Genki Canteen 元气食堂 - A Premium Local Penang Hawker Food Cafe - Crisp of Life

If you want to see a succesful example of upselling in food industry, visit Genki Canteen 元气食堂 at Island Glades Penang. The modern and simple cafe offers conventional Penang street food such as Hokkien Mee, Nasi Lemak, toasts and coffee but more than double of usual price tag you get in hawkers. While it is true that at Genki Canteen, you get premium services such as dedicated parkings, friendly service and air conditioned environment but the price may be the sole and compelling deterrent factor for a second visit. Anyway, the food here is above average, and it is worthy to come here once for own experience.

The signature at Genki Canteen is Hokkien Mee and Nasi Lemak. The cafe offers Signature Hokkien Mee at RM 9.90 (which is about double of usual hawker price), while addition of pork rib and prawns to the noodle have the price tag of RM 15.90 and RM 16.90 respectively. Genki Canteen's Hokkien Mee are nicely presented, although it did not differ much in terms of the ingredients offerings and portion. The taste is good though, brimming with nice and rich prawn scent and sleek in taste.

You can choose different ingredients to go with Genki Canteen's Signature Nasi Lemak, namely pork rib, fried chicken (both RM 15.90), assam prawns (RM 16.90) or or combo (RM 19.90). The rice is nicely cooked with aromatic coconut scent, and the pork ribs we had were tender and enjoyable in texture. However, the sambal taste is somehow lackluster and did not shine for our likings. Overall, we would go for elsewhere to enjoy a nasi lemak with ikan bilis for RM 2.

Genki Canteen offers value set of their toast at RM 7.50, which you get to enjoy a type of bread and a cup of soft boiled egg, which is rather steep for the price. The Roti Butter Kaya is nicely toasted and enjoyable. As for the drinks, Genki Red Bean Ice Blend (RM 8.90) is a must order here in our opinion and the Kopi Cham (RM 5.90) is decent.

Overall, the food in Genki Canteen is above average but to enjoy these local classic food with such price is an extravaganza. However, without doubt there will always be crowd coming here for trial and experiences.