Best Char Siew Rice in Penang

The brainchild of Dragon-I, this renowned restaurant has been spreading their wings successfully in Penang with two branches which are always teeming with customers. Inspired by rich and diverse Chinese culinary offerings, jumbo shrimps wontons, egg tarts, barbecued and roasted meats which include goose, chicken and pork are among the pleasers. Their Char Siew rice is served in a bowl, loaded with blanched greens, salted egg and luscious slivers of roasted pork meat and bathed with dark soy sauce. The honey-glazed skin offers a layer of crunch followed by optimal tenderness that binds with the whole dish.  Their pork ribs are praiseworthy too. 

Back to a rather classic and humble dining scene that is more familiar to Malaysians, as per the name they are famous for duck yet you overlooking their roasted pork, chicken and Chinese sausages are insane. The crowd during lunch hours draws an endless snake-line which leads to long strips of barbecued boneless pork just intensifying your stomach rumble. The chopped hunks of meat are slathered on a mound of oil rice and drenched with dark soy sauce and chili concoction. For an alternate texture and taste, mix your Char Siew with batons of Chinese sausages too.

The reigning champions of Char Siew which can be justified by the hordes of hungry patrons who make this unassuming stall their ideal lunch spot. Undeniably, a good piece of roasted pork is quite an art, meticulously made with spices and requires patience which sets them apart from others. This elder couple has been churning out sweet, elegantly charred and delicious pork that is the absolute bomb.  Jubilantly exploit every shred of juicy goodness along white rice, dark soy sauce and sides of vegetables. The chopping board thuds just never stop, which urges you to hop for another plate before it runs out. 

This canary-yellow building seems to be an institution of Chinese cuisine; there is an endless range of mouthwatering meals matching the never-ending crowd. It’s proud to say that this success started with a little stall back in 1965, today with two shop lots combined, it’s tough to sight an empty table during peak hours, however, worth waiting guaranteed. Their signature dish, Double-Roasted Pork is the real winner; you would drool all the way. The bite-sized morsels of pork belly are roasted then stir-fried with sauce and handful of chopped chili padi. The honey gives it a glistening and gooey coat, and each mouthful is packed with sweet, salty, crunchy and juicy, your belly cries for more. Massaging the pork wonder into steamed rice ladled with their fish curry is a match made in gastronomy heaven! 

This restaurant is a realm of Taiwanese fare, a little pricey yet worth each penny especially if you’re a steamboat, noodles and meat lover. You’ll certainly be carried away to Chinatown with artistic lanterns, sculpture of Laughing Buddha, Chinese tapestries and comfy dining space. If pork is your pick, the set meals have choices of salted pork, Kimchi Pork, minced pork and BBQ Pork. The BBQ pork has the perfect symmetry of sweet and savoury while the minced pork is rather more ethereal and moist. Paired with herbal egg, a scoop of vegetables sitting above steamed white rice, it’s good enough to take on the day.

During peak hours, this renowned restaurant has no room for an apple to fall, which is the first sign of delectable food. The multitude of meats that greets you as you walk in is wondrous yet their Char Siew is simply hard to resist. The deep mahogany coloured strips are succulent and the caramelised speckles of honey offer a crispy layer. Accompany the pork with their fragrant rice which is bathed in rich soy sauce and their chai boey soup.