Crushed peanuts, sugar and sweet corn (creamed corn) — these are some of the common ingredients typically added into the flour-based batter of an apam balik. A simple and economical local snack best enjoyed in the afternoon, you can even find the otherwise traditional apam balik with various sweet and savoury fillings. So, if you are up for some snacky delights, check out these Top 10 Places for Apam Balik in Penang.
1) Apom Chooi
If you love your apam balik thicker and fluffier, you can’t go wrong with Apom Chooi’s version. His original apam balik consists of sliced bananas and corn mixed all together to give it a nice, sweet finish. He also specifically uses pisang raja for his apam balik, which is known for its full-bodied aroma and custard-like sweetness. Other than the original apam balik, Apom Chooi also sells other flavours including Pandan and Sunflower Seed. You can locate his food truck operating at Jalan Burma every day from 10 am till 6 pm.
FB: BurmaApomChooi
2) Aki Pancake
Located at the bustling Super Tanker food court, Aki Pancake specialises in a wide range of ban chan kueh with different flavours available. Their ban chan kueh in question has a thicker pancake base on the outside, offering beyond the usual peanut-and-corn fillings. Expect an extensive menu here, covering everything from chocolate to brown sugar, coconut as well as banana and even raisins. How about a savoury type of apam balik for a change? Here, they have fillings like tuna cheese, pork floss and turkey ham with egg.
FB: Aki-Pancake
3) Apong Guan
Selling apam balik for over 50 years and still counting, Apong Guan is an old-school favourite among many Penangites. His classic apam balik is definitely one for the ages — fresh and piping-hot egg batter mixes with shredded coconut flesh, sliced bananas, sweet corns and some sugar. Each bite complements well between all the sweet fillings and its light, fluffy bite of the pancake on the outside.
FB: Apom-Guan
4) Apam Balik Station – Batu Ferringhi
Don’t be fooled by its humble-looking stall in Batu Ferringhi, as Apam Balik Station offers a whopping 32 different flavours to choose from! You can go for the classic peanut-and-sweet corn varieties or indulge in something different, namely their recommended Chocolate + Banana and Banana + Honey. And if you happen to be a huge fan of Nutella, they have them as well. Need an added boost of flavours? Try one of their 3-in-1 varieties, with the likes of Nutella + Banana + Oreo and Chocolate + Banana + Cheese.
FB: Apom-Balik-Station-Crispy-Batu-Ferringhi
5) Spice Pisa Cafe
Formerly known as Pisa Corner Cafe, Spice Pisa Cafe houses over 40 stalls selling various local food under one roof. And one of them happens to be a stall that sells good old-fashioned apom telur served on a banana leaf. Unlike the usual Chinese-style of pancake, the traditional Indian apom telur has an elevated soft, white dough in the centre with a milky sweetness surrounding its crispy edges.
FB: spicepisacafe
6) Swee Kong Cafe
This family-run stall from Swee Kong Cafe is no stranger to serving traditional apam balik, having done so for decades. Each batter is cooked in a hot claypot over the charcoal flame — a result that gives its apam balik a light and fluffy texture. There’s a subtle hint of sweetness too upon each bite, thanks to the added coconut milk. But if you prefer a more savoury choice, you can opt for the eggy version of apam balik, with a crack of an egg added into the batter during the cooking process.
FB: Swee-Kong-Cafe-Pulau-Tikus
7) Ah Hui Pancake Jelutong
Favouring the old-school charcoal fire over a gas, Ah Hui’s traditional ban chan kueh is as authentic as it gets. He skillfully layers the batter with a handful of crushed peanuts and sugar before cooking them all together, resulting in a flavourful and chewy soft centre and crispy on the outside. Other than the peanut flavour, Ah Hui also sells different varieties like egg, sweet corn and even brown sugar.
8) Apom Balik Triple Q
Fancy a contemporary take on the otherwise old-school apam balik? Then, you might want to check out Apom Balik Triple Q’s range of exciting flavours consisting of everything from chocolate to banana and strawberry. And if you are adventurous enough, they even include the savoury Mozzarella cheese version as well as other unusual varieties like pepperoni pizza and beef/chicken floss.
FB: Apom-Balik-Triple-Q-Fz | IG: tripleqfzpenang
9) Apom Manis @ Dato Keramat
This decades-old apam balik stall adheres to the traditional claypot-and-charcoal fire method when it comes to making them. But beyond its classic flavour, owner Uncle Guna also introduced his own Apom Special consisting of egg, cheddar cheese and butter. No doubt a robust combination that gives his apam balik a denser and creamier taste.
10) New Cathay Cafe
This husband-and-wife stall near New Cathay Cafe has been in the apam balik business for over two decades. You can go for their original flavour, which has the aromatic sweetness of coconut milk with a fluffy centre and crispy edges on the outside. For something different, try their apam balik with a sunny-side-up twist, offering the savoury punch of an added egg on top of its sweet pancake base.
That’s not all! More Top 10s in Malaysia are waiting to be discovered, and you can also check out more business recommendations at Carilocal.com!
The compilation of this list was made from accumulation of Public Votes at TallyPress.com.
