A Herbivore in Penang supports locally owned small businesses, artists and handmade products.
Chai Diam Ma manages to step right in and fit the bill perfectly on all accounts.
Chai Diam Ma means ‘little sundry shop’ in Hokkien, the lingua franca of Penang. The little sundry shops from the yesteryear will evoke nostalgia for those born before the 90’s as it was the go to place to buy little snacks after school. Now with hyper-marts mushrooming faster than one can keep track, most sundry shops are as hard to find as four leaf clovers.
Queen Lee’s devotion to create a space for local artists to showcase their works and preserve a piece of the local’s old Penang is admirable.
The shop is peppered with knick knacks from top to bottom. Most furnitures were rescued from being dumped into landfills and were given a coat of paint or adored with drawings.
Their menu is small. They have one food item that is vegetarian, besides cakes. Do note that their cakes aren’t vegan. We were full from brunch when we visited. A second visit will follow to try their udon noodles with mushrooms.
Food pictures:
1. Brownie with ice-cream
2. Iced wild flower honey drink
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Special mention
In conjunction with the upcoming Georgetown Festival 2011, Chai Diam Ma will house the art exhibition “Home Coming: Penang Lalalilatampong Unites”.
The following information is from the Georgetown Festival 2011 website.
Home Coming: Penang Lalalilatampong Unites
9th – 31st July 2011
Mon-Thur 11am-2pm, 6pm-9pm,
Fri-Sun 11am-9pm
Closed on Tuesday
Chai Diam Ma, Queen Street, George Town
Contact
+6016 406 5993
The youth of Penang were invited to take part in this event to explore and redefine what they mean by home. Art enthusiasts from the late ’80s and early ’90s were also invited to participate in this project by producing art work from March until June.
The end product will be showcased on Saturday, 9th July 2011 in conjunction with the George Town Festival. The celebration, entitled Home Coming, will feature performance, installation, video, and a photography exhibition.
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Information
Chai Diam Ma
Address: 15 Queen Street
10200, Penang
Phone: (016) 431- 4452 [Queen Lee]
E-mail: chaidiamma@gmail.com
Facebook : Chai Diam Ma
Hours:
Mon – Thurs : 11am -2pm
6pm – 9pm
Fri – Sun : 11am – 9pm
Closed on Tuesdays
Other visits:
Other reviews:
1. Cekap (map included)
a herbivore in penang 
thanks for sharing… i’ve not step foot into this place yet…. but am sure it’s another nice place to have a cup of coffee… :)
Your welcome…sharing is caring. Yes, it’s a very nice place to hang out. :)
Speaking of coffee…..Herbivore, maybe you can help me…I am looking for a brand of coffee called ‘Train Brand’ which can be exclusively found in Penang. However, last time I visited, they didn’t seem to sell this brand of coffee anymore. Do you know if there is anywhere in Penang that still sells this brand of coffee?
It looks like this – http://bit.ly/ixYCLH
Luke
Hey Luke! Sorry for the late reply, been busy entertaining guests. I can’t click on the link…I got this..’The link you requested has been identified by bitly as being potentially problematic….’
Wanna fling it over on the facebook wall instead?
I’ll ask the Coffee Whisperer about this brand. :)
Will get back to you.
[…] previously mentioned, a new item on their menu, udon with mushrooms with an interesting twist, slivers of […]