My favorite dining experience in Penang was at See Kong Ooi in the heart of George Town on Jalan Transfer. It is a restaurant that has been in business since 1936 and for good reason. They offer up delicious Chinese dishes with a Malaysian twist. The restaurant is a hole in the wall establishment and the dining room is casual as well. Like many eateries in Penang, the doors are left open to let air in. They have a menu on the wall which has English on it along with the price and the server that took my order spoke English well. So no need to fret about language issues. Ordered three items, steamed pork with salted fish, fried kang kung and assam prawns. The steamed pork is a homestyle dish that my mom liked to make occasionally when I grew up, so this brought back memories for me. The fried kang kung is water spinach covered in sambal. I highly recommend this dish as it is flavorful and memorable. This is different from the Cantonese preparation of water spinach so it is worth a try for that reason. The assam prawns are excellent as well. The sauce in this dish reminds me of sweet and sour sauce. If you are looking for a good Chinese meal in Penang, See Kong Ooi is a spot I would recommend. Though note that the emphasis here is totally on the food as opposed to the décor.
