What's not to love about a place completely committed to the production of deliciousness?! Penang has all kinds of food options. Most famous are it's hawker centers or strips. Areas or streets in the city that come alive at night with amazingness being cooked up at portable stalls surrounded by plastic or metal pop up chairs. Satay, Laksa, noodles, ice lemon tea, rice, seafood, wonderful soups, fresh fruit juices samosas, you name it.... it's here.
Admittedly, I'm pretty awful at knowing what it is that I'm eating. I eat with my senses. If it looks good/smells good or frankly, if the stall is really busy, I'm trying it!
Modernization, air-conditioning and shopping malls have also made the food court set up extremely popular in Penang, as well as much of the region. Slightly more sterile (I mean there's no animals running amuck), centralized seating and picture menus all make it seem more accessible to western travelers. And so much less thrilling, at least in my humble opinion.
The city is also littered with a ton of wonderful restaurants, from local fusions to boutique Italian cafes. So many choices! Admittedly, I'm surprised I haven't gained weight traveling in Malaysia with the amazing Malay spices, Indian influence and massive Chinese population this country truly is a melting pot of amazing culinary experiences!
Food aside, when I arrived in Georgetown, I knew I liked the city but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. I certainly enjoyed the food but there was a certain energy about Penang that just worked for me.
Finally I think it was articulated well by my tour guide at the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, also known as the Blue Mansion given its intense indigo exterior coming from India dyes. With dozens of rooms, seven courtyards and a very customized feng shui during it's heyday it was home to it's namesake as well as 3 of his eight wives and their respective children.
Our guide was intregal in the purchase of the mansion from the family trust as well as the six year restoration process from 1990-1996. She spoke passionately about the learning curve of restoring the home and the challenges they faced but also about general ideas of conservation in local communities especially as they pertain to UNESCO World Heritage sights. She contrasted a lot the efforts of Georgetown Penang to those of Melacca in souther Malaysia. But her general themes i think spoke to the identity and energy of the area as a whole even compared to other cities or sights.
Apparently Georgetown's administration has made a lot of conscious efforts only to partake in reversible development. Meaning that anything as pertaining to tourism should only be implemented if it is also easily removed. In general they are seeking to maintain the historical part of the city as a live and functioning part of a regular Malays life unlike other areas where historical zones are simply turned into a tourist trap of upmarket shops and restaurants.
Personally I think they really succeeded in this even if I was able to independently articulate why I initially felt the warmth of the town. It was great not to feel like my experience was dramatically different than that of a Penang-ite and in the meantime if I get to eat like a queen for next to nothing, I say it's just winning all around!
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