Gourmet Garden

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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Hainanese cuisine plays a big role in Penang’s food culture and heritage. Although some of the dishes are influence by the Hokkiens and Peranakans, it is distinctively different. The influences are all due to the demographic changes and history. Many centuries back, a Fujian a.k.a Hokkien minister was sent to the Hainan Island to assume the responsibility of the local government, and thus the beginning of the exodus of Hokkiens to the island that was and is still inhibited by the local tribes.And thus, this gave birth to the Hainanese dialect and its cuisine.

Then at the start of the previous century (19th), many Chinese migrants came to the Malay Archipelago to escape the deteriorating living conditions and the Japanese invasion. And with them they brought their heritage and culture which was later merge with Peranakan and Western cooking practices to give birth to the Nanyang Hainanese dishes that are now part and parcel of the Nanyang Flavours.

The border line similarities of dining heritage in Penang are very thin and some times confusion occurs. Many people confuses Popiah (薄饼) which is a Fujian delicacy with the Nanyang Hainanese Choon Pheah (春饼) that is one of the popular dishes that is a must when dining in any established Hainanese eateries or restaurants. The difference is not merely in its outlook, but the taste package and texture and the dipping sauce that comes with it. We are lucky through our research journey to have found people who are equally passionate of the food heritage  that are willing to share the treasure that they have amass from their forefathers. Lim Jit Chuan (林日川), who is the head of the family, is an experience chef/cook in the infamous Beach Corner that used to operate in a MPPP food court lot behind Park Royal Hotel, and now on a piece of land just next to Tarbush in Batu Ferringghi. His son, Wilson Lim 林方义 who runs a Choon Pheah stall in Long Beach food court off Jalan Batu Ferringghi had graciously open up their kitchen to share with us the making of their Hainanese Choon Pheah which are well accepted by locals and tourist alike.

The making of a traditional Choon Pheah  starts with its basic handmade batter, not dough as like Popiah, made from eggs, cooking oil, tapioca and glutinous rice flour and plain old H2O (water). The concoction is hand mixed to introduce air and also to bring out the starchy texture of the Choon Pheah skin.After the batter reaches the right consistency or viscosity, it is then moved to the cooking station where it is individually pan-fried with a thin coat of oil until the shape is formed or firms up. The batter when it is ready to leave the pan, it resembles a piece of crepe but with a more elastic texture. After it is deep fried, it has a crisp then springy mouth feel that is followed with a lightly sweet taste. The Popiah wrapper or skin is only crunchy to feel after being deep fried.  Apart from the distinctive difference in taste and texture of the wrapper, the fillings of both Choon Pheah and Popiah also have their own flavour profiles. The main difference lies in the ingredients, seasoning and cooking method. The Choon Pheah filling has in it prawns, meat (can be chicken or pork, mince or chunks), crab meat, julienne cabbage, shredded jicama and carrots, wedged red onions, and seasoned with salt, sugar, pepper and most importantly 5 spice powder to make it authentically Hainanese. The Poppiah fillers are usually julienne jicama or yam bean (sengkuang), chopped green beans, diced bean curd (taukuah), and sometimes with crab meat without the 5 spice powder.After all the ingredients for the Choon Pheah is all julienned and chopped up, they are stir fired and braised until they are tender yet maintains the crisp texture with a sweet savoury taste. The batches of fillings are then left to cool down before being assembled into a Hainanese Choon Pheah.When the stir-fried vegetables and meats have cooled down, poached crab meat is added before the Choon Pheah is finally assembled by the gentle yet efficiently fast paced hands. For each individual Choon Pheah to be cooked evenly, all the assembled pieces have to have the similar size and weight. This will fasten the frying process with fewer complications.Each order of Choon Pheah are normally fried a-la-minute and served fresh from the fryer with a dipping sauce nicknamed “ang moh tau yew” which is roughly translated to “English Soy Sauce”. The dipping sauce is actually a concoction of chopped red onions, julienne red chilli, Worcestershire sauce and sometimes HP Sauce or some plum sauce. It shouldn’t be your common chilli sauce in a bottle with strong spicy and sweet tastes that will overwhelm the natural sweetness of the Choon Pheah. At the end of the day, the Choon Pheah should have a crisp texture on the surface with a soft springy layer of skin before the sweet and savoury tender vegetable and meaty fillings. And the dipping sauce should complement the sweet Choon Pheah with a slightly spiced and tangy taste that enhances the experience rather than colliding with each other.

The followings are some of the places that we know of where you can find Hainanese Choon Pheah  on offer with their own interpretations:

1. Long Beach Food Court @ Batu Ferringghi.
2. Beach Corner Restaurant @ Batu Ferringghi.
3. Hollywood Restaurant @ Tanjung Bungah.
4. Lengkok Burma Hawker Area (Formerly at Senior Citizen Association)
5. Hai Onn @ Burmah Road.
6. Hainanese Delights @ 1926 Hotel on Burma Road.

Try them and let us know do you think of them here. How authentic are they?

Popularity: 5% [?]

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The Hard Rock franchise being an American brand, will be introducing an American themed buffet coming April 6th, 2012. Recently, we were invited together with other journalists from mainstream print media and magazines to a simple media preview before the actual launch of the buffet. The “Great American Buffet” will run from April the 6th onwards, on Fridays and Saturdays at their in-house Starz Diner for dinner only. The buffet is priced at RM108++ for an adult and RM54++ per child of below 12 years old.Hosted by their Sales & Marketing Director, Ms. Betty Lim and their Marketing Communications Manager, Ms. Elisa Saw, the media entourage was given an introduction to the concept and items that will be featured in their themed buffet line. Each individual item that will be showcased in their Great American Buffet has been carefully picked by their Executive Sous Chef, Mr. Beh Aik Aun and prepared by their dedicated team of chefs. The items that have been selected are significant and are popular dishes widely enjoyed by the people of United States of America.The buffet spread with over 70 dishes includes appetizers, salads, hot and cold entrees, chilled seafood on ice and a line up of desserts that will tantalize every foodie’s taste buds. The appetizers rage from their signature “Prawn Salad with Tomato & Basil” to their signature “Buffalo Chicken Wing with BBQ Sauce” to the much accepted Tex-Mex style Guacamole and Nachos to soups and chowders.

Buffalo Chicken Wing with BBQ Sauce

Seafood Chowder

Main courses they will be serving in their Great American Buffet line will include their version of spicy “Grilled Cajun Prawns with Mint and Mango Salsa”, moist firm “Lamb Burger with Caramelized Onion”, beefy “Grilled Rump Steak with Onion Jus”, rich “Macaroni and Cheese”, savoury “Seafood Jambalaya”, tangy “Blackened Fish with Citrus Butter Sauce” and lots more. They will even have a carving station that will also serve the like of tender and juicy off-the-bone “Smoked Beef Ribs” and succulent “Roasted Lamb Leg” for a start.

Lamb Burger

Macaroni and Cheese

Blackened Fish with Citrus Butter Sauce

Smoked Beef Ribs

And to complete the meal, there will also be a selection of desserts to cleanse the palate with. These include creamy rich “New York Cheesecake”, sweet and textured “Pumpkin Pie”, crunchy nutty “Pecan Pie”, zesty “Lemon Meringue Tart” and more.

From left: Pecan Pie, New York Cheesecake, Pumpkin Pie then Chocolate Mouse Cake.

As Hard Rock Hotel Penang’s GM, John Primmer put it, now with the Great American Buffet one would be able to savour the popular dishes from different American states and enjoy the fun and entertainment that is synonymous with the American brands’ “trained” servers while dining. All these are possible at a reasonable price of RM108++ for an adult and RM54++ per child of below 12 years old, minus the long-haul flight ticket to USA.

For reservations please contact the follow:

Hard Rock Hotel Penang
Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia
Email: fb.penang@hardrockhotels.net
Main Line: +604 8811 711

The followings are the photos of the actual buffet line and atmosphere during the official launch of the buffet on the 6th of April 2012:

Popularity: 4% [?]

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In the hope of making a better living and finding a means to support their family, many Chinese migrants left their home and found their way to Nanyang (南洋) or other words Malaya. Some left their loved ones behind and some came with their family.

The Hainanese was the last Chinese dialect to have found their way to Malaya back in the 1920′s. Being late comers to the Peninsular, they found themselves having to adorn the aprons of kitchen helpers, cooks, chefs, domestic helpers for the British and Peranakans (Baba and Nyonya). Thus, the Nanyang Hainanese has inherited the skills and knowledge of their employers in dining etiquette and cooking methods, and therefore gave birth to the Hainanese cuisine in Malaya.

While growing up we found ourselves having the opportunity to savour and experience what Nanyang Hainanese food were and used to be flavourful, passionate and filled with respect. I still remember having celebration in Hollywood Restaurant at Tanjung Bungah, snacking on Western delights in Tip-Top cafe in Pulau Tikus and eating simple meals at Loke Thye Kee on the junction of Burmah Road and Penang Road. Sad to say good times doesn’t last long, many of these establishments have faded into the sunset and those who are left still standing might not last any longer due to the unforgiving-ness of time.

Treasure that is splendid and flavourful, once lost it is forever. Having said that, the traditional Hainanese Pork Satay or “Satay Babi” served with the sweet potato sauce and toasted bread is one aged old favourite that is slowly losing its battle with time. Being exceptionally different from the usual Malay or pork-free satays that are of abundance in Malaysia, it is definitely unique to the Malaysian and Singaporean Hainanese community.Satay itself is myth-ed to have originated from Indonesia, Malaya Peninsular, Middle East and even China, be it where it is from it is one of the much celebrated meat on skewer in the Malay Archipelago. The traditional Hainanese Satay consist of two (2) pieces of evenly sliced lean pork loin and a piece of pork fat skewered in between on a “lili” (in Hokkien) or the midribs of the coconut leaflets, at present it has been replaced by the mass manufactured bamboo sticks/skewers. The lean meat and fat is marinated in a dry rub that consist of turmeric powder, garlic and other secret ingredients that we cannot reveal due to a promise made.

The ready prepared skewers of sinful porkiness are grilled over a charcoal fuelled open heat a-la-minute. Each skewer while being grilled is basted with a basting mix that contains freshly squeezed coconut milk, water, turmeric and some seasonings.The other important part of the Hiananese Satay is the dipping sauce which is distinctively different from the usual spicy and nutty peanut sauce that is widely available. Traditionally it is served with a sweet potato base dipping sauce made from its mash, water, sugar, tamarind, chilli and seasoned to taste. Back then, the Hainanese Satay is served with only charcoal heat toasted bread baste with the basting concoction that gives it that yellowish tinge. It is still practice at present, plus the addition of cut cucumber and onion at certain stall(s).In Penang, there are two (2) Hainanese Satay vendors that still practice the recipes and methods that their grandfather and father have handed down to them. Thus they are the third (3rd) generation of Hainanese Pork Satay vendors that have witness the change that time has on their traits. During the day there is Uncle Tong or “Ah Aun” who is already 67 and still burning strong and caters to the upper market that drives by his tricycle stall in their big cars for their weekly fix of satay. He now only opens on Tuesdays and Saturdays from as early as 7:30am until everything is sold off, which may be by 12:00pm or so. On Tuesdays, you may be lucky enough to find him at Bangkok Lane (Lau heok hnui) after 12:00 or 1:00pm when business is much slower. The best is to be early!    In the evening 59 years old Uncle Wang or “Ah Chye” as we like to call him can be seen at the junction of Carnavon Street and Chulia Street manning his tricycle stall  that caters to the dinner and supper crowd, and promote our Penang food heritage to visiting foreign tourists that walk along Chulia Street sampling some of the hawker street foods available. Ah Chye operates daily from 7:30pm onwards and only rests on Sundays. He too need to be early, sometimes his satay finishes by 10:00pm or even earlier.Other than the traditional sweet potato sauce, Ah Chye also prepares and provide the usual peanut sauce that he makes with his secret recipe that he has yet to share with us. He also sells the chicken version of the Hainanese Satay if you are not pork-person.Both Ah Aun and Ah Chye are good friends who we have met and befriended for our food research project. They used to sell satay made from pig’s small intestine or “hoon cheang” which requires more preparation effort and time, plus the decline of demand from the younger generations. Ah Chye once said, going further back in time roughly before 1971, his father and grandfather also sold satay skewers that were made of a piece of pig’s liver, small intestine and lean meat.

Time is unforgiving, savour what we have at present before it is lost to history.

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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Equipped with a business degree and “practically” trained by 1 Michelin Star (Wylie Du Fresne) and 3 Michelin Stars (Jean Georges Vongerichten) chefs, the German born Chef Tommes has currently made Penang its home base for culinary excellence and have created “That Little Wine Bar” and “Irrawaddy Fine Foods. Fellow food and wine connoisseurs that are constantly in search of good food and nice wine in Penang would not be foreign to “That Little Wine Bar“, especially.

To add another feather to Chef Tommes’ hat of achievement would be the soon to be aired Asian Food Channel original programme, Chalk & Cheese. The show’s first episode is set to be broadcast at 9:00pm on the 20th of February 2012.  Tommes who is the resident chef on the 12-episode cooking programme is paired with JoJo Struys to bring the audiences on a gastronomic tour of Malaysia while introducing local ingredients and sharing the untold tips and tricks of how professional chefs prepare and cook myriads of appealing dishes.

Chalk & Cheese’s concept is to take two rather diverse personalities (one that is a trained chef and one that has zero cooking experience) and throw them into a kitchen, exploring the various natural ingredients found in Malaysia and imparting some cooking knowledge with some trick of the trade at the same time. The interaction between Chef Tommes and his co-host will also leave a fit of laughter that is sure to entertain those who normally associate cooking shows as “boring”.

In each episode, Chef Tommes will use and explain one locally available ingredient, such as bamboo, strawberries, ginger and senduduk (an Asian herb with medicinal properties), and shows JoJo how to prepare exquisite dishes with them, including roast lamb with bamboo heart confit, scones with strawberry jam, black and white sesame tuna with ginger marinade, and senduduk chicken. Some of these dishes will be available at That Little Wine Bar on the week when the respective recipes are shared and aired. Now it is no longer a 2D cooking show, it is now a 3-dimensional cooking programme that lets you see, hear and also taste. Dinners would need to watch out for the episode or menu updates on TLWB’s Facebook or in-house menu boards.

Popularity: 3% [?]

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Celebrate and indulge with your love ones this Valentines with some of the dinning promotions in Penang hotels & restaurants.

E & O Hotels’ Sarkies’ Valentine Romance Buffet Dinner Romance Buffet Dinner

• @ RM98++(adult) and RM49++(child)
• With free flow of wine, beer & soft drinks @ RM138++(adult) and RM68++(child)

E & O Hotel’s 1885 Valentine Candle Light Dinner

• Set Menu @ RM188++ per person
• Set Menu with Wine pairing @ RM248++ per person

Shangri-la’s Rasa Sayang Resort Spa

• Feringgi Grill Valentine Set Dinner @ RM298++ per person
• Spice Market Cafe Valentine’s Day Buffet @ RM198++(adult) RM99++(child)
• Pinang Restaurant & Bar ‘s Candle Light Dinner by the beach @ RM159++ per person

Golden Sands Resort’s Sigis Bar & Grill on The Beach

• 6-Course Romantic Set Dinner @ RM129++ per person
• Private Caban Dinner on the Beach @ RM2,000++ per couple.

Line Pine Hotel’s Matsu Japanese Restaurant Set Dinner @ RM350++ per couple and RN85++ per child.

Parkroyal Hotel

Hard Rock Hotel’s HRC Dinner Set @ RM155++ per person

Popularity: 4% [?]

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A recent trip to Gurney Drive took us to the newly open Gurney Paragon Mall and to Brussels Beer Café that was recently opened. Brussels’ heart and soul is their bar that serves a wide variety of imported and draft beers, like Belle-Vue, Hoegaarden, Stella Artois, Leffe fresh, etc. Although beer is like the blood in their veins, but the Belgian cuisines that are churned out from their kitchen are like the air they breathe.

Brussels Beer Cafe also serves a variety of Belgian dishes that will tantalize the taste buds and fill the hunger puns. Listed in their menu, we have found Crispy Roasted Pork Knuckle, Braised Lamb Shank, Belgium Foot Long Doggies, Moules Mariniere, and Homemade Belgian Waffles.

Before the light meal that we had, we cleanse our palates with Belle-Vue Kriek which was much recommended by Caryn who also likes to savour great beers. Belle-Vue is a Belgian lambic beer made through spontaneous fermentation of Morello cherries by the wild yeasts/bacteria that are native to the Senne Valley. The beer has a vinous or red-wine appearance with a sweet foretaste and a cider-tart aftertaste. It is sweet, fruity, and creamy but lacks a full body.

To pair Belle-Vue we asked for the Blind Finches, meaty minced pork balls wrapped with a slice of salty and smoky pork bacon slowly braised in a sautéed  onion and Laffe Blonde sauce.  The sauce was slightly sweet, herby (oregano) and peppery with alcoholic aftertaste.

One of the main courses that were well recommended by their staff was the Moules Mariniere. It is a pot of 500gm fresh live imported mussels steamed with garlic, celery, onions, thyme and white wine. The mussels were smooth and tender with a sweet earthy taste, but the white wine sauce was over salty. If the mussel flesh had a bigger size, thus bigger bite then it would be more attractive. They also serve other moules varieties that are prepared with beers.

Last but not least and our favourite was their Braised Pork Cheek, a slab of sinful porky and sweet well proportioned fat and meat lean pork cheek slow braised until tender and served with rye bread, fluffy buttery potatoes, crisp sautéed asparagus and a malty Franzikaner sauce. Though fatty the cheek was it was not greasy, and the proportion was just nice to flavour the lean meat and give it contrast of texture.

Our overall experience:

Popularity: 9% [?]

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The Chinese New Year of the Golden Dragon is just 7 days away, here are some dining ideas for the traditional “Reunion Dinner” at some of the well known hotels in Penang.

Starz Diner at Hard Rock Hotel

Hard Rock Hotel’s Starz Diner

•  20 to 24 January 2012
• Buffet Lunch: RM68++
• Buffet Dinner: RM88++

Tamarind Brasserie at Parkroyal Hotel

The Bungalow at Line Pine Hotel

Line Pine Hotel’s The Bungalow

Chinese New Year Eve Dinner – 8 course sit down dinner

•  22 January 2012
• 7:00pm to 10:30pm
• RM888++ (menu1) RM1,188++(menu 2)

Chinese New Year Buffet Lunch

• 23 to 25 January 2012
• 12:00pm to 3:00pm
• RM68++ (Adult) RM38++(Child)

Chinese New Year Buffet Dinner

• 23 to 24 January 2012
• 7:00pm to 11:00pm
• RM98++ (Adult) RM48++(Child)

Garden Cafe at Golden Sands Resort

Golden Sands Resort’s Garden Cafe

Chinese New Year Eve Prosperity Buffet Dinner

• 22 January 2012
• 7:00pm to 10:00pm
• RM108++ (Adult) RM68++ (Teens) RM42++ (Child)

Year of Dragon Buffet Brunch

• 23 & 24 January 2012
• 7:00pm to 10:00pm
• RM88++ (Adult) RM48++ (Teens) RM38++ (Child)

Chinese New Year Roast & Carvery Buffet

• 25 January 2012
• 7:00pm to 10:00pm
• RM69++ (Adult) RM29++ (Child)

Shangri-la Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa

Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa’s Spice Market Cafe

Reunion Buffet Dinner

• 22 January 2012
• 6:30pm to 10:30pm
• RM198++ (Adult) RM99++ (Child)

Chinese New Year Buffet Brunch

• 23 & 24 January 2012
• 12:00pm to 3:00pm
• RM120++ (Adult) RM60++ (Child)

Chinese New Year Dinner

• 23 & 24 January 2012
• 6:30pm to 10:30pm
• RM198++ (Adult) RM99++ (Child)

 

Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa’s Pinang Restaurant & Bar

Prosperity Sunset BBQ Dinner

• 22 January 2012
• 6:30pm to 10:30pm
• RM198++ (Adult) RM99++ (Child)

Sesame & Soy and G Cafe at G Hotel

Sarkies Corner at E&O Hotel

E&O Hotels’s Sarkies Corner

Prosperity Chinese New Year Dinner

• 20 to 22 January 2012
• 7:00pm to 10:30pm
• RM88++ (Adult) RM44++(Child)

Chinese New Year High Tea

• 21 to 24 January 2012
• 12:00pm to 3:00pm
• RM68++ (Adult) RM39++(Child)

Chinese New Year Dinner

• 23 to 24 January 2012
• 7:00pm to 10:30pm
• RM88++ (Adult) RM48++(Child)

Popularity: 7% [?]

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Located in Campbell House, an old vacant run down pre-war building turned new breed of heritage hotel, Il Bacaro is a traditional Venetian street tavern which serves authentic Italian dishes in a nostalgic setting with black and white photos of the owners’ childhood memories.

Roberto Dreon is the owner cum Chef of the hotel and restaurant. Like most Italians, the emphasis on freshest ingredients only has “forced” the kitchen to make and serve freshly baked breads, handmade pasta varieties and their homemade sauces and gravies. All the cooking, baking and roasting is all done in their fully equipped kitchen that even has a custom built wood fired oven. Supporting Roberto is Nardya Wray who is also the co-owner of this cosy restaurant and hotel.

First up was their self baked bread served in a Chinese bamboo steamer with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread was soft and fluffy with a slight chewiness, the olive oil was fresh and buttery and the balsamic was sweet and tangy.

For salads, we had their Rocket Salad with Poached Pear & Goat’s Cheese. It is a medium salad with loads of bitter nutty Rocket leaves dressed in a caramel flavoured balsamic vinaigrette, thick slices of light and creamy goat’s cheese and generous portions of sweet tender poached pears in red wine.

For pizza we had their White Pizza with Rucola, Cherry Tomatoes, Egg and Parmigiano. The crusty pizza base was thick and firm with a slight smoky taste plastered with a luxurious coating of fragrantly baked cheese topped with fresh bitter sweet Rucola, juicy cherry tomatoes, a smooth and rich sunny side up egg and sprinkles of shaved savoury Parmesan cheese.

Main courses, we had their Pan Seared Salmon with Green Beans and Orange & Saffron Sauce and Homemade Tagliolini Siciliana. The Catch of the Day came in the form of a tender medium-rare steak of salmon that has been lightly seared and served on a bed of crisp sweet green beans and fruity orange and saffron sauce. Texture contrast was firm meat, crisp beans and smooth sauce.

The other main we had was Homemade Tagliolini Siciliana. Well cooked homemade Tagliolini pasta served with their homemade tomato base Siciliana pasta sauce which was tart with a hint of sweetness that came from the fresh tomatoes used to prepare the Spanish, Greek and Arab influenced sauce.

Final course of the day was their Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis dessert. The firm and smooth milky Panna Cotta pudding served chilled with a thick room temperature strawberry purée sauce that was acidulous with a sweet end was pleasing to our taste buds and comforting after a heavy meal. 

Our overall experience:

Campbell House

• Add: 106 Lebuh Campbell, 10100 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
• Tel:  +60 (4) 2618290
• Email:  info@campbellhousepenang.com

Open  daily

• 12.00pm-3.00pm Lunch Menu
• 3.00pm-6.30pm Light Snacks & Drinks Menu
• 6.30pm-10.30pm Dinner Menu

Popularity: 3% [?]

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‘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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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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We have pass by this Kuchi Japanese Restaurant some time back, and it did not seem to be anything out of the ordinary. But then again, looks can be deceiving! It was an invitation through our blogging friend, Lonely Teacher. He had tried the place out and recommended that we give them a chance to ‘sell’ what they have to us picky eaters.

Kuchi’s co-owner, Alex Soon, was present to keep us inform of what was to be serve and what are their initial concept for their few months old restaurant that is nestle just opposite the “famous” Sri Batik Nyonya eatery.  From him we got to know that they will have in their menu fresh seafood that are caught in our local waters and also air-flown chilled varieties that are imported from various sources. They even have live octopus on the menu for people who are adventurous enough to give it a bite.

It was short sampling session after business hours. We only samples 7 dishes out of the many that are contained in their Japanese Asian fusion menu. First up was their Special Maki RM11 (Sushi) or ‘Dragon Roll’ to me. Large deep fried battered prawn encase in a firmly hand pressed sushi rice roll coated with sweet and savoury prawn roe.

Then we had their Name Ika Teriyaki RM25 or grilled squid which was one of our key likable. Crunchy yet tender squid generously seasoned and flavoured with their specially concocted sweet earthy sauce.

Kaki Guratan RM18 or oyster baked with butter and crumbs. I a mouthful, there was the feeling of crunchy grainy bread crumbs with the smooth soft texture of the oyster. Flavour wise, it was rich creamy and buttery with a medium salty end.

Ginmutsu Teppan Yaki RM26 is a deep fried cod and home-made kimchi dish that goes very well with dry noodles or plain old white rice. Though the fish was deep fried till crisp, it was still moist inside. The sweet and spicy sauce was quite appetizing for people who like a bit of heat in their food.

Lastly we had their Somen Chanpuru RM13 or Japanese Mee Sua. The stir fried somen was firm and not too oily to taste. It was a light noodle dish that has lots of vegetables.

Address:  102-A-5, New World Park, Burmah Road,10500 Penang

Tel: 04-2285176

GPS: N5 25.212 E100 19.638 View Gourmet Garden Food Trial in a larger map

Popularity: 4% [?]

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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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It is not the first ‘Food Trip’ that we have planned and guided, but this ‘makan’ trip is one that we have been asked to draft for Taiwanese Celebrity Chef, Chen Hong 陈宏。 All the those eating spots that we have included in our section of the 3 days 2 night foodies tour was compiled from our eating experiences, reviews and most importantly recognition by the general public who patronizes these places to fill their tummy.

Argyll Road Roti Canai, they serve roti canai that has a crisp surface with a fluffy center and curries that have 60 years of history.

Kimberley Street Char Koay Kak, it is a 2nd generation business that still uses wood to fuel heat the big circular cast iron pan to stir fry pieces of hand cut ‘Koay Kak’ or dough cakes.Siew Fong Lye Chee Cheong Fun at Soon Yuen Coffeeshop, rolls of hot rice noodle sheets topped with generous amounts of sweet sauce, ‘har koa’ or prawn paste, chilli paste, and garnish with sprinkles of toasted sesame seeds.Gill is seen here talking to Chen Hong about the specialty of the Chee Cheong Fun.

At Cecil Market, we visited many street food stalls that many Penangites have grown up with. But before the visit started, Chen Hong had a short chit chat with  Gill and Ash Loh of Kwong Wah Daily.Cecil Market’s Jawa Mee, it has traditional flavours that we have grown to like. A bit of sweetness and acidity in a tomato base gravy over freshly poached noodles and bean sprouts.Cecil Market’s Ah Chuan Curry Mee, soup that uses both coconut milk and evaporated milk as the base that would have less strain on our health.Cecil Market Sago Char, after Weld Quay’s stall ceased operation they are the last one still selling this unique delicacy that uses ‘sago’ to make the cakes that are then stir fried with chilli and bean sprouts.

Cecil Market Duck Meat Koay Teow Th’ng was an ad-hoc addition  to the visit to Cecil Market. Chen Hong likes soups that are light and easy on the palate.

Cecil Market Pasembur is one of the well accepted Chinese style Pasembur in Penang. Our other choices would be the one in Batu Lanchang market food court.At Cecil Market Nyonya Kuih, it is their tapioca kuih, yam cake, etc has texture and old flavours which got it into the list.

At the junction of Kimberley Street and Cintra Street we found ‘飞鸿’ ‘duck feet’ wraps that still has the old school tastes that we constantly hunt for. The rich, slightly savoury with a sweet after taste duck feet wrap or ‘鸭脚包’ consist of duck feet with its web, a piece pork fat and meat wrapped (tied) with a piece pig intestine lining.  The couple is already semi-retired, so it would be best to know their business days and hours. We were lucky to have pre-booked the ‘duck feet’ for the shooting as it was already sold out even before we arrived.Kimberley Street Thong Shui, they are famous for their almond tea and traditional sweet desserts. This business is already in its 4th generation of proprietorship. Mr. Goh is lucky to have family that is willing to inherit his hard earned patrons and skills.

Kimberly Street Duck Koay Chiap after years of changing and improving their delicacy has left some impressions in our taste buds. Though the noodle is different from our preferred rough textured noodle opposite the Air Itam wet market, its savoury duck gravy and the slightly smooth handmade noodles were well matched.

(The above photo was used by another prominent blogger in Penang)

By late evening, we were at Chulia Streets’s ‘沙爹王’ Hainanese satay stall. It’s specialty would be the unique Hainanese recipe for marinating the tender pieces of pork and chicken, and the sweet potato base gravy used to dip the evenly grilles 3 pieces of meat on a bamboo skewer. Do not net forget to order his ‘roti bakar’ or toasted bread to mop up the remaining gravy.

As for the grill fish, it is the marinate that consist of lots of raw garlic and birds eye chilli, fermented bean paste, sugar and “asam”. The readied product would taste rich, sweet, spicy and nutty with slight acidity, but yet would not overwhelm the flavours of the fish.

On the second day, we met up with them at Teluk Bahang for Auntie Bee’s Loh Mee which has the sinful flavour of 5-spice and a consistently thick texture. Her Hokkien Mee soups is also not bad with a a heavy taste of Prawns and the price is very reasonable with portion she serves. The stall is just a stones throw away from the Caltex station under a big shady tree.Then we went down to Shamrock Beach to sample the ‘Tanjung Bungah Laksa’ that only opens on weekends. If I am not mistaken, the Malay Nyonya fusion style laksa had its humble beginnings of just being operated on a push cart by the current operator’s mother. Now they operate from a all white food truck that only rolls up during weekends. The laksa has a spicy and sweet taste without the fishy after taste. Though the price is slightly on the high side, the taste does induce one to have more than one serving.

After Lidiana we parted ways and only met up again at ‘Chin’s Stylish Chinese Cuisine’ in Tanjung Marina. At Chin’s, Dave introduced some of their signature dishes to Chen Hong and shared some of his experience in the many years in the F&B business from England to Malaysia. We will definitely be back with more details of this Chinese Fine Dine in Penang.

Aromatic Duck, that has been deboned and its fibres broken downed.With the visit to Chin’s we end our list that was contributed for the purpose to promote Penang’s food scene and also to assist Chef Chen Hong on his quest to re-familiarize himself with Penang’s well sort after delicacies.

Popularity: 5% [?]

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Popularity: 4% [?]

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最新情报:

发觉周大叔没开档已几个星期, 于是问邻近档摊, 才知道周夫人已离开人世. 周大叔也卖掉档口从今不再炒硕莪糕和猪血面线了. 换句话说, 从此罕有的槟城猪血面线和炒硕莪糕也少了一档. 嗨…要吃都没得吃啦!

希望周大叔能节哀顺变.

往事已成回味….老福建古早味 – 炒硕莪糕 (Sago Char)

previous post : 23日 9月 2010

晶莹透明的硕莪糕

周大叔说: “做硕莪功夫繁琐，懂得欣赏的人也买少见少，所以已没几个人会做来卖。

光华日报部分访问内容: “从硕莪米到制成硕莪糕，要先用滚热的水将硕莪米、粘米粉、薯粉等搅拌均匀，盛入大盘中凝结后，再切成小块，入滚水中煮熟后再冲冷水，沥干后才能下热镬炒，这些功夫只要一个步骤做不好，就会影响炒硕莪的口感与嚼劲。”

Popularity: 4% [?]

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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.

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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.

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