Different Dialects Different Flavours Different Stories
By Chong Lee Choo
December 2024 FEATURE
WHENEVER I THINK of the diversity of Chinese cuisine, which is most distinct between the different dialect groups, a particular memory always comes to mind—a slightly uncomfortable one. It happened years ago in a Hakka restaurant nestled in a mall. I had ordered Hakka noodles and yam abacus (算盘子)—familiar and comforting dishes for me. My dining companion—who is Hokkien—however, flipped through the menu sceptically. When our dishes arrived, she took one look and announced flatly, “These don’t look appetising at...
Chong Lee Choo
is a local media professional who is passionate about observation, and has long been focusing on
and writing about Penang’s local culture, customs and human stories.
