9 Places Recommended By Penangites If You're Craving 'Ho Liao' Street Food

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This Michelin Guide-recommended curry mee is a must-try when you're in Penang! Its light yet flavourful broth, combined with spicy curry paste and duck blood, create a savoury delight that's perfect for satisfying your cravings. The portion served is generous as well.

Additionally, the stall offers comforting congee for those seeking a familiar favourite. For an extra special treat, consider adding some sio bak (roasted pork belly) or steamed chicken to complement the flavours of your curry mee or porridge.

This stall located outside Pulau Tikus Market offers a satisfying meal in both dry and soup variations. What makes this dish special is the duck meat, which is tender and lacks any gaminess. 

The kuey teow th'ng soup tastes clean yet flavourful too, with a nice hit of pork lard that is sure to satisfy your taste buds.

This ban chang kuih, also known as apam balik gives you an authentic taste of the traditional Hokkien pancake, setting itself apart with its crispy texture and perfectly balanced flavours. This place offers the thin version and has just the right amount of crushed peanuts, sugar, and margarine, ensuring a harmonious blend of textures and flavours in every bite.

You can order your ban chang kuih with the standard white sugar, brown sugar, or jagung toppings. Or, you can try out some of their unique toppings like eggs, bananas, chocolate, and ham. But make sure to eat it on the spot for the best texture! 

Address:
Medan Selera Padang Brown, Jalan Perak, 10400 George Town

This nasi kandar shop, which is open 24/7, is renowned among locals for its fried chicken that's huge, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. The combination of textures and flavours makes it a true delight.

Apart from that, they also offer a variety of curries that complement the meal perfectly. Make sure to ask them to banjir your rice, allowing the rice to soak up all the delicious gravy. Also, do request to try their special sambal, which is a herb mixture that gives a nice kick to your rice.

Located on the side of a busy road, you may have trouble finding parking and may need to park further away.

This authentic Indian-Muslim restaurant is a hidden gem in Penang, well-known among locals for its exceptional dishes and unique dining experience. Unlike traditional nasi kandar stalls, Tajuddin Hussein serves their dishes separately in small plates, allowing customers to choose which type of rice they want to pair with the dishes.

Highly recommended dishes here include the ayam ros, ayam bawang, mutton kurma, and mutton ros. The meat in these dishes are incredibly soft and tender, falling off the bone with each bite. Pair them with either nasi tomato or nasi briyani for a truly satisfying meal.

The curries at Tajuddin Hussein are thick and packed with the prominent taste of spices, adding depth and flavour to every bite. For those who enjoy extra gravy, the dalca is a must-order.

Service there is top-notch, with staff being very fast to take orders and serve food.

This stall located inside One Corner Cafe is a must-try for noodle lovers in Penang, offering a delectable dish packed with flavours and generous portions at an affordable price. Their Hokkien mee comes with pork slices and prawns, making it a hearty and satisfying meal. Unlike Hokkien mee in KL, Penang Hokkien mee is soup-based.

The broth of the Hokkien mee is thick and packed with flavour, thanks to the infusion of shrimp shells. Each spoonful is a delightful blend of savoury goodness, perfect for warming your soul. To top it off, the bowl is garnished with fragrant fried crispy shallots, adding a crunchy texture and aromatic flavour to the dish.

However, due to its popularity, there might be a long waiting time, sometimes up to an hour. And, if you're late, it's not unusual for them to sell out. It's best to come early before the crowd arrives to avoid the wait and ensure you get a taste of this delicious Hokkien mee.

This popular roadside shop is known for its delicious tom yam soup. It's a must-have, as it is creamy and thick, bursting with spicy and sour flavours.

One of the unique features of Village Fish Head Bee Hoon is their customisable ordering system. You get to choose which noodles you want and what soup base you prefer, with options including clear soup or tom yam. Once you've selected your base, you can add a variety of ingredients to your bowl, such as fried fish (highly recommended and famous here), Taiwan sausage, minced meat, egg, and many others.

Village Fish Head Bee Hoon also offers a selection of fried snacks that you can order separately. Some popular choices include loh bak, fried squid, and more. For an extra flavour boost, don't forget to request for some fried garlic. 

Khoon Klang Bak Kut Teh is a must-visit for those craving an authentic and flavourful bowl of bak kut teh. The soup base is rich and tasty, a testament to its authentic recipe. 

What sets this place apart is that they offer both dry and soup versions of bak kut teh. You can also customise your dish by choosing which part of the pork meat you prefer, along with additional ingredients like mushrooms and beancurd. 

To complete your meal, don't miss out on their yam rice, a perfect accompaniment to the bak kut teh. Additionally, Khoon Klang offers a variety of side dishes like char kuay, fried bean curd, and kerabu.

This place is a gem for foodies in search of the perfect wok hei. Their char kuey teow is a testament to skilled wok cooking, with a delightful smoky flavour that permeates every bite. One of the highlights of this dish is the generous portion of big, succulent prawns, accompanied by a generous serving of cockles, adding a delicious seafood flavour to the noodles.

For those looking to elevate their experience, they offer the option to add duck egg to the fried noodles. The noodles are perfectly fried, with a balanced mix of flavours that includes the distinct taste of garlic and a kick of chilli. However, it's worth noting that the portion size is slightly smaller compared to other places.