Shangri-La’s  Golden Sands Resort has just launched their Sigi’s Bar & Grill Beach Bar, an addition to their alfresco no-frills, real food restaurant by the beach. The have got the soft sand at their feet, whacky bean bags, relaxing reclining chairs, soothing sound of waves washing ashore sand, the cool sea breeze, the warmth of a setting sun and a variety of beers, Mojitos, wines, cocktails and soft drinks, but the picture is not perfect without you.The beach front bar that is capable to cater to 60 pax opens from 5:00pm to 12:00am daily with a mixologist a.k.a bartender mending the well equip 10 sitter bar sheltered in  a star-shaped canopy that allows you to enjoy the fresh and cooling sea breeze while taking in the magnificent sun setting at the horizon.  As the moon rises so does the “temperature” at the beach bar where a live band is ever ready to entertain you with their rendering of good old classics to the most recent chart toppers. During the launch event, attended by the likes of media journalist, food columnist, VIP guests and corporate partners, we were entertained by a bartender flipping bottles like the scene in Cocktail with Tom Cruise. Then there were the flame eaters that don’t only swallow the lit torches but also spit fire to heat up the excitement. As part of the launching program, the adventurous were given the opportunity to try their hand in mixing up their own cocktails to experience the flair of being a “bartender”.  One of their longest staying guests from Germany who have logged around 5,000 room stays was seen enjoying the action at the bar with the other invited guests. As the night got older and with all the Mojitos, beers, wines setting in, we had to bit farewell Golden Sands Resort’s and SBG’s team for the whirling good time, tasty Spanish styled Tapas and great drinks with a heavy heart.

If you are ever in Batu Feringgi in the evening, why not give them a try and see what they can serve up to you for your before dinner drinks to help you get the mood going before a proceeding to savour the tantalizing dishes churned out by their new in-house chef, Fredrick. Attending the event with us were Jazz & Trista, Jennifer and Joling. You may want to visit their blogs to see better looking photos and also read about their time there.

Sigi’s Bar and Grill On the Beach
Shangri-La’s Golden Sands Resort
Batu Feringgi Beach 11100 Penang Malaysia

Tel : 04 886 1852
Business Hours : 11am-6pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm (Beach Bar: 5pm-12midnight)

Popularity: 3% [?]

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Amidst the row of pre-war houses along Kimberley Street in George Town, Penang, there lay many hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered by the young and restless. House in these old buildings are people and businesses who have seen Penang’s development through their century old windows. In this busy street, many famous delicacies that are significant to Penang’s food heritage and culture that are key to it’s food tourism were born, koay teow th’ng stall that once used abalone as a condiment, a dessert stall that have grind through three (3) generations, Hainanese kopitiams who have brewed coffee for and fed generations of patrons, Char Koay Teow’s that have filled the tummies of movies goers who frequent the once bustling independent cinemas around town, etc.

One of the many businesses who have set a foot hold on Kimberley Street is Nam Kie 南佳, an 83 years old Hainanese Kopitiam that was once a bustling meeting point for many Hainanese migrants that came to Penang in search of a better life. Then, Nam Kie 南佳would normally operate in the day time with a non-pretentious menu of good old Hainanese Kopi, homemade Kaya, charcoal flame toasted bread and soft boil eggs. Now, after handing the reins to its 3rd generation, they have added Hianan Char to their staple. Apart from Nam Kie 南佳, Khee Cheang Leong 喜昌隆, which is still operating, was also available to provide for the night dwellers with a similar offerings and may be more.Though coffee was brought into the then Malaya, it has gained much popularity and demand by the migrants be it Chinese, Indian and even the Malays who have made the once colonial trading hub their center of business, life and home. What sets the Hainanese kopi or coffee apart from the Western world coffees is the method of processing and the technique of brewing the bitter kopi beans. The beans are roasted in a wok with sugar, butter and wheat, thus the malty rich and buttery creamy taste that is produced after brewing with the optimum water temperature, right size of cloth filter and most importantly the experience and skill of the master brewer. We were told that if all the combinations are right, the brewed kopi ‘O” or black coffee would induce a drunk or “high” sensation that is still an myth to me.

It depend what is the preference of the drinker, the generic Hainan kopi can be served Kopi “O” (black coffee with sugar or without), Kopi (coffee with sweeten condensed milk), Kopi-C (coffee with sugar and evaporated milk) or anything that fancies you. Nam Kie 南佳 has given me the opportunity to taste a Kopi “O” that delivers sweetness with a slight bitter after taste without the acidic end, and Kopi that is creamy, sweet that ends with a bitter sensation to the tongue.Kaya is the Peranakan version of a Western jam, made from eggs, freshly pressed coconut cream, pandan (screw pine leafs), sugar and lots of patience.  Nam Kie 南佳 double boils their Kaya concoction for at least half a day until it naturally turns brownish in colour and develops a distinctive rich creamy coconut flavour over distributed charcoal flames. If the Kaya is cooked thoroughly, then the longer it will last in room temperature. Quality ingredients also determine the live span of the Kaya, we were told that they used to make Kaya that can stay fresh for at least 2 weeks without refrigerating. As time changes, the quality of sugar and coconut has decline and thus reducing the live span to around 1 week.With the rising competition from organized food courts and fast food franchises, Nam Kie 南佳 has begun to dish out the family style Hainan Char or Hainanese Stir-Fried Noodles to recapture their dwindling customer base who have either moved out from bustling city or have moved on. Their Hainan Char is similar with the Penang style Hokkien Char minus the prawn base stock and the dark soya sauce used to give colour and taste to the carefully choreographed stir-fried yellow noodles and vermicelli. In it’s original form, their Hainan Char consist of lean pork slices and fresh prawns stir-fried with fragrant garlic and lard, which then serves as a base to a handful of yellow noodles and rice vermicelli and mustard leaves that are braised in a sweet soup stock for extra flavour.For added colour and taste, you may request for the dark version of the Hainan Char that infuses dark soya sauce for a nutty and savoury caramel flavour.If you are lucky enough, then you might get to try their Oyster Noodles or Oh Mee that is filled the flavours from the sea, little bit earthiness and a little bit of creaminess.If you are not rushing from place to place and fighting with the clock, try stepping back into time and savour the atmosphere it reflects and taste the flavours and feel the passion that have aged and polished with time. Give thoughts to the hard-work and discipline to those who still strive to give you the best on the table, like the Hainanese Satay vendors that hand-make the pieces of meat into works of “art”.

Popularity: 7% [?]

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The name “Cheers” reminds me of an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. The tag line “Everybody Knows Your Name” from the theme song is still deeply edged in my memories. I guess it would be great to go to a place for some chow and drinks, relax and be recognised for who you are!

Last weekend we were invited over to “Cheers Restaurant & Bierhous” situated off Jalan Tanjung Tokong, directly opposite of Caltex petrol pump. We have been there before on our own accord and didn’t give much thought of the place then but after the current visit, we did find that the kitchen have made some fine tuning and were able to present a better meal. It was an open invited review and attended by 10 and the food served had their portion increased to suit our numbers.

Let’s start with their “Homemade Mushroom Soup” (RM9.80) as an appetizer to warm the palates. The soup was thick and creamy with a sweet earthy taste. There were bits and pieces of mushroom blended into the soup to give it some texture.We were given 5 of their signature main courses to sample and review, starting with their “Cheers Fisherman Sensation” (RM29.80). On the plate were pan grilled sea-bass and dory fish fillets, prawns, cheese baked mussels and chuka idako (marinated baby octopus) dressed in a garlic butter sauce. There was contrast of texture from the well seasoned seafood items which were finished with a non-fail able sweet buttery garlic sauce.Continuing with the mains was their “Cheers Seafood Chicken” (RM31.80). A perfectly butterfly chicken thigh baked until tender with a layer of seafood mix and a rich and fragrant cheese jacket and served with fresh greens, creamy Japanese sweet potato mash and a sweet tangy mandarin sauce.  The chicken chop is an alternative to the usual chicken chops, but the price tag was slightly on the high side on our accounts though the combination was exotic and quite appealing. Then came their “Cheers Burger Special” (RM21.80), a double patty burger on a toasted bun and served with golden fries and coleslaw. The moist and tender pork patty was peppery, well seasoned and a good compliment to the earthy sweet and savoury seafood patty that contains salmon, scallop, mussels and prawns. The burger is worth every single cent “paid”!The fourth to be sent out from the kitchen were their “Cheers BBQ Ribs” (RM29.80), marinated with their special combination of herbs and spices overnight, then wrapped in foil and slow roasted in a conventional oven until tender and off the bone. The ribs were glazed with their BBQ sauce that had a sweeten end which was slightly over for us, but the texture well compensated.Lastly, we had their fusion “Cheers Knuckles for 1″ (RM29.80). De-boned tender pork knuckle meat served with its crackling, spicy green mango salsa and malty beer reduction brown sauce. Though is not an original, the combination of German taste and Asian flavours did managed to peep out. The last time we had this item at Cheers; it was quite a disappointment with its dry and unappetizing meats.

Our overall experience:

• Add: 3X, Jalan Pantai Molek, Tanjung Tokong, 10470 Penang, Malaysia
• Tel:  +60 (4) 8999 757
• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheers-Restaurant-Bierhaus/227503800646941
• Business Hours: Monday -  Sunday 3.00pm – 1:00am

Popularity: 3% [?]

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In the coming weeks or may be months, we will be working with the bubbly ‘Lonely Teacher’ from Lonely Classroom to produce and record a series of podcast that will touch on places of food interest, etiquette, culture, trends and most importantly the joy of savouring tasty food.

Our first studio recording was on buffets because we have just finished a month long event with SHangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa Penang.

Buffet, a system of serving meals by which food is placed in a public area where diners pick and choose what they fancy and help themselves until they have enough. The term buffet was originally referred to the French sideboard where food was served, but the buffet table originated from the Brännvinsbord - Swedish snaps table (Smörgåsbord) from the middle of 16th century. And was developed into the buffet spread that we know today back in the early of the 19th century.

Here is the recording of the first session in Cantonese. We hope that we will have time to do some recordings in English…

Enjoy!!!

Download

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Back in 2009, May 22d we posted about Ah Soon Thong Shui after patronizing their make shift stall on Jalan Helang on numerous occasions during my 4 & 1/2 years stint as Area Manager for a German company that require me to travel to places that have needs of the products that I was responsible for.

Late last year they have moved into a terrace unit off the main road of Jalan Sungai Dua, and they are known as Sweet-i.

Operation hours: 2:00pm – 9:00pm (Close On Thursday)
Address:727-F, Jalan Sg Dua, 11700 Gelugor.
GPS: N5° 35′ 13.61″  E 100° 29′ 85.00″

Their desserts or Thong Shuis are still not too sweet and has a balance of flavours.

This the video record that we did some time back, when they were still hawking on the road side.

Popularity: 4% [?]

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There is another German Bistro in Straits Quay that goes by the name of BERLIN’S BIER HOUZ(BBH). This is their second outlet in the whole of Malaysia as I was told. Their first flagship outlet was established in May 2010 in Ipoh’s infamous Green Town area. Berlin’s concept is to provide proper sit in dining for German and European food at an affordable price with an extensive range of beers to compliment their available dishes. We were told that they currently have about 43 types or brands of beer that are available by the bottle and or by the tap. The price of the beers are slightly cheaper compared to price offered by some of the F&B outlets that are also housed in Straits Quay. Another plus point for having a few drinks at Berlin’s is the night view of the Gurney Drive cove and that of the container yard on the opposite site of the island.

As it is mentioned, BBH serves dishes that have origins from Germany and Europe. The food list is not very extensive but at least it can provide some variety of choices with quite a budget price tag. The food list starts with light bites or snack that goes quite well with the many types of beer that they have to offer, then there are the mains that comes in to fill the hunger and it ends with desserts.

First up we had the “German Sausage Platter” that is priced at RM25.80.  The platter comes with a mixture 3 different sausage (if not mistaken Emmentaler Cheese, Garlic & Black-pepper). This platter could suffice the urge for gourmet sausages at a budget price with an average or acceptable taste profile. But texture wise, I prefer firmer sausages with more crunch or crisp skin. Thus, it would be better if the sausage were not sliced open before serving to keep the crisp feeling when we slice into it, and also to maintain the juices are intact.

Next was their version of “German Pork Knuckle” that is prices at RM25 for a half portion and RM43 for a full portion(whole). The price was very tempting although we already had a light dinner before we went to BBH. For RM25, the portion of the knuckle was quite luscious. The crackling was very crisp with every bite, but the meat was slightly dehydrated and over firmed. With the knuckle we found the simplicity of taste, just the flavours of pork and some savouriness.

Then we had their “Pork Burger with Cheese” that is stated RM16.80 per order. The patty is made with full 100% minced pork pan-grilled until well done, then slab on a bed of juicy sliced tomatoes and shredded lettuce and sandwiched between 2 halves of a toasted fluffy bun. The patty was flavourful and moist and goes quite well with a pint of cold beer. The only down side of the burger was that it was a bit sloppy.

Overall experience:

BERLIN’S BIER HOUZ

3E-G-3B Straits Quay Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang Tanjung Tokong 10470 Pulau Pinang.

Popularity: 21% [?]

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After loosing touch with Chee Meng Wantan Mee, we have finally got them back on our radar. They are now back in their old spot at “Tai Wah Cafe” on Agryll Road. After moving out of Thong Seng late last year, they went for a self proclaim holiday until the 7th day of the Chinese Lunar calender. Business is as usual and will be closed on every Tuesdays.

Popularity: 6% [?]

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On the second(2nd) day of this Chinese Lunar New Year my sister decided to have “Poon Choi” (盆菜) from Dragon-i for dinner to celebrate the beginning of Spring or lì chūn (立春)。The Dragon-i’s ‘Prosperity Abalone Treasure Pot’ set is priced at RM 388 and RM338 for CIMB Bank customers, and boast to have 16ingredients with an approximate weight of 8.5 pounds or 3.85kg. The ingredients listed in the broacher are Australian premium abalone (10head), Australian sea cucumber, Japanese dried scallop, Japanese dried oyster, premium mushrooms, Pantai Remis fresh sea prawn, fish maw, roast chicken, roast pork belly, Golden Money Bag, yam, black moss, Chinese Cabbage, Tianjin Cabbage, deep-friend bean curd skin and radish.  But bear in mind that they are allowed to substitute or change the ingredients as stated in their marketing literature.

As there were an over whelming demand for treasure pot set, they ran out of pots thus we had to bring our own Japanese claypot which was significantly bigger. For take-away, the stock was packed separately and all the ingredients placed in individual sections and layers.

Once we got back home after driving through the jammed Jalan Batu Ferringghi, we added the stock and reheated the treasure pot. But half way through reheating, a very light burnt smell was coming from the pot. The cabbage leaves that were place at the bottom started to burn from the heat because the leaves have more fibres and less moisture compared to radish and burns easily. Therefore, extra care should be taken when reheating it at home.

The following photos show the layers of ingredients that came in the treasure pot. If I am not mistaken, those stated in their brochures were all present except for the fish maw (花胶筒) and black moss (发菜). Presentation wise it looked like any soupy claypot dish and its taste did not excite our palates nor leave a very lasting impression. The mushrooms and roast pork belly were a size overly big, the sea cucumber had a fishy taste and the abalones were bland, and all ingredients tasted with same flavor, but the soup stock was averagely light and sweet.

Back in 2008 before the market went bonkers with Poon Choi promotions and packages, we had begun researching for the origins and recipes that we could easily adopt or adapt for local ingredients and taste preference. We started with  a recipe that had Hakka influence that required every ingredient that goes in to the pot to be individually prepared and cooked so as  to present layers of flavours and texture when you start consuming the Poon Choi. The preparing process includes a few cooking method, such as steamed, deep fried, pan grilled, poached, braised an so on.

Each layer has their unique flavours. As you eat through the layers and go down to the bottom, you will find layers of pork skin, bean curd skin and radish used to layer the bottom to minimize burning and most importantly to soak up the flavours that have trickled down.

Then in 2010, my in-laws did another version of poon choi that require less tedious work for their Chinese New Year reunion dinner. It had radish, bean curd skin, stewed chicken (feet), roast duck, salted fried prawns, stewed mushrooms, vegetables and canned abalone. It also delivered layers of flavours and texture minus some hard work.

Which version above could really draw your appetite?

Popularity: 13% [?]

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A few weeks back we are ask to sample this particular brand, Fresh 鲜茶工坊,  of  fruit tea business that works on a distributorship  concept. The distributor who invited us was located at 16, Lebuh Macallum in Penang. It is at a row of shop houses just before the Macallum Street wholesale market. This particular outlet caters to the dine-in, take-away and also deliveries to a stipulated area at certain time of the day.

Fresh 鲜茶工坊 boast to be a specialist in the fruit flavoured tea drinks; especially the Passion fruit flavoured ones. We were told that most of their ingredients, for their drinks and food items, are imported from Taiwan, even their cups and their individually packed straws. That is how far the “Master Distributor” will take to make sure they provide the best product to their clients.

Although their best or most popular drink is the passion fruit flavoured tea drinks, it doesn’t mean that their other drink offerings are not good enough. I guess it would be best to inquire their counter staffs or scan through their drinks menu for the flavour that will excite your taste buds. There are 8 types of fruit flavours to choose from for your green tea or earl grey tea base. It also provides a selection between Nata-De-Coco and “Black Pearls” for your drink. ‘Yakult’ is also an option to enhance the taste of the drink you fancy.

One of the key items in Taiwanese milk teas or tea based drinks are the “black pearls” or “黑珍珠”. At Fresh they were said to be replenished or changed every 4 hours to maintain its flavours and also its texture. The black pearls have a springy texture but yet do not stick to the grooves in the mouth, and it has a herbal after taste rather than a sweet taste which is quite different from the versions that I have had before.

Other than drinks, they also served some light finger food or snacks and a few Japanese dishes to begin with. During the sampling day we were given two dishes to try, one was their ‘Okonomiyaki‘ and the other was their ‘Kabayaki Unagi don’. Their okonomiyaki (RM 9.00) is made of cooked cabbage, pork slices, egg omelette and topped with generous amounts of bonito flakes and mayo.  The cabbage was sweet with a crunchy surface and well cooked centre, the pork slices were tender and juicy and the egg omelette was fragrant and moist. Price wise it is not very cheap, but definitely value for money as the stuffing of cabbage and pork slice were very plentiful and of better quality.

Then we had try at their Kabayali Unagi Don (RM13.50) where the special sweet sauce was also imported to ensure that the taste is as near as possible to what the ‘Master Distributor’ have experienced. The rice was fluffy and the Unagi very tender and the sauce had a caramel and savoury flavour. It would go down very well with a person who likes heavy tasting food.

Overall experience:

Popularity: 15% [?]

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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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一年一度的中秋节落在这个星期三, 先祝各位读者和网友中秋节快乐!

去了gurney plaza走了一圈, 本来不打算买月饼的我, 看着看着那些五花八门的促销, 心也动了

我一眼就看上了这个怀旧娘惹的包装, 特别有feel, 于是我们和售货员要了些sample试吃.

Brochure 封面

以下有 “Tick” 是我们所买的特色月饼.

天山紫薯 Moon Light Kiss Moon Cake - 用日本紫蕃薯做馅, 有蕃薯香味…不错不错

经典娘惹 Passion for Life Moon Cake - 这个是不辣版本, 有创意…可一试.

潮州梅冬菜饼 – 又咸又甜的配搭, 很有趣.

蛋黄酥 Egg Yolk Pies – 这个是他们得奖之作,  内馅入口即容, 的确有水准.

娘惹叁曼月饼 Nyonya Sambal Moon Cake – 这个和经典娘惹相似, 但是辣版…虾米味香. 值得一试.

这家从柔佛州出品的月饼的确给我们惊喜,所以我才放上网推荐. 不妨一试

http://yongsheng.com.my/

Popularity: 7% [?]

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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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It has been quite awhile since we last set foot into the infamous “New Lane” in Penang. Our recent venture bore us 2 new finds, one a “Tang Yuan” road side stall and two a Chee Cheong Fun with its origin from Teluk Intan.

The Tang Yuan stall is said to have been operating for the past 2 years in the coffee shop opposite the from where they are now. They are easy to find, just near the Sunway Hotel exit. Their Tang Yuan is soft and smooth with the texture of “Muar Chee” and their feelings are quite well balance in terms of texture and taste, goes very well with the Tang Yuan dough texture. Will be back to try the other variants of soup and feelings.

My pick or favourite would be the Ginger syrup and Osmanthus Flower(桂花) a.k.a Sweet Olive  syrup. The Osmanthus syrup (shown below) was fragrant and lite, almost like drinking nectar. My Gill like the soy bean soup version cause she is “nuts” person. The white caloured soup was also lite and a hint earthy taste and bean curd skin flavour.

The second find of the night was the Teluk Intan’s(Ansun) famous Chee Cheong Fun. They just started business in the New Lane Cafe just about a month ago and are now working hard to promote the availability of the  ”Ansun” chee cheong fun in Penang.

The chee cheong fun are made fresh, thus I had the opportunity to photo-document down the process of making the famous chee cheong fun.

The steaming contraption seen here assists the entrepreneurs to mass manufacture chee cheong fun in matters of minutes. The traditional way is sheet by sheet manually on a piece of cloth and steamed till cooked.

Popularity: 10% [?]

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Song River is located right smack on Gurney Drive, just a few doors up from Evergreen Hotel. We usually don’t patronise the place but because of its grilled fish, we have put in some time to try the other hawker stalls and their offerings available for the dinner and late night crowd.

Charcoal grilled chicken parts are one of the attraction in Song River, especially for the beer drinkers and those looking something snack on while they chit chat. So far our favourites are the chicken wings and bishops’ nose, the whole thigh is not our cup of tea. The chicken wings when prepared properly (depending on luck) offers a taste of smokiness, caramelization, savouriness and sweetness (sometimes slightly too sweet for us). When it has the balance of the flavours, no further chilli sauce is needed (but that depends on individuals) as it would overwhelmed the natural sweetness of the chicken and the taste of the marinates.

Tip:

• Order one piece to try, if it is up to standard on your particular visit, only then ask for more.
• One serving 10pcs of bishops’ nose is more than enough for 2 persons.

Another stall that one may like to try is the “Fried Oyster” which is manned by an old uncle. The servings that we had were rich in egg flavour and the oysters were nicely cooked (tender and neither under nor over cooked). The spices added some aromatic fragrance to the omelette without overpowering the eggy fragrance and the sweetness of the oysters. The sprinkle of spring onions gave it a touch of freshness and sweetness. The usual fried oyster omelette would constitute the usage of some form of starch to give it “extra body” and act as a binding agent, this stall uses it sparingly, and thus one would not feel overwhelmed after a serving or two.

Tip:

• Order the smallest serving and request for crispier omelette.
• Spring onion and coriander gives some freshness to the omellete.

Our favourite stall here would be the Grilled Fish which opens for business at around 10:30pm on week days and 8:00 plus on Sundays. This stall has the usual stingray and other local fishes ready for the pan, but the prize selection is the meat from the belly part of a fish(鱼腩). We frequent this grill fish stall because of the marinate that is uses for its grilling. The marinate consist of lots of raw garlic and birds eye chilli, fermented bean paste, sugar and “asam”. It is different from the usual grill fish stalls in other hawker centre and food courts. The after product would taste rich, sweet, spicy and nutty with slight acidity, but yet would not overwhelm the flavours of the fish.

Tip:

• Be there early for the fish belly(鱼腩).
• Ask for less bird’s eye chili padi if you could not take spicy
• Ignore the chattering of the stall owner.
• The asam deep also goes well with the BBQ chicken wings and bishops’ nose.

The bah kut teh stall is one that we won’t be going back for seconds after our first try. We have tasted better ones. The soup base was blend and the portion for was little compared to price we paid for.

Overall rating for Song River and its hawker stalls:

Taste & Texture: 3.0/5 (lacks consistency, except the grill fish stall that has a higher ratio of hitting the right balance)
Money Value : 2.5/5 (above average pricing due to its location)
Service: 2.5/5 (average unless you know them for some time)
Cleanliness: 1.5/5 (open air places near the sea normally gets visits from more than two legged friends)
Atmosphere: 2.0/5 (open air kopitiam, can’t ask for much)

Popularity: 8% [?]

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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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If you are ever in the vicinity of our vibrant Chowrasta Market in Georgetown, you might want to pay ‘Kedai Kopi Soon Yuen’ a visit. Late last Sunday morning we chance upon a Koay Teow Th’ng stall that operates in that particular coffee shop. We have passed by this shop numerous of times and we didn’t thought much of what can be uncovered from this place. We were really wrong to have the perception.

At Soon Yuen, one could find the branch of the famous Macalister Lane Chee Cheong Fun; Koay Teow Th’ng, Wantan Mee, Hokkien Mee, Lam Mee and the breakfast favourite, toast and soft boil egss. We have tried most of what they and will be back the following Sunday to try the wantan mee which look quite nice and toast.

The poach chicken from the KKT stall uses old egg-laying hens to make their soup and to serve as additional side dish. The chicken as compared to the Lebuh Clarke KTT stall, which also sells the old hen meat, is more fragrant and finer. The skin and fatty layer has more fragrance and a more crunchy texture. And the meat is of finer texture and has more chicken/gamy flavour. The plate of chicken with some bean sprouts cost us RM10.00.

We were late, thus just yellow noodles were the only noodle available. May be with flat rice noodle (Koay Teow) the soup would have tasted better. But for RM3.00 per bowl is just slightly on the costly side.

Taste & Texture: 3.0/5 (for chicken only)
Money Value : 2.8/5 (Lebuh Clarke has a better pricing as compared.)
Service: 2.8/5 (Average and informative)
Cleanliness: 2.2/5 (Table and floor was a bit wanting)
Atmosphere: 2.5/5 (kopitiam mah!)

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Popularity: 6% [?]

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Lameizi has been in operations for the past 3 plus years but we were only introduced to them late last year, and from then they have been one of our hot pot haunts when we feel bored of other food. We are no longer at the age where we can gorge on ‘quantity’ and ‘artificial’ food at the local steamboat buffets that offer a one price eat all you can dining. We now look for places where we can enjoy quality food with less hassle and affordable but not dirt cheap price range.

We were told that when they started their operations, business was not very good due to the structure of the road flow. But after it has been change to one-way flowing in from Burmah Road, business has been picking up. The place opens from 5:00pm to 5:00am daily, seven days a week. Yes 5am! Not only nasi kandar for late night bites.

At Lameizi, there are a variety of soup base available to begin your hot pot adventure. I think we have tried almost all of them including their Spicy Hot Pot (麻辣火锅), Duck Soup Hot Pot (老鸭汤锅), Tomyam Hot Pot, Pig Leg Soup Hot Pot(猪手煲), Spicy Beef Hot Pot(水煮牛肉锅), etc. The soup bases are all prepared by the lady boss who uses recipes and ingredients brought by her from Chong Qing in Mainland China. If anyone is game for fiery night with the after burner effect in the morning, ask for extra kick in the spicy base soups that can really burn rubber!

Condiments are kimited to house made red chili oil, green ground chili, chili padi, raw garlic, soya sauce, vinegar and sesame seed oil. If you are open to try new things, may you like to try their peanut butter dip and fermented bean curd dip. We have yet to try the 2, it will be on our next try list.

Side dishes or ingredients available are quite wide in variety, ranging from seafood to vegetables to freshly sliced meats. All the ingredients are freshly prepared upon ordering, thus it would take some time before they are served to the table. So do bare with them. A good tip is to look for Ah Hin to recommend the best and fresh items for the day.

For noodle selection, there is their potato noodles, instant noodles, bee hoon, etc.

If you are looking for snacks or cooked items, you may like to try their deep fried fish head, deep fried enoki mushroom and deep fried mantis prawns.

Reviewed in year 2010, June:

Reviewed in year 2011, April:

Lameizi Restaurant Sdn. Bhd.

Address: 5, Jalan Nagore, Georgetown, 10050 Penang.

Tel: 04-227 9969

GPS: N05*25’18.9″ E100*19’35.3″

Popularity: 10% [?]

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After hearing much hype of the Town Steamboat in Macalister Road, we finally made a point at least try out the place for once. I guess we will stick to our favourite steamboat spot for now although it is not eat-all-you-can type buffet. May be if we were younger Town Steamboat would have appealed to us more, some how with age the ‘tangki’ grow smaller.

There are a selection of soup bases to choose for the steamboat, and one would be able to enjoy two at one seating. It is a buffet steamboat at RM18.90 during the weekdays and RM20.90 on weekends and public holidays, don’t expect too much from the soup or you will get disappointed.

Selection of items for the steamboat and pan griller were limited although we were one of the few early birds. It was a contrast with what we saw in our fellow bloggers’ blog. Lucky them!  There was no ‘lok-lok’, black vinegar pork knuckles and char koay teow in sight. And the dim sum selection was also limited in numbers and variety.

The favourite section for us was the sliced raw meat section and vegetable area. We don’t really fancy all the ‘artificial’ items available  for the picking. One thing about the raw meat section that we noticed was that the marinate tastes almost similar to one and another.

The pan grill section and ‘satay’ stall was also our full of dinners waiting for their fair share of succulent pork chop and chicken satay to be cook for them.

Dim Sum, pastry and fried snacks were quite limited in choice that faithful night. Not much could we tasted for the night.

Dessert was also few in selection. At one point the ice cream freezer was almost empty for quite a period of time.

To summarise, Town Steamboat would not be our chosen place to go for steamboat but what can one expect from the price that they charge? For us at least at the minimum, consistency in the available items that they are suppose to have for their buffet line.

Address: Town Steamboat Restaurant, 63 Macalister Road, 10400 Penang
Tel           : 04-229 7273
Business Hour: 5.30pm – 11.30pm

Popularity: 10% [?]

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We were celebrating post Mother’s Day with Gill’s mom at La Mei Zhi. We are early so I decided to go for a cup of coffee at siTigun, which has been much blog of by many bloggers in Penang. A cup of single shot espresso is only RM 3.80, quite a reasonable price considering the average cost of espresso is around RM0.50 or so, actual cost will depend on the grade and quality. The coffee is quite aromatic and flavourful with hints of chocolate, sweetness and with a slight sour finish.

They are a micro coffee roaster, thus their coffee are as fresh as it gets. And it is one of the reasons it does not ‘stink’ when they grind or brew their bean.

A part from coffee, we could not resist trying their satay. We were told it is the authentic ‘Madura Sate’ from East Jawa. Originating from the island of Madura, near Java, is one of the famous variants among Indonesians. The recipe’s main characteristic is the black sauce made from Indonesian sweet soy sauce/kecap manis mixed with palm sugar or gula jawa, garlic, deep fried shallots, peanut paste, petis (shrimp paste), candlenut or kemiri, and salt. It is served and eaten with rice or rice cakes called lontong that are wrapped in banana. Condiments include thinly sliced raw shallot and plain sambal.

At RM15 for 5 sticks is quite a price to pay, but every bite is worth the money. Every stick were slowly grilled over a bed of hot coals until the surface caramelized and cooked. The chicken chunks were juicy and tender, retaining the sweetness of the meat. The glazing sauce did not interfere with the taste of the chicken; it actually enhanced the flavours even more.

The condiments that came with the Javanese satay were pickled cucumber and shallots, rice cakes(lontong), and peanut sauce. The peanut sauce was creamy, nutty and not too sweet and too spicy; a right balance of flavours. The satay was also served with a squeezed of lime juice which added a refreshing touch to the whole dish.

I guess I will be coming back to try out the other varieties of coffee product and their Madura satay, which is only available on Friday and Saturday evenings!

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Popularity: 7% [?]

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As we mention that in our invited review post of Kang Beef House that we will return to try their noodles, we did on last Friday (2nd Apr) night. We were in between appointment, thus on the way to Bayan Baru we decided to stop by at Kang’s for dinner. What meant to be a touch n’ go meal turned into a fast sampling of some of the items that we did not have the space for the other day.

The last trip or review was on the house and arranged by Steven, this time it is less stressful and more enjoyable because it is on our own expenditure and most important it is what we like best; the freedom to comment our will desires. Our dinner began with a piping hot bowl of their clear soup Beef Noodle at RM6.00 for the smallest serving. Because of our mistake we did not get what we would normally order which is the flat rice noodles (koay teow), but instead we were served with a special flat body yellow noodle. I am not sure how the noodle should feel like, to us that faithful night it was not as springy as wantan noodles but not soft like the usual lye water (yellow) noodles.

Back to the star component for this dish which is the soup. The soup had flavour but was still slightly bland which may be due to the contamination of water from the cooking of the noodles, otherwise it would have been almost perfect. Next time will try to ask for separate serving of soup plus toppings and noodles. As for the beef slices, when served it still maintained a pinkish hue which denotes just the right cooking time was put into these tender slices. The only thing that we found short for these tender slices of beef was that the texture was slightly rough due to the cut it was from.

Next on our table was their Dry Fried Hor Fun with Beef at RM9.80 with small bowl of beef soup and beef balls. Previous trip we did not really sample what they could offer for this dish as it was served “vegetarian” style as we a guest who does not take beef. Too bad for her! The portion was big on the ‘hor fun’or noodles but the beef slices were a bit scarce. Taste and texture wise it had standard, and can be considered better to some of those that we have eaten in the past.

Before we were forced to leave, we managed to grab a single person serving of their Clay Pot Beef Soup at RM8.00. The soup base is similar to the soup base of the steamboat that we sampled previously. It had Chinese preserved salted vegetable that gave the soup additional flavour and chunks of white reddish. Even the toppings like tripes, muscle meat, beef belly, tendons, etc seem to be more in volume. This dish would be our choice order if and when visit this specialty shop again.

While composing our invited review post last month, we were confused with many of the terms used for the various parts of the beef used in their dishes. Now I have got a clearer picture on the various innards that were used. The photo below belongs to the muscle (牛腱), usually it is sliced into thin 3mm slices.

As for the beef tripe, they served 3 out of the 4 types that the cow has. The first photo is the first of the 4 stomach that the cow has. The 2nd stomach which they run out of stock has a honeycomb like physical texture. The 3rd stomach has a similar outlook as the pigs stomach which is seldom sold. And the last or 4th stomach has spotted flaps which are shown on the next following photo. Tye 4th tripe has a crunchier texture.

Another body part which is commonly found in the serving of beef noodles or beef specialty house is the tendons (牛筋).

To sum up our experience at Kang Beef House:

Taste & Texture: 2.9/5 (may be can look into the supply of beef)
Money Value : 2.8/5 (meat portion could be more generous)
Service: 2.9/5 (slight improvement)
Cleanliness: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 2.8/5 (improved with less noise from the street)

Address: 474, Jalan Jelutong, Penang, Malaysia, 11600

Popularity: 4% [?]

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