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| George Town, Penang: Asia’s greatest street food city? Posted: 14 Nov 2013 01:50 AM PST No time and only one stomach? Here's how to conquer this food-loving destination with your belt holes intact  It's 8:30 a.m. I'm facing down an incredible breakfast buffet at one of the hottest luxury hotels in George Town, Penang -- the Eastern & Oriental. Cheese, pastries, curries, French toast, beef sausage, dim sum, fresh fruit. The problem is, I don't want any of it. I'm preoccupied with what's waiting for me outside -- some of the finest street food in Asia. Eater's paradise
All of it can be found in hawker centers and shop houses throughout George Town. Combine this with the city's collection of historic buildings in various styles, from old English colonial mansions to classical Chinese shophouses and Islamic mosques, and you have a city made for walking and eating. My first meal in the city is a plate of lamb rendang, a traditional Malaysian curry made with coconut milk and spices, slowly simmered to allow the meat to absorb the flavors. From that moment, I'm like a kid seeking out a sugar rush. Stomach space becomes precious. I obsess over where and when I'll have my next meal. My mission: to enjoy as many of the island's famed dishes as possible in three days. More on CNN: 10 best islands for a Malaysia holiday What makes Penang special?
He's considered an ambassador of his country's food, which he promotes through overseas food festivals and his UK-based restaurants in York and Manchester, called Ning. "I agree 101% that Penang is the food capital of Malaysia," he tells me. "I come back to Malaysia every three months. Every time, I know I'm going to put on weight. In two weeks, I'll put on five kilos." Musa says it's not just the food that makes Penang incredible, but the atmosphere. "Watch the food being cooked on the streets, the buzz, the smell, the sounds," he raves. "That's what you get in Penang. You can't get that anywhere else in Malaysia. You don't get the authenticity." Penang-based Wall Street Journal street food columnist Robyn Eckhardt, who's working on her first cookbook, explains what makes Penang's food scene stand out from its Malaysian counterparts.
"It comes down to the fact that many older, second- or third-generation vendors are still dishing it up in Penang," she says. "The street food culture is still very strong in Penang, whereas it's starting to disappear in Kuala Lumpur because of the way the city is changing physically. "This is a place where old trades still thrive -- sign-making, rattan weaving, tin smithing, paper-effigy making, incense making. "There are still craftsmen and artisans here who do work not to titillate tourists, but for the locals who create the demand for their work. Things are still done by hand, stocks are still made with chicken and seafood. "There's an asam laksa vendor who is boning anchovies by hand at his stall to place on top of his noodles!" This "small-batch" culture carries over into street food, she says, noting that ingredients still produced on Penang, such as shrimp paste and soy sauce, "are made the old-fashioned way in barrels that ferment in the sun." More on CNN: Cameron Highlands: Malaysia's enduring 'Little England' Advice for first timersWith all its choices, George Town can be overwhelming for a newcomer with limited time and only one stomach. Eckhardt has a number of tips. First, she says, if you're new to Penang/Malaysian food, try not to get caught up in what's "best." Don't become obsessed with hitting the most popular stalls or "thinking that you need to go where Anthony Bourdain did." She also points out that "street food here is safe -- I've never heard of anyone getting sick -- and so is ice." On coffee shops: "Go into a coffee shop knowing how to order and pay -- drinks from the shop owner, dishes from the individual vendors, everyone is paid separately. This will give you confidence."
"Many servings here are relatively small, which means you can try a lot of different dishes," Eckhardt says. "And they're inexpensive -- so don't feel obligated to finish everything." Also, be on the lookout for holes-in-the-wall. "I am still finding places I didn't notice before," she says. "And be aware of meal times. That thosai [crispy Indian-style crepe] shop may have just one person in it -- that doesn't mean the food isn't good, it may be that you're passing by at 10:30 a.m., which is well past rush hour for thosai." Eckhardt even touches on the very issue I'd been flummoxed by. The dreaded hotel buffet. "Get out of bed in the morning and skip your hotel breakfast," she says. "Start walking." Eckhardt says there's plenty of great food to be had in the morning, and it's worth keeping in mind that some dishes are more readily available at certain times of day than others. "Asam laksa, for instance, comes out around 2 p.m. and stays around till 5 p.m. or so; it's seen as more of a snack than a lunch or breakfast." Eckhardt's don't miss dishes: Char koay teow, asam laksa, nasi kandar, thosai and/or roti (savory, it's not served sweet as in Thailand), lor bak and koay teow th'ng. A few of Musa's Malaysian favorites: Nasi lemak, beef rending, char koay teow, roti canai. You can find most of the above dishes on this list of Malaysia's 40 top foods. More on CNN: Malaysia travel: 10 things to know before you go Food tours and cooking classes
A food tour is among the easier ways to get acquainted with Penang eats. For something personalized, Eckhardt offers private tours, which need to be booked at least five weeks in advance. Her most popular excursion is on foot and hits George Town's culinary highlights, taking two to three hours. Visit her website for more info. Another option is Penang Culinary Tour, which offers customized itineraries. Options include visits to a local wet market, hawker food tastings, Nyonya private dining and stops at heritage coffee shops, a traditional soy sauce factory and belacan (shrimp paste) factory. To learn how to cook some of Penang's most popular dishes, Nazlina Spice Station offers regular classes in a small shop house in central George Town. Sessions include a visit to nearby markets and last three to five hours. Owner Nazlina (highly recommended by Musa) also does private dinners for two or more, by reservation only. Her website has information on days/times/menus. More on CNN: Asia's best street food cities CNN Travel's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Read the policy.      |
| Insider Guide: Best of Budapest Posted: 12 Nov 2013 02:41 PM PST More than just the merger of Buda and Pest, the Pearl of the Danube is also the cultural crossroads of Europe's east and west  Budapest usually comes as a sweet surprise to travelers, who don't quite know what expect before visiting this city of 1.7 million. With the wide Danube winding through its center, one of Europe's most stunning skylines and plenty of fabulous architecture lining the Buda and Pest sides of the river, Budapest can justly claim to be one of Europe's prettiest cities. In many ways it's still in transition. It has made so much progress over the past two and a half decades since the fall of the Iron Curtain, yet everywhere there are unmistakable signs that still better things are yet to come. The din of major construction and restoration projects is ever-present. The local fashion and design scene has taken off, and of course there's the food. Hungarian cuisine is worth traveling for, and the restaurants in Budapest -- from the traditional to the Michelin-starred -- are still a relative bargain. Luckily the country also produces equally fine wine to pair with the food. There's no better place to start than with the best of Budapest. Print and go -- Our traveler-friendly one-page guide here: Best of Budapest HotelsLuxury
It not only offers five-star luxury in a perfect location (facing the Danube at the foot of the Chain Bridge), but the building itself is an art nouveau stunner. Built in 1906, the building was beautifully restored, down to the last Zsolnay tile. More than a quarter of the hotel's 179 rooms face the Danube. The attic-level spa has an infinity lap pool and offers treatments using products created with mineral-rich thermal water from Omorovicza, a local company. The lobby bar makes excellent cocktails, and the attached Gresham Café has a menu combining modern Hungarian with Italian. Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Place, 1051 Budapest, Széchenyi István tér 5-6; +36 (1) 268 6000; from €244 ($326) per night More: Insider guide to Venice
It has been beautifully restored, and its 414 rooms (with marble bathrooms) are a welcome refuge after a day of exploring. The attached Royal spa -- which has a 15-meter pool and several saunas and steam rooms -- dates to 1886 and was nearly turned into a parking garage a few years ago before it was re-discovered at the last minute. The breakfast buffet is fabulous, and be sure to book in advance if you plan to dine at the attached Bock Bisztró. Corinthia Grand Hotel, 1073 Budapest. Erszébet körút 43-49; +36 (1) 479 4000; from €185 ($247) per night Mid-Range
Rooms are all individual, colorful and decorated with vintage furniture and pops of fun touches (like the Keith Haring theme in one and the playful take on "Girl With a Pearl Earring" in another). Bathrooms have rain showers and feature handcrafted local limestone. Though you may have trouble leaving your room, the restaurant and wine bar on the ground floor, thankfully, are just a few steps away. The family that owns this hotel and restaurant also operates several other popular Budapest restaurants. Tip: ask for the room with the balcony, from which you can enjoy the quiet Castle street view. Baltazar Hotel, 1014 Budapest, Országház utca 31; +36 (1) 300 7051; from €94 ($126) per night
It's also a hub of creativity, focused on showcasing and supporting local artists, designers, writers, musicians and other creative types. The 11 rooms are all unique, decorated by a different artist and featuring Brody's signature rough-luxe style, with most furnishings and décor created from up-cycled material. If you need more space, there's also the nearby Brody Residences, eight similarly cool furnished apartments. Be sure to check out the roster of events happening at Brody House and its newer venue, Brody Studios. Brody House, 1088 Budapest, Bródy Sándor utca 10; +36 (1) 266 1211; from €75 ($100) per night Budget
The 272-room hotel has art deco touches throughout, and offers great amenities for business travelers (including a business center and conference rooms) as well as for tourists. The rooftop garden and pool (closed November-March) is a highlight, and the surrounding streets are full of quirky bars, shops and small cafés. Zara Continental, 1074 Budapest, Dohány utca 42-44; +36 (1) 815 1000; from €71 ($95) per night Dining
Onyx earned its star the following year and is the only other restaurant in the country with this top award. Onyx is owned by Gerbeaud and is located in the historic Budapest patisserie's former Royal Salon, where Habsburg family members once ate cake. Chefs Szabina Szulló and Tamás Széll focus on using the best local ingredients to prepare updated versions of traditional Hungarian cuisine (the best way to experience this is to try the six-course Hungarian Evolution tasting menu). The three-course lunch menu is a relative bargain at €27. Onyx, 1051 Budapest, Vörösmárty tér 7-8; +36 (30) 508 0622; expensive More: Insider guide to Hong Kong
But chef Lajos Bíró is the one behind the menu, which was one of the first in Budapest to deliver a contemporary approach to Hungarian cuisine. Attached to the Corinthia Hotel, Bock Bisztró naturally has a wonderful wine list (which includes selections from around the country, not just Bock's own). And the ever-changing menu features Bíró's imaginative takes on Hungarian classic dishes (for example foie gras sushi and cabbage leaves stuffed with pike perch tartare) and Hungarian-style small plates (such as Mangalica carpaccio). Be sure to make reservations in advance. Bock Bisztró, 1073 Budapest, Erzsébet körút 43-49; +36 (1) 321 0340; expensive
The menu is fairly traditional and relies on seasonal ingredients. Though nearly every Hungarian restaurant offers one or two foie gras dishes (Hungary, after all, is the second largest producer of it in the world), Tigris takes its passion for foie gras to an extreme and offers at least a half-dozen different preparations of it at a time, as well as an equally nice selection of sweet Tokaj wine to pair with them. Tigris, 1051 Budapest, Mérleg utca 10; +36 (1) 317 3715; expensive
Chef Ákos Sárközy takes a contemporary approach to Hungarian cuisine and his menu changes every week or two. If Mangalica (a luscious Hungarian heritage pork variety) is available, this is a great place to try it. Borkonyha's signature foie gras appetizer -- wrapped in strudel dough before sautéing so it develops an ultra-crispy crust -- might be the best in Budapest. Try it the traditional way: accompanied by a glass of sweet Tokaj wine. Borkonyha, 1051 Budapest, Sas utca 3; +36 (1) 266 0835; moderate
Chef Lajos Nanasi has created a menu that mixes French with Hungarian and usually includes one or two wonderful fresh pasta dishes. The beef tartare appetizer, a Hungarian favorite that's given a French touch here, is a menu staple worth ordering. The wine list focuses on small local producers from Hungary and the neighboring countries, which are not widely available. Atakám Budai Bistro, 1011 Budapest, Iskola utca 29; +36 (1) 781 4129; moderate
It's easy to see how it has become such a favorite: it feels like the perfect bistro. In its previous life, the space was Buda's grandest café (owned by the Auguszt family), complete with an orchestra for afternoon tea. The atmosphere of old-time elegance remains in the handful of different dining rooms (each with its own personality). Déryné's kitchen also produces wonderful bread and pastries, which are sold at a sidewalk kiosk. Déryné, 1013 Budapest, Krisztina tér 3; +36 (1) 225 1407; moderate
The coffeehouses were sadly shut down during the communist era, and most never re-opened. Centrál, however, has been restored to look just as it did in its heyday. Though there is a full lunch and dinner menu, Centrál is also a fine place to simply sit and sip coffee (and perhaps nibble on a slice of Dobos torta) and admire the surroundings. Centrál Kávéház, 1053 Budapest, Károlyi Mihály utca 9; +36 (1) 266 2110; budget-moderate
The business has always been family-owned, but went through many ups and downs during the Communist era. Now, there are three locations (two on the Buda side and one on the Pest side), which serve some of the best cakes in town. This is one of the best places in Budapest to try a krémes (similar to a Napoleon) or an Ezterházy torta (a layered walnut cake). Auguszt Cukrászda, 1053 Budapest, Kossuth Lajos utca 14-16; +36 (1) 337 6379; budget
The "Downtown Pig Feast" is a more modern version of this tradition. Instead of selling raw meat, it focuses on cooking. As at a traditional butcher, tables are standing-only and food is eaten from paper plates with plastic cutlery. But here the selection is wider and it's a great place to try some of the classic no-frills Hungarian meat-heavy dishes such as knuckle of pork, roasted duck and sausages with fresh grated horseradish and a pickled vegetable selection from the pickle bar. Belvárosi Disznótoros, 1053 Budapest, Károlyi Mihály utca 17; +36 (70) 602 2775; budget
This very casual restaurant specializes in local freshwater fish. While it occasionally offers a classic Hungarian fish dish such as halászlé (fisherman's soup), it prefers to skip the usual Hungarian recipes in favor of simple grilled or fried fish, or more unexpected dishes like catfish gyros and fish burgers. The owner, who is often waiting the tables herself, is the daughter of a fisherman (who also makes the house wine). Halkakas, 1053 Budapest, Veres Pálné utca 33; +36 (30) 226 0638; budget Nightlife
When the weather's warm, tables are set up in the square next to the Basilica, and drinkers spill out into square with their wine glasses. DiVino (now with other locations, including one in Gozsdu udvar) specializes in wines made by the younger generations of Hungary's great wine-making families. DiVino Borbár, 1051 Budapest, Szent István tér 3; +36 (70) 935 3980; moderate
Boutiq' bills itself a neo-speakeasy, and has deep red walls, numerous mirrors and subtle lighting. High quality cocktails are what Boutiq' is all about, and the highly trained, and deeply passionate, bartenders here produce them artfully. The cocktail list is long, and tempting. If you are having trouble deciding, try a drink made from pálinka (Hungarian fruit brandy). Boutiq' Bar, 1061 Budapest, Paulay Ede utca 5; +36 (30) 229 1821; expensive More: Insider guide to Moscow Léhűtő Craft Beer Bar "Beer Cooler" is located in Gozsdu udvar (a complex of seven buildings connected by six courtyards, full of cafes, bars and restaurants) and is among the best places in Budapest to sample a few of the new craft beers. The bar has six taps and a frequently changing lineup of beers, both on draft and in bottles. No food is served, but if you're sitting outside you can grab a burger or a sausage from the nearby food trucks. Léhűtő Craft Beer Bar, 1076 Budapest, Holló utca 12-14; +36 (30) 731 0430; budget
Visiting these quirky, eclectically furnished bars, which are located in crumbling abandoned buildings, is a fun way to spend at least an evening. Fogasház is one of these ruin pubs, but is more than just a bar (actually, there are three bars inside the two-story building). It holds a variety of cultural events from art exhibitions and film screenings to DJs and dancing. Fogasház, 1073 Budapest, Akácfa utca 51; +36 (1) 783 8820; budget
There are extensive opportunities for fun in the two buildings and three levels that comprise Instant: there are 23 rooms with six bars and three dance floors. The music plays all day, the drinks flow, there's food and there are many concerts and DJs. Instant describes itself as an enchanted forest, and with the fairytale-like animals throughout the venue, that's exactly how it feels. Instant, 1065 Budapest, Nagymező utca 38; +36 (1) 311 0704; budget Shopping
The cavernous 19th-century building is definitely a tourist attraction, but it's also a place where locals do their daily shopping. Butchers sell everything from the nose to the tail, greengrocers have piles of local, seasonal vegetables and fruit, and the strings of dried paprika hanging everywhere won't let you forget you're in Hungary. The briny scent of pickles can be followed down to the basement level, where there are gorgeous displays of them, as well as fish and game. Central Market Hall, 1093 Budapest, Vámház körút 1-3; +36 (1) 366 3300; budget
Between the Parliament and Margaret Bridge, Budapest's antique row holds the highest concentration of antique shops in town. A few shops and galleries to look for: Kieselbach Galéria (Szent István körút 5) specializes in paintings and also functions as an auction house, Nagyházi Galéria (Balaton utca 8) is one of the larger shops and stocks a variety of items from outdoor statues and rustic painted furniture to oversized chandeliers and shiny Biedermeier furniture, and Darius (Falk Miksa utca 24-26) sells top-notch furnishings, weapons, rugs and paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries. Falk Miksa utca between Szent István körút and Szalay utca; moderate-expensive More: Insider guide to Bogota
There's a silkscreen studio in the back, and the shop stocks designs, mostly by Hungarian artists. There are posters and prints, clothing and handbags, and wallets and jewelry. Many pieces are made from up-cycled materials, and the Budapest-themed pieces make great souvenirs and gifts. Even if you're not shopping, some of the best coffee in Budapest makes it worth popping in. Printa, 1075 Budapest, Rumbach Sebestyén utca 10; +36 (30) 292 0329; moderate
This attached shop sells items made by Hungarian designers, from books and stationary to jewelry and ceramics. The small café serves coffee, drinks and a few sweets. Hybrid Design Shop & Café, 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 1-3; +36 (1) 327 7200; moderate
Most Hungarian regions have their own folk style or prominent folk motifs, and Mester Morta is a small shop below the Castle that offers a nice selection of high quality folk art. There are sets of all-black ceramics, colorful embroidery from the Matyó region, delicately painted eggs and more. Each piece is labeled with the name of the artisan who made it. Mester Porta, 1011 Budapest, Corvin tér 7; +36 (70) 244 8432; moderate
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