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| Ask any true blue Penangite and she will most often tell you that the reason why food and more food is cheap on the island is basically coz Penangites are terribly kiasu. That's not to say that the food quality is horrible as Penang is world-famous for its delectable spreads of various cuisines.
Food wise, Penangites are fussy and finicky and they will be more than pleased to let you in on their many best-kept eatery secrets. Gurney Drive is definitely not one of them, no matter what the seasoned tourist guide tells you.
Asking a local to drive you through the maze of traffic-laden streets to Gurney will elicit more than a scoff; he will most probably know you're a first time visitor to the island or you're a sucker for the priciest hawker food this side of the peninsula.
To get the real deals on local food, follow the locals and listen to your tastebuds. Some places are truly over-rated and no amount of cajoling will find me a return visitor...no matter what the food guide extols. To seek out the real gems of culinary delights, it's time to throw aside the foodie guides and advertorials and really dig in!
Nasi Kandar
While I personally feel that nasi kandar is nothing more than spicy curries ladled over rice, many can never leave Penang without sampling this specialty. It's not difficult to find since nasi kandar shops are popping up like mushrooms after rain. Synonymous with Penang, and its unique Indian-Muslim population, nasi kandar serves to subdue the tummy rumblings of many a Chinese than Malays or Indians. There's simply a nasi kandar shop at every corner you turn.
One neighbourhood mamak (the Indian-Muslim man wearing his ubiquitious sarong and singlet; sometimes the sarong is worn with the front of it pulled to the back and tucked securely to the back portion almost magically without the help of belts or string!) complained that the opening of so many nasi kandar eateries did not mean the cash registers are ringing any louder; in fact, the more eateries, the smaller the market shrinks.
A note of caution: many eateries are not known for hygiene so you have to turn a blind eye when dining in these places. Plenty of rumours and gross stories abound about the mamak and his dirty stalls but does that quell any of the tourists and locals love for the food? No way. One friend proudly proclaimed that her husband would drive four hours from KL back to Penang just to have a supper of nasi kandar and drive back that same night, sated and burping!
Beware that what you heap on your plate is going to cost you. Squid, giant prawns, huge pieces of chicken, fish roe, salted duck eggs, fried tenggiri, wilted cabbage soaked in a turmeric gravy, beef slices, and more will tempt you. You'll salivate over the array of curries and gravies. But be prepared to pay RM4 and above when you dine nasi kandar style.
Good places to visit are:
Kassim Mustafa, Acheen Street
It's a bustling 24-hour business. Choice picks are the 'ayam negro', a meat-lover's delight dripping in a black diesel-like sauce, while the Saturday only duck curry (carted out of the kitchen at 2am and it is so tender, the meat falls off the bone) draws the crowds like no other. A basic eat and go kind of shop, Kassim Mustafa is a thriving family business, started by the grand old man himself who began with just a small shoplot, whom rumour says, across the street where this Kassim Mustafa is. You can't miss this place as it is right at the junction before the Balai Bomba. Look out for the green Kassim Mustafa signboard or failing that, follow your nose.
Craven Cafe (on Jalan Gurdwara - the original eatery which does a good 'ayam masak merah' and a mean Singapore style beehoon or you can try the more upmarket, hip air-conditioned Craven Cafe in Pulau Tikus which reputedly serves light and airy roti canai)
Abu Nasi Kandar, Jalan Sg Dua, opposite Makro
A favourite with undergraduates from nearby Universiti Sains Malaysia, this stall cooks a unbeatable chicken liver curry and the long lines of people queuing before the stall opens at 6pm will attest to the fact that Abu's curries are to die for.
Shariff Nasi Kandar, Gelugor (in front of Gelugor 7-11)
Now this is definitely an institution! For all you know, the curries are flavoured with dust from the nearby road but who cares when the curries are this good? Shariff Nasi Kandar has been around for as long as anyone can remember, and rumour has it that this guy sells some 1000 plates of nasi kandar a night! Just pick out the long lines of people and you're at the right place. Service is really fast, so make up your mind what you want on top of your rice instead of riling the others behind you. Opens around 6pm.
Nasi Kandar Pertama, Jalan Macalister
The curries are piping hot (especially if you turn up at the right time) and the restaurant is clean and the tables are not sticky (so you can rest your elbows on the table - table manners were not created for nasi kandar dining anyway). Prices vary according to what you order so steer clear of the squid, crab and prawns. Should you tire of rice with your curry, various roti and murtabak can be made fresh to go with your side orders.
Tumbledown stall, Argyll Road
Not so much for nasi kandar but a good breakfast place with plenty of charm and rustic ambience. Take your pick from roti canai to murtabak and add on the dishes of curry and dhal. Prepacked nasi lemak is sometimes available. I guess much of the appeal lies in the fact that this place seems to be on its last legs; but ask any local and he will do anything for great fare.
Kayu Nasi Kandar, Butterworth & behind Bukit Jambul Complex
How can I end my nasi kandar soliliquy without bowing to the chain of nasi kandar shops under the Kayu umbrella? Despite its unrelated name, the nasi kandar enthusiasts often vouch that Kayu does somehow live up to its famous nasi kandar fame. During the fasting month, this place is packed and overflowing with all sorts of people. Try Kayu if you're around the vicinity. Besides its curries, they serve fresh from the pan thosai, naan and tandoori chicken and roti canai, roti tisu, roti sardin and many other types of oil-soaked roti to feast on.
Another nasi kandar place to consider is Restoran Hameediyah at Campbell Street. It is another institution that lives up to its nasi kandar fame - oily, sticky floors and greasy looking waiters.
Never step into Subaidah Nasi Kandar or Kassim Nasi Kandar. They're the worst of the worst!
Sometimes, you may end up with stomach-churning diarrhoea so bad you'll vow never to step into any oily and sticky nasi kandar eatery ever. Nasi kandar curry pots are hardly ever washed; didn't you know that curries taste better if they're left to mellow? And during the cholera scare some three years ago, nasi kandar stalls came out tops in the dirty category. Just so you know. It's something no guidebook nor advertorial is willing to divulge.
But still, nothing beats the taste of Penang's famous nasi kandar.
Note: I don't endorse the nasi kandar eateries mentioned here but I do tuck in to nasi kandar once in a long while. The gargantuan deep fried crabs and prawns scare me, really...
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