Places to visit and to eat at. This list is still a work in progress. If I ever do get to live abroad in other places in the future, I'd be more than happy to expand this list to include that city/town/region.
For friends, family, classmates, acquintances, etc. who ask me what places they should visit when visiting Penang or Melbourne.
-
Penang (Island), Malaysia
Places to visit
- George Town (City Centre) / UNESCO World Heritage Zone
- Fort Cornwallis
- Penang War Museum
- Armenian Street
Places to eat
Asian/Traditional
- Wan Tan Mee House
- Sin Hwa Coffee Shop (Recommended: Wan Tan Mee)
- Tai Tong (Dim Sum and homecooked rice-and-dishes)
- Aik Hoe (Dim Sum)
- Richard Rivalee's Cafe (Nyonya cuisine)
Hawker
- Sri Weld Food Court (Recommended: Nasi Lemak, Thai Belacan Fried Rice, Mee Goreng)
- Viva Local Food Haven
- 77 Food Yard (Recommended: Char Kuey Kak, Eggs & Toast set)
- Chulia Street Night Hawker Stalls (Recommended: Char Hor Fun, Wan Tan Mee)
Western/Fusion
- Mizi Bistro (at Tesco Tanjung Bunga)
- Tasty Toasty (Recommended: Teriyaki Chicken Chop)
- Yeng Keng Cafe and Bar (also has Hainanese-style homecooked rice-and-dishes)
- Mews Cafe
- China House (awesome schnitzels, lots of really nice cakes too)
- All Right Western Food (Hai Beng Coffee Shop)
Cafe/Snacks
- Ah Wang Cafe (Kaya toast and Malaysian-style coffee)
- The Alley (Churros and pretty good Italian/Western coffee)
-
Melbourne, Australia
Places to visit
Markets (incl. their own eateries)
Melbourne CBD and environs
- State Library of Victoria (incl. medieval manuscripts, Sumerian clay tablets, Ned Kelly's armour)
- National Gallery of Victoria
- Flinders Street Station and Federation Square
- Bourke Street Mall (main shopping area)
- Carlton Gardens + Melbourne Museum + Royal Exhibition Building
Further out
- Fitzroy and environs
- Melbourne Zoo
Places to eat
Cafe
- The Queensberry Pour House
- Captains of Industry (coffee, sandwiches, leather products, barbershop)
- Manchester Press
- Seven Seeds Specialty Coffee
- Humble Rays
Breakfast
- Nearly anything along Degraves Street (be prepared to be there between 6AM to 7AM to avoid the crowds)
Western (Australian/British, Mexican)
- Tank Fish & Chippery
- Mamasita (Mexican; don't go at peak times without a reservation)
European (Italian, Spanish)
- 400 Gradi (Recommended: Margherita pizza)
- Simply Spanish (at South Melbourne Market) (Recommended: paella, the pork)
- Brunetti (Carlton)
- Stuzzichino (Recommended: spaghetti carbonara)
- Universal Italian Restaurant (huge portion sizes, not 100% authentic Italian but still a bang-for-your-buck)
Asian (Malaysian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean)
- Laksa King (Glen Waverley) (Chinese Malaysian)
- Mamak (Melbourne) (Malaysian)
- Nasi Lemak House (Malay Malaysian)
- Norsiah's Kitchen (Malay Malaysian)
- Rice Bar (Cantonese Chinese; homecooked-style food)
- 127 Cafe Go (Cantonese Chinese; homecooked-style food)
- Bamboo House (Cantonese Chinese)
- Shark Fin Inn or Shark Fin House (Cantonese Chinese; Dim Sum in the morning and afternoon)
- Secret Kitchen (Cantonese Chinese; Dim Sum)
- Not sure what this place is called (Chinese; Recommended: red chilli fish, fried kong po chicken)
- Jinda Thai Restaurant (Thai; next to Richmond Station, long waiting times)
- Ying Thai 2 (Thai)
- Rice Paper (Vietnamese)
- Sam Sam Korean Chicken (Korean)
Fusion
- Red Spice QV or Red Spice Road
- Chin Chin (long waiting times)
- Longrain
- Rice Paper Scissors (very long waiting times)
Snacks