Top Bakerys in George Town, Malaysia

淡汶饼 Tambun Biscuit (16 Pieces) = RM10.00
马蹄酥 Beh Teh Saw (8 Pieces) = RM12.50
No Service Charge

I have Very Fond Memories of Him Heang because my Grandmother used to buy this. As a Little Boy, I had no idea where this Biscuit Pastry came from, or what it is actually called.

So, to finally come to Penang for the very 1st time and be in the Presence of the Him Heang HQ was quite a Moving Experience. Its a Huge Building, with a Main Retail Shop. This Shop itself is not very big.

What I am most surprised are seeing Military Personnels in Uniform at their Main Entrance. Sibeh 夸张 lor, this is the 1st Time I've seen Military Personnels stationed right infront of an Eatery. As there were No Crowds at 2.10pm on a Monday Afternoon, they beckoned me inside accordingly.

The Actual Him Heang Staffs within are Friendly and Welcoming. There are no Dining In Areas, this is only a Retail Shop with a Large Bakery attached to the back.

淡汶饼 Tambun Biscuit (16 Pieces) = RM10.00

I have eaten this in the past and only until recently do I know what they're actually called. Hahaha I've always known them as "That Round Biscuit Kueh that Ah Ma always buys".

The Thing that I noticed is that Classic Old School Packaging. Everything from the Box to even the White Plastic Carrier Bag they use is the Same as I've remembered over 35 Years ago!

If you have never eaten this before, its basically a Classic Chinese Pastry with a Filling thats made out of Mung Bean. It has a Very Soft Bitefeel that is Soft on the Teeth. The Sweetness is Very Subtle and Not Overly in your Face. From a Culinary and Baking Standpoint looking at this, the Amount of Layering done on the Pastry itself is Impressive.

马蹄酥 Beh Teh Saw (8 Pieces) = RM12.50

While i have not eaten this before, it has a Similar Look and Taste Profile to Taiwan's Sun Cake 太阳饼 or the Traditional Wife Cake 老婆饼. The type of Pastry with a Very Flaky Outer Pastry Shell and a Layer of Slightly Thickened and Soft Malty Honey Jam that doesn't cling to your Teeth. If you've eaten such Pastries before, you'll know what im saying here. Not Overly Sweet.

Why did I give this my Highest Score?

一句话: Consistency.

It's that First Bite when I bite into it. The Last Time I've had this was probably at least 30 years ago. Before I came to Penang, I don't even know the Actual Name of this Pastry, yet when I took my First Bite of it, Nostalgic Memories came Flooding Back of the Times I ate this with my Grandmother.

Its not only the Taste, its the Whole Packaging. EVERYTHING from the Box they use, to even that Plastic White Carrier Bag has not changed since I remembered as a Little Boy.

To be able to be so Persistently Consistent for 76 Years is Really Not Easy especially in Today's World where everything also need to Change and Modernize.

I'm really glad that despite how much the World has changed in the Last 35 years, there are still places like Him Heang that has mostly remained the same. Truly can be called "古早味"

Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At RM10.00 (S$3.00) for a Box of Tambun Biscuits, I feel this is Very Reasonably Priced. For a Box of this Well Known Classic Pastry to cost RM10.00 in Today's World is really quite Admirable.

RM12.50 (S$3.80) for a Box of Beh Teh Saw consisting of 8 Pieces is also pretty reasonable too. I feel it is Well Made, and if you are someone who enjoys Similar Pastries like Taiwan's Sun Cake or Wife Cake, you will also probably enjoy this one too.

While these are Pastries that obviously are meant for all ages, after eating them, I feel they are Specially Designed for Easy Consumption for Elderly Folks due to their Very Soft Bite Texture and Light and Subtle Sweetness.

Eating this reminds me of my Grandmother. If your Grandparents are still around, treasure them and spend more time with them. Stop Reading Right Now and go give them your Biggest Hug like you're never gonna let them go.

Thank you Him Heang for the Beautiful Memories.

Thanks for Reading. Come join my Facebook Food Blog: "A Solo Singaporean's Guide to JB Foods" to view the Full Review with Photos.

This shop is a scam. The tau sar piah was supposed to last for 1 month. But the shop keep smaller packs from the shelf selection and says they will pass the box at counter. In the end we are given old batch of tau sar piah which will only last for one week. Do not trust the cashier in handing out the biscuits to you and always check the expiry date. They are keeping the boxes at counter so that you will forget about checking the expiry date and pass you old batches of biscuits. We went to this shop on 22nd Aug and was handed 29th Aug expiry biscuits tau sar piah for the original and Pandan flavour.

Traditional handmade Tau sar piak at Penang Georgetown . Taste is very nice and fresh . Highly recommended .

8/8/2024

This is one of the most popular biscuit shop in Penang Island, hidden away from all the tourist attractions. But many will still come here to take home one of the best Tambun Biscuits you can get in Penang.
The owners are super friendly and even offered us a piece of freshly baked Tambun biscuit to try. This is the best Tambun Biscuit I have tried. The pastry is flaky, fragrant and the filling is a perfect combo of not too sweet and not too salty. The best.

Tambun Biscuit 10/10, Rm17 per box of 32pcs.

Good Temban biscuit to buy here. Better than those in the store across from the boarding gate. Bought a few times and found good. The freshly made biscuits are without preservatives and can last for three weeks in room temperature. Its factory is just next door to it.

The store design is attractive, makes you want to go in and have a look. The staff was very welcoming, she invited us in while we were standing outside.

We tried the egg tart and the assorted box. Personally, I find that the taste is above average but not the best I've had.

Perhaps the other popular items might taste better, but we were too full to get more.

Traditional handmade homemade Tau Sar Pneah (Big Tambun Biscuit). Super "ko-cha-bi", saltish taste, filling is compact. Each rolls with 5 pieces and price at RM5, worth it!

Phone ordering and collection just right at their home-style bakery. Drop by collection available.

must-buy pastry for local specialties, Even the locals lover. Just a parking is a bit difficult.

Got Cute Pastries? 🤤 MXT has the BEST mouthwatering ones in Penang. Abundant in flavours and spoilt for choice, this array of golden goodness is WOW.

They have really good drinks in glass bottles as well like Sour Plum & Chrysanthemum, worth buying as it’s packed with natural flavours.

Tried the Chicken Floss, Salted Egg, Pandan, Durian and all of them have its own unique taste & character. While mostly sweet, the Chicken Floss and Salted Egg is savoury. Clear winners! 😍

Located beside the Michelin Guide's Green House Prawn Mee, I was just gonna go to the prawn mee, but couldn't resist to go here cos of the DELICIOUS smell of fresh baked pastry. And I am not sorry. Will always visit whenever in Penang. I like the Sweet BBQ. If you're not sure just ask the auntie, she's super sweet and friendly.

Highly recommend for anyone visiting Georgetown. The bakery is small yet offering many selection of classic sweets and snacks. The shop keepers are friendly and very attentive. A must-visit.

THE shop for Penang biscuits, queue formed up before opening time. can feel heat on boxes, that's how fresh they are. friendly and helpful people there, very fast in clearing queues too.

Established since 1948 housed in a shop on Bridge Street (now known as Jalan C.Y. Choy) in Georgetown, Him Heang is presently run by the 3rd generation from the 3-storey building located in Burmah Road since 1993.

Famous for its Tambun biscuits, which is the petite version of Tow Sar Peah. After dethroning Ghee Hiang, Him Hwang has been the market leader although of late, Ban Heang has made inroads into the same space with bright coloured packaging.

most of the pastry are made fresh daily, best is come in the morning before it sold out. a bit more pricey than other Tau Sar Piah places

Not sure why it is getting more expensive than other biscuit shop. RM9 for tau sar piah 2024 , before price wise still ok. Can get similar from other shop unless you really like the biscuit here

Lighthouse has 2 sections. The Bakery that closes earlier and the cafe that opens till 8pm. Operation time is 11.30-2pm and 5.30-8pm. Closed on Tuesday.
We were back in Penang again and Lighthouse cafe has become our regular stop for delicious big portion food and reasonable prices.
We sat inside the air conditioned room and eyed a man receiving his Char Hor Fun which was tastefully presented but unfortunately he’s got the last plate!
So we ordered chicken chop in 3 different styles as well as a plate of hailam mee to share. But they had run out of the sambal for the Hailam mee and when the staff saw me howling, ‘how to have Hailam mee without sambal?’, he obligingly sourced a spare bottle from their fridge.
We polished off all the food and helped ourselves to the complimentary ice cream. Very satisfying.

The best biscuits in Penang, no contest! Friendly people at the counter, the smell of freshly baked goodies wafting in the air...I always end up buying more than I intended. Get ready to queue during the weekends and public holidays, parking is limited. And go early because they're almost sold out by 12pm, any day and every day of the year!

we tried the pandan balls.. love it. the crust was still flaky and crispy. the paste wasn't overly sweeten.
definitely have to get the Tau sar piah... the paste is just nice. not too dry nor sticky. the crust just goes so well with it.
the pong piah is huge. like my palm size. it's light in weight.. very nice flaky skin. not overly sweet filling. goes so well with a cup of hot drink.

Food was good and reasonably priced. Portion was huge - enough for 3 small eaters. Was early at opening time but already crowded.

many choice of food and drink here. so far order hainan chicken chop taste is very good.

Heard this is famous, but i still bought some to try despite the bad reviews. I havent tried it yet but looks good. Their tambun piah will expire in 10days, but can be frozen.

Place is just small with other local delicacies also.

Wow! The best curry puff I have ever eaten. Very balanced flavor. The potato, egg, and chicken all cooked to perfection. Huge size and it just came out of the oven, too! The egg tart was good, too.

Foods overall was good and price are reasonable . But have to go before 8pm , as food finishes very early.

Very tasty biscuits and old-schooled confectionery. The owner is super friendly and gave us great introduction to each different biscuit. If you didn’t order in advance please come early in the morning as the goods are sold out very quickly. Highly recommended!

A small shop operating from a house in a housing area. Without pre order, we almost didn't manage to get the tambun biscuits.. just a few small packs. We bought some other stuff too.
The tambun biscuits were extra dry and goes very well with black coffee..

Used to be my favourite place for cheap and delicious lunch. But today's experience is poor. Probably they are under-staffed or have a change of chef. Service is slow and not following order sequence. Fried rice is just plain rice without much meat, vegetable or eggs to accompany it.

Randomly walked into this shop and wasn't hoping to be able to get any after the reviews we read but we were grateful there were some available for purchase. We a variety of local pastries and they were all yummy !! IMO better , softer and tastier than the commercialized ones . Loving the old school vibe too !!

We got the Tambun Biscuits , Tau Sa Peah, Brown Sugar Tambun Biscuits, Biscuits Telinga , Kacang tumbuk and Sesame Pastry

Love their char hor fun so much because rich with wok hei and very delicious. Their Mantis Shrimp Rice also taste good. Very fair price (the price in the menu is nett price) and big portion. Value of money with free ice cream after meal.
Always big crowd for their operating hours during lunch and dinner. Need to come earlier if you don't want to wait. Will come again to try other food. Highly recommended 👍

Saw the rave reviews about the pastries of this place and decided to buy some pastries here before I left Penang. Was instantly attracted by the old school interior decor of this place.

They had a wide selection of pastries at the display counter and they all looked tempting to me. The shop owner was courteous enough to give me a briefing about their products and pricing.

Was tempted to buy them all but decided to buy each of the them to give it a try. I couldn’t resist the temptation to try the pastries once I got into the car. Each of them tasted so good. The crust was crunchy to my favorite and the filling was rich and flavorsome.

Would love to come back to buy more of their pastries for souvenirs if I visit Penang again!

Love the chicken floss pastry 西施酥. Actually all the flavours are nice. Great service too. The lady was very patient with us while we decide what we need to purchase as gifts. They can pack the pastry in 4, 8 or 12. The box of 12 comes in a nice gift box. The others is a clear plastic box with a nice sleeve. Can also buy single items. We didn’t try the egg tart but many locals whom we speak to never fail to mention their egg tart as their personal favourite.

Do pre-order the tau sar piah first before going down. We did not and it was sold out. The owner was king enough to let us buy one roll and it was fantastic! Not halal as it contains pork lard.

The first time I went their food is sold out due to many customers. Got to know they have limited stock for every opening because they want to provide the fresh food to the customer. Their service and heart to serve the customer is worth of 5 star. Plus the food is nice and affordable. There are plenty parking lot in front of the church building so you can easily park yoir car. I would recommend their pork chop and indiana chicken. Thumbs up!

Went another time and try different dishes. Never get disappointed. Recommended by friends to try hua tan hor & mee sua. Their dishes are full of wok hay.

Always buy this biscuit when come to Penang because like the taste, but the size of biscuit seem to be smaller than before. the price getting higher, original flavour rm15.00/28pcs. I still remember last time the quantity was 32pcs.
Photo taken 21/6/2023

Very fair price and large portion.
The food taste is great.
And the wind breeze unstopped, you won't feel too humid and hot during hot weather.
Moreover, who don't love the free flow of ice-cream 😁

Could be one of the less well-known spots for tambun biscuits in Georgetown. We went around 11am and there were no customers.

The biscuits are fresh-from-the-oven. If I’m not wrong, they only bake and sell tambun biscuits here, no other pastries available.

The fillings taste excellent, flavourful yet not overly salty. Though the crust is a little thicker than usual, we’d prefer a slightly thinner version.

The interior looks traditional and full of nostalgia. Service is great and friendly!

RM9 for 16pcs (a box)

Tau sar piah is a flaky pastry biscuit filled with a savoury-sweet grounded mung beans (tau sar) filling. It is a long-time favourite among the locals and a must-buy item for visitors to Penang.

Due to its immense popularity, it is difficult to find handmade tau sar piah in Penang nowadays. Most are mass-produced with machines to keep up with the ever increasing demand.

This family-run biscuit shop is one of the very few in Penang that still makes this iconic tau sar piah using the traditional and handmade method. It is undoubtedly among the best we can find on this island.

Besides tau sar piah, other types of traditional biscuits including tambun piah, phong piah and beh teh saw are also available at this decades-old shop.

Understandably, the number of handmade biscuits produced each day is limited. Therefore, customers are advised to call at least one day in advance to make their bookings to avoid disappointment.

Open : 9.00 am - 7.00 pm
Closed : Sunday

Old biscuits shop at Penang, the biscuits are tasty (kachang hijau biscuit - 4 pcs per box) and cheaper than others big name shop

Freshly baked tao sa piah and friendly staffs.
Few flavor available.

Visited 1st Nov 2021. But feel like been cheated. No price list on board. Been told 28pcs 1 box RM12, mixed with Pandan flavour total 32pcs 1 box RM14.50.

On the Right is Seng Hin Hiang, on the Left is from another shop. 32pcs only RM12.00 per box. Size bigger and taste is better as well. Not ideal what happen to this Seng Hin Hiang.

Be frank, next trip will go Tien Yuen.

Local cottage industry in “tau sar Piah”. Green beans paste biscuits. Local favourite. Under Tambun brand name.