Malaysia Tulan with Singapore again

[BuiKia]

The best chicken rice is not in Singapore or Penang. It is Bangkok.

GEORGE TOWN - Local hawkers are miffed that a travel website has ranked Penang third, behind Singapore, as a global food destination.

"How can that be when my customers from Singapore themselves say that Penang food is better than theirs?" said char koay teow seller Steven Lim, 28, who runs a stall with his parents Raymond Lim, 55, and Ong Cheng Choo, 53, at a popular coffeeshop along Penang Road.

In a posting dated July 21 on VirtualTourist.com, the write-up with a Los Angeles dateline titled "Travel Picks: Top 10 cities for street food", Penang emerged third behind Bangkok and Singapore.

Laksa seller Leow Boon Hock, 60, said Penang food definitely tasted better because of the way it was cooked, besides being cheaper than in Singapore.

Another hawker, Goh See Wah, 56, who owns the Goh Thew Chik Hainan Chicken Rice shop in Chulia Street, said he was told by his grandfather that the Hainanese left China and settled in Penang before some of them moved to Singapore.

"I have tourists from Asian countries as well as western countries telling me that the chicken rice here is unbeatable.

"Everyone should try Penang's Hainan chicken rice and let their tastebuds be the judge," said Goh, a third generation chicken rice seller.

Federation of Penang and Seberang Prai Hawkers Association president Lam Tong Ying said most of the hawker food found in the Lion City originated from Penang.

"In Singapore, the hawker's call their dishes Penang Char Koay Teow and Penang laksa. This shows that the food originated from Penang so we should be the number one city for the best hawker food.

"Penang is known all over the world for its hawker food and this has been proven by the numerous testimonials from tourists who come here just to savour our delicacies," he said.

Even his Singaporean friends made trips to Penang for the food, he added.

The list also left a sour taste in the mouth for many Malaysians.

Chef Datuk Ismail Ahmad said he was "outraged" when he learnt about the ranking, as much of Singaporean hawker fare originated from Malaysia.

"Chilli crab, laksa, cendol and popiah are all from Penang. While our street food is generally tastier, Singapore is somehow more famous because they market themselves better," he said.

"Many Singaporeans come to Malaysia just to savour our food. They even asked me to open a restaurant in their country because they cannot get such food there," said Ismail, who co-owns Restaurant Rebung Chef Ismail in Kuala Lumpur.

Penang Hawkers' Association president Ooi Thean Huat said Penang's signature dishes - char koay teow, laksa and satay - were second to none.

"I do agree that the quality of Singapore's satay has improved but this is because they learnt from us in Penang," he said.

Original Penang Nasi Kandar Sdn Bhd managing director Burhan Mohamed said Penang should claim the number one spot for having the best street food.

"When it comes to food, Malaysia is a paradise," he added.

Penang One Restaurant owner Gary Teoh said the quality of Malaysian hawker fare was better as recipes had been improved throughout the years.

"Some of our hawkers have been selling the same dish for as long as 70 years. If the food isn't good, how would it have survived until today?" he said.

Other cities in the list include Marrakech in Morocco, Palermo (Italy) and Ho Chi Minh City

 

[yinyang]

best chicken rice is not in Singapore or Penang. It is Bangkok.

Either your taste buds are mixed up, or the Bkk gals manage to sway your opinion:p

Imho, chickens (feathered type) in LOS are scrawny ..no fight on how they are cooked and chilli sauce. Only common thing is the origin of mali hom rice

 

[BuiKia]

I never thought of it that way but I had 2 nice looking girls with me when I had the chicken rice.

Either your taste buds are mixed up, or the Bkk gals manage to sway your opinion:p

Imho, chickens (feathered type) in LOS are scrawny ..no fight on how they are cooked and chilli sauce. Only common thing is the origin of mali hom rice

 

[johnny333]

The best chicken rice is not in Singapore or Penang. It is Bangkok.

My Thai friend prefers the chicken rice from Spore

However they have lots of other interesting dishes :p

 

[Kinana]

I have been to Malaysia regularly, other than some bakutay, singapore food is tastier la. Penang laksa sucks man. Our meesiam and laksa honestly beat their's handsdown.

Also notice that Msian noodles always have a high level of boric acid. so much so that you can taste it even after cooking soup and adding condiments.

 

[0939]

The Same thing, Indonesia very tulan with Malaysia for copying some of their cultures.

 

[BuiKia]

Their chicken taste much better than ours.

My Thai friend prefers the chicken rice from Spore

However they have lots of other interesting dishes :p

 

[Cruxx]

Singaporeans have no talent.

 

[Fishypie]

Without being bias, Penang's Chap chye png beats SinkieLand's handsdown.GeneraLLy their tastebuds are subtLe,Light and you can taste that not much of msg is used; akin to ah Ma's styLe of cooking.
Just waLk into any of their coffeeshops, grab an empty pLate and off you go in choosing whatever dishes you want on your pLate.LastLy, there wouLd be the owner at the other 'check-out' end to determine the price.
The queues are orderLy.PeopLe onLy takes what they need, without being too 'greedy'.
i particuLarLy Like this mode of picking your own dishes.However it wiLL never ever work in SinkieLand; given aLL
our kiasi & kiasu attitude towards having more more & more of everything ! !

 

[Television]

Fat Fack Kia, :oIo:

 

[zeddy]

Frankly speaking, I prefer Penang's Char Kway Teow..

 

[Talking Donkey]

I have been to Malaysia regularly, other than some bakutay, singapore food is tastier la. Penang laksa sucks man. Our meesiam and laksa honestly beat their's handsdown.

Also notice that Msian noodles always have a high level of boric acid. so much so that you can taste it even after cooking soup and adding condiments.

Has to agree that their bak kut teh and cantonese fried dishes
taste good..as for penang lasksa or whatever curry or soup noodles
ours taste much better.
The boric acid they use on their noodles did poison a few kids some years back.

 

[yinyang]

their bak kut teh and cantonese fried dishes taste good..as for penang lasksa or whatever curry or soup noodles. boric acid they use on their noodles did poison

Boils down to different styles (and tastes).

For bkt, theirs is dark type and strong herbal based (with tangkui) whilst ours lean towards peppery kind akin to teochew style. Once, in Klang was quite squeamish when I saw the ink black muck with lots of pork insides. And locals were slurping away like nobody's business.

Cannot equate their laksa (not penang assam type) with ours. Theirs more like curry noodles, especially KL's with brinjals, beans + pig skin slice even. Ours is more lemak, nyonya style imho.

Penang ckt is dryer, more wok taste -so different from our darker, wet version

And no suprises on their boric acid add-ons, with msia's lack of control or enforcement on roadside food kinds. But give me their KL hokkien mee anytime, so sinful

 

[sta1100]

MY alway TL with Singapore, but Indonesia also TL with MY. let them screw each other w just sit back and enjoy

 

[nato33]

Their Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee Soup is best.....thick favourful soup unlike the drain water they serve in Singapore. One of the stalls I like that serve this is in KL - Little Penang Kafe.

 

[yinyang]

Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee Soup is best.....thick favourful soup unlike the drain water they serve in Singapore. ..in KL - Little Penang Kafe.

Yo, very robust shiokadoo flavour. Little Penang Cafe in Mid Valley, no?

 

[singveld]

not just the food, the environment, the cleanliness of the place where you eat and marketing of the food is important too. Not just the food.
Dun matter how good is the food, if the place is dirty, i do not want to be a third world peasants and eat there, yucks.

 

[yinyang]

not just the food, the environment, the cleanliness of the place where you eat and marketing of the food is important too. Dun matter how good is the food, if the place is dirty, i do not want to be a third world peasants and eat there, yucks.

You can still enjoy makan in sanitised places, given yours in today's preferences. As for marketing, what you see on glitzy ads is not necessarily what you get. Best marketing is sometimes by word of mouth

 

[Cestbon]

Penang laksa, Char Koay Teow very different from Singapore Laksa and Char Koay Teow.
KNN both fighting nonsense. Taste, ingredient and cooking method is big different.
Fighting for what?
If Penang want to called it Penang CKT/Laksa let be it.
So do SG called it SG CKT/Laksa.
Really want to slap those bring up this issue.
Is like Thai Boxing and Boxing is different.

 

[Huat-Ah]

I have been to Malaysia regularly, other than some bakutay, singapore food is tastier la. Penang laksa sucks man. Our meesiam and laksa honestly beat their's handsdown.

Also notice that Msian noodles always have a high level of boric acid. so much so that you can taste it even after cooking soup and adding condiments.

Funny that our Kinana is a DOG and he knows how to enjoy human being food ?? HAHA !

Back to your ZOO Boy !