Happy Realm Vegetarian Food Centre - Penang

Sometimes the best experiences in life are ones that you neither plan nor expect.  During my Penang visit we were on the way to eat at a vegan organic cafe called JenxDan Lifestyle.  It was quite a disappointment to find this place was closed due to renovations.  However, during the dejected walk back, we found this olden style vegetarian restaurant, which has been existing in Penang for over 30 years now.



Happy Realm Vegetarian Food Centre
Location: 223-B Jalan Burma, Penang
Contact: +6-016-487-4323
Opening Hours: Daily 10am-2pm & 5pm-9pm


The menu at Happy Realm is quite typical, customers won't see anything too out of the ordinary as they are flicking through the pages.  Pricing is pretty reasonable overall.  This restaurant is run by a husband and wife team - The bond between these two is really quite heart-warming, and I found both to be very humble and kind.  It is great to see after 30 years in this business, they are both still so passionate about serving good food to their customers.
First dish to arrive was the Claypot Noodles.  Almost all the dishes at Happy Realm come in three sizes - Small, medium and large.  For this review, every dish is 'small'.  I found this claypot to be strong in flavour, and I was delighted by the diversity of ingredients that could be found inside.  I particularly loved the many types of mushrooms.  The noodles were bouncy, and matched ideally with the claypot sauce.  Only potential negative is that the salt level may be a little too high for some customers.

Price: RM5.00.     7/10


If you're going to Penang, then one of the dishes you must eat is the Fried Kway Teow.  Penang is universally known for selling the most delicious smokey char kway teow in the world, so it is really an injustice to your stomach not to try it.  During my entire Penang adventure, Happy Realm probably produced the best char kway teow overall.  As you can see by the picture, the kway and other ingredients were charred perfectly by the chef.  This charring really translates into a beautiful smell, and a delicious flavour.  This is an eggless restaurant, so this dish is totally vegan.

Price: RM3.50.     9/10


The last dish to arrive was the Vegetarian Duck with Special Filling.  For those that are opposed to greasy fried food, then this is a dish you should avoid.  Even for myself, after a few pieces, I did feel a slightly lack of desire to continue.  For those who secretly enjoy greasy food, then you will certainly enjoy this dish.  The mock duck has a satisfying crispy outer texture and a soft chewy centre.  This mock meat is derived from beancurd, it is also a little on the salty side.

Price: RM10.00.     6/10


Conclusion - Quality food made by a lovely humble husband and wife, what could be better?  Even though I stumbled upon this place by accident, I would definitely recommend you make it a part of your food itinerary when visiting Penang.

Overall Rating
Food - 8/10
Ambiance- 7/10
Service - 9/10
Value - 7/10