Comparing Laksa across three restaurants — an honest verdict

I ate Laksa at three different restaurants in the same week to compare. The results were illuminating. The use of pandan varied significantly — only one got it right. The richly spiced and coconut-sweet profile should be consistent but interpretation differs widely.

Penang is considered the food capital of Malaysia and rivals Singapore for hawker excellence. The best version came from a mamak 24-hour restaurant, which felt authentic. teh tarik was offered at all three but only one knew how to serve it properly. The gap between mediocre and excellent Laksa is larger than you'd think.