Safe to Eat
(20)Sup Kambing
Spicy mutton soup with spices, herbs, and sometimes bones.
Char Siew Rice
Rice with BBQ pork, vegetables, and sweet dark sauce.
Penang Road Cendol
Penang's famous cendol with palm sugar, coconut milk, and red beans.
Yong Tau Foo
Tofu and vegetables stuffed with fish paste, served in broth or dry with sauce.
Beef Rendang
Slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and spice paste, dry and intensely flavored.
Masala Thosai
Dosai filled with spiced potato masala. Filling and flavorful.
Idli
Steamed rice and lentil cakes, served with sambar and chutney.
Dosai (Thosai)
Crispy fermented rice and lentil crepe, served with chutney and sambar.
Tau Fu Fah
Silken tofu pudding in sweet ginger syrup, served hot or cold.
Rojak
Fruit and vegetable salad with a thick, sweet-sour-spicy prawn paste dressing.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Poached chicken with fragrant rice cooked in chicken fat, served with chili sauce.
Kopi O
Black coffee with sugar, served hot or iced. No milk.
Teh Tarik
Frothy pulled tea with condensed milk. National drink of Malaysia.
Cendol
Iced coconut milk dessert with green jelly noodles, red beans, and palm sugar.
Satay
Skewered, charcoal-grilled meat served with peanut sauce, cucumber, and onion.
Penang Asam Laksa
Rice noodles in a tangy, spicy fish broth with mackerel, tamarind, and mint.
Banana Leaf Rice
Rice served on a banana leaf with vegetable curries, dhal, and sides.
Durian
The king of fruits. Fresh, pungent, creamy. Available during season (May-August).
Ais Kacang (ABC)
Shaved ice with red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly, and syrup.
Roti Canai
Flaky flatbread flipped on a hot iron plate, served with dal or curry.
Eat with Caution — Ask First
(13)These dishes may be OK depending on preparation. Check the hidden ingredients note and ask the vendor.
Pau (Bao)
Steamed buns with various fillings: pork, chicken, red bean, or kaya.
Kaya filling contains egg.
Karipap (Curry Puff)
Deep-fried pastry filled with curried potatoes and sometimes chicken or sardine.
Pastry may be egg-washed.
Zhai (Buddhist Vegetarian)
Mock meat dishes made from soy and mushroom, no onion or garlic.
Egg appears in some dishes and noodles.
Curry Laksa
Noodles in spicy coconut curry soup with tofu puffs, prawns, and cockles.
Often includes boiled egg and egg noodles.
Pisang Goreng
Deep-fried banana fritters. Crispy outside, sweet inside.
Ask if the batter contains egg.
Kuih (Nyonya Snacks)
Colorful bite-sized cakes: ondeh-ondeh, kuih lapis, ang koo kuih, and more.
Egg is common in custard-style kuih.
Sarawak Laksa
Rice vermicelli in a spiced coconut gravy with prawns, chicken, and lime.
Often garnished with shredded egg — ask without.
Char Kway Teow
Stir-fried flat rice noodles with prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts.
Egg is normally mixed into the noodles.
Nasi Kandar
Steamed rice with various curries poured over. A Penang institution.
Egg is a common side and some curries include it.
Popiah
Fresh spring roll with turnip, bean sprouts, lettuce, and various fillings.
Some versions include egg.
Apam Balik
Crispy folded pancake filled with crushed peanuts and sugar.
Batter may contain egg — ask.
Hokkien Mee (KL style)
Thick yellow noodles stir-fried with pork, squid, and cabbage in dark soy sauce.
Usually finished with an egg cracked into the wok.
Nasi Lemak
Coconut rice with sambal, peanuts, cucumber, and usually fried chicken or anchovies.
Often served with a fried egg — ask without.
Avoid
(3)Wanton Noodles
Egg noodles with pork dumplings, char siew, and vegetables.
Egg noodles plus egg in the dumpling filling.
Roti Nasik (Bread & Egg)
Roti canai with egg, sometimes with onion. Popular morning option.
Egg is the filling.
Kaya Toast
Toasted bread with kaya (coconut jam) and butter, served with soft-boiled eggs.
Kaya contains egg, plus soft-boiled egg on the side.