Half Acre Restaurant, Taiwanese flavours in Penang

When you talk about Taiwanese food, fried stinky tafu, scallion pancakes, oyster vermicelli, minced pork rice and pearl milk tea come to mind. However, at Half Acre Restaurant, you will not find any of these popular Taiwanese street food. On the other hand, you would be treated to strong Taiwanese flavours that are aggressively herbal with deeply umami.

Sea cucumbers – back to nature cures

Marine life in Malaysian waters is full of many natural wonders. Among them is the humble sea cucumber. Locally, it is known as "gamat" in Malay and 'hai som' in Hokkien. It is scientifically called holothurians, a class of the phylum echinodermata.

Delightful bowl-shaped appam at Singgah Sebentar

The appam (also known as palappam) or apom (in Penang) is an Indian pancake made with a fermented rice flour and coconut milk batter. The contrast of textures in this dish is alluring. The pancake - with a crispy fringe and is with a spongy, soft fluffy rice cake centre – exudes a distinct yeasty aroma. The crispy fringe reminds me of kuih kapit.

The murtabak – a hearty meal all by itself

Hameediyah Restaurant in Campbell Street serves good murtabak. Established in 1907, this is one of the oldest Indian Muslim restaurants in Penang.

Pann – treat of the real thing

Literally translated from Tamil, 'otthu kadai' – that quaint little wooden roadside shop specking the streets of George Town – means "small shop".

The 'otthu kadai' is a pretty interesting emporium – tiny, compact and mottled with a collection of different things. Each of these small convenience shops is a veritable miniature open-air mart selling an exhaustive range of items in an incredibly confined space.

Roti canai, good for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, supper and any time in between

Yes, this is how popular roti canai is in Penang, available all day long at almost every street corner. This simple flatbread is adored by both young and old, men and women of all races in the country.

"Roti! Roti!", the lure of the breadman

The 'roti man' or bread vendor is quite a common sight in Penang. They are usually on their rounds in the mornings and from tea time, plying their stock-in-trade in a road contraption that resembles a hybrid between a motorcycle and a 'meat safe'.

Auntie Gaik Lean Old School Eatery – Chinese Peranakan cuisine cooked with love

Born into a Chinese Peranakan family, I often find my culinary cravings leaning towards other cuisines – whether it is Chinese, Thai, Italian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Continental, Mexican, Indian or Malay – when dining out, unless I am hosting guests from abroad who crave for Nyonya cuisine. Sometimes when time allows, I will gladly roll up my sleeves and prepare a Nyonya feast to ensure that they depart Penang with a lasting impression of the vibrant and unique flavours that define Nyonya cuisine.

Learn how to make authentic Nyonya Jiu Hu Char

“Jiu hu” is Hokkien for “cuttlefish” and “char” means “fry”. Thus, Jiu Hu Char means “fried cuttlefish”. Although the shredded cuttlefish is the star ingredient (providing a potent umami flavour), there is more in that dish than just cuttlefish. The ingredients for this popular Nyonya offering consist of jiu hu si (dried shredded cuttlefish), yambean, carrots, cabbage, pork belly, mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Bee Koh Moy, a healthy bowl of goodness

In Penang, Bee Koh Moy (Hokkien for black glutinous rice porridge, Bubur Pulut Hitam in Malay) is often served topped with fresh coconut milk. The yin-yang-looking combination of mildly sweetened black rice porridge drizzled with a slightly salty creamy white coconut milk sauce is a scrumptious treat. The rich and creamy dish, perfumed with aromatic pandan (screw pine) leaves, can be served warm or chilled. This offering is usually enjoyed for breakfast, at tea time or as a dessert after a meal; it is best savoured in small portions as it is hearty and filling.

Springy Nyonya Kuih Talam

Kuih Talam, a classic Nyonya cake, is still popular in Penang today. Its two signature colours are green and white. The sweetened green base layer is perfumed with pandan (screw pine) juice while the top white layer has a "lemak" (rich) indulgence of santan (coconut milk) that is mildly salty. It is dangerously addictive and a slice is never enough. Maybe that is why nowadays, Kuih Talam is cut and packed in two or three pieces. I also notice that the pieces are much smaller than what they used to be when I was growing up.

Tips on making really good Seri Muka

Seri Muka (literally means "radiant face" in Malay) or Kuih Salat is a dainty sweet cake that consists of two layers. The base is made from glutinous rice which is topped with a green custard layer, scented and coloured with pandan juice. Santan (coconut milk) is a key ingredient as it imparts the “lemak” (rich) taste to the glutinous rice as well as the custard layer.

The vibrant and colourful Nyonya kerabu bee hoon

When it comes to good food, the only one you have to really satisfy is yourself. When it comes to cooking (without deviating too far from the recipe), you can add whatever you like to your dish and omit all the ingredients that do not tickle your taste buds.

Savour the titillating essence of Nyonya cooking at Nyonya Breeze Desire

Penang is synonymous with Nyonya cuisine and many locals would have Chinese Peranakan parentage. This means they would have tasted exquisite Nyonya cooking prepared by their grandmothers, mothers and aunties, and for some, even uncles. With this in mind, it would be quite impossible to please their palate simply because they would always compare similar dishes served elsewhere to those prepared at home. Any Nyonya restaurants that intends to out-gun grandma's recipes would be engaged in a challenging endeavour.

Richard Rivalee brings you delicious pork-free Nyonya cuisine

I truly believe that if one desires to live a purpose driven life, one has to wear one's heart on one's sleeve and allow passion to fuel the journey. One such brave man I know is Richard Rivalee, always smiling and bubbling with gaiety.

The colourful bubur cha cha and pengat—almost similar, yet different

In Malay, “bubur” means “porridge”. As for “cha cha”, some say it echoes the Hokkien phrase “che che”, commonly linked to abundance. Many locals in Penang associate bubur cha cha with the island’s Chinese Peranakan kitchens, and oral tradition says it was first made there over a century ago. However, written records tying the name and its origins to a specific person, date, or text are scarce, and scholars of food history have not reached a firm consensus on the etymology of its name.

Lotuss Nyonya Kitchen – where maximalist style meets maximum flavours

A rendezvous with friends should always set the stage for a fun-filled outing. However, as true-blue Penangites, our palates demand nothing less than something seriously ho-chiak (delicious in Hokkien), the kind that commands attention above all else. This must be closely followed by the thrifty wisdom of value for money. Moreover, if an attractive ambience is coupled with warm friendly service, the escapade would indeed be a memorable one. Lotuss Nyonya Kitchen, located in the heart of George Town, seems to have it all.

Reinventing kuih kapit (love letters)

"Perhaps imagination is only intelligence having fun" – George Scialabba

The "love letter", more commonly known as kuih kapit (a paper-thin crispy, fan-shaped biscuit), is an essential feature during Chinese New Year. However, when a classic item like kuih kapit becomes deeply entrenched in tradition, introducing a daring innovation to reinvent it can evoke mixed reactions – either embraced with enthusiasm for its novelty or met with scepticism and disapproval.

Pomelo kerabu, tu ka chor, inchi kabin and more at Sifu Nyonya Cuisine

Sifu Nyonya Cuisine, located at Jalan Pintal Tali, offers an authentic Nyonya dining experience. At the culinary helm of the restaurant is 71-year-old Madam Beh Geok Wah, whose culinary prowess is showcased through a menu featuring over 40 dishes. Some recipes are cherished heirlooms passed down through generations, ensuring that the essence of Nyonya cooking is preserved with every flavourful bite.

A pre-birthday luncheon at Auntie Gaik Lean Old School Eatery

“The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is to be one.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson, Friendship, Essays: First Series (1841)

So often, people say they want good friends, yet forget the underlying truth that friendship begins inwardly. It requires generosity of spirit, self-awareness, and the ability to show up without expectation. When insecurity, entitlement, or self-interest takes centre stage, genuine friendships struggle to take root. Emerson’s words remind us that friendship is not something to be acquired, but something to be practised.