Penang invented fourth meal

After sadly realizing our visas in Indonesia were not going to be renewed unless we left the country (hence changing our itinerary) we tried to figure out the most cost effective/time effective/somewhat environmentally friendly next move on our trip and decided on Penang! (This decision was also greatly influenced by Rudy and Amelleia who said with utter disbelief "What??! You aren't going to Penang? You haven't been to Malaysia if you haven't been to Penang! Everything is better in Penang!")

So, off we went. And Rudy, Amelleia you were right. Penang was incredible! if you're looking for cheap eats, a plethora of variety, incredible cost to taste ratio (or is it taste to cost ratio? mmm - low cost, big taste) all on a chilled out little island with beaches to boot - then Penang (Malaysia) is your/our Utopia. Am i starting to sound like a travel guide?

We stayed in Batu Ferringhi for a few days at a cute guesthouse on the beach. Mostly we slept and tried to recuperate from "sleeping" at the airport...


And then moved to Amelleia and Rudy's place to begin a three-day food tour - food stalls, hawker centers, restaurants - Penang was the perfect respite from Indonesia.

Here we are enjoying some fresh soy milk...

Indian food to celebrate Deepavali...

Fresh coconut juice ice cream milkshakes...

Pickled nutmeg (this is the fruit)...

Nasi Kandar - named after the carrying baskets it used to be sold in (we had a selection of chicken, squid, cabbage and okra with rice flavoured with chicken and various curries)

chicken rice, char kway teow and oysters...

and burgers from a night stall - that is two beef patties marinated with some worcestershire sauce, pepper, wrapped in a fried egg topped with cheese, onions, hot sauce, mayonnaise and a partridge in a pear tree.

Don't worry, we didn't consume all of this in one day...actually all this was in two days. haha

So what did we learn? In Penang food is everything. In one day you can have breakfast, brunch, lunch, dunch/linner, dinner and then the original "fourth meal" (as taco bell calls it) which I guess would actually be "sixth meal". This is distinguished from dinner and called supper by the locals. AND the best part is, sixth meal is not just for drunk college kids.