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Penang

Penang is one of eight restaurants by that name, in Queens, Manhattan and Nassau -- each with its own distinct atmosphere and cooking style. This Elmhurst establishment, conveniently located in a shopping mall with a parking lot, is probably my favorite, serving consistently well-prepared dishes that always leave me satisfied.

The spacious dining room has large tables to accommodate big parties, as well as more intimate tables for two. The room is decorated in dark woodsy hues, and the waitresses, dressed in colorful Malaysian skirts, offer bright spots of contrast.

Typically, a Malaysian meal is served all at once -- breads, soup, noodles and curries, all arriving more or less together. Be sure to order bread. Rotis, Indian-style flat breads, were delicious served hot out of the oven with a bowl of chicken curry for dipping. The wonton soup, maybe the best in the borough, had tender, nearly transparent dumplings stuffed with chunks of shrimp and parsley in a clear pork broth with Chinese greens.

Chicken satay, char-grilled boneless morsels marinated in soy sauce, lime juice, ginger and garlic, also were excellent. Skewered on wooden sticks, the tender meat came with a nutty peanut sauce sweetened with coconut milk, and a garnishing of raw cucumber slices and quartered red onions.

Of the noodle dishes, I especially enjoyed the char kway teow, with linguine-like rice noodles, sauteed with fresh shrimp, squid, bean sprouts, scrambled eggs and crisp pork, and seasoned with soy sauce and hot chile paste; its unique flavor came from salty, savory, deep-fried bits of pork fat.

Kari ayam, a house specialty, was a rich, mild, red curry, with chunks of chicken on the bone and quartered potatoes. Made with coconut milk, it had a creamy broth that was especially good eaten with tender, aromatic coconut rice. For some reason, our waitress was concerned that we would be upset about the chicken being served on the bone; so, be prepared for that.

Many vegetarian dishes are available. Malaysian Buddhist Delight, an all-vegetable dish, had sauteed cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, three different types of mushrooms, baby corn and fried tofu tossed in a pungent sauce flavored with tamari, a sauce similar to soy sauce, but thicker and more strongly flavored.

Lady Finger Belacan had whole pieces of okra sauteed and tossed in a fiery sauce of shrimp paste and garlic. The okra was cooked lightly so it was still crunchy; it was an interesting texture, though I found myself wishing it had been cooked more. To end the meal, we had ice kacang, a refreshing dessert of shaved ice, topped with a sweet concoction of red beans, yellow corn, palm seeds, gelatinous green strips, red rose syrup and coconut milk. And for later at home, I bought a container of delicate peanut shortbread cookies from the stack by the cash register.

Penang's menu contains 164 items, and I've only scratched the surface. I look forward to eating there some more.

Reviewed by Rose Kim, 5/30/2003.

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Wheelchair Access