Ok it seems like ages since I’ve posted about food :D Love it or hate it, here it is, the next instalment of Scrumptious Saturday. This time, its a selection of food photos I took on a short overnighter up north for work to the lovely Pearl of the Orient – Penang, popularly known as a street food haven.
So since its a street food haven, I had to stuff myself silly didn’t I? Make the most of my rare trips up North ;) The picture above is of the seaside at Tanjung Tokong. There is a little seafood place there I sometimes go to, overlooking the beach and when the weather is good, you get vistas like this. Beautiful!
When your food is served, you get vistas like this! :D Not street food but this isn’t a swanky restaurant either. Chairs and tables are rickety and the food is best enjoyed in the open air.
The crabs are fresh, albeit small and are simply dry baked so the natural sweetness is retained. I love crabs done this way because there is a lovely smokey flavour that tempers the sweet flesh. Its a messy business eating crabs so be prepared to get down and dirty for a good meal! Oh and see that piece of bamboo? Its for you to crack the hard crab shell LOL Way more effective than a nutcracker that you usually get with having crabs, I can assure you!
The place is called Sea Pearl Lagoon Cafe at Tanjung Tokong, on the way to Batu Feringghi beach. I have to say it isn’t cheap and you don’t get large crabs but its nice all the same. The other thing I enjoy is the baked sea prawns. Generally crunchy and sweet, its nice if you aren’t watching your cholesterol :P
There are a couple of stalls in this open-air restaurant and I highly recommend the lala or clams. They are stir-fried in a lovely spicy garlic sauce that truly whets the appetite. Very easy to polish off the whole plate :D
I don’t recommend anything else here to be honest. The noodles are just ok and I have tried the fried chicken and stuff from one of the stalls, and satay too, but they aren’t great. So I only go for the 3 things I’ve mentioned here – lala clams, crabs and prawns. Leaves you room to eat other stuff elsewhere on the island too! ;) I recommend going early, say 5.30-6pm so you get a good table and get to enjoy the sunset while still being able to see your food :P
Here’s another Penang street food dish – Hokkien Mee or Lor Mee. Noodles with a thick soy sauce derived from braising meat. I stumbled on this stall in a coffeeshop one day and I like theirs because the sauce is thick and flavourful and portions are relatively more generous. I’m not sure what its called or where it is, but its opposite the Perkeso building on the way into Pulau Tikus. If that made sense to anyone LOL
What is a trip to Penang without partaking in Char Kuay Teow (fried rice noodles)? Tastes differ greatly from stall to stall but I like this one from the stall at Sin Hwa coffeeshop opposite the Pulau Tikus police station. The noodles are relatively well fried with enough “burnt” flavour, and is dry, the way I like it. A bit of trivia: This stall has been here for 3 generations! I believe its the grandson now carrying on the business.
On the way out, we stopped to cool down with the famous Penang Road Teochew Chendol. Chendol is the green rice flour strips that you see, which is served with shaved ice drenched with palm sugar (gula melaka), coconut milk and red beans. A refreshing treat on a hot hot day.
Its very interesting to note that on Penang Road are 2 stalls opposite each other selling pretty much the same thing. Yet, one stall serves up a much nicer treat as compared to the other and is markedly more busy. This is the stall you want to visit.
On weekends, public holidays, or school holidays, its very crowded with long queues. On this trip, I also tried the stall opposite much to my regret because I did not enjoy it one bit :( Still, I satisfied my curiousity. I believe this stall now has a shoplot in the Komtar building not too far away where you can enjoy their desserts in relative comfort. Doesn’t quite feel the same as standing by the roadside slurping away at the cold dessert though! :D
Finally, a fried snack to accompany us on the 4 hour journey back to KL – Penang Lobak (pork rolls) and prawn fritters. Ever since we discovered this stall at Tan Jetty, Weld Quay I try not to miss this.
The pork rolls (lobak is sometimes made with Chicken too but not at this stall) are delicious because they are made from strips of meat, not minced. The meat is flavoured, then wrapped in beancurd skin and deepfried to a crispy golden brown. It is juicy and flavoursome and absolutely scrumptious! The prawn fritters have shrimps mixed with batter and deep fried to a crispy snack. So. Good!
Feel free to recommend me more places to eat in Penang! :D
I never know when I’ll be up next, but I’m always up to trying a new eating place. I’ve found that some places I used to enjoy eating at no longer serve good food, or maybe my tastebuds have changed. And I’m sure there are always new places popping up from time to time so Penang ladies, where should I go next time? :D
Paris B
Scrumptious Saturday: One day of the week where I indulge in my other love – Food! It will feature my cooking experiments or eating and travel adventures. Yes, I will travel for good food.
That food!! My belly wants it.
Haha they were all delicious!
Did you try Penang Laksa? ahha….
I didn’t have the time, because I usually go to the one at the foot of Kek Lok Si. Any good ones to recommend in town?
Everything looks delicious, especially crab! I would love to go to Malaysia one day and try all these dishes… and of course to see Kuala Lumpur orchid garden!
Oh Catherine, you put me to shame, to think I didn’t know we had an orchid garden here! I have to go and find out about it, and definitely do come and visit some time! Food’s good and people friendly ;)
Penang road Assam laksa and cendol!! 2 bowls each please! :)
Penang Road Asam Laksa? At the coffee shop?
Well I went to one at the corner that sell both laksa and chendol. And i remember very well thats called penang road chendol. Have to say that was quite many years since I last visited Penang so things might have changed.
Ohh yes that’s the one then. I remember trying the char kuey teow there but not the Asam Laksa. Will do so next time! :D
Why must you do this to me?!?! Ha ha… It’s in my plan to make a trip to Penang. It’s just a matter of time. Somehow, it’s tough fixing a date with a gf and her parents. I enjoyed myself when I went to Genting recently. They are such good fun! I’m drooling while looking at the photos and words. Those words you use. I love LaLa and that Lor Mee… My gawd… I’m far from all these good food. I’m having Spaghetti Bolognese for lunch today. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed yourself though. Have a great Saturday!!! ^^
This is just to get you to Penang more quickly lol! Glad you enjoyed your trip to Genting Highlands. I haven’t been up in ages! I’ve been hankering for the hills so maybe the next time I’ll go up one of our local hills and share my adventure there :)
I swear the best laksa on this earth is found in the Agilent cafeteria. The kakak is a sweetheart and is always generous with her portions. Only for employees, though. I miss it terribly.
My favourite chicken rice is fondly-dubbed Southern Bank chicken rice because it’s located near the Southern Bank near the FTZ.
Ahh… You’re making me walk down the bittersweet memory lane of being a lowly paid engineer when I was there :)
A friend told me once to go look for that Southern Bank Chicken Rice and I did… And I never found it! Now that Southern Bank is no more, how la to find it?! :P
Ahhh…was just in Penang just last week as well. Glorious food fare!
Ahhh I think we must have missed each other!
hi Paris,
I think you should pay a visit to Chulia Street next time. The Wan Tan Mee and Char Hor Fun by the roadside are simply AWESOME! I heard the curry mee is good too but I always don’t get the chance to try it…haha…But you should only go around 7pm and also that’s if you don’t mind sitting and eating beside the ‘not so clean’ longkang ;)
Ooh thanks for the recommendation, Xinyu! I’m all for eating by the longkang. Some of the best food is found there! ;)
Penang food will warm up anyone instantly :) Though it is my hometown, I seldom go back these days and when I do, I am more like a foodie tourist! Good thing my Penang Hokkien is still intact. I love Penang lor mee (your picture is to die for!), curry mee (yums, coconut laden broth with aromatic chili paste), Hokkien mee (or prawn noodle) and heaps of other yummy food like fried oyster, lobak etc.
I think there’s good hawker fare just about anywhere in Penang! It’s getting so hard to eat at a hawker stall in KL now. I miss it for the convenience and the good food fare
Yum – love Char Kway Teow and Chendol. Nearly licked the screen!
Someone has to invent something to allow us to share smells instead of just sight :P hope you get your char Kuay teow and chendol fix soon ;)
wooo! u came penang! i’m a penangite! :D. why didnt try laksa?? its the best here!
Yes I did, but it was just a short work trip :) I usually go to Kek Lok Si for Laksa so I don’t have any this time. Any recommendation for one in town?
around town want not sure leh. next tiime if got chance, try going balik pulau for laksa, its nice and they even sell nyonya laksa, :) but its far away from town :X
I went there once, but didn’t try the laksa LOL I know, weird but it was on a treasure hunt so I know technically how to get there but never tried the laksa. Maybe next time :D
The noodle with the balck thich soup is called loh mee not Hokkien mee in Penang Hokkien mee is prawn noodle!!!!
The stall said Hokkien Mee but this was all they sold! I thought it a bit strange too, but Maybe I was mistaken
That is because in Penang most stalls that sell Hokkien Mee they too sell Loh Mee, maybe they ran out of Hokkien Mee, so you got Loh Mee?
Haha entirely possible! So confusing especially to tourists :P
Next time go up north, try Hokkien Lor … it’s the mixture of the broth of Hokkien ( prawn ) mee and Lor Mee… in the thickness of Lor Mee broth has the fragrant of prawnss… YUMMMM !! Lor Mee in KL are so different from the north.
That would be so interesting! Ok will definitely try Hokkien Lor! :D
Food! I haven’t had my dinner yet and you’ve given me a few ideas :-) Maybe I’m used to Ipoh food…but if I were to choose, definitely Ipoh food over Penang food even though they are both good. LOL!
You have every right to be biased, Lily ;) I have been told that Ipoh is also a food haven, but I haven’t eaten anything particularly exciting there. Maybe i’m going to the wrong places :P Next time I probably have to hit you up for recommendations on where to eat!
Ah Paris!! Drizzling in London again and you are showing me these photos! Penang has always been one of my top places to visit. Looks like it is really time to go in 2013!
That bowl of clams and kuay teow look amazing. While Penang Lobak looks really interesting to me! I’ve never tried that.
Penang is a great place to visit! You get the beach and good food :) I can’t remember of there are any Malaysian restaurants that do good char kuey teow or even lobak in london, but i know there are some. Just not sure how good they are. I hope you stay dry and warm over in London, Tammy!
Hey my hometown!!!
The locals here go to Teluk Kumbar for seafood. There’s a seaside stall called Hao You (opposite a primary chinese school). Fresh, great cooking style, nice ambiance and cheap. My whole family of 15 persons went there and the bill came up to RM300+ only.
Ooh Teluk Kumbar you say? I’ll have to bear it in mind for the next trip north! Thanks!
Ah Leng Char Kway Teow @ Kafe Khoon Hiang, Jalan Dato Keramat. Order the special edition that comes with duck egg, big prawns AND mantis prawns. I feel my tummy rumbling at the thought of it…mmm…
It’s past midnight and my tummy gave a rumble of protest. That next trip north cannot come sooner lol! Thanks Sooyin!
Was in Penang two weeks ago tripping in Georgetown on foot to see the buildings. It will definitely be a foodie trip the next time I’m in Penang.
I haven’t really walked about Georgetown very much (the sun always feels so much hotter on the island!) mostly because I’m there for work but I hope to. I’m sure there are lots of photography opportunities, especially around the older parts of town :D
Paris, Reading your Scrumptious Saturday posts on an empty stomach is a very dangerous thing. I have developed a yearning for chendol and there is nowhere nearby that has it. :(
I hope you’ve managed to satisfy your chendol craving since, Jacqueline :)
WHY did you do this to me? ;)
Haha I just have to share the love of food with a fellow foodie ;)