Before Halab Penang took over the white bungalow at Chulia Street, the space was a bar with a live band.
I remember watching patrons share Shisha (flavored tobacco) at little tables on a fantastic night.
The hours when traffic slowed, and nightlife started to bustle, and I was with my editors and journos.
They had their beers and shared Shisha.
I had my Teh Tark and shared the fumes and tunes from honky tonk local band made up of taxi drivers and their friends.
Chulia Street isn’t the only place to enjoy eating out.
Accommodations range from fancy boutique hotels like Yeng Keng Hotel to cheap hostels.
Further up on Chulia Street, there are lively street food suppers.
Down on Love Lane, there are little cafes and bars.
Halab Penang has turned the white heritage home into a glitzy, modern restaurant.
Eating Middle Eastern Spices At Halab Restaurant
I remember going on a food hunt with Nessa in 2018.
We waited in anticipation to savor the Middle Eastern cuisine for the new kid on the block to open.
My first taste of Arabic food was at Tarbush Restaurant, near the Grand Millennium Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
Since my first experience with shish kebabs, I’ve become very impartial to the taste of Middle Eastern spices and crave excellent Shawarma most weekdays.
When I traveled for work, my companions and I would visit Middle Eastern restaurants in the region.
Whole grains like wheat and rice are the staple of the Middle Eastern diet, and barley is often used.
For me, Pita bread is the best to be eaten at nearly every meal.
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Halab Penang’s World of Middle Eastern Cuisine
Halab is a departure from other Middle-Eastern Penang restaurants mainly serve Lebanese food.
The restaurant offers food from Aleppo, Syria.
Syrian cuisine has an extensive selection of dishes with delicious names that roll off your tongue wickedly.
Kebab, Kibbeh, Dolma, Hummus, Za’atar Halabi, and more that I can’t pronounce!
My first meal – Halab Penang, has drawn me to return at least once a year to enjoy the delicious food.
The service is friendly and professional.
Since 2018, Halab Penang has served traditional classics like Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Shawarma, and grilled meat entrees to an ever-growing list of regulars and fans.
My first meal at Halab Penang was in 2019—lots of mains and sharing plates.
Halab Penang Modern Restaurant
When you step into Halab Penang, you will appreciate the spacious, bright, clean, modern restaurant with Middle Eastern features.
The restaurant has several areas for dining.
There is a grilling station behind a glass partition that I always peek at, hoping that the meat will cook faster!
You see friendly cooks preparing food and managing a charcoal grill and a vertical shawarma rotisserie, and your tummy goes YUMMMMMMMMsssssss.
The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining areas.
If you’re a non-smoker and hate mosquitos and the humidity of a T, you’ll choose to dine in an air-conditioned restaurant like me.
Dinner at Halab Penang before the restaurant gets bustling from 9.00 PM onwards.
Halab Penang Menu
Halab Penang is run by Syrians, with Syrian cooks, and offers Middle Eastern dishes with Syrian accents.
For those who like to scream “Expensive,” the mouth-watering menu has large serving portions that justify the price tag.
Yes, the food and drinks are worth your money.
There’s a wide range of Mediterranean food available.
If you like rice and Chicken, Halab Penang is worth checking out for some delicious Briyani in a very comfortable setting.
Halab Penang Service
I have been here for dinner at least once a year.
Most of the time, I’ll wonder what to eat at Halab Penang if I live in Syria.
The restaurant runs at total capacity every trip I’ve been here for lunch and dinner.
One of these days, I will drop in for breakfast to check out the morning menu.
Halab Penang was short-staffed, and the diehards’ crew worked nonstop for my recent trip with Penelope.
The crew is pleasant, helpful, and friendly, given the long hours the restaurant opens daily.
One of the best Iftar Meals I hope Halab Penang brings back is the Iftar buffet.
Very delicious, and you get to sample almost all the items on their menu at the buffet line.
Penang has a great Iftar Menu, which I enjoyed with friends in 2019.
What To Eat At Halab Penang?
There is a lot of celebratory food for Little Miss Greedy and Little Miss Boss Girl Eater.
In addition to the enormous platter of Mixed Appetizers, our small table was cluttered with two mains: Grilled Drumsticks and Freaka Lamb, and our pots of lovely tea.
Of course, we didn’t think we could eat so many types of dishes and so much food.
Penelope, aka Boss Girl Eater, is always eternally optimistic.
Penelope: You are so greedy. Of course, you can finish, and I’m just here to help you eat.
Contents
Mixed Appetizers
The Mixed appetizer platter set the mood for the evening.
Baba Ghanoush, Muhammarah (a roasted red pepper dip), Hummus, and Grape Leaves (Stuffed Grape Leaves With Rice and Herbs) served with thin Pita bread.
When it comes to dips, my first love was Hummus.
Then I fell hard for Baba Ghanoush.
Baba Ghanoush is similar to Hummus but uses grilled or roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas.
But that vivacious vixen Muhammarah finally won me over for good.
Penelope: I thought you said Simon Sinek!
Dory: Shhhhh!
Muhammarah is a hearty roasted red pepper dip that’s a medley of smooth, slightly smoky, familiar yet exotic, and spicy enough flavor!
I never thought red pepper, spices (notes of smoked Paprika?), and olive oil could taste so good.
A great starter to be shared for a table of four.
But guess who finished all the pita bread and Muhammarah! <points finger everywhere>
There is a good reason why the Muhammarah is right before me! <wink!>
Penelope had a go at the Grape Leaves and managed three.
Score 3 – 0
Penelope: Why are you not eating your Grape Leaves? It’s a work of art. See the chef putting so much effort into wrapping the tiny grape leaves?
Dory: Me and Grave Leaves are not on speaking terms atm.
Penelope: DUH
Clockwise from top: Baba Ghanoush (mashed eggplant, parsley, green pepper, red pepper & condiments), Hummus (mashed chickpeas & spices), Muhammarah (spicy red pepper dip from Aleppo, Syria). Middle: Warak Enab (grape leaves with rice and herbs).
Grilled Drumsticks
I’ve had the Mixed Grill, which is delicious, but chicken drumsticks are my favorite.
So let’s stick to eating Chicken – such a versatile meat that can taste so deliciously.
These flavorsome chicken drumsticks infused with Middle Eastern spices are my standard order whenever I dine at Halab Penang.
Penelope: Everyone in Penang also knows you love to order Chicken in any style!
Everything was freshly prepared upon order a la minute.
There are lovely, smokey flavors from the barbecued meats.
All the drumsticks were beautifully seasoned and grilled to perfectly tender.
One for Penelope and five for Dory!
Score 1 – 5
The Grilled Drumsticks, to me, is a Star Dish!
Succulent tender and perfectly spiced Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
The best condiment is Garlic Sauce!
Freaka Lamb
I know of Lamb Chops, Lamb Kebabs, Boneless Lamb Cubes, and delicious Lamb Meatballs, but what is a Freak Lamb?
One of the dishes I would never have ordered on my own is this excellent pilaf with roasted lamb, spring peas, and barley.
Thanks to Penelope, I got to try it.
The tender lamb is very juicy and tasty.
Penelope: The taste is modified for local taste buds, but the dish is good overall.
Dory nods in agreement since the furthest she’s been to is Turkey, the birthplace of the vertically roasted döner kebab.
Penelope lived in Dubai for years!
Verdict: Surprisingly, it is not a strong-tasting lamb but an exotic specialty.
Penelope liked Some other dishes, but we didn’t order for the last of stomach space.
She was regaling me with Dubai food stories and their garden salads.
A garden of greens is served with every meal.
Dory: WAHHHHH, Garden!!! But no Chicken? Do they have Chicken in Dubai?
Penelope: Eat the barley; it’s good for you, Dory.
Dory: You know the relationship thingy? Barley and me also not on speaking terms.
Penelope: We know you only speak Chicken.
Dory: Big Grin.
Freaka Lamb with barley, green peas, and cashew nuts.
Fattoush
A refreshing Levantine chopped salad with fresh-cut raw vegetables of various flavors and textures.
It usually comprises mixed greens, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, and other vegetables, complemented by small pieces of fried khubz, a Middle Eastern flatbread.
I suggested Kanafeh, something I had tried before and liked.
And I thought lovingly of Turkish Delight—that cube of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts, or walnuts bound by a starch gel and lots of sugar.
I think it’s either the rosewater or bergamot orange that made me addicted to munching on it.
Penelope: Yeah, maybe it’s the mastic gum, Dory – you be bouncing off the ceiling.
Dory: Why! Regarding the sweets, we didn’t order them. Sobs.
Kunafeh is magical, something we could gorge on after dinner.
What’s not to like about the oh-so-sweet mix of vermicelli, ricotta cheese, and Pistachio nuts?
It’s a melt-in-mouth delight oozing with cheese!
Kanafeh
A dessert throughout the Middle East, Kanafeh consists of delightfully gooey, stringy cheese coated in thinly shredded phyllo pastry and topped with sweet syrup.
Falafel
Penelope’s favorite is made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, herbs, and spices. The mixture is then formed into balls or patties and deep-fried!
Halab Penang Coffee & Teas
For those who like a hot drink to complement a good meal, Halab Penang offers Arabic Coffee, Turkish Coffee, several Teas, and a selection of desserts from the counter.
Arabic and Turkish coffee is served black and made with finely ground coffee. I just ordered the tea! Image: Halab Penang Facebook
Adani Teapot (S) RM15
There are only many places where I enjoy good Milk Tea – Trois Canon Cafe, Bee’s Home, and Halab Penang.
Everywhere else I go, it’s coffee all the way.
Hot, milky tea at Halab was delicious, as always.
Here’s why I don’t order Arabic and Turkish coffee, which are very similar.
Arabic and Turkish coffee is served black, made with finely ground coffee.
I don’t particularly appreciate tasting the grounds served with the coffee.
The main difference is that Turkish coffee usually does not contain cardamom.
Arabic coffee usually contains cardamom and other spices.
Verdict: We ordered two pots!
On the last trip, we went with Kynexx and had three teapots!
Shami Zhworat
Of special mention is the Shami Zhworat, an Arabic flower herbal infusion RM15 (for a teapot, serves two)
The tea brewed from the dried flowers has a golden hue and a mild, flowery flavor similar to chamomile.
It was supposedly a wonderfully calming drink that complemented and rounded off a heavy meal.
Verdict: It tastes like chamomile tea; it makes me sleepy! Yawns!
Halab Penang Desserts
The dessert counter has big jars of Nutella on display!
Halab Penang has one of the largest selections of Middle-Eastern sweets.
If you have a sweet tooth, Halab Penang has it covered for you. Image: Halab Penang Facebook
Fuschini Crepe
A decadent classic crepe topped so much fun with what felt like an avalanche of Nutella Ganache!
These crepes are decadent, sweet, creamy, and a complete meal.
Dory: Complete your dine-in experience at Halab Penang by trying their tasty Nutella-based desserts.
Penelope: I saw you make goo-goo eyes at the Nutella jars waltzing in, Dory!
Dory: You must order the crepes with Nutella!
Penelope: Please, you, eat that by yourself, Dory.
Twenty minutes later, after much swirling around the crepe ribbons and feeling hyper and queasy.
Dory: Helps???? Penelope???
Penelope: Nope!
Dory: Glups…
Dory: HELPS! Surrender.
Penelope: Is okay, leave it.
Rice Milk
I was eyeing the Syrian Rose Flavored Rice Pudding and wished I had been less greedy.
I stabbed at my Fuschini Crepe, drowning in Nutella, and gave up after my tenth mouthful.
Something that generally happens when you overindulge in sweets and desserts.
Penelope with her Rice Milk.
No photo. She finished that bowl and smiled.
Halab Penang Dinner Cost
The dinner cost RM199.10 for two people.
The service charge is 10%
Lots of meats and seafood to go with rice or bread! Image: Halab Penang Facebook
Celebrating Your Birthday At Halab Penang
Just inform the restaurant if you plan to celebrate your loved one’s birthday or your birthday at Halab.
The birthday celebration will be a hit.
All the restaurant staff gathering around and singing a happy birthday song, particularly for the birthday person!
The welcoming ambiance is why everyone keeps coming back over and over again!
Syrians and other Arabs in George Town are their base clientele, but many Penangites and visitors love the food and atmosphere.
Halab Penang Parking
Free Parking is available for patrons behind the restaurant.
Access to Parking is through a small side lane beside the building.
Go earlier if you want a Free Parking spot!
Halab Penang Busy Dinner Time
The restaurant tends to get busier as the evening wears on.
For Middle Easterners, dinner is usually eaten late.
They noramlly eat after evening and night prayers, generally beginning around 8.00 PM or 9.00 PM.
When we left at 10.00 PM, other diners were rolling in.
The restaurant closes at midnight to cater to Middle Easterners’ fondness for socializing and shisha smoking throughout the night.
So a table indoors sounds like a mighty fine idea!
Halab Penang Review
Halab Penang has generous portions, and the prices are reasonable.
In 2019, I had one of the best Iftar Buffets here.
The staff punctures the bustling atmosphere by singing Happy Birthday as patrons celebrate happily with family and friends.
Halab Penang Restaurant is a pleasant place to dine, with long business hours from 10:30 AM to 11 PM.
The crowds are significant, and a long line is usually formed during dinner.
It’s advisable to choose an indoor table since the alfresco area can be quite noisy due to the bustling Chulia Street traffic
After nearly two years of travel restrictions, the lively and welcoming atmosphere whisked us away on a magical journey.
It felt like we were gliding on a magic carpet, reliving the Disney classic “A Whole New World.”
I was in Turkey and Penelope in Dubai many years ago, and we were reminded of what travel was like for us a lifetime ago.
I looked around.
Nope, there was no belly dancer to liven things up, no shisha pipes in the corner, and only pounding live music from Pokok across the street.
Sometimes, I’ll sit at the Hong Kong Bar next door and enjoy the slow pace.
These are just lame Dory and Penelope jokes. LOL
There are a lot of other attractions in Penang to check out if you’re visiting!
Halab Penang (Middle Eastern Restaurant)
Address: 381 Chulia Street, 10200 George Town, Penang
Hours: 10.30 AM to 12.00 AM
Website: Halab Penang
Blog Disclosure: This is a NOT sponsored blog post. All opinions are mine. The writer and friends paid for their meal.
