Penang Hawker Food – Cintra Street
Did you like this article? Share it with your friends!
For some of the best of Penang’s hawker food and snacks, pay a visit to Cintra Street – a bustling street located in the heart of George Town, Penang. Entrance to this one way street is via Jalan Dr. Lim Chwee Leong. Its located in the same vicinity as KOMTAR and Prangin Mall. You will be able to find many varieties of foods and snacks, from dawn to dusk.
As you stroll along this narrow street, you will find the famed deep-fried Yau Char Kuai stall on your left. The stall was once located on the ground floor of the People’s Park flats. However, I reckon they moved out to the main road so that it is more accessible to the public. Business hours starts from late morning till night. They even supply the yau char kuai to hawker stalls selling porridge, bak kut teh and tong-sui.
Amazingly, the Yau Char Kuai (sometimes known as You Tiu) maintains its crisp nature even after a few hours. Definitely the making of a good teatime, served with a cup of kopi-o kau.
The culinary journey continues! Wen Chang Hainan Chicken Rice shop (located just right opposite) sells traditional Hainanese chicken rice. roast chicken, white chicken and loh bak. Other than chili sauce, they do offer grinded ginger, a nice complement to go with the chicken.
This stall was previously located a stone’s throw away from the Dumpling shop (read below) has since expanded; relocating to a corner shop house of their own.
Right beside the chicken rice shop is Ng Kee Cake Shop. This bakery shop sells a wide selection of freshly baked Cantonese biscuits and snacks. They also accept orders for special occasion – birthdays and weddings. At times, I do treat myself to a box of pepper biscuit. The biscuit is crunchy with nuts, sesame seed and pepper powder.
A few doors down the bakery shop, you will come across the all time favourite Dim Sum shop, De Tai Tong Cafe. Dim Sum is served during breakfast and dinner, while there is an ala-carte menu for lunch. For noodle lovers, do try out their noodle – Yee Foo Meen, Char Hor Fan and Hong Toh Meen.
Opposite the dim sum cafe is a roadside stall selling deep-fried Ham Chim Pang (pancake) and steamed Pak Tong Goe (rice cake). Among the varieties of Ham Chim Pang are the ones with five spice powder, glutinous rice and filling of tau sar.
Just look at the amount of five spice powder which gives the Ham Chim Pang its slightly salty taste. My family have been enjoying this snack for years. 😀
If you happen to be in town earlier in the evening, you can buy the Ham Chim Pang (pancake) and Pak Tong Goe directly from their shop which is just located behind De Tai Tong Dim Sum cafe.
Across the junction of Cintra/Campbell, you will see the popular Dumpling shop – Cintra Food Corner on your left. This place is famous for its bak chang, tau chang, yam cake and red bean tong-sui boiled with dried Mandarin peel. Environment is much better now since it has shifted into a shop as compared to its earlier trading days by the roadside.
Two doors away from the ‘chang’ shop is the Curry Chee Cheong Fun stall. You get to savour this curry version with tender pieces of chicken (only drumstick) and soft potato for RM3.50. The spicy flavors of the curry chicken makes this a delicious meal. You are allowed to bring the CCF and consume it in the ‘chang’ shop 🙂
Spoilt for choices? Me too! Which food are you going to have, the next time you visit Cintra Street? No matter which, Happy Eating!
Updated on 14/10/2010 : There are two more food outlets just opposite the CCF – the chu char at Sun Yoon Kee Restaurant and the neighbouring chicken and fish porridge.