Travel: The Best Part of Penang (Part 2)

Check out The Best Part of Penang (Part 1) for more cast iron cartoons.

Travel: Best Part of Penang (Part 1)

Isn’t the street food.

It’s finding gems like the graffiti and cast iron cartoons below that make the trip to Georgetown worth while. These tongue-in-cheek cartoons tell Penang’s story in an interesting and appreciable manner that doesn’t seem like a stiff roll of parchment paper.

Of course, their kick ass black as sin coffee helps too.

What Does it Mean to be Singaporean?

A colleague asked: "What is a Singaporean identity? You eat, shop, drink."

Image source: If Only Singaporeans Stopped to Think

I couldn't answer immediately. On reflection -- and listening to Grace Fu on the news -- I thought back to when I left Singapore.  

The Singaporean is someone who speaks with a staccato inflection; who knows bashas, leopard crawling, CSMs, M-16s, and walking around with a shaven head; who knows that having a bit of everything -- prata, lontong, chicken rice, bak kut teh -- is better than just one type of food available to most people; who lives, drinks and chats with Tamles, Mats, and Mungens. 
The Singaporean is a varied bunch. Some hound kids to the tuition centers; some are big losers with big hearts; others guzzle beer while five-tenning another; while many of us slave in florescent-lit offices and catch up with other cubicle mates now and then.  
The Singaporean has played on big stone slides in the heartlands; who cusses, lim chius and sits with a leg up at the hawker centre. Their favourite pastime being the many complaints about cabbies, rain, MRTs and the government; and what is a Singaporean without the lah, leh and hors...correct or not? 

That's the Singaporean Identity

It isn't about race. It's about the things that are meaningful to us -- part experiences, part people, mostly memory. 

My parent's conception of a Singaporean identity is quite different from mine, and my grandparent's view is vastly alien from mine too. Regardless we will have shared experiences that binds us together (like reservists bitching about their in-camp training or ah-lians in the latest Lao-beng joint), and these are experiences that we discuss and bitch about fondly and sometimes otherwise. 

I am Singaporean because of them. Not because of a government, or this piece of land, or a vague notion of Singaporeaness.

“What is essential to the growth of a nation is a common history -- common sufferings, common memories, and, it may be added, common aspirations." - H.A.L Fisher

In fact, we can go further.  

It's Disheartening

There are so many people coming in at once. So much so that they overwhelm. They bring their own foods, experiences, lingo and ways of thought here. In Chinatown I see a multitude of Mainland Chinese restaurants springing up to cater to new immigrants from China (apparently there's 1 million Chinese Nationals now), and Chinatown has quite literally become China-town.

That was similar to Lucky Plaza in the beginning of the maid era. But it was a drop in the ocean as compared to the the influx of China nationals. 
Change is inevitable. The old will give way to the newly accepted -- like Chinese opera, colour television, and now mobile internet streaming.  

It's OK... no, not really.

All I can do is say: To the many who will arrive in Singapore to work, study, turn a quick buck, or perhaps nest, please fit in. Please share. Please receive. Be good.

But do not expect us to bow to your sensibilities…like this ex-colleague of mine.

Eating My Way Through KL & Penang (Part 2b: Everything Else)

Penang’s a Chinese-ified city with lots of Chinesey food that I can get in Singapore. As with regional differences, dishes with the same name might not be cooked in the same way – like Char Kway Teow or Lor Mee.

Regardless, food is food. When in Penang (or anywhere else), eat like siao*.

Nasi Kandar

The Indian version of the Nasi Padang, Nasi Campur or Economic Rice. Pick from whatever meats and vegetables – sometimes stir-fried, often curried or sizzled – and chuck them onto your plate of rice. Douse with slaps of mutton curry, licks of beef something, drizzles of some dark gravy with mussels in it. That’s Nasi Kandar.

Sounds better than it tastes. But I find it too heavy for my liking

Nasi Kandar Line Clear
177 Jalan Penang

Bak Chang (Meat Rice Dumpling)

Apparently these stuffed rice dumplings are da bomb in Penang. They serve Hokkien, Cantonese and some “Golden” rice dumpling that suspiciously resembles a Hokkien dumpling on steroids. Soft, savoury, not too oily, and the accompanying sweet dark sauce was surprisingly apt for this dumpling. Not my kind of dumplings but I much prefer the Cantonese versions.

Cintra Food Corner
Lebuh Cintra

Char Kway Teow

Penang’s pride and joy. Flat rice noodles fried with lots of bean sprouts, cockles, oil and wrapped in an egg. Salty, not sweet. Not enough wok hei (smoky taste), but worth a wolf-down snack.

Some Coffeeshop that also sells solid Penang Coffee
Lebuh Kimberly

Beef Satay

This is good. Facing the sea, pieces of charcoal-fired beef and drippy which I dip into peanut sauce. Best.

Food Court Facing the Sea
Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakah

Grilled Fish with Sambal

When facing the sea, must eat something from it, Like fish, or mermaids. Tangy, powerful chilli slathered on grilled fish. Very much like the seafood stuff that comes out from Newton Circus, but much cheaper.

Food Court Facing the Sea
Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakah

Everything Else Verdict

I think I went to all the wrong places in Penang. Regardless, that’s a snapshot of Penang food. The only real difference between that and Singapore lies in a few tweaks here and there.

Next time, I’m heading up along the East Coast of Malaysia.

* siao = mad

Eating My Way Through KL & Penang (Part 2a: Breakfast)

Two days in Kuala Lumpur and I’m antsy. Hop on a night train and I’m in Penang by 7am, 30 minutes after the ferry sailed across the channel from Butterworth to Georgetown.

Why Penang? Why not? I once passed by Penang a few years back, liked the little place, and thought it was quaint, quiet and kind of crumbly.

Still do actually.

But I do think that Penang food is somewhat better than Kuala Lumpur. And here’s the breakfast edition as per the morning step off the boat.

Kopi-O Ais

This rocks. Thick, syrupy, rich and buttery. I’d swap any Starbucks for this awesome cuppa coffee any day.

Ubiquitous 
Any self-respecting Penang coffeeshop should have it.

Fried Carrot Cake, Dim Sum, Chee Cheong Fun

The dim sum’s forgettable. Fried Carrot Cake is extremely thirst-inducing. The Chee Cheong Fun was pretty good quality actually. Freshly made with a serving of shallots and chilli on the top.

Open Space at Chowrasta Market
Somewhere on Jalan Chowrasta

Dim Sum

One of the better dim sums that I’ve had in Malaysia. I’m rather disappointed that the food came in steel steamers instead of bamboo steamers. Somehow it detracts from the taste, and screws up the dim sum skin. Big draw – drinking pot after pot of Chinese tea for cheap.

Restoran Tho Yuen
92 Jalan Campbell

Curry Mee

Curry laden with Coconut milk and a whole bunch of stuff that I’ve not had in Singapore since forever – Pig’s Blood! Not too spicy, plenty lemak, and bloody greasy. A friggin small bowl but it filled me up for Breakfast.

A tip: Get some You Tiao to mop up the curry gravy.

Coffee shop at Chowrasta Market
Somewhere on Jalan Chowrasta

Breakfast Verdict

OK only, lah. But when hungry, eat lor.

Eating My Way Through KL & Penang (Part 1)

One fine night in October, I packed my bags and took the night train up to KL & Penang. Why? Because I needed to get out of Singapore to see another country. Some place that’s not as spit-clean-polished as the Little Red Dot.

So Kuala Lumpur first.

Ultimately the trip was an exercise in futility. I spent too little time in each city and too much time within the confines to truly appreciate the place.

But there’s always food to try within the city. Much of which are lauded by Malaysians and Singaporeans for some reason.

So tastebuds at attention, Ringgit in hand, game on.

Roti Bawang Telur

Exactly like Roti Prata in Singapore. Only that they’ve chopped it up for easy face-shovelling. Plenty of sweet bawang. But the dhal was watery and insipid. Good for a quick breakfast, but I think there are better spots elsewhere.

Restoran Yusoof dan Zakhi
42,44,46 Jalan Hang Kasturi
Central Market Area, Kuala Lumpur 50050, Malaysia

Bak Kut Teh

Bloody salty. The dark Hokkien versions along Beach Road, Singapore, were herbal and fragrant. The pork pieces were tough and bland. Odd, because they should be sweet.  

Some Chinese Restaurant
Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang 

Claypot Lao Shu Fen

Settled on this when I couldn’t find the claypot rice stall. Lao Shu Fen topped with minced meat sauce and a raw egg, mix and slurp. The noodles are silky and the meat gave it crunch. Best eaten by spooning it from the claypot, the noodles will just slip through chopsticks. Oily, but worth the calories.

Seng Kee
52, Jalan Sultan, 50000 Kuala Lumpur

Fried Hakka Yong Tau Fu

The other signature dish from Seng Kee. Done up perfectly, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and slathered with a sweet sauce. Good beer food. Again, damn oily.

Seng Kee
52, Jalan Sultan, 50000 Kuala Lumpur

Verdict

KL supposedly has some of the best foods, according to my friends. I think they’re wrong.

My munching through the city – this post is just a subset – left me unsatisfied. But then, I’ve not been there long enough by any standard. Also, it’s not particularly easy to search for food. In most cases, restaurants are hidden away and are almost destination locations where you’ll need some kind of transportation.

Update

I’ve showed the post to several friends (particularly folks who live in KL or frequent the place) and here’s what they have to say…

“…That claypot lao shu fen is too watery. The good one is darker and dryer (less oil)….And that Bak Kut Teh looks mediocre, best at Kajang, I heard. Same goes for Yong Tau Fu, mediocre looking.” – Melvin Ho

“…Jalan Alor feels like Newton Circus now. But I still swear by the curry mee. (Breakfast and Lunch)” – Orange

“Jalan Imbi has some good food also. There is a good Bak Kut Teh there, the more herbal version.” – Eunice Lua

The Lesson in this? Do your research and bring along a map!

Scenes: Beijing

Let’s fly kites in finger-numbing cold. Kite vendors shiver in bone-chilling winds to sell tiny brightly-coloured squares to anyone who would spare them RMB 20.

They were a whole lot more interesting than the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.

Of Wanderlust: Out into the world again

Brad Newsham, author of "Take Me With You: A Round-the-World Journey to Invite a Stranger Home", wrote that he would get home from a travelling stint, get a job and live the routine life…for a while.

After years of it, he’d get antsy and bothered and cranky; so much so that he knew that it was time to get out into the world again. 

It’s like that now.

I’ve written/videoed/social-media-ed freelance  for over a year now. I’ve been a travel writer, magazine writer, website writer, social media dude, and video guy. I love the challenges that come my way, and marrying technology with creative editorial and images.

From Travelpod

But despite it all, life has gotten humdrum.

I wake, I shuffle to toilet, and typpity-type stories into my computer three inches from the toilet door. It’s gotten so much so that I’m antsy and uncharitable towards other human beans (sorry…beings), and somehow blunted my creative edge.

Friends say that it’s my natural state to be anti-social and cranky. It’s hard to deny that when I visible seethe in a slow-moving queue held up by nincompoops.

But the last time I was out in the world, I was calmer, less angsty, and more accepting. And that to find home, you have to sometimes leave home.

So I’m getting on the road again, getting out on my own with a backpack and potbelly for touring companions.

Come November & December, I’ll be out and about in wintery Beijing (to work to work; hie ho, hie ho), scampering on Taiwanese railways, yum-singing at a wedding and dozing on some island in Hong Kong, then back to Singapore.

Yes, it’s about time that I’m out in the world…again.