Disappointing! This place has clearly gone down in quality. Roti canai - chewy, far from flaky. Sambal shrimps - little too sweet and the size of shrimps has become so small, used to be jumbo shrimps earlier. Nasi lemak - poor flavor profile; nothing to remember or write about. Won't visit again. read more

I was a little leery about this place because I had visited here when it first opened. In typical American fashion I order the basics and did not like it. As a local I knew there were better places to eat and if I was super desperate I could get American-Chinese food. This time I went with a friend who had vacation in Malaysia and she ordered for the table. The food was so good. She got the fried ribs, this noodle and beef dish on a skillet, roti canai, chicken satay, noodles. If you can eat like locals. read more

I love Malaysian food from Singapore and SF. This was disappointing. Muted flavors by adding too much water to the sauce. Boring. Americanized. Not enough punch. read more

I always like to come back to Penang when I visit Boston. Here you can have a decent meal within the budget. I like their Indian pancake and the coconut rice the best. The coconut rice always comes with a combo and has curry chicken along with it. read more

Penang - Coconut rice with very tasty curry!! - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

First time having Malay food, I'd have to say im very disappointed because i am so sure that it tastes great but they just didnt make it as great as it should be. I looked ahead on yelp to try to roti canai mostly but then it seemed that everyone likes something different. You'd think that they would make everything good but nope. Roti canai was pretty delicious. great recommendation. but then also had some other type of appitizer and it was a type of rice roll with lettuce, pieces of chicken and shrimp wrap. Perhaps another version of something like the vietnamese clear spring roll but it had NO flavor whatsoever. complete crap, flavorless, falls apart so easily and it was only covered in hoisen and srriacha. Also ordered the Hainan chicken. Doesnt honestly taste so special but id give it an above average because the hot sauce really made it to be good and works well with rice. I saw on the menu they have many types of fried shrimp so i was excited to try the coconut fried shrimp. It clearly stated that the shell\head was kept on and I didnt mind, as long as its fried, eating the shell\head is edible. but nope, not even close. They need to boost the temperature on the fryers because chewing on that shrimp as if its like eating it uncooked with the shell is just bad. Couldnt even enjoy the flavor because it seemed really inedible. All over, their service was good, got the orders pretty fast but probably rushed in the kitchen. I mean it makes sense that if they were to put more time, it should taste better right? I dont see myself coming back unless i know someone who knows better recommendations. read more

I love this restaurant for roti canai, Hainanese chicken, and many of their noodle dishes! It's a nice spacious restaurant, on the edge of Chinatown, great for dining with friends or family, and even large groups. Service is usually pretty good, and the prices for the portion size of their dishes is great. I've loved everything I've tried and can't wait to go back. read more

I heard a lot of good things about this place, especially their Roti so I decided to give it a try. I ordered the Roti Canai and Spicy Thai Chicken rice. The curry that came with the roti was just okay, I've had better roti with curry dish in Singapore before. As for the Thai chicken rice, I think it's the same chicken that they use for their hainanese chicken and they just added the spicy thai sauce. I was not impressed by this dish. read more

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I was excited to try this place but was disappointed. The food in all honesty was decent; however, the service was mediocre. We had some legitimate questions about some items, and when we asked our server, he was not prepared to answer them in a helpful way. Instead, he simply repeated what was written in the menu. The food was brought out in a timely manner so that was good. I also came with a vegetarian friend because we thought it would be a vegetarian-friendly place, but she had trouble finding dishes she could eat. As a previous reviewer stated, even most of the "vegetarian" dishes had some kind of meat component (FYI SEAFOOD IS STILL MEAT). The menu was also just incredibly extensive - I much prefer a shorter, more concise menu with quality items. read more

The waiter started cleaning the floor with a chemical liquid (Right in the middle of our food). I had allergies to that specific liquid which made my eyes red and watery... Food is OK though. read more

Three things that Penang does better than anyone else, hence why you must come here: 1.Roti Canai - Indian pancake similar to a crispier crepe served with an amazing chicken curry 2.Hainanese Chicken - perfectly cooked with really good flavors and served on top the best soy-sauce-like sauce; such a simple dish yet so good that you won't see chicken the same way anymore 3.Cantonese Chow Foon - uses the most basic ingredients, but makes it in a way that is so different from any other chow foon and so addicting. It's basically a very saucy beef chow foon ("sup chow gnao hor") they call the sauce gravy but it's not the thanksgiving gravy you may be thinking about, although that might be interesting ... Other popular items would be the Basil Fried Rice or Pineapple Fried rice; both very good as well but those top 3 dishes are what keeps me craving Penang. read more

This places fulfills my southeast Asian food cravings. I always get the same items, hainanese chicken, Chinese watercress with shrimp paste and roti. I was craving laksa but the waitress advised to order curry mee instead. 'Twas delicious. read more

Penang - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We all know Hainanese Chicken Rice is always the best. The waitresses are always great. Friendly and professional. And the price is Amazing even it is located in Chinatown. read more

Penang - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My friend and I stopped by because we were craving something sweet and had been wanting to try the ABC dessert for a while. We ordered the ABC with ice cream, which is shaved ice with rose syrup, condensed milk, and various jellies. It was an affordable and refreshing dessert and it was exactly what we were looking for. There were some corn kernels in the dessert as well but we avoided these - next time I'll request no corn. I also ordered the Malaysian iced coffee because I was curious. It was similar to Vietnamese coffee but with a more bitter aftertaste that balanced out the sweetness of the condensed milk perfectly. Service here is always fast and I appreciate the interesting decor. I've ordered noodles to go before but I will need to come back soon to try them and the roti canai for dining in! read more

Penang - ABC with ice cream - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Never had Malaysian food before Penang and I am officially hooked. My boyfriend and I got a few items: spicy beef sauté, coconut steamed rice, roticanai, a noodle dish, and shrimp spring rolls. Service was quick, portions were large, and overall the meal can to about $70 with a full bottle of sake. Probably not an ideal spot for a romantic date per say, it's more of a chill/ super causal spot. read more

Penang - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food is amazing!!! Service was great. Authentic and definitely get what you pay for. Definitely glad we came and will come back next time when in Boston! read more

Penang - Starter-Roti Canai Closest - Mee Siam Farthest - Curry Pot with Veggies - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

FRAUDULENT CREDIT CARD CHARGE. I ordered pick up from them for the first time last week. I didn't leave a tip because it was just pick up. I remember putting a line through the "tip" section and writing the subtotal as the total. Standard practice for me when I do take-out. The Buddhist yam pot with chicken that I had was ok. But then my credit card flagged it and sent me an email - they tried to add AN $11 TIP to my $15 purchase. Needless to say, I am upset. I have disputed the charge and will never be going back there. I am not the first reviewer to complain about nonsensical tips being added. The food was nothing special and the dishonesty is absolutely shameful. Stay away from this one, folks. read more

Was disappointed to find this wonderful unavailable and closed without explanation today. Was not open when we came by at noon, hoping to fulfill recommendations from several friends. Thankfully other options were available in Chinatown. Maybe next time we are in the area. read more

Choose Your Own Penang Adventure: 1. Enter restaurant. You can do so with your entire party ready or tell your waiter that the rest of your group will be joining you. If you have your entire party with you from the getgo, please skip to number "6". 2. Waiter will ask you no less than five times in three minutes if you want to just start eating and have the rest of your party catch up. He may, as a means to a hint, keep picking up the untouched menus from the end of your table and pretend like he is going to take them away from you forever. If you don't feel like waiting for your party and think the waiter has a point (e.g., "I'm starving and the normal three minute turnaround time for food in this area is not good enough to satisfy my rumbling stomach and I need to eat NOWNOWNOW"), OR you have already memorized the menu and have known what you want since 4:30 p.m. last Tuesday, please skip to number "5". 3. Since you are waiting but not ordering for yourselves, the waiter may get slightly agitated if you, at the very least, do not order some sort of beverage besides water. If you prefer not to rock the boat, and browse the beer, wine and specialty juice list and find something you like, please skip to number "5". 4. Oh, silly customer! Don't agitate the waiters at Penang! They don't have time for your silly crap. They are used to serving excellent, interesting food in a very high quality, yet fast-paced manner, and you're totally disrupting their chi. You're sitting around waiting for your buddies to finally show up and you can't order, at the very least, a glass of white wine? How about one of the delicious appetizers? 5. You make do with the limited beverage list and browse the appetizers. Many members of the waitstaff hear you and your party giggling about the 'crispy pork intestines' on the menu. And take that surprised look off of your face -- yes, you're reading the menu right, there are chicken feet and you can have 'em in a hot pot, or fried, or in a bevy of ways. The fine print says, "ask server for advice before ordering." Adventurous people, please skip to number "8". 6. You place your order, making sure to include in it some really great choices such as the seafood, egg, and vegetable chow fun hot pot with brown sauce, mango chicken, sweet and sour shrimp, dried curry lobster, etc. 7. In no time at all, your food is brought to you in the order it was cooked and ready. You may feel like you're being rushed, but that is not the case. If you're the last one to get your food and your party has already started eating, and you want to go to the restroom because you are bored, skip to number "9". 8. You totally love your chicken feet with chinese mushrooms: skip to "10". You think that you went in a little over your head and next time should stick to ginger duck noodles... as your stomach is now feeling really weird and you're getting a bit lightheaded.... 9. Wow, these restrooms are really something to see! You take your time because you can't help but, given the circumstances! 10. Soon, you and your entire party is stuffed and full and everyone looks defeated; the portions are huge and you're wondering if you can possibly ever be able to eat food again. If you can't resist the dessert menu anyway - skip to "12". 11. You ask for the check and the waiter is truly surprised. No dessert? You must be in the wrong place! How can you not want bubor chacha (sweet potato with coconut milk) or some fried ice cream? Tempting, but you are so stuffed you might burst - skip to "13". 12. You know that saying no to dessert, even after your Malaysian food adventures have rendered you unable to walk straight, is just a silly idea. You realize that pulut hitam (creamy black rice with coconut) is the long lost dessert lover that you'd been seeking your entire life, and immediately cannot remember a time when you two were ever apart. 13. You pay and saunter out of the restaurant, and as you stumble down the street you realize that you never did know where Centerfolds was, and - kapow! boom! zap! - there it is. Right around the corner. You look at Empire Garden across the way from you and remember a time when you thought *that* was the toast of the town. You're thrilled that you have since found many superior places, such as Penang, that trump Empire and their likeminded counterparts with their adventurous cuisine and affordable price tag. Sure, you can go with the basics. But why bother? Penang may not always be the easiest route to take, but you'll *always* have an adventure! read more

Solid Malaysian food in a festive bamboo space. If this is your virgin experience let me break it down for you, just trust me on this one: Roti canai (pronounced cha-nai, as I was corrected) Penang Poh Piah Nasi lemak (if you'd prefer fried over steamed) Watercress Beef rendang Green seafood clay pot Mango chicken (if you're in the mood for mixing meat and sweet) Coconut drink ABC (this thing makes non-asian people wigg - shaved ice with corn, beans, grass jelly, palm seeds, tapioca, condensed milk and pink food coloring. in the words of weird al, just eat it.) That way you can be the non-Malay that impresses all your friends (pretty accommodating for groups) who knows what to order. Don't get freaked out if stuff looks strange or the ingredients seem incongruous, your taste buds will take you to gastronomical nirvana. I'll meet you there. read more

Penang is delicious Malasian cusine anxiously awaiting a trip to your tummy. I went in on a busy Friday evening around 8pm. They told us it would be a 10 minute wait for a table. No biggie. The bonus was when they had us seated in more like 2. We arrive at our table to enjoy the hot tea they set out for us. It was really busy but I never felt neglected. Once we had settled on what to have, the food came out quickly, but well timed. The spring rolls were big and delicious. My bowl of seafood and noodley goodness was just that. It had some veggies to satisfy my omnivorous tendencies with just a hint of spicy for my wimpy mouth was perfect.I sampled the sizzling beef which was super sweet and sticky. A must if you are into that sorta thing. It wasn't spicy but was delicious over white rice. We shared a small bottle of sake which I recommend to duos or for those who don't want much to drink. We wound up staying for almost 2 hours but never once felt pushed out. It was a fun night and I will most certainly be back! read more

I give them five stars for their absolute speed and efficiency. Then I take away one star, since how was it that you were able to cook my beef within a 5 minute span?? Seriously - we walked in and were sat really quickly (there were 3 parties in front of us, and we were all sat within 5 minutes). There was tea waiting for us at the table. We had just walked here from the movie theater, so my teeth were chattering pretty good since it was SO COLD out, so I promptly took a big swig of my tea thinking, oh it's sitting at the table, it's probably lukewarm. And yeah... it was SCALDING hot. I almost spit it back out. And instead I had to endure the blistering heat as it seared my mouth and esophagus as it made its journey down to my poor tummy. Be warned. When they say hot tea, it's hot! We ordered our dishes - Beef Rendang for me (I'd never had it before, but I was totally craving beef. And there was a star next to it which meant spicy and Joanna LIVES for spicy), and Green Curry Chicken Clay Pot for my dining companion. Not gonna lie - FIVE MINUTES (not even five minutes) after we placed our order, the beef rendang showed up at the table with two bowls of rice for us. I sat there staring at it, and staring at the people who brought it since, there was no way in hell that was my order. I must have someone else's. And so, I sat there and waited for someone to come clucking by and be like, "sorry, not for you!" Until the smell of it got to me and I finally dug in. And yeah, it was ours. And yeah, it was awesome! Thick chunks of beef in this great spicy sauce. My dining partner was impressed at my ability to order such great food. I shrugged in modesty and chalked it up to my Asianness while silently patting myself on the back. We were gleefully stuffing ourselves with the Beef Rendang when his curry chicken clay pot appeared. It had sound really good on the menu, but when I bit into it, it tasted like soap. I didn't say anything, since I'm sure it's a jasmine flavor I'm just not used to, but I couldn't get past the thought of "oh my god, I'm eating soap!" So I let him finish off that dish while we fought over the chunks of beef with our chopsticks. If I lived or worked near this place, I would be here ALL the time. We were in and out in 30 minutes flat. And we left AFTER the three parties who were sat at the same time of us had left. Crazy fast. Welcome to Chinatown I guess! :) read more

I would give this place 0 stars if I could. I ordered the Asam Laksa noodles hoping for something nice. The overcooked bloated rice sticks were bathed in a murky muddy concotion which resembled a slop of some sort. Visually; it was disgusting, gastronomically; even worse. The taste of the soup had a pungent odor in the nasty sense of the term and a gross aftertaste. The menu description claimed it includes fish flakes, but there was not even 1 flake or any protein for that matter; resulting in a bland vegetarian dish. I couldn't even finish half of it since it was so foul that I decided to go to the McDonald's across the street instead. The worst meal I've had in Boston so far, recommended only for your worst enemies. First impressions are everlasting and I am extremely reluctant in giving it another, or even half a chance. read more

Penang - asam laksa ~ awful disgusting sludge - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Mafan! (mandarin word meaning TROUBLESOME) Move over Zagat and all those GREAT reviews you got.. let me spill the truth. That WORD landed this restaurant a star instead of a possible 4. My fam (just the 2 and a half of us) and I arrived in Boston last Friday afternoon. Took a strolled in the beautiful, friendly (yes, very friendly people) city and headed down to Chinatown looking for some comfort food. I, in particular was elated upon seeing a restaurant named "Penang". I thought, "Oh so familiar.." (I've lived in Singapore for many years, familiar with the food that region including Malaysia, Penang and sort..) Lets go for it! The restaurant was crowded, so that must be a good sign, food must be good. We waited for about 15 minutes to be seated. We're lead to a table right at the entrance of the kitchen. I knew my seat will get bumped into from time to time. So, I placed my daughter in the outside so hubby and I sat facing each other and we both can attend to our daughter. Well, one guy came over and mumbled to the waiter. The waiter told me its better to moved my daughter over where I'm at cos a group of people are coming to the BIGGER table (more $$$$$$ spent I guess, so prefered treatment). Those people on the BIGGER table came 40 minutes later, when we're almost 3/4 done with our food. So, what's the big deal?Anyway, I asked for milk and my hubby asked if they can helped toss the old milk out of our baby's bottle since the toilet was occupied. he said - "ok, ok" and as he walked away, I heared him mumbled "Ma fan..." Well, I don't have to look chinese or a certain way to know mandarin or 16 other languages out there! Lets fast forward to food.. I'm know what indian mee goreng tasted like (it was my twice weekly lunch staples when I lived in Singapore) and nasi lemak.. lacked the lemak (creaminess). Roti canai.. oh so delicious and ooo ever so expensive for a thin piece of of dough. It doesn't matter if I'm spending $30 or $300 on food. I expect some courtesy. A "Hi" and "Thank you", that's all if you can't do the rest. Is that so difficult to deliver? read more

One of the best Asian restaurants in Boston. Their best stuff is *really* good. And often strange. Here's a run-down of some things I've gotten there, along with the grade they earned once safe inside my gullet: Curry Mee with Young Tau Foo Grade: A One of the most surreal, outrageous and compelling things one can eat in Boston. It's a fragrant curry-broth soup with two kinds of noodles, big dog-ear flaps of fried tofu skin, fish-paste stuffed inside bitter gourd slices, fish-paste stuffed inside eggplant, some random bobbing fish balls, green onion, fish-paste stuffed inside some other sort of vegetable and... and.... Dude, I actually have no idea what this dish is, but I've now eaten it hundreds of times and it's a part of me. A very special part of me. Assam Ikan Bilis Grade: B It's best not to stare at this dish for too long. It's a zillion tiny anchovies in a very tangy tamarind-onion sauce. Good to share, but I doubt you'll want more than five or six bites because the tiny fish are very chewy and the jaw quickly tires of them. Satay Bean Curd (appetizer) Grade: B Unremarkable but refreshing and inoffensive. Good for mild-tempered conservative types and young teenagers. Chow Kueh Teow Grade: A One of the best noodle dishes in Chinatown. Smoky and rich; tastes like the noodles themselves were mesquite-grilled. Ipoh Bean Sprouts (appetizer) Grade: B+ A very pleasant appetizer for the man who just can't get enough bean sprouts (did you not know he existed?) Achat (appetizer) Grade: C+ Turmeric-covered vegetable pickles; I think there's a good reason I've forgotten these, but I can't quite remember it. Penang Pad Thai Grade: B+ This is a boring choice at a place full of gutsy options, but it's undeniably a fine version. Indian Mee Goreng Grade: B+ Full of flavor, but a little "ketchupy" for my taste. Mee Siam Grade: B+ (Ditto) Seafood Scrambled Egg Chow Fun Grade: B+ Slightly smoky chow fun noodles drenched in a warming, soupy egg broth with some shrimp and squid lazing about. Gross in its way, but deeply comforting, especially in the winter. Clay Pot Pearl Noodle\ Grade: B+ Similar to the above, but with thinner noodles. Asam Laksa Grade: A- PUNGENT. Try it at your own risk, but at least once in your lifetime. The waiters will try to warm you away from it. But be bold, my friend. Prawn Mee Grade: A A marvelously rich shrimp broth with two kinds of noodles. One of the top soups in this town, for my money. Seafood Tomyam with Rice Noodles Grade: B- Skimpy on the seafood and a touch too sour, but I've never liked this soup anywhere so I'm not a good judge of it. House Special Fried Nasi Lemak Grade: A- Mild, light, subtle and clean-tasting, without the slightest hint of greasiness. A new frontier for the greaseball genre of fried rice. Shrimp with String Beans Malaysian Style Grade: A The most perfectly-cooked string beans; the most perfectly smoky shrimp; the most addictive dried shrimp-paste "sauce".... For the sake of all who live, just eat this my friend. Shrimp with Lady Fingers Malaysian Style Grade: A The same as they above, but with okra instead of string beans. Penang House Special Squid Grade: A- Tangy and pungent. It's squid in a sauce similar to the Assam Ikan Bilis sauce. Not very filling, but unusual! Sambal Shrimp Grade: B+ Shrimp in tangy sauce with onions; same basic genre as the House Special Squid but not quite as good. Too many onions. Fried Ice Cream Grade: B- Breading a bit too thick; ice cream all melted inside. Why taunt us!!? ABC Grade: A A dada dessert: kidney beans, corn, wiggly stuff, chewy stuff, shaved ice, coconut sauce, more wiggly stuff, whatever just get it. read more

My first restaurant to try out Malaysian cuisine. And from then onwards I am a big fan! Roti Canai is the best dish on their menu. Trust me, I don't think any other restaurant in US(atleast the ones I have tried) can beat this one. Other dishes like Nasi Lemak are good too. Prices are very very reasonable. Excellent place to try out South East Asian flavors and dishes. read more

This is one of my favorite spits in the hinterlands of Chinatown. I come back here for the absolutely killer Roti Canai (seriously, EVERY table orders this) and the bang-for-your-buck $7.95 Nasi Lemak. For under $10 you get a giant plate of some of the most flavorful coconut rice I have ever tasted, a hardboiled egg, little spicy crunchy anchovies, a heaping portion of curry chicken, cool refreshing cucumbers and some veggies marinated with screw pine leaves-- hella authentic. For the more daring of the bunch, try the Durian Shake. it smells like feet and tastes like heaven. Though I suppose for some people, smelling feet is heaven enough. Bring them to Penang as your pre-Foot Worship dinner? Who knows. Other favorites include their hot pots, ANY of their tasty noodle dishes and for a special treat, get the crabs in hot sauce. it would be a total mistake to leave without partaking of the ABC. This is a super crazy desert featuring shaved ice topped with sweet rose syrup and filled with goodies like coconut jelly, red bean, sugar pellets and corn. Yes. Corn in a desert. Fabulous. They have a pretty good beer and wine selection as well. A great, affordable spot to chow down on some Malaysian specialties. As a testament to how much I adore Penang, my family told me they would take me to any restaurant in Boston in 2005 when I graduated college. I chose Penang. And in 2012 it's still going deliciously strong. read more

Came here with my family. Waitress called my mom (60) an old folk and recommended soft food like tofu. Left a 10% tip and was demanded an explanation in front of my mom, the person she insulted read more

After reading some of these reviews I have decided to not pull the race card on Penang. What a way to start off a review! I would love to give this place 0 stars if that was possible. I arrived here at 8:30 and did not place my order until 9:10, after having to flag down a waiter. I was with a group of 5 women and we received our meals relatively quick. During the time that we were eating, no one came over to ask us if we would like a refill, if the food was okay, if we needed anything. The next thing I know, the check is down on the table, which was really unfortunate because I was looking forward to trying the fried ice cream. I let the waitress know that I wanted the dessert and once it arrived I couldn't help but to notice a waiter standing about 2 feet away from our table staring at us. He would keep coming over and asking us if we were ready to pay. Then our first waitress came over and asked if we were ready to pay, then someone else and so on! Where were all of these people when we wanted to order? Where were all of this people when my beverage was on E? Finally one of my friends had to tell them to back off & we would pay when we were ready! I couldn't help but to notice how they were not doing the same thing to other people in the restaurant who were clearly there WAY before us. We spent nearly $200 on the meal and $20 of that was gratuity. They refused to put the dessert on the same receipt and would not take my visa for the 7 dollar dessert, claiming that there was a $12 minimum. So we gave them a $10 bill and when they returned with the receipt holder it was empty. I asked where the change was from the dessert & the waitress responded "oh you want that?" I was like um YES!? Ridiculous. I think I'm still a little upset about the customer service mainly, that I can't even speak about the food. I'm absolutely appauled by this service and I would never recommend Penang to anyone. read more

Attack of the noodle craving strikes again! After a bit a of a mishap in attempting to go to Imperial, Penang was the last-minute executive decision for lunch. After taking the first bite, I only was left wonder why this wasn't the number one choice for our lunch destination. The meals were enormous, the service was speedy and, despite the packed house during high noon, I could actually hear everyone at my table's conversation. Prawn Mee? Don't mind if I do! Not one but TWO different kinds of noodles, plentiful pieces of pork and shrimp, oodles of vegetables, all in a spicy broth. For the first time since this whole noodle fiasco began, I wasn't able to finish them all. I left some stranded. A bittersweet ending, for I was so full from the portion size, but saddened to leave those tasty little guys behind. I am looking forward to returning to Penang to try some of their other dishes. Oh who am I kidding...it will be noodles every time! read more

I don't have a problem with Penang as far as food goes. Love their Nasi Lemak, Roti Canai, even their Beef Chow Fun. I always get the coconut drink with huge chunks of coconut in it, and their desserts are stellar. But two nights ago, I got really annoyed with them. My friends, Kit and Kristen, and I had a hankering for some delicious desserts after we'd gone for some hearty hot pot at Kaze, so we headed on over to Penang, hoping to get some of their delicious ABC (shaved ice drizzled with red beans and yumminess) and peanut pancake. We asked the waitress if we could have just some dessert and she said that was fine as long as it was $8 a head. We just came from dinner, so there's no way we were going to order $24 worth of food there if we just wanted a simple dessert! And I could understand if we were taking up space from patrons who would have eaten more and spent more money at their establishment, but the place was not packed at all! We said "Do we have to?" And the lady, who just seemed not nice in general, said that it was restaurant policy to have a minimum of $8 per person. Kristin said she'd never heard of this before. The waitress did not budge and pointed to the menu that said $8 minimum. So we left, annoyed. That was stupid of them because instead of making like $10-$15 dollars and 3 satisfied customers, they've made $0 dollars and 3 annoyed customers. read more

Ah yes, dinner with a side of confrontation. My favorite! Here's about how it went: Me: Is it good? Server: Yes. (writing) Me: What advice do you give before ordering frog? (the menu says to ask the server for advice before ordering) Server: You want frog? Get the frog. Me: No but the menu says... Server: It's good (writing) OK, so I'm getting the frog. My sister ordered the mango shrimp. Her bf contemplated going with the mango shrimp but then decided on a chicken dish (not mango). Less than 5 minutes later, mango chicken came out. My sister politely said, "Excuse me but I didn't order chicken, I ordered shrimp." The person delivering the food brought it back to the kitchen. The server came right back with the plate and set it in front of my sister...and proceeded to argue with her that she did order the chicken. All of us were there and assured her that my sister did, in fact, order shrimp. We suggested that maybe she misunderstood as my sister's bf was deciding and wrote something down wrong. She continued to argue for several more minutes and then stomped away in a huff. Awkward. Our meals all came at different times. We were pretty sure that the mango shrimp was going to come back out with some special "ingredients" but it turns out her dish was pretty much shrimp with ketchup. The frog was mostly fat and bones and not great and sister's bf wasn't thrilled with the chicken either. So yeah, the food wasn't good, the service was absolutely ridiculous and I would never go back. The end. read more

The Malaysian food was so so. I tried this one noodle dish and the noodle was not good. The soup was fine but not amazing. However, any other Chinese dishes are amazing, I mean you are in Chinatown. The hainan chicken is ok for the price. The spicy beef is really good though and so is the Singapore noodles. Maybe because we came late but it felt like the space was trying to rush us out. The bathroom is kinda dirty too. Overall this place is ok. Would go back to try more of their Malaysian food since it's hard to find or I'm looking for a cheap dinner. read more

Penang - Hainan chicken. - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A great place for an authentic South Asian culinary experience in Boston, if you know what to order. The menu has a couple of hidden gems: Kang Kung Belacan: tender leaves and stalks sautéed to perfection in a fermented shrimp paste sauce. Despite the description of the ingredients, it is not at all pungent, or even the least bit spicy. We make this at home sometimes, and the labor of picking out the old stalks, and the skill it takes to pack this much flavor in a vegetable that releases so much water makes ordering this dish well worth it. Sizzling Penang Bean Curd: this dish may look deceptively uninteresting, but it is easily one of the best here. The egg tofu is creamy silky smooth on the inside, and its outer porous crispy skin soaks up all of that amazing gravy, which itself is well - flavored by the diced shrimp, carrots, and peas. A wonderfully composed sizzling platter Roti Canai: tissue paper thin, chewy, and crispy without being too oily. They're not pancakes so much as sheets, and their fine wrinkles make them perfect for dipping in the curry. Also recommend getting the chicken flavored rice read more

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I ate here a while back and am not just reviewing it. It was my birthday and my cousin took me here and overall, I enjoyed it. We had their soups, mixed seafood soup and it was delicious. Their service was great but the prices are a little high for me (though to be fair.. I wasn't paying because as I've stated it was my birthday). There's no parking but it's easily accessible from the Chinatown stop on the Orange Line. read more

I pass by this place all the time and just eat at Pho Pastuer across the street. But today I wanted to try something different. My husband and I made reservations for my family of 7. The food we chose were flavorful, a mix between Thai, Chinese and Indian. We got got the roti with chicken for appetizer, roti was soft and fluffy and you dip it in the chicken curry. We also got a whole chicken, season squid, sautéed green veggie and beef casserole . Absolutely yummy!! Will definitely be back to try something new . read more

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First, I want to give credit where credit is due. My fiance and I came here on Saturday night and the food here was quite good. I had the Roti Canai, which was extremely tasty. Then for my entree, I had the Chow Kueh Teow, also quite delicious. So, my complaints here are not with Penang's food, but everything with their service and false advertising. To be clear, Penang is NOT gluten-free. Despite several reassurances from my waiter that the coconut fried rice was gluten-free, we ended up ordering that for my fiance. Big mistake. Within ten minutes, she had nausea and vomiting because of Penang's clearly gluten-laden rice. To make matters worse, as we ate, we had to ask for the waiters to refill our water. Three separate times. It was unbelievably bad service. Luckily, my fiance only has a gluten insensitivity, not full-blown celiac disease. But if you do have celiac, I would avoid Penang at all costs. If you are not affected by gluten, again, I reiterate that the food was quite good. Just go elsewhere for any meaningful service. read more

Being Malaysian and eating Malaysian food as much as possible both here in the states (mom's cooking) and back in Malaysia (family, hawker stands), I was hoping to add some authenticity info in this review. Bak Kut Teh - This is one of the few places that I've seen this in. Nowhere near as good as a good Subang BKT but it's not bad. A little light on the herb flavor and heavy on the sauce flavor. The meat is tougher than it should be. Bak Kut Teh literally means Meat Bone Tea and the meat should be falling off the bone. Prawn Mee - I thought this was the most authentic dish we had. Good amount of soup and prawns. The soup was very good and the noodles well done. Recommended. Char Kuey Teow - My benchmark dish for Malaysian places. This was also pretty good. No clams :( but they did have a big piece of octopus which was a nice touch. $7 and pretty big. Love the decor and service was fast. If you've never had malaysia food, I do recommend getting the Bak Kut Teh and Char Kuey Teow. read more

Came here for lunch with one of my favorite yelpers as a last resort (one pho place was closed, the other packed). I remember going to the Harvard one in college, so didn't think we would have any problems here. And I was right. The decor was ok. I love exposed brick and liked the bamboo thing they had going on, but the colors were very muted and a bit drab. That said, I can see how this place would look great if there were more lighting or natural sunlight. The service was prompt - tea, water, appetizers, bill. One entree came a few minutes after the other, but it wasn't the end of the world. As far as the food goes, good Malaysian flavors and portion sizes. My noodles were great - with this caramelized onion action that was SO good. Lots of different textures worked well together. The roti canai (one of my favorite dishes anywhere) was well done, but the sauce was a little oily for me. The soup potions were very large as well. I would not turn this place down, but would probably try somewhere else in Chinatown before coming here again. That said, I could see it accommodate a large group well. read more

Penang is one of those places I always try to make a point of visiting whenever I'm in Boston, and I have been eating here for over 10 years. I'm not sure if this location is related to the ones in New Jersey anymore. On my most recent trip, I was actually in Lodi, NJ and passed by that location and said to myself, hmm, I'll be eating there in a few days, but I was very tempted to stop in and have a nibble - that's how much I enjoy Penang. My favorite item is the Roti Canai, and Penang is the first place I ever had this dish. Other favorites are the Hainanese Chicken, Pineapple Fried Rice, Mango Chicken, Yam Pot, but really, I've never had anything I didn't like. Portions are generous and reasonably priced. The servers are also really nice. This is a great place for big groups and something a little different from your usual Chinatown fare. read more

For my first taste of Malay food in the USA, I was dragged here by our dessert-loving ambassador for sugar Miss Hana T. Our mission? To secure the world against two more uneaten helpings of ABC - the shaved ice extravaganza. Penang didn't fully impress on entry - we had to stand and wait for 15 mins whilst the legion of staff busied themselves around the nice bamboo interior. You definitely get the feeling that this could be a chain and would be equally at home at a Framingham strip mall as they are here. But whatever. Where we did come unstuck, was when we heard that they were too busy to allow us to eat just dessert and go. That we be too cheap of us. Begrudgingly, we did order some roti canai and it was very good but the insistence left a sour taste. The ABC was awesome though. A mountain of sweet bizarreness that fully satisfied only a couple of hours after we'd finish lunch at L'Espalier. Kudos to Penang for that. read more