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Tai Lok Mee/KL-Style Hokkien Mee At Jalan Dato Kramat

Tai Lok Mee/KL-Style Hokkien Mee At Dato Keramat Road (Jalan Dato Keramat) – Kuala Lumpur-style (KL-style) of Hokkien Mee is different from our Penang’s version. Our Hokkien Mee is actually KL’s prawn mee, which is a soup-based noodle with spicy taste and strong prawn aroma in it. However, KL-style Hokkien Mee is what people call the Tai Lok Mee, a thick noodle fried with black soy sauce, pork lard, some shrimp and meat.

Tai Lok Mee tasted salty a bit and good especially when there’s lots of pork lard in it. I went to a coffee shop (kopitiam) on Jalan Dato Kramat to eat Tai Lok Mee for lunch yesterday. The stall is located in the coffee shop named Tong Hooi, located right beside of Federal Restaurant. Besides frying tai lok mee, the stall also serves Char Hor Fun. This kind of Tai Lok Mee + Char Hor Fun stall is very common in Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley.

A plate of Tai Lok Mee costs RM4.50, which is a standard Kuala Lumpur’s price. Overall, it’s kinda good, the pork lard smells yummy and it’s not over salty.

Do you like KL-style Hokkien Mee / Tai Lok Mee? =)

Tai Lok Mee / KL-Style Hokkien Mee @ Tong Hooi Coffee Shop

Jalan Dato Kramat, Penang.

Business Hours: 12pm-9pm, closes on Tuesday.

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March 1, 2012
Tea Spa Corner At Cherok Tokun Hill, Bukit Mertajam

Tea Corner At Tokun Hill, Bukit Mertajam – Enjoying a cup of Chinese tea, biting a yummylicious herbal egg and eating a bowl of Chinese noodle in the forest, listening to the chirping of birds and the melody of insects, it’s just so relaxing. But then, you have to ignore the annoying mosquitoes.

In Bukit Mertajam, there’s a forest reserved + park + hiking trail and that’s Cherok Tokun Hill. It’s a famous spot for the local to do some hiking and at there you can spot a little hut that houses the Tea Spa which serves a little snack food and tea.

I did not go to hiking, but I went to check out the Tea Spa on a lovely afternoon as I was craving for herbal egg char ye dan. Actually I was just thinking on eating the herbal egg, but then since Hueisean and me were there already, might as well order another bowl of Chinese noodle with pork.

The herbal eggs were good and the herbal taste did actually presence in the egg itself. As for the noodle, it’s not my type of noodle, a little bit of spiciness does taste better, somehow, I do not fancy the noodle. The noodle is more like a thick beehoon, if you know what I mean.

Well, it’s a good place to sit in the afternoon, sip some Chinese tea, have a little chat with your friends in the nature. It’s nice to getaway from the polluted city.

I’ve forgotten what cartoon character is this! Anyone can enlighten me? According to the boss, this is to scare away the monkeys at there.

Look! Monkeys are everywhere, luckily I did not park my car at there.

BM Tea Spa Hutam Rimba 神林茶坊 (Cherok Tok Kun)

Business Hours: Morning – 7pm

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=215278323465761497274.000469feb8850ec72b675&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=5.367194,100.49381&spn=0.005127,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=0004b9ec4680927d58bbe&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

March 1, 2012
Fusion Of Thai & Nyonya At Malabar Restaurant

Fusion Of Thai & Nyonya At Malabar Restaurant (Invited Food Session) – Last month, I was invited to join a bunch of Penang food hungry bloggers to check out this new restaurant in George Town – Malabar (Dine & Chill) Restaurant.

Malabar Restaurant is located at the corner of Kampong Malabar, the junction of Cintra Street & Kampong Malabar. They serves Thai & Nyonya cuisine there, so don’t be surprise when Thai food has a sense of Nyonya, and Nyonya has a sense of Thai. It’s not authentically Thai & Nyonya, but the food special, fusionised, and good, affordable too.

Besides serving food, they have rooms for tourist which serve as a lodging motel with affordable price. The trend of restaurant + room is getting popular in George Town, especially in colonial-style shop houses.

On that day, we were served more than 10 dishes of their specialty food. Hungry me was so busying filling up my stomach and also taking photograph of the food. Let’s get into the photos and food below.

Interior of Malabar Restaurant gives a homy feeling.

Wall of photo collage of cute dogs.

Room at upstairs.

Loh Bak – RM8/2pcs. I like the skin of the loh bak for being crunchy and the meat is sweet.

Braised Garlic Pepper Pork Ribs – RM12. Somehow, the taste of garlic was not strong enough.

Asam Pedas – RM8/2 fish. My favourite dish because of the sourish soup, be sure to eat it right after it’s served, else it will not be good when it’s cold. Yums.

Stir Fried Thai Style Mayonnaise Prawns with Broccoli – RM22. Not-so-Thai-style after all because of the mayonnaise sauce. It’s more localized type of prawn but overall the taste is OK-good. Kids will like it.

Thai Style Roast Chicken – RM11. I prefer it have more thick gravy which can be eat with rice, but still nice.

Thai Style Beef Koay Teow – RM9.50. This is something different, the beef was good and tender and the beef balls were yummy. Though, the soup was a little bit salty, drink more water after eating this.

Otak-otak – RM4 each. This one is yummy as you can find lots of fish meat in it.

Deep Fried Belacan Chicken – RM12. One of my favourite dish here. The chicken was so crunchy and the fragrant of belacan was awesome!

Chicken Soup With Herbs – RM26. Aromatic steamed herbal chicken with very sweet herbal soup. Nice.

Fried Kangkung – RM9. The taste of belacan and shrimp paste are good.

Malabar Belandar Eggs – RM4.50/2 eggs.

Desserts of the Day – Steamed Pumpkin with Coconut Milk Custard – RM3.50. Finally, end our meal with the desserts. It’s sweet, it’s special. I’ve never try this before. It’s somehow blend the moist with sweetness, revealing an average taste, not too strong, not too light.

Kasturi Lime with Sour Plum Drink – RM2.80. Something refreshing

Malabar Restaurant – Dine & Chill

26 & 28, Lebuh Cintra, 10100 Penang.

Telephone: +604-2638266

Website: www.malabar.net.my

Business Hours: 11.00am – 10.00am (Closed on Tuesday)

Happy Hours: 5.00pm – 9.00pm

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=215278323465761497274.000469feb8850ec72b675&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=5.418582,100.333865&spn=0.005127,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=lyrftr:msid:215278323465761497274.000469feb8850ec72b675,0004ba151967f574427ca,,,0,-31&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

February 29, 2012
Penang Dragon Chinese New Year Miao Hui 2012

Penang Dragon Chinese New Year Miao Hui 2012 – Last year, I did not go to check out the Miao Hui in Penang because I was in Kuala Lumpur, studying. This year, I has a long holiday and I get a chance to visit this super happenings, crowded, fun cultural festival in George Town, Penang.

庙会, Miao Hui is a Chinese New Year cultural event and festival that happens in Penang yearly. This introduces the Chinese culture to everyone, Chinese, non-Chinese, tourist, anybody. It’s fun because that you can find good food, have many opportunity to try out your photography skill, learn some Chinese culture that you don’t know, play games, see performance, join the crowds and more. It’s like a big carnival, at the same time can explore the old city of George Town. Most of the Chinese clan houses are open for free during that day.

I have been there for a few years before during my high school time, but it still doesn’t feel bored to me. Hueisean, as a Penangite haven’t see the Miao Hui before, how can that be? So I brought her to check it out and she was excited.

The zodiac for this year is Dragon and so the Miao Hui were dragon themed all over the place. The crowds were huge, newspaper reported there’s more than 100,000 visitors to the Miao Hui. That’s really a lot! I armed myself with Lumix LX5, Canon 60D + Sigma 30mm f1.4 + Sigma 8-16mm and a tripod, then I started shooting around at there.

I went there at about 6.30pm, found a parking spot and started exploring around with Hueisean. Met some friends too. Although it’s almost the same every year, I felt it has become better, with more food, more games and better decorations too. We walked until about 9pm until our leg were tired, then we went back home. We didn’t really explore the whole Miao Hui as there’s too many activities and we were tired. There were a firework showcase at 12am too, but we missed it. Overall, that day was fun and tired. Good job to the organizer and Penang State Government.

Entrance to the central performance stage, a “red carpet” for VIP too. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)

Kids looking at Penang’s Chingay performance. Chingay is an activity that involve balancing a huge flag with hand, and head. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)

Chingay in action. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)

The entrance to the main stage with red carpet. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)

High school student dressed in traditional clothing leaded by VIP at the back to the main stage. (Pitt Street / Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling)

Look at the crowds! Hueisean and I were following the VIP on the red carpet. =D

Look at the amount of camera!

Tiger, the zodiac for 2010.

Hueisean biting on Taiwanese sausage.

Entrance of Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi.

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Clan House.

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Clan House.

“One for one dolar.”

Students dressed in traditional clothing, selling food like herbal eggs, my favourite!

Chinese-style alcohol container.

Chinese-style alcohol container. The word read as Jiu, which means alcohol.

With the Chinese traditional funny face clown.

Entrance to Cheah Kongsi.

There’s a stand-up comedy talk show by Penang’s stand-up comedian Kim Sir at Cheah Kongsi.

Girl checking out the “wishing-CD”. It’s just plain CD where you can write your wish, then stick on the dragon. It’s a way of decorating with recycle item. (Cheah Kongsi)

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng arrived and lousang.

Very funny. There’s a section which introduces you about Chinese festival. At the Cheng Beng section, there’s a Chinese grave, writing “someone’s grave”. Cheng Beng is a Chinese festival where people pay respect to their ancestor.

A gift shop at Armenian Street.

An antique bike shop on Armenian Street.

The uncle was playing on a Shanghai’s guitar which need to strum and press on the key.

Yummilicious deep fried street food. There’s my favourite fried siu mai.

Entrance of Tua Pek Kong Temple, Armenian Street.

Tua Pek Kong Temple, Armenian Street.

Exhibition of Baba Nyonya culture at Hock Teik Seah Tua Pek Kong temple.

Playing congkak, a traditional Malay/Baba Nyonya game.

Showcase on how a Baba Nyonya wedding is like.

If you haven’t check out the Miao Hui before, come back next year during Chinese New Year season, it’s something that must not be missed in Penang. =)

February 29, 2012
Explicit Anti-Lynas Video – Good Day To Die By Namewee

Explicit Anti-Lynas Video – Good Day To Die By Namewee – Namewee, the person who makes Youtube video in Malaysia, famous for criticizing the government, also is my idol, has finally stand up to make a video for Anti-Lynas. Explicit content ahead, with lots of vulgar word.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLn3BLWw9B8&w=640&h=480]

What do you think about the Lynas issue?

February 29, 2012
Set Lunch At Salsas Restaurant, Penang Road

Set Lunch At Salsas Restaurant, Penang Road – I’ve so many food to blog about and now I’ve the time to write them up all on my blog. Some are dated back to last year. Haha. Forget about the date, forget about time, let’s indulge with some food pr0n, shall we?

In the finally weeks of December 2011, I went to meet up a good friend, Yiphing, together with other buddies for lunch at Salsas Restaurant, Penang Road. It’d been some times that we did not come out, sit down and eat. Everyone has their own business now.

Yiphing suggested Salsas Restaurant for our meet up lunch as she’s working as an intern at that area. I guess this was my second time eating out at Salsas Restaurant as the first time was long ago when Salsas was still at Kelawai Road.

Salsas Restaurant serves western food and they have a variety of set meal to pick for lunch. The price of set lunch starts from RM13.90+. Well, I picked a set meal that costs RM15.50+ and that’s a Baked Penne Pasta as a main course.

Each set meal comes with a starter of soup or salad, a main course, a desserts and a drinks.

This is Yiphing.

Starter – Mushroom Soup with Toasted Bun.

Starter 2 – Healthy Salad.

Main Course – Baked Penne Pasta in cream sauce with shredded chicken ham, mushroom and cheese.

Main course 2 – Grilled chicken breast with mushroom cream, served with fresh vegetables and potatoes.

Desserts – Vanilla ice cream and a piece of cake.

Overall, I find the food at there is not bad and kinda affordable. The place is crowded with office workers around that area during lunch. The desserts was just normal in my opinion.

Salsas Restaurant is located in Continental Hotel.

No 5, Penang Road, 10000 Penang, Malaysia.

Telephone: +604-2633923

Business Hours: 11.30am-2.30pm / 6.30pm-11.00pm

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=215278323465761497274.000469feb8850ec72b675&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=5.422171,100.33453&spn=0.005127,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=0004b9ebd04f29e7d2111&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

February 29, 2012
Monday Macallum Street Pasar Malam (Night Market) 五条路夜市

Monday Macallum Street Night Market (Pasar Malam) 五条路夜市 – Macallum Street, also known as 5th Road, or Gor Tiao Lor 五条路 has pasar malam on Monday night at the basketball area. As usual, it’s not a fix night market and the vendors are on mobile, moving from place to place, like Tuesday to Tanjung Bungah, Wednesday to Farlim, Friday to Jelutong and Sunday to Paya Terubong.

It’s no surprise that you can see the same vendors at different night market location on different night. On Monday night, I went to check out the Macallum Street night market, it’s my first time visiting the night market there. Macallum Street is a high-density housing area with lots of low-cost flats in town, and I usually go there to eat tomyam noodle at Ruyi’s.

I parked my car by the roadside and then went to explore the night market with Hueisean. It was not a great night as the weather was like going to rain. Flashing can be seen in the sky, but there’s no rain. Maybe because of this, some vendors decided not to open business that night.

Same as other night market, you can find food, clothing, and some home accessories there. I did see many food, but not many clothing. So far, the night market with the most clothing is Farlim’s, and food wise can check out Jelutong’s. Overall, the best in Penang is still Farlim’s.

Bought some street snacks to bite on like chicken pop corn and deep fried siu mai, they are so delicious, and unhealthy. =D

Hueisean on the road.

Mobile vendors parked their vehicle and stalls by the roadside.

Low-cost flat at Macallum Street.

Chicken Dramping is actually the wrong spelling, it means Fried Chicken Siu Mai. Yums

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February 28, 2012
Pai Ti Gong / Hokkien New Year At Chew Jetty 拜天公

Pai Ti Gong / Hokkien New Year At Chew Jetty 拜天公 – Pai Ti Kong literally means “pray sky god” is a very happenings festival during Chinese New Year in Malaysia, especially in Penang. It is also known as the Hokkien’s Chinese New Year where this day is celebrated by most Hokkien Chinese. It falls on the 8th day of Chinese New Year during the night throughout the midnight, where you can hear the sound of firecrackers and fireworks all over Penang, and place where people celebrate it.

On this night, Hokkien Chinese set up a table full of food which are to serve to the “Sky God”. Although fireworks and firecrackers are prohibited in Malaysia, but then people still playing with them because it’s one of the Chinese culture.

Penang is has the most people celebrated this day and it’s the most happenings place for Pai Ti Kong in Malaysia, especially at Chew Jetty.

I am a Cantonese Chinese, so I don’t really celebrate the day, but then I do go to Chew Jetty every year to see people celebrating it and also to pray too. Last year, I didn’t get a chance but this year I have it. Chew Jetty was even more crowded this year. About 1km stretch of road were close for the Pai Ti Kong festival. As usual, a long table is set up on the road where people put food on the table which to be served to the god. Rich people will buy roasted pig to be dedicated to the god, of course, they will take back the roasted pig and eat with their family and friends after the praying ceremony at midnight.

Chew Jetty was so happenings and crowded. Something different then last time is there’s a stage set up with performance and some performers hail all the way from China. Mini stalls selling gift and collectible product are set up in Chew Jetty too.

The number of people that went into Chew Jetty was really a lot, a lot until that RELA had to restrict the number of people to go in as afraid that too many people will make the place collapse. Luckily, everything went nice, as they arrange people to go in batch by batch. Well, this is another must see in Penang, it’s something very different, very special, during Chinese New Year.

Traffic jam at Weld Quay.

Chinese lantern.

Miku bread for the god.

A girl putting food on the long table.

Roasted pork!

Big dragon joss stick.

Interview by RTM Malaysia TV station.

Performance stage.

Tarrot card fortune telling.

RELA member arranging people to go in Chew Jetty batch by batch. Good job.

Have you been there before? Check out my post about Pai Ti Kong in 2010, 2009, 2008.

February 28, 2012
Hatyai: One-Day Road Trip To Hatyai, Thailand

Click here for more posts about my Hat Yai One-Day Trip.

Hatyai Trip: One-Day Road Trip To Hatyai, Thailand – I went on a one-day trip to Hat Yai, southern Thailand last Sunday. Hat Yai, the southern most part of Thailand is about 2.5 hours from Penang. From Penang to border of Thailand at Bukit Kayu Hitam take about 1.5 hours + and from the custom border to the city of Hat Yai, it takes about an hour.

Now, almost every year that my family will go to Hat Yai, Thailand because we want to pay a visit to a relative who lives at there. Mom asked me to join them for the road trip, since it’s only a day trip and Thai food is pretty good, why not?

On the way to Hat Yai, sunrise by the North-South highway.

Hat Yai is a small city that is famous to Malaysian and crowded with Malaysian tourist. It is located at the southern part of Thailand. I don’t really fancy about Hat Yai because it’s not attractive to me. I prefer Bangkok, Phuket, or other Thai’s island. Hat Yai, in my mind is not very authentically Thai, because people at there can actually speaks Mandarin and Hokkien. This is because of the big number of Malaysian Chinese visiting the city and the Thai learned up the language so that they can communicate in business, and food.

7 Eleven has good pork sausage and burger! =D

This is Thai’s flag.

Nevertheless, Hat Yai still have a sense of Thai with its architecture, people and food. However, you can’t really see tall building in the city. There’s not much attractions for you to visit, it’s only eat, shop and pray. Shop at Central departmental store, Lee Garden Plaza, or at the big market for some cheap bargain. Pray at Chinese Buddhist temple, or Thai’s Buddhist temple. As for eat, it’s Thai food, some travel to Songkhla seaside area for seafood, it’s about 40 minutes away from Hat Yai city.

Lunch at Saban-Nga Restaurant.

Checking out the famous shopping market where you can find clothing, bags, accessories, food and more. It’s a girl’s shopping heaven here. Most of the vendor can speaks Mandarin and Hokkien.

A Chinese charity temple.

Well, what I did there was visit my relatives, window shopping with mom, brought some Thai’s snack, pray at the Chinese temple, and eat Thai food. In this one-day trip, eat was the most interesting to me. I went to two cool restaurant – Saban-Nga Restaurant and Log Terrace Restaurant. Both serve good Thai food.

Tuk-tuk is how you get around Hat Yai area with fare as cheap as 20Baht/person.

Dinner at Log Terrace Restaurant.

Do you like Hat Yai?

Click here for more posts about my Hat Yai One-Day Trip.

February 28, 2012
Big Ben Breakfast, Waterfall Road

Big Ben Breakfast, Waterfall Road – Big Ben Breakfast is a western breakfast corner located on Waterfall Road, near to Botanical Garden. It’s among the fruit stall where people park their car when they go to Botanical Garden. Big Ben Breakfast offers healthy western breakfast set like sunny egg, sausage, bacon, toast and more.

I find it’s kinda special because there’s a specialized stall that sells only western breakfast and in a healthy way. As eating such breakfast after a jog or hike at Botanical Garden provides nutrient f0r you. It opens from morning till evening daily except Tuesday.

You can pick various type of combination to create your own breakfast set. The Big Ben Breakfast set costs RM7.50 with toast, bacon, sausage, egg, red bean, ham and a tomato. The way the food are cooked are very healthy as it has less oil.

Big Ben Breakfast

Jalan Kebun Bunga

Business Hours: 8am-6pm (Close on Tuesday)

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February 28, 2012

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