My Most Expensive Meal in Delicious Malaysia: $8

You probably wouldn’t pick a retirement destination simply for its food, but Malaysia’s Penang Island is a serious contender for some of Southeast Asia’s most salivating eats.

Thanks to the country’s ethnic mix of Malays, Chinese and Indians, "local" cuisine can be almost anything you fancy. There's also Nyonya food, a Penang specialty. Developed by early Chinese immigrants who intermarried with Malays, it takes the best of both those cooking styles and combines them with Thai spices such as lemongrass and tamarind paste.

In George Town, the island’s historic capital, some of the tastiest food is from hawker’s stalls or no-nonsense eateries. Obviously some dishes are more tempting than others. Although I braved fish head curry in Little India, I decided to leave sampling Penang frog porridge until another time. A time like 2,000 years in the future...

One thing you should try is char koay teow. There are variations on this rice noodle dish stir-fried in egg, but most include shrimp or cockles, bean sprouts, chicken, chives, soya sauce and chili paste. A gourmet delight for less than $2.

On George Town’s Upper Penang Road, the Red Garden Food Paradise is a fun place at night. Around a covered central courtyard, small kitchens cook up everything from dim sum and steamboat treats to chicken satay, Thai papaya salad and shrimp tempura. And, of course, char koay teow.

You tell the cook your table number and the order gets brought to you. This is great if you’re in company, as you’re not obliged to eat from the same outlet. Don’t panic about drinks--there’s a central beer joint that also serves fresh juices.

At 3.50 ringgits ($0.96), chicken rice wouldn’t bust any budget. But I went to the East Meets West kitchen for Japanese miso soup, eel with rice, and edimame beans. A bargain at 12 ringgits ($3.29). Two large Anchor beers, each the equivalent of two normal-sized bottles, were $2.80 apiece.

Free evening entertainment too. On the central stage, tonight’s three singers all had a passion for Celine Dion. Makes a change from the usual Asian anthem, Hotel California!

Finding posh nosh isn’t difficult. In George Town, I can recommend the Sire Museum Restaurant in a heritage mansion on Jalan King. I demolished every last scrap of the filleted and caramelized red snapper. At just over $8, this was the most expensive single dish I sampled anywhere in Malaysia.

Afterward, take a look around the museum’s treasures. Stuffed with family heirlooms, the mansion is the former home of Yeap Chor Ee, a wealthy businessman. He was bought over to Penang from China in the late 19th century as an indentured laborer, but clawed his way to riches.

Steenie Harvey
Roving Editor, International Living

P.S. My full report on Malaysia's colorful capital ("Live Large on a Small Budget in English-speaking Kuala Lumpur") will be published tomorrow in the International Living Magazine--if you're not yet a subscriber, join here.

To read more IL articles about Malaysia, see:

Asia's Top Retirement Haven

A Day Out in Paradise--$10.38

7 Travel Budget Tips From an Expert Scrooge