. Some recognise it as the "Hakka Village".

Jia Siang Cafe, seafood at its freshest

Jia Siang Cafe © Adrian Cheah

Being more than half a century old, I have learned to watch with my own eyes and note down the "gloriousness" that is everywhere around me. As an artist and a photographer, this singular duty of being aware has helped me capture photographs that forge the narrative in my projects and creative endeavours.

Emperor Villa's "kochabi" set meals good for lunch or dinner

Emperor Villa © Adrian Cheah

Emperor Villa, a family-run business offering accommodation and dining first opened its doors to the public in September 2019. It took two years to complete the construction of its rustic villas complete with a spacious swimming pool, nestled among nine acres of greenery in the hills of Sungai Ara, Penang.

The Art of Fine Chinese Cuisine at Anovia Banquet Art Centre

Set within the elaborately decorated oceanic-themed dining hall at Anovia Banquet Art Centre, an intimate birthday celebration was held in honour of Dato’ Lillian Tong, a respected custodian of Penang’s Chinese Peranakan heritage and a woman deeply devoted to preserving its traditions. Family and friends gathered across two tables, brought together by good food and even better company.

A memorable 9-course vegetarian dinner at Happy Realm

Being a food paradise, Penang offers many avenues for full-fledged vegetarians to obtain scrumptious meals. From Indian vegetarian restaurants to Chinese outlets, there is a wider range of food available. During the Jade Emperor Festival (first to the ninth of the ninth month of the lunar calendar), more stalls mushroom all over Penang selling vegetarian delights from rice dishes to stir-fried noodles and from Chinese cakes to Italian pizzas. Furthermore with the creation of faux meats, some dishes are unbelievably "uncanny".

Savouring mouth-watering Chinese dishes at Jia Shi Restaurant (formerly at Song River)

It is vital for a restaurant to have popular signature dishes loved by many. This is an important factor in establishing a long and lasting clientele that will continue its patronage.

An irresistible dim sum encounter at Bao Teck Tea House

Dim sum ("touch the heart" in Chinese) refers to an array of dainty bite-size snacks enjoyed all over the world, especially among the Chinese communities. In Penang, dim sum is available for breakfast, lunch and even dinner from push-cart vendors, coffee shops, tea houses, restaurants and fine-dining establishments. Although the price difference can vary dramatically, there are many options for one to enjoy dim sum according to one's budget.

A luxurious omakase dinner at Maple Palace

Dining at Maple Palace has always been a satisfying experience. The elegant 6-course omakase dinner celebrating my 54th birthday was such a delightful encounter. Lavished with priced ingredients, the flavours of the scrumptious feast were top-notch!

Moi, comforting rice-based porridge to warm the soul

If the truth be known, a bowl of piping-hot plain white moi (congee in Hokkien) is unpretentious and is as bland as ever. Yet through the millennia, it has become a comfort food that has no equal. Moi has become the food of love, health and of the home for millions. At times, I marvel at how food this simple can be elevated to taste so deliciously divine.

Varieties of char hor fun for different palates

Hor fun is a versatile type of rice noodles made from rice flour, water, salt and cooking oil. Although hor fun in itself is rather bland, it is able to absorb the flavours of any meat or stock it is cooked with. Its soft, slippery yet chewy texture is key in a few popular street food specialities here in Penang – char hor fun, dry stir-fried beef hor fun, steamed fish over hor fun and hor fun with pek cham kay (poached chicken).