PENANG FOOD BLOGS
May 31st 2011 14:52
:
Penang Restaurant Recommendations
If you are reading this post and are expecting me to recommend some blogs on Penang food, forget it. I am not going to discuss particular food blogs. I am going to talk about food blogs in general. You may find a couple of sites about food elsewhere in my posts, but these are from people I know and trust.
If you search the internet for certain restaurants in Penang, or just search for Penang food, you are bound to see a large number of food blogs. There are beautiful photos and delicious sounding desriptions on all of the blogs. What you don't find are honest reviews, like you can find in Food Sections of major newspapers or on online food critic websites originating in the west. Most of the reviews on the Malaysian food blogs are written by people who are actually paid by the restaurant to blog their food. You won't find a review containing any negative comments about the food. I think the bloggers are afraid of hurting someones feelings or getting sued.
One pet peeve of mine in regards to local food blogs is when they review Western food. I followed the advice of a couple of bloggers recommending the Italian food at a few Italian restaurants. In my opinion the food at the three restaurants I tried was absolutely disgusting. At one restaurant I could not even finish the food. I have eaten Italian food in Italy, New York City and in Boston's Italian NorthEnd, as well as eating it with my many friends of Italian heritage. No comparison at all. I don't understand how someone can blog or recommend Italian food if they don't know how it should taste.
Regarding reviews of Western Food, the readers must realize that Western Food in Malaysia is nothing like food in the west. It's been Malaysianized, so to speak. Just like much of Chinese food in the US has been Americanized and tastes nothing like real Chinese food. Just about every Western restaurant has something called "Maryland Chicken". I have no idea what it is and I am sure it doesn't exist in Maryland. So once again I don't understand how someone can review Western food if they don't really know what Western food is.
What the local food bloggers DO know is Chinese, Indian and Malay food. I definitley would follow the recommendations from these bloggers regarding local food. Many times I have dined at restaurants and other eating establishments I have found in local food blogs. I have found though, that the best recommendations regarding local food comes not from bloggers, but from my local friends. I rely on their opinions and they rely on mine, regarding American or Western food.
There are times when I wish I could have a good meal at a nice Italian restaurant or wish there was a Greek or Mexican restaurant here. When I get the urge I have to cook my own. I feel though that for the best variety of local food, nowhere beats Penag. For me I think the only way to find the best food is to try everything myself and see what best suits my own tastes.
If you search the internet for certain restaurants in Penang, or just search for Penang food, you are bound to see a large number of food blogs. There are beautiful photos and delicious sounding desriptions on all of the blogs. What you don't find are honest reviews, like you can find in Food Sections of major newspapers or on online food critic websites originating in the west. Most of the reviews on the Malaysian food blogs are written by people who are actually paid by the restaurant to blog their food. You won't find a review containing any negative comments about the food. I think the bloggers are afraid of hurting someones feelings or getting sued.
One pet peeve of mine in regards to local food blogs is when they review Western food. I followed the advice of a couple of bloggers recommending the Italian food at a few Italian restaurants. In my opinion the food at the three restaurants I tried was absolutely disgusting. At one restaurant I could not even finish the food. I have eaten Italian food in Italy, New York City and in Boston's Italian NorthEnd, as well as eating it with my many friends of Italian heritage. No comparison at all. I don't understand how someone can blog or recommend Italian food if they don't know how it should taste.
Regarding reviews of Western Food, the readers must realize that Western Food in Malaysia is nothing like food in the west. It's been Malaysianized, so to speak. Just like much of Chinese food in the US has been Americanized and tastes nothing like real Chinese food. Just about every Western restaurant has something called "Maryland Chicken". I have no idea what it is and I am sure it doesn't exist in Maryland. So once again I don't understand how someone can review Western food if they don't really know what Western food is.
What the local food bloggers DO know is Chinese, Indian and Malay food. I definitley would follow the recommendations from these bloggers regarding local food. Many times I have dined at restaurants and other eating establishments I have found in local food blogs. I have found though, that the best recommendations regarding local food comes not from bloggers, but from my local friends. I rely on their opinions and they rely on mine, regarding American or Western food.
There are times when I wish I could have a good meal at a nice Italian restaurant or wish there was a Greek or Mexican restaurant here. When I get the urge I have to cook my own. I feel though that for the best variety of local food, nowhere beats Penag. For me I think the only way to find the best food is to try everything myself and see what best suits my own tastes.
Custom Search
| 20 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
