Penang satisfies the appetite

Penang provides delightful eating out experiences. Little India and Chinatown are havens of delicious treats, and the Malay options are also plentiful.

LITTLE INDIA: A heady blend of incense, colour and Bollywood music welcome you to 'Little India' in Penang, along with beautiful traditional clothing, food and temples. There are numerous, faultless Indian restaurants, serving roti, dosa, chapati, naan, tandoori, banana-leaf curries and lassi. One of the stand-outs is SMD Food Corner (crn.Lebuh Penang and Lebuh Pesar).

CHINATOWN: Pretty much all of the chicken and rice, noodle and rice porridge stalls in Penang's Chinatown are of a high standard, and great value. For the tastiest, cheapest and most reliable places- follow the locals. It is generally necessary to hover, waiting for a table. The Sky Hotel on Lebuh Chulia, has locals fighting for a seat between 11am and 1pm. They offer succulent roast pork, BBQ pork and roast duck with rice, greens, broth and dipping sauce. Approx RM3.50 (AUD$1.10). Just up the road a few doors is another Chinese joint with yummy yum cha, it winds up about 1.30pm.

MALAY FOOD: Restoron Nasi (Padang), under the International Hotel, 92 Jalan Transfer, crn Jalan Sehala; serves up an array of Malaysian fare of excellent quality. Fish, beef and chicken dishes are available, along with lots of vegetarian options. It is very popular, so best to arrive before 12.30pm. Approx RM5.50 - 7.50 (AUD$2.20), depending on selections.

Behind the Gama Shopping Complex (on Jalan Macalister ), is a small group of Hawker Stands, one on the end produces a delicious traditional Penang laksa = RM2 (AUD$0.70). Washed down with a freshly squeezed sugar - cane juice = RM1 (AUD$0.35) = Bargain!

Sup Hameed on Jalan Penang, opposite the teksi stand, dishes up morish, thick, hearty oxtail soup and beef 'torpedo' (testicle) soup. RM5 (AUD$1.75).

Gurney Drive is a hot spot at night for a enormous range of hawker stand fare. Fried soft - shell crab , with chilli sauce was our favourite.

For a seafood indulgence, we had finger - licking, steamed ,whole seabass with tofu, sour plum, ginger and shallot at Sam's Seafood on the Esplanade in Georgetown (amongst the food court stalls) RM35 (AUD$13).