The expressive grunts and sighs that punctuated this man's speech at every mention of food told us that we had hit topical jackpot. A well-respected man of high stature, coupled with a personable, almost boyish charm, Y.B. Teng Chang Yeow was bursting with culinary opinions and experiences, and to our delight, was extremely warm and eager to share.

Hailing from the modest town of Batu Pahat , Johor, Y.B. moved to Penang in 1984. “After 22 years of living in Penang , I am amazed by the fact that there is still so much unchartered territory here,” he exclaimed, hinting awe. “You start listing down the vast variety of genres, the cultures, the subcultures, I tell you, it'll take forever. Penang is an emporium of food.” He's right. Whether you choose to experience fine dining or casual chow downs, Penang is the paradise that invitingly accommodates visitors from far and near, and feeds them silly. Perhaps sometimes, the whole idea of Penang being a food paradise is taken slightly over the edge. One will never be found having no place to eat, but rather be presented with another dilemma - indecisiveness. To date, in this 293 km2 island there exists over 1300 listed food spots, a potpourri of coffee shops, cafés, restaurants and pub ‘n' grubs. That calculates to a whopping option overload of more than 4 eating joints per square kilometer, non-inclusive of the overabundant hawker stalls!

“I adore spicy food. I am never really satisfied unless there is a spicy dish in my meal. Every meal.”

When asked to relate the story of his youth, the methodical man surfaced and he began, “Even when I was in university, I was already a foodie. My friends and I used to take food adventures where we would go around scouting for great places to eat. Of course, the fact being that we were students then didn't allow for deep pockets, so our culinary discoveries were largely focused on coffee shops and hawker stalls. Today, I can afford to eat better and I do make it a point to try out the less modest restaurants and hotels. My family and I still go on food trails, especially when we go back to my hometown. We enjoy going off track, visiting other states and towns in search of better food. It's quality time spent, and we all get satisfied stomachs.” Grunt.

He went on to share his experiences with a particularly memorable restaurant in Penang , Sin Kheang Aun which sells Hainanese food. He digressed for a moment, perhaps with an expository intent. “Penang Food is so dynamic. Can you find, for instance, real Hainanese food here? You never know. Everything tastes wonderful, but I think it definitely has been altered to a certain degree to suit the local taste buds.” “This Sin Kheang Aun, has been running for decades, and the food hasn't changed. I love this place because of the old, family establishment aura within the walls. It still uses a dumbwaiter, to carry dishes from one floor to another. They are also one of the only restaurants I know of here that still cooks over a charcoal stove. And the values, the respect for food, the shunning of wastefulness. There's this old man who takes orders. He's been there since I can remember. He takes note of the number of diners at the table, and will not allow them to order more than he thinks they can finish. He won't allow you to waste food or your money. I think that's special.” That value is still alive today in Sin Kheang Aun and ‘Ah Hong' is the new face. That is one thing that makes Penang unique. In times of commercialization, profit chasing and overheads, there are still establishments like these that have a stern regard for food.

“Also, we had to coax this old chef out of the kitchen and plead with him to prepare his special mutton stew, which is not on the menu. I tell you, it's things like these that really enhance and complete your dining experience.” “The outstanding dishes there are Tau Eu Bak (Pork in Soy Sauce) and pig's liver fried in onions.”

Y.B. also frequents his favourite coffee shop in Gurney Drive , called Song River for his favorite fish noodle soup.

“I travel a lot, and when I go out of town for 7-8 days, I can't help but miss the food back in Penang . I don't think I'm alone in this. There's a place called Sungai Tiram, located near the Bayan Lepas Penang International Airport . The restaurateurs there understand our sentiments well. Upon every touchdown, that's my first pit stop. Local food, after being away for days, is heaven.”

To sum it all up, “The best way to promote Penang is through food”, says the head of Tourism Penang.