Food Hunter - 猎食族

Penang - Sungai Ara - Western Cuisine

2010-09-08T08:36:00.002+08:00

Type: Halal
Location: Sungai Ara - Springfield - Jumbo Delicious (Western Cuisine)
Contact: 04 644 9233
Operation hour: 1800 - 2300 (for dinner)

Address: 306C-1 (GF), Jalan Dato' Ismail Hashim, Sungai Ara, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang. (After SMK Sungai Ara, directly opposite Pearl Garden)

Parking convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Fair

Family Restaurant

First, I would like to express my gratitude to the restaurant manager after I conveyed my intention to capture the food. Thank you very much on your understanding.

I assume due to past experience, there was some incidents occurred thus there is a sign board stated no photography is allowed.

Had visited several times with family, the environment is friendly and cheerful. On my 3rd or 4th visits, only the foreign waiter mixed up the order which was not a serious issue to cause any unhappy experience. Indicated with the first title - Family restaurant - because there is - firstly - no additional service tax. Secondly, if you bring your kid (below 12-year-old), the kid eats for free.

My name is Garlic Bun! (not the sliced long stick version)

Salad

Don't think this starter should have any bombastic naming. I just called in simpler way - salad will do! Love the big portion and the separate bowl for dressing. You can choose whether you wish to add the possibly thousand island dressing.

Mushroom Soup

Sounds like I intend to shout again - 我爱蘑菇汤 (insane again - I love mushroom soup)

Simply conclude - I come for mushroom soup. In despite of my preference on thick wild mushroom taste, the creamy smooth taste able to bring the tasting bud to the highest level. Ahem, this works for me. Not sure what about your end :-) According to the restaurant manager who shares with me, there is no artificial sweetness nor additional sugar added in. The wild mushroom fragrant indeed making me gone wild to dip the garlic bun (of course it is in bun shape!) to bite.

Chicken chicken chicken!

Of course, not all the different type - I'm attracted by their chicken chop. Portion is big than I expected. The chicken chop served in two version. Of course still fried-lar. Let me finish first! One half portion served with unique thick taste gravy while another half portion served in dry version to give you very contrast stimulation.

The potato wedge considered good as there is no oily taste like KFC (sorry if you are a fan of KFC!). Taste is good also based on probably the oil they used to fry.

Well, on my last visit before this post. I did try out the grill chicken (apologize, I didn't bring any camera, too busy on both eating and babysitting little monster). The grill chicken was a bit over-grill which generated additional unwanted charcoal taste like. For me, I can tolerate moderate taste but not over grill taste. It was a full house evening, thus I didn't have any opportunity to feedback to restaurant manager.

Giant Sausage

I'm all time favourite on sausage (hey dude, stop extend your imagination! Otherwise I come to whack you straight!). Well, honestly I prefer the German restaurant version. Not to conclude completely not like, maybe I should give another try to differentiate the slightly different taste on probably the giant sausage itself with the accompanying gravy sauce. Why not?

Fish & Chips

Portion is big! I know mostly the fish fillet is made of dory fish fillet. No big different but this meal is served not only a thin-like fillet. It served with two reasonable thick fillet and fresh fries. I'm happy to apply the term - reasonable thick - because normally if I go for this order, definitely I will need to order extra. But this one able to cater my stomach space to eat alone. Fries are fresh and served with real hot (not the re-heat type).

Oh, if you love tartar sauce, make sure you order extra. I can't stop having this sauce to dip the fries. On diet? I don't care. I choose to run another 3 km to burn! Bad example :-P

Drinks
I love to order a jug of fruit drink, be it an apple juice, orange juice and so on. The price is reasonable. One jug can serve for 4 persons. (not cup-la, it's glass!) Recommend to order this. Kids sure love the drink.

Personally I will re-visit and bring my family there to enjoy a wonderful dinner. It's just I hardly capture all the foods while my little monsters kept on distracting me during the hunting session. Please understand this super-dad :-) Thanks and have a great holiday!

Penang - Pulau Tikus - Wan Tan Mee

2010-07-01T16:27:00.021+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Pulau Tikus - Moulmein Close - Swee Kong Coffee Shop
Contact: 017 479 8075 (Ah Chee)
Operation hour: 0730 - 1500 (close at Thursday)

Price: RM3.00 (Small) | RM3.80 (Medium) | RM4.60 (Large)

Parking convenience: Bad (follow the Moulmein close and you will find a parking field at your 10-O-clock direction)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

Follow Burma road when you exit from Perak road. You will pass by the Sokka Gakkai Malaysia (on your right). Further drive, you will see the Golden Eagle Kopitiam (on your right) and the Shell station (on your left). Go on, I haven't finished yet. Pass by the ESSO and Lancia Auto Enterprise (both on your right). Further down little, normally you will start to drive slow due to the traffic light in front jammed.

You will notice a shoplot on your left now. Pay attention, after the shoplots, Moulmein close (not road or street, I have no idea, please don't ask me) and you will see the coffee shop in front of Moulmein close.

Patient and gentleman "Taokeh"

There are two things that impressed me deeply from this stall. First, the stall owner is very patient and gentleman boss. I remembered there was one time, his partner unable to come, only left him and the Indonesian lady worker who was unfamiliar with the process. I waited for 45 minutes and immediately made a complaint what took so long while for only a plate of wantan noodle.

He felt sorry by explaining man power shortage and he never stopped his hands to prepare those orders. With empathy, I volunteered myself not to let the worker to deliver for me, I can stand there to get my plate :-P I guess I was too hungry.

Preparing

Taking order

The lady worker made a lot of mix up mistake and the owner still able to explain patiently. This is the first time I didn't see boss scold his worker like mad. The whole environment already stressed up due to huge order waiting list and customers surrounding the stall.

Fried dumpling (wantan)
2nd impression is its fried dumpling. For health purpose, I rarely eat fried dumpling. I found out most of the wantan noodle stall fried the dumpling, either less meat or totally tasteless. This stall actually changed my impression. You can taste the meat when you bite. It's not tasteless. It's delicious. I think the stall owner really add ingredient and heart to fry the dumpling. So far, I can say this is the best for me. (If you find any better one, shoot me with comment please!)

Sorry, the moment I snapshot, just realized the fried dumpling finished by me straight away. Don't complaint me please. :-S

The taste is not heavy on lark oil, after the char siew and dark soya oil mixed with the noodles, there's another sauce with mushroom cut added to finalize the whole process.

Ask for green chilly. Eat with green chilly - you will bite the little spicy with vinegar taste to mix with noodle to satisfy your hunger desire. Of course, here we temporarily leave out the sambal.

Full house most of the time during morning

Remember to stay patient to tell Ah Chee if your order takes too long while to wait. :-)

Penang - Tanjung Tokong - The Forum Chinese Cuisine (富臨閣)

2010-05-03T06:27:00.051+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Inside Island Plaza Shopping Complex (3rd Floor)
Address: 3rd Floor, Island Plaza, 118, Jalan Tanjung Tokong, 10470 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia‎
Contact: 04 899 0088
Operation hour:
11.30am to 3.00pm, 6.30pm to 10.00pm (Monday to Saturday)
9.30am to 3.00pm, 6.30pm to 10.00pm (Sunday & Public Holiday)

Parking convenience: Good
Hygiene: Good

Direction: Go to Island Plaza. The restaurant is inside the shopping complex.

Unforgettable restaurant
If talking about this restaurant, it was my wedding dinner venue organized at this place before they renovated. Oppsss... I didn't reveal how long I get married (if any single lady wish to find out, send me private message then. Kidding again!). I chose this restaurant for one reason - da food! After the renovation, the environment is completely different - upgrading.

Due to distant problem, I rarely able to have meal in this restaurant. After several years, on and off - I did have chance to have celebration. The food quality is still amazing to me personally. I love the dim sum especially, not to mention about the table dishes order.

Titbis

Don't you dare to think this is free for you. It's also charged. For most of the restaurant, they will serve you before you start to order anything. Peanut also will temporarily cure your hunger while you plan for your order.

Winter Melon Soup (四宝冬瓜盅) - RM9

This is very unique to be served as a wine glass. I kid. It's not wine glass. Special and very tasty. I wonder how long they already steamed the winter melon soup for this. Worth as the soup is exactly like the Chinese, especially Cantonese people always say - enough time to cook or they named it as double boiled. Soup comes with crabmeat and assorted meat to excite your soup drinking experience.

Baked Honey Barbeque Pork Pie (蜜汁叉烧酥) - RM5.80

Don't judge on the shape. It's not round but rectangular! When I first saw this order, I immediately fell for this! Honey... I'm not calling you honey. This pie is applied with honey to barbeque, please! Love this indeed!

Steamed Prawns Dumpling (水晶虾饺王) - RM5.80

Always my most favourite! I know I know... you are going to warn me about the cholesterol, right? At least I don't eat this every morning for breakfast. Thus allow me to continue to indulge to make myself exciting. Thank you for your understanding. The thin "coating" (I prefer to call this term) is so thin. The perfect "coating" is when you put this dumpling into your mouth - you can blow the steam out (sorry, not your ears - that one different root cause!), the "coating" will immediately melt in your mouth and you can taste the big prawns with its freshness. Any of dim sum unable to allow you to blow steam sure fail. You know what I meant - not hot enough.

Steamed Pork Dumpling (蟹王蒸烧卖) - RM5.80

Another one of my favourite order. The crab roe actually beautify the simple presentation and add mark to the taste. Eat while it is hot. Yup do the blow job, ahem - I meant blow the steam out when you eat! Do not think too much, dude!

Fried Rice (脆贝蟹肉炒饭) - RM15

If you ever think this is just a normal fried rice, you are completely wrong. I guarantee you can't stop having 2nd bowl of rice after taste it! It is called fried rice with crabmeat (not artificial one) with crispy minced dry scallops. I threw away my diet plan when I have this. Yup, put aside your rational part... indulge this dish with full emotion :-) I called myself - rice tong. Bingo, you are correct!

Darn! The chinese tea does not work to stop me from 2nd bowl...

Shanghai Pancake (豆沙酥窝饼) - RM10

It's not the normal pancake you know. This is deep fried Shanghai pancake with red bean paste. Take it and touch your lips, you immediately feel how crispy it is. The black sesame adds little burning taste to enhance your entire dessert experience.

Melting hot bean paste actually able to injure your tongue. Better be aware of the temperature. Normally people will order this with hot red bean soup to accompany but I order the opposite temperature - chilling dessert.

Chilled mango cream (香芒冻布丁) - RM4

If you scare of hot dessert type - probably you can order this dessert - Chilled mango cream with pamelo and sago pearls. The chilled creamy taste mixing with sweet and sour feeling will refresh yourself from heavy meal. Mango is always considered as the fruit that helps digestion. I always miss its sourness - thinking of this only activate the saliva system from my cheek - over-describing? I don't think so :-)

Penang - Jalan Tengah - Soya Bean drink

2010-04-30T09:41:00.059+08:00

Drink: Soya Bean
Type: Halal
Location: Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru
Price: ~~RM0.90~~ RM1.00 / RM1.20 (pack) *updated at 2nd Sept 2010

Stall Owner: Mr. Bean (He prefers people to call him - refuse to provide contact details)
Stall Operation: Noon time (He concluded when you see him around - that meant he is in business. *sweating*)

Parking convenience: Fair (this depends on residential parking space available - one warning - small drain do not cover up - you may aware with tire gone into small drain accidentally – too bad, I had this bad experience)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

If you are coming from Penang International Airport, right after the famous snake temple, take left turn, then drive for 20-30 meters distant, turn left into residential area. Further down to T-junction, right turn, then left turn and search for parking space.

The motor-bike stall is near the Roti Canai in my previous post.

Clarification
In the beginning, I reluctant to write this stall as I received the owner's very lansi-look defensive stance on sharing out any single contact or name or even the basic background of he started the business. Eventually I realize I'm just human.

The purpose of this blog is to provide the reader:

another option to try out but not in biased mode
to promote food / drink its uniqueness if possible
not to re-use the contact for any information selling (I don't gain anything tangible personally, this is part of my hunting, capturing, and writing passion. If you wish to hire me, then different story :-P)
I'm not THE income tax officer (underground) to audit, ok! (Do I look like FBI / CIA agent?, check out my handsome face again please)

Enough craps to explain! Let's get into business!

Mr. Bean

Mr. & Mrs Bean?

The owner refuse to provide real name (which I don't mind). He is very defensive to reveal any real contact at all, thus I can't help to know any single details nor any background at all. Sorry if any of you read this post and know the background, please leave your comment or drop me a message to share.

This Mr. Bean is riding a modified motor-bike to sell soya bean drink and soya bean "tofu".

The Drink
The attraction of this stall is the soya bean drink mixed with Chinese black jelly (in Cantonese - "Leong Fun"). "Leong Fun" enables to cool your body heat. You can either choose pure soya bean drink or a mixed one. Personally I prefer mixed one with brown sugar rather white sugar added. The fragrant of dark sugar brings little bit of burning taste, probably this is my wrong description in words. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Mass order preparation

The way of ice storage

Soya Bean "Tofu"
I used "tofu" because I love tofu as well. In Chinese - 豆腐花. The smooth feeling of having it pass through your mouth. The white sugar or dark sugar adds the sensation of having this special "tofu" as desert. Of course, it serves in hot. Leaving it to cool down will reduce the "tofu" quality. You must eat in hot to enjoy the freshness. Don't play play :-P

我最爱的阿花

After lunch, you can have a cold drink of soya bean mixed with "leong fun" or a bowl of "tofu" to complete your mission. Thicker taste and fullness - in conclusion. Enjoy your nap afterward, excuse me? :-P

Penang - Padang Kota Lama - Western Food (Hainan style)

2010-04-29T14:11:00.020+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Beside Fort Cornwallis (Explanade or Padang Kota Lama)
Price: depending on order

Contact: Lim - 016 475 9942
Stall Operation: Noon hour (Need help, anyone able to get the specific schedule, please share with me)

Parking convenience: Good (there is a big parking space beside the local food court)

Hygiene: Fair (Just watch out sometimes the crows will stop by above your head, watch out "boom")

Direction:

If you come from Jetty direction, take 12-o-clock direction at the roundabout where you can see the clock tower as well. Another 10-15 meters distant, check out the turn right opportunity - you are ready to enter the car park beside the famous Fort Cornwallis.

If you come from High Court direction, the green field is on your left. After the green field - please get ready to turn left, the car park is on your left. Before you near the car park entrance, you can see the food court is on your left as well.

Rush Hour
First time - I can't even talk to the owner. Rejection. They are not ego nor anything negatively attitude. They are just too busy to talk. The order preparation is rush during noon time. I can't even "near" them. Only let the picture do the talk little. Apologize on the reader who tries best to dig out further. Anyway, the stall is actually located almost exactly opposite the Mee Sotong I wrote in previous post.

Behind the scene

Hainan Style
My first taste on their foods was western food - both chicken chop and fish & chips. In fact, they are also preparing hainan noodles which also taste good and recommended. Chicken chop is very crispy and the fries are fresh. This is very important. If the fries is not fresh, the chef may leave the fries in open air for some while. You can notice the owner will not one shot fry the whole packet of fries to get-ready-stock.

Noon time to get there, I suggest personally to the reader to reach there before 1200. This will allow you to get a strategic place (not under the "tiang" where the bird drop the "souvenir" while you have nice lunch). Another enjoyment is you can observe how every stall actually prepare for the lunch crowd at the same time. Not very sure whether you have that kind of specific preference to observe. I bet you will enjoy the moment.

Getting ready for crowds' orders

Chicken Chop - Hainan style

For fish & chips, the special part is I love the most on tartar sauce and you can refill :-) The fish & chips bath with the squeezed lime juice (if you can get more than half cut and you love sour taste) will rock your taste bud when you mix with the tartar sauce. Tartar sauce may look plain but i just love the combined tastes. Thinking of this always make me swallow the saliva. Visualize little please!

Fish & Chips

Lovely tartar sauce

Lime juice that cool you off. Remember to order two glasses of this drink!

If you have time, I recommend you to try out the Hainan style noodles. It may look like Hor Kian Char (Hokkien dialect), the taste is completely different from the dark soya sauce you had in mind. Hainan style noodles will ensure you finish the rest of the noodles in plate. Mind me to leave some space of writing in my next post on next visit? I'm sure you will say YES. Thank you very much on your kind understanding :-)

Penang - Batu Maung - Hokkien Mee

2010-03-28T00:27:00.027+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Batu Maung

Price: RM2.20 (Small) | RM2.50 (Medium) | RM2.80 (Big), extra order depends on the price charge

Stall Operation: 0645 - 1400 (wet market)
Contact: 012 494 3551 / 016 473 9819

Parking convenience: Fair (suggest you to be there at 1100-1130; otherwise you hardly find a parking place after 1200)
Hygiene: Fair (for me, I'm already used to the environment inside wet market)

Direction:
Any one who works in FTZ area will know Batu Maung area, especially near the primary school, there are many shops offering lunch.

From Hilir Sg Kluang Satu, turn to Lintang Bayan Lepas 3, go all the way straight until almost reach Pentamaster on your left, turn right into Lintang Bayan Lepas 6. Go straight until T-junction. Turn left and follow the road (you will cross very small bridge) till you meet another T-junction in front of you (Jalan Baru Batu Maung). Turn left and drive straight until you see a primary school on your left. The stall is beside the road of Tingkat Batu Maung. The location is exactly same with my previous post on Batu Maung Char Kuey Teow.

More prawn fragrant

Busy operation

Auntie still camera shy...

Another 20 years veteran of cooking Hokkien mee. My personal preference is more on prawn fragrant. I almost will visit this stall within a week or two weeks. Kinda addicted :-) I know I will control the possible high cholesterol. Thanks for your inner mumbling and kind intention :-)

Maggi noodles option, but I still prefer the yellow noodles taste better :-)

We are indeed serious!
Master Soh in action

Rob in action

In fact, few months ago, I informed auntie (the stall owner) - I will bring camera to hunt photos. I think she thought - this fellow must be kidding. Ended up I brought another two "kaki" to enjoy the hunting moment - Rob & PJ. Three of "tam-chiak" fellas brought out our arsenal to capture like mad on food porn :-P

Wet market environment

Addictive or mad?

For the soup base, you can check out the differences in between prawn fragrant and meat fragrant. I personally prefer more prawn fragrant because when they cook the soup base, they won't throw everything into the soup to cook, even after the soup base already cooked, they don't put the extra material into the soup to enhance the sweetness.

Who is this? Intruder!!!

You can also learn up to observe and taste the differences. If meat fragrant, check out the possible extra order like meat ball, "fan-cheong" and etc will cook as well. I managed to get this insider information because I have one sifu explained the tricks on cooking :-) Share the trick here? No way :-P I prefer face-to-face sharing :-)

Oh not wrong channel to post this picture - you can get it from the kopitiam taukeh. Nasi lemak also tempting over there :-P

Penang - Padang Kota Lama - Mee Sotong

2010-03-16T23:43:00.004+08:00

Type: Halal
Location: Beside Fort Cornwallis (Explanade or Padang Kota Lama)
Price: Small - RM3.50 | Big - RM5.00 (price added depending on order)

Contact: Mr Shahrulhameed Syed Muhamed - 013 431 9384
Stall Operation: 1200 - 1500 (Monday to Saturday)

Parking convenience: Good (there is a big parking space beside the local food court)

Hygiene: Fair (Just watch out sometimes the crows will stop by above your head, watch out "boom")

Direction:

If you come from Jetty direction, take 12-o-clock direction at the roundabout where you can see the clock tower as well. Another 10-15 meters distant, check out the turn right opportunity - you are ready to enter the car park beside the famous Fort Cornwallis.

If you come from High Court direction, the green field is on your left. After the green field - please get ready to turn left, the car park is on your left. Before you near the car park entrance, you can see the food court is on your left as well.

Busy-busy-busy
When entering the food court, I only see crowds. I don't even have a chance to talk to the owner. Only able to get near the stall and make my order with hand signal plus little instruction. The worker and owner are so busy not able to look at you in their eyes for about 5 seconds.

I sat down and slowly took out my camera to get ready to capture them.

There is no camera shy or even they give me some oh-ho expression. Probably I assume they just get used with food blogger or reporters. From the cut-out-articles stick on his stall, I immediately know the reason.

When I stand up and get near to the stall, trying to avoid to irritate their working flows, I'm surprised by the preparation of each plate of "Mee Sotong"!

Special Squid "Sambal"

Anyone who try out this squid "sambal", I can guarantee you will come back to enjoy the sensation of spiciness! The "sambal" is unique. I tested out to add spicy during order. Ended up I finished up 3 glasses of cool waters! After the sensation, my sweating system was out of control. Even my tear also came out. Imagine this! No bluff.

In fact, there are many "mamak" stall in Penang island itself. This "mee sotong" is indeed unique. I'm sure this aligns with the owner wish to outstand others rather than the usual taste. Of course, the sweet squid "sambal" is his family secret ingredient to make it special.

The fried yellow noodles just match perfectly with the special sauce. Looks very tempting and taste very "fiercely" after you enjoy the moment :-)

The uniqueness of this special "sambal" - first taste, you enjoy the sweetness. Then you will feel your rear head is "ticked" like bell ringing - ting ting ting... Then the hot and spicy feeling come gradually until maximum at last. (thus watch out yourself opening mouth wide wide and use your palm to wave-cool-down the spiciness)

Killing me hardly --> the "Sambal" sauce... arggghhhhh...

Having this meal occasionally will stimulate you and teach you what the hot and spicy feeling meant! After the roller-coaster feeling, ensure you drink much water. If you have problem on taking spicy food, I suggest you stop reading this. Anyway, it's the end of writing :-P

Penang - Chulia Street - Ecco Cafe (2nd visit)

2010-02-10T23:29:00.030+08:00

Food: Italian Cuisine
Type: Non-Halal
Price: depends on what you order

Shop Name: Ecco Cafe
Chef Owner: LAW Soo Hock
Contact: 012 445 9700 / 04 262 3178
Address: 402, Chulia Street 10200 Penang
Shop Operation: 1130 - 1430, 1830 - 2230 (except closed Monday lunch and all day Sunday)

Parking convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Good

Direction:

If you come from Cintra Street, try best to look for parking space. At the end of Cintra Street junction with Chulia Street. Check out 10-o-clock direction when you stand at exactly Sin Kwan Hwa Coffee Shop in my previous post.

If you come from Jetty area, take Chulia Street direction. After you pass by 7-Eleven convenient store on your right, about 100m, you will see the Famous Goh Thew Chik Hainan Chicken Rice on your right. Another 30-50m distant, when you notice Sin Kwan Hwa Coffee Shop on your left, look for parking space nearby. Ecco Cafe is at 2-o-clock when you stop by in front of.

It was a small chat with Rob and I found out another reason to re-visit to whack the thin-crust home made pizza. My preference is thin-crust pizza. Rob didn't manage to have good impression towards the spaghetti. I never try out thus I don't wish to provide any comment.

Mushroom soup didn't surprise me in terms of its creamy taste. I will introduce you my preferred mushroom soup on other post when I have time to hunt down the restaurant (I promise!).

Add this chili flake, I guarantee the smoke won't come out from your ears, I guarantee again! :-)

I took the Louisiana pizza (not Lu siao kia, ok!). This thin-crust pizza consists of salami, olive, onion, tomato, fresh chili (not spicy at all, just the look only) and basil.

Rob tried out the chicken pot pie which impressed him. He had a big whack - extra order for toasted baguette with tomato and cheese and mango lassi instead of coffee.

Mango lassi! You are not drunk, aren't you? This is not Carlsberg, follow me - m-a-n-go, lassi~

Happy Rob

The seductive chicken pot pie - Rob's order. I purposely show the vege part to remain its mysterious feeling. (miss out the chicken pot pie portrait - click here for my previous post)

I still have a habit to finish-whack the coffee before the meal come... sigh... can't help!

This is not eatable - my precious 28mm AiS Nikkor len. Display for fun. Wish to have sensation, you can consider add the chili oil then :-)

Penang - Bukit Gedung - Nasi Lemak

2010-01-17T18:11:00.050+08:00

Type: Halal
Location: Bukit Gedung
Price: Depends on what you eat

Stall Owner: Maria
Stall Name: Kastam Coffee Shop
Contact: 012 472 6114

Stall Operation: 0630 - 1200

Parking convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

If you are from airport (you are actually at Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, after the famous Snake Temple and Wisma Than Siang), when you see the traffic light, turn left to Jalan Tengah. Go straight until you see the next traffic light - turn left again to Jalan Mayang Pasir. Drive further. After the small bridge, keep right and you will see the a T-junction. Mosque is exactly on your right now. Turn right into Persiaran Mayang Pasir. You will notice your left is old terrace houses while on your right is new terrace houses. After terrace houses on your right, you should see the shoplot. At the end of the shoplot - you see a clinic (Klinik Hari).

Get prepared to turn right into small lane where the wet market located - Komplek Makanan & Pasar Desa Mayang. You may face some congested traffic due to motorcycle or crowds walking around. Drive further following the small lane, you will see a small field open for parking. The shop is actually located behind the wet market.

Marketplace
I kinda like this place where you actually can have false impression of you are not in Penang island. Beside the wet market, there's a river with open field in green. Sometimes, cows are there to fufill their hunger by eating the grasses. Alright, enough crap of landscape description.

Part of the attraction to this small shop is the Nasi Lemak. Don't get me wrong, I only eat Nasi Lemak occasionally. In fact, I don't encourage to eat too frequently due to the coconut milk. Ms Maria did not prepare this Nasi Lemak. She sells several "kuih-muih" together with Nasi Lemak. Her friend actually prepared this.

My wife introduced me this Nasi Lemak. The coconut milk in rice fragrant able to melt you. The spicy sauce is not too spicy as you can taste. I love the crispy "ikan-bilis".

Delicious Kuih Kodol - ah... this is prepared by Ms Maria!

Most of the shops are selling Malay foods. You can find the "pasar pagi" where seller setup their stalls to sell stuffs. I noticed a few Chinese sellers promote necessity stuffs as well. Multi-racial environment which reflected our Malaysian spirit to live together harmoniously.

Ms Maria

Anything activate your possible hunger?

Try best to go there earlier, otherwise the Nasi Lemak sure "habis-sapu". If you enjoy the noisy marketplace and able to have your breakfast there, this is the place for you to get your simple breakfast - "kampung" feeling - to be precise!

Penang - Batu Maung - Hokkien Mee

2010-01-17T16:28:00.057+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Batu Maung

Price: (Apologize - I'm old biscuit - forgot to jot down the price - price range - RM2.50 and above - will update soon)

Stall Operation: 0600 - 1100 (wet market) | 1100 - 1800 (Bond Cafe) - Sunday work half day.
Stall Owner: Mr. Thor (012 483 9809)

Parking convenience: Fair (suggest you to be there at 1100-1130; otherwise you hardly find a parking place after 1200)
Hygiene: Fair (for me, I'm already used to the environment inside wet market)

Direction:
Any one who works in FTZ area will know Batu Maung area, especially near the primary school, there are many shops offering lunch.

From Hilir Sg Kluang Satu, turn to Lintang Bayan Lepas 3, go all the way straight until almost reach Pentamaster on your left, turn right into Lintang Bayan Lepas 6. Go straight until T-junction. Turn left and follow the road (you will cross very small bridge) till you meet another T-junction in front of you (Jalan Baru Batu Maung). Turn left and drive straight until you see a primary school on your left. The stall is beside the road of Tingkat Batu Maung. The location is exactly same with my previous post on Batu Maung Char Kuey Teow.

28 Years of Veteran - Mr. Thor

In despite of 28 years of selling Hokkien mee, you can still feel his passion on cooking and selling whenever you approach his stall and taste his Hokkien mee. Friendly Mr. Thor loves to greet you and chit chat with you like neighbour.

Happy KC

This round, my pleasure to have KC accompanied me to enjoy the joy of hunting. KC is also a fan of Char Kuey Teow, thus we ordered both to "whack" one shot :-) Thanks KC for your time!

What the heck for below capture? Wrong channel? Nope - the Char Kuey Teow from neighbour stall - check my previous post please.

Pork-Fragrant Soup Base
The soup base taste for this Hokkien mee stall differs from what I posted previously. The fragrant is more on pork soup base. If you were to ask me to choose, I will prefer strong shrimp taste Hokkien mee (check my previous post on Beach Street Hokkien Mee). Personally I still able to accept as every individual will have his/her preference.

Prepare to "pom-pom" (taking bath in baby language :-P)

Tempting or tempted?

Eat-able accessories!

There are many varieties of options to add when you place order - small shrimp, pork ribs, pork skin, egg, sliced pork and so on. Of course there will be additional charge, not free.

Feeling wanna eat this?

If you wish to really taste the soup sweetness, try best not to add in chilly. Chilly mostly add spiciness only, for what I think.

Penang - Rifle Range Flats - Curry Chee Cheong Fun

2010-01-12T13:53:00.023+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Rifle Range Flats / 打枪铺组屋
Price: RM2.20 (Small) | RM2.90 (Big)

Stall Owner: Mr. Neoh Soo Guan (016 463 6594)
Stall Operation: 0730 - About noon (depends on customer volume - may rest earlier if finishes).

Direction:
From Greenlands tunnel, there are 4 traffic lights to pass. Once 4th traffic light - Esso petrol station is on your left. Before 5th traffic light, Convent Green Land high school is on your right. Turn left and take the Air Itam route. You will pass by Chinese graveyard area on your left. Keep right lane. After the traffic light, follow the road until you encounter there's a signboard - take Jalan Padang Tembak and turn right. Chung Ling High School is on your left now. After the traffic light, keep left. Drive about 10m distant, turn left. Follow the road until you see Rifle Range Flat. When you see the SRK Padang Tembak (primary school), ready to turn left. Park beside the road. You can walk straight to the food court. On your left - you should see the wet market.

Parking convenience: Fair (Suggestion: Try park beside the school and walk to there)
Hygiene: Fair

Read my previous post - Chee Cheong Fun

4th Attempts
It was 3 times in total - I re-visited this stall just for curry Chee Cheong Fun. Failed. My 4th attempt works without much expectation. I finally hunted down, just like hit the jackpot, I'm insane totally! Thanks for DC to bring the luck :-P

Thicky Feeling
Curry Chee Cheong Fun (CCF) definitely not the impression of having Chinese curry chicken version. Geez... using CCF to call it just like the destructive components CFC sounds, hate this :-P

Back to the point. It is more like having nyonya feeling! The CCF prepared in hot, you can see the steamy smoke come out. Then the "char siew" (roasted pork in dark soya sauce but dyed in red colour - safe one, no worry) and fried fish cake cut dance with CCF. The curry gravy showering the CCF with mint leaves to finalize before serves. Oh, mamamia! I visualize the thicky taste, my saliva system is definitely out of control!

You have an option to choose whether to put dried shrimp paste (dark colour). Without it paste, you can enjoy the fragant of pure coconut milk curry; With dried shrimp paste, you enjoy the sweetness and the fragant together. Double Bonus!

Eat the curry CCF is like having the most wonderful sensation with fullness. Can't believe? Try out yourself. I bluff you directly if I'm very serious. NO nonsense post :-)

Before ends this post - I fervently hope the stall owner Mr. Neoh will have a healthier body condition to continue cook this wonderful food! Take good care Mr. Neoh! :-)

Penang - Jalan Tengah - Mee Goreng

2010-01-11T06:25:00.035+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: If you read my previous post on Jalan Tengah Roti Canai - it's
the other end of coffee shop
Price: Small - RM2.50 | Big - RM3.00 (add thin crispy fried cake - RM0.50)

Contact: Miss Mei Chong - 010 563 8336
Stall Operation: 1130 - 1800 (Wednesday OFF)

Parking convenience: Fair (this depends on parking space available - one warning - small drain do not cover up - you may aware with tyre gone into small drain accidentally)

Hygiene: Fair

Direction:
If you come from Penang International Airport, after famous Snake Temple, turn left at traffic light, then drive about 20-30 meters distant, turn left into residential area. You will see the Jalan Tengah Burger stall in front of you. Nope - not the burger again, just drive further down to T-junction, the mosque should be on your left, turn left to the end road. Find parking space. At the end of road, walk right and you will head to the stalls.

Miss Mei Chong - shy in front of camera

The Chef

Tasty & Crispy bite

I don't understand why the name is not Mee Jawa Goreng instead of they label as Mee Goreng :-) Arghhh, for me, as far as the fried noodle is tasty, there's it!

I will order extra crispy fried cake definitely, wanna have a crispy moment?

In fact, it's Jawa noodle. This is what I can conclude. Looks similar like Indian Mee Goreng but the taste differs slightly. The attraction on this noodle is the crunchy groundnuts and thin crispy fried cake. Fried noodles itself not spicy. Ensure you squeeze the given lime cut on the noodles while serve hot. Your tongue immediately will enjoy the sweet and sour taste when noodles enter your mouth.

Hard to resist?

One thing, the fried noodles not completely dry version. It serves with specially cooked tomato sauce, thus little bit wet when you notice the presentation.

Call it Mee Goreng or Mee Jawa :-)

The thin crispy cake serves on top of the fried noodles. Showering with groundnuts and the special cook tomato sauce. Presentation activate your hunger then. Enjoy!

Penang - Chulia Street - Ecco Cafe

2009-11-26T11:55:00.077+08:00

Food: Italian Cuisine
Type: Non-Halal
Price: depends on what you order

Shop Name: Ecco Cafe
Chef Owner: LAW Soo Hock
Contact: 012 445 9700 / 04 262 3178
Address: 402, Chulia Street 10200 Penang
Shop Operation: 1130 - 1430, 1830 - 2230 (except closed Monday lunch and all day Sunday)

Parking convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Good

Direction:
If you come from Cintra Street, try best to look for parking space. At the end of Cintra Street junction with Chulia Street. Check out 10-o-clock direction when you stand at exactly Sin Kwan Hwa Coffee Shop in my previous post.

If you come from Jetty area, take Chulia Street direction. After you pass by 7-Eleven convenient store on your right, about 100m, you will see the Famous Goh Thew Chik Hainan Chicken Rice on your right. Another 30-50m distant, when you notice Sin Kwan Hwa Coffee Shop on your left, look for parking space nearby. Ecco Cafe is at 2-o-clock when you stop by in front of.

Norah Jones's fan
I visited twice for this shop, first time didn't bring camera. Psss... wife didn't allow :-P Second time, hunted alone at late lunch. Twice I visited, I heard Norah Jones's Don't Know Why. What I can link to this song - Don't know why I come - probably because of the Chicken Pot Pie! :-)

When modern meets old

Without coffee, I feel terrible - lazy afternoon... *yawning* (pass you some zzzZZZzzz :-P)

Very Simple Menu - you imagine your order please!

The waiter is a bit ~~lansi~~ cool when I intend to further capture photo of kitchen's interior design. Probably I overstep the borderline - thus not allowed to capture.

Fresh Ground Coffee that hold my tongue

"Knock! Knock! Wake up," Coffee said.

After took my order, fresh ground coffee served in a very short while (RM5). Even via machine brew, the coffee fragrant smell already made me high and awake. While waiting, I captured the items surrounded and finished the coffee before even served with Chicken Pot Pie.

Chicken Pot Pie (RM16)

It does serve smaller portion than I expected but taste really good. I'm drooled to think about its creamy sauce with chicken cubes, carrots, peas and potatoes. The pie-crust cover taste like our local roti canai. Comes with side salad and 2 pieces of bread sticks.

Chicken Pot Pie in naked style

Be careful of your tongue when you take the creamy sauce. It's very hot after baked from oven. I took the bread stick to rinse in the creamy sauce (though not much like soup) for 3 seconds, then bite and taste... full of sensation to taste the half-crispy bread stick with creamy sauce!

My favourite side salad

While having half way to clear your chicken pot pie, don't finish up your side salad too early. At least, the salad acts as a refresher to your taste buds after the heavy taste of creamy sauce :-)

I will revisit to hunt for thin crush handmade pizza soon!

Penang - Pantai Jerjak - Mee Goreng

2009-11-19T16:19:00.036+08:00

Type: Halal
Location: If you read my previous post on Pantai Jerjak pancake - it's further down the road only
Price: RM2.20 | with egg - RM2.70 | Add "sotong" - RM3.50

Contact: Mr. Backer - 016 482 1800
Stall Operation: 0830 - 1830

Parking convenience: Fair (before banking hour)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:
If you come from Sungai Nibong bus station via Sg Dua (bus station should be on your left), at the cross junction traffic light, go straight. Along the road, you will pass by residential area and you will see a Thai restaurant on your right. Then you will see another terrace of shop lots on your left with open field, check out the Public Bank and get ready to turn left before the bridge. Turn left again - pass by Public Bank (on your right now). Go further down and look for Backer's stall on your left.

Not from MU

His name is Mr. Backer, not Mr. Beckham. He is from Malaysia, not UK, nor MU team. Don't day-dream please! He is an Indian muslim. When I show doubtful eyes - he immediately show his Identification Card (IC) - not making joke - his name is Backer printed there.

Ingredients

Stock

18 years of selling experiences, his mee goreng is unique in his way. Frankly - first time when my wife packed from his stall - the taste experience was bad! When I decided to hunt this down - I give another chance to myself, not him! The taste experience is totally different. I hardly conclude subjectively - you must agree with me.

Dry plus wet
Normally if I order fried noodles, I highlight to fried more dry, of course not until the noodles over-fried until without springy bite. Having mee goreng without chilly just like walking down the street nakedly, strictly to my point of view only. If you don't think in that way - don't argue please. Accept as if you wish to read on :-)

(Before)

(After)

The special thing about this mee goreng - Mr. Backer will check with you whether you wish to add little bit of Pasembur's sauce or not. Take note - this is not mee rebus sauce. Totally different sauce at all. Mr. Backer suggested to put the sauce in another half of the noodles, then you will find the sensation of dry and wet.

The mee goreng mixes with spicy sauce and pasembur sauce generate another unique taste sensation. I like that. Try to add in the pasembur "keropok udang" (fried shrimp cake), beside your head "tink-tink" with sensation - your teeth is actually having happy moment with crispy biting sensation!

Penang - Pantai Jerjak - Pancakes

2009-11-16T18:28:00.031+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Opposite Public Bank (Pantai Jerjak Branch)
Price: Depends on what you order based on the menu list

Contact: Ah Dee (阿弟) - 016 416 1433 *updated*
Stall Operation: 0600 - 1100 (Wed - rest)

Parking convenience: Fair (before banking hour)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:
If you come from Sungai Nibong bus station via Sg Dua (bus station should be on your left), at the cross junction traffic light, go straight. Along the road, you will pass by residential area and you will see a Thai restaurant on your right. Then you will see another terrace of shop lots on your left with open field, check out the Public Bank and get ready to turn left before the bridge. Turn left again and Public Bank is on your right now. Check out the Ah Dee's stall on your left.

Ah Dee

Customers aka friends

Ah Dee learnt pancake making from his uncle long before he actually involve in selling his own. He started his selling in the beginning of year 2008. Building up good customer relationship and interaction for everyone who purchase one piece or more. Always smiley face and appreciate customer who support him.

Flour that makes the difference

There are two types of pancakes Ah Dee able to make. Thick and thin types.

Brown sugar (thick version)

Thick pancake gives you bold feeling, fullness and satisfied. I personally love brown sugar. Of course, brown sugar version is more expensive than white sugar version. Brown sugar version gives you a burning-sweet taste feeling. Probably I used the wrong term to describe. I have that unique taste feeling. White sugar never gives me that kind of sensation so far.

White sugar (thick version)

Thin version in the making

Same goes to thin crispy brown sugar version. Very crispy, just like eating snack for every bite you feel. A layer of crushed peanut and brown sugar on top - definitely cause you unable to stop biting as probably afternoon tea time snack. Thin version takes about 15 minutes to finalize, thus you must have patient if you wish to order.

In the process

Cheesy in action

Waiting to be "owned"

Thin aka crispy

For those who wish to order in mass - such as more than 10, please call Ah Dee to pre-order one or two days before. He suggests this because he does not wish to make you stand there for 1-2 hours to wait. Kindly take note.

Penang - Sri Nibong - Toast Bread

2009-11-11T04:59:00.035+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Sri Nibong Cafe (理旺茶室)
Price: Depends on what you order based on the menu list

Contact: Mr Soo Nam Fong - 012 539 2802
Stall Operation: 0930 - Late Afternoon

Parking convenience: Fair Hygiene: Fair

Direction:
If you come from Bayan Lepas area, heads toward Sri Nibong bus station direction. Keep right. You will see the coffee shop exactly opposite from Sg Nibong police station. Remember to keep right. From traffic light, make a U-turn then keep left after you passed by the Malay school. Turn left and search for any available space. Hallo! not parking at roadside but park in legal space! :-P

Unique One

"12 years selling experience, started in year 1998. Original from Seberang Perai. Friends encouraged to come over to Penang island to sell. 7 years in Sg Pinang. Move to Sri Nibong about 2 years plus," Recalled Mr. Soo. The only one stall that sell unique toast bread.

When you encounter toast bread, first impression - you expect half boil egg. Wrong, you can't find half boil egg here but fried egg :-) The only stall that sell a wide variety of choices.

Heavy Weight order

Of course, I didn't order all listed options. My favourite one still the heavy-weight version: egg, cheese and ham. My order is quite pricey. One for RM3.20, I took two! Damn heavy weight... can settle both meals - breakfast and lunch :-P

If you think about your diet plan - don't look at this capture. Oh blame me!

Love the melted cheese - I'm dying for it. Throw away your diet plan if you wish to indulge into cheesy feeling.The fried ham is cooked with excellent timing. Outer part is crispy and you still able to taste the soft feeling of meat when you bite. The egg taste neutralise the salty taste of ham and cheese which brings a more balance feeling. If you wish to blow yourself, you can consider add chilly sauce in between, then the sweet and spicy sensation will penetrate your taste bud!

Char Siew (minced version) - if he doesn't let me know - I thought this is salted & minced soya bean - 豆酱 - me too imaginative indeed!

Sambal (minced dried prawn) - look at it may make me sweat!

Mayo Tuna - no surprise :-)

There are other options that Mr Soo recommend - Taiwanese sausage (during that moment - no more stock), "Char Siew" (minced version - first time I saw this), "sambal" (minced dried prawn), mayonnaise tuna and more. I can't conclude personally on other options good enough. I have my own preference. Probably you can try out those stated here or not stated here. Leave me a comment to share for other option you try out. Thanks.

Penang - Lip Sin Garden - Char Bee Hoon

2009-11-02T09:34:00.016+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Lip Sin Garden (opposite old market)
Price: Small - RM1.10 | Big - RM1.30

Contact: Ms Ooi Shaw Yin - 016 444 3724
Stall Operation: 0600 - 1100 (7 days a week; Bi-weekly off but not fix on which day)

Parking convenience: Very Bad (You can consider to park at Lebuh Nipah 1 and walk)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

Ask anyone who stay at Lip Sin Garden - where is the old market. They can show you the way.

Or you can check out the Google Map - look for Lebuh Nipah 1. It's located inside the Medan Mutiara Apartment, just opposite the Old Market. Check out the Kedai Kopi Sin Kek Seng (新格成茶室).

Suggestion - You can park your car about 100m from the coffee shop, otherwise during morning time, you hardly find any available space to fill in.

Simple Breakfast for Everyone

First impression - the environment is very noisy. If you are looking for quiet place to eat - I'm sorry - you are entering incorrect location to enjoy.

All age level customers - everybody loves to eat :-)

"Since 1986, parents started this business here" recalled Shaw Yin. There are only noodles, bee hoon and kuey teow selling here. No additional like sausage or fried egg to add on. Probably this makes everyone able to have simple breakfast without going through multiple level of decision making.

If you happen to get up early morning - I meant about 0600. Visit this stall please. Later you will find out a long queue of working people to buy from them before work. Don't let unexpected long queue to scare you :-)

Laugh All The Way

Shy all the way - I only capture her background - in Chinese - 她的倩影 :-P I hope she won't whack me after published :-)

Ms Ooi's mum is camera-shy, thus I only able to show her "kung-fu" stance to prepare the noodles. I did realize everytime I take out my camera to start the capturing - a lot of surrounded people will false-assume I'm a reporter from newspaper. I did clarify each time - I just a hobbyist who interested to write about foods and capturing the moments. I doubt they really believe me :-P

In fact, through humourous jokes - I find it's easier to open people heart when capturing the moments. I appreciate the trust of Ms Ooi passing me her contact and her humourous aunty never stop making me laugh during moment captured.

From this capture - I don't think they are camera shy - they just don't get used with my "big-potato" camera appearance :-P I like this capture the most in particular - their expression look like finding a gold mine - Don't whack me next time they see me. I still wish to eat the char been hoon :-)

Taste and Chillies

Not too heavy taste on bee hoon, noodles and kuey teow. Especially the noodles is very springy. For me, I love to have a mixture of noodles and bee hoon at the same time.

Occasionally I will have kuey teow. Naturally - kuey teow is more oily than noodles.

When you eat - check out the green pickle chillies which rinse in sweet vinegar. Their green chilly is tasty, a mixture of sweet, sour and of course spicy :-) If you wish to challenge your ear comes out smoke - try the sambal. Don't under-estimate the garlic chilly as well. This is my most favourite chilly every time I visit them. Feeling like smoke come out from ears and sweat uncontrollable. The sweet sauce is optional to add upon request. All depend on your personal preference.

If you wish to have a good noisy environment time - go for it during morning. You will enjoy the real market environment. You will enjoy the familiar greeting - hello good morning. Trust me - sometimes having a simple breakfast and a cup of coffee to observe people kick-start their days - pretty enjoyable. Of course do this when you are either off or clearing leave :-P Have great days then!

Penang - Air Itam - Curry Mee

2009-09-22T13:39:00.032+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Air Itam
Price: Small - RM2.50 | Big - RM3.00

Contact: Mrs Ong - 012 408 8152 / Miss Ong - 012 407 3152

Stall Operation: 0800 - 1200 (7 days a week)

Parking convenience: Very Bad (You better park at Kek Lok Si's nearby car park and walk)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:
Comes from Chung Ling High School direction, take Kek Lok Si route to head on. When it comes to a T-junction that leads you to Kek Lok Si, turn right to Market Road (Jalan Pasar). Look for parking space. Once you park your car, WALK (not drive, ok) against the traffic along Market Road back to the T-junction.

Turn right and go opposite to follow the traffic. Once pass by the small bridge, you see another small road on your left. Turn left and check out the aunties who sell curry mee sitting on small bench.

* Would like to special thank to DC and Jessica who brought me to this hunt :-)

Really OLD Style

The first sight when I look at the stall, there is NO stall. Out of my expectation, the stall owners (should be co-owners), mostly age 60 and above, sitting on single person bench. The noodles and "bihun", bean-sprout and the soup-base container all "sitting" on the floor. Beside the container, I can see a plastic bag of black-woody-stuff, yeah lar... it's charcoal, bro.

Preparation

Team Work

Wah lao eh (Hokkien dialect verbal expression for surprise, just in case you are not from Penang)! People from West shouts - My God - over here, we only call for dad. Enough side-tracking topic.

Charcoal smell when I stepped in and sat down. This reminded me my childhood smell vividly. Sat beside the aunties, behind me still have another 3 charcoal stoves. You can imagine the free sauna environment I indeed "enjoy" much during that moment.

Same Old Taste

Soup

Self Service

It's pretty hard to find a real old taste to describe. I may not guarantee when I say good taste, the rest of readers who following this blog will raise their legs to fully agree. It's still based on personal preference.

What I meant same old taste - when the noodles plus soup enter your mouth, the taste that stimulate your taste bud will quickly transmit its nerve signal to your brain AND most important thing, that nerve signal suddenly "open" your hidden old memory which reside in your memory database. Again, enough grandma story.

Soup-based is consists of coconut milk mixture with other ingredients. Reasonably sweet but not artificial type. Surprisingly, I didn't see any mint leave when served. The chilli, for me, not so spicy until I able to sniff. One thing I can be sure - the chilli is not over stir-fried. Probably this is the difference from other curry mee stall I'm interested.

The Inheritors

Friendly and talkative aunties (we normally respect lady who is in age forty and above, we won't call old lady, because I'm old biscuit too!) were laughing out loud, when I brought out my camera to capture them. Luckily they didn't have much time to stop and do some make-up :-P 60 plus years time just flew swiftly... "I remembered when we started this curry mee selling, the tree beside us was small and short" said one of the aunty. Get two guys to hug the tree, you can imagine how big is the tree.

I'm quite happy to notice there are two youngsters helped out during the selling. This means traditional old food won't just "extinct" like that.

Penang - Gat Lebuh China - Teh Halia & Nasi Lemak

2009-08-20T22:57:00.000+08:00

Type: Halal
Location: Gat Lebuh China
Price: Depends on what you eat

Stall Owner: Mr. Abdul Wahab
Stall Name: Kastam Coffee Shop
Contact: 016 464 0882

Stall Operation: 1600 - 0100

Parking convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:
If you come from Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, try to check out the landmark - Goddess of Mercy Temple (观音庙). Turn to China Street, go straight until you see Beach Street where CIMB bank is on your 2-o-clock direction. Drive straight to almost the other end, find parking space. The stall is exactly on your right hand side.

If you come from Jelutong Express Way, take Weld Quay direction. Go all the way straight. When you see yourself almost pass by Jetty (on your right), take a look on your left and look for a stall. Once you identify the stall at the corner of turn in junction, turn left and ready to park your car. The Custom Office opposite the other side of building.

I come for Teh Halia

Proud Greeting to me!~

Spicing time

In action he goes!

My wife is one of the fan of Teh Halia (Ginger Tea with milk). If you were to ask me, I can't take ginger at all, especially its smell. Kill me with garlic, I love garlic, not ginger :-) Tried several time little bit when my wife specifically asked me to drive for 15km to this stall during cold night time.

Teh Halia - it looks no different from normal Teh Tarik. Put your nose near to it, then you able to smell a strong ginger taste.

This round - I come for Teh Halia! If not mistaken, beside ginger, they put spices as well. A normal teh tarik becomes special for anyone who loves it. Unexpectedly I saw the preparation and enjoy my dinner there.

Fresh Nasi Lemak

Fresh hot rice!

Reaching there a bit early, thus I have opportunity to see how the nasi lemak prepare from fresh. Using uncomplicated way, nasi lemak is still nasi lemak, a simple dish will bring out the fragnant that stimulate your hunger.

Tasty Nasi Lemak

If you reach early, you can see the nasi lemak prepared freshly.

Once packed, it will be labelled as "I" or "BT". "I" stands for fish in Malay (Ikan), while "BT" is not Bit-Torrent! "BT" is small fish & egg (Bilis & Telur).

Varieties of choices for whatever-colour-collar
If you don't feel like eating Nasi Lemak, you can try out other options. Words are useless to describe, a picture speaks for itself :-)

Pick one please to fill in your stomach!

fried noodles

This is Malaysia, consists of several races' cultures mixed and blended into daily life. You can find not only blue collar to drop by for tea time, those managers from nearby office also drop by here to enjoy their break.

Don't care what collar colour you are.

Having good time!

Customer who comes here won't care about the narrow corridor environment the tables setup, you wish to enjoy open air table, take the tables that setup beside the Gat Lebuh China road, just be careful when you make your order as the stall located at the corner of junction where cars and motorcycles will turn sharp.

Penang - Lebuh Queen - Wantan Noodles

2009-08-20T09:30:00.015+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Lebuh Queen / Queen Street
Price: Small (RM2.50) | Medium (RM3.00) | Big (RM3.30)
Sui Kow (RM1.30 for two)

Stall Owner: Mr. Yam Weng Kheong 任永强 (PJK)
Stall Name: One Tonne Mee
Contact: 016 492 5832

Stall Operation: 0700 - 1330

Parking convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Good

Direction:
If you comes from Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, try to check out the landmark - Goddess of Mercy Temple (观音庙). Turn to China Street, about 10 meter distant, turn right to Queen Street, you will see the stall just beside your left hand side. Don't day-dream, check out the available space on your right to park your car then! :-P

Almost retired

Those old fans who followed this stall definitely knew Mr. Yam moved from opposite to this coffee shop about 5 years ago. I personally feel the coffee shop name is a bit funny- Peace and Joy Coffee Shop if you forget to lift your head to check out.

16 years of specializing in wantan noodles, Mrs. Yam informed me that they decided to retire soon which suprised me. I insist them to go on, thus I post this writing... sounds like I'm quite bad in another way.

Preparation

Bathing Noodles
Normally noodles will bath with boiling water and rinse for a while, then go through cold water to enhance its springy-ness.

No fancy taste

Wantan noodles normally dance with pork oil, dark & light soya sauce which bring a mixture of taste to stimulate your taste buds. No fancy taste but original. I personally prefer original.

Roasted pork sliced beautifully - dark soya sauce rinsed without artificial red colour which does not suit my preference. When you eat the roasted pork, you able to feel the thick sauce flow in your lung! I'm not kidding, seriously.

Freshly made Sui Kow
I particularly like their fresh Sui Kow (dumplings) made of a mixture shrimp and minced pork. The skin is very thin and you feel solid content when the Sui Kow enters your mouth.

I will include the Sui Kow portrait in my next visit. Sorry I was in hurry to rush for my breakfast to take care of my wife after the new born delivered.

Go there earlier and enjoy a hot soup of Sui Kow accompanying cool morning weather, this is an excellent moment to fulfill your stomach desire :-)

Penang - Batu Maung - Fried Rice, Char Kuey Teow

2009-07-06T16:28:00.035+08:00

Type: Non-Halal
Location: Batu Maung
Price:
Fried Rice - Small (RM2.20) | Big (RM2.50) -- Add egg - extra RM0.50
Char Kuey Teow - Small (RM2.40) | Big (RM2.60)

Shop Operation: 0600 - 1400 (7 days a week; depends on mood to have rest)

Parking convenience: Fair (suggest you to be there at 1100-1130; otherwise you hardly find a parking place after 1200)
Hygiene: Fair (for me, I'm already used to the environment inside wet market)

Direction:
Any one who works in FTZ area will know Batu Maung area, especially near the primary school, there are many shops offering lunch.

From Hilir Sg Kluang Satu, turn to Lintang Bayan Lepas 3, go all the way straight until almost reach Pentamaster on your left, turn right into Lintang Bayan Lepas 6. Go straight until T-junction. Turn left and follow the road (you will cross very small bridge) till you meet another T-junction in front of you (Jalan Baru Batu Maung). Turn left and drive straight until you see a primary school on your left. The stall is beside the road of Tingkat Batu Maung.

Friendliness but too shy

I always love to explore and have meal in small town or village. People living there almost everyone is very friendly, greet you with smile from heart. Undoubtedly, I had fall in love to go there and enjoy my tranquility hour for meal.

Old Couples

Aunty stopped me from taking photo - psss... don't tell her!

Stall owners (old couples - since don't know their names, I called them uncle and aunty) refuse to publish their names and contacts, thus I dare not push them hard on this. It's all about willingness. I choose to publish their stall because it's not merely the delicious food but the sincerity of preparing it.

Char Kuey Teow

Sambal that makes you sweat definitely

Fried Rice rocks with Sambal!

It was a surprise to be able to taste such a good sambal. According to aunty, the sambal is prepared using traditional way. This needs 90 minutes to prepare. Belachan smell is strong which is a must ingredient to make sambal. I always ask for extra in despite my over-active sweat system and its spicyness.

Space-craft beside you - I'm kidding! It's from Kopi-Bean stall, seriously!

Indeed Wet Market
Well, if you are the super-hygience type person who cannot eat hawker food, I advise not to try here :-P Why? Have you ever tried out eating inside the wet market just washed with water pipe beside you? Oh, this is the environment I don't care if the food is suiting my preference :-) Not to mention about if have to squat, I will GO FOR IT :-) Think about this twice :-)

Penang - Pulau Tikus - Relax Coffee Corner

2009-07-05T17:37:00.000+08:00

Food: Mixture of Malay dessert, pack rice and others.
Type: Halal
Location: Pulau Tikus
Price: Depends on what you order.

Stall Name: Relax Coffee Corner (Jones Road)
Stall Owner: Pak Mat (Baa)
Contact: 016 435 6684
Shop Operation: 0700 - 2100 (Morning until evening will sell different foods, well I never scout that area during night time, only tea break session I visited several times)

Parking convenience: Bad
Hygiene: Fair (BAD when cars stopped beside you)

Direction:
If you come from town, take Kelawi Road and go to the Gurney Plaza direction. The stall is located exactly beside the T-junction in between Kelawi Road and Jones Road. It is beside the residential building in yellow colour. If you see a group of people sitting under the big umbrella, there it is.

Too Busy
Didn't have much time to talk to the employees of this stall. Too crowded and they are too busy to clear tables and serve customers. The boss was not there, only come at specific hours. Every employee call "Baa" to his boss - just like father. I haven't had a chance to meet this stall owner. Owner only will drop by stall during 0700-0900 and 1400-1530. The moment I visited the stall, he was not there as well.

Self Service - don't expect someone to serve you to pick up the snacks. Have yourself served :-)

Several snacks for you to choose. Headache, huh? :-)

Do you love this?

Perfect Place for Tea Time

Happy customer to enjoy tea time

In despite of the long hour opening, if you were to ask me the best tea time location, I would say this personally, thus very subjective. I love the local stall, local Malay kuih and just a cup of thick coffee. Perfect enjoyment for a short period of tea break.

This is my tea time. I said this is indulgence!

My favourite shrimp cake

Indian Snacks

Follow Office Time
This stall is exactly following office operation schedule. Saturday and Sunday off. Public holiday also off. The only opening hour is during office hour.

Penang - Bayan Baru - Chinese Cuisine

2009-06-15T17:55:00.058+08:00

*Update (11 Dec 2009): Owner informed he no longer interested to continue this business.

Food: Chinese Cuisine
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Bayan Baru - Medan Mayang Pasir
Price: Depends on your dish order

Shop Name: 骏发饭店 (Chun Fat Restaurant)
Owner: 冯明心 (Mr. Fong Meng Sim)
Contact: 016 490 4822 | 04 643 3400 | 04 643 2284 (Suggestion: Please call to check before visit)
Address: 109, Bayan Baru Flats, 77 Medan Mayang Pasir, 11950 Penang
Shop Operation: 1000 - 2100

Parking convenience: Fair (check out the available parking space around the flats)
Hygiene: Good

Direction:

It is very difficult to talk about direction. Refers to the map attached to ease on explaining. Check out the Sunshine Square and get the direction from there.

All About Hardworking

Mr. Fong

Mr. Fong started restaurant business since year 1979. He became like triathlete man to travel in between Alor Setar, Seberang Perai (Chai Leng Park) and Penang Island during 1982-83. He managed totally 3 restaurants mainly. He must be the superman to just manage 3 restaurants at one day.

"It was exhausting indeed to travel like this and difficult to manage, thus I decided to fully concentrate this restaurant in Penang Island after 1983," said Mr. Fong, staring on me with firm-belief eyes.

Freshness Is The Key for Colouring, Fragant & Taste

Preparing the cooking seriously.

Mr. Fong is expert in Cantonese cuisine and he stresses strictly on freshness. Only receives order, then he cooks on the spot. There is no so-called cook and stock in freezer. Not his practice nor his style. Every single raw cooking materials is fresh! There are three (3) factors that bring out a tasty dish - colouring, fragant and taste. Simple formula: -

Freshness = Colouring + Fragant + Taste

Customized and Recommended Dishes
It was correct timing when my brother-in-law treated family with Mr. Fong's recommended and customized dishes. Words unable to describe in details. I prefer to let the photos speak precisely. Hope this does not making you hungry then. Sounds evil huh? :-) Please forgive me on the English translated name (Mr. Fong gave me the beautiful dishes names in Chinese).

奶油红狮鱼 (Fried Fish with Butter)

白云蒸鲜虾 (Steam Prawn with Eggs)

上汤咸排骨 (Salty Pork Ribs)

一品锅 - 蚝士，花胶，干贝，津白，冬菇，吊片，海参 (Mixed Varieties of Rare Seafoods)

竹生烩豆腐 (Tofu with Bean Skin)

香酥鸭脯 (Fried Duck)

七仙姑下凡 (Mixed Varities of Vegetables including lotus)

Penang - Chulia Street - Hainan Chicken Rice

2009-06-14T16:49:00.037+08:00

Food: Famous Goh Thew Chik Hainan Chicken Rice / 伍秀泽驰名海南鸡饭
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Chulia Street / 牛干冬街
Price: RM3.40 | RM4.00 | RM5.00

Shop Name: 伍秀泽茶室 (Goh Thew Chik Cafe)
Contact: 04 261 8650
Address: 338-A, Chulia Street 10200 Penang
Shop Operation: 1100 - 1800 (Wed - 1100 - 1500), 7 days a week

Parking convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Good

Direction:
If you come from Cintra Street, turn right. Try to look for the Goh Thow Chik's board on your left. Opposite this shop is Fujifilm shop (green building).

Original From Hainan

About 65 years ago, the late Mr. Goh Thow Chik came from Hainan, set his base in Penang island. Founded the current Goh Thow Chik cafe, where during that years, only one of the very few dining location that able to serve good and healthy food.

Mixed roasted & cooked chicken

3 successors continue on this famous Hainan Chicken rice, namely Goh See Yong, Goh See Wah and Goh See Foo.

Mr. Goh See Wah

When you have meal there, not to forget to order O-gao (Kopi-O). Hainanese black coffee is unique in taste and aroma. Too bad, during that moment, my caffeine intake already exceeded quota, thus no coffee.

If you wish to eat there, be there earlier than usual lunch hour, otherwise you will see the whole restaurant crowded and filled up.

Penang - Chowrasta Market - Pok Chang

2009-06-12T21:58:00.040+08:00

Food: Pok Chang 薄撑
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Chowrasta Market (吉靈萬山巴剎)
Price: RM0.60 / per piece

Owner: Madam Loke
Stall Operation: 0700 - 1100 (Only Saturday - if raining, sorry - they rest)

Parking Convenience: Bad
Hygiene: Fair

Direction: -
Park your car either along Campbell Street or other streets to have some walking distant. During early morning time, you hardly get a nearby space except counting on your luck.

My Lucky Hunt
I heard this old lady will only open stall once in a weekend, only Saturday. Thus when I scouted around Chowrasta market, I didn't place high hope.

When I see this Mdm Loke, I was stunned there for 3 seconds. Mdm Loke told me - her daughter-in-law was on holiday during Tuesday, thus they opened stall. What a lucky hunt to me to drive 15km from Bayan Lepas!

Madam Loke asked me what did I shoot? I answered - "Leng Lui" (beautiful lady in Cantonese), she burst into laugh then.

It's all about team work.

Old Cantonese Dim Sum
It was difficult to find this old Cantonese Dim Sum nowadays in Penang island. I firmly believe quite a lot of people forgotten this traditional old food. I called it Pok-Chang (薄撑), following the Cantonese prounonciation. This old Dim Sum is using sticky rice powder to make the outer skin in order to wrap. Inside the ingredient is the mixture of hand-made-blended coconut meat, white sugar and crushed groundnuts.

Old Tool

Tool Application

Remember to voice out if you wish to have less sugar

Displayed Name
There's a small name tag displayed - Ketayap. I checked from Internet recipe. Actually Ketayap is not the accurate name for this old Cantonese Dim Sum. Ketayap, Malay name of "kuih gulung" - the wrapping skin is made of wheat flour (plus Pandan colouring in light green) while this Cantonese Dim Sum is not. The internal ingredient for both are almost the same. Outcome? Both also like "bolster". Have no idea how come the name tag mixed with the "kuih gulung", probably if anyone knows further on this, please share.

Hand-Made Mixer

Mixing

Balancing

Adding ingredients

Wrapping

Final Outcome

Patience - Key of Waiting
40 years plus of selling this, Mdm Loke unable to tell you how long duration exactly you need to wait for the Dim Sum. There are only two small wok. If you wish to eat this, patience is the key.

Happy to wait? Check out the customer's expression

Her daughter-in-law (DIL) inherited Mdm Loke's "kung fu" to continue the business. At all time, most of the customers will surround the whole stalls just like viewing show.

Happy Transaction

In conclusion - I like to eat the Dim Sum because you can feel happiness from both Mdm Loke and her DIL to prepare the Dim Sum. Finally someone inherits this cooking so we can still able to enjoy Pok Chang.

Penang - Beach Street - Hokkien Mee

2009-05-31T18:09:00.032+08:00

Food: Hokkien Mee / Prawn Noodles
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Beach Street
Price: Depends on what you order

Stall Name: 桥头福建面 (Bridge Head Hokkien Mee)
Owner: Mr. Lau
Stall Operation: 0700 - 1700 (Rest on Monday; Suggested time to visit early morning; they may close earlier about 1300 or 1400 if the soup is finished)
Address: 533 Lebuh Pantai 10300 Penang

Parking Convenience: Bad
Hygiene: Fair

Direction: -
(Google Map is not updated thus need words description)
Suggest you to take Jelutong Expressway if you are from Bayan Lepas area or Free Industry Zone (FIZ). Go straight (no left turn or right turn). Just follow the road sign to Georgetown direction. Right after you pass-by E-Gate Business Building, you will see the Tenaga National Berhad (TNB) Factory on your left, still go straight.

Go all the way straight without any turning. When you go down-slope road, you will see there are two cross-road traffic lights (within your sight definitely, distant is about 100 meters in between). Start to keep left lane, you will see both road sign boards also can lead you to Komtar. Take the 2nd traffic light to turn left. Before turn left, you will see there is a Chinese temple and the low-cost flat on your left. After left-turn, keep right. You will see a large compound on your right. Another 50 meters will have a cross-road traffic light. Make a small U-turn when it is green light, you will park your car in the compound. You see the Travel Agent, the stall is there.

*Notes: Sorry about the big drain description. I justified wrongly.

It was my 3rd attempt to hunt down after my Hokkien Mee SiFu recommended this old taste Hokkien Mee to test. First attempt, didn't check properly on their rest day; 2nd attempt due to stall owner had urgent issue to settle.

Migration

According to Mr. Lau, they already moved 3 times as well. This is the 3rd location they fixed their selling location. They didn't move far. If you check out the space that you park your car beside the big drain, you will notice a big long empty field there before reach the stall. There was their home before. Old type of house in town area before WW2 normall very lengthy one. Due to the urbanization, they moved slightly further beside the big tree, the Aunty told me. Then they moved to this shop and rented it. The selling actually started in 1963, Mr. Lau is 2nd generation to retain the Hokkien Mee business.

Inventory

Double Roles
Mr. Lau used to be manufactured soya sauce. The lengthy old house gave advantage to put the container to produce soya sauce. You can find out another old style soya sauce factory in Penang in my personal blog - Sunset Industry - Soya Sauce factory in Penang. Mr. Lau no longer mass produce soya sauce due to high cost and limited land space to allow. He only produces little to cater his Hokkien Mee business and small volume for his business friends.

Empty space that used to have lots of soya sauce containers

Old Taste
Well, you may wonder why keep on pressing old taste. Hokkien Mee has two different kind of taste and fragrant. The moment I tested out to cook myself, my SiFu pointed out this very clearly. Old taste normally comes with strong prawn taste. There is no new taste - it is just a mixed taste. Old taste stress more on the prawn and cooking process on soup base. Mixed taste actually have other part of pork to add in. This depends on individual preference. Different people, different feedback.

Standard order

Boiling Process on Noodles
Beside soup base, the short boiling process on noodles is extremely important to ensure the noodles is springy when you bite it.

Added Ingredient

Still resist yourself? Don't torture yourself please :-)

Penang - Cintra Street - Sun Yoon Kee Seafood Restaurant & Sin Sun Vood Kopitiam

2009-05-30T18:26:00.063+08:00

Food: Chinese Cuisine Course & Home Style Cooking
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Cintra Street
Price: Depends on what you order

Shop Name: Sun Yoon Kee Seafood Restaurant
Owner: Mr. Gan Choon Chong (016 401 3133 | 04 261 3987)
Shop Operation: 1100 - 2130

Parking Convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Fair

Direction: -
Follow Campbell Street (just like my previous post on Roti Bakar), go straight until you see cross junction. You will see your upper left is Rolex Specialised Shop, take left turn and look for parking space. This shop is about 5-10 meters distant on your right.

************** Part 1: Sun Yoon Kee Seafood Restaurant **************

Old Shop

Mr. Gan taking order

"I rented this shop before 1983. Only on 1983, when the first owner decided to sell off, then I took over it," Says Mr. Gan proudly.

Check out the cash machine! I did frequently eat their Char Siew & Siu Yoke rice since 80s! Hey, don't guess my age. I'm using time-specific description to state how long they are. Please focus :-P Said Mr. Gan proudly, "the Cash Machine is almost 50 years old. You can imagine how long already." It's NCR! (not ATM machine). The old machine just like threw you back to 1960s. From outside, you may think this is the normal Char Siew & Siu Yoke shop but you never expect they also prepare for Chinese Cuisine Course and Home Cooking style.

I like to have meal at town area and this restaurant (no commission will be given to me to promote). You may wonder why? In town area, most of the people will speak in Cantonese which gives me more comfortable. The only problem is my Cantonese speaking still lousy enough, I don't know why.

There are ground level and up 1 floor to sit. If you go there, try best to sit at ground floor to observe the environment. The kitchen looks similar... I know what you are thinking. Nope, they don't sell Dim Sum :-P They do serve Chinese tea or my favourite Chrysanthemum tea.

Tea Counter at Ground Floor

My Appertizer
Every time I visit this restaurant, the appertizer is definitely Siu Yoke (Roasted Pork). Very crispy and taste good. Request the lean meat if you are seriously on diet, otherwise you will get the mixed version. Mixed version has different crunch-feeling in your mouth, I concluded.

Roasted Pork

Well, this is not appertizer (picture below) and you won't want it :-P Ta-da~ The Trio!

Old menu
Sorry, there is no menu to refer. Normally Mr. Gan or his employees will list out verbally on what you wish to order. Older cooking like Sweet & Sour Pork Rib, Golden Money Tofu and etc. My family loves their Sweet & Sour Pork Rib very much.

Sweet & Sour sauce is not simply using tomato sauce plus plum sauce. It's a combination of vinegar and sugar to cook it. Typical old Chinese cooking that stimulate your taste bud definitely. I prefer to let photo describe and you visualise yourself is going to have this course :-)

I also like particular on the fried fish stomach dish. No fish smell as you may expect. The taste is good. The home made Golden Money Tofu taste uniquely. It's not Japanese Tofu, it's actually a mixture of local tofu, shrimp and eggs. You can try these old dishes.

Deep Fried Fish Stomach

Golden Money Home-Made Tofu (with egg sauce)

Mixed Varities Veges

Perfect cooked chicken will definitely make your mouth watering.

If you love the spicy-belachan "Kangkung", try this. I bet you will get stimulated.

Another home-made Fried Tofu, personally I prefer this version :-) Very crispy.

Deep fried fish stomach with fried ginger. Taste unique!

************** Part 2: Sin Sun Vood Kopitiam **************

Coffee Shop: Drinks
Type: Halal
Location: Cintra Street
Price: Depends on what you order

Shop Name: Sin Sun Vood Kopitiam
Owner: Ah Pin 亚宾 (017 473 6801)
Shop Operation: 1200 - 2300

Sin Sun Vood is exactly translated from Cantonese - it means New Life.

Before World War 2 (WW2)
If you think the above owner owns the shop old enough, let's talk about this real old Kopitiam. Kopitiam is coffee shop in Hokkien dialect. How old is this shop, you may ask.

Cool enough?

Kopitiam owner, Ah Pin narrated the history calmly - this shop started in 1934! In 1943, when Japanese conquered Penang Island, Ah Pin's father removed the "Sin" (means New) due to Japanese culture. After 1946, his father used back the original name after Japanese was defeated in WW2 and left Penang Island. In conclusion... please do your math. You are absolutely correct - 70 years of history.

Ah Pin is 2nd generation to manage this shop, guess what? 40+ years of shop management! You may wonder why I also include this shop in. It is located beside the Sun Yoon Kee restaurant. I can have both pleasures - Chinese cuisine and this Kopitiam coffee :-)

Original Setting
You entered this very old shop just like entering muzium. You can find the old wood door track, of course no longer applicable in modern time. "It was very memorable to me when you have to remove one-by-one piece of wood doors. The door was opened at all time except sleeping time," Ah Pin focused on the door track just like he turns back the clock. The wood door no longer there, replaced by metal gate door to ensure security.

Check out the mosaic floor, kinda missing this in different colours? Still recall anyone old house still have this? :-)

My Favourite Special Drink

Enough history topic - what's so special for this Kopitiam? Kopi-Ping-tarik! Ice coffee with milk. Make sure you try best not to order Instant Coffee or Nescafe, he does not serve this! Of course other drinks still available, especially I recommend the fruit drinks such as orange, apple and etc.

Remember when you visit, don't order Nescafe-ping. If you do so, you are insulting Ah Pin's expert Kopi-Tarik!~ I warn you second time :-)

Penang - Bukit Jambul - Roti Jala | Nasi Lemak | Roti Bakar

2009-05-14T08:30:00.078+08:00

Food: Roti Jala | Roti Bakar | Nasi Lemak
Type: Halal
Location: Bukit Jambul
Price: 1 set of bread (2 slices plain) - RM1.20 | Add RM0.30 (Jam, Peanut Butter, Kaya)| 2 half-boiled eggs - RM1.20

Shop Name: FIH Catering
Shop Owner: Djodzamir Kasim aka Abang Joe - 012 554 7127 | 04 643 2717
Stall Operation: 0700 - 1000 (Sunday CLOSED)

Parking Convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Fair

Direction: -
If you comes from Penang Airport, go straight until the Penang biggest roundabout, take 9-o-clock turn (means turn left lar). Keep right lane after turn. Go until traffic, ready to turn right. Now you will see Marvest building in 2-o-clock your direction. Once turn right, keep left and turn left when you see small junction. Go straight until you see a Malay restaurant on your left. Now you can look for parking.

VSS Hero
It wasn't accident for Abang Joe to start catering business. He took a brave step to accept VSS to challenge himself for life changing style - FIH Catering business. His vast experiences on logistic, F&B field and networking helped to make a solid foundation on his kick-start business. His wife and mother-in-law helped him much on learning fast in catering. Salute him from bottom of my heart.

Abang Joe

** I would like to special thank Abang Joe for inviting and introducing me his unique traditional foods. **

This restaurant covers breakfast, lunch and dinner - handled by Abang Joe's family members. In this hunt, we will focus mainly on breakfast session.

Part (1): Roti Jala
Roti Jala is not available at everytime you visit. I suggest you either give a ring to Abang Joe to confirm if you really wish to eat Roti Jala rather than reach there with disappointment.

Roti Jala directly translate into English is Net Bread. This traditional Malay snack is very unique on its taste, process-making and its appearance. If you ever think of the normal bread, please throw away the old impression. It looks like net in round shape. Probably you may argue as thin pancake :-P

According to Abang Joe - old style Roti Jala making used bare hand with fingers to make it like net (jala). But the raw material liquid is more dillute for convenient purposes. First time I heard about this. Now in modern days - they use a special made container to prepare Roti Jala, of course no longer dillute - oppositely it is more thicker in raw material liquid.

Cooking & Organizing

Folding

Storage

Low Cholestrol & Low Fat Snack
It is prepared with the composition ratio of 1kg of flour, 1 egg and couple of spoonful butter. It is a healthy food. Why healthy? No palm oil and no coconut milk were added. The purpose of butter added is to avoid Roti Jala becomes sticky on fried pan. According to Abang Joe, palm oil only serves two purposes to make Roti Jalar looks more presentable (shiny) and non-sticky on pan. I personally found the Roti Jala is not shiny at all with what I had seen in other stalls or restaurants. Check the below picture for self-explanatory.

Gravy - Sauce That Probably Rock You
Roti Jala tastes little salty in original. Normally eats with chicken or beef curry. During my lucky visit, there was no chicken or beef curry. Abang Joe introduced me to test eat Roti Jala with two gravy - sweetener condensed milk and ikan bilis spicy gravy. He also excited to highlight - there is another special gravy to eat with Roti Jala. It is sweet gravy, made of durian paste! I'm not a fan of durian but I'm interested to try. Will try and share it here if I'm lucky :-)

If eats with sweetener condensed milk, a combination of salty and sweet tastes penetrate your taste bud. You have to try it out yourself. Hardly inexpressible in more detailed description. If you able to tolerate ikan bilis spicy gravy, then it is also a good choice to go for this. This ikan bilis is actually for nasi lemak gravy.

Part (2): Nasi Lemak
If you think you have tried enough nasi lemak taste, try here.

The Nasi Lemak itself is already special with coconut fragant. Here - you will find another fragant that recall me of old village taste! This fragant reminds me exactly Nasi Dagang I had in Dungun (Terengganu state). I was over-joyed by the taste discovery. (ok, I'm hunting for Terengganu taste Nasi Dagang in Penang, leave this topic first until I able to hunt it down, so you know what to do - have information, please share!)

The secret ingredient is a kind of oldest spice named "Halba". It is a must ingredient to cook Terengganu Nasi Dagang. The fragant melted me long time ago during my childhood :-) For those "rice-tong", I can guarantee you will finish 3 bowls of nasi lemak.

There are several gravy available - ikan bilis, prawn and so on. Fried egg or full-boiled egg is available. If you look for peanut, check with Abang Joe. Sometimes the peanut finish fast.

Part (3): Roti Bakar

The toasted bread here is totally different from my previous post. No "cotton-bread" supplied here (otherwise I won't write this out). They used a type of roti I frequently pronounced it wrongly. Correct pronounciation is - "Pangkali Roti", not "Benggali". Please take note.

This bread is thick and hard type. NO BBQ here using charcoal like old Hainanese style. They used the same pan to grill for less than 30 seconds. A thin later of butter wiped on the bread surface to make it more cripsy and tasty after grill.

They will put the half-boiled eggs on top of the bread. Served like western style in big plate. So, don't look for cup that contain half-boiled eggs :-P Soya sauce and pepper added based on your personal preference.

Enough complain on me and my photos? Now go and try yourself, don't gulp your saliva over here please :-)

Thanks goes to Meng who silently spyshot the video without my alert :-)
http://www.facebook.com/v/1032098217820

Penang - Campbell Street - Roti Bakar (re-visit)

2009-05-08T14:00:00.013+08:00

Penang - Campbell Street - Roti Bakar

2009-05-05T06:41:00.054+08:00

Food: Roti Bakar (Toasted Bread)
Type: Halal
Location: Campbell Street
Price: 1 set of bread (2 slices) - RM1.60 | 2 half-boiled eggs - RM1.20

Shop Name: Toh Soon Cafe - Ooi (016 496 4586)
Stall Operation: 0800 - 1800

Parking Convenience: Fair
Hygiene: Fair

Direction: -
You only have one way to enter Campbell Street from Penang Road to reach this shop. Just about 5-10 meters distant, you can see a backlane in between shop lots, Toh Soon Cafe is located there. You hardly miss this shop as you will see crowds over there.

Turn Back The Clock
Lots of food bloggers wrote about this shop. Lots of reporters come here for tea time. In despite of shop location and narrow environment at backlane, loyalty customers still enjoy their breakfast and tea times at this shop.

Crowded

I targetted this shop mainly because of the variety choices of breads. "Roti bakar" is local Malay term. I'm attracted by their old way of "BBQ" the bread. You can imagine almost 50 years of operation, they still retain the real old way to prepare all these. Fully manual to take care of toast timing. Once wrong timing, the bread over-toast, this requires skill :-) Nope, you won't see any toast machine we normally use at home. Here - you can see they use charcoal to boil water, looks like space ship (I'm too imaginative). Lower compartment - the space for toasting the bread.

The Attraction
For normal stall or shop doing Roti Bakar - they normally use "cotton bread". Why I name this weird term? When you put the bread into your mouth, you feel like eating cotton. In addition, you hardly feel filled-up at all. If I take "cotton bread", I can easily take more than 6 slices - now you fully understand what is meant by cotton :-) This old shop serves like-home-made bread. Personally I prefer solid bread.

Well, the owner has own bakery factory, thus it is not surprisingly to see they able to choices of bread, namely choco, normal (toasted or steam), wholemeal and Hainanese bread (I probably forgot what shape it was) - You can't expect me to take 4 different sets eating alone, can you?

You can select whether you prefer Kaya with butter, kaya alone, butter without sugar, butter with sugar OR just peanut butter. Yes, sounds dizzy? Make it simple. Just order "Roti Kahwin" - Kaya dances with Butter.

Half-boiled eggs need timing too. Depends on luck. If too crowded, the timing may drag longer, then your eggs (please, not your ball!) will be more solid. Have understanding on this! The moment I visited this round with my shift partner, CS. There were too crowded.

My shift partner, CS

Kopi-peng, anyone?

For drink, normally I prefer "kopi-peng" (Ice coffee with condensed milk, not sweetener) - this is the perfect combination.

Nasi Lemak that able to melt you!

Don't under-estimate the "Nasi Lemak" as well. Very tasty indeed. I don't think they prepare the "Nasi Lemak", should be outsourced one :-P

In conclusion, I prefer morning period to visit this shop though probably crowded environment. This is Penang and this is exactly old local shop. What'ya thinking? Buy me a "kopi-peng" please :-)

Penang - Balik Pulau - Asam Laksa

2009-04-26T18:32:00.000+08:00

Food: Asam Laksa
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Balik Pulau
Price: RM2.50 (small) | RM3.00 (big)

Stall Owner: Kim Laksa - Mr. John (012 428 6235)
Address: 67, Main Road, 11000 Balik Pulau, Penang
Stall Operation: 1100 - 1700 (Closed on Wednesday except on public holiday)

Direction: -
Strong recommendation - You hardly get lost direction if you take the Paya Terubong and Relau junctions. You just follow the road and it will lead you to the Kopitiam (coffee shop) pretty straight forward. The Kopitiam is exactly facing the T-junction.

The reason why I don't recommend you take the route from Batu Ferringi, main reason is the road is in zig-zag. This prevents you from severe car-sick. So far, the wider road and more straight way are built in progress. Personally I have no idea when it will be done. Unless you head to Batu Feringgi to hunt something interesting, then I won't treat you like a fool to come back to Relau via Jelutong Expressway. At least me and you are not that dumb until unaccepted level :-P

Pass-Down

Surprisingly when I checked with John, he is not the original owner. His sifu is that Aunty passed down this Laksa secret ingredients and cooking methods to him. I had short schedule to find out the details. Please forgive me. Reason - I was become part-time tourist guide cum driver (free to eat and free to test drive new MPV Cherry Eastar, I was damn happy indeed though only slept for 3 hours after night shift!!!) Ok ok, stop your intention to shoot me for not digging out the details. I promise to re-visit there to find out other traditional foods for compensation.

Asam Laksa

Advise to those people have gastric - please do not try this stunt. The Laksa taste sour and darn good. I love the soup base with lots of fish meat. The springy Laksa noodle taste and feel perfectly with crunchy sliced cucumbers and raw chopped onions. It's a stimulating meal that probably make you sweat enough with added red chilly or the extreme one - chilly paddy (cabai burung in Malay).

If you love the strong combined smell of raw onions, fish meat, mint leaves and dark prawn paste, you find the joy of having Laksa. According to doctor, onion able to kill virus. But according to me, you better beware of farting after eating so many raw onion. I bet you loose if you wish to challenge me this! I'm sorry? I didn't say I fart ok! :-P

Superb Drink

You must try out the Penang famous freshly nutmeg drink with plum. It's totally different from what you may try or had tried before in maroon-coloured or brown Nutmeg extracted juice. The latter one is sweeter taste. This one is freshly blended nutmeg - in white colour juice with tangy taste.

Clock Ticks Slower

Other than interesting foods, I suggest you can walk around if possible. Find the time ticks slower when you are in Balik Pulau. Good place to hang around if you have time. Kampung (village) environment. Walk around lar, probably you will have surprise on food hunting, who knows. Yeah, I'm talking to myself again. Have great day then :-)

Penang - Rifle Range Flats - Chee Cheong Fun & Lam Mee

2009-04-24T12:55:00.044+08:00

Direction:
From Greenlands tunnel, there are 4 traffic lights to pass. Once 4th traffic light - Esso petrol station is on your left. Before 5th traffic light, Convent Green Land high school is on your right. Turn left and take the Air Itam route. You will pass by Chinese graveyard area on your left. Keep right lane. After the traffic light, follow the road until you encounter there's a signboard - take Jalan Padang Tembak and turn right. Chung Ling High School is on your left now. After the traffic light, keep left. Drive about 10m distant, turn left. Follow the road until you see Rifle Range Flat. When you see the SRK Padang Tembak (primary school), ready to turn left. Park beside the road. You can walk straight to the food court. On your left - you should see the wet market.

Parking convenience: Fair (Suggestion: Try park beside the school and walk to there)
Hygiene: Fair

Part 1
Food: Curry Chee Cheong Fun / Chee Cheong Fun
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Rifle Range Flats / 打枪铺组屋
Price: RM1.60 (2 pieces - Chee Cheong Fun)

Stall Owner: Mr. Neoh Soo Guan (016 463 6594)
Stall Operation: 0730 - About noon (depends on customer volume - may rest earlier if finishes)

My Childhood Place
Ask any old generation or 70s born Penangnites - they should know Rifle Range Flats. Lots of memories over here. In 1970, Mr. Neoh already started his business, I was not even born. I left this question about where am I for you to imagine :-P Damn, just realise - I'm becoming old biscuit (in Cantonese; in Chinese - 老饼). Let's not talk about my age - it's secret!

Too Late - should blame CS!
Brought my shift partner cum 鸟人 (someone able to crack dirty jokes spontaneously) - Chuan Sing (CS in short. Hey, not Counter-Strike!). It was 1030 in the morning, when I met the stall owner - Mr. Neoh - he immediately smiled at me and shake his head. Oh no, no more curry Chee Cheong Fun. We only able to try out the normal Chee Cheong Fun with sauces.

Spy-shot from far

Mr. & Mrs. Neoh

Old Taste
Have a plate of normal Chee Cheong Fun (2 pieces) - the old taste never change - I can still recall the taste vividly. Steamed Chee Cheong Fun feels ”solid" and fresh to crunch. The heat is equally distributed and maintained. To justify this, put it in your mouth - you can immediately justify whether it is fresh or not. Unfreshed Chee Cheong Fun is too soft and sticky.

Preparation Tools

The sweet sauce and salty prawn paste are equally balanced. The oil that dances with the Chee Cheong Fun make it more springy to put in your mouth. Sesame (this is not the code to open door over here!) sprinkled on top of it to make it more fragant and unique. I particularly love this simple type of traditional Chee Cheong Fun! I purposely asked Mr. Neoh to add chilly. Blended chilly is not that spicy. Only my sweat system still out-of-control to sweat like after-bath. CS kept on saying - wah lao - I'm worse than him.

I Will Be Back
Mr. Neoh reminded me to visit the stall at about 0800 - curry Chee Cheong Fun is definitely available to order. No specific time to say how long will it finish - it's totally depending on the customer volume. Before I go for another hunt - I repeated myself to Mr. Neoh - No Problemo! I WILL BE BACK ~~~ to eat the curry Chee Cheong Fun! (sounds like Arnold's Terminator movie)

Part 2
Food: Lam Mee / 淋面
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Rifle Range Flats / 打枪铺组屋
Price: RM2.20 (Small) | RM2.70 (Big)

Stall Owner: Mdm Ang (04 828 3804)
Stall Operation: Morning until Noon

Another Target
In fact, we sat beside this stall. Mdm Ang is quite shy to speak about the Lam Mee. After certain while, I only came to know she actually inherited from the previous old aunty who unable to sell anymore. 30 over years experience to pass down. Luckily I can still taste this Lam Mee. Mdm Ang started about 1 year ago to continue this Lam Mee business with her daughter's help.

Check out how the noodles and "bee hun" enjoying SPA!

The Powerful of Sambal Chilly
You may choose to eat Lam Mee without sambal chilly. The taste is still good. With added "Sambal", I bet you will get "high"! (hey, there is no ectasy applied here!)

Having Lam Mee, I suggest you add in "Sambal" - I hardly give a valid WHY. You have to try it yourself.

Discovery
All this while, I only know garlic oil added but never expect lark oil also mixed in to add fragant for the soup. Heavy taste of spring onion and fresh springy bean sprouts. There is nicely sliced omelette and small shrimp sprinkled on top of the Lam Mee. Thin-sliced pork also included.

The soup based has little bit of prawn taste. Mdm Ang is pretty busy - thus I avoid to disturb her to dig this out specifically.

Overall, the old taste still there. I always love old taste because I'm old biscuit enough! :-P

Penang - Jalan Tengah - Roti Canai

2009-04-14T00:27:00.033+08:00

Food: Roti Canai
Type: Halal
Location: Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru
Price: Normal – RM0.80 | Egg – RM1.50

Stall Owner: Mr. Narayanan (012 488 0258)
Stall Operation: 0630 - 1130 (normally will off bi-weekly on Tuesday)

Parking convenience: Fair (this depends on residential parking space available - one warning - small drain do not cover up - you may aware with tyre gone into small drain accidentally – too bad, I had this bad experience)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

Camera-Shy Family
I tried to stay low profile to hide my camera, however, when I took out camera to explain my intention, immediately the stall owner and his son were laughing in shy mode. Instructed them to make it natural, they were bursting into loud laugh when another two stall owners cracked jokes in Tamil language (sorry, I couldn't understand what had they cracked the jokes, just see them laugh until cannot see their eyes)

There are totally 4 persons working in a team.
1) Mr. Narayanan - Operation
2) His father - Raw material & QC
3) His mother - Chef
4) His sister - Logistic

Simple always GREAT
There are only two choices - Roti Canai (Plain) and Roti Telur (with egg). Another name for Roti Canai is called Paratha if I'm not mistaken.

Please end this reading immediately if you are looking for the below following "version": -
1) Roti Tissue (thin and large, topped with sweetener milk),
2) Roti Sardin (with Sardin in tomato sauce)
3) Roti Bomb (honestly I never tried before - embarrassed indeed)
4) Roti
... so on and so forth.

Secret Ingredients
I bluff! The stall owner did not tell me the secret. Common-sense - I fully understand Roti Canai is consists of wheat flour, water, margarine (Palm Oil based), sugar, salt & baking powder

Panfry Orchestra
One thing you will notice this stall frypan - it's always ON and HOT. I can jot down briefly on how the Roti Canai fried. Press the Roti Canai gently and turn it over. Panfry for 1-1.5 minutes, until both sides are golden brown.

When both sides are ready, remove the Roti Canai from the pan. Using both hands, pat it gently by the edge to make it light and fluffy. Dang, you can eat now!~

My Preference
I prefer Roti Canai, thin and crispy - like what the abovementioned golden brown. No burnt taste and smell. Just in time and just good. I like simple bean curry mixed little with "Ikan Bilis" sweet "sambal". The curry is mixed with little sweet and salty taste.

I Eat It My Way
You may have another way of eating, don't limit yourself. Of course I still use fork (the only tool provided). Once Roti Canai is ready, smell its aroma - don't smell like red wine lar please. I rinse a part of it for about 1-2 seconds, let the Roti Canai absorb the curry aroma and taste, then put into your mouth. Hmmm... you will feel both Roti Canai and curry taste flow in your lung via teeth gap. This time - I don't bluff - I only over-describe. Don't imagine the taste. Go and try it. Who knows this alternative option may become your primary choice :-)

Have your adventurous moment. Adiós!~

Penang - Tanjong Bungah - Ingolf's Kneipe

2009-03-28T09:36:00.089+08:00

Restaurant: Ingolf's Kneipe (German Restaurant & Bar)
Type: Non-Halal
Address: 1F, Jalan Sungai Kelian, Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Penang
Contact: 04 899 5796

The hand-sign symbol is pointing exactly the shop location.

Environment: Good (until I wish to drink beer :-P)
Parking Convenience: Good
Hygiene: Good

Operation Hour:
Mon --> OFF
Tues - Sat --> 1200 - 1430; 1900 - 2230 (forgot to confirm the bar drinking available hour, ouch!~)
Sun --> From 1500

Owner is going outstation
Didn't manage to talk to the restaurant owner. So far, I only see 3 staffs were working to serve customers. One was handling the bar center, another two were walking around to serve customer with foods and drinks. I personally dare not hold them for too long to dig information. The only thing I dig out - the chef who was cooking - local chef, not the German chef.

Good price with good environment
If you are looking for good price with good environment, I vote for this German restaurant worth to try out. This is the first place that make me wanna have beer. Ok, I try best not to side-track on beer first. Let me talk about foods my wife and I ordered. It was the post birthday celebration with my wife - reason? I was working during her birthday, bad boss disagreed to approve my leave application. (I hope boss does not read this "kutuk" / curse, psssh, zip your mouth please.)

During lunch hour from 1200-1500 (if not mistaken), when you order lunch - the ice lemon tea is free (not free flow). Great saving.

Our orders: -
1) Home made German Porkpattie - RM12.30
2) One piece of Grilled Boneless Chicken Leg - RM12.30
3) Two bowls soup of the day (mushroom soup) - RM4.30 each
*notes: if you have small stomach size, you can avoid ordering soup - it's simply too heavy.

I would say the mushroom soup was too creamy - Not my preference. The creamy taste hide the mushroom smell totally. I prefer strong mushroom smell, it's taste more wilder :-) The bread bun was not so warm, at least not that level to see oven smoke come out from bread bun. My wife highlighted regarding this.

Sauces that penetrates your taste buds
I personally ordered German Porkpattie. It is grilled minced pork, accompanied by smoothly mashed potatoes and salad garnish. It was finalized with black pepper corn sauce. First, try the sauce first before you start. The black pepper corn sauce is indeed superb. Once it touches your tongue, you can feel the heat start coming out from your ears, smoke from your head and neck. I'm kidding. In conclusion, good black pepper sauce - you can directly feel the heat. Hmmm... mind you - the aroma of black pepper corn sauce able to penetrate your taste buds easily. Share with you my secret - if black pepper sauce is superb, by smelling the aroma, I started to feel like sweating. Don't laugh, it's true! This sauce really makes me sweat! Check out the black pepper sauce texture yourself :-)

The grill level was just good, not over-grilled. You can still feel the juicy minced pork very soft to bite.

Mashed potato, playing another role, is just like ice cream if you blind-fold your eyes to taste its smoothness. Ok, I bluff - there is no potato ice-cream as far as I know :-P Lovely smooth and nice. Sping onion and fried onion gave a mixtured of fried and freshy taste to synchronize. I also love large portion of salad garnish. It gave fresh feeling of eating salad like that. Simple dressing dances with salad just nice. I couldn't raise more question to dig out in detail on the dressing they composed :-) My wife warned me to stop hunting info from staffs :-P Please blame my wife, ok. LOL!~ :-P

Grilled boneless chicken leg is accompanied by french fries, grill tomato and salad garnish. Covering with mushroom sauce, you can find the nicely sliced mushroom button. The mushroom taste is heavy. Those who love mushroom like me - you will find this mushroom sauce easily hook your tongue. One word - superb!

You will find this restaurant do not charge on service tax. All prices shown are final. No government tax as well. Worth to visit.

The place that makes me wanna drink beer, I'm serious!
My previous visit with my wife (forgot what celebration, I'm truly absent-minded) during dinner, I ordered a bottle of German beer - Paulaner Munchen brand. When I discovered this beer, I totally forgot about the price. It was RM25 above per small bottle (I didn't see any big bottle like Tiger or Heneiken). When I made payment - just realized probably this beer is fully imported from German. Converting from Euro money should be considered terribly expensive. Worth to try. The beer is very smooth. In fact the bar counter is very nice, this location indeed making me wanna drink beer :-) The fact is when I told this to my wife - she threw me unbelievable stare :-) Why not rewarding myself? What says you? :-)

Penang - Jalan Tengah - Burger

2009-03-23T00:31:00.046+08:00

Food: Burger
Type: Halal
Location: Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru
Price: Normal - RM2.80 | With egg - RM3.30 | Special RM3.80 (customised order will determine the final price)

Stall Owner: Mr. Hilmee (012 409 3644)
Stall Operation: 2000 - 0300 (depends on customer volume - may rest earlier if finishes)

Parking convenience: Fair (this depends on parking space available - one warning - small drain do not cover up - you may aware with tyre gone into small drain accidentally)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

If you are coming from Penang International Airport, right after the famous snake temple, take left turn, then drive for 20-30 meters distant, turn left into residential area. You will see the stall is facing the road.

When you are bored with McD
Imagine when you are working in night shift, there is limited choice to have meal around. Most of the food stalls are closed and mostly you will find Mamak chain restaurant open 24 hours. When you are bored with McD burger taste - try something local burger that may change your impression.

Irresistible Taste
The stall owner had been there for 25 years. Both stall owner and his chief assistant were camera shy. I respected their decision - I only went spy-shot them. Hmmm, my bad - the photo still "broadcast" in public.

This local burger is different from other stalls. There are two things differentiate from other stalls. First one is pepper. If you ever taste for most of the local stall - you will find most of the cook over-shake the pepper on burger. I love pepper but not in this way. You don't expect to eat pepper powder at the end of day, do you? Secondly, mayo mayo mayo taste. The most obvious stuff in front of the cooking section - mayo sauce giant container. If you order directly for burger without specifying anything - the stall owner will assume you wish to have all kind of sauces - chilly sauce, tomato sauce and mayo sauce.

There are two options of burger meat to choose - chicken or beef. You will find the burger not over-fried, the frying duration is just in time. During the frying time, bread was put with butter to toast at the same time. Bread is ready when the brownish appear like after BBQ. Owner will take out the bread and put nicely. Veges, sliced cucumber and chopped onion put on top of bread, then both chilly sauce and tomato sauce follow up on top of vegetables :-) The burger will be finalised with little pepper and Lea & Perrins Sauce. No nonsense cook and don't judge by the out-of-shape-bread. Taste once, who knows you may hook with it.

Penang - Chulia Street - Hainan Chicken Rice

2009-03-18T16:12:00.069+08:00

Food: Hainan Chicken Rice / 海南鸡饭
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Chulia Street / 牛干冬街
Price: Less than RM7.00 (depends on your customised order)

Shop Name: 新冠华茶室 (Sin Kwan Hwa Coffee Shop)
Shop Owner: 庄福海先生 - Mr. Zhuang (016 431 3315)
Shop Operation: 1100 - 1500 (depends on customer volume - may rest earlier if finishes)

Parking convenience: Fair (Suggestion: Try Cintra Street parking space before reaching )
Hygiene: Good

Direction:

T-junction in between Chulia Street and Cintra Street

-1964-

"How long you started your Chicken rice business?" I threw direct question. "Since 1964". Wow, this shop history is even older than me :-P I love the coffee shop environment which is giving me an old feeling in George Town. The table set at corner. Very hygiene place to eat. When I went near the shop - directly I can smell the aroma of chicken rice - drooling!~

Throw away your diet plan
Chicken rice itself is already melted it. I can eat it without any chicken, just rice. What a rice barrel you start to know me personally. Pssshhh... it's secret! The rice is not particularly oily - just fair and able to accept for those who is health conscious.

I love eating chicken breast, all lean meat - also favoured as those fitness practitioners one of the protein input. There are two type of version to choose - roasted or cooked. This round I ordered two version of chicken breast (didn't expect the portion was quite a lot, end up I need to add small bowl rice to finish it) to eat.

Roasted version - the roasted chicken taste able to flow in your lung via your teeth when you put in your mouth. The unique aromatic chicken oil mixed with soya sauce able to "melt" your tongue. The roasted chicken skin is superb. Little bit of crispy and dry. Don't get me wrong - when you have the roasted meat - the water within the meat is not totally roasted until dry. You can still feel the softness within. This is the roasting kungfu - control everything just in time in terms of roasted duration, smell, taste and the water within.

Cooked version let you taste another option to enjoy. When you eat cooked chicken - try best not to remove the skin though it looks oily. The reason why - it is because the moment you put it in your mouth and crunch - you will appreciate the juicy taste that caught your tongue seriously :-) Didn't I alert you to throw away your diet plan? Pay attention please - worth to sacrifice.

The sweet and fresh cucumbers able to refresh yourself - it is a perfect combination to eat with chicken.

Hainan chilly sauce
I love particularly how they keep their chilly sauce. This unique sauce able to keep you awake. Of course, I have to point out - if you are those who unable to accept strong ginger & garlic taste or smell - please give this up.

The chilly sauce consists lots of ginger (in fact, if you ask me to take raw ginger like that - I will reject), garlic, red and green chillies in blended liquids plus certain porpotion of pure water to mix it. For me, it's not so spicy but little bit sour to stimulate your tongue nerve. My style - beside I eat the chicken with chilly sauce, I also normally use few soup spoonful to put on the chicken rice. The rice taste become totally different experience. Recommended to try this.

Penang - Jelutong Market - Wantan Noodles

2009-03-13T04:39:00.129+08:00

Food: Wantan Noodles / 云吞面
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Jelutong Market
Price: RM2.30 (small) | RM2.60 (medium) | RM3.00 (big)

Stall Owner: Mr. Khoo Lee Koon (邱美焜) (016 456 8181)
Stall Operation: 0600 - 1100 (will rest on normal 1st & 15th Chinese Calendar month - except big day fall on Chinese Calendar month)

Parking convenience: Bad (You have to find a place to park far from the Jelutong market - advise - try best not to drive into market, you may stuck there from crowded place)

Hygiene: Fair (the stall location is not near with those wet market stalls - no worry)

Direction:

The stall is just beside the unique colour building - pinky colour with very yellow colour accompanied. Please don't assume this is Hello Kitty shop nor banana boat shop. Check out the hand cursor there by yourself.

Very busy - still have great customer service
When you come to this stall - first impression - Mr. Khoo is extremely busy. His wife and mum are taking order from customers nonstop. You may see them still getting prepared the final "touch" on noodles while talking to customer. Don't get stunned by not having eyes-contact with either one of them. They are listening to customer for specific order such as more chillies or "cham" (combined different types of customisation - allow me to show you one in my capture later). Impressive family business and still have great customer service. Every customer is their friends. Sold since end of year 1993 when Mrs. Khoo was pregnant for first child. Truly romantic.

Stall Owner --> Mr. Cool :-P

Accessories

Unforgettable taste - No. 1 super-duple fan shouted at me
Don't get misled by the subtitle. I was not having fight with someone. Just another portion to fuel you reading on. If you were to ask me about the taste - it's hardly describing in words. One word - great!~ Have you ever missed old taste? Have you ever heard a moving stall that selling "tok-tok" noodle? How the stall owner attracting potential customer? When move around, the stall owner will use spoon to heat the bowl to generate a high frequency sound. Certain time, certain moment - when you hear this "tok-tok" sound, you know the stall is near. I hardly assume all of you had this memory, probably some of you did. The fact is I gone through this and I missed the old taste very much.

Serving customers

Perfect teamwork

Basically, part of the noodles ingredient is made of egg. To retain the quality, they take high quality of raw noodles instead of cheapo one to increase profit margin. “The most important thing is the food quality and worth to pay to eat", highlighted Mrs Khoo

The interesting part is one guy claimed himself as No. 1 super-duple fan told me. His name is Jimmy, the clothes seller. He seriously described in words - When the wantan noodle served at table, DO NOT straight away pick up your chopsticks and start "slurpping". Give yourself 2-3 minutes, let the noodles absorb the dark soya sauce. Then starts your engine. The taste will be totally different from the impression you had normally for wantan noodles. Well, sounds very expert huh? This is according to that No. 1 super-duple fan. Why No. 1 super-duple fan? Whenever the stall is there for one whole week, he will only eat wantan noodles. Yes! No other food! You know what? Even the stall owner's mum smile tenderly to claim this guy also a bit insane to eat like that, from her smile - I quickly understand it is the food quality and taste hold someone's tongue firmly.

The freshly served wantan noodles is very springy and tasty. In Chinese - 弹牙 or very Q in Cantonese. The secretly made dark soya sauce mixed with pork oil plus sesame oil will directly stimulate your hunger via aromatic smell. This Jimmy even share one more secret - The raw noodle is even tasty after overnight. Wow, this is something new I never heard before. Jimmy did ask what kind of special ingredient added in for overnight raw noodles - Mr. Khoo said nothing and couldn't find a word on this to describe.

Wantan - the meat dumpling

Another options

Without this - the wantan noodles mean nothing at all. There are two version of dumpling you can choose. One is fried and another one is cooked. It may look small for you or you can easily stuck 3-4 dumplings into your mouth. Don't under-estimate the taste. It is not only minced meat. Little "adjusted" salt, pepper powder and other ingredients normally bring out the unique taste of dumplings. You can order separate dumplings with soup to enjoy.

Another secret weapon - my preferable version
If you are not yet ready - don't try this. Otherwise smoke will come out from your both ears and hair. Yes, I'm talking about sambal. My preference for this food - one soup spoon of sambal add in. Smelling the sambal before mix with wantan noodles is the most wonderful moment. Check out the texture of sambal.

Are you ready for this?

I can say my tolerant level of spicy sambal considered good (better than my wife - I used this training to tackle my wife :-P pssshhhh - don't tell her - I can treat you another spoonful of sambal). This sambal still make me drop tears and sweat like after bath. When you eat with sambal, you won't immediately feel terribly spicy. The spicy feeling will only come after you finish a few mouthful of noodles. Still wish to challenge yourself? Get prepared to order another two glasses of cold drinks :-) Hmmm... just love this.

Built-on-order

No sidetrack topic here. Not hardware, dude. I'm still talking about wantan noodles. There are normal noodle, the thin and thick one, Hor-Fun and Bee-Hoon. You can mix thin noodle with Hor-Fun or Bee-Hoon with Hor-Fun. As far you like - just let Mr. Khoo know.

Thick version

Thin version

Mixed version

Mr. Cool may look cool when taking order as he is very busy to cook the noodles with perfect timing. Talk to him several times - this firm mid-age guy may throw smiley face via your satisfaction to taste. Pardon me? I'm drooling while busy closing ceremony for this writing with several interesting shots... Can't stand for that anymore - I better grab my meal :-) Happy eating then!

Penang - Burma Road - Apong Guan

2009-03-07T10:31:00.038+08:00

Foods: Pancake / Apong
Type: Halal
Location: Penang Burma Road

Price: RM0.30 per piece

Stall owner: Mr. Uan Cheng Guan / Apong Guan (Mobile: 016 409 3701)
Stall operation: 0900-2100 (preferably 1100 to drop by to avoid queue)

Parking Conveniency: Bad (you only able to stop by but just beware of cars around as beside that has one traffic light. You may try best your luck to check out any available parking space nearby)
Hygiene: Fair

Direction:

From Penang Road (Komtar direction), keep left, follow the road, you will pass by Mekio Furniture (on your left), further down you will pass by one crossroad traffic light. If it turns red light - you will notice Penang Plaza on your right with Giant brand (green with yellow brand colour). On your left, luxurious cars able to catch your eye in See Hoy Chan building :-) Go straight, you will pass by Pykett School (on your left) and old shoplots... slow down and you will notice the Apong Guan stall on your left at roadside just before another small traffic light.

"Beng" indeed Mr. Apong

Did I say "beng"? Yes. This is local dialect :-P No worry for foreigner who may stun for 1 second :-) "Beng" means cool, arrogant... Oppsss... sounds negative. Don't get me wrong in the first place. Mr. Apong will chop me straight if he reads my writing. I arrived there not in the good timing. He was busy with big order. How big the order? 200 pieces for Kuala Lumpur (KL) order!!! He highlighted he already rejected some of the orders due to this big order. Unbelieveable? Look at the below picture. He didn't even have time to look at me. Geez, unless I'm pretty lady :-P

I used dirty trick to get his attention - my camera. Mr. Guan quickly asked - "are you a reporter?" I wish I am (me bluff again!) but the fact is no. "Ask whatever stuffs you wish to know - I'm ready to answer and cooperate with you", confessed Mr. Guan. Did I sound like Captain Soldier? hmmm... let me ponder after finish writing this. OK, I admit I'm talking crap to get you read on. Let's get into topic.

Solid experience
Over 40 years experience to sell Apong there, Mr. Guan is very fast on getting all the pancakes ready within 3 minutes. I clocked this silently. Apong is the term that used across cultures. In English, it is pancake.

Mr. Guan highlighted he uses a lot of eggs. Holy Mama!~ check out the eggs' tower below!

Get ready with your handkerchief
Yes, bingo. Another subtitle to make you move on - I say - get ready with your handkerchief - does not mean environmental hygiene problem. Look out your saliva leak, pal!

Before ...

After...

Apong consists of rice flour, eggs, coconut, coconut milk, sliced bananas and creamy sweet corn. You can see the nine-hole-griddle. At one time, there are nine pancakes prepared. Per piece only cost you RM0.30. The ratio of composition - pssssshhh... this is secret. See whether I can crack this secret or not. I'm bluffing though :-P

Beware - Dangerous roadside

It is advisable to take pre-cautious step to avoid standing in front of the stall - there are lots of cars and motorcycles pass by. When you enjoy taking order there, please please please beware of this. Safety first :-)

Penang - Pitt Street - Mee Goreng - Bak Chang

2009-03-04T16:55:00.067+08:00

*Update (6 July 2009): Chinese Bak Chang no longer available as the original owner rented her shop to others.

Foods: Indian Mee Goreng + Chinese Bak Chang
Type: Halal - Indian Mee Goreng; Non-Halal - Chinese Bak Chang
Location: 椰脚街 / Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling

Price: (Mee Goreng) RM3.00 | (Bak Chang) RM2.80

Stall owner: Mr. Raja (Mobile: 016 432 0183)
Stall operation: 0930-1730

Heng Seng Coffee Shop (恒盛茶室) owner: Mdm. Au-Yong (欧阳坚苹) (House: 04 261 9716)
Shop operation: 0800-1700

Parking Conveniency: Good
Hygiene: Good

Direction:

From Pitt Street, drives all the way to Khoo Kongsi direction - you will see the Heng Seng coffee shop & stall located at cross junction in between Pitt Street and Armenian Street (本头公巷). Further down is Cannon Square. From the front of coffee shop, you can see another Muslim's Mosque in front of you at the end of T-junction in between Cannon Square and Acheh street :-) Lots of interesting things to catch with your eyes there. I guarantee personally :-)

Coincidence - when Mee Goreng meets Bak Chang
It was my selected location to have photo-shooting session with my friend at Armenian street. Right after exhausting photo session, to compensate both hunger and thirsty, mee goreng and ice lemon tea were the rewards I should deserve :-) Bak Chang was 2nd round "dessert" to wipe out for the sake of my weight-loss-program-failure :-P Seriously I'm kidding.

Part 1: Mee Goreng

My awesome misunderstanding - Mr. Raja's Mee Goreng
Few years ago, I tried out the mee goreng before but not up to my expectation thus I stopped trying. It was not Mr. Raja's fault - after Mdm Au-Yong shared out with me - Mr. Raja actually will work for 1-2 years here, then he will travel back to India for 1 year. This firm and strong old man still continue to send back money to his family in India. Respect him from bottom of my heart!~

According to Mr. Raja - he sold there for 23 years - Mdm Au-Yong argued that this may over 30 years the stall already there. Hardly imagine this!

Traditional taste

I still love to taste traditional mee goreng, no matter how good the other version of Mamak franchise restaurant. Probably this reminds me of my earlier age of tasting Indian food and impression was definitely imprinted so deep. No additional chicken meat nor any green chilly beautify the texture of yellow noodles. It's just a plain yellow noodle fried with spicy "sotong", special marinated fried flour, boiled potato and tomato sauce like that added the fried noodle taste. Not forgetting the well-sliced lime serve as an option to give you a fresh taste of sour in between this. You can find fried egg all over the noodles with crunchy peanut mixed around with the mee goreng. Fresh veges added on top of the Mee Goreng to enhance overall food presentation. Superb combination!~ I still have a major problem - the moment I wrote this - I already gone there for twice within 2 days. See - how sick am I :-P

*Update (6 July 2009): Chinese Bak Chang no longer available as the original owner rented her shop to others.
Part 2: Chinese Bak Chang

Is there any official name for Chinese Bak Chang? I wonder or I assume myself already outdated on the so-called official name to google it :-) Well, you can call it Chinese meat dumpling or bak chang in Hokkien dialect. Whatever it is called - you will miss the taste definitely after trying this here.

Thanks for Mdm Au-Yong for giving me chance to further understand both delicious foods.

Bak Chang, anytime

For Chinese, normally during Duan Wu Jie (端午节), for foreigners - it is well known Dragon Boat festival. We normally able to have Back Chang to eat during 5th day of 5th Chinese calendar month (五月初五).

At Heng Seng coffee shop, you can have Bak Chang whenever the stock is available. Wonder why? Everyday Mdm Au-Yong only prepares Bak Chang for only 50 in total to ensure freshness. Each Bak Chang only sells for RM2.80. Worth try.

My dear Tongue - please pay attention
When you eat this Bak Chang, you can feel its solid taste and packed. If the packing done poorly, you will see "crackness" in between external wall of rice dumpling. Do I sound insane to use "crackness"? I disagree - by the way if you can find suitable term - shoot me please.

Fried sticky rice dumpling packed with both fat and lean meat marinated with special dark soy sauce, salted egg york (orange colour one if you hardly find :-P), chestnut (I'm nut with this!) and thin-sliced mushrooms. Normally chilly sauce will serve as an option for you. My preference - no chilly sauce to spoil the original taste.

Geez ~ don't be greedy
Bak Chang is made of sticky rice. If you have big appetite, two Bak Chang should be enough. Otherwise - don't let your stomach suffer from fullness :-) Come on - you should leave some rooms to have the mee goreng, didn't I write clearly at the abovementioned statement? :-)

Penang - Nibong Tebal KTM Station - Indian Tosai

2009-02-21T06:53:00.010+08:00

Food: Indian Tosai
Type: Halal
Location: Nibong Tebal KTM Station
Price: Less Than RM5.00
Parking Conveniency: Good
Hygiene: Good
Contributor: Mr. Azmi Rahman (15 Feb 2009)
Owner: Mr. Rajan
Contacts: (Mobile) 016 424 5411 / (Shop) 04-593 8522 / (Home) 04-593 8523

Direction:

From Penang, take PLUS heading south. After Juru toll, just go further. Take Nibong Tebal exit. After the toll, turn left and goes straight until you see big bridge. Right after the bridge, turn left. You will see the KTM Station.

Adventurous moment

It was my friend who captured the photo of Tosai with detailed introduction. Had been a fan of Tosai since my early age. Decided to drive south to Nibong Tebal to hunt for this shop. It was long while I never did this kind of so-called insane plan instantly – I assume the consideration time should be less than 5 minutes.

Drove for 30 minutes started from Seberang Jaya. This route took you for approximately 40km to reach Nibong Tebal exit from PLUS. You can refer to the direction I listed above. From Juru toll to Nibong Tebal exit costs you RM2.80.

Nibong Tebal KTM Station

Family business

This shop has been there in Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) station for more than 40 years. Inherited the business from his father, Mr. Rajan still insist to retain this traditional food business. I can see his passion through his eyes. Patient and friendly gave me a total satisfaction to sit there enjoying fresh Tosai. I couldn’t resist having the second piece, mixed with Chadgy, which I still have problem to pronounce it due to my tongue

Mr. Rajan & his daughter - thanks for his permission to snapshot.

Using banana leave as plate. Unique!~

Fish curry - another company for Tosai

The shop - check out the time schedule that set - exactly like old school board using chalk to write.

Attractions

Tosai is freshly made on the spot. Crispy, fresh hot and it carries salty taste – this is totally different taste from the Tosai I ate in Penang Island. Love the taste!

Here's come my B-lunch - starving indeed

Yum yum fresh crispy Tosai served

2nd round of Tosai - having problem to resist it...

According to Mr. Rajan, Chadgy is made of onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, spices, coconut milk and either red chilly or green chilly. Chadgy must serve in cold due to coconut milk. Beside that, Chadgy only can last for 6-8 hours due to the Asam. This Asam purposely enhance the taste.

Chadgy

There are two (2) types of Chadgy – you can see the different colour of Chadgy – slightly orange and white. How to differentiate this? The “trick” he shared – Mixed with red chilly will make the Chadgy slightly orange. The white colour is actually mixed with green chilly. If you come by Friday & Sunday – Mr. Rajan will serve the Chadgy (white).

Mr. Rajan insists to have the flour process done it in traditional way – using the stones to process it slowly. This process normally will take 1 – 2 hours to get it done. Nowadays the advanced technology will cause the flour processing over-cooked and this definitely affect the taste later.

Beside KTM railway

Other than Tosai, you can have a walk near the railway.

and the ticket counter is still ON - not for display purpose only :-P