What is Street Food to a Penangite?

What is Street Food to a Penangite?

Well to me, it must be affordable, and without airs. With “New” Hawkers having entered Penang Street Food scene bring along with them exotic and jazz up cuisines from Hotels, (Well most of these hawkers were formally cooks working in the hotels) it is a pleasure to have the New World Park Food Court offering True Street Food.

Not only are the food good and affordable and down-to-earth, you get to enjoy the food in a clean environment. (Well not as clean as a hotel but much much cleaner then the usual coffeeshop) The cleanliness, the good food, affordable pricing, and not having to line up to purchase food coupons, will ensure that Penangite, Local and Foreign Tourist will come in doves of Tours Bus to enjoy the food here. In fact on a Tuesday the Food Court is near full, but still with tables and chairs available.You may not get every verity of Penang Street Food here, what you get is a pretty good representation, with most favorite’s items (to a penangite) available.

What surprising with this Food Court is the car park security guard are duty conscious gives good direction, and are extremely helpful with the car parking. The Car Park it self is well laid out. The Food Court is also wheel chair friendly, with out any steps. Tables and Chairs are normal coffeeshop like tables, not those like those you find fast food joints, with the table and chairs fix to the floor.

Origin of Hawkers at New World Park Food Court?

Just a couple of Months Back in 2006, Majority of New World Park Food Court Hawkers, were Actual Street Food Hawkers at Swatow Lane operating from carts, Next to a Coffeeshop and were there from years back, This Food Street is well know to true blue penangnites as well as foodies was a bit hidden from the main road. With the Redevelopement of New World Park, those hawkers along the road side were place in this Enormous Food Court (140+ tables) right next to where they were and were given a big boost in publicity. Those Hawkers that were operating from inside the Coffee Shop remain where they were.

This changes results in you having to make a decision, Eat at the Original Coffee Shop, or Eat at the New Food Court. It all depends on what you want to eat, and how you want to eat it, or what time you want to eat it…..

Pro for the Food Court Security Guard / Car Park Attended, Wheel Chair Friendly, More Verity with 26 stalls, Big Car Park (for now), Airy & Breezy, Widely space tables, Clean Place, Clean Toilet, Open from 10am to 10pm.

Pro for the Coffee Shop Air Con Section – (Hidden at the back),

Majestic Rojak Stall,

Original Ice Kacang with durian ice cream

What Good Where? It all depends on your taste buds! What you like? The saving grace is in Penang, 80% of the Food can be rated Good to Excellent. Either Place should satisfy you. But in case some one was raving about a particular dish at Swatow lane, and when you try it out, it’s just ok, try the other location…

One of the Example are the Majestic Rojak at the Original Coffee Shop, While being a quite resent addition, (less then 10 years if I am not mistaken) This must be one of the best Rojak in Penang. A Humble serving of this, topped (NOT MIXED) with it’s secret recipe of Prawn Extract, Chilies, Peanuts and who know what, will cost you almost double then a Plate of Chicken Rice. Not exactly affordable, but it’s worth it, especially those from out of town. While the Secret Sauce is available for you to purchase to take home, it just not the same having it right at the coffee shop. Some thing is just missing.

Rojak: Usually A mix of rough cut Fruit Salad (Crunchy & Raw), usually of Mangoes, Cucumber, Turnips, Pineapple, plus other fruits, with some cripes, slices of brown squid, usually mixed with Prawns Paste, Sweet Sauce, with lashing of Chilies Powder, Powdered Belachan (Dried Prawn Extract), Sesame Seed, Pounded Peanuts. Exact ingredients will differ stall to stall. Cost Per portion, anywhere between RM 3/- to RM6/-.

New World Park, Food Court.

Location : Beside Swatow Lane, Burma Road, Getting There : Burma Road from Komtar, Drive Past Prime Plaza (To be Tune Hotel, Penang in the Future) and turn left in to the New World Car Park, To get to the coffee Shop, turn left after the pedestrian traffic light at a row of shop house into Swatow Lane, Original Coffee Shop is on the left.

Operation Hours : 10am to 10pm daily,

Location Map at this Link http://malaysiansnapshots.blogspot.com/2007/03/swatow-lane-new-world-park-food-court.html