The Golden River at Batu Ferringhi has been noted by locals and repeat tourists as Penang’s best kept secret. The open-air, casual restaurant is located down a side street opposite Golden Sands. It serves Chinese food at a cheap price and the menu features dishes with sweet and sour fish slices, succulent pork, eggplant, gong bau chicken and bean curd stew. The food is full of flavor and there is an extensive seafood menu.

The restaurant does not have a specific children’s menu, but dishes can be made less spicy or without certain ingredients for youngsters. Kids are welcome at Golden River and dishes such as fried chicken, sticky rice and black pepper chicken or pork ribs may appeal to them.

An appeal for some is that it’s one of the only places locally where pork is on the menu. Parents of young or noise-sensitive children should note it’s not the quietest of restaurants. For the grown-ups, they sell cheap beer!

Hours

It’s open 6 to 10 p.m. every day except Tuesday, when it is closed.