Around U

Galleries and Museums

If you want to dive into Penang’s history, the State Museum is a great place to start. It started as an education centre in 1816, donated by the East India Company. It now houses a wide range of artifacts, models and paintings. The State Museum is located on Lebuh Farquhar, and you can find details here.

The State Art Gallery was added much later as an extension to the State Museum. It is focused on modern and contemporary art, complementing the historical collection at the State Museum. The State Gallery is located at the Ground Floor of Dewan Sri Pinang on Light Street. You can find details and directions here.

For up-and-coming contemporary art, visit the Run Amok Gallery on Hutton Lane. It features mainly visual art exhibitions focused on modern everyday experiences.

We also recommend visiting the Penang Camera Museum. It is the first of its kind in South East Asia and a real treat for those who love photography.

Live Performances

If you enjoy live music and genres like jazz, folk or spoken word, we recommend The Canteen @ China House. They’re well known for their delicious cakes as well as almost nightly performances by Malaysian and international performers.

If you’d like to enjoy original music, comedy, dance and more, look up Say It Like You Mean It [SILYMI]. This cabaret-style variety show happens once a month at The Canteen, from January to August.

Street Art

Penang island is becoming a hub for creative expression. This can be seen in the various street art all over George Town. Painted by international and local artists, many are commissioned works for the George Town Festival [GTF]. We recommend enjoying the art as you wander around the various streets and alleys in town. However, you can also find the full list of documented and commissioned artwork here.

Good food in Penang? That’s a very, very long list. 

Here’s some of our favourites around the Sungai Dua area:

1. Zuki’s Nasi Kukus Ayam Berempah at Wisma Pekaka [Halal]

Delicious steamed rice, fried chicken with a secret combination of spices, savoury curry and spicy sambal. Zuki’s Nasi Kukus food cart is well known in the area. There’s usually a line of people waiting to be served so drop by early [around 6:30 – 7:00pm].

2.  Subaidah Dum Briyani at Wisma Pekaka [Halal]

Intense, aromatic and delicious. Subaidah’s Dum Briyani is a favourite for the local ‘mamak’ enthusiasts. Located only a hundred metres or so from where we are, Subaidah is easy to find. They have a large banner draped over the shop.

3. Dry Spicy Bak Kut Teh Sungai Dua [Non-Halal]

Slow cooked pork in thick soy and herb sauce, garnished with okra, lots of chilli and served with fragrant white rice or yam rice. Located just opposite us down Lintang Merak, at Kedai Makanan Seong Huat.

4. Maxim Dim Sum at Wisma Pekaka [Non-Halal]

Our favourite morning meal, dim sum are small steamed or fried Chinese dumplings with a variety of fillings. Maxim has a large variety to choose from, and attracts a sizeable breakfast crowd every morning. They’re almost all delicious, but drop by early [8:00 – 9:00am] for the popular treats.
Find more food here.

Here’s some around town area:

1. Tiger Char Koay Teow at Kafe Ping Hooi [Non-Halal]

A familiar dish for Singaporeans. Char Koay Teow is a national favourite in Malaysia and Singapore. Of Course, Penang has their fair share of famous char koay teow stalls with their own signature taste. What I appreciated most from Penang-style Char Koay Teow is the flavor of ‘wok hei’, and the freshness of the ingredients. Also, going for the duck eggs option did give a richer taste to each mouthful of noodles.

2. Laksalicious [Halal]

A proud signature dish of Penang, Assam laksa is a rich and spicy, fish-based soup noodle broth of tamarind juice, chilli paste, lemongrass, topped with prawn paste and mackerel/sardine flakes. It has a tangy, wholesome flavor from the tamarind which some may find it too overpowering.

3.Loh Bak at Kheng Pin Cafe [Non-Halal]

A variety of deep-fried seasoned strips of pork loin meat wrapped in beancurd skin, dipped in bowl of starchy braised sauce (Lor 卤)- the penang version tends to be on the sweeter side. Other Lor bak ingredients like fishcake, egg, sausage and tofu are also available in the mix.

These meat rolls are similar to the Hokkien ngoh hiang using the unique aroma of “five-spice powder.” A whole plate of fried goodies may be overwhelming but it is still a pretty good choice for a mid-day snack or late night supper sharing dish.

4. Tan Swee Hoe Rojak at Gurney Drive Hawker Centre [Halal]

Rojak is considered a colloquial representation of variety and mixture. Commonly found in Malaysia and Singapore, it is a salad of bean curds, fritters (you tiao), bean sprouts, cuttlefish and assortment of fruits covered in a thick syrupy peanut sauce. Freshly tossed with pineapple slices so sweet you would widen your eyes in surprise.

5.  Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng [Halal]

Mee Goreng is an Indian Muslim dish. The famed Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng presents a substantial plate of noodles with generous portions of cuttlefish, potatoes and beansprouts. It is stir-fried with a tangy concoction of tomato, chilli and soy sauce. This would be a pleasure for those who favor quantity over quality. Nonetheless, a plus point for fancy display of wok skills and rhythmic tossing of noodles.

6.  Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol [Halal]

It is easy to spot the famous store for there is a never-ending queue outside Joo Hooi Cafe. Also, it is rather fascinating looking at the speed of preparation by the vendor. The quality however may not be as consistent – during the second trip there, the coconut milk tasted diluted and there was not enough gula melaka. This ice cold dessert is nonetheless a wonderful respite from the blistering tropical heat.

Shopping Malls

If you’d like to do some shopping, dining, or just enjoy the cool air-conditioning, Penang has quite a few malls to choose from.

Queensbay Mall

The closest to our location is Queensbay Mall in Bayan Lepas. Located beside the waterfront, it also boasts a brand new cycling and walking trail, as well as a view of Pulau Jerejak and the Penang Bridge. It is popular with the locals for an after-dinner stroll.

Gurney Plaza

Gurney Plaza is strategically located in the famous Gurney Drive promanade in Penang and approximately three kilometres to the north-west of city centre of Georgetown, Penang’s capital. It is Penang’s premier lifestyle shopping mall and a one-stop shopping and entertainment destination catering to both family and tourists arriving in Penang.

Night Market

Batu Ferringhi Night Market

If malls aren’t your thing on vacation, try the Night Market at Ferringhi instead. It is an intense, exciting, chaotic experience with hundreds of stalls along the street selling everything from handicrafts to t-shirts to second-hand vinyls.  Remember to haggle the price ?

Jelutong Night Market

If you’re up for a night market adventure, begin with this one on Jalan Van Praagh. Not to be outdone by other night markets, Jelutong Night Market is packed with food vendors tempting you with delicious offerings like assorted sushi, yong tau foo, roast pork, char koay kak, prawn crackers and more.