Pulau Tikus Market @ Pulau Tikus, Penang

Pulau Tikus Market
Jalan Pasar.
Open 5pm till late.
Traders’ days off vary.

The Pulau Tikus wet market is one of the best places to head to for dinner if you are clueless as to what to eat. There are some 20 stalls offering a plethora of goodies such as mamak mee goreng, char kway teow, asam laksa, duck kway teow soup and char kway kak (radish cake).

The lok-lok, or steamboat, is very popular. With over 30 types of skewered items such as cockles, quails’ eggs, prawns, squid, fish balls and meatballs, the stall attracts a huge crowd every night. Just dip your skewer into the pot of boiling water , then pour the sauces – chilli, sweet bean or peanut sauce – over the cooked items.

The chai kuih with a choice of yambean or Chinese chives as a filling is also popular. The steamed dumplings can also be lightly pan-fried. The char kway kak at Stall 17 (open from 7–11am) has a steady stream of loyal customers; its regular patrons include wives of ministers and other state officials. The crowd is at full strength around 8pm, which is when the market acquires a festive atmosphere.

Rating: 7 /10

Thanks to Food Street