Back in Georgetown, Penang

I'm visiting Georgetown, Malaysia for the first time since 2019, and I'm so happy to be back! Georgetown is on Penang, an island just off the northwestern coast of Malaysia, and it's one of the best places in the world for history, culture, and - perhaps most famously of all - street food. To emphasize how big the food culture here is, I just want to point out that the current Michelin Guide to Malaysia covers exclusively Kuala Lumpur (the capital city of 8.8 million) and Penang (with around 1.7 million) ... and the Penang portion takes up a disproportionate amount of space in the book!

back in Malaysia

After a very exhausting early morning of travel, I arrived in Malaysia and took an hour-long cab ride from the airport to my hotel. It was too early to check in, so I found a nearby coffee shop to hang out in for a while before dropping my luggage at my hotel and heading out for an early dinner.

For my first meal back in Malaysia, I wanted to eat at Deens Maju, one of the city's most famous restaurants. Deen's Maju serves nasi kandar, a popular northern Malaysian dish that evolved from the cuisine of Tamil Muslim traders who historically sailed back and forth to Penang from India. Nasi kandar is basically a big plate of rice topped with various meats, curries, and gravies.

Deens Maju is always busy, and lines often stretch around the block. I arrived at an odd hour, so I only had to queue up for about five minutes, although the seating area was packed! I was able to grab a small table just as a group was leaving.

Deens Maju

To order, you step up to the counter and ask for whatever you want, and the staff will plate it up for you. It can be a little overwhelming because there's no menu, but I just said that I wanted chicken and okra. The man working there suggested that I have a boiled egg too, and who am I to turn down an expert recommendation?

Next up is the most fun part - kua campur - which basically means "to mix". After plating up whatever you want atop your rice, the staff ladle heaps of curry and gravy on top, flooding the entire plate with their special blend of flavors. They probably mixed four or five spoonsful of different sauces atop my plate.

Then, you walk along the counter to a guy who calculates your order and types it out on a small ticket which you then take on to a cashier to pay before taking your seat.

at the famous Deens Maju Restaurant

The experience is harried and chaotic, and the plate looks messy, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best meals that I've ever had! No wonder Deens Maju is always so popular. The mixed gravy was richly spiced (but not spicy), and the rice absorbed all of the juices so that every bite burst with flavor. The skin of the chicken was amazingly crispy, yet the interior was super juicy.

Although the traditional way of eating nasi kandar is with one's hands, silverware is provided for tourists like me who aren't so comfortable doing that (although I've definitely done it before).

nasi kandar

I have come to really enjoy Malaysia. It's a beautiful country that is clean, orderly, and very safe. Due to the long period of British colonization (which only ended in Penang in 1957), most everyone can speak excellent Oxford English, and it's easy to communicate and get around.

Georgetown is a beautiful town filled with amazing colonial architecture. Many of the historic shophouses have been preserved and turned into hotels, cafes, and restaurants, and it's a great place to just wander around and experience the atmosphere.

beautiful old town in Georgetown, Malyasia

In the afternoon, I took a long walk through the quiet streets to Fort Cornwallis (which I'll write about soon in another post). After leaving the fort, I passed the old 60-foot-tall Jubilee Clocktower dedicated to Queen Victoria upon the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Built in a Moorish architectural style, the old clocktower, which sits in the middle of a roundabout in the city's old town, exemplifies the melting pot of culture that is Malaysia.

Jubilee Clocktower

Soon, it was lunchtime!

I wanted to visit one of the Michelin Guide's most recommended dishes: white curry mee at Hot Bowl White Curry. This Bib Gourmand award winning bowl of curry is one of the island's most famous dishes.

Michelin award-winning white curry mee

White curry mee is a unique variation of the more common curry mee found throughout Malaysia. Unlike the usual reddish-orange curry mee which gets its color from chili paste, white curry mee has a lighter, creamy broth, thanks to the generous use of coconut milk. The base is mild and creamy, but you can add as much chili paste as you like to kick it up a notch.

When I arrived at Hot Bowl White Curry, the Michelin Bib Gourmand award-winning restaurant was packed, but I managed to find a small table near the back. I stepped up to the counter and asked for the classic white curry mee. The guy working at the counter suggested that I try their signature steamed chicken too, so I went ahead and ordered a small portion.

Soon, my meal arrived. This white curry takes over two hours to make, and the labor-intensive process involves hand-stirring spices into the coconut broth.

White curry mee is a dish that perfectly encapsulates Penang's approach to food—complex, layered, and utterly satisfying. It's no wonder this dish has received so much attention and praise.

walking through Georgetown

After finishing my meal, I took a leisurely stroll through Georgetown's historic streets, soaking in the colonial architecture and the vibrant atmosphere that makes this city so special. Georgetown is a place where every corner holds a new discovery, whether it's a hidden cafe, an ancient temple, or, in this case, a bowl of white curry mee that I'll be thinking about for a long time to come.