Gourmet Garden

‘Mee Goreng’ or ‘Mamak Mee Goreng’ is one of the many favourite fab foods that Malaysians enjoy and there are many comments on who fries the best. What we look for is not the best but the one that can deliver a more traditional bouquet of flavours. The best is only if we have tasted all the Mee Goreng in the world, or at least in Penang for this case.

Mee Goreng literally meaning fried noodles is myth to have originated from Chinese ‘chow mein’ and believed to have been introduced by Chinese immigrants to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia when they immigrated from China. In its’s basic form it consists of  yellow noodles, bean sprouts, egg, bean curd, crackers, fritters, chili and each individual cooks specially concocted gravy. Some stalls may also offer stewed squid or cuttlefish.

The Mee Goreng stall that is found at Chuan Foong (Yok Fong Cafe) on the junction of Jalan Tanjung Bungah and Jalan Chan Siew Teong reminded us of the oldskool flavours that we very much enjoy and look forward for. The stall has been in business for around 37 years in Tanjung Bungah and has been based in Chuan Foong for 20 years and opens 6 days week, resting on Fridays. Business hour starts from 2pm daily.

The stall still practices cooking with open charcoal flames that maintain a more distributed heat wave that will would evenly cook food and enhance its taste. 

Their Mee Goreng is sold at RM3.70 per serving. It has a balance of savouriness from the special gravy used to braise the noodles, sweetness from seasoning with sugar, heat from chilli and creaminess from egg.  Some lime juice from a wedge of freshly cut lime provided a taste of freshness to the plate of old flavours.

Other than Mee Goreng, they also have Mee Rebus and Pasembur which are also favourite items sold by Mamaks in Malaysia. Their Mee Rebus is sold at RM3.70 per serving. Although it is not exceptional, but it is still good enough satisfy the occasional cravings.

Their Pasembur is price at RM3.50 per serving which come with juicy and crunchy roughly julienne cucumber and jicama (sengkuang in Malay), crispy prawn crackers, fluffy fritters, firm bean curds cubes, and a rich hardboiled egg. We especially like the prawn crackers, which were well seasoned, that went well with its thick sweet and spicy gravy.

Overall, the Mee Goreng is well flavoured and has that unique wok sear aroma and taste, the Mee Rebus is a bit general in taste, and the Pasember is above average in texture and taste in terms of the ingredients and gravy. It would take us a few more visits to gauge their consistency for sure.

Popularity: 4% [?]

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Our first encounter with Poon Choi was some four five years back, while on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur. And our first home-cooked Poon Choi was in 2009, since then we have been looking and tasting this unique Hakka delicacy when opportunity strikes. There were good ones and bad ones, and there is a variety of versions that are available on offer by many established restaurants.

Poon Choi (盆菜) is traditionally a Hakka dialect delicacy that is myth to have fed a Song Dynasty Emperor who was seeking refuge from the ensuing Mongols.  As the Hakka’s live in the mountainous regions and live was not as well then, they prepared and cooked what was the best ingredient  they could manage or find  and layered them into a wooden basin that was then served to the emperor and his loyal subjects that were with him.  As time goes by, this unique delicacy has found its way to Hong Kong’s Yuen Long (元朗) and made famous by the constant exposure in TVB serials and Hong Kong movies.

Our most recent encounter was at HoHo Food World, where we had the privilege to experience what they could deliver in terms of flavours and ingredient selections at a reasonable price tag with fellow bloggers (invited review) and then with family.

The Poon Choi is made to order by reservation of at least one day before dining. It is all done by their chef who have had years of experience in preparing Chinese cuisines in reputable restaurant in Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

HoHo Food World’s Poon Choi has an estimated 15 to 17 different main ingredients that builds up one of their signature dishes that they have on offer at their restaurant.

The most luxurious would be the firm and springy sea cucumber, the flavourful fish maw, the earthy dried scallop and dried oysters, the savoury sea asparagus and freshly fried prawns, and last but not least the smooth firm abalone. Note that they serve individual abalone for each individual diner, and their Poon Choi caters to 5 persons for the smallest order and up to 12 diners for the biggest set available.

Then there was the well prepared creamy yam and chicken, the smoky roast duck and chicken ham, the firm clam slices, the irony green broccoli, and an array of stewed mushrooms, carrots, radish and Chinese cabbage.
The gravy of the Poon Choi has a light sweet, earthy and nutty flavour with a creamy end from the yam used. It is not soupy like those with have encountered previously, it had a thick consistency which we have been searching for.

HoHo Food World

Add: 1301, Bagan Bukit Tambun, 14110 Simpang Ampat, SPS, Pulau Pinang.

Tel: +6016 5205535

Our overall experience:

Popularity: 5% [?]

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This is not a review, but we would like to share something worth sharing! We were invited by Spasso Milano’s PR company to an individual food sampling session just after it open its doors for business somewhere in September 20111. What was suppose to be a simple quite diner ended up becoming a gathering of bloggers, Tasteiest & All About Penang Food, sharing good food with good service and company.

Spasso’s (Straits Quay) kitchen is currently being run by an Italian import who strives to keep the authentic flavours of Italian-Milan cooking alive in a foreign country where pleasing local flavour paradigms are still very much alive. Chef Felice Martinelli, a 42-year-old Milanese even goes to the extra mile by specially sourcing and importing ingredients and produce, such as hand-made artisan pasta and Italian savoury jams to delight diners with the experience of dining in Italy. When asked, Felice answered with a serious smile, “I will only cook authentic Italian fare, and will never mix elements of other cuisines, or compromise on the quality of ingredients, just to appeal to the mass crowd. When you follow time-honoured recipes, using the original ingredients, you get amazing dishes bursting with flavours” With that in mind, we were expecting something that will tantalizer our senses and not to be put off by “localised” Italian dishes.

We started off with their “Porcini Soup” (RM18.80) that is made with 100% Porcini mushroom and drizzled with White Truffle oil before serving. It had a strong earthy mushroom taste that ends with a light sweetness and a bit of sour sensation. We also ‘accidentally’ had “Asparagus Soup” (RM16.80) which was strong in asparagus taste profiles that were quite refreshing. Then we were served with “Smoked Duck Breast” (RM23.00), sliced home-smoked duck breast, avocado and salad greens dressed with Hazelnut oil. The smoky and tender duck breast and smooth buttery avocado produced a “ying yang” sort texture. And the Hazelnut oil lent some additional flavours which did not interfere with the main stars of the dish. Still on appetisers, we had their “Pan-fried Goose Liver & Porcini”. The goose liver was lightly fried with some caramelizing that added flavour and texture to the soft creamy texture. The nutty and mild bitterness of the rocket leafs with the sweet tangy grapes and balsamic reduction mellowed the richness of the fatty liver.

Then we also had the Tuna Tartar that was made with freshly diced tuna and tomatoes that was quite light to the palate. But to have it with other heavy flavoured dishes would defeat its light taste profiles.

After appetisers, we moved on to pizza made their Italian way with a fully imported domed in shape wood oven with terracotta base that will evenly transfer the heat and maintain a good temperature for cooking. “Trutti Di Mare” pizza with assorted seafood was ready just within a few minutes in the 400 Celsius hot oven fuelled by natural wood flames. The pizza was evenly baked with a crisp but yet fluffy base topped with good quality cheese that were not too oily and ingredients that were still juicy and tasty with a slight smoky taste.

Normally risotto is eaten as a primo or first course of the meal, that faithful day it was already the third or fourth course of the evening. The “Mushroom and Truffle Risotto” (RM28.00) was one of our favourites of the night. Made from Carnaroli rice, a medium-grained rice native to the Vercelli province of northern Italy, and cooked in their homemade broth with lots of mushrooms and shavings of black truffles. The texture of the risotto was fluffy with a starchy consistency; taste was earthy and sweet to every spoonful.

Pastas are a must in any Italian joint. Opting for a better grade of pastas, we had a go at their imported dehydrated handmade Durum wheat or Macaroni wheat pasta that was cooked al-dente. If one is not used to the firmer and rough texture of the durum wheat paste, you could still get the usual pastas that are available everywhere. Sauces we had with the pasta was a tomato base and a cream base which were both quite flavourful in their unique way.

The highlight of my night was Spasso’s Hearty Italian Wagyu Rib Eye Grill RM138 for a 250gm slab of fat fill piece of beefy meat cooked until medium. The well seasoned and charred Wagyu rib eye was juicy tender to very last cut and good on its owned, without any sauce of gravy.

Secondi Wagyu Rib Eye Aromatica (RM138) is a meal on its own. The herb crusted Rib Eye was tender and moist with multi-layers of taste coming from the crust and also from the Wagyu beef. Though the herbs overwhelms the natural flavours of the Wagyu rib eye, it presents layers of taste profile with a crusty mouth feel that would be fitting people who are looking for some interesting flavours. The side dishes of roasted rosemary baby potato and Sicilian caponata blended well with heavy tasting rib eye. After all the heavy savoury stuff it was time for desserts, we had Tiramisu, Chocolate Lava Cake and Panna Cotta. Each and every dessert had its own characters and specialty, but what I personally like the most was the Tiramisu.  At RM18.80 per serving, the espresso soaked Savoiardi biscuit was the base for the rich Mascarpone cream topped with bitter sweet coco powder. Though there hints of liquor taste in the Tiramisu, we were told none was used. It is the process and method that produces that “alcoholic” sensation.

“Chocolate Lava Cake” (RM18.80) was freshly baked warm chocolate cake filled with rich dark liquid gold served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The strong bitter sweet taste of the melted chocolate filling and the soft spongy cake and cold ice-cream was sinfully satisfying after a great meal.The Panna Cotta (RM14.80) is made from fresh cream solidify with gelatine served chilled with mixed berry coulis. The sweet tangy berry sauce cut through the rich creamy pudding to balance taste and mouth feel that close the evening meal in an even note. 

Add: 3C-G-2, Block C, Ground Floor, Straits Quay, Penang
Tel: +604-8912888
GPS Coordinates: N5 27.556 E100 18.800

P.S: Many thanks to http://tasteiest.blogspot.com for the photos that he has allowed me to use. Regret not bringing my DSLR on that day.

Popularity: 6% [?]

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Sometime in August G Hotel and ‘Sesame + Soy’, their Pan Asian Chinese restaurant, extended a gracious invitation to us to sample their ‘Business Lunch Set @ Soy’. Sesame + Soy’s uniqueness lie in their dual dining ambience, where Sesame is the epitome of fine dining while Soy is casual yet elegant. Soy comes across as a modern Asian bistro, infused with a hint of Zen that complements its casual vibe. Soy offers a scrumptious menu with a wide selection of tempting delicacies that are luscious fusion of Asian flavours that will in some ways tantalise your taste buds.

Soy’s ‘Business Set Lunch’ consists provides for a select any two (2) dishes, a choice of either a bowl steamed rice or fried rice, a single serving of their soup of the day and a dessert.  Rice and Chinese tea is free flow.

Back to their main dishes, there are eight choices to choose from and rotated or changed according to their restaurant’s schedule. The following dishes are the items that we have tasted and found to be pleasing. Soup of the day that we had was ‘Lotus Root Soup’, light to the palate but was not the version that we are used to at home.

Wok fried black fungus with garlic and ginger, crispy texture with a light sweetness that cuts through the savoury taste.

Braise angle luffa with minced chicken and egg whites, the smooth eggy sweet gravy balanced well with the textured tender body of the luffa. 

Fried mixed vegetables with garlic, a simple dish that is ready to be paired with dishes that exude intense flavours.

Steamed snapper fillet and Sichuan peppercorns, is spicy at first but ends with a sweet after taste that does not interfere with the slick texture of the fish. Would be appeaser to people who fancy some ‘heat’ to their lunch. 

Crispy batter eel with red pickled grains and chili Hoi Sin dip, true to its name. Deep fried till crunchy crisp with a slight salty taste.

Chilled drunken chicken with garlic and chive dressing, the crisp skin matched with the firmed meat of the poached chicken was cohesive to the light tasting dressing which went quite well with a bowl of white rice. 

Spiced crispy chicken with ginger and garlic, the tender chicken pieces were slightly oily to our liking but the flavours went down well with us. There was a bit of zing that heated up the taste buds.

Sichuan style wok fried duck fillet with chilli and ginger, a bit general but still flavourful with its spiced up seasoning.

As the meal ends, dessert is served. We had the opportunity the sample the specialties or signatures which is said to be the favourites amongst their returning guests. Their ‘Gula Melaka Crème Brule with Coconut Ice Cream’ is one of their star desserts that infuse the techniques of the west with local ingredients. The rich creamy crème Brule wasn’t too sweet nor blend, just the right consistency in taste and texture. The other desserts that we sampled were equally delightful.

Operation hours: 11:00am – 3:00pm (7 days a week)

Address:168-A, Persiaran Gurney, 10250 Georgetown, Penang

Tel: 04-238 0000

GPS: N5° 43′ 78.13″ E100° 31′ 06.26″

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Popularity: 2% [?]

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Housed in one of the pioneering hotels in Batu Ferringghi, the Feringgi Grill is situated on the Mezzanine floor of Rasa Wing at Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa Penang. With its full glass windows and well thought of layout, the dining area gives a breathtaking view of the grounds and garden of the resort, CHI spa and the ocean. The openness and close proximity to nature brings a sense of relaxation while savouring the wonders that can be flipped out from their semi-open kitchen equipped with their latest edition in a long line of chefs that has been charged with serving exquisite traditional favourites and creating signature dishes for their loyal clientele, Chef David Pooley.

Chef David Pooley, an Australian with over 10 years of culinary experience predominantly in Melbourne and Sydney has been appointed chef de cuisine at Feringgi Grill. Prior to joining the Shangri-La family, he was sous chef at Quay that specializes in modern Australian cuisine and mentored by celebrity chef Peter Gilmore, and Claude’s a 33 year old French fine-dining restaurant now owned by Chef Chui Lee Luk.

Brik Pastry Canneloni, savoury goats curd stuffed into a crisp pastry canneloni and served with a sweet cherry tomato on a bed of chopped olives dressed in a light acidic vinegarette and garnished with aromatic Dutch basil. The taste profile was a balance with rich creaminess, sweetness, savouriness and acidity that got our palates excited.

Torched Tuna,  skilfully prepared tuna fillet , lightly seared by torched that is served with crisp feta puffs, hard boiled quails egg with a rich runny yoke and frozen cucumber droplets on a bed of avocado puree and sprinkles of red powder.  The tuna had firm and fine texture with hints of natural sweetness that when combined with the avocado puree, feta puffs and red powder produced a lightly sweet, creamy and savoury taste experience. The frozen cucumber gave the dish a refreshing sensation. And with the egg and runny yoke, a smooth yet textured sensation.

Five Spice Quail, a dish that combines Asian ingredients with Continental cooking methods to produce this fusion of flavours. Lightly seasoned with five spice and salt and cooked till perfection, the quail was plated with mushrooms and fungi pan fried with garlic, chives, soy mirin, coriander and succulent baby cuttlefish. The quail was tender and flavourful, and the mushrooms and fungi were earthy and full of their individualistic taste and juices. A well executed dish that we will be back for more, simple ingredients and sophisticated techniques combined.

Bouillabaisse, a traditional Provencal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille. Here at Feringgi Grill, lightly seared sweet juicy tender whole scallop and snapper fillet and a crunchy firm poached yabbie immerse in a thick and flavourful seafood and ginger bisque. The bisque was smooth, creamy and highly-seasoned and filled with flavours from the strained broth crustaceans. The taste is similar to our local Hokkien Prawn soup.

Sorbet Sesame Cones were served to cleanse our palates before the arrival of our main course. Made from lime, pineapple and coconut, the cold sweet and sour sensation refreshed our taste buds while our anticipating our lamb dish.

Lamb Loin, the still pinkish loin meat was firm to touch but yet succulent and juicy was paired with mellow tasting smooth eggplant puree, sweet nutty pine nuts, pearl barley and chopped spring onions and the salty fermented miso paste that was lightly torched.  And to finish off the garnishing was the red-coloured mint leaves and spring onion buds. Taste wise, there was savory, nutty and earthy in play. As for the texture, there were combinations soft, firm and crunchy, but our favourite was still the lamb lions’ firm yet tender mouth feel.

All good things have to come to an end, but the ending also saw an orchestra of taste and texture at work in their served desserts. Rose & Strawberry Granita, strawberry flavoured ice shavings laced with rose water set in a glass with cubes of cocoa jelly, a scoop of vanilla gelato and garnished with gold leaf and violets. It was slightly acidic with creaminess from the gelato and texture from the ice and gold leaf; light, refreshing  and not over sweet for our palates. The violet gave some sweet perfume smell.

Chocolate Panna cotta, frozen white chocolate encasing a sorbet of earl grey and served together with rosemary popcorns, banana marshmallow and cocoa jelly. It is a bit exotic in terms taste with sweet, savoury and earthy flavours in one dessert presentation.

Last and not least was the Macaroons & Prailines. The chocolate was dark with a bitter after taste which I like.

Feringgi Grill
Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa
Address: Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang

Tel: 04 8888888
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Popularity: 7% [?]

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On the 1st of March we were invited to a private dinner by the Communication Dept of Golden Sands Resort in Batu Ferringghi to have a taste and experience of their Sigi’s Bar & Grill 1st Anniversary Set Meals that are only available for the whole month of March, except for Thursdays and Sundays. Thursday and Saturday nights has another value promotion namely their “Beachside Barbecue Nights” for only RM59.99++ per head that will run through March to the end of April 2011.

While doing research for this article I have found some articles regarding this casual yet stylish beach front restaurant that have been written by other bloggers, thus I would spare you the long winded introduction and oversell. I would just share our experience and thoughts of visit.

Even before their renovation work and reopening back in March 2010, we have not step foot into Sigi’s or any other hotel based restaurants in Batu Ferringghi except for Hard Rock Cafe. I guess the bad experience and oversell of certain hotel based restaurants have prevented us to spend our hard earned money on food that will at the end cannot suffice our palates and feel cheated.  If not for the invitation, we would not know that there is still hope now!

Sigi’s is situated at the beach front of Golden Sands Resort with alfresco seating on the beach area and also on their roof top. These two locations will provide you with a view of the evening sun setting with a foreground of waving coconut palms and lapping waves. Occasional breezes from the beach or from the hills would provide some form of natural cooling sensation.

On the other side of the alfresco dining area, there is an open air BBQ & Gill pit that is often used for functions, buffets and special occasions.

On the indoor dining area, there is a fussed free dining atmosphere accompanied with the sound of flowing water from the small pool located in the centre of the dining area.

The invitation to Sigi’s was mainly to sample the 1st Anniversary Set menu and some ala carte dishes that will spice up the existing menu. At the heart (kitchen) of the restaurant and the person behind the menu is John Brock their Executive Sous Chef from New Zealand. The 1st Anniversary set menu is priced at RM100++ per person, but do not fret as it is their anniversary and they are giving out a “1+1″ promotion from 1st to 31st of March so that visitor are able to join in their joy and celebration.

The 1st Anniversary menu consists of 3 course plus coffee or tea to end the meal. The entrée has 4 choices, mains have 5 choices and deserts 3 choices. Out of the items listed we had a sample of their Gourmet Flat Bread, Arancini Balls, Sigi’s Signature Fish & Chips and chilled Rice Pudding.

Gourmet Flat Bread, fluffy toasted bread topped with pieces of savory and tangy sun-dried tomatoes, crumbly salty creamy chunks of feta cheese, nutty pumpkin seeds, olives, herbs and dressed with drizzles of sweet chilli sauce. The toppings provided most of the flavours with acidity, savouriness, nuttiness, creaminess, sweetness and slight heat.

Arancini Balls, rice risotto with mushroom and peas balled and deep fried until crisp on the surface then dressed with their minted aioli and served with a side of garden greens. The crust was crunchy but not hard and the insides were soft and moist. The aioli dressing although made with garlic and olive oil was not overwhelming with the taste of garlic and had a hint of mint to end.

Sigi’s Signature Fish & Chips, thick juicy butter fish fillets coated with fluffy beer batter deep fried till golden brown and served with garden greens, hand-cut chips (wedges of potatoes) flavoured with rosemary and garlic cloves, and a dollop of tartar sauce plus a wedge of lemon. The flavours and texture of the dish was well balanced, crisp fluffy salted batter coat with sweet juicy fish fillets and tender chips and creamy aromatic garlic cloves. In our case, we did not have to use the tartar sauce nor the wedge of lemon. All was well with natural tastes and aromas!

Chilled Rice Pudding, texture filled rice grains, with diary base (may be milk or cream) was served with a bitter sweet and acidic Strawberry Soup and White Chocolate. Definitely there is texture, tastes wise it is light and refreshing to end a meal. But do bear in mind that the combination has more English influence, and thus should not be compare the local Malaysian rice base dessert or puddings. It needs some getting used to.

Apart from sampling there Anniversary Set meal selections, we also had the chance to try out some new dishes on their newly updated dinner ala carte menu: Beef Cheek & Shallot Pie, Paella for 2, Lobster Pizza and Sticky Date Pudding.

Beef Cheek & Shallot Pie RM60, tender strips of slow cooked beef cheek meat and shallots surrounded by beautifully baked pastry skin and served with John’s special spiced tomato relish and lightly dressed garden greens. The filling was soft, beefy and savoury sweet, and the pastry was firm and crisp. Combined with the tomato relish for some acidity and spice to balance the richness, was a pairing well planned! And the salad gave the dish a shot of freshness.

Sigi’s Paella for 2 RM70, short grain rice cooked in stock flavored with the sweetness of saffron, the mild heat and sweet taste of Pimentón, the savoury smokiness of chorizo, the sourness of tomatoes and other herbs. The ingredients or toppings are also not to be looked down upon; there were loads of prawns, calamari, mussels and chicken chunks. I guess rice dishes from the West is always a must to get to used to in terms of flavours and texture for most Asians.

Lobster Pizza RM30 for 12”, wood oven baked thin pizza base topped with lobster chunks, orange flesh, pesto and Parmesan. It looks pretty common but the pesto, orange and rich salty parmesan combined perfectly to produce a light aromatic tasting topping that did not overwhelm the natural flavours of the lobster flesh. Even cold, it still tasted fine to the palate.

Sticky Date Pudding RM16, chopped pitted dates infused into the rich and sweet tender pudding served with Calvados caramel and garnish with a few halves of fresh Strawberries. The pudding was rich and flavourful but not overwhelmingly sweet. The caramel sauce was also equally appealing and not too taxing on the palate, especially when Calvados or apple brandy was used to enhance the taste of the sauce. Even Gill had a good time savouring this dessert although she is not a desert person. As for me, the warm pudding could do with a scoop of cooling vanilla ice cream, but that would have changed the whole experience of the dessert. So, just go with the flow!

SIGI’S BAR & GRILL ON THE BEACH @ GOLDEN SANDS RESORT

Address: Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.

Contact: +60 (4) 886 1852 (Direct Restaurant Line)

Business Hours: 11.00am-6.00pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm (Bar: 11.00am-11.45pm)

Other ongoing promotions at Sigi’s:

• Extended Happy Hours daily from 5pm to 8pm. Pizzas at 50% off plus discounts on certain selected beverages.
• Beach Seafood BBQ RM59.90++ per pax from 7pm to 10pm, and from 3rd March to 28th April 2011.

Garden Café Promotions:

• “1 +1” Sunday International Buffet Lunch RM59.90++ per pax from 12pm to 2:30pm, and from 6^th March to 17^th April 2011.
• Easter Sunday Lunch on 24^th of April 2011 for RM49.90++ per pax.

Popularity: 10% [?]

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Of recent we were invited by Miraku Japanese Restaurant in Penang’s G-Hotel to gather a small group of bloggers to share the opportunity to preview their new dishes and promotions, and bridge them to the mass of Japanese food lovers out there. To begin with the series of planned event is their March & April Hotate (Scallop) & Chuhai (Japanese Cocktail) promotions. The promotions begin from the 1st of March and ends on the 30th of April 2011.

There are 10 items to choose from their Hotate promotion menu that ranges from the naturally sweet Nama Hotate sashimi to the savoury Hotate Ramen.

If you are planning for a full night of Hotate craze, you could  start the meal with the Nama Hotate Sashimi (6pcs) RM19.90 that had a light natural sweetness and smooth tender flesh.

Then we had the Hotate Sushi (Nigiri Sushi) (3pcs) RM14.00. The texture of the scallops were similarly soft and tender like the sahsimi scallops and the hand pressed rice rolls were not too sour nor too compact.  With a small drop of shoyu and a touch of wasabi, it brought out the sweet taste of the scallop further.

After the raw hotate, we had the Hotate Chuka Chinmi RM8.00. They are actually the membranes on the side of the adductor muscle trimmed and tossed with sesame seeds, chili, vinegar and seasoned to taste. It had a crunchy texture and an appetising taste that helps to get the palate moving and duets quite well with certain beer sand sake.

Then we tried the Hotate Kakiage RM28.00. Mixed vegetables, onion, capsicum and scallops batter coated and deep fried till golden brown. It had a crisp surface with moist and juicy fillings that are appealing people who love fried foods.

Another deep fried item on the promotion menu was the Hotate Korroke (2pcs) RM18.00. The croquettes are different from the normal potato base, they were made from diary custard packed with corn kernels and scallop breaded and deep fried until achieving a golden crust and yet maintaining a rich creamy centre.

Continuing after the deep friend version, we had the Hotate Kushi Yaki (2 sticks with 6pcs scallop) RM11.50. Pieces of whole scallop grilled and glazed with their home made sauce of soyu, sugar & leek. It is said that the end product is very similar in taste as the ones found in Japan, authentic and exquisite.

Then there was the Hotate Kara Yaki RM19.90. Big size Scallops with roe pan grilled in butter, Mirin, sake, shoyu and seasoned with pepper. The scallops had a firm and tender texture with a buttery and savoury taste.

After the grilled, we had the Sanshoku Hotate Mayo ( a set of 3 colours with individual flavour) RM30.00, Green was Wasabi, Yellow was Mayo and Red was the  Mentaiko (明太子) is the marinated fish roe of Pollock. Each individual flavours would have a different appeal to different taste preference. Some liked the spicy Wasabi or horseradish taste, some enjoyed the rich mellow taste of the mayo and for me it was the rich and salty Mentaiko that hit the note.

Another creamy dish that was on the menu was the Hotate Gratin RM23.00. It had 5 lovely charred scallops on a bed of sweet and creamy gratin made of custard, cheese, mayonnaise and macaroni, then finish with a slight torch of the surface.

Last but not least, a hot bowl of Hotate Ramen RM25.00. The soup base had predominant flavour of Miso and Wakame or seaweed. The savoury and creamy tasting soup had in it a mount of Ramen noodles, Ginkensai or Pak Choy, Moyasi or bean-sprouts, corn kernels and most importantly the whole scallops with roes intact.

After finishing the last item on the “Hotate Promotion” menu, we went on to have some cocktails drinks. The drinks were also part of their March & April promos, “Chūhai Promotion” @ RM28.00 per tokkuri. Chūhai is a cocktail mixture of Shōchū (Japanese Liquor) with carbonated drinks & citrus drinks, the possible concoctions may include lime, grapefruit, apple, orange, pineapple, grape, kiwi, ume (plum), yuzu, lychee, and peach. In short, Chūhai is a Japanese Alcoholic Cocktail that can either be served hot or cold and any with any flavours according to the drinkers’ preference.

Miraku in its Chūhai promotion is providing a 150ml tokkuri (house pouring) of either Mugi (Wheat Shōchū) with 23% alcohol or Imo (Potato Shōchū) with 25% alcohol with a variety of choices mixers:

• A can soft drink of either tonic, soda, Sprite, Cola or Oolong,
• 300ml of choice of juice of either lime, Orange or Mango Juice.

The most desirable cocktail by the ladies that particular night was the Mugi (Wheat Shōchū) with Sprite and Lime Juice cocktail. It was well blend, with little bit sweetness, tang, mellow alcoholic taste and fizzy after taste.

The following is the Potato Shōchū or Imo with Sprite/Tonic, Lime and Plum. It had an alcoholic taste with a bit of salty sourish taste, and it was the second most liked concoction of the night.

This is Imo with just Oolong tea. It is for the more matured drinkers who like their cocktail strong.

Our chef of the day was Nakagawa-san, a shy chap at start but looks can be deceiving. If I am not wrong, he is still single and available for now!

Business Hour :

Daily Lunch 12:00pm to 2:30pm

Daily Dinner 6:00pm to 10:30pm

Reservation:

Tel No. : 604-229 8702

Fax No. : 604-229 8560

Email Add : fm@miraku-restaurant.com

Links to the other attendees of the preview:

• Food Promotions
• It’s Delicious
• Valyn Lim

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Popularity: 7% [?]

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Last month, on the 19th of September we were invited for a review session by The Little Cottage Cafe 2 (TLCC2) management to look into their lunch& dinner sets. This we were back there again but not on the invitation of TLCC2. This time we were dining as paid customers, but paid by a friend. As we mentioned in our earlier post that we were going to return for their “Sunday Lunch Buffet“, that was what we did. The Sunday Lunch Buffet is must do if you are looking for great eats during the lazy afternoon. In addition, the lunch buffet line is the only buffet TLCC 2 offers to its patrons if they intend to try out the catering service products that are available for bookings, outdoor and indoor. Although they do not have a huge selection of dish items as compared to the buffet lines in hotels, but it can definitely compensate for the quality of food that it offers. And it is considerably value for RM25.90+ for adults and RM13.90+ for children below 12 years old.

This trip to TLCC 2 was delayed a week  due to food poisoning by one medium sized cockle that I had in a Malay food stall somewhere in Bayan Lepas, but my Gill Gill was not affected. I guess I am vulnerable to a certain strain of bacteria in cockles. There was some stomach cramps due to wind and active acid build up, nothing serious luckily.   Awareness of food allergies or food sensitivities is very important when dining out, especially seafood or places that you have not been to. Thus, cleanliness and hygiene are important factors when we review eating spots or places. At TLCC 2, we noticed that the people who are directly handling food items wore surgical rubber gloves, which shows a sign that the management is serious in their food business.

1. Croissant with chicken or turkey ham. The ham had a fine texture and smoky flavour, but the croissant was slightly dehydrated and cold as it has been exposed to the air-conditioning on the buffet line. 2. Deep Fried Spring Roll, was just  your plain old halal spring roll. 3. Idako, it was crunchy, firm  and tender in texture. The sauce had a localised taste with a prevalent aroma and taste of sesame. The sauce was milder in the sugary sweetness as compared to the usual sweeter version found in many local Japanese restaurants. The idako and sauce went very well with the greenish pickle that we took.

4. Soup of the day, Cream of Mushroom, the soup was average in taste when hot, but at a lower temperature the flavours were more distinct. Texture or consistency of the soup was slightly more fluid on this day.

5. Tempura Chicken Nuggets, our initial perception was the normal “MacDonald Nugget” type of nuggets, but they aren’t. The nuggets were crisp on the surface and were tender and cheesy on the inside. Cheesy because it had a cheese filing, thus it tasted much richer and flavourful as compared to the “MacDonald Nuggets”. Therefore dipping the nuggets into ketchup or chilli sauce is a no-no as it would have overwhelmed the rich fillings’ taste.

6. Baked Golden Otak-Otak Fish, didn’t seem appetising to us at first but the taste slowly grow on us. The baked egg custard was firm and yet fluffy, but it was not as smooth as the traditional home-made type. This is a sign of over cooking which is then caused by the flames or heat needed to keep the dish warm for a certain period of time. Taste wise it was mildly spiced and fragrant. Different from certain commercially prepared otak-otaks, the TLCC 2 otak-otak uses “sole fish” fillets and lots of “lau yip”. They replaced the John Dory with sole fish due to the adverse comments in the local market. The Sole fish fillets were firm and smooth with some sweetness to them, quite similar to Dory without the fragile texture and muddy taste.

7. Stir Fry “Nai Pak”, one of the choices for greens in the buffet line apart from the normal salads. The taste was normal and did not take much of our attention.

8. Italian Fried Rice, each individual grain of rice was coated with the peppery taste and fragrance. It reminds of the days when we were hawking our special chicken or pork rice sets. Those were the days!

9. Sausages with Caramelised Onions & Herbs, this dish also brings back memories of the days when we were  in charge of lunch at our old church, it was one of my specialties then and now. The TLCC 2 sausage dish uses quite abundance of onions, Italian herbs and black-pepper for flavour. The quality and texture of the sausages were of mid-range grade and better compared to some of the sausages found in other such establishments.

10. Mussel tasted sweet and sour with a light smoky flavour (BBQ, that was quite well balanced. The texture of the mussels were meaty, firm and tender. 

11. Spaghetti Napoleon, sauce was filled with tomato chunks and had a higher level of acidity and strong taste of bay leaf. The pasta was al dente, firms and not overcooked or over seasoned.

12. Baked Chicken Ham, it is chicken thus not as hammy as we want but it goes very well with their rice and steam bread. The tomato or sour base sauce was quite appetising and the texture of the ham more “real” when compared to the chicken hams offered in certain buffet lines.

13. Baked Fish Thermidor, it had a rich creamy and cheesy white sauce over batter coated fillet of fish. The fillets were firm and moist and not over cooked although it was immersed in the white sauce and baked in the oven. I experiment with this dish by putting it over the al dente pasta and created something which my Gill also agrees with, but make sure to finish the serving while it is still hot or warm. Anything that has cream is best when it is still hot or warm.

14. Grilled Monte Cristo Chicken, had a Chinese influence sauce over firm and tender cuts of chicken fillets. The sauce brought with it a hint of smoky flavour that was balanced with a touch rosemary herb that usually goes well with chicken dishes. The flavours of this dish were more dominant when it had cooled down a little bit.

15. Black-pepper lamb chops, were a  bit chewy and hard due to constantly burning flames that were needed to keep the chops warm for the diners. I guess if we came early or there were more takers for this dish, the chops would be more tender due to the shorter replenishment cycle. We can’t really blame them as we know it is a buffet line and things would degrade in quality as they are expose to the constant heating or exposure to air-conditioning.

16. Laksa, taste was very Malay style with distinctive savories from “balacan” and sourness of the tamarind juice. The laksa are served pipping hot with all the toppings of curry flower, mint leaves, cucumber and pineapple strips.

17. Desserts were a bountiful. We didn’t get to try some of them as they were much sort after by the diner on that faithful Sunday afternoon. There were pudding , muffins, cakes, nyonya kuihs, fruits, ice-cream and ice-kacang. We were filled to the brim before we could start on the desserts for this round, thus I would not dwell on the dessert.

The dinning area and atmosphere is spacious and cosy with different setting to suit ones needs, be it dating couples, group gatherings or just for the lone-rangers.

Ratings for the “TLCC 2 Sunday Lunch Buffet” priced at RM25.90+ for adults and RM13.90+ for children below 12 years old. (No dinner buffet available as of now)

Taste & Texture:

• 3.5/5
• Good use of spice, herbs and dairy products.

Money Value:

• 3.8/5
• Although select is not very vast, but the quality of the ingredients and taste has more value compared to the money paid.

Service:

• 3.2/5
• Attentive and friendly service from the waiting crew and the manager.

Cleanliness:

• 3.5/5
• Clean plates and cutleries.
• Toilet was tidy too.

Atmosphere:

• 3.8/5
• Warm and cosy ambiance with good air-conditioning.

Address        : 31, Gottlieb Road, 10350 Penang, Malaysia.

Tel                   : +60 (4) 228 1128

Business Hrs: Open daily from 11am – 3pm and 6pm – 10.30pm.

Popularity: 11% [?]

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Last Saturday we were invited by FoodPromotions to attend an invited review hosted by TERRACE BAY RESTAURANT @ COPTHORNE ORCHID HOTEL PENANG.

It was the “second” Thai cuisine review in 30 days for of the foodies. As for us, we had to forgo the earlier event at Tree Monkey which was arranged by CK Lam & Criz Lai, and hosted by a local company that builds websites, GenisSIX.  Although we did not attend the review at Tree Monkey, we were “there” to lend support as my mother-in-law already planned to celebrate her birthday there. We actually tried to persuade her to have the dinner in Hard Rock Cafe, but she wanted to try Tree Monkey after reading about it in the papers. We knew misunderstandings would bound to happen if we were to show up, but it was not a choice that we had. Compound by past frictions and perceived conflict of interests, it will leave further misunderstandings. But between family and acquaintances, I choose family. What can be said about Tree Monkey is that it is a place to JUST relaxed, enjoy a cold drink, soak in the clean air from the surrounding greeneries and admire the the beautiful sun setting towards the west. A cold drink and an “Asian Tapas” platter shared amongst 2 would suffice as a pre-dinner outing.

Back to the Terrace Bay Restaurant Thai Buffet invited review. The buffet is priced at RM30nett for adults, RM20nett for senior citizens & RM18nett for children. The buffet runs from 7pm to 10pm on Saturdays for dinner and 12pm to 2.30pm on Sundays for lunch. The selected composition of dishes is brought to TERRACE BAY RESTAURANT by a Chef Chamnan Ngamlamai from Bangkok.

The menu or list of item that were served on that evening is as follows, there is an alternate menu/list which would be rotated as and when see fit by the restaurant:

Appetizer

Papaya Mango Salad (Som Tam), Mango Salad (Yam Mak Muang), Chicken Feet Salad (Yam Tin Kai), Thai Sambal Belacan (Nam Pit Ka), Kacang Botol (Sator Thua Pool) & Kai Lan with Salted Fish (Kana Pla Kem)

Soup

Ken Som(Tom Yam Soup with mushroom, chicken slice, mixed vegetables)

Main Course

Basil Leave Beef (Kak Thau Nua), Chicken Red Curry (Kai Pat Pit), Fish Pat Pit (Pla Pat Pit), Prawn Clam Noodle (Kung Obboon Sen), Egg Ommelette (Kai Pat Pit), Thai Otak – Otak (Homok) & Thai Fried Rice (Phad Thad)

Stall

Thai Kampung Chicken Rice (Kau Man Kai), Thai Laksa (Khanom Chin), BBQ Fish ball, Beef Ball, Crab Stick (Look Chic Ping), Crispy Cat Fish with Spicy Sweet and Sour & Green Mango Salad (Yam Pladukfu)

Dessert

Fresh Cut Fruits, Khanom Chan (Multi Layer Of Pandan Flavour Sticky Rice with Coconut Milk,) Baked Sweet Pudding, Khanom Tan (Palm Flavour, Mini Cake with Shredded Coconut on Top), Khanom Thuai Talai (Steam Sweet Coconut Jelly and Cream), Lot Chong Nam Kathi (Pandan Flavour rice Flour Noodle In Coconut milk, Similar To Cendol) & Salim (Multi Cour Mung Bean Flour Noodle in Sweetened Coconut Milk Serve with crushed Ice)

TERRACE BAY RESTAURANT @ COPTHORNE ORCHID HOTEL PENANG.

Overall rating by us at GourmetGarden:

Taste & Texture:

• 2.5/5
• To our preference the dishes seem not as “authentic” as we expected, but the dishes were acceptable in terms flavours in general.

Money Value:

• 3.5/5
• Authenticity was not in our consideration but a hotel themed buffet at RM30 nett with quite a variety is hard to come by in Penang especially on the tourist belt areas.
• As a budget or middle income earner, Terrace Bay Thai Buffet would be my better choice to feel the tank at a affordable price range as compared to Tree Monkey in Teluk Bahang.

Service:

• -NA-/5 (cannot be considered as it was an arranged event)

Cleanliness:

• 4.0/5
• plates & utensils are tidy and clean, and the overall restaurant dining floor is well kept.

Atmosphere:

• 3.0/5
• nice pool & Sea view at the alfresco section

Add: Jalan Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Penang, Malaysia.

Tel : 604-892 3333   Fax : 60 4 892 3303

Email : fb@copthorne.com.my

Opening Hours:

• Saturday Buffet Dinner: 7.00pm – 10.00pm
• Sunday Buffet Lunch: 12.00 noon – 2.30pm

Other food bloggers present:

1. Food Promotions
2. Steven Goh
3. All About Penang Food
4. Cariso
5. Waco
6. Criz Food

Popularity: 10% [?]

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A month or ago we noticed that there was a new nasi lemak stall located just in front of Sunrise Tower McD at Gurney Drive Hawker Center. At last we managed to try out the nasi lemak and fried chicken from the stall.

The price ranges from RM1.00 to RM3.50 and the price of their fried chicken is RM2.50 per piece.

The nasi or rice is steam and kept wram in a wooden bucket on top of some hot water.

The fried chicken is fresh prepared and the taste is about 85% near to the taste of the Original flavour fried chicken found in KFC.

Taste & Texture: 3.3/5 (The gravy or chili tasted sweet, our preference is more to savory and spicy but not hot. Additional points were given due to the near KFC flavour fried chicken. The RM1.00 version was not up to our expectations)
Money Value : 3.0/5 (Fried Chicken was big and tender juicy, but the rice has space to improve in terms of grade and volume)
Service: 3.0/5
Cleanliness: 2.8/5 (above average cleanliness for a hawker stall)
Atmosphere: 2.5/5 (can’t for much from a hawking area, but care is needed to upgrade the standards in the area. Upgrading doesn’t mean cosmetic changes only!)

Popularity: 10% [?]

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Too many backlogs! This was trip to Kluang that we had to take for a friends wedding. We drove all the way down and took us about 6 to 7 hours. Never the less we enjoyed every bit of the short excursion as we were able to sample food in Kluang and Muar.

The day after the wedding dinner, we went to Kluang RailCoffee to sample their ‘kopi’ and specialties. We have actually seen a similar brand before in ‘The Curve’ in Damansara, thus was skeptical on what it could offer to us. We are not fans of the ‘kopitiam’ type franchises after numerous run ins with poor service and poor food quality. Luckily this outlet has no direct relations to the similar named outlet in the ‘The Curve’, but is indirectly related. The owners are actually uncle and nephew.

Setting foot to the cafeteria or canteen is like going back in time to the time I took the train from Penang to Singapore. The place is really nostalgic and homey in certain ways. The canteen is located just next to the Kluang KTM train platform which also doubles as a waiting point for people coming and going, a place to have good wholesome breakfast or light meal before embarking on their journey.

The prices of food items available in the canteen are not exuberant as seen on the price board below. Before going, we were expecting to be whack with the ‘OldTown’ or ‘Papparich’ kind of price tags. Luckily it is not so!

We did not get to try their famous ‘nasi lemak’ as we where somewhat late and the stack was just exhausted.  Therefore, we only had kopi, toast and soft boil egg.

Should have ordered kopi ‘o’ but instead accidentally got their kopi susu. A mistake that me and my Gill did not regret. The kopi was smooth and was full of flavour, and the best thing is that they were not too sweet for our taste buds.

We had two types of toast that were both individually unique in the texture. The butter was creamy and rich, and the ‘kaya’ or coconut jam was not overwhelming with sweetness.

The soft boil egg was fragrant and rich in eggy flavours, but I like my eggs slight firmer and less runny.

After finishing our order, we proceeded to walk around and take some photos of the place and the current owner that was mending the so call kopi station. The person did not talk much and was busy brewing his kopi, thus we did not get to get more information about the place.

Before we left, we bought a packet of their pre packed kopi power to try out at home. It was nice and fargrant, but they still can’t compare with the original cup made by the hand of an expert.

Taste & Texture: 3.5/5
Money Value : 3.5/5
Service: 3.0/5
Cleanliness: 3.0/5 (clean and tidy, even in the kitchen)
Atmosphere: 4.0/5 (I like nostalgic feel and a place were we can see people from all walks of life and colour sitting down together eating the same thing)

Popularity: 14% [?]

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This afternoon we were at Lidiana’s again for lunch. We almost had all our usual dishes except for the raw pea sprouts. Food still taste the same spicey, flavourfull and cheap. The pea sprouts had a slight tangy taste with sweetness and a bitter aftertaste.

Our usual favourites are their ayam kicap, beef, curry fish, tempeh and ‘money leaf’ in lemak.

A great news to those who are unable to make a bee line to Lidiana for lunch, we were told by the staff that they are open up until 9:00pm daily, from Monday to Saturday. Sunday is the rest day for them.

The direction starts from landmark of  Tanjung Bungah Maybank, once you see the maybank at your left,  keep going straight after the second traffic light. you will see the tsunami’s flat on your right. Take note on the left, when the moment you see the junction on your left, just turn in, and you can see the big signage – Arked Tanjung Bungah is on your right, it is axactly opposite the Floating Mosque. Lidiana is the first stall (bigest stall) from the entrance.

Popularity: 7% [?]

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Some few weeks ago we were asked what can we recommend to eat in the Batu Ferringhi area, it was simple but yet hard to answer question. Although I have been calling Batu Ferringhi our home for the past 6 years or so, we have not really put much thought and research on the food scene here. Some of the more logical reasons that I can think of are that we cook our meals most of the time, the ‘tourist’ pricing that are charged and the presumed quality of the food.  But if you really put in some effort and time, you will find some decent and fair priced chows in Batu Ferringhi.

Breakfast and lunch is easy to satisfy with a range of fair price hawker fare and economy rice at Mutiara Apartment, which is about 5 minutes walking distance from Golden Sand Hotel. It is opposite the areas’ 7-Elven convenient store.

Try to ask the apartment’s food court location from the locals, and they will able to show you. Most of the stalls in the food court opens 7 days a week,.

Stall no.5 sells assortment of noodles, curry me, hokkien prawn mee and lor mee. The price ranges from RM2.80 to RM3.30 per serving depending on size, which is quite reasonable. And for taste it is not very exceptional but decent and able to calm the addiction when it hits. My favourite pick with this stall is the curry mee, as for lor mee I would substitute the usual ‘chili boh’ with curry mee chili and top up with some stock from the hokkien prawn mee to give it some additional flavour.

Then there is the wantan mee stall which is good to stuff the belly for a quick and cheap meal. Price ranges from RM2.80 to RM3.30 too and is worth the penny for quantity. But be sure to ask the auntie to make to order the way you like it. We normally like our wantan noodles dry (meaning no added stock or soup) with lots of lard and spring onions, and a mixture of broad and thin noodles. This combination brings out the flavor of the dark soy sauce and enhances the texture of the noodles.

If you like fried noodles, then there is the Hokkien Char, Char Koay Teow and fried rice stall. But our usual order from this is their Hokkien Char. The trick in savouring this hokkien char is to let the noodles soak up all the gravy before you start eating it. Price is similar to the previous stalls, cheap and decent.

For a more filling meal or lunch, you may want to try the economy rice stalls available in the food court.  There are actually 3 stalls there but we only patronized 2 of them, stall no. 15 and the one opposite it. On average there are 30 or so dishes available for the picking from stall no.15 depending on available ingredients. As for the stall opposite no. 15, their favourite is their curry fish and homey tastes, but the cleanliness is a bit of a no eye see at time.

At lunch time, an extra choice would be the available selection of Malay food by the road side of Jalan Sungai Emas, just outside of the mentioned food court / its infront of the 7 Elvent. There are 2 stalls in the area, but we have been patronizing ‘Kak Umi‘ of recent. The dishes are cooked at their nearby home and driven to the stall when ready. Business hour starts from around 11am until the early evening. Their curry ranges from mild spiced to flaming hot and with variety of meats like mutton, beef, chicken, fish and prawns. And their ‘ulam’ (salad) are fresh and green accompanied with their pungent ‘sambal’.  If you are willing to travel the distance you may want to try out Kedai Makan Lidiana at Tanjung Bungah for more choices of dishes and flavour variety with a very reasonable price tag. They are closed on Sundays.

The following meal cost us RM17.00 with 2 servings of mutton, 1 fried chicken, 1 fried cat fish, ulam, and 2 vegetables. It is a bit on the price side because we took extra servings of meat, our normal meal for 2 is usually below RM10.

For the between meal snacking after lunch, Banana House near the Parkroyal hotel may be the answer. This Fritter’s Shop located exactly the same roll as Park royal, less then 5 min walking distant. It’s in between Park Royal & Ferringhi Garden or the way up to Hard Rock. They sell bananas (as the name has it) all day long from 12 pm onwards and are open on all days except for special occasions, but we are more interested is the ‘goreng pisang’ (banana fritter), ‘kuih kodok’ (banana bread balls), ubi goreng, etc. I love their goreng pisang because they are crisp, sweet, tender and flavourful, and of cause cheap at RM0.50 per piece.

Dinner time is bit hard to recommend much as we seldom eat out at the time, especially in Batu Ferringghi. By nigh fall there are numerous eateries that are open for business but most of them are more for tourists with ‘tourist’ prices. Beach Corner behind Parkroyal has been a staple favourite for visiting Penangites and tourist. They serve some Hainanese fare and seafood, but is a bit pricey for our standards. One thing that is a no try would be their ‘Yam Duck’! To try their Hainanese dishes it would be wise to call and book beforehand with Lim or Yeow at 012 4729113 / 016 4222113. They are closed on Wednesdays and business hours are from early evening(I think).

Another choice for dinner if we were lazy or unable to make dinner would be ‘D’Anjung Selera Qistina’ which is on the street behind ‘Kak Umi’ / straight end of 7 eleven’s building . They are the Malay/Thai ‘chu char’ that is good in fried rice and variety of small dishes. Their dishes are prices are similar to the other Malay stall pricing levels. We aren’t sure of their off days. Will update later.

If you are looking for a classier place to dine at night, you may consider Tarbush, Sigi’s in Golden Sands, Hard Rock Cafe, etc. We have not visited these places, thus are not in the place to comment on them, but they have been blogged by some celebrity bloggers in Penang. With this that wraps up our usual haunts for makan in Batu Ferringghi for me and Gill. Enjoy your trip to Penang, Wendy!
View Batu Ferringghi, Penang, Malaysia in a larger map

Popularity: 9% [?]

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It has been years since we last visited this roti canai or Indian pan fried bread stall. With time to kill before our appointment after church yesterday morning, it was our second stop for breakfast. This stall used to be housed a few meters down the road in an open compound under a big tree which has been removed. My favourite was their ‘roti kosong’ (plain bread) and ‘roti telur bawang’ (onion and egg bread) and drench in their homemade curries (mixed).

The roti kosong was pan fried till crisp on the surface and still fluffy on the insides. The dough or roti itself had a savoury taste which I can’t quite find in many other roti outlets now a days.

The roti telur was full of that fragrant eggy aroma, minus the onions. The roti as usual, was crisp and the egg just well done with soft whites and sandy yolks.

The mutton curry was pungent with the flavours of spices without the heat and the meat was off the bone tender.

The beef curry was a bit of a let down though. It used to thicker and had more taste of spices. The current beef curry was sweet with a slight sour (tomato) lingering after taste.

Price wise the roti was not too over price like some who charge RM0.80 for just a roti kosong.

The roti shop has even been featured by the local Chinese daily.

The recent experience with the Seikh Usman or Argyll Rd. Roti Canai:

Taste & Texture: 2.8/5 (the roti was fluffy, crisp, fragrant and flavourful but the curries tasted different from previous times)
Money Value : 2.5/5
Service: 2.5/5
Cleanliness: 1.0/5 (Table was oily, the floor was soiled with curry sauce and the most unbearable was water dripping from the washed plates on to the lower shelve that houses the cooked curry pots)
Atmosphere: 2.4/5 (warm at times)

Popularity: 6% [?]

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One of the most popular breakfast that are shared by many Malaysians regardless of their ethnicity would be a nice warm rich plate of soft boil eggs. Depending on ones preference it could be runny or thick, my preference is always fluffy whites with and near solid yolk to give it texture and aroma. I am not the type that likes the egg all watery.

My decision to research on soft boil egg was mainly due to our fruitful exploration in Kluang. In fact, it was one of the most memorable soft boil eggs that we had out of home.  The eggs were not under cook nor over cook, it had just the right consistency, smoothness and was fragrant. The eggs were served whole and we had to crack our own eggs, like what we used to do at home.

Some may choose to cut off the top egg with a knife or egg scissors, or tapping gently around the top with a spoon. Some may spoon out the content, some may drink from the shell, some may pour it on to a piece of butter toast, etc. Any way it is cracked, enjoyed and preferred, the main objective is to get every single drop of protein goodness from the egg shell.

There are a few methods to make the perfect soft boil egg that one would like. The local or Asian way is to pour boiling water into an enamel or stainless steel mug or a ‘soft-boil egg maker’ and let the egg soak for five to six minutes depending on the preferred firmness. To achieve the pour-all-out effect, after the preferred cooking time place the egg in a cold bath for 2 minutes or so to rid off the residue heat from further cooking the egg and to prevent the egg whites from sticking to its shell.

The Western method is to place the egg into a small saucepan and fill it with cold water until it covers the egg, then turn on the stove to the max. When the water starts to boil reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes depending on how firm or easy you prefer your egg. Or alternatively, simmer the egg for 1 minute, then let soak in the hot but not simmering water for about 6 to 7 minutes or so.

To go hand in hand with a rich creamy plate of soft boiled egg, a perfectly toasted bread smudged with sufficient amount of salted diary butter (not margarine) and a cup of thick aromatic kopi ‘o’ or ‘kopi suss’. Breakfast from haven!

Popularity: 10% [?]

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Last Thursday, there was an impromptu request to cook dinner; on the list were the aging prawns in our freezer. As prawns were not that fresh, the method would then be something that can over come this problem. The easiest way out would be curry, but the paste that we have was only for fish.

First thing I did was to shell the prawns and “freshen up” them with some sugar and corn flour. Then to the hot oil they go. The prawns were deep fried until just cooked so that any fishy taste would not affect the curry.

Before cooking the curry, we had to prepare some other additional such as onions, lemongrass and fresh tomato. The curry paste that we used was the fish curry paste from Mak Nyonya. The curry paste had a strong spice aroma, and lemongrass was quite predominant.

To begin cooking the curry gravy, I started to brown the chopped onions in the pot and oil used to fry the prawns earlier.

After the chopped onions were browned, they were transferred to another pot for further cooking process. Do not wash the frying pot, add some water to deglaze the pot and keep the sweet juices left by the prawns and onions.

In the new pot, put in the julienne onions and lemongrass and begin aromatise them in hot oil.

After the onions and lemongrass begin to emit their fragrances, add in the curry paste and continue stirring.

While still aromatising the curry paste, pour in the deglazed juices from the earlier pot. Remember not to pour everything at one go, too much would dilute the curry paste and flavours.

After the paste has reached the right consistency (according to what you like) and have begin to emit the curry fragrance, then it is time to add the coconut milk. No fresh coconut milk was available, so boxed type had to suffice. Boxed coconut milk does not have the taste and essentials that fresh coconut milk has.

The second last step is to pour in the tomatoes wedges.

After the tomatoes have softened, it is time to let the prawns join the curry gravy and let them soak up the spice and fragrance of the curry gravy ingredients.

The curry prawns’ textured was not bad although they have been kept in the freezer for almost six months. The sugar and corn flour helped to firm them up. The freezer was also played an important role. The taste of the curry was spicy with slight sweetness in it. Other than the curry prawns, we also had roast duck brought all the way from KL. The roast duck was sweet and tender although it had been on the road for a few hours.

Popularity: 10% [?]

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We all talk about preserving the historical building, endangered animals, etc. But why don’t we also put in more effort to promote and support our locally unique heritage hand-made products and traditional trades. In this competitive world many trades have turn to mass production through new technology, but through this change we have loss the rich character of hand-made products that was once the pride of our country and culture.

Hand made “Mee Koo” (in Hokkien) or “Steamed Turtle Buns”  are one of the example of these dying trades in Malaysia. The Mee Koo are linked and used in Chinese festive celebrations and cultural ceremonies. Now a day, many have turn the age old manufacturing process by hand to mechanised manufacturing lines. But then who am I to say they are wrong to change, they still need to put rice on the table at this competitive times. As a marketing consultant, I advocate change to create a competitive edge to overcome obstacles and competition. But sometimes a total change would have created more harm than good. Therefore, we would need to consider the many angles that affect our change. Sometimes, partial change or improvements can do more good and than full conversions.

Hoe Peng & Co. is one of the examples of partial change that help them survive through the test of time. In the old days when one thinks of Mee Koo in Penang, Hoe Peng’s buns would be the first to come to mine. They not only churn out their famous Mee Koo but also “Siew Thou” (in Hokkien) or “Longevity Buns”, “Thou Sar Pheah” or “Green Bean Biscuits” and some Chinese folk lore prayer items that are used in Taoist ceremonies.

“Siew Thou” or Longevity Buns

“Tho Sar Pheah” or Green Bean Biscuit

Assorted Taoist Ceremonies Prayers Items

As our society, is ever influenced by the western culture and its dining practice, many have forgotten about the versatile Mee Koo. We have forgotten one could the Mee Koo as it is, with butter and kaya, dunk in a cup of hot Kopi ‘O’, made into French toast, or even used as a coating for fish n’ chips (that is my own recipe). Thus, it is due time to give our traditionally unique Mee Koo recognition and respect.

Some weeks ago we were honoured to be given the opportunity to visit and have a peek into the Mee Koo making process at Hoe Peng & Co.’s kitchen. Hoe Peng & Co. was previously located in a corner shop lot just beside “Ong Kongsi” and opposite the once tallest building in Malaysia, Komtar. Currently they have moved to a new location on Lorong Selamat where just opposite the famous “Lorong Selamat Char Koay Teow”. It is now under the umbrella of Cheong Kim Chuan, who has been a household name in Penang and also Malaysia since 1937. They are one of the producers and retailers of our famous and much sort after nutmeg products, “belacan”, “Rojak” sauce, Tambun Biscuit (Tau Sar Pneah) and other traditional Malaysian food and non-food products.

Our visit started with a tour of their Mee Koo making kitchen where we were introduced to its production executive and food tech, and then we were briefed on the Mee Koo making process. The process from flour to Mee Koo has in all 5 stages, fermenting, kneading, and moulding, proofing and finally steaming. All of these were used to be done by hand, but as technology touch down our shore of Malaysia many years ago, they have converted the mixing and kneading to a mechanical process by introducing mixing, kneading and press machines.

The initial stage of flour mixing and fermenting is a business secret which we did not cover. We begun on the the kneading process, the objective is to churn out dough that has a consistent and equal composition.

After the dough has reached the right consistency, it is then transferred to another machine where the dough is repeatedly passed through rollers to press the dough. This machine compresses the dough so that they reach a specific elasticity before it is sent to the human hands for moulding.

The common Mee Koo has two layers, the inner one is the main white bun and the outer pink or yellow layer is the skin that encases the white fluffy bun. At Hoe Peng & Co. the outer coloured layer is edible due to the food grade colouring used to churn out the dough.

At Hoe Peng, the tradition of hand moulding of the dough to the specific weight and shape are kept like when it was done many years ago. The dough is hand cut down to size and weighed, wrapped, moulded, and placed on the base paper which also serves as the branding of the Mee Koo.

After the Mee Koo dough is all prepped up, it is placed on a bamboo tray and left to proof or set before they are sent for steaming.  The proofing stage is a important stage where it also determines the texture of the end product. There is set time for proofing, but it mainly relies on the experience nad touch of the food tech to determine the duration required. The uncooked doughs are touch and squeezed to determine the ripeness because due to the ever floating temperature and humidity of our Malaysian climate, the Mee Koo proofing time would fluctuate.

After the Mee Koo is steamed and cooked, it is place on sale at the counter out side the retail outlet. As you are wondering how do they write the Chinese characters on the Mee Koo for the festive and cultural ceremonies? They are all hand ‘written’ upon request or order. This part of the mee koo is not edible because the dough used in writing the Chinese characters have not been cooked or steamed. They are actually raw dough with added colouring. The process of preparing the coloured dough is also hand-worked to the right texture and elasticity.

All the characters on every Mee Koo are hand ‘written’ using the traditional method that has been used since Hoe Peng & Co. opened it is doors for business years ago. The writing process is very laboured intensive and tedious. Imagine during the festive seasons and hundreds or thousands of orders that require specified Chinese characters to suit the occasion, I pity the person who has to ‘write’ all those characters. But I also admire the person for keeping the tradition alive for our future generations to experience and see.

Thus, as a Penangite I would like ask my fellow Malaysians regardless of the race and religion to put in support for our heritage products, trades, etc in the form of consuming and patronising them. Give the support in terms business so that they can get to survive the test of time and leave a piece of history, culture and character for our future generation that they will be proud of. Heritage is not only in the form of buildings and artefacts, but also the way of life, cuisines that were savoured by our forefathers, etc.

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Popularity: 17% [?]

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Days back while driving through the Jelutong Express-way, we noticed a typical looking Malay eating outlet beside the ramp just after the old land fill area along the express-way. As we just finish the eLawyer seminar at USM and had no plans of where to have lunch, we decided to try out the Malay eating outlet that we saw previously. When coming from the Georgetown area, just keep to the left after the Jelutong xpress-way Shell petrol station. The “makan” area is just after the old land fill. But if you are driving from the Bayan Lepas direction, after Tesco stay to the left and turn right at the first traffic lights and you will see the “makan” area.

The name of the stall is “Ani Nasi Campur Gulai Sembilang”, and it is housed in the “Balai Nelayan Jelutong”. The stall open’s for business daily except Sunday and their business hours are from 11:30am onwards until everything is gone from their trays. It literally closes after all their dishes are all sold out, and would just take about 2 to 3 hours. We were there some where near to 2:00pm and everything was all sold out except for some beef, squid, and some fish curries.

And thus, that is what we had for lunch that faithfull Saturday. 2 plates of white rice, 1 nasi tambah, 1 curry sembilang head, 1 piece of curry ikan pari  , 3 pieces of beef and some chilli squid. And the total demage is RM 17.00.

The chilli squid or “sotong pedas” was slightly chewy and over firm, but the taste was quite appetising with some sourness and heat. This dish almost taste like “sotong sambal”. With the gravy in toe, one could finish the whole plate of rice without anything else.

The beef that we had I guess was some sort of rendang or stewed beef. Anyway, it was tender and flavourful. The beef chunks that we had been moisten with a distinctive sardine like taste gravy with just the right amount of spice to bring out the beefy flavour. The heat in the chilli and spice did not overwhelm the sweet and affirmative taste of the beef chunks. The usage of curry leaves in this dish was also something that we do not see everyday at Malay “makan” stalls.

The “Ikan Pari” or stingray curry had some hint of “balacan” or fermented shrimp paste in it. The taste is of this dish is quite light but the gravy was creamy. It is a dish that I would not miss if the run out of stock on my next visit there.

Next on the table was the “Gulai Sembilang”, which is actually our local catfish cooked in their special “gulai” or curry. The gulai was light, sweet and full of fragrant of spices. As the gulai is light, it did not go well with white rice alone; one would need to mixed it with other heavier tasting gravies. But to enjoy it like one would do with soups would be a better way to enjoy the flavour the sembilang gulai has to offer. As for the sembilang fish head, it was creamy or “lemak” especially with those entire soft cartridge like flesh encasing the skull of the fish head. The mixture of spices used in the gulai was well balanced to rid the sembilang of any unappetising taste but yet left that sweet taste of fish still intact in the dish.   No wonder Ani is famous for their “gulai sembilang”!

On average, I would rate Ani Nasi Campur Gulai Sembilang:

* 3.8/5 for value (RM17 is a bit high just for 3 chunks of beef, scoops of squid, 1 piece of stingray meat and 1 catfish head)
* 3.9/5 for taste & texture (love the beef and catfish)
* 3.4/5 for service (not attentive when first approach the stall)
* 3.0/5 for cleanliness(by the sea and at make shift area, not much can be expected)
* 3.0/5 for atmosphere (a bit hot on sunny days)

Address : Balai Nelayan Jelutong, Jelutong Express-way, Penang.

Tel : 016-4584229 (Ani)

Business Hours : 11.30am – ?pm. Closed on Sundays.

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Popularity: 10% [?]

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aaaaahhhh………Still remember Ivy’s Kitchen Combo Meal posted a month ago?

I feel a bit bad towards to Mr.Tan & Ivy for owing the a-lar cart dinner post for such a long time.

Ok now, Ivy’s Kitchen also have available dishes on a-lar-cart order for dinner time besides the lunch combos that cater to the OLs and OMs in the near by office blocks.

At Night they serve Chinese and Nyonya dishes, and the followings are my verdict for some of the dishes served for the invited review dinner do:

The Big Banner hanging in front of the restaurant is eye catching. Jason has given Mr. Tan some ideas to make the restataurant’s brand name more visible to attract those who drive on Jalan Chow Thye. One of them was to place a extended vertical banner similar to that used by Japanese restaurants to show-off its name because the current banner is slightly out of sight by car drivers.

Sweet and Sour Flower Crab (market price)

The sauce combination is thick and very flavorful, and i can taste the distinctive sweet crab meat flavor from the first mouthful.

The flower crab flesh was indeed very meaty & fresh, it is a testament to the quality ingredients that they used here. To be frank, is my first encounter with such a meaty flower crab. Usually flower crab ain’t that meaty. The dish is a good mate for a bowl of fragrant white rice.

It was good, but there was a slightly sweet after taste. Light handed on the sugar is necessary.

Rating for the dish: 3.9/5

Gulai Tumis Chinese Silver Pomfret (market price)

Gulai Tumis usually would be Malaysian’s favourite, when talk and think about the dish one would start begin to experience a  saliva tsunami in the mouth. Hahaha…

What is so special about the Gulai? It is all about the spiciness of the chili paste, sourly taste of tamarind, pungent smell of lemongrass, light perfumery bungah kantan (tourh ginger) to make it became a mouth watering dish.

Above all ingredients, Ivy’s Kitchen version has additional Green Chilies and tomatoes. The Silver Promfret was fresh, but the fish was slightly over cooked because there some late arrivals due to the traffic situation.  I personally would prefer the silver pomfret put into the steaming tray rather into the gulai tumis if the fish still extremely fresh.  :)

Rating for the dish: 3.7/5

Assam Prawns (RM20 for 10 prawns)

Look at that divine caramelised colour!

There are 2 types of assam prawn, either with thick gravy or dried.  And here they served dried and crispy assam prawn with wonderful flavors .

I would say this nyonya assam prawn was very authentic to me. Although here in Malaysia there are tones of restaurant serving the same dish, but rarely you would get the same “good” nyonya assam prawn.

But don’t be sad, you can now taste the very nicely marinated and pan fried to perfection assam prawn in Ivy’s kitchen. The tamarind flavour is not overpowering; sweet and sour on the right balance. Thumbs Up!

Rating for the dish: 4/5

Fried Bean curd with Leeks

This was a simple homey dish with wok hei. It was slightly dried, a little more gravy and leeks should be better.

Again, it was slightly over sweeten.

Rating for the dish: 3.6/5

Tofu with Seaweed Soup

Seaweed soup with distinctive and clear flavours! This is the freshest seaweed flavour and aroma that I never taste before. No wonder Japanese like it so much. But again it was slightly over sweeten with the seasoning.

The soup come together with sliced carrots, fish balls, cabbages, minced chicken balls and prawns, and of course generous amounts of  the fragrant seaweed

Rating for the dish: 3.8/5

Fried Snow Pea Shoots with Bean Sprouts

The combination of snow pea shoots and bean sprout stir fried was not popular not until the recent years. I and jason still remember we had our curry fish head in Alor Star and we discovered this combination of stir frying of snow pea shoots and bean sprouts for the first time back in 2006 or 2007. Something interesting, as the friendly curry fish head chef cum owner told us, bean sprout gives the sweetness and evenly match the bitterness and rough texture of the snow pea shoots.

Anyway, the easiest dish is the hardest to master, more skill is needed. This dish in Ivy’s has that homey taste with wok hei.  But the bean sprouts were slightly overcooked, thus, the loss of that crunchy feeling. But the fragrant garlic bits compensated for that..

Rating for the dish: 3.7/5

Fruits Platter

After all the dishes, big plate of fruits was sent to our table, with chunks of sweet mango, papaya and longan.

Note: ivy’s kitchen is serves pork free dishes.

Average rating for this place:

2.9/5 for value (slightly over priced for seafood, but it was on market forces)
3.8/5 for taste & texture (taste of home cook meals, but there is still room to excel especially on the handling of certain ingredients and the seasoning)
3.8/5 for service
4.0/5 for cleanliness
3.0/5 for atmosphere (not much of decoration. evening got lots of mosquito due to the neighbours plants but they are looking into environmental friendly ways to get rid of this minor problem)

Location:

Add : 58 Jalan Chow Thye, 10250 Penang. (Next to Isaribi Tei and near by Jemputree)

Tel : 013-433 7878 (Mr. Tan), 016-433 7130 (Ms. Ivy)

Business Hours : Daily 9:00am-9:00pm from Monday to Sunday. Saturday 12:00pm-9:00pm.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

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It was a hot late afternoon and what the hack my appointment was canned, so we detoured to the old “Bubur” push-cart-stall on the sidelines of the busy Penang Road in the heart of Georgetown. The stall is no other than the famous “Kamblis Bubur” at the junction of Penang Road and Jalan Dato Koyah. It is just directly opposite of Ho Ping coffee shop and just at the door steps of the once famous Kayu Nasi Kandar.

It has been quite sometime since I last ate at this bubur stall. So you when there is an opportunity, I can’t resist. At the stall you can see people from all walks of live, from different ethnic group, of different skin colour etc enjoying a bowl of thick, sweet and rich “bubur” and mingling about the daily happenings. There is no tension or disharmony to be seen.

My favourite is their “bubur gandum” or wheat porridge in direct translation. The bubur gandum is actually whole wheat grains cooked in coconut milk and sweeten and seasoned to produce that seemingly sinful tea time snack for people of all ages, except the diabetic. A bowl of bubur with a scoop of glutinous rice only cost RM 0.70, but take-away would cost 30 cents more. The bubur gandum is only available on weekend(s), which I am not very sure. On week days they would cooked up other types of bubur which they daily changed so as not to bore their patrons with the same old thing everyday. It is a bit cliché; you can say it is like a pot of chocolate, you won’t know what is installed for the pot cover is lifted.

It was good to recall the good old days when we used to ride our bike around town and just stopping where ever is convenient and have a bite or two. It is the simplest things in the world that give us comfort on a hectic or busy day.

Popularity: 7% [?]

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