Food-Venture
Burkas and the Art of Roti Canai
By Tony on May 19, 2011 | No Comments »
Twenty years ago, the markets of southern Thailand and Malaysia were visually stunning events marked by the colorful silk robes and wispy conical headscarves worn by ethnic Malay women. Eye-popping floral prints and soothing pastels greeted visitors as did the hospitable smiles of chatty sales women. But not-so-subtle changes reveal the allure and the sway of more fundamental Arab influences on the once moderate Islam of Southeast Asia.
Increasingly, we are seeing fully veiled women, and much of the colorful clothing has been replaced with solemn shades of black and grey. Equally noticeable is the more conservative behavior of these women. Interestingly, outside of conservative Aceh in northern Sumatra, this kind of clothing was virtually absent the first time I came to Southeast Asia in 1990. The visible shift in style along with references such as this disturbing menu in Penang can leave visitors somewhat uneasy.
For Thomas and me, these shifts can be unsettling for various reasons, most importantly some residual fears after being caught up in the attack on Mumbai. More severe Islamic clothing still sends a shiver down my spine, whether it’s fair or not. Muslim friends we meet along the way assure us that clothes are just clothes. On several occasions, I have heard Muslim men swoon with memories of their veiled mothers cooking delicious meals for them as a child. These recollections have been completely incomprehensible to me… until now » Continue reading this post »
Restoran Kapitan
By Thomas on March 13, 2011 | No Comments »
As Tony previously mentioned, one of our greatest discoveries in Georgetown was Restoran Kapitan. Whenever we are not busy sampling Chinese specialties with Ken’s family or exploring Malay street fare, we head straight for the best Indian food in town. After having spent fifteen months in India, we can comfortably call ourselves experts on Indian cuisine. Kapitan’s food is, hands down, some of the most authentic Indian food that we have had outside of India.
And, clearly, we are not the only people who appreciate their food. The 24-hour restaurant in Little India seems to be » Continue reading this post »
TnT’s Penang Food Recommendations
By Tony on March 7, 2011 | 7 Comments »
Thomas Holding a Bundle of Ketupat
In 2009, Penang was voted one of the New York Time’s Places to Go primarily due to its amazing cuisine. Superb Chinese, Indian, Malay and Nyonya cuisine make Penang a place to eat, eat, eat. Ken’s family knows the ropes when it comes to food and we have benefited big time from their years of experience and culinary expertise.
While not everyone will be able to find steamed stingray with ginger or fried mantis shrimp on the menu, most serious travelers will be able to locate our recommended specialties below. » Continue reading this post »
Food and Family
By Tony on March 2, 2011 | 6 Comments »
Because we travel constantly and life is one continuous string of new experiences, it would be easy for visitors to our site to dismiss our stay here in Penang as yet another stop on the traveler’s trail. It is not.
Penang is a vastly more personal experience for us because we are meeting our Malaysian family, the family of my stepfather Ken, for the first time. For years, we have heard stories about Ken’s mom, Jimmy, Ken, Mei Ling, David and Stephen and their respective families. Getting to know the people behind these names is unquestionably a highlight of our travels so far. They have greeted us with open arms and more food than anyone could ever possibly eat in a lifetime. Oh my god, people, you’ve never seen so much food!!!
We ate and ate and talked, and then we had a snack before we went to dinner. After dessert, we stopped to try a local specialty. The next day, we ate and ate some more. I have literally never eaten so much food in my life – and I have loved every bite. In Chinese culture, food is » Continue reading this post »
The Best Pad Thai in Bangkok
By Thomas on January 6, 2011 | 2 Comments »
The Thipsamai is not a cozy restaurant. Stainless steel tables, white tiles and cold fluorescent lights don’t encourage guests to linger for an after-meal drink. But it doesn’t seem to matter. People come here for one reason and one reason only – to eat the best Pad Thai in town. And they come in droves.
The night we went, the smallish restaurant was so busy, it overflowed onto the sidewalk. A volcanic collection of sooty woks sent rivers of sparks streaming into the surrounding tables sending patrons running for their lives. But they kept » Continue reading this post »
