Lok Lok Steamboat in Penang

What is Lok Lok Steamboat in Penang?

12/14/2016

Lok Lok Steamboat (樂樂火鍋)

During my trip in Penang, I got to try a lot of the local foods. Penang cuisine is very diverse because it processes a blend of Indian, Chinese, Peranakan, Malay and Western cuisines. The mixture of cuisines reflect Penang’s image as a multicultural city very well. Most of these local cuisines can be found at road-side stalls, which is also known as ‘hawker food’. They are usually gathered in a cluster, where each stalls sell different type of dishes or cuisine to the neighbouring stall. Hawker food is usually cheaper than eating at indoors restaurant, making it very popular among both locals and tourists. In 2014, it was actually voted one of the top culinary destinations by Lonely Planet. In the photographs above and below, you will notice that there is a variety of food in sticks. These pictures represent a unique Penang-Chinese cuisine call Lok Lok. Lok Lok, in Chinese 樂樂 (which means double joy) derives from the traditional Chinese/ Cantonese hotpot meal, only difference is that the food is served skewered. In a traditional Chinese hotpot meal, the food would normally be cooked in hot boiling water or in a well-seasoned soup. Once cooked, the food would either be picked up by chopsticks or special sieve. However, Lok Lok makes it more convenient for eaters to pick up their food from the pot of hot boiling water. Another difference between Lok Lok and traditional hotpot meal is that Lok Lok’s cooking pot is attached to the eating table.

Be Careful! It’s Hot!

I really enjoy Lok Lok or hotpot meals because it can accommodate people with all types of dietary requirements (apart from the raw diet). The food ranges from seafood and meats to different types of vegetables. After the skewers of food are cooked in the boiling water, the food is usually dipped into a variety of sauces such as satay sauce, chilli sauce and fish sauce. You can tailor it to the taste of your liking, which is also another pro for this type of cuisine. Lok Lok is easy and almost self-serving but there is an element of fun in it as you interact with those you are dining with. There is nothing wrong with eating this alone, but as many Chinese influenced cuisine, this is best enjoyed when one is eating with others. To add to the atmosphere, the prices for Lok Lok are relatively cheap. I ate in a group of four and we stuffed our faces till our heart's content at the price of $50 Malaysian Ringgit in total. (That’s approximately equivalent to $94HKD, £9.80 British Pounds or $12USD)

My Friend Katheleen Enjoying Her First Lok Lok Experience.

Lok Lok Stall Vendor Preparing Food For Customers

How Can One Resist An Unlimited Supply Of Food?!

So where can you find Lok Lok in Penang you asked? I had my first Lok Lok experience in downtown of Georgetown at the Pulau Tikus Hawker Center. The place is open air, so be ready to sweat as you savour every bite of goodness in the never ending heat of Malaysia. Do comment below, would love to hear about your Lok Lok experiences!

Address: Pulau Tikus Hawker Center, Jalan Burma, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

As for now, Happy Jetsetting! ✈

P.S. Check out my vlog on http://bit.ly/VlogLokLok