penang malaysian cuisine

my mother’s family grew up in singapore so it was very natural that i grew up eating malaysian influenced food like curry and satay on a regular basis.  i fell in love with the spice and burst of flavor that malaysian food has, so when i first ate at penang malaysian cuisine in west covina i was hooked.

5 attractions in malaysian penang. kek lok si
snake temple
bukit mertajam recreational park
the botanical gardens
penang night tours
http://www.listofwonders.com/penang-malaysia-attractions

beef rendang. tender beef cubes cooked in a stew of spices in a thick sauce. rich and thick, the sauce sticks to the beef. it has a bold combination of spices that i cannot identify exactly what’s in it. i can almost compare it to the flavors of some indian dishes. i could also imagine that those flavors will work well with lamb.

tasty, interesting, and affordable. as others here have mentioned the choices for malaysian food, even in a city the size of l.a. , are limited. i have tired the 5 or 6 others in the area and penang comes in as my favorite. i have also visited the penang in ny, philly, and atlanta. i believe they are all related in some way although they differ quite a bit in atmosphere.

penang in covina is slightly hidden away in the corner of a decent shopping center with lots of free parking. the atmosphere is casual and no reservations are required. even on a weekend one can expect to be seated immediately.

the food is mostly very good. the roti canai is crispy and hot just like one from a hawker center in kl. the curry dipping sauce is also real malaysian curry flavor (although not as spicy as in malaysia). the satay is good to very-good as well. not as good as in malaysia but better than the thai or indonesian varieties other restaurants try and pass off as malaysian satay. the rendang is as good as or better than any other in the l.a. area. he soups in general have the hot and sour flavors one expects, although the chili is toned down a bit from malaysia. as others mentioned the one area they fall short is seafood. its not super sweet and fresh.

prices are very affordable as well. they have new lunch specials which are down right cheap and dinner is on the mid-low end.

just fyi there is also an indonesian food court several doors down from penang but in the same shopping center. i couldn't find a listing for them on urban spoon but they are certainly worth a try as well and have some hidden gems.

good and bad. if you want malaysian food, you really do not have too many choices in la. penang has some good dishes, and some bad dishes too. curry chicken/beef, yong tofu, hai-nan chicken, roti canai (pancake with curry), satay, and laksa are good. stay away from seafood dishes, they are pricy and not fresh. i'd recommend young coconut pudding for dessert.

review. it was a cool little environment. doesnt get that much business, so the people were a lil too laid back when it came to service. the food was straight, but if u just want to try something different then try it out. i would do it over