Penang

A hearty bowl of yellow noodles and beehoon in a curry soup chockful of ingredients such as tofu puffs, cuttlefish strips, cockles and coagulated pig's blood cubes. The broth itself is mellow, slightly creamy and aromatic with the use of several types of curry. Stir in that dollop of home-made chilli for an added dose of spice.

You can also add on from a large variety of ingredients including fishballs, curry chicken, chicken feet, prawns, etc.

Taste: 3.5/5

The rather ramshackle environment in a narrow alleyway and food out on display in the sweltering mid-day heat certainly don't inspire confidence in terms of hygiene, but those who brave the risk of potential future diarrhea will be rewarded presently with some very shiok food.

The ayam goreng and squid I picked out of the mind boggling variety of side dishes were hit and miss respectively, with the squid being slightly tough and rubbery, not to mention its beak was still in place(making eating around it a hassle), whilst the fried chicken was tender spiced meat coated in a fragrant, crispy batter.

Really though, the hero of the dish has to be the gloriously messy mound of curry drenched rice. Make sure you ask the uncle to "kuah campur banjir", or in other words flood your plate with a deluge of several types of curry. The resultant slop may not be the most visually appealing, but the riotous clash of rich, spicy flavours is what makes it so good.

Taste: 3.5/5

The wait is long, but persevere my friend, because this is some delicious sh*t. More akin to silky scrambled eggs than what you'd find in a typical 'Orh Luak', flecked with charred bits and swimming with plump, briny oysters, just watching the auntie swirl this in her wok for 15 minutes while waiting for my food was enough to make me salivate.

The dragon's breath is strong in this one, young Padawan.

Taste: 4.5/5

I never licked a ball as hard as I did over the Easter weekend. Like an oasis calling to a parched wanderer lost in blistering desert sands, i clawed my way through the crowds with singular purpose, only to be foiled by a gaggle of giggling schoolgirls already in the queue.

Wishing death upon all who stood before me, I resigned myself to passive aggressively muttering curses under my breath as I resignedly joined the line, already half dead from dehydration.

After what seemed like an eternity but was in fact 10 minutes, the elusive icy sphere was finally in my grasp. Supremely refreshing rivulets of lychee syrup infused shaved ice filled my mouth with joyous eau de vie from every lash of my thirsting tongue, as I sucked upon the chilled treat like a ravenous strigoi would from a bare throat. Bliss comes from the most unexpected things.

Taste: 3/5

It is beyond me why there are supposedly mad queues for the kaya toast and eggs here, but the crowds were thin in the late afternoon.

It must be the experience of watching your bread being toasted over a charcoal fire in a makeshift oil barrel oven that's part of its rustic allure, which I admit, I found rather enjoyable myself.

The toast itself was crisp, brittle and faintly charred, with a thin layer of kaya and butter within. Nothing to shout about, but they served as handy soldiers to dip into the really yummy soft boiled eggs.

As for the 'kopi peng' -- rich, smooth and refreshingly icy and a welcome balm for a balmy day.

Taste: 3/5

Overly long queues in the sweltering heat for coarse lumps of ice swimming in watery chendol. This place does not deserve its reputation whatsoever as quantity sold obviously supercedes any notion of quality. Please take a cue from your neighbours over at the char kway teow stall.

Taste: 1/5

Having never been to Penang I always wondered what the fuss was about over their Char Kway Teow, especially having only tried inferior versions in Singapore. I can safely say I've been firmly won over and converted by the original.

I sampled this on my first and last day and both times were consistently good. Slippery rice noodles imbued with wok hei, fluffy bits of egg, the crunch of bean sprouts, greasy lap cheong, really fresh cockles and plump charred shrimp, all expertly cooked with military precision and timing to ensure a symphony of smells, tastes, and textures that bombard you with flavour. This one's a little dryer and less full on with the salt, which I didn't mind. I did not have the chance to try other well known stalls which are supposed to be much better, but I enjoyed it so much I 'tapao-ed' a packet to bring back to Singapore.

Taste: 4/5

A sudden craving for oyster omelette led me to the first stall I saw selling it. Fluffy egg and a generous amount of small oysters coupled with 3 saucers of mild sweet chilli satisfied me momentarily, but I would have preferred a punchier sauce and perhaps some coriander for garnish.

Taste: 3/5

One of many ice ball vendors along lively Armenian Street. Get one of these to beat the heat while exploring Penang's alleyways.