For over 40 years, Princess Terrace has been one of Singapore’s favouritehaunts for savouring authentic Penang specialities. Its no-frills setting takes guests back into the 1970s, while Penang classics like Penang assam laksa transport them to a hawker centre in Penang, Malaysia. Apart from said laksa, perennial favourites include Hokkien prawn noodle soup, satay, popiah (fresh spring rolls) and kueh pie tee. The latter is a traditional Straits Chinese delicacy comprising delicate fried pastry shells filled with a scrumptious mixture of stewed and shredded carrots, jicama and dried shrimp, topped with lashings of vinegar-spiked chilli sauce.

Other must-tries include the spicy chicken curry, otak (spiced fish paste wrapped in banana leaf), barbecued chicken wings and sambal sotong (squid stewed in a chilli jam). Leaving space for dessert might seem like a challenge after tackling the savoury selection, but it is a must because the sweets are equally irresistible.

Savour traditional Nonya cakes like kueh lapis (rainbow layer cake) and kueh ko swee (brown sugar and glutinous rice cakes dusted with freshly grated coconut). Ban chang kueh, or crispy peanut pancakes, are filled the perfect ration of sweet crushed peanut filling to friable-round-the-edges batter. Another rare delicacy that fans return for is the apom bokwa, rice flour and coconut milk pancakes served with a rich banana sauce.

Wash down the sumptuous spread with a free-flow of teh tarik (pulled tea) or a fiery teh halia (ginger tea). The meal is much like a culinary tour of Penang, right in the air-conditioned comforts of a hotel dining room.