OohLaLaBites®...

Can Mano in Barcelona

2012-01-28T16:34:00.003+08:00

We walked from La Rambla to a restaurant called Can Mano. It was recommended by our host. Can Mano is a typical, noisy Catalonian restaurant. It was around 1 pm and the place was packed.

He must be the owner

Waiting to be seated

Kitchen

Menu pasted on wall

Alcachofas (artichoke)-deep fried

Chipirones (Squid)-deep fried

The food we had is atypical of Catalonian food. Our host told us that we must try them. It was fresh seafood coated in batter and deep-fried. The alcachofas (artichoke) was something we had not tried before not even fresh ones. The outer layer was chewy so I had them peeled off. The inner layer was tasty and a delightful way to eat the vegetable. The chipirones would be what I say...try them! It was not common for us to eat it whole including the ink. It was an enjoyable experience and the taste...loved it.

Boquerones (anchovies)-deep fried

Bread served!

We were each given a roll of hard bread. The bread...erm it was just placed on the table. LOL

The atmosphere was lively and noisy but we enjoyed ourselves. It was not just the food, it was the feeling of 'being there' dining like the Catalonians. Do not be surprised to find a group of singers coming into the restaurant and singing loudly. It is common as whilst we were there, two groups came in and after they finished singing, they walk around, asked for contributions. I was so caught up with it; I forgot to take a picture. (Get your money ready.)

Caramel custard & coffee

When the first picture was taken (above), there was only a couple waiting.

Then...it grew longer...

Longer line...by the time we walked out of the restaurant.

...And longer. It was 3:30 pm when we left Can Mano. :o) Located at 20 Carrer Del Baluard Barceloneta, 08003. Tel: 93 319 30 82.

La Paradeta Born...seafood fresh as fresh can be

2012-01-27T23:57:00.002+08:00

La Paradeta was a recommendation by our host in Barcelona. We were told that most seafood (marisco) would cost us an arm and leg to enjoy in Barcelona. La Paradeta is just the opposite. It is a restaurant that served seafood caught by the owners' boat (that would mean cheaper in prices). The restaurant is also self-service right to the end. That meant you pick out what you want from the many boxes of fish, clams, mussels, etc. Then they are weighed, cooked and served.

La Paradeta is of the relaxed café-style and it is self-service. Diners pick out what they want to eat from the many boxes/trays of fish, clams, mussels, lobsters, etc. They are then weighed and payment made. It would be advisable to order everything at once as the waiting line is usually quite long. We did what the other diners did then went to a table and sat down. The place was quite packed but the waiting time was not too long. Our food arrived in about 20 minutes. The person at the counter waved (she knew hubby do not speak Spanish) and hubby collected the food.

Mixed salad with tuna (back) & Deep fried calamari

mussels

White Tuna

Bamboo Mussels

And...more mussels

The plates of seafood were very fresh. The way of cooking was a surprise to both of us. It was nothing elaborate, just steamed and served drenched in olive oil with herbs. The taste was superb. Hubby wished he had ordered lobster when he ordered the extra portion of mussels. In his words...I could finished off a whole lobster easily. (I am not a lobster person.) The way the seafood was cooked was easy on the palate and digestion. In addition, it was reasonably priced. The whole meal including drinks (2 cokes) cost us €32.35. Do remember to clear the table of your own plates, cups and take it to the counter. It is self-service right until the end. (Plates and glasses, they go to different counters) I wondered if such a system would work in Malaysia. :o)

La Paradeta Born located at : C/ Comercial 7, 08009 Barcelona, Tel. 932 681 939

Coordenadas GPS: 41º 23' 10.50" N | 2º 11' 01.78" E

Conesa...So Good Sandwiches plus more

2012-01-27T17:28:00.004+08:00

No one introduced Conesa (located opposite the Palace of the Generalitat building) to us. We walked around and reached Placa Sant Jaume. There we saw a long line of people outside the shop. The shop was small and did not look very impressive. Out of curiosity, hubby decided to join the line.

The menu pasted on the glass window was extensive. A friendly man translated quite a few items listed on the menu to hubby. Even patatas bravas were on the menu. Tables are limited inside the shop. The day we were there, the place was packed. Even the 'standing style of dining' where there you stand and eat at a table, were filled. We decided to take have our sandwiches packed. It was done simply...putting the two (plus one extra) already wrapped ones into a plastic bag.

The sandwiches are prepared using the easiest method-grilled with no oil. The buns, sausages, meat and others (depending on what you ordered) are placed in their special grill and cooked. The buns and the grill, they are Conesa's trademark. Delicious, Simple and Quick food. It became our 'take-away' food for supper till we depart from Barcelona.:o)

Conesa is located at: Barri Gòtic, Llibreteria 1(Plaça Sant Jaume), 08002 BARCELONA. To arrive there : use Metro Jaume (Line 4)

El-Duero-Madrid

2011-12-31T03:00:00.009+08:00

We stumbled upon this restaurant, we we needed to rest our feet. In addition, we were looking for a few items on our 'food to eat' list. We were looking for bravas and oreja (pig's ears). They have it here.

The restaurant was quite empty at the time we arrived. It was around 3:00pm. As the clock ticked, more patrons trickled in. By the time we finished our snacks, the place was full. I saw that most of them like both of us were there for just snacks. It was near Christmas and El Duero is located near Puerta Del Sol.

The Bravas-alioli was not out of this world. It was potato wedges deep-fried with some sauce dribbled on top. To me, the sauce tasted like chilli with tomato sauce all mixed. There could be some kind of herbs and pepper added too.

The oreja was some experience. I thought the plate served consisted more than just pig's ears. Hubby said it was too oily. There were lots of fats in the pieces of ears and stuff. I thought it was an acquired taste and bite. There is a pungent smell of pork and the bite was slightly hard with the ligaments. It was a new eating experience for both of us eating the ears. I would describe it as quite tasty but not exactly heavenly.

The ensalada mixt (mixed salad) was a great choice. The lettuce, tomatoes, capsicum were all very fresh. There were chunks (yes chunks) of tuna in the salad. It was nothing we have seen in salads served back home (Malaysia).

Don't you think that Spanish people are big eaters. By the time the cordero asado (roast lamb) arrived, we were too full. The plate of lamb came served with rice and potatoes. That was really too much. We asked for it to be packed and we will take it home. I found out that they do not have boxes or containers for the food to be packed. The food was wrapped in tinfoil, placed in a bag and given to us. The waiter who attended to us was very friendly. He speaks all Spanish and we speak only a few words of Spanish (by then). He tried his best to accommodate our requests and was always…smiling. Such was the hospitality of the Spanish people. El-Duero is very popular with the Spanish people and highly recommended.

EL-DUERO located at: C/. Espoz y Mina, 4.
Tel. 91 522 52 02

:o)

Bak Moi (Pork Porridge)....so yummy

2011-11-13T16:35:00.006+08:00

The above (picture) is a bowl of ‘bak moi’ (pork porridge). You can see the many pieces of mince pork. They are so juicy and tasty.

This (above picture) is coarse rice noodles (chor bee hoon) served with minced pork and pig's offal. The piece near the chopsticks (circled) is pig's brain. Yes! Pig’s brain. The piece in the centre, that is pig's kidney, sliced. There is also the pig's intestine, liver and minced pork. Urghhhh...for those who are not used to eating pig's offal. It tastes good actually. The only thing to worry is your cholesterol level.

This is by far, the best bak moi I have tasted. The broth is the yummy part. We enjoyed every morsel of it and even the broth was licked clean! I would think most uses lots of MSG but not this stall. I did not feel very thirsty after the eating. Even if MSG is used, it is minimal unlike others who sell such stuff. By the way, the man cooking, he is the third generation operating the stall. If you intend to try this, this stall is located on the street, Kampung Malabar, Penang. (at the T-junction near Penang Raod) :o)

Rὸu gῠ chά KiNG...'Bak-kut-teh'

2011-11-12T23:31:00.016+08:00

Roh..Roh ku...erm, I had always wondered what the restaurant offered. I am a 'banana' so I could not make out the name. My family and I had walked past this restaurant many times before. Rὸu gῠ chά KiNG a nondescript restaurant situated among a row of shops. We decided to pay it a visit. I had to find out what it had to offer.

We placed our order after looking through the menu. The waiter recommended that we take the Double Value Meal (rm31.90 for 2 pax), and it would be sufficient for us. Right until then we were still in the dark as to the kind of food served. All I knew was it would have meat and vegetables.

All the dishes (small plates/bowls) came in pairs. It was a different kind of dining or so I thought. 'Ewe Char Koay' (deep-fried batter), bean sprouts, and two eggs boiled in herbs. It was so neat; the portion was good for one person per plate.

The aroma of the dish drifted out and reached us before the bowl physically touched our table. "Oh, it is Bak Kut Teh" I exclaimed. Now I know what Rὸu gῠ chά meant. Rὸu gῠ meant (translated meat bone) and chά meant tea. We had a good laugh. Moreover, I thought there was something exotic from the name. The Rὸu gῠ chά (Bak Kut Teh) was good. The meat was tender. It did not seem over-boiled or overcooked. I could still taste juice in the meat. The broth was thick and full of flavor.

The dry version of the Rὸu gῠ chά caught us by surprise. After so many years of eating it in soup form, the dried version was interesting. I thought it tasted like there were some salt fish added. I did not ask. Hubby tasted and told me there were fermented black bean in the dish (he thought). He did not like the taste and thought it was rather over powering. I enjoyed it right to the last bite. The ' deep-fried fu pei' (soy sheet) blended with the thick sauce gave it a very new kind of taste. I scrapped the bowl clean. It ended up with hubby taking the remaining bowl with soup.

Hubby decided to find out if the pastry sold was good. He ordered a plate of sesame roll (rm4.80-two pieces). The pastry was not good. It was tough, soggy and soaked with oil. There was some kind of bean paste inside. We decided not to try any more of the dessert. We were actually quite full by then.

The above is a cute container of 'Kwai Ding Gou' (black herb jelly) and it came with the set. (Free)

The time spent at this restaurant was pleasant. The young waiters were friendly. The place is small but neat and tidy. I would definitely go back for the dry version. Rὸu gῠ chά KiNG is located @ Lot 4-47, Penang Gurney Plaza, 10250 Penang. Tel: 04-2287187 :o)

**10% Service Charge.

BAR B Q...This is Thai Style!

2011-11-01T16:17:00.011+08:00

One round, two rounds...both hubby and I could not make up our minds on what to eat. We were at the basement of Gurney Plaza, Penang looking for food. We made up our mind when a young man who stood outside Bar B. Q. Plaza eatery handed us a leaflet. Oh, BBQ. We trotted into the restaurant and were seated. In my mind (and right until the grill pan was brought out), we had the idea that we were having Korean BBQ.

Bar B Q Plaza looked clean and bright. The interior is simple but attractive. I liked the furniture arrangements. There is ample walking space.

The menu showed wide array of meat, vegetables and many others for the B B Q. Since, it was our first time we opted for the Super Mix Combo (RM33.90) which was an offer item.

"Is this the grill?" I asked. "Yes." Hmmm, this is so different from the other Korean BBQ we visited. "Oh! This is not Korean BBQ. "It is Thai" the waiter replied. What? How we laughed. We did not know what we were having for dinner. The grill pan was first filled with broth and lighted up. This grill pan is quite special. There is a 'longkang' (drain) for the broth. You can see the broth boiling (with bubbles) in the above picture.

A plate consisting of different cuts of meat from the pig (we do not take beef), a few pieces of chicken, calamari, a few meatballs, prawns and shredded vegetables.

We placed the meat on the grill after it was heated. Both of us looked quite stupid, as we did not know what we had to do. Trying to put the vegetables into the tiny 'longkang' without any spillage was quite difficult. In simple words, the groove by the side of the grill was too shallow.

I have in the picture above a piece of lard. See how ignorant we were, we did not know what the two pieces of fats were. Actually, we were supposed to pick the fat up and rub it over the top of the grill! By the time we were informed, the pieces of meat we had placed on the grill; they were all stuck. I had no complaints as I actually enjoyed myself. I told hubby that this is like playing 'masak-masak' (child's play). The broth was nice and with the shredded cabbage added, it tasted even nicer. Other than the yummy broth, the meat tasted ordinary even after the BBQ.

They should have made the 'longkang' of the grill wider. It was not wide enough. The shredded cabbage and stuff were all over the table. By the time we finished, we were nothing but two messy people dining at the table!

The set also included a plate of deep fried (sinful) bacon. I felt so sinful adding extra fat to my waistline. I have to say this, the plate of bacon; not to be missed. We behaved like we (hubby and I) were in a competition eating those tasty pieces of bacon. (laughters)

The picture above showed how the dip should be. Pour the chopped garlic, bird-eye chilli and squeeze the very tiny piece of lime all into the sauce. I almost asked for soy sauce when the piring (small saucer) came with only the garlic, bird-eye chilli and lime. The brown sauce came separately in another small bowl.

A bowl of rice and two glasses of green tea comes with the combo set. Do not be such a fool like yours truly...asking for refill of tea. I was not entertained when I asked for refill. I thought all the waiter could have done was bring me another glass of tea (inform me no refill). He merely walked away and never came back. I got tired of waiting and since we were finishing the food, I made no fuss.

There will be refill of the brown sauce, chili and garlic and the broth. Ask for them when you see the cart (above picture) pass your way. I found that to be rather interesting.

If you feel you want a different kind of dining (for a change) head to B B Q Plaza, B1-05 Basement, Old Wing, Gurney Plaza, Pesiaran Gurney, Penang.**10% Service Charge. 6% Government Tax. Have fun. :o)

Bee Wei Seafood Restaurant

2011-09-29T01:10:00.013+08:00

I could not remember how long Bee Wei Seafood has been in operation. (I did ask but I cannot remember the information now.) All I can remember as I type here is the choo char (stir-fry) is reasonably priced and good. This place is clean (washroom too!). Hubby cautioned me about 'putting' this eatery here. He thinks it will make the owner increase the prices of their food. Hmmm...I sure do hope the owner would not. I believe in this adage 'good things are meant to be shared.' In my case, the good food I have tested and tasted.

We had visited Bee Wei a number of times before for dinner. I find the dishes served are tasty and not expensive. Dishes served here are quite similar to those found in the other 'choo-char' eateries. Dishes such as belachan (prawn paste) chicken, curry fish, sweet-sour pork, deep-fried pomfret, steam-fish, etc.

Tonight we had the yau-mak (small romaine lettuce) stir-fry with 'tau-joo' (fermented bean paste) (RM6). I said plain stir-fry but it came with prawns, my arch nemesis added (especially in vegetables). I frowned but Si Thau Por (lady boss) assured me that they were fresh. Hubby's exclamation, "Just take a look at the size!" left me without much choice. It was deliciously cooked. The look was not that appealing due to the tau-joo but the lettuce was still crunchy. That meant it was not over cooked.

The next order was a plate of marmite chicken (RM9). Hubby was not too pleased with the chicken. He complained that it was a bit dry. I think it was over deep-fried. I liked the taste of the pieces of chicken. Even though the pieces of chicken were a bit dry; it did not bothered me as it added to the fragrance. As, the amount of marmite used was generous. It was simply delicious. I licked my spoon clean of the gravy.

Steamed-fish is a dish hubby will not order unless we are at a proper restaurant. Most of the time as he put it, the fish are 'half-fresh'. We ordered red snapper-teochew chueh (teochew style steamed fish). You would not believe it. Si Thau Por (lady-boss) gave us the assurance that if it is not fresh, we get our money back. That is how fresh the seafood here is. True to her words, the fish was 'juicy fresh'. The teochew chueh fish (fish @ market price RM26) was done perfectly. There were enough kiam chai (salt preserved vegetables), snui puey (salted plums), tomatoes, tofu and others. In simple words, 'kau liau' (full of oomph).

Drive up to Air Itam (towards Kek Lok Si). After Chung Ling School, look out for the Muslim Orphanage on your left (if you are driving up from town). Drive straight after the crossroad traffic lights (look out for an Indian temple ahead). Bee Wei Seafood is on your left as you approached the Indian temple. The picture above shows the Indian Temple.

The above picture shows the road running by the side of Bee Wei Seafood. It is Jalan Satu, Air Itam.

Bee Wei Seafood located at 4J Jalan Air Itam, 11500 Penang. Contact: Sally--012 4789207. Closed once a fortnight on Wednesday at around 11:00pm. :o)**No Govt & Service tax.

Suffolk House Restaurant..

2011-09-24T17:48:00.018+08:00

Suffolk House, ermm...where is it? A shame...I (We) must be to Penangites. All I knew about Suffolk House was it had something to do with Captain Francis Light. Then after Captain Francis Light's death, it became the house of the Governors of Penang. I decided to 'drag' hubby to Suffolk House just to find out where this building is. I heard (from a friend) it had a restaurant inside so the trip was to have lunch. (made a few weeks back)

Ooh, the place looked splendid. A mansion surrounded by lush greens. Photography was not allowed inside the building. We walked around the building. Visitors can take a tour of the building/site at RM10/pax. If you are dining, you would be allowed to take pictures of the restaurant.

Suffolk House Restaurant, Bagan, Eclectic (wonder if it is still there), No. 68 Kelawai Road (ceased operations), The Mansion; they are all under the same owner. The owner (I think) has a knack for colonial buildings. LOL. The interior of the restaurant impressed us. Curtains hung from the ceiling to the floor. The side furniture in white, blended well with the chairs in dark coloured wood. Antique looking mirrors on the wall together with the plants gave the interior the classy look.

The day we were there for lunch the place looked almost empty. There were only two tables occupied. A set menu of chicken (RM46), lamb (RM48) and steak (RM50) was what we ordered. For the set, you have a choice of either salad or soup. Dessert and coffee/tea came with the set menu.

A plate of greens with couscous. Couscous is a type of North African semolina made from crushed durum wheat. The greens with the couscous were something different. It was not common to find salads served this way.

The mushroom soup was good. The way it was served was nice too.

Minced chicken wrapped up in pastry was how my dish was served. I was the one having the chicken. I think it did not strike me in any way. I had no notes on it! (Sorry)

BB had the steak. He did not like the steak very much. So-so was his comment. The steak was not tender enough. Hubby said the meal was not impressive.

We did not end our meal in despair. The last thing served...sweet and delicious. It was bread pudding. That had us drooling!

After lunch, we took a walk over the bridge with Sungai (river) Ayer Itam running below. It was in the afternoon but the walk was relaxing. The decision made to visit Suffolk House not that bad. Hubby did not enjoy his meal. Price as expected (as with all the other outlets) was rather steep. Ah well, this is fine dining. I would say, been there, done that.

Suffolk House located at 250 Jalan Ayer Itam, Georgetown, 10460 Penang. Contact: 04-2283930.

Lunch: 12:00 noon-2pm. Tea: 2:30pm-6 pm. Dinner:7pm-10pm. 10% Service charge & 6% Govt Tax.:o)

** (Read more on Suffolk House...click)

Berlin's Bier Houz...German & European Bistro

2011-09-10T02:13:00.017+08:00

We decided to take a walk around Straits Quay. Both of us had high tea so dinner would be a light one. The pleasant walk lead us to Berlin's Bier Houz. A pub...for dinner? I did not like the suggestion. Since hubby said he wanted to check the place out, I relented.

Woo, the place looked spacious, neat and brightly lit. The flooring and tables blended perfectly. It was not noisy despite the place not being empty. There were quite a number of tables occupied. I spotted a pool table and a dartboard. A nice place for a drinking session and gathering.

The waiter (girl) seated us at the beer barrel table. After a while, I protested. The height of the chair was too high and I sat hunched. On the other hand...maybe I have a long upper torso and short legs. As such, my back felt tired and that was even before the food arrived. According to the waiter, the other table was reserved. (I pointed to a table behind me.) We had no other choices but to remain where we were.

Our order of German Meat Balls arrived after quite a wait. The plate consisted of six meat balls (RM13) coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. The taste was not spectacular but the texture was good. It was deep-fried but the meat was tender. A bite into the ball had the juices of the pork oozing out. That was an enjoyment. A sauce for dipping was served with the meatballs. Oh, that was not needed. It was good on its own.

The plate of Berlin's Special Pork Ribs had us really disappointed. It was nothing special. The ribs were plain-cooked. Then, had some sauce 'squirted' over it. The meat tasted bland. If softness of the meat is any consolation, then that was just it. With a price of RM27.80 for three small pieces of ribs, I call that pricey.

The German Sausage Platter (RM25.80) came with three sausages served with sauerkraut, mustard, mayonnaise and some greens. It was just a plate of sausages. I have never left an eatery with aching back. That night, I did. Boy was I glad when we were done. I would have ended up as the Hunchback of Notre-Dame had the meal taken longer. The table I pointed to (above picture) it remained unoccupied until we left the place!
Berlin's Bier Houz@ Straits Quay, 3E-G-3B Block E, Ground Floor Seri Tanjung Pinang. Penang. Tel : 04-8998887 **10% Service Charge. 6% Government Tax.

Authentic Thai Food...oomph!

2011-08-25T01:46:00.013+08:00

We had walked passed this Thai eatery on numerous occasions. Somehow, we did not bother to cast another glance. This time I took a look and convinced the other two that we would have Thai food for dinner. We were actually heading for the hawker stalls in front of the Pulau Tikus market.

The place we walked into was Annathai-Kitchen. A restaurant with simple interior decorations. A family owned eatery/restaurant where mother is the Chef. Jacky who is the son of the Chef greeted us. Hubby told Jacky that we have been to quite a number of Thai restaurants. Was there anything Annathai serves that is different? That was the question posed to Jacky. The answer was yes. This place served Northeastern Thai dishes. We ordered the following dishes on Jacky's recommendations.

Instead of the usual popular appetiser Miang Kum, Jacky served us the Yan Ta Kai. An appetiser commonly eaten in the Nakhon region of Thailand (Northeast). The plate of Yan Ta Kai came with leaves of daun kadok (betel leaf), serai (lemon grass), dried prawns and desiccated coconut fried with chilli. It was a different kind of appetiser and something new. (We ate the following dishes with rice.)

The above is omelette fried with some greens. I have eaten this omelette before but have never found out what was inside. Jacky was kind enough to show me the 'vegetable' when I enquired about it. The Thai name is Cha-Om. A search on the web told me this...[In Burma, Laos and Thailand, the feathery shoots of Acacia pennata (common name cha-om, ชะอม and su pout ywet in Burmese) are used in soups, curries, ... read more on Wikipedia]. If you have not tried this, it would not be a bad idea to do so. It is an omelette with a very delightful taste.

A plate of Cha-Om courtesy of Jacky. The Cha-Om can be eaten raw and according to Jacky, it has cleansing values and is kind to the kidneys. I took a few sprigs of them and put them into my mouth. The taste reminded me of something....petai! It actually tasted good. Jacky explained that only the young shoots of the plant are used.

The plate of Phak Boong Fi Daeng was nothing to shout. It was a simple dish of Kang Kong (water convolvulus) fried with tau cheong (fermented beans) and chilli. Somehow, it tasted Thai even though it was fried somewhat similar to the Chinese. Maybe it was because we were in a Thai restaurant.

Green curries are so yesterday was my comment. The Gaeng Som Pla Tord was Jacky's recommendation. A spoonful of the gravy put into my mouth had my taste buds exploded. The curry had Oomph! This is so awesome, I exclaimed. This is a fresh taste. The taste of the curry was like our local laksa. Even hubby agreed that it was an interesting curry. If you looked closely, fish flakes could be seen on top of the fish. It was laksa without the 'heh koh' (prawn paste) but with more kunyit (tumeric) added. That is the reason it looked yellowish instead of light brown. It was a love-hate dish where BB was concerned. He loved the new taste of the fish curry but hated the 'hotness' (spicy) of the chillies. Both of us gave the thumbs up where the flavours were concerned. Sweet, sour (tamarind sourness), spicy (different kinds of spices) and hot (with the chillies). We had a new kind of curry experience! Jacky's suggestion that we have the fish fried was a good one. The fried fish in the curry made it even tastier.

The Karmo Tord was also on our order. It was a plate of deep fried pig's trotter. The deep fried pieces tasted ordinary without the dip. I changed my conception when I had apiece dipped into the sauce served with them. It was good taste. I know there was some vinegar, chilli sauce and sesame seeds. I am unable to say anymore maybe you go and try it out. LOL..

I always have the Thai dessert before leaving. We had the Tub Thim Krob and Bo Bo Cha Cha. I called it the 'adulterated' version of Tub Thim Krob. Green strands of cendol were added (normally not added.) It was not bad as there was a new kind of taste. A new kind of Tub Thim Krob. The santan (coconut milk) was fresh and that was the most important.

However, the Bo Bo Cha Cha disappointed me. The taste of the dessert was delectable and with just right sweetness. It was the portion served. It was only slightly more than half-filled. In addition, the sweet potato yam and other stuff were too little. They were swimming in the santan.

Jacky recommended the above drink to counter the chilli hotness of the curry. It was biji selasih (basil seeds) in syrup. You can choose between green and red coloured syrup with the little frog's eggs (selasih lah) floating inside. Both colours did not help much where BB was concerned.

Overall, we had a great, satisfying dinner. The prices here, they are reasonable. If you love Thai food, you will love Annathai-Kitchen. Location: 26 Jalan Moulmein, Pulau Tikus, Penang. (It is near the open air car park near the market.) Open from 10am-2:30pm. 5:30pm-9:30pm. Closed on Monday. Telephone: 04-2277599. :o)

Matsu--Japanese Restaurant in Batu Ferringhi

2011-07-22T02:38:00.006+08:00

After two attempts to dine at Matsu, we finally succeeded. Hubby called to have a reservation made earlier. Matsu is the latest Japanese Restaurant in town. On two other occasions, we arrived to find the restaurant fully occupied. The design of this restaurant is neat and has a welcome feeling. The pine coloured furniture made the atmosphere pleasant. The tables placed quite far apart gave me some dining privacy.

Matsu's menu is quite extensive. Everything is ala carte and no set meals available. That meant no bento in the menu. A look at the menu told us that we would be spoilt for choice and we were. We did not know what to order! So we sought the waiter's help.

We were served a plate of appetiser. It was sliced red tuna, Japanese cucumber tossed in chilli sauce. Oh my, this is awesome. The tuna was sliced and it was so fresh. The chilli dressing was out extraordinary. The texture of the tuna had us duped. We thought it was beef. That was just the appetiser! This dish is FOC.

We ordered the Tempura Mori Wase (rm23). This is something I normally do not leave out. When I took a first bite, I thought the batter was too thick. We had to eat it quickly as it was not that crispy even when served. Other than the grouse on the crispiness of the batter, I have to say the taste was delactable.

Our next order was a plate of Alaska Roll (rm23). These rolls were rolled with salmon skin. According to the waiter, it is one of the restaurant's specialities.

I loved this roll. It was something different and the first time I had a roll without the seaweed on the outside. There was still seaweed. This time the seaweed was coated with batter and deep fried. It was placed in the centre. The Alaska roll was extraordinary in taste.

The next plate of delicacy was the Hotate Yaki (rm20). Other than the scallops being fresh and juicy, it was nothing to shout. A plate of very ordinary grilled scallops with black pepper sprinkled.

I loved the sight of the Salmon Fried Rice (rm23) when it arrived. The rice arrived served in a bowl that looked like a mortar. I loved the idea. Fragrance drifted from the rice as it was placed on our table.

I had only nice words for the rice as I dug into it. The rice was grainy but not hard. Most important to us, it was not mushy. The rice was full of taste. There were eggs, spring onions, salmon pieces, seaweed, etc. Despite it being fried with pieces of salmon, you do not get the 'fishy smell'. It was just so lovely. Even hubby agreed fully when I asked as he munched the rice.

Our next plate of food had both of us bowled over. It was Kohitsuki Miso Yaki (rm48). A plate of grilled lamb cutlets seasoned with miso. Oh my, oh my, the lamb pieces were so tender. It just melts in my mouth. Hubby kept saying, 'This is good'. I agreed. Both of us have never tasted lamb prepared this way. It was very tasty with the miso and grilled to perfection. I would say...do not give this a miss should you visit Matsu. The pieces of squash and shitake mushrooms were also grilled to perfection.

We had two different kinds of Chawan Mushi. One was the Unagi (eel) Chawan mushi (rm10). The unagi one tasted better (picture above). The eel was thinly sliced and deep-fried. That gave it a smoky taste and it was something different.

The Chawan Mushi with mushroom, crabstick and others was just ordinary.

I was still greedy so we had desserts. There were so many types listed on the menu and we were 'lost'. In the end, we settled for the dessert platter (rm35). On the plate a cup of watermelon sorbet, a big spoon with a mould of pumpkin pudding, a piece of green tea tiramisu and a scoop of black sesame ice cream.

The pumpkin pudding was a new taste for both of us.

The green tea tiramisu, it was deliciously good! That piece of tiramisu was light yet creamy.

For the portion served, I thought it was a bit pricey. (I think those with E & O card, you will get the card's privileges dining here.)

Matsu is located on the annexe of Lone Pine Hotel. 97 Batu Ferringhi, Penang. Malaysia.

Tel No:04-8811511 & 04-8811282. **I think it would be wise to call and make a reservation esp. during weekends.:o) **10% Service charge & 6% Government Tax.

'Hoo Thau Bee Hoon' (Fish Head rice-noodles)

2011-06-28T04:12:00.013+08:00

With the durians in season now, dinner is usually durians. After the durian stint, both of us craved for something with soup. Hubby suggested that we drive to Chew Kee. We arrived at Chew Kee and as it was drizzling, we decided to go inside the kopi tiam (coffee shop). We have been here a couple of times before but I have not written anything about this stall. I decided to as I found out that there were no other stalls that served Hoo Thau Bee Hoon this good (to my liking).

If it is not drizzling, you should seat yourself in front of this stall. You will be 'entertained' by this husband and wife team. They do not stop bickering and I found them to be amusing. Another thing, be prepared for their attitude. They can be rude at times and, remember to tell them where you are seated. They tend not to pay attention. Ah Chek and Ah Ee (uncle and auntie) overlooked our orders as we were seated inside the 'kopi tiam'.

The 'Chau Hor Fun' (fried flat rice noodle) arrived and the aroma soothed every angry nerves in me. In the picture, the flat noodles are hidden. Ah Chek fried every plate of hor fun individually and 'kau hueh' (enough heat). Ooh, it was aromatic and smoky in taste. The meat, prawns, liver and jiu hoo (cuttlefish) were so fresh I wished I had asked for extras. The gravy was not too thick (I hate too much cornstarch) and not too liquid. It was just nice and tasty. The only thing that was missing was the egg. Hubby decided to try it without the egg. I thought it was a bad idea.

The 'Hoo Thau Bee Hoon' (Fish Head Rice Noodles) was what made us drive all the way down to town. Ah Chek ran out of fish meat by the time we reminded him of our order. We settled for the fish head instead. After all, as hubby said, it is Hoo Thau Been Hoon. I preferred the fish meat but had no choice. The bowl of noodles arrived. I took a bite of the crispy, well-seasoned pieces of fish head and wow, it was a good choice. The pieces of fish head were well deep-fried and it tasted fantastic. The stock was what made this stall different. The sweetness was not from sugar or MSG added. It was from slow boiling of pig bones to make the stock.

As I devoured the noodles and pieces of fish head, I pointed out to hubby. What made the bowl of noodle so special (stock aside) were the generous pips of sautéed garlic and pieces of ginger. It added oomph to the simple bowl of soup noodles. We finished every single bit served.

Look. I did not lie. We finished every single bit of everything. Oh, we could not chew the fish bones or it would be gone too. We both felt so satisfied. :o)
Chew Kee is located quite near the T-junction of Chulia Street and Carnarvon Street. It is at the end of Carnarvon Street and along the same road as Teksen. This stall closes on every Wednesdays and Thursdays. That is how good the business is.

The Bungalow @ Lone Pine Hotel

2011-06-24T01:38:00.002+08:00

We took a drive up to Batu Ferringhi to check out Lone Pine Hotel. Closed for refurbishment, Lone Pine Hotel has since re-opened (been nine months since). The hotel looked very different and it was beautiful. We had to walk past the swimming pool to get to The Bungalow restaurant.

It was a pleasant walk to the restaurant. Trees, lights and the swimming pool, everything was so beautiful at night.

We opted to dine alfresco with the sea breeze and moonlight. The whole place looked tidy and clean. It was so different from the old restaurant. Even the roof was changed. I mentioned the roof as the last time I was here it leaked. It was raining very heavily and the floor was wet.

The place looked deserted and we were the second table occupied. The items listed in the menu looked quite the same. This used to be a restaurant well known for their Hainan's dishes. A check with the waiter confirmed that it is still.

We were there to check out the restaurant. As both of us were not specific in our choices, we settled for what the waiter recommended. We just wanted some snacks.

The Bungalow now and the restaurant before were well known for their Choon Pniah (spring rolls). The spring rolls arrived but we were disappointed that it had shrunk in size (portion served). It was rm16 for the two rolls with some vegetables. The filling was still tasty but it was little.

I am a vegetable person and I need to have them. Instead of the usual green salad, hubby suggested the Baked Vegetables. The plate of vegetables made up of a few pieces of shitake mushrooms, a few pieces of potato, zucchini and eggplant. It was topped with feta cheese. The plate of vegetables was good, that was to me only. Vegetables dribbled with olive oil, baked and with feta cheese on top. At rm20 per plate, hubby thought it was expensive. He commented that it was nothing special except for the cheese. You can actually count the number of pieces of the vegetables..LOL. This plate of vegetables could be expensive because of the feta cheese (?).

I recalled that this restaurant used to be synonymous with macaroni pie. The macaroni pie (rm26) arrived and I could not wait to plunge my spoon and start scooping. The top made up of egg white meringue looked delicious. There are very few restaurants in Penang that has macaroni pie on their menu.

A bite and taste of the filling had me say this...Ow! It did not taste that good. The macaroni was little and the filling was with too much fluid. It was not as delectable as I had expected.

Hubby decided that he could do with a bowl of soup to go with pie. We agreed to an order of Boston Chowder (rm14). Ooh, the chowder was deliciously filled with prawns, mussels, scallops and mushrooms. I loved it to the last drop and licked the spoon clean. Hubby just smiled when I asked if he liked it.

I told the waiter before the bill was paid. The hot bun served, it was stale and dry. I wanted to take-away some bread from this place but changed my mind. This place supposedly has nice bread from their kitchen.

The Bungalow, Lone Pine Hotel, 97 Batu Ferringhi. 11100 Penang. Tel : 604-8868686. **10%Service charge & 6% Government Tax.

Dinner @ Delicious

2011-06-19T02:27:00.034+08:00

We finally made it to Delicious @ Straits Quay (another new restaurant). We had wanted to on many other occasions but never made it. This restaurant occupies the whole ground floor. I liked what I saw as we approached the restaurant. The colour scheme looked pleasant in white and different shades of blue. The restaurant stretched from one end of the block to the other end. In simple words, it is humongous compared to the others at this place. The birdcages lightings looked beautiful and attractive. If you are a non-diner, there is the lounge area for some light snacks. At Delicious you can find both Western and Asian food. There are chicken curry, steamed chicken and many others. It is an East meet West kind of restaurant.Hubby ordered the Pan-seared cod served with sautéed prawns on ratatouille (rm48.90). There was nothing special about the dish except the portion served. It is just simple dish prepared with little oil. We would describe it as healthy cooking for healthy eating. Oil was used sparingly in the preparation of the fish. Even the potatoes were cubed and deep-fried slightly.
I had the Pan-seared Crispy skin salmon. That was something different as the skin of the salmon was crispy and it was well seasoned. Other than the skin, the others were just normal.We felt that a little bit more of the vegetables would justify the price charged. The thing we noted was the salmon and cod were very fresh (rm39.90). There was a break in communication and our soup order was not noted. Thus, it arrived after the main course. The cream of mushroom soup had me disappointed. I would say both of us were not happy. The soup was thick and had plenty of chopped mushrooms. The unpleasant taste about the soup was it was not creamy thick. It was 'starchy' thick. We were fortunate to have ordered only one bowl (rm13.90).We had a 'fight' (LOL) between salad and another main dish. Hubby felt that his main course was a too little. We settled for another main dish. It was homemade pesto pasta (rm19.90). We added rm6.90 for the grilled chicken slices. I loved the pesto pasta and the shredded cheddar gave an extra taste. However, hubby did not like the pesto pasta. The pesto suited me wonderfully. I enjoyed it to the last strand and last bit of sauce.There was a wide array of desserts on sale at Delicious. There were tiramisu, chocolate moist, mousse, apple crumble, different types of cup cakes and many others. I felt sinful just looking. Both of us gave the desserts a miss as one had too much soup. The other had too much pesto pasta.We decided that on our next visit, we would dine alfresco. The view of the marina was beautiful at night. DELICIOUS is located @ 3C-G-3 & 3A. Ground Floor, Straits Quay. Tel Contact: 04-8998555. Open 10am-12am (Weekdays). 9am-12am (Weekends & Public holidays). :o)

Delicious is located at 3C-G-3 & 3A Ground Floor Straits Quay, Penang. Tel No: 04-8998555. Open 10am-12am (Weekdays). 9am-12am (Weekends & Public Holidays). :o) **10% Service Charge & 6% Government Tax.

Finnegan's Pub (Irish) @ Straits Quay

2011-06-14T03:08:00.012+08:00

The night we went to Straits Quay for dinner, it was raining heavily. As it was the school holidays season, this mall was full of people. Most of the eateries were packed. Actually, both of us were looking for Oh Sushi. We could not locate it. Thus, we found ourselves at Finnegan's Pub (Irish). Hubby had been here not for the food but for a drinking session. He told me he liked the place. All I wanted was food as I was knackered and hungry that night.Both of us settled for the same order. A plate of Lamb Hock each and a bowl of French Onion soup.The first thing that got my attention was this big blob (see picture above). I poked at it and found that it was mashed potato. The chef had the mashed potato coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. It was mashed potato of a different kind.The serving of Lamb Hock was generous. It was one big piece of meat and large chunks of cauliflower and carrots. However, the taste was not to my liking. It was braised lamb hock served with tomato puree as sauce. The sauce made of tomato puree was prepared lightly and dribbled over the meat. As much as I love lamb hock (shank), I was disappointed. Hubby was impartial. He just ate and finished the food. The French Onion soup came served with a piece cheese on toast. That was a welcome sight, as I loved cheese on toast.
The soup was rather thick and it was not clear soup. I have not tasted French Onion soup prepared in this way. The taste of the soup was different. A bit creamy but not bad. Irish cooking? The waiters who served us were friendly and that sort of made up for my disappointment. Finnegan's Pub is located @ Straits Quay, Unit 3E-G-1, Penang. Tel No: 04-8981688. Fax :04-8908688 ** 10% Service Charge & 5% Government Tax. [There is a promotion going on for the month of June. You can call for more details.]

El Casa Restaurant

2011-05-21T18:40:00.007+08:00

Another food joint mushroomed in Penang and the one we found was El Casa. El Casa is new to the eatery scene, only six months old. Housed in a heritage enclave, El Casa boasts both Asian and Western cuisine at the place.The place exudes a romantic atmosphere with its dim lights and quiet atmosphere. The tables placed wide apart from each other gave me dining comfort. I did not have to speak in whispers (of course, no shouting here). Ahh...Another new place to dine. Hubby settled for the Grilled Steak and Pan Roasted Salmon set. It was on promotion with a 50% off the rack rate (rm29.90). It came with a glass of white wine, a bowl of tomato soup, the main course and a dessert. The tomato soup was a disappointment as it was from a can and too bland. The salmon was not too bad and not too good either. Palatable was what both of us would describe it. Dessert came in the form of a soybean jelly. Actually, we were here to 'check out' the place.I was not too hungry so I settled for just a bowl of cream of mushroom soup and a main course. The cream of mushroom soup was delicious. I would say it was yummy and to my taste. The soup was creamy with a good amount of chopped mushrooms.
I had their signature dish the Chicken De El Casa for my main. It was a big piece of chicken drumstick deep-fried with a layer of Mozzarella cheese on top. For a price RM17.90, the portion served was generous. The chicken, seasoned with Italian herbs, was nothing spectacular. It was well marinated, deep-fried and crispy to the bite. The potato wedges was to my liking. It was tasty and properly deep-fried. (Some places seved them burnt and dry.) This dish also came with a deep-fried banana. I thought that was a good dessert to end the main course.
You can opt to dine alfresco if you like the outdoor feeling. El Casa has a nice patio with nice lightings and a ceiling fan. It was 'closed' when I took the picture (below). You do not have to worry about parking space, as there is ample. There are parking spaces in front of El Casa.:o) El Casa Restaurant is located at No.2 Jalan Irrawady, 10500 Penang. Tel No: 04-2299223 **10% Service Charge & zero Government Tax.

Louis Cafe...western/fusion style

2011-05-14T16:26:00.010+08:00

Louis Cafe was featured in The Star and from the review; we thought we would pay the restaurant a visit. The place gave me a cosy feeling as I stepped inside. The interior done in light colours with simple decorations looked pleasant. Brightly lit, it exuded the 'family kind' of place feeling. Food served at the place was actually fusion style. We went for the set-dinner, which comprised of a salad, a soup, one main course, a beverage and a dessert of the day. We had six choices (meat) to choose from the menu. Louis Cafe has quite an extensive menu. What we had was the Chicken with prunes (sorry I forgot the name of the dish) and the grilled lamb cutlet. For the chicken, both of us did not quite like the taste. I personally do not like something as sweet as the prunes cooked together with meat. Hubby had the same comments. The grilled lamb cutlet was tasty. It did not smell of 'unbathed' lamb and it was tender. In addition, it was well marinated.The salad served was quite generous in portion.The cream of mushroom soup that we had was their signature dish. We were not disappointed as there was a lot chopped mushroom in every scoop put in the mouth. The soup served was creamy and not too liquid. One thing I liked, cornstarch was not used to make the soup thick. The pumpkin soup that we had, it was not so tasty. We both agreed it was too watery and tasted bland.I noticed that the chef took a lot of trouble to make the dish look presentable. The mash potato, it was deep-fried and came in the shape of a pear! The picture above showed a plate of Smoked salmon steak with Dijon creme sauce. It was good to the last bite. The sauce was good. Could it be because I love Dijon mustard? LOL.The baked stuffed chicken was quite ordinary. It was just chicken stuffed with a jumbo sausage and baked. The only thing I noted was the chicken was tender and juicy.What I went oohlala with..at Louis was the deep-fried chicken wing. The batter was very crispy and the chicken wings tasted good. Sugar, spices and all...made them tasty.
The price of the set dinner ranged between RM32.90 - RM39.90Louis Cafe is located at 161C Argyll Road, Penang. Tel: 042287729 **10% Service Charge

Ji De Lai San Ding Seafood Restaurant

2011-05-12T01:05:00.013+08:00

There are many places offering 'choo char' (Chinese dishes) in Penang. They can be found in every nook and cranny in Penang. This open concept 'restaurant' is one that is found in a peculiar place. Restaurant Ji De Lai San Ding Seafood is located on a playground inside a residential area. This restaurant has 'specialty' dishes daily. The night we were there they had homemade tofu with chopped seaweed sprinkled on top. The pieces of tofu were then deep-fried. The deep-fried tofu with the seaweed was tasty. The seaweed gave it a salty and fishy taste.
The next dish we had was also a specialty of the day. The deep-fried chicken thighs with pumpkin sauce. The pumpkin gave the dish a sweet taste. There was also lime/lemon juice in the sauce so it was actually sweet and sour chicken. It can be described as a new kind of sweet and sour chicken. I did not quite like the dish but hubby and son did not mind. This eatery has many specialty of the day. If you are someone who is adventurous, try them. Sometimes you can be disappointed or shocked. The last time we visited, we had deep fried tofu that came with a purple coloured sauce. It was sauce made from dragon fruit. Oh my, I have never seen sauce in that colour. Of the many restaurants that we have been to, this one served this dish the best. The stir-fry 'bayam' (spinach) with three different kinds of eggs. The 'bayam' was cooked but not over cooked. The amount of 'bayam' served together with the egg, salted egg and century egg was generous. The gravy was very tasty and not too liquid. The grilled spare ribs was also another dish getting the thumbs up from us. Whilst you are there, you can also try the 'kam heong' stir-fried brinjal (aubergine) with dried prawns. The aubergine is prepared in a very nice way. The aubergine though cooked was not mushy and the dried prawns done fragrantly. However, I found the dish to be rather salty (I think the dried prawns were not washed). The clay-pot fish is also a good dish to order. One thing to remember is to check the price of the dish before placing your order. The last time we had this dish it cost us a whopping RM60 (small sized fish) for the dish.
Jie De Lai San Ding Seafood Restaurant is located on a playground. To get to this place drive along Jalan Hamilton and turn right into Taman Hijau 3. (If you are coming from Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah.) Drive straight in (across a t-junction) until you reached the playground (on your right). This is a residential area. Look for a brightly lit open-space. :o)

Hei Yeong Seng Chinese Restaurant...

2011-05-11T01:42:00.019+08:00

Hei Yeong Seng Chinese Restaurant is about three to four months old. This restaurant is so spacious, I exclaimed as we walked inside.There were about 20 tables occupied and it was a weekday. The restaurant is brightly lit and very clean. The staff was friendly and there were many of them. That meant efficient service.We decided to settle for the common dishes for comparison.
We had the stir-fried broccoli with dried fish flakes. A very tasty dish with the broccoli cooked but still crunchy.The dried scallop tofu was a good choice recommended by the waiter. The Japanese tofu was tasty. The tofu made with a lot of egg was soft but not watery. We ate it to the last bit, as even the gravy was tasty. We did not waste even a drop of the gravy, as there was a lot of shredded scallop in the gravy. Yummy!The steamed cod was normal as compared with the other restaurants we have visited. The fish was juicy and fresh.This is one tasty dish we had, the 3-cup clay pot chicken. What pleased the three of us was no breast meat used in this dish. Similar dish served at other restaurants used the breast part of the chicken. That made the meat dry. Every single piece of the chicken meat came from the thigh of the chicken. We enjoyed every bite of the chicken. The chef must be very experienced as the dishes (all that we ate) were simply delicious. If you are wondering about the price of the dishes, I would say it is reasonable. The whole dinner cost us less than RM100. If you are looking for a new place for your meals...here is one!:o) **Please read the comments if you are ALLERGIC TO PEANUTS. There is a feedback from a reader. This is here to serve as awareness to food (peanuts in this case) allergy for my blog readers. There is no malice here. TQ
Hei Yeong Seng Chinese Restaurant, 2nd Floor, Penang Plaza, Jalan Burmah, Penang Tel: 04-2291623/04-2293623Open daily.**5% Service Charge & 6% Government Tax.

Hisago @ Straits Quay

2011-04-05T17:58:00.021+08:00

I was truly impressed with Hisago the moment I stepped into the restaurant. Wow! Hisago is spacious and tastefully decorated. Hisago opened about four months ago. We were greeted at the door by Mr. Eric Lim, the General Manager of Hisago and he showed us to our table. Eric is a nice and pleasant young man. He did the explanation of the food served here patiently and quite detailed. I did not realise the big characters that spelt HISAGO until I looked at this picture. It served as a divider (family area and 'not' so family area separated). We decided to settle for what Eric recommended. He started us off with the Shake salad which, was an assortment of greens with slightly seared salmon pieces. Ooh, the salmon is fresh! The salad was with a generous dressing of mayonnaise and sesame oil (I think it is chuka-fu dressing). It was a good recommendation. I liked the dressing, which tasted a bit Chinese with the sesame oil. It was a change from the usual Thousand Island dressing used in other Japanese restaurant.The above picture showed some legs protruding from the maki (roll). That is the Spider Maki. It is actually deep fried soft shell crab, cucumber, flying fish roe and chilli mayonnaise roll. I am not a crab person but I could not resist taking one piece as it was so inviting. It was delicious. Eric suggested that we try another maki dish and it was the Salmon skin maki. This is something that is not on the menu. The Salmon maki was served in a simple way. I do not have any qualms about the taste when they arrived and I was not wrong. The salmon skin was deep-fried to a crispy bite ( but not over fried) and tasty. There is still the fishy taste but a good taste. We are very particular about the rice in our rolls and Hisago has it cooked just right. Noticed the generous amount of fish roe used here? We have never tried clay pot rice in a Japanese restaurant. Since Eric recommended it, we thought we would give it a shot. The Unagi (eel) Kamameshi was served. I took a scoop and I knew I was not going to be disappointed. It was a taste away from our Chinese claypot rice. I thought the rice with the unagi (well seasoned) and seaweed was delectable. However, hubby said it would have been better if the unagi were cooked (grilled) a little more. Also, the rice was not mushy. The Saba and Tempura Set consists of the above salad and the rest of the dishes below. The salad comes with a typical Japanese dressing. This plate of tempura came with the set. Tempura is my favourite, an all-time favourite. I would only return to the restaurant if the tempura were good. Yes, the tempura served here were done well. The batter was crispy, not soggy in the centre and it was not smooth. It was the way I liked my tempura done. The serving was also generous as it included three medium sized prawns.The set dinner also included rice and miso soup.This is something worth raving about. The grilled mackerel that was served with wafu sauce was out of the ordinary. Both of us enjoyed it tremendously as the sauce was good. It was a different kind of flavour. I took the above picture of the prawns just to prove a point. :)When it comes to the style of presenting a dish, I would give this restaurant both thumbs up. It was done elaborately. You get all kinds of taste in just a simple Set Dinner. You will love that little piece of meat...a piece of smoked duck. I wanted to ask for more pieces (wish I had). You even get kelp seaweed drenched with sesame oil served in a little glass.To finish off a scrumptious dinner, 'matcha aisu kurimu' (green tea ice cream) was served. This is Hisago, Japanese dining with style. I think even my fastidious son (when it comes to Japanese food) would love this place. Oh, if you are going to Hisago do try their Gindara Miso Nabe (Black Cod in Clear Miso soup). We loved it. If you ask me about the pricing, it is reasonable. :o)Hisago is giving a promotional 10% discount NOW. (I think above RM100 spent)
Hisago Modern Japanese Restaurant @ Straits Quay, Unit 3E-1-1, First Floor, South Quay, Straits Quay, Penang. Tel: 04-8901251**10% Service Charge

Federal Place--Restaurant.Bistro.Cafe.

2011-03-13T00:33:00.005+08:00

A new management has taken over this restaurant Federal Place. (I have a post up on this place earlier.) The interior redone and the place is now brighter. I think it looked better. The Chef is still the same so the menu remained quite the same as before. Their signature dish, the grilled rack of lamb is still here.
We ordered the inchi kabin and it was still as good. The chicken was very well marinated and properly deep-fried. This is something, which was not on the menu earlier. Stewed pork leg (pig's trotter) with 'hor fun'. It was my first time tasting this dish. It reminded me of the canned pork leg (narcissus brand from China) that my mother used to add to the bee hoon she fried. The texture of the 'hor fun' was superb. It is not common to come across such 'hor fun'. It was fine, smooth and slightly springy. The stewed pork leg was very tender and juicy in taste. I half expected it to be drier as it was so tender. I was surprised. The 'hor fun' and the stew added together give this dish both thumbs up.
The curry we ordered was a disappointment. I have never liked curry where the cook used curry powder and do not give it a good fry. This was what happened with this curry. The powdery taste lingered on my tongue. My husband also agreed that the curry was not good.The spinach dish was palatable but we would have preferred it with less water.
If you still have, enough space in your stomach then try the 'choon pniah' (spring rolls). I highly recommend it. The rolls are stuffed with tasty filling (it is not half-empty), delicious and crispy to bite. Even the dip that that comes with these rolls is good. Now, not every restaurant does the dip well. This place does.Federal Place is located at 341 Jalan Dato Keramat, 10150 Georgetown, Penang.
Tel no: 04-2284188
**6% Govt tax & 5% service charge

Muar Chee..anyone?

2011-03-03T01:49:00.004+08:00

This is the hawker centre found at Gurney Drive. We are here tonight to look for muar chee. Some say muar chee is a dessert (pencuci mulut in Malay) to some it is snack. To us, it is yummy bites. You can find this dessert all over Penang. For my family, this is our favourite...the best so far. Some muar chee are tough to bite. What is sold here is soft but not liquid and smooth. The peanuts used are fresh and fragrant. Glutinous rice is ground to a paste and steamed. It is then cut into small pieces and tossed in toasted and ground peanuts mixed with sesame seeds. This is Muar Chee. You get an extra oomph in taste when it is dribbled with oil fried with shallots. The above picture shows the packet of muar chee from our favourite stall. It is half eaten, as I did not think about blogging until I was half way through the packet. :o)

'Or Ni' Puffs N Goh Huat Seng Steamboat

2011-02-16T21:59:00.011+08:00

My late father used to bring the whole family to this kopi-tiam style restaurant for lunch or dinner. I remembered myself dressed in school uniform and eating here. Today I bring my family here. That is how long this restaurant has been around in Penang. I think one can tell by the name that it is well known for steamboat. Hubby and I were here for just a simple meal. We had deep fried fish dribbled in my favourite sauce; pan tossed shredded ginger with light soy sauce. I am one person who is hopeless with names of fish so I will just call this dish deep fried fish with 'see yau'. This dish is simple as simple can be but the taste is fantastic. The good grade soy sauce used added to the tastiness.The stir-fry French bean was next. What I like about this restaurant is they do not use lard in their cooking. The French beans are cooked and still crunchy (what I like most in fried beans) and do not have that green taste.
The next dish was the chicken fried in sesame oil. It would have tasted better if a little more sesame seed oil is used. Other than that, both hubby and I enjoyed the chicken. Both of us were not in the mood for curry. The stingray curry here is just as delicious as the other dishes we had. The prices here are affordable, the kitchen is clean and the staff is friendly.
When we finished dinner, this is something I always buy home....Their 'Or Ni' puffs. This is a Teochew dessert. These are puffs filled with yam gruel. The way the gruel is made will make you go ooh...it is scrummy when you take a bite. The gruel is not too thick, or too liquid. It is just nice with the right amount of yam, starch and sesame seed. The pastry too is flaky and not hard.
You have to place your order for these puffs before dinner is over as they are sold out fast.

Goh Huat Seng Steamboat is located along Kimberley Street, No. 59-A. 10100 Penang. Tel Nos: 04-2615811 & 2615646. It is closed once every fortnight on Monday.

:o)

Valentine's Day @ Blue Reef

2011-02-11T22:27:00.002+08:00

BLUE REEF (PG0227214-x)
Straits Quay,
3A-G-20, Ground Floor
Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang
10470 Tanjung Tokong,Penang
Malaysia
Tel: 016-4059182
Fax:04-8996127
Business Hours :11am-10pm, Daily

Permai 32 (Click)

No. 22 Lebuh Lembah Permai 4,
11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 04 8999 128 / 016 405 9182
Fax: 04 8999 127

Business Hours: 6.30pm-10.00pm Closed on Mondays
:o)

Hing Kee Kopi-tiam/restaurant

2011-02-07T23:51:00.004+08:00

Father cooks for his children. He prepares too much and so, they are for sale. This is how I will describe the food served here. It is really home style cooking; simple in taste and not much oil used. You can see from the picture above that this kopi tiam is brightly lit. Most importantly, it is clean. I checked out the toilet and kitchen. The only comment I have is the 'si thau por' (lady-boss). She has an attitude and you have to stay cool if she happened to be the one taking your orders. We had the fish-fillet stir-fry with homemade toufu and tau cheong (fermented beans). The tau cheong added extra zest to the otherwise plain tasting toufu. The dish was good and not too salty which is usually the case when tau cheong is added.The 'mui-choy khau yoke' (preserved vegetable with belly pork) was a bit bland. I thought the cook over washed the mui-choy. However, the belly pork was okay. It was cooked just soft enough.This is the restaurant's specialty, 'eng chai' (water convolvulus) with 'heh bee' (dried prawns) and spices. The vegetable is blanched and dribbled with the dried prawns that are fragrantly fried with chilli plus other spices. It was something different for us as the taste of the sauce was something unusual. According to the lady boss, the sauce is imported from Hong Kong.

We also ordered the 'pat-poh' chicken (chicken stewed with eight kinds of Chinese herbs). I thought the dish would have tasted better if the cornstarch used was reduced a little. Overall, the dish was enjoyable, as the chicken was not over stewed. You can still taste the juice of the chicken when you take a bite. If you like food that are not too fancy, gentle on the stomach and pocket then this kopi tiam style restaurant is where you can head.Restoran Hing Kee, 60 China Street

Penang [Closed on Monday]**China Street is a one-way street. This restaurant is on the left side of this street next to Magnum 4D.:o)

OFA-Old Flavours Authentic

2011-02-03T18:06:00.004+08:00

When you have too few people left in the house, it becomes a waste of time to cook. The two of us are always on the lookout for new places or restaurants to eat. Old Flavours Authentic is a restaurant we drop by often for our dinner. OFA serves the usual dishes served elsewhere but with better taste. The place is decent and affordable. We had the cauliflower stir fried. In Hokkien, it will be 'char chap'. The way the stir-fry is done made this dish nice. It has enough gravy for you to 'wet' your rice and the cauliflower was still crunchy. The bamboo shoots and mushrooms added extra flavour to this stir-fry.
What kept us coming back here was the Curry Kapitan (RM12 for small). The curry is just thick enough with santan and aromatic spices. You can feel the bite of the shredded serai (lemon grass) and kafir lime leaves and this is something I love. The cook is generous with these but not over done. The gravy is thick as what Curry Kapitan should be and not too liquid. From my drooling mouth, this curry is a necessary try. The portion served (I am talking about small portion here) is just comfortable for two person's stomach.Try the Marmite fish fillet (RM12 for small) if you think you have space in your stomach (I forgot take a picture). This dish is done and cooked well as the fish used is fresh and it does not smell. Pork is not served here. Old Flavours Authentic is located at 41 Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah
10050 Penang, Tel: 04-2298189 :o)
**NO 10% service charge

BLUE REEF @ Straits Quay

2011-02-03T18:00:00.002+08:00

BLUE REEF (PG0227214-x)
Straits Quay,
3A-G-20, Ground Floor
Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang
10470 Tanjung Tokong,Penang
Malaysia
Tel: 016-4059182
Fax:04-8996127
Business Hours :11am-10pm, Daily

Outlet @ Permai 32 closed for the time being. Further information please call the above telephone number. TQ

:o)

Chinese New Year-Where to Eat?

2011-01-19T23:45:00.004+08:00

@ The Sun / Spring Chamber Restaurant will be open during Chinese New Year. Set Lunch @ RM38 Nett and Set Dinner @ RM50 Nett. You can call for further details.
Sun Yat-Sen Centre, 65 Macalister Road, 10400 Penang. Tel No: 604-226 5181
GONG XI FA CAI.
:o)

One Wantan Mee stall....

2010-12-13T04:21:00.006+08:00

I took a mouthful, chewed and swallowed. Oh my, I have to post this on my blog. This is the reason this picture was taken with the 'eaten' look. I don't know how you like your mee but I like it in thin strands. Some are a bit thicker. Not only is the mee in thinner strands but it also tasted fragrant. There is no after taste of alkaline water and this is what I really like about the mee. The Ah cheh (sister) told me it is home made. The gravy of the mee is light and tasty with a tinge of sesame oil. The dark soy sauce doesn't taste smoky. I was told that this stall was formerly situated at/near the Caltex station. They have since acquired their own kopi tiam.Ah Koh (brother) preparing the wantan mee. Something he has been doing for over 20 years (could be 40), I can't recall as I was too eager to eat!

Order an extra bowl of wantan. The wantan aren't teeny weeny with no meat inside the skin. There is actually a meat ball inside the wantan unlike those you get from other stalls.You can find this delicious almost Hong Kong style wantan mee at Kafe Tong Sheng. Location: Jalan Dato Koyah, Penang. (Opp Lim Clinic)

:o)

That Little Wine Bar...

2010-10-14T00:00:00.010+08:00

Have you ever been to a restaurant and come out thinking you've been overcharged? Well, join me here...at That Little Wine Bar. I have nothing good to write about this red snapper (RM28) dish. Both of us felt that the dish was tasteless. 3 small pieces of snapper served with gravy that was too liquid. The fish was 'swimming' in the liquid.hroom Quiche was so-so and it was nothing to shout about. I thought the pastry was a bit soggy. Paying RM28 for such a small piece really isn't worth it.
The 3 Salmon Tartare (RM35) tasted quite alright. The salmon pieces were fresh and you get enough herbs in it. For the price we paid, the piece was a tad small. French Onion soup (RM22) wasn't delectable either. The stock was too liquid and not tasty. Hoever, we were consoled by the pieces of cheese on toast that came with the soup. We thought the whole meal would be a disaster but it didn't turn out so. The Cheese cake was good. Rich and light.....good to the last bite. At RM10 per piece, this is the only thing I'd recommend here. The service is good. I am no connoisseur of French cuisine but I think the food quality and portion needs improvement. We weren't the only ones who came out of the restaurant disappointed. We had a friend who gave us this answer when asked about the food served at this restaurant. "Sorry, I can't say much as the food served was too little for me to even taste!"
Location: That Little Wine Bar @54 Jalan Chow Thye, 10050 Georgetown, Penang.:o(
10% Service and 5% Government Tax

JenzDan Lifestyle - Vegetarian food

2010-09-16T23:11:00.006+08:00

You think you have had too much meat in your diet? Fancy some vegetarian food? Vegetarian food to me is akin to those I buy from the stalls during the Kew Ong Yeh (Nine Emperors') festival or vegetarian restaurants found around Penang. Vegetarian food can be boring at times. It has always been such for me and my family till we paid Cafe JenxDan Lifestyle a visit. This is a vegetarian restaurant that serves vegetarian food with a difference...big difference! You can never imagine what creativity does to the food.
Try the home made pumpkin soup. It is normal but in a vegetarian restaurant, this is something different.

Creamy mushroom pasta, now this is fantastic. Maybe it is because I never expected to find this dish here. This is one good vegetarian fare. Lots of mushroom and rich with cream.

Both of us loved this Pasta Bolognese. You will be deceived by this non-meat fare. It tastes just like the normal Bolognese without the meat. Even hubby who is a meat person loved this dish.
We ordered this as an extra, the omelette with toast. Well, since we are having all vegetarian hubby was worried we will be hungry too soon. The toast is organic and I loved both the bread and the salad. The omelette was so-so for me.
Whilst you are there you might want to try their Roselle juice. I find this drink refreshing. A sweet and sour taste when you drink it. It tastes better than having sui poey. (sour plum) Have some vegetarian food for a change. Enjoy :o)
JenxDan Lifestyle located @
21 Jalan Chow Thye, Georgetown (10050) (at /off Jalan Burma behind Malaysian Buddhism Association) Tel :04-2268414
**Frozen vegetarian supply and organic items are sold here.

Chettiar cuisine....Karaikudi Restaurant

2010-09-08T03:13:00.008+08:00

The Chettiars are Hindus predominantly originating in the Chetinnad region of Tamil Nadu. In the 19th Century Chettiars migrated to countries throughout South East Asia. There are both Tamil speaking and Telugu speaking Chettiars. They are very famous for their artistic houses and tasty cuisine. (source from worldiq.com) Alright, I admit I didn't anything or rather there is such a thing as Chettiar cuisine till my visit here to Karaikudi. I read about it here in the poster hung on the wall. So now you know chettiars are not only known 'for' money but food as well Indian food that is.Karaikudi Restaurant is air-conditioned and clean. Brightly lit though not in every corner. I love the plaster ceiling. The tables and chairs are very simple and the important thing, comfortable.The menu here is very extensive. In fact there were too many to choose from we decided to settle for the normal (I mean what is known to us). On hubby's insistence both BB and I agreed to try a different kind of vegetable instead of the normal cabbage fried with tumeric. Hubby ordered the palak paneer (rm9.50). I didn't like what I saw when it arrived. This dish is made of spinach, paneer cheese in curry sauce. Of course I didn't know what the dish was all about till I got home and googled it. To me it looks gooey but the taste took me by surprise. It didn't taste as bad as it looked. BB made no comments but hubby didn't like it at all. It is spinach with cheese but I didn't taste spinach at all except it being a bit spicy and cheesy.

The tandoori chicken (rm11) is good as it is well seasoned. We had a double order as BB preferred to have a whole lot to himself. The one thing I noticed is the chicken is fresh and not dry as in grilled or cooked more than once.

You can find many different types of naan here. On the waiter's recommendation we decided to try the cheese naan (rm6). Oh my, it is so Western. All of us agreed. Take a bite into the naan, taste and ...you are eating pizza Indian style. You got to try this naan. The taste is really something, it is good! All 3 of us really enjoyed eating the cheese naan with the tandoori chicken dribbled with a little curry. Awesome.

The onion naan (rm6) is good too. I think it is the way the naan is made. Unlike some other restaurants where the naan is rubbery and you need real strong teeth to take a bite, Karaikudi's naan are different. They are crispy but not dry and the onions were not overdone. You can still get the onion taste and smell as you chewed into a piece.

The Mutton Briyani (rm11.50) ...This is a must have at this restaurant. The mutton briyani is really out of this world and I would say full of oomph! The rice is grainy but cooked and full of flavour with the different kind of herbs and spices. The mutton is oh so tender and just flakes off the bone. The meat is so full of flavour....ooo it's simply delicious. Do not be deceived by the little container it is served in. It is packed tight and filled to the brim. So do be careful that when you take a scoop at it. You really do not want to waste such good food by feeding the table. Yupz, that was the mistake I made. I think the aroma of it made me act silly diving my spoon so quickly into the 'nasi'.The amount of mutton found at the bottom of the briyani is a lot for the price you pay. Many pieces to be shared by two. Of course if you are a big eater then one bowl will be just fine. For hubby and me, we shared an order as we have the chicken and the naan to add on. If you like chicken like we do then I would say you do not give Karaikudi's Chicken Roast (rm9.50) a miss. The chicken is wholesome in taste and flavour. It is one good chicken roast you will not regret eating. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and eat it with the onions that come with it and enjoy the full flavour. Oh dear, I'm salivating writing about this chicken roast.

When you are about to finish your meal, place your order for this dessert.... Sizzling Brownie. Did the 3 of us enjoy our meal? Yes, we enjoyed it tremendously and the meal was wonderful but we are not about to leave till the last one. Dessert!

I have not come across this dessert called the Sizzling Brownie (rm10) and was told by the waiter (I think he is the Manager) that this is the speciality of Karaikudi. Remember to order as you are about to finish your meal as the preparation time takes a while.

Sizzling Brownie is brownie served on a hot plate with ice-cream on top. The brownie is very rich and moist not from the ice cream but in itself. A different way of eating brownie and it is simply delicious and something extra ordinary. When you are eating it do be careful of the hot plate as it is really hot. Also, eat fast not that the ice cream will melt (obviously it will) but because the brownie will burn and it will be a waste to eat burnt brownie when it is moist and soft. Have a hearty meal!

Karaikudi Restaurant located @ No: 20 Market Street, Penang

Tel : 04-2631359/04-2631345 **5% Service charge.

:o)

Eating at 3am..

2010-09-01T23:02:00.006+08:00

3 am in the morning and you are feeling hungry? Do not fancy cheese on toast, bread and butter or jam? Take a drive around town! Yupz, which was what hubby and I did. Aren't we lucky to be living in a country where food is found almost anywhere, everywhere and any hour? Our drive was smooth because there were hardly any cars. Most would be in slumber land now except for us two the night owls or early birds in this instant. We passed by many 'nasi kandar' shops but decided this time we will have something 'cheng-cheng' (not too oily). We arrived at TownView Seafood Cafe. Townview is actually a seafood restaurant but from 12 midnight onwards porridge is served. You can have either sweet potato porridge or just plain porridge.Just take a look at the array of dishes available here. Plain fried eggs, eggs fried with preserved turnips, steamed pork with preserved vegetables (choy poh), plain fried fish, fried fish in dark soy sauce, curry chicken, fried chicken, Chinese sausages, tau yew bak (pork in soy sauce), so many different kinds of vegetables, etc..... gosh, just making a choice on what to order was difficult. We were so spoilt for choice. Fried egg plant with tau cheong (fermented beans) and fried pomfret in dark soy sauce. The fried egg plant was good but not the fish. It was simply too sweet for the two of us.The 'mui choy' (also preserved vegetable) is very delicious with porridge. We had two portions of it. Egg with 'choy poh' and pork steamed with 'tong chai'. Everything tastes good early in the morning!We thought we were late or early.....? There were still people walking in as we prepared to leave. If you are a night owl like us or early bird, feeling hungry....here is where you go.:o)
TOWNVIEW SEAFOOD CAFE located at:
11 Jalan Macalister, 10400 Georgetwon, Penang
Tel: 04-2283645 (open till 5am)

One place so Thai...Khunthai Village

2010-08-23T01:23:00.004+08:00

After many choices being ticked off from our lists of places to eat; hubby decided that this time we will take a drive to the mainland. We decided to go to Khunthai Village an eatery hubby patronized 2 weeks ago. Khunthai Village is actually located inside a residential area. Hubby said it will be a quick drive over from island to mainland but we had to make many turns as a turn was missed and yet he said.....Oh, no problem, easy to find!As I got out from the car and walked towards Khunthai I sort of regretted agreeing to have dinner here. The aluminum roof gave me the idea that this place will be hot with our hot days now. After being in the restaurant for a while I thought that the place is neat. It actually looks like a village and the place is huge, spacious with more than 50 tables (I think). There are different kinds of set ups. Long rectangle tables or round metal/plastic tables those you normally find in a kopitiam. The place is actually very airy and not hot with the atap roofs up above our heads and the many fans mounted on the beams. Enjoy the table whilst waiting for your food to arrive. I just love the tables and chairs.

We didn't have to wait long for food to arrive which was surprising as the place was quite full. This is for me a must-have - The Kangkong fried in flour. Everybody loved this dish as it was crunchy and tasty not bland and soft (the batter, I mean) like what some other Thai restaurants.This is the way the Thais eat their bean curd (toufu), deep-fried and served with a dip. This is a very different dip like what we normally get in Gurney Drive. There is sliced raw onions, sliced raw shallots, shredded mango, chili, anchovies all mixed in typical Thai sauce; sweet and sour. This is a must try as even mama loves it. We only had one choice on fish, steamed and steamed only. It couldn't be done any other way as that's how mama likes her fish. Oooo, I tell you the fish is so good. It oozes freshness and the way it is steamed; even the gravy was all slurped dry. Even the plain Japanese toufu tasted good with the sourish gravy.I am not a seafood person so the waiter told us we could ask for less prawns or maybe replace the prawns with calamari (more of it) for the Seafood tom yam hubby ordered. Never mind, I told hubby that we'll take the normal order. Just look at the Seafood tom yam. Does it look really hot and spicy? It came looking red with lots of fish fillet, prawns, calamari.... Looks can be deceiving as this is one tom yam that is just nice. Seriously, I've been to places where I think either the cook is a sadist or he misjudged his chili portion. You can feel smoke coming out of your ears eating it but not this place. All 4 of us enjoyed the tom yam with only me sweating a little. Even mama who is a 'not too spicy' person said the soup is simply delicious and done just right. Tasty, good, not too sour and not too ridiculously luak (spicy in hokkien). This is one tom yam that doesn't explode your taste buds. The 3 of us adults thought that this Spicy Mango (Thai) dish was a mistake order. Having the tomyam and this dish together was a 'too sour' feeling for mama and me. The mango used in this dish is really unripe and very sour. I think it is too Thai for us and also, there really is nothing special with just mango, the usual Thai sauce and anchovies. I love this dish, Fried egg with Thai vegetable. I couldn't make the waiter understand me. I wanted to know what this Thai vegetable is. What kind of vegetable was used? I gave up in the end and continued to enjoy the dish. We know Thais are well-known for their pineapple fried rice but what was served to us was a great disappointment. The rice was soggy and the fried rice taste of nothing but salt. It wasn't even fried, maybe just stirred in oil were mama's description of the fried rice. We didn't have any seafood as I'm not a seafood person and hubby just had lots of seafood 2 weeks ago. Hubby told mama and BB that the next time we visit this place we will make sure we come with more people as he recommends the chili crab and crab fried in salted eggs. He had these two dishes when he visited 2 weeks ago. The other dish we had for dinner on that night was the pandan chicken. This is also a must try. Pay this restaurant a visit if you authentic Thai dining. It is so Thai...

Kunthai Village is located @ MK-9-914 Jalan Permatang Tengah, 13000 Butterworth. Tel : 04-3327523, 012-4313537
Note: This place is airy and cooling. (The picture will show you fans mounted on the beams.) You can dress in shorts and Ts BUT.....there are lots of mosquitoes. Maybe you can bring your own mosquito coils or use insect repellants. The price, it reasonable with 5% Government Tax. Enjoy and happy dining. :o)

Down a deserted street....Teksen

2010-07-06T15:35:00.005+08:00

Do not be deceived by this dark deserted street. Take a little walk further and you will see a lit signboard that says....Teksen Restaurant. Teksen has moved to this present premise, which is a big contrast from the old place. The old 'restaurant' was just an extended shack along a side lane. Teksen has been around for as long as I can remember. 15 years? BB used to call this place Bart Simpson restaurant. One of the brothers used to wear a tall Chef's hat and BB being very much younger likes Bart Simpson whose hair is quite similar to the hat. Right, it is a 'different Teksen (outlook only) but still the same deliiiicious dishes served. Teksen Restaurant sure is better now. The interior is simple and what I like best about this place is, it is brightly lit and clean.
Teksen Restaurant is usually packed so do bring something to read whilst waiting for food to be served. With the good lightings, you needn't have to worry about your eyesight. The dishes that are served here are reasonably priced and most important....fresh. Both of us arrived pretty late for dinner tonight. We didn't lose out much except the Stir Fry BBQ Pork in dark soy sauce. This is a must if you do visit Teksen Restaurant. We were recommended the following dishes:
Fried Fish Fillet in or tau yew (dark soy sauce). The fish is very fresh and I like the generous amount of soy sauce with ginger. Oh, for extra oomph I asked for chilli padi to be added. That made it extra fragrant. The dish of the day was the tau see mun phai kuat (stewed pork ribs with fermented black beans). The ribs were fried before it was stewed and that gives the meat extra fragrance and together with the fermented beans, it was simply delicious.The muah ewe (sesame oil) chicken tasted just like what mom used to cook. Rice wine is also another ingredient used in this dish. You can taste it and smell it. The only complaint both of us have is this, too much breast meat was used. It would have been better if only chicken drumsticks were used. Then, the meat would not taste dry.
The next dish was the stir fry kai lan. Just a simple fare stir fry with garlic. It was mouth watering just looking at it. I am a vegetable person so when it comes looking still green then it is...oohlala. I was not wrong as it was cooked but still crunchy and tasty. In fact, crunchy to the last piece and bite. Teksen serves what I would say simple but tasty everyday dishes, which you can find in most homes. I noticed that very little MSG is used and that makes this restaurant even better. Now, if you intend to visit this restaurant, do arrive early and make sure you finish eating before 9:30pm. Save all the talking for later as if you do not, you will find this irritating act. The staff clearing up and you see chairs on top of tables even before you finish your last mouthful. There were still two tables occupied (including us) but the staff has started to spray detergent next to the table we were seated. I find this act rather irksome.
Teksen Restaurant located at : 18 & 20 Carnavon Street, Penang. (It is along the same road as the Campbell Street Market (wet). Just a little after the t-junction. :o)

Penang Fried Koay Teow....No.1

2010-07-02T00:37:00.004+08:00

This is the stall we would frequent if we have that craving for Char Kuay Teow. The kuay teow (flat rice noodles) is so smooth and soft. Of all the 'char koay teow' (fried kuay teow) in Penang that I've tasted, I still give this the thumbs up. Individually fried and the prawns are fresh and look at the size, big that is. In Penang, the "Sisters' Char Koay Teow" has been featured in travel guides but I still say, this is by far the best. Now, if you are wondering where it is, it is in Air Itam, and the kopi tiam (coffee shop) is situated next to Jalan 4. Name of coffee shop is Lasia. Penangites and Malaysians, you would know this food. For all those who don't, well, it is fried rice noodles. Rice noodles that are flat and cut in strips. It is fried in lard and prawns, cockles, chives and bean sprouts are added. Chilli is also added in the frying. It will always taste better if it is fried individually. It means, one order by one order and not fried in a whole lump and then scooped onto individual plates. You can opt not to have the cockles etc...whatever you desire on your plate. Of course, the 'koay teow' and bean sprouts, they've got to be there. Oh, eggs are also added (optional) and if you want more flavour, ask for duck egg to be added. Just one would suffice. Pay this kopi tiam a visit and taste the koay teow for yourself.
Enjoy :o)

"Kopi-Kau"....this is the way I like it..

2010-06-17T14:50:00.005+08:00

Cintra Street in Penang is one of the streets I will go.....for food! Yes. There are many shops selling food, all kinds. Biscuit shops, Chinese desserts, home cooked meals, etc. There is one particular 'thing' (alright, not just one) that I will take a drive all the way from home to this 'kopi tiam' (coffee-shop), Sin Sum Vood. My glass of 'kopi-kau peng. Translated as thick local coffee with milk and ice. Hubby likes his hot..... I like mine cold with ice. Hot or cold, the rich local coffee aroma is there. The owner of this 'kopi tiam' makes the coffee personally. Is it the personal touch, the ground coffee or the evaporated milk used? I would like to say all of the mentioned. How he makes this coffee is akin to how the mamak 'tarik' their teh. Generous amount of coffee and evaporated milk used is what makes the coffee deliciously aromatic. Whilst you are at Sim Sun Vood, you might like to try auntie's Yee Sang Kai Chok (fish & chicken porridge). This stall is quite well known. Both hubby and I were going to have our dinner so we have only auntie's 'pak cham kai pei' (steamed chicken drumstick). Oh my, you will definitely enjoy the taste of the chicken. Tender, smooth, juicy, sweet, aromatic.....etc. etc. Next door to Sim Sun Vood is a restaurant Sin Yoon Kee Seafood Restaurant. It states seafood but I can't write anything about the seafood as I've not tasted any. Oh yah, only the deep fried fish. You can order your dishes from Sin Yoon Kee over to Sim Sun Vood. The food Sin Yoon Kee offer? I would say nothing spectacular. I mean normal dishes like stir fried kai lan, stir fried tau geh, etc...etc. Just dishes you would find in any other restaurant. Their signature deepfried toufoo is the only thing I liked fhere. Prices are reasonable. Do not expect too much from Sin Yoon Kee. It is an old restaurant with the upstairs section air conditioned. The cleanliness, just a bearable condition is what I would say.....that is if you are not a yuppie.
Run along......to Cintra Street, to Sim Sum Vood. You can have porridge; you can have rice and dishes or like me......a nice glass of iced kopi kau. By the way, you won't miss the person who makes the coffee. He is the guy with a short pony tail. Have a nice time. Sim Sum Vood, 37 Cintra Stret, Penang.:o)

Japanese Toufoo with Cheese....?

2010-05-26T23:52:00.007+08:00

I saw this long queue outside Kim Gary. I dragged hubby to join in the queue much to his dismay. It was a while before we were allocated a seat. I've heard people talking about Kim Gary but....This 'katak' has never patronized Kim Gary. I found out that it is a franchise restaurant and originated from Hong Kong. Oh good (so I thought). Both of us settled for the Roast honey spare ribs with mushrooms. It came served atop rice. We were really disappointed as there was nothing 'Hong Kong' about it. The spare ribs were dry and bland. Honestly, there was nothing to it. A few pieces of dry bland ribs, some small pieces of Chinese mushrooms with rice and corn. Urghhh! The Japanese bean-curd with abalone mushroom was something different. It is a dish baked with eggs and lots of cheese on top. I didn't mind the taste. Some fusion done well. I've never tasted/eaten any kind of bean curd cooked this way with cheese. Hubby thought it tasted odd.
The potato baked with cheese and bacon tasted good. We both enjoyed this dish. The generous amount of cheese used made it better. The drinks we had were something different too. I had ice-blended red-bean with coconut milk. Hubby had pineapple with coconut milk. It was awesome. Maybe it was because I love coconut was the excuse hubby used when I said I love the drink. Well, that's hubby's judgment.

It isn't really a spectacular dining place but.....you may want to say....I've been there.

You can find KIM GARY here...3RD FLOOR OF GURNEY PLAZA, (BEHIND SONY AND MAGGIIE T)
**10% Service & 5% Government Tax
:o)

A new RIB House in Penang...

2010-05-25T14:19:00.002+08:00

We saw many people outside this restaurant. A new eatery? Oh yes, it is. It is Chicago Rib House. I can't remember what eatery occupied this lot before. Hubby and I decided to join in the queue. It being a Friday, the place was packed. It didn't take long for us to be seated as there were only 2 of us. The place is very simple. Simple table with formica tops and rubber wood (I think they are) chairs. They are well spaced and that makes dining here pleasant. You can see families, couples, teenagers and tweens.
Ermm, sorry we didn't order this dish. That's what I said when the waiter brought this plate to our table. Oh, it is free. Believe it or not, it is free! A whole big skittle of deep fried mushroom. You will get this free if you order two main courses. Now, how's that for good marketing? This isn't just some nonsense. It is good deep fried mushrooms. You'll love the batter. Salad cream is also provided for dipping.

Chicago Rib House is only about 2 weeks old. That was what we found out from Vincent. He is the Assistant Restaurant Manager. A soft-spoken young man. Pleasant for that matter. We didn't know what to order. Everything is nice here. I decided on the Black Catch. It is dory fish fillet marinated in cajun spices and black pepper. Don't I love the fish? Hubby doesn't like dory fish but this time he has no complaints. The fish is fresh and very well marinated. It does not have that 'mud' taste at all.

Hubby went for their signature Pork Ribs. Ooooh, they are delicious and so tender. They are good alright. Heavenly.....was the next word that came out from his mouth. I 'attacked' and got a piece from his plate. Yes! They are very well marinated, grilled, cooked and still juicy. You get value for money here. According to Vincent the pork ribs come from Holland, the broccoli comes from Australia, the fries from USA.....in simple words....good stuff! Game to visit the place? It is here-Chicago Rib House, GP-170-G-43 Gurney Plaza, Pesiaran Gurney

Tel: 04-2290763

**10% Service Charge

:o)

Celebrating Mother's Day....

2010-05-09T18:55:00.006+08:00

We had dinner at Maple Palace Restaurant to celebrate Mother's Day. The place was packed, believe it or not. Oh my, the din as you walked into the restaurant. Welcome to Chinese dining! We have six adults, one teen and one very young one seated at our table. Our first course was the Heong Sow Gap (Fragrant grilled goose). For once, it wasn't the sharks fin soup as what is usually ordered for any Chinese course dinner. The grilled goose was shredded into thin strips. You make your own rolls with the paper thin pancake provided. I kinda like the thim cheong (sweet sauce) that has to be spread on the pancake. The shredded duck next and on top of it you put sliced cucumber and spring onions. My roll wasn't a roll. I had too much duck meat. Mom-in-law made the best roll amongst all of us. Shame on all of us. The taste of the roll was great. The duck was aromatic and tender. Never mind the shape of the rolls, the taste was what matters. All at the table agreed. I think the pancake slices provided was too little. Only 1 had seconds. The rest......make do with putting duck meat and sliced cucumbers together with spring onions straight into the mouth. I think the Management should consider serving more of the crepe. We asked for seconds but NO MORE SUPPLIES! Our next dish was the Braised abalone with brocolli. Wow, a whole piece of abalone. Nevermind the cholesterol level. The abalone looked too delicious to give it a pass. This serving is real dainty. I thought we could do with a little more of the sea cucumber and broccoli. I know the abalone is out of the question. Everyone ate that piece of abalone with glee. Broccoli and the sea cucumber.....ah well, with standard is what I would say

Steam fish is next. Nothing to shout about. Normal steamed fish in soy sauce. The only thing I could say about this dish is the fish is fresh and not over cooked. Normal or not, it was eaten, every morsel of it.

I liked the next dish, steamed white cabbage with dried scallop. Mom-in-law thought it would have been better had fresh scallops been used. She didn't like the 'smell' the dried scallop gives off. I thought it was nicely done with the 'fatt choy' (black moss) used in abundance. It was superbly seasoned and very tasty. The white cabbage wasn't mushy.

Feast like a King......lobster noodle! The next dish surprised me. I've never seen lobster served this way. Always thought lobster as in Lobster Thermidor. I didn't attack the lobster like the rest at the table did. I went for the noodles. I'm no lobster person. The noodles are out of this world as I ate each mouthful. Free from the taste of alkaline water is what I liked about the noodles. They are egg noodles and weight gain or not, I had two bowls of the noodles. This whole dish is simply awesome. Lots of substance and oomph was how hubby described it. If the lobster shells can be eaten, I'm pretty sure it would have disappeared from the table!

Lotus paste pancake with peanut soup (gruel) or 'fah sang woo' ended the night's dinner. Of all time, my batteries went dead. Sorry, no pictures taken. The fah sang woo wasn't too bad. I've tasted better ones. I think it was a bit liquid but brother-in-law insisted that it was yummy. The lotus paste pancake was cut into too small a piece for me to make any comments. I didn't taste anything except....yeah, it was crispy. I was a little bit under the weather but....no regrets going for this dinner! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHERS..:o)

Old House Cafe....in Penang

2010-04-24T01:05:00.008+08:00

Old House Cafe is another restaurant that serves Chinese Cuisine. If you had read the article by Ms. Helen Ong (The Star) then you would remember Mr. Tan of Bee Chin Heong. This is his restaurant. Home cooked fare is what is served here. Beautiful exterior and interior decor is what this Restaurant boasts. Of course, I'm not forgetting the food served here.

These tables and chairs are for sale. So if you take a fancy to them you can actually buy them.

The food served here is similar to other Chinese Restaurants that I've visited.

Here you can see fried pomfret served in tau yew (soy sauce). The way the fish dish is charged is quite unique. It is rm10 per person. So if there are two of you, you will be charged rm20 for the fish. 3 persons will mean rm30 for a dish.

This is the dish that I visit this restaurant for. The 'too kar chor' (pig's trotter in sweet vinegar). I don't think there is anywhere else in Penang that you can find this dish. The pig's trotters are nicely stewed, very tender. They flake off the bones easily but still have the juice in the meat. My..., Mr. Tan sure do use a good type of sweet vinegar. If you think your confinement lady cooks this 'too kar chor' good, try Old House Cafe's. You won't be disappointed.
Vege Fried Bean Curd. Not bad, worth trying.

Fried Onion Egg. That's what it is called here. Normal is how I would describe this dish.
The Kai Lan was fried just right. It is cooked but still with that crunchy bite. Just the way I like my Kai Lan done. Old House cafe has quite an extensive menu. You can even get Bak Chang, Chai Kueh, etc.

You can find Old House Cafe here at: no.145-153 Kimberley Street. 10100 Penang. Tel: 04-2622113

**No Govt & Serv charges

Yet another.....@ The Sun, Penang

2010-04-04T16:11:00.008+08:00

Another new place to eat....@ the Sun. That's the name of this new restaurant. As you step out of your car you see the statue of Sun Yat Sen right in front of the mansion.

The restaurant is by the side and you get this nice warm welcome feeling as you take a walk into the restaurant.

Inside, the restaurant is very tastefully done up. Chairs covered up in shades of green and beige. The drapes hanging down from the ceiling gives the whole place a cozy feeling. I'm talking about the Spring Chamber Restaurant. There are many sections inside this particular place.

Our welcome drink as we sat waiting for our food. It is a sweet punch.

For starters, you can chose between the soup of the day or an appetizer. Hubby had the appetizer but I went for the soup. The soup of the day was cream of mushroom soup. Oh, you will never get enough of the soup. It is rich, creamy and full of mushrooms. Very well prepared kind of soup. The tempura fried prawns appetizer was just as good. A reason why no picture was taken. Hubby finished them even before my camera was ready.

Both hubby and me decided to have the Set Dinner and we chose the Grilled Lamb Loin in black pepper served with mashed potato. I don't particularly like my potato mashed so I asked for it to be replaced with potato wedges. It was allowed. For the price of rm38 nett, I have to agree that the portion served was sizeable. The taste of the lamb, good and very well marinated. It was well grilled and even the fats smelled good. The lamb is tender and juicy despite it being well-done.Chocolate brownies cake was on the menu for dessert. Since hubby loved the Black Forest cake (he had been here before), the waiter obliged by serving him the Black Forest cake. I decided to go for the brownies for variety. Both were good but the Black Forest was.....simply awesome. One small slice wasn't enough and we had an extra order of the Black Forest. (picture shows our extra order of the cake). The one thing I have to say of the cake is, at rm13.20 per slice (that size) I think it is a tad expensive. Well, if you have it all in the set then it is worth the price you pay. The whole Set Dinner that is.

Coffee was served with the dessert. Now this is what I call good coffee. Thick and aromatic unlike some restaurants which serve coffee that comes in a very diluted form.
Picture here shows the Summer Court and it is an Outdoor cafe. There is an Autumn Lounge here too.

These hang on the doors of the toilets. What great ideas!

@The Sun
Sun YatSen Centre, 65 Macalister Road, Penang.
Tuesday-Sunday (from 10:00 am). Closed on Monday & Public Holidays
Tel: 2265181/012-4511710 (Mr. Ooi) **No Govt & Serv Charges

*Senior citizens (above 55 yrs) enjoy a 20% discount.

Badam Milk....for energy !!

2010-02-28T16:29:00.007+08:00

We have been to Restaurant Kapitan before many times for their popular dish the 'Ayam Nasi Bryani. I noticed something new tonight. The energy booster drink stall. I was so enthralled by this new drink I totally forgot about taking any pictures for the food we came for.....the chicken bryani rice.
This is the Badam Milk stall. Believe it or not, I thought Badam is some fancy name given to the milk until I checked it out. Badam is almond in the Indian language. It is Almond Milk! How silly. I was coaxed by this young man here in the picture to give the milk a try. Yes, I was quite apprehensive. This is something new to me. He gestured with his hands showing me strong and kept saying 'bagus' (meaning good) and 'try'. I thought I'd give it a shot. It has to be good. I could see he was busy serving the in-customers and there were some waiting for their take-away.
I ordered a glass. It is actually hot, sweet milk. It isn't just plain sweet milk. It is actually made up of cashew nuts, raisins and if I'm not mistaken, there are grapes too because I chewed on one. Ground almonds and saffron strands are also added in the making of this milk. Almond milk is an energy giving drink and provides you with Vitamin E. I think the protein in the almond is the reason why it is an energy booster drink here. I quite liked the drink, an acquired taste I would like to say. I do not have a sweet tooth and was lucky in a way when I told the boy I don't want the syrup which he was about to add to the drink. It really is very sweet on its own. I am not sure if this drink is served in other restaurants but having it cooked there and then, I think Restaurant Kapitan is the only place you can find it. Drop by if you fancy a glass or need some energy. :o)
Restaurant Kapitan
Lorong Pitt (opp King Street)
Penang

Nasi Kandar Beratur...memang beratur!

2010-02-23T15:45:00.004+08:00

Been here? Actually hubby has mentioned this place to me a few years back. We've passed by but due to the time the shop open, we've never bothered. Finally, yes finally, we are here and in 2 weeks, I visited this place twice. Welcome to Kedai Nasi Kandar Beratur. You might wonder why the name Beratur (to queue) and that will be until you are actually at the place. The first night hubby and me came by it was was around 9:30pm so......the two of us 'ber-duduk' (sat) and not 'beratur' (queue). As 10:00pm neared, you can see cars stopping by and people started to trickle in and the queue started. This shop actually operates in two sessions; morning and evening. It is this 10:00 pm one that is popular.
Ayam Ros. This is a must try. It is chicken in curry and found in almost all nasi kandar places. It is how this curry is prepared that makes the taste extraordinary. It isn't so darn spicy that it explodes all your taste buds.
Terung masak curry
Sotong. BB had this and he couldn't stop mumbling how he is going to rave to his friends about this sotong. I took a little of the curry and oh my......it was awesome. Something unlike the normal sotong curry. I thought it had a little salted fish taste in it and that makes it different.
On first bite I thought the fried chicken was a bit dry. Then after a few more bites I realised that the chicken is fresh and just fried. It doesn't have oil dripping from the meat unlike many other stalls. Good to order this if you do not like spicy chicken.
The mutton kurma is another dish you can't leave out of your order unless of course, you do not like/eat mutton. The mutton is so tender it just flakes off the bones or like hubby's way of describing it......it melts in the mouth. I said meat doesn't melt in the mouth. He said well, it is my way of saying it is soooo tender and juicy. We ordered their kacang bendi (ladies fingers) and fried cabbage too. They are just as good. In fact every dish that hubby ordered is wonderfully sedap (delicious). Of course, there are many more like the beef rendang, fish curry, etc, etc. You got to try it to believe and agree with what I've written here. This is one nasi kandar kedai that have many recommendations including my family's. This 'kedai' is situated next to Mesjid Kapitan Keling, Pitt Street, PENANG. Drool and Enjoy!. :o)
** Be early to avoid the long queue.

Bubba Gump Restaurant.....

2010-01-14T15:40:00.004+08:00

"Are you guys game for a new place to eat?" That was the question posed by BB as we walked towards the shopping mall. "Okay," was hubby's answer. "I don't know if the food is good because I have not been there myself." That was BB's next sentence. We both thought it would be a good idea to try a restaurant all three of us have not patronized before.
BB led us to Bubba Gump Restaurant. We entered the place through the side entrance that is situated inside the shopping mall of Sunway Pyramid.
The place is ohhhh......
very cowboy like. I think that is the best I could describe the interior as I took my seat.
We were seated in little stalls as I would like to call our seating place. It really is a place with a difference.
Menus were handed to us and since it is our first visit, we needed the waitress' recommendations.
Have some fun reading all the writings on the boards hanging above and some stuck on the wooden walls around. I mean whilst you wait for food to arrive.
Our appetizers the Bubba dip. The dip is made up of spinach, carrots, etc...etc....mixed with mayonnaise and herbs. Tortilla chips come with this dip. The taste is something different not that extraordinary is how the three of us would sum it.
The next appetizer is the Greenbow tenders. Fancy name but not the food. It is actually pieces of chicken breast marinated in spices (a little spicy) and deep fried. I would liken this to what we find at our local mamak stall. The deep fried chicken comes served wrapped in 'newspaper' and in a metal pail.
1st main course, The Captain fish N chips. The deep fried pieces of fish tasted just like any other normal ones you find. I must say the fish smelled a little too fishy for hubby and me. Other than that, no complains. The coleslaw is good and I like the way it is served....in newspaper like paper. Interesting.
This is called 'Of course we have scampi'. It is seafood linguine. Something ordered by BB. BB took a few mouthfuls and decided to trade it with daddy for his order.
Daddy ordered Bourbon Street Barramundi. When the Barramundi arrived it looked really delicious. The fish is deep fried and served in creamy sauce with prawns and lots of herbs. Again, the fish tasted too fishy. BB loved this though so it didn't go to waste.
Our drinks, 1 medal margarita, 1 mango sparkler and 1 run forest run. I think what we really enjoyed here are the drinks. The food, I would say it was nothing to shout about. It isn't bad but just ordinary. The only one commendable is the Bubba Dip. The service people here also deserve a pat on the back. They are very friendly.
Bubba Gump is an American franchise eatery. This outlet mentioned here, you can find it at:
Oasis Boulevard
Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall
Bandar Sunway
Selangor
Tel: 03-56384559

Chin Bee Tea Restaurant...

2010-01-12T22:27:00.002+08:00

"I'm taking you to a new place for dinner tonight." Aren't those wonderful words to a wife? Yeah, it was to mine. Hubby took me to Noordin Street tonight. 'Ji Tiau Lor' as what we Penangites call the road. The name of this little eatery, Chin Bee is the name. Chin Bee has been around for about 1 year plus. A restaurant co-owned by a husband, wife team and the chef. From the outside, all you see is a terrace house decorated with a Chinese looking roof. The inside of this place is done in simple decor. It is brightly lit and good as it enables you to do some reading (remember to bring some reading material) whilst waiting for your food.
Chin Bee is a Tea house with different types of tea available. Hubby ordered the Ti Kuan Yin. Something light and fragrant. We couldn't order much tonight as there are only the two of us and I wasn't particularly hungry.
Hubby wanted fish so the owner recommended the Clay pot fish (Sar Poh). I must admit this is one good recommendation. The way this clay pot fish is prepared is different. The slices of fish has been deep fried (in lard) before further cooking. There is some deep fried tofu, carrots, snow peas, shitake mushrooms, etc. Hubby described it better. He said oh my, this dish has got oomph! The gravy is so full of seasoning you wouldn't want to leave even a drop behind. Believe you me, I felt hungry suddenly. Heeheee. In the picture you can see a scoop of the clay pot fish.
If you like Hainan Chicken rice, you've got to try this dish. A plate of boiled chicken Hainan style. The chicken is cooked, tender and oozing with juice. The Chef's concoction of light soy sauce and
sesame seed oil that the chicken comes dribbled
with makes you want to order any plate and just eat it on its own.
Oh, the other thing. The chili dip. The infamous chili dip that comes with such kind of chicken. This place's chili dip is a must try. It isn't like most places where chili boh is used. Here, it is fresh chili pounded with garlic and ginger.
I never have any dinner without my vegetables. Hubby said I should try their asparagus since asparagus isn't particularly my favourite. He thought I'd change my mind after I eat these twigs as I like to refer asparagus as. Gees, they are good! The asparagus is young and the sambal they are fried in, I'd give this dish a 10. The sambal is fresh and so fragrant. The last bit, the prawns; yes medium sized prawns are used. We will be back for their specialty, the pork ribs plus others, of course! :o)
**Chin Bee is located at 124 Lebuh Noordin, Penang. Tel 04-2611761
Closed on Wednesdays

Deliiiicious Kebab I tasted....Shiraz Mazzeh

2010-01-07T00:40:00.002+08:00

This is Shiraz Mazzeh kebabs stall at Clarke Quay. I couldn't help telling hubby how delicious, how tasty, how juicy and how tender the meat tasted. This is one Kebab I'll recommend to anyone who loves eating kebab. Here you can find chicken, lamb or spicy lamb kebabs. It is served with salad and a choice of sauces; mayonnaise, chili sauce or yoghurt garlic. We had a mixture of either two of the sauces with our kebab in pita roll. You can also have it in pita pocket.
Dining alfresco style.

It was only later that I noticed a framed award standing on the counter. Shiraz Mazzeh has been awarded 'The Top 50 Restaurant Award in 2009'. No wonder the kebabs taste so wonderful! There is a restaurant further down from this stall. There is belly-dancing as entertainment for the diners. Sigh.....I knew only after finishing my kebab dining alfresco. We walked past the restaurant and found out a tad too late! Well, there is such thing as another time, no? :o)

TeoChew Moey found in Singapore

2010-01-06T23:26:00.005+08:00

We walked over to Goodwood Park hotel to look for Christmas Log. Yes, a chocolate Christmas log which was recommended by hubby's friend. Little did we know that we'll stumble upon this Teochew moey (porridge). Goodwood Park hotel has this porridge buffet going on. They have quite an extensive array of dishes to eat with your porridge. We ordered what the Captain recommended and boy.....were we full after the meal? We had to give the buffet dessert a skip. We did manage to savor a slice of the chocolate Christmas which we came for in the first place. The log is good! Cake is soft, very moist and the chocolate used is rich and pure. No wonder it was recommended. If you are salivating for Teochew moey and you are in Singapore, head for the Goodwood Park hotel. This is a buffet that is value for money. (I mean not converting Malaysian to Singapore currency, that is.) Even the waitress told us that there is no other place that serves such a wide array of dishes and tasty ones.

Take a look at all the dishes here in the pictures and just to name a few;

Chicken fried with ginger and cashew nuts
Stir fried broccoli with garlic. Tofu with dried prawns in dark sauce.
Stir fried kai lan with oyster sauce. Egg with choy poh (preserved turnip).

Taiwanese sausages, etc...etc. We even have a medium sized fried pomfret.
Flower tea to go with your meal? That's what we had. This isn't complimentary.
The last bit here, Durian Christmas log. Apparently, this is very nice. The waitress who worked here told us so. This wasn't available at the dessert spread. It wasn't available in individual slices for sale either. Sad. Maybe if we do visit Singapore again, we will be sure not to miss this. :o)

Four Seasons Restaurant - their new dishes

2009-12-07T16:13:00.006+08:00

We found ourselves at Four Seasons Restaurant again for dinner. We were recommended some new dishes. We'll take the new ones was what hubby suggested, for a change. I write a little on this Restaurant. I know it has been featured in the local daily before.
Isn't it wonderful what restaurateur do today as an attraction? Toasted groundnuts/peanuts used to be served but today there are many varieties. Here at Four Seasons, we were served this little plate of Achar (picture above). This is a dish made of pickled vegetables and hot, spicy chili sauce with ground peanuts.
Next a bowl of Water Crest soup is served. These two are complimen-tary. Then comes all the dishes we ordered for our dinner.
Deep Fried Black Pomfret with Chef's Special Sauce. The sauce is sweet, sour and chili spicy. The sauce is somewhat like what the Thai chili sauce is. The fish, it is very fresh and well fried. You can even eat the fins and tail is all I can say. Nothing really 'new' about this dish.

Braised Pork Ribs. This dish is different from what we've eaten before. It is braised with preserved vegetables (mui choy) and peanuts. Very tasty and the ribs are so tender you can just flake it off the bones.
Here in this picture you can see the 'mui choy' and and peanuts.
This is a must try. The Mocha spare ribs. It is very well seasoned and nicely grilled.
The special cod fish barbequed with honey. It is served with salad cream something which we thought we could do without. The fish is fresh and taste quite alright. I didn't like the red color. I thought cod fish looks better when they are white.
My all time favorite. The Runner Beans (French beans) fried in sambal dried prawns. You will love the fresh vege bite feeling as you chew on the beans. The dried prawns sambal (chili paste) adds on the extra goodness of this dish.
For extra bites, we ordered the Chim Choe rolls (crab meat). There is something different about these rolls. The texture and the filling. Good!
Four Seasons actually served nice food with reasonable price. The one thing I can't stomach is the male 'tow kay' (boss as what we Malaysians refer to the person who runs the place). He has an attitude problem. Urghhh.... I visit only because I enjoy the food. Four Seasons is here...80-U Jalan Trengganu, Penang. Tel: 04-2818193. They are closed on Monday.
A note of caution.....it closes at 10:00pm. From my many experiences, it is best to be there the latest 9:00pm even though they tell you the last order is at 9:30pm. You won't get peace eating because the waiter and waitresses will be in a rush to go off. Also, you won't get that free plate of fruits. Ahemmm...call me cheap but if it is free...why not, right? Happy dining! :o)

Oooh, Cinnamon Rolls.....

2009-12-02T15:12:00.006+08:00

There aren't many bakeries in Penang that you can find selling Cinnamon Rolls. I mean 'real' Cinnamon Rolls. Those that actually smells of cinnamon when you take a whiff. The few bakeries that I come across do have rolls that look like these in the pictures here. Hmmm.....it is labeled as Cinnamon rolls/buns but I always end up disappointed after I take a bite. Sister-in-law came by the house the other day and gave me two rolls. Told me this, "I think you'll like these."

I opened the bag that these rolls came in and took a whiff. Ooo the aroma of cinnamon. YES! 'Real ' Cinnamon rolls. I took a bite and euphoria! She found it. I mean to say the shop that sells soft and tasty cinnamon rolls. These are real ones, I told her. Mmmuaks...for her.

You love Cinnamon rolls like I do? Head for this bakery. Rainforest Bakery which is situated along Chulia Street, Penang. If you've read my apom manis post, Rainforest Bakery is just opposite (across the road) Ah Tan's apom stall. Happy savouring!:o)

Bak Kut Teh

2009-11-20T23:54:00.006+08:00

Something hubby and me go for whenever we want something simple and quick, Bak Kut Teh (literally translated--meat bone tea). A little information for those not familiar with this dish. This is a dish of meaty pork ribs, chunks of meat, tail, shanks, etc, simmered in Chinese herbs. Some stalls serve this dish differently. This stall that we ate at, serve it with meat balls, fish balls, 'tau ki' and 'tau pueh'. Mmmm...yummy when it is soaked in the soup. Of course the Yau Char Kwai is to be added too. The soup here is very 'kau bi'. Tasty in the English Language with sufficient amount of herbs used. The only thing here is.....I find it a tad bit saltish.

Fried fish. These are actually deep fried so crispy even the bones and head are edible.
Iceberg lettuce blanched and dribbled with oyster sauce. Those sprinkled on the top, they are meat floss.

Picture here shows a bowl of yau char kway or you tiao (golden brown deep fried strip of dough), chopped garlic, sliced red chili and sliced bird eye chili. Mix the red chili/bird eye chili in a sauce of thick and light soy sauce. This is to dunk the meat into for extra flavor and oomph!
This is the place I frequent for my bowl of Klang Bak Kut teh. Anyone knows if there is any other place besides this in Penang serving good Bak Kut Teh?

Liu Li Xiang has moved to their new premises. It is just a few yards away. It is still beside Penang Chinese Girls' High School, Gottlieb Road, Penang.:o)***A new management has taken over this place. Liu Li Xiang is no longer here. Sorry.

Apom Manis of Penang

2009-11-07T00:43:00.003+08:00

Meet Mister Tan, my family's favorite Apom Manis (sweet pancake) seller. There aren't many stalls selling these apom manis at night. Besides this stall, there is another one at New Lane (Lebuh Baru). Do you know that these two sellers are brothers?

I still like to come here and get my apom manis. Ah Tan makes very nice ones. His pandan (screw pine) flavored ones are best is how I would describe them. (See the picture above) Ah Tan uses real pandan juice which he pounds and squeezes. He showed me a bottle full of the juice. Also, the batter isn't too liquid so the pancakes made aren't thin.
Picture here shows apom with grated coconut cooked in brown sugar and also apom with sliced bananas.
If you are craving for them, you can find Ah Tan along Chulia Street. If you come up from the direction of Mesjid Kapitan Kling, Ah Tan's stall is on the left amongst the many hawker stalls. You can't miss him. You will normally see a lot of customers standing and waiting. Enjoy! :o)

Lovely Cendol found in Penang

2009-10-21T14:11:00.002+08:00

My dinner at Maple Palace Restaurant (refer to my earlier post) wasn't complete in a sense where I'm concerned. I missed having my bowl of dessert - Cendol. This used to be on the dessert menu of the old restaurant Maple Gold. From Mary I found out where the cendol was sourced. Where? Here is the supplier.

This is the stall. The cendol is so springy and the santan (coconut milk) is so fresh. The brown sugar that comes with it...... so fragrant and rich.

Here is my bowl of cendol. For my readers who aren't familiar with this dessert. Cendol is made from green pea flour. Those green coloured strands in the bowl. They are served with santan (coconut milk in our local language) and thick brown sugar syrup together with shaved ice. Mostly eaten cold.

Stall is located at Gat Lebuh Presgrave. It is known as 'Sar Tiau Lor' to Penangites. You can get your bowl of cendol, ice kacang even at night. :o)

Maple Palace Restaurant....

2009-10-19T14:51:00.009+08:00

A new place to eat in Penang! Maple Palace is where Maple Gold Restaurant used to be. Now under a new manage- ment and attractively refurbished. As I walked into this 3 week old Chinese restaurant I can't help saying this...Wow! The beige color paint and pink upholstery made the place looked bright and spacious. This is my first time here I mean the new Maple Palace Restaurant but 2nd for hubby. He told me the food is good and that I should try.
There's only the 2 of us so it is this much that we could order.
Sweet Mary recom-mended this dish Steamed Cod fish with Dou su Sauce. This is something new for the two of us. Not the steam fish but the Dou su sauce. I wanted to have a look at the dou su (a kind of nut) but the whole nut wasn't available. Everything has been ground up. The fish is fresh and I mean fresh! The sauce, something different. Crunchy, fragrantly fried and it has this sweet taste.
Next we were recom-mended
the Braised Pork ribs with yam, Thai style. The pork ribs are so tender it just flakes off the bones. The yam and mushrooms stewed with the ribs was alright but not the dried prawns. The dried prawns 'covered' whatever taste there is in this dish.
As usual, vegetables have to be on the table. We had the stir-fry Khai lan with garlic. Boy.....do I love these? They are so crunchy you could say it isn't cook but NO, they are fried to perfection.
On Mary's recommendation we decided to try the Home made spring rolls (choon piah). No regrets having to stuff this little bit of extra into the stomach. This is deicious. The skin of the spring roll is crispy as crispy can be and tasty. The stuffing is cooked just right. No more words to say except.....try this when you do visit. Maple Palace is here: Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Penang
(used to be Maple Gold Recreational Club) Tel: 604-2279690 / 2274542
**10% Service Charge
:o)

MAA ROY Thai Restaurant......

2009-09-30T13:48:00.008+08:00

What shall we have for dinner tonight? Western, Indian, Asian.....? We finally settled on this restaurant. Maa Roy a Thai restaurant. Brother-in-law has been there and (if I'm not mistaken) said we should give it a shot after our recent stint at Chok Dee. Here we are for dinner.
We were served fresh cucumber and long beans together with Thai chili (some sort of sambal) as appetizers. The 'sambal' was great. Our dishes arrived shortly. Deep fried Kangkong, Tom yam, Secret Pork and Otak otak.
This is the Secret Pork. How secret is it? Well, it actually is nothing more than slices of pork marinated in lots of Thai spices and some herbs. It is then deep fried. I don't find any surprises in this dish.
The deep fried kang kong? A dish which happens to be one of my favorite and a must have at any Thai restaurant I visit. This time I must say I was disappointed. The kang kong not only came in batter that wasn't crispy, it was also bland.
A sweet and sour peanut sauce is served together with the dish. It does make the kang kong taste a bit better but it'll be better if I could eat it without the sauce like I normally do.
The Thai style Seafood Otak otak looked really appetizing when it arrived. The aroma was great but somehow the taste wasn't so. I think too much basil leaves were included and also the egg was over beaten. H didn't like it much but I thought it was quite bearable.
Ah....the savior of the night's dinner. The seafood Tom yam. Now, this is really good. The tom yam is sour, a little bit sweet, spicy and not liquid. The fish, calamari, prawns and a few ladies' fingers all tasted good and fresh. Now be forewarned, the spiciness of this dish overloads your taste buds.

Tup Tim Krop..Urghhh.....is this the way the dessert is supposed to be? I can't remember how many times I've had this dessert and loved it but this is the one time I'll give the thumbs down. The santan (coconut milk) tasted old and 'expired', the starch is gooey. No more next time.
Maa Roy is run by Thais and all I can sum up is; I think it is too authentic for our taste buds. The staff here are friendly and it did make our visit better with their politeness. The one thing is, they charge 80 cents for a cup of plain water. That's rather much, no? Anyway, these are my comments and thoughts. If you would like to visit this restaurant, it is located at: 6A Abu Siti Lane, Penang. Tel: 04-2265816. Hope you enjoy! :o)

Apom....Ooooo yummy

2009-09-15T12:13:00.005+08:00

This is my family's favourite stall. Apom, Yes. This couple makes the BEST apom in Penang. At least it is for my family. Why I say it is the best is simply because of the fragrance and texture. No smoky smell and the apom thin but not too thin. I know charcoal made ones are better but somehow some stalls makes them 'smoked'. I needn't have to go further on this little piece of apom. You run along down to Chulia Street and taste if for yourself. Where? This stall is found at the end of Chulia Street, Penang(near the end where Mesjid Kapitan Kling is situated).

See the number of people waiting for their orders of Apoms? Enjoy :o)

BLUE REEF is the place......!

2009-09-08T13:47:00.013+08:00

Blue Reef is a restaurant we have walked by and drove past many times but have never visited. All these while we thought it was just a Fish n Chips shop just like any other found in town. Boy, was we surprised when we visited? The place was near full as we can see when we stepped inside. Brightly lit, very cozy, quite spacious and the staff.....they are friendly.
I had Blue Reef's trademark dish.....The Fish n Chips done in beer batter. Notice how it is served? It comes with a green salad! It isn't just this but the fish itself. The batter is light and what I noticed when I took a bite is this. You don't bite into batter and then air but light crispy batter then fish. The fish is chunky and not tiny sized. I must say Blue Reef serves sizeable portions of food for the price paid. Even malt vinegar is supplied together with Heinz brand tomato and chili sauce. Now is this value for money or what?
This is the interesting and different part of Blue Reef. They serve other dishes besides Fish N Chips. A fish shop with a difference, no? Hmmm......had I known I wouldn't have taken this long to visit. Hubby had the Lamb Cutlet and he couldn't talk to me. He was too busy savoring every mouthful of the lamb plus the wonderful mash potato, etc. All he could muttered was ooh the lamb is very well marinated and tender. There is something very different about the mash potato here. Check this out.

We were served Crème brûlée after the meal. Courtesy of Blue Reef's owners Chris and Swen.

You will find drawings of patrons' children pasted on the wall. I find this really amusing, very interesting and a great idea. Something that I've not come across so far.
Now how did we find the food and service here?
This drawing here sums it all and you bet we'll be back for their other items on the menu.
Trot to the place which is run by Chris and Swen a young affable couple. BLUE REEF is located at Permai 32. Tanjung Bungah. Penang. Tel: 04-8999128. (Closed on Mondays) Have a Great Time and enjoy. :o)

A sundae called Rote Gruetze

2009-08-21T15:26:00.002+08:00

If there is a contest to vote for the best sundae in the city of Penang, I would vote for this one. This sundae is found at Ingolf's Kneipe. I frequent Ingolf's for dinner and this is the first time I ordered this sundae, the Rote Gruetze. It is ice-cream served with German styled red berries simmered with vanilla stick, sugar & sago. What you get from this sundae is a mixture of sweet and sour tastes. Something I would describe as extraordinary and unsinful. I find it kinda interesting chewing on the sago and sour berries. I mean it would normally be just nuts but this sundae has something different. Yeah, don't we always feel very sinful (for those on a weight watch programme) gulping down anything sweet? I didn't feel the least bit sinful gulping down this Rote Gruetze. I think the sour taste sort of make you feel less guilty. Ahaaahaaa....The mixture of tastes will take you out of this world. Yummily unsinful is all I can say here. :o)

Assam Laksa...Balik Pulau, Penang

2009-08-05T12:46:00.007+08:00

Weeee, yum... YES, this is the famous Balik Pulau Assam Laksa. We just have to make a turn into Balik Pulau town for a bowl of this delicious assam laksa. The much talked about that is. I think there is nowhere down in the city that you can find such good and cheap laksa. This bowl costs only RM2.50 and take a look at the soup. Full of flakes and flakes of fish and the soup is thick. Oh my, this bowl of laksa just overloads my taste buds. Yuuummy!
A little into this laksa thingy. The soup is basically fish (flaked) cooked in ground chili together with lemon grass, shallots, garlic and belacan (prawn paste cake). Shredded vegetables like cucumber, onions, red chilis, pineapple, lettuce, mint leaves (daun kesum) and chopped pink bunga kantan (ginger buds) are added to the soup. The soup is served with thick rice noodles. Now this is an acquired dish. There is quite a fishy smell due to the amount of fish used. Take a look at these pictures here. In the spoon is the prawn/shrimp paste. Now this is another strong smell thingy. As locals we love this 'heh koh' (prawn paste) added but if you are not familiar with this, take a sniff first.

This is the Lemak Laksa (or Siamese Laksa). This is a type of Laksa with a thick coconut gravy. The gravy is slightly sweet and strongly spiced. The main aroma comes from the kaffir lime leaves. This is just as good and delicious as the assam laksa served here.

Try also what this 'kopi-tiam' offers. Their home 'brewed' white nutmeg cordial. It will be bottled and mixed with assam boi (sour plum) when you placed an order. This kopi tiam is Nan Guang and it is situated just next to the Balik Pulau wet-market. Enjoy :o)

Japanese food in Penang? Try Sumida....

2009-07-31T14:38:00.004+08:00

This is my second visit to Sumida, a Japanese Restaurant in Penang. One quite brightly lit restaurant and I find it good. Good in the sense you can at least read some novel or newspapers while you wait for your food.
Besides the lighting, the interior is quite well planned. Nice soft friendly look with the wood used. Lights, tables and even the partitions.
Hubby and I took the tatami seating area. This is only time I opt for the tatami area. See from the picture here, there is ample leg room. You can put both your feet down because the tatami area is built differently.

As age catches up do you notice that it is rather hard to uncurl your legs and stand up after a meal? heeeheee...
Hubby ordered the mackerel pike and deep fried dumplings. (Sanma kasa-yaki & age gyoza). I took a little bite and oh, it is so nicely grilled. No fishy taste, very nicely seasoned and fresh!

I ordered the butter fried salmon and deep fried chicken. (Salmon bata-yaki & Tori karage) but the owner recommended the butter fried white tuna.
Oh, it was such a good recommendation. You can taste the freshness of the white tuna. Very lightly fried in butter and the taste is sweet not as in sugar but as in the sweetness of the fish. The mentioned meal comes in bento boxes. In the box besides the main dish, you get pototo salad (Japanese style), some greens dressed in thousand island sauce and two kinds of Japanese pickles.
Chawan-mushi (steamed egg Japanese style) is included together with miso soup and dessert.
This is one restaurant that serves Japanese food quite close to a hotel standard.
I'm a fetish where tempura is concerned. I will never give it a miss and I (okay a bit biased in judgement passed) always decide on my next impending visit by...the taste of the way the tempura is prepared. This is one restaurant I would return. This is already my 2nd visit no? Take a look at the tempura sauce here. Lots of chopped radishes in it. This is what I say generous. I am smiling as I typed this. Something I have to mention here. The owner of this restaurant got a bit worried (or is she?) when she asked the reason why I was taking pictures. Am I doing a food write-up or blog, or...? I told her that I'm doing my 'everyday life blog'. She wasn't quite friendly after that. Was she worried about what I would write? Only this.... this is one restaurant I would recommend if you really love Japanese food and don't want to pay 5-star hotel price. Sumida was used to be at Penang Mutiara Hotel and they were there for 15 years. :o)

German? Here....Ingolf's Kneipe

2009-07-23T20:41:00.011+08:00

Have you been here? It is a restaurant that serves German sausages. Foot long sausages, chipolatas, pork pie, etc. Ingolf's serves food from other countries as well. Ingolf's Kneipe has been around for 11 years plus and the owner is a German. I checked the web and kneipe means bar. Right, Ingolf's do have a bar counter where you can sit and have a mug of Paulener beer. Just visit to find out more, okay? For information, I'm not advertising for this restaurant. It just happened that I love coming here and do a bit of 'kay-poh' (oh, for non-Malaysians, the word means bz body) work.
Picture here and above shows the section upstairs. Simple yet nice and cozy looking.
You gonna love this. I call it the BEST cream of mushroom soup in town.
Take a close look at the soup. Lots of mushrooms, Swiss brown and also some wild ones. Really thick not with corn starch but milk and cream. Ooo...creamylicious.
Hubby decided to try the Lamb shank braised in red wine sauce.
I stole many bites of the lamb shank from hubby's plate. You can see from the picture that the lamb shank is really sizeable. A bit too much for one person unless...you are a big eater.
The lamb shank came served with mashed potato, good supply of garden green salad and lentils stew cooked with some spices. Oh, this is so great. Tender, juicy and yummy.
I decided to have the sausages. 1/2 dozen Nuernberger sausages served with mash potato, mustard and sauerkraut. You are definitely going to love eating the sausages if you love sauerkraut. Together the taste is simply awesome.
We couldn't push anything more into our tummies after the two enormous plates of food. We called it a night after that and left without even our usual coffee. Ingolf's Kneipe is situated in Tanjung Bungah, Penang. :o) **Prices quoted include 10% Service & 5% Govt Tax

Trip to Salsas...for dinner

2009-07-02T14:16:00.006+08:00

Salsas... This restaurant is quite a favorite of ours. Salsas has been featured in our local daily quite a couple of times. I didn't take the window seat on the night we patronized. I thought I'd take a different table. This one gives me a 'higher' view.
If you sit here, take a look outside. You can see trishaws, cars and people passing by. Can be interesting at times. Something to keep you occupied besides talking whilst you wait for your food.

I always find David's (the owner) starter/app-etizers interesting. It was Seafood Platter salad we had. It was the way it was done. The dressing is really something. Mmmm...How can I describe it? The dressing, it has that tangy taste, sweet...just yummy different. Many other restaurants just serve salad with a blob of whatever dressing and it comes from the bottle. Not here at Salsas.
We had asparagus soup. The soup served was delicious. Thick and creamy like always. What I find interesting is the color. Have you ever wondered or noticed that the soup is always yellowish in color? It was asparagus soup that we had but take a look at the color, it is yellowish, no? Heeheee, I can't help but think that yellow must be Mister David's color.
It was grilled lamb next. Oooh, it is sooo tender. I almost didn't want to swallow it so fast. Very well marinated in rosemary and red wine. You can savor the juice oozing just as you take a bite into a slice of the lamb.
Carrot walnut cake with ice cream as dessert. Oh, I feel so guilty taking a bite, another bite and then finishing everything. I had to finish what was served. Why let even a morsel of such good food go to waste, right? It was a set dinner that we had. A good meal, a nice evening and also pleasant to the wallet. :o)

** Salsas is situated along upper Penang Road.

Dining at Bagan Penang....

2009-06-12T16:20:00.016+08:00

This is my (our) second visit to Bagan. Hubby thought he'd take me to a real romantic place since I considered the dinner at Soho was romantic to me. I was told that this is a gay bar but I see many couples like us dining here. I like the interior; colour and all. Housed in an old Colonial like building, there is even a separate section for the bar/lounge area. You get a kind of warm ambience with the simple interior and dark but not too dark lightings. At least you can see what you are eating.
Don't you just love the uniform the waitress wears?
We had the full course dinner starting with the salad. Salad was just alright. Nothing spectacular. Next was the wild mushroom soup. Oh, it is heavenly. Thick and creamy with lots of mushrooms. A mixture of wild and shiitake mushrooms. It is thick with cream and milk and not corn starch.
My main course was the macadamia and coconut encrusted rack of lamb with prune and rosemary seasoning. Mmmm...It is so tender. Cooked yet so uncooked. You can still see some juice oozing out as you cut into the lamb. It is something different from the normal grilled rack of lamb. The coating of macadamia and desiccated coconut gives the extra flavour. Hubby had the Chief Waiter's recommendation, the Char grilled rack of lamb marinated with mint and garlic sauce. Simple seasoning but it was tasty and aromatic. Did he like it? You bet. Mm mm....yummy is all he could say.
Our dessert was the lemon cheese cake and as usual my favourite...tiramisu. The cakes are simply delicious. These two especially the lemon cheese cake is a must try.

After dinner, we were serenaded by Rose and The Frequency Band. This place is a bit pricey and I would like to think that it must be because there is entertainment after dinner. Many come in for Rose's singing. On that night she sang I Dream a Dream and Cry me a river. I guess it must be because of Susan Boyle. Oh, you've got to time your dinner time such that you stay long enough to grab a drink and listen to Rose sing. She has a voice so powerful I always thought she'd bring the roof down. The food wasn't bad but the service was. You can't help noticing the nonchalant attitude of the people who works here. Double standards are practised here and that is bad in the hospitality line. I think bearing with the price is enough. Anyway, we enjoyed the food here. Bagan Bar and Restaurant is located at No. 18 Jalan Bagan Jermal, Penang. Tel: 04-2264977

:o)

Sabah Pan Mee...in Penang

2009-06-08T13:31:00.009+08:00

How many times have I visited this stall? I think this is the fourth and I finally remem-bered my camera. Sabah Pan Mee, Yes! I remember my auntie making this dish when I was younger. This dish is well-known in Sabah that is what I found out from the vendor.

A machine is used to flatten the flour dough and then cut. Back then, my auntie uses her fingers to make the 'mee' though it wasn't exactly longish but flattened bits.
This is the 2nd place I've come across in Penang selling this Sabah Pan Mee. Very tasty stock this vendor uses. The bowl comes with a good portion of the mee, abundance of anchovies, black fungus and the 'kau kee' vegetables. I finished every morsel of it. Ahh...good memories and yummy to the last drop.

The Ampang Yong Tou Foo here isn't bad either. Good stock and what I like most is the TeoChew fish ball. Good value for money. Paid only RM7 for this big bowl.

Ah ha...the drinks? Gosh...I wonder if the lady knows I'm going to write about it. She charged me RM1.80 for this glass of iced Nescafe. As it is, I was quite reluctant to pay RM1.80 for this glass and what more...when I tasted the drink, it was quite diluted! Now in case you are wondering where this place is, it is Goodall Kopitiam, Gottlieb Road, Penang. Try the food here but the drinks...the decision is yours to make!:o)