There are so many things to eat in Penang, which is why I made a trip there in April 2014 with my bestie to check out what I have been missing out all my life. Turns out, there was so much to eat, see and walk around, we were both stuffed by the end of the trip! Here are some of the notable places we went to. Pro tip: Bring a map, plot out where you want to go and cover each district before you move to the next!

1. Tuai Pui Curry Mee
23 Lebuh Kimberley, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia [foursquare]

Gorgeous bowl of curry mee filled with pigs' blood cubes, beancurd and beansprouts. Simple, but the curry broth was really piquant. Curry mee is apparently a Penang signature dish that you MUST try when you're there. Also remember to buy some MyKuali Instant White Curry Noodles (it's also available in selected supermarkets in SG).


2. Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol
Jalan Penang, 10450 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia [foursquare]

One can't go to Penang and not try their famous chendol. It was a sweltering day and long walk to the shop, which was crowded by people (mostly Singaporeans) waiting to scoop up some of that coconutty goodness. It is much more rich than the SG version.


So many people, but the queue takes about 15 minutes.


We saw a really hipster cafe called The Alley (with a old school Keat Seang signboard) on our way to Cafe 55.


3. Cafe 55 famous for 3D Latte Art
55, Lorong Stewart, 10300, Georgetown [foursquare]
They have since moved to 164, Lebuh Pantai, called Coffee on the Table.


Sadly, the coffee here REALLY SUCKS. It was over roasted and bitter. But they have pretty latte art. Still, if you are a coffee lover, avoid this place. Instagram aficionados, go ahead.


Here's our latte art. Really cute looking!


With bestie.


4. China House 
53, Lebuh Pantai, Georgetown, 10300 Georgetown [website]

One of the best cake and cafe shops in Penang to get a taste of freshly baked cakes, and their coffee beans come from Singapore! This is definitely a must-try for anyone looking to mix air-conditioned cafes with open air coffeeshops.

5. Assam Laksa
Corner of Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Pantai [tripadvisor]

This is not the famous one that we would try the next day, but we couldn't wait, so while we were exploring the famous Penang wall murals at Armenian street we saw a stall just near the bicycle mural that has Assam Laksa and Chendol, and decided to give the bowl a try. Wasn't bad at all! Quite decent as a mid-day snack.

Speaking of murals... we had much fun taking photos with the murals. The old school painted ones are nicer -- now there are more wire wall art by other artistes. (See pdf brochure of their locations here)

We then had a stroll along the Chew Jetty, which is basically a set of wooden houses on stilts. It's rather rustic, though its probably not the most comfortable of accommodations (mozzies and smell of the river).

Just along the entrance to the jetty is a open air 'hawker centre' with a few stalls serving hungry locals. We sat down for a 4pm snack!

This was the wanton noodles we ordered from a random stall. It's really good though (but not famous or anything).


6. Behind 50
Muntri Street (Love Lane), 10200 George Town [foursquare]


For dinner we decided to go to a highly rated Western bistro in the backpackers' district. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food! There was a creamy mushroom soup, plus pasta and some chicken chop. All of which are yummy!



Lastly, we went to Reggae Penang for beer, but found out this was just a bar called Reggae Penang. In fact, the famous and authentic one is a Hotel, called Reggae Penang Love Lane




In summary, here are the 4 places you should check out

1. Tuai Pui Curry Mee
23 Lebuh Kimberley, 10100 George Town [foursquare]

2. Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol
Jalan Penang, 10450 Pulau Pinang [foursquare]

3. China House 
53, Lebuh Pantai, Georgetown, 10300 George Town [website]

4. Behind 50
Muntri Street (Love Lane), 10200 George Town [foursquare]

Closed when we went but apparently famous

1. Kafe Kheng Pin for lor bak
80, Jalan Penang, Georgetown [foursquare] Closed on Mondays
Sadly this was closed when we wanted to go! Apparently it is famous for Lor Bak (stewed pork).

2. Kedai Kopi Lam Ah for fried oyster omelette and beef kway teow
Junction of Beach Street and Chulia Street

End of Day 1, stay tuned for Day 2-3!

Travel to Eat Trip: Penang Day 1 for Curry Mee, Chendol, Assam Laksa and Dinner

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I've another brunch place to recommend to you guys! This time round it is The Missing Pan that's situated at the very convenient location of Bukit Timah Road, which for a lot of people is easily accessible by buses. The Missing Pan is a few doors down Choupinette and that German grocery store. Since it is a shophouse, seating is naturally limited, so be prepared to wait on weekends, when I expect there to be quite a bit of families and friends catching up over good food! There's a few downstairs, but take the elevator (yes you read right) to the second storey where you get to see some greenery. 

Photo credit: The Missing Pan / FoodNews PR
We started off our brunch tasting with some complimentary raisin hot cross buns, which are baked fresh in-house and so very fluffy! There's a very good philosophy of "honestly good food" that is from oven-to-table from The Missing Pan, since the guys who started it are bakers at heart. Be sure to try their breads if you drop by.


Next - what's brunch without some eggs? The 62 Degree Eggs Benedict ($22) is paired with smoked salmon, avocado, seaweed crumbs on sourdough with in-house hollandaise sauce. I found this to be done quite nicely -- the hollandaise sauce was not too overpowering and the bread was of the right texture to soak up the yolk that runneth over.


Then, my second favorite dish during the tasting - the Beetroot Quinoa Salad ($12) which has candied beetroot, arugula, herby flatbread strips. I was actually very surprised by this combination and dish. Who would have thought beetroot will go so well with quinoa and rocket? It is healthy, flavorsome and perfect to whet one's appetite! 


Then, the superstar of the day. The French Toast Salpicon ($19) that looked like an ordinary albeit gigantic french toast (compared to that DSLR in the background), covered with banana nuggets, mixed berries and served with a jar of strawberry-smoked maple syrup. I enjoyed the fruits and syrup over the super soft and moderately sweet toast! 


But cut it open and you'll find it stuffed with chicken, spinach and mushrooms!  Tadah!
That's what made this so special. It is in fact a savory french toast that you can have as a main + dessert. How ingenious is that? I would recommend this to be shared though. The portion is sure hearty. This is definitely a must-order at The Missing Pan if you are there for a big brunch.


We also tried the Pulled Pork Burger ($19++) which I always felt is a challenging dish, because pulled pork is one of those ingredients which you can easily overdo such that the sweetness overpowers everything else (including the pork). I was a bit apprehensive then to try this, but turns out my worries were unfounded. The pulled pork burger is fine! You can order this safely. It is juicy, flavorsome and not at all too strong.


Next, since we had daddy blogger +Alvin Lim with us, we ordered the Banana Split Sandwich ($12) which had brioche, caramelised bananas, marshmallow topped with ice cream, rainbow sprinkles and chocolate sauce. What a fun dish! I would order it for myself even if its meant "for the kids". Erm, try to share it though since the sugar content is a tad too high -- you don't want to be going on a sugar high!


For desserts, we simply couldn't resist even if we had so much already to order the Mela Con Formaggi ($14) that my friend on Facebook recommended when she found out that I was at The Missing Pan. It is actually a combination plate of granny smith apples, banana caramel sauce, chocolate soil, citrus mascarpone, parmigiano reggiano chips and homemade honeycomb. It is sweet, but the play on textures and ingredients was delightful.


We also tried the Chewy Brownie Cheesecake ($7.20). A dual-layered confection with creamy cheesecake on top and a rich & chewy chocolate brownie base. Ingenious! I found the cheesecake layer a tad too dense for me though.


Lastly, a delightful party of fruits and mushroom meringues called La Passion ($14). I am not sure if it is worthwhile to pay over $10 for fresh fruits and some sugar, but hey, if this is the least evil among all desserts maybe its worth considering.


Overall, The Missing Pan offers a pleasant brunch dining experience that is worth going to with some friends or family. If you are going as a couple, try to order sensibly since portions are larger than normal. 



The Missing Pan
#01/02-01, 619D Bukit Timah Road
+65 64664377
Tue - Sun: 10:00 - 22:00
Closed on Mondays

Thanks to The Missing Pan for the invite!

Brunch Review: The Missing Pan at 619D Bukit Timah Road, Singapore

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