makan2food

Qasar Hadramawt - Arab Restaurant

2012-01-23T22:15:00.000+08:00

A Splendid addition to the many choices of food in Perda and Penang Mainland - Qasar Hadramawt.

This place just opened up recently, in Bandar Perda, at De Rendezvous which houses Kapitan Nasi Kandar and Nash Donuts.

Here's a view from outside. Best Yemeni and Arabic Cuisine in town. And its true, it is the only arabic cuisine restaurant in town.

The restaurant is well setup, has nice sitting arrangements indoor and outdoor.

Nice ambience for a good family outing or to bring guests.

Corner seating, which caters for larger families.

Menu..Make your choices.

One of the menu pages.

And now, makan time! First is mix grill. So sorry for the not so nice camera. Didn't bring along my digital cam. The chicken and mutton kebab is wonderful. There are also chicken and mutton cubes which came with the mix grill set was ok. You can choose from Mix Grill or Qasar Mix Grill. Frankly to mix grill serving is already more then enough for 2. And we usually share around (makan hidang) so we can taste more cuisines. One thing I found average was the 'roti' / bread, as it is not as good as what I've tasted before. I'd order less roti and more rice..Read on for rice.

The briyani rice is wonderful. Scent and tastes so tempting.

And the lamb Madghout... Lamb, rice, cooked in a pressure cooker with mix their spices,. The lamb was... no words to describe. Really well cooked, soft and flavourful.

Served together is their 'sauce' .

We also tried the lamb Haneedh. Special parts of lamb, mixed with spices rolled into aluminium foil and cooked in a brick oven in 150'C for 2 hours. Served with Mandy rice and the above chilli sauce. Average for me.

And now for dessert.

This is the Qasar Hadramawt Special. It is is a special. Mixed fruits, whipped cream. Fullsome. Good for 2.

Verdict? Definitely a good try. Gets quite crowded on weekends after 9pm.Price - medium high. Expected for arab ala carte foood which has a lot of meat in the serving and briyani rice.

Nasi Kandar Merlin

2012-01-22T00:24:00.000+08:00

Old school Nasi Kandar Discovered!

Another discovery! Thanks this time to my friend Mukmin. He had mentioned Nasi Kandar Merlin a couple of times, and I probably had passed the restaurant few times before, but never gave it a try.

Yes, it is named after the Hotel Merlin. I'm not sure if the hotel is still functional, but the Nasi Kandar is lively. Opening hours not sure, but definitely open during lunch on weekdays, as that is the crowd it caters for.

Check out the food and the crowd!. Yes it is super crowded, to the extent you share table with strangers.So I just grabbed a table and chair for myself and Mukmin and told him whatever you get the Ane to put on your plate, just duplicate it for me!. And results are below.

And some Papadam.

Verdict? Good. One more ol' school Nasi Kandar discovered. Really tasty and filling. I don't know but the old school nasi kandar generally tastes better then the many franchises out there. My personal view though.

Getting there. Head on to little India (Penang Jetty). Get onto Union Street (where Maybank is), and then start looking for parking. There is also now a City Council Multi Story Car Part just after Maybank. Merlin will be on your left after you reach the t-junction. You can also come from Padang Kota and turn into the Hong Leong Bank turning, heading towards the BSN at the junction.

Enjoy!

Nasi Kandar Ayam Bawang

2012-01-22T00:20:00.001+08:00

Its been some time since I've had a craving for Nasi Kandar (NS). With all the NS restaurants coming up, there's got to be a something different factor of a Nasi Kandar before I go for it. My friend Shanker recomended this place. A Penang makan place recommended by a non-Penangite. Hmmm...And yes a delightful surprise.

This place is one of the old school type, non 24-hour, but probably opens around lunch or after and runs out of food by evening. So best time to go is around 4-6.30pm. As the name mentions, the speciality is definitely its ayam bawang. Chicken in a flavorful onion gravy.

And the verdict - the BEST ayam bawang I have had. And the price is reasonable. Very reasonable. This is one of the few nasi kandars that I go for a good rice meal! And the line queuing up is testament!

Getting there - It is located in the flats by Jalan Tengah, right outside a Chinese Foodcourt. You can either bungkus (tapau, take- away) or eat in the Food court.Getting there. If you are coming from the Byn Baru roundabout or flyover heading towards airport, once you pass Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC), take the first traffic light turn right. You will see flats on your left side, and banks and other shops on your right side. Turn left into the flat housing.After turning left, take right, and left twice. You will see some makan places before that, don't be confused. Location on Wikimapia click here

Karipap Giant Jeti Lama

2011-09-11T14:34:00.000+08:00

The Old Jetty Giant Curry Puff in Bandar Perda

The Currypuffs in Malaysia have evolved over time, from a multitude or fillings like Sardin, Chicken, Beef, and the classic Vegetable and even egg. And then you have Samosas. And then maybe another evolution to Giant Currypuffs (Karipap Raksasa)? So is the ever famous Malay word Karipap a voice over from Curry puff? And Wiki further says that another more older word for this snack is Epok-Epok from the Portuguese word Empanada, however now it is mostly associated with Malaysian, Thai and Singapore snacks.

You can find one of the BEST Karipap Giant in Bandar Perda area, an area which now is also known as Mini-Uptown. It is a stall right outside Lai Lai Mini Market (near Petronas). Click here for its location on Wikimapia.

Why Giant Karipap? Well its around 2.5times larger then the normal Karipaps (which cost ~ RM0.40 per piece nowadays).

They have got choices of Sardine (Sardin), Chicken (Ayam) and Beef (Daging). I personally usually go for Chicken or Beef. The karipap as most other 'karipaps' are best eaten hot out of the frying oil.

Verdict? Currently I think it's RM0.80 per Giant Karipap. The karipap is really good! Two main reasons. Firstly is the filling (isi / inti karipap) is good, and they're not stingy on the meat. Secondly is the pulp (kulit) of the currypuff which is crunchy and fried to perfection.

The operating hours are around lunch towards the evening. Go there around 5 to 6 pm. Closed on Sundays.

Nasi Ayam Periuk Besar

2011-08-18T07:50:00.005+08:00

Nasi Ayam Periuk Besar BKE

Over the weekend, we went out for lunch with good friends Shahid & Aini. We decided to drive down in search of good food in Kulim area.

After driving around for some time, with some shops closed and 'missing' we've discovered one of the new branches of Nasi Ayam Periuk Besar (Large Pot Chicken Rice). This restaurant has carved its name in the northern region, regarded as one of the best Chicken Rice. Well read on for the verdict!

Chicken rice Shop

The shop is largely visible from the highway exit, and very accesible. This is a branch to the original restaurant. The original restaurant usually runs out of food after lunch time. We were lucky here as even though we got there after 3pm, though they ran out of the chicken rice they were in process of cooking more food. We were told we would have to wait for a while to enjoy the chicken rice.

Mee Kari (Curry Mi)

So we decided to try the Curry Mee (Mi Kari) first, since we were really hungry. And the mee curry was delicious. Really nice! The curry was flavourful and noodles tasty. So for those non nasi ayam fans, going with their friends to this place do have other options.

Proof of how tasty the curry mee was? Just look below...

Finished Curry Mee

And finally the Chicken Rice arrived! And was the wait worth it? YES definitely. There are many attributes that make this one of the best chicken rice.

Firstly is the chicken itself, it is nicely flavored. The rice is not just plain rice (though you can choose to have plain white rice). The yellow coloured rice goes superb with the chicken. And the final touch to perfection? It was the sauce. You have a few choices of sauce, try all of them.

Getting there. Take the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE), heading towards Kulim if you are from Penang, and exit at Lunas. the building should be visible. Click here for the google map. They actually have quite a number of branches

Final verdict? Really tasty, good and moneys worth.

ps - As this place is located in Kulim, expect flies as Kulim has alot of chicken farms and thus flies. The place itself was rather clean.

Breakfast at Anjungan Resort

2011-04-02T00:50:00.003+08:00

This is a complementary blog entry to my entry at fyi-penang.blogspot.com regarding Pangkor Island.

Breakfast at Anjungan.

We walked out from our cozy room to the lobby cum dining area, which was quite lively with a few families having breakfast. Looking at the menu (a rolled printout on the table).

We decided to go for eggs and the set.

Ordered some extra bread as well. Was served with peanut butter and jam.

The Salt & Pepper dispenser was an impresser 2-in-1.

Overall the breakfast was refreshing, the environment nice and cool, price average. You wouldn't go to Pangkor just for the breakfast obviously, but if you are staying at Anjungan or nearby, this is a nice fresh relaxing option.

Jeruk in Penang Pickles

2011-01-05T22:27:00.003+08:00

Penang has been famous for its 'buah jeruk' i.e Pickles for many years. Some claim this is due to Nutmeg (Pala) growing in abundance in Penang, which is one of the main pickle options. The types of pickles vary, obviously based on fruits. It is nicely marinated.

Among others, is the Jeruk Ambla, JAMBU BATU, SENGKUANG, KELUBI, BETIK, MEMPELAM, PELAM SALA, KELUBI, SALAK, PALA,
or in English pickles of Zalacca edulis (a palm type tree -Salak, as salak also translates to bark), GUAVA, Papaya, Mango, and Nutmeg.

Actually I had blogged about Jeruk/Pickles some time back at Nutmegs & Pickle (Buah Pala & Jeruk) -updated.

So this blog entry is mainly to help you find a place where to buy this Pickles.

I have found a few new places to buy Jeruk, so here's a list

1. Tesco Extra Seberang Jaya, Sbrg Prai. Yes you can now buy Salak easily on Mainland. And its a good thing, as recently my UKM juniors came down to our place for a day, and we didn't have to drive all the way to the island to get jeruk supplies! :). The prices here is reasonable and has all the choices.

The jeruk stall is located on the Ground Floor of Tesco Extra, near the food court. By the way the food court has some nice dishes to try, among others the Mee Rebus Pak Ngah.

Good thing is at it is placed at Tesco, parking is easy (includes shaded car park) and open till night 10pm I think.
Need directions to Tesco Extra Prai to get to Jeruk Pak Ali (think that's the shop name) click here.

2. Bandar Perda - I have seen a 'stall' selling jeruk in this area as well. Not that sure yet.
Click here

3. This one is the more commonly known to most, as per in my previous blog entry for Jeruk, i.e at Chowrasta Market, Georgetown Penang. The usually open early, but do not close as late, I think don't go later then 7.30pm. Parking is little tough, so get someone to wait, or look for nearby parking. Most buses will ply this route, or you can even walk from Komtar. There are a number of shops selling jeruk in the main road of Penang road, as well as if you walk along the lanes around Chowrasta. Take your pick.

4. For those staying near Bayan Baru, Sg Nibong, Gelugor and so on, one more option is at the Sg Nibong Medan Suri, i.e click here

Well all the best in Jeruk / Pickle Hunting. And yes, everyone has their favourite pickle.

ps- If you discover any other places to buy, do leave a comment.

This entry answers the below questions
1. Where to buy pickle in penang.
2. Where to buy jeruk, salak, pala in Penang.
3. Mana nak beli buah Jeruk kat Penang / Pulau Pinang.
4. What is actually Penang Jeruk.

Puncak Mutiara

2010-12-13T23:50:00.008+08:00

Puncak Mutiara

Here we are Puncak Mutiara. This place was first recommended by my colleague Khairuz. I would say he is a foodie like me. Puncak Mutiara is one of those places that has a great environment with large choices on the menu.

Puncak Mutiara - Day time

Puncak Mutiara is located in Kubang Semang, around 13 minutes drive from Bukit Mertajam / Perda. The place is quite secluded in a village and vegetation, however sign boards are pretty clear. Reaching there you see the Puncak Mutiara sign board, and wow, Visa / Mastercard accepted!

Puncak Mutiara - Night time

Usually during peaks (weekend nights) the place is quite crowded and their employees will direct you to the nearby parking. Otherwise look for parking on your own. Parking area is huge and free, just facing the restaurant.

We've tried to order a number of dishes, as the menu has a great selection, ranging from noodles (fried, soup, tomyam), spaghetti, sate (skewered meat), fried rice, briyani rice, and choices of meat ranges from beef, lamb, chicken (ayam kampung),

Among others we've tried the Ostrich Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng Burung Kasawari), and we found it delicious. The ostrich meat is tender, little like lamb. The menu items for Ostrich is rather costly being a 'delicacy'. The Ostrich Fried Rice was ~RM18, well worth a try. Highly recommended.

We also tried the Deer Briyani Rice (Briyani Daging Rusa). It was nice but we found the meat little 'tough/ dry'.

The tomyam is good. If you want it spicy remember to ask specifically. We had tomyam with 'maggi' noodles, too much noodles too little soup. However the tomyam soup itself was GOOD. Maybe tomyam with 'yee mee' would be nicer.

We also ordered for starters the Roti Benggali with Lamb Soup. They have a number of soup options with the Benggali bread including 'kurma curry'.

The whole place is well segregated in 'huts' and dining areas. We had our meal at the below 'hut'. It is nicely done and has a cozy environment.

For dessert we had the Ais Kacang also known as ABC (Air Batu Campur) which is a concoction of fine ice, ice-cream, nuts, jelly and possibly nutmeg. The serving was HUGE. I would say the serving per plate is enough for 4 people. RM4.50, not bad.

So how's the taste? The Ais Kacang was really nice. Fun for a group of people to dig in and savour it.

Looking 'in' the Ais Kacang'

After dessert, we decided to walk around, here's snap shots of the place. The environment is really nice and cooling. Suitable for family, bringing guests and tourist.

Sometimes when I have tourist especially foreigners from overseas I wonder where would be a good place to take them, especially that has a 'high class' environment plus serves good Malay Food with a range of variety of western food. This would be one of those places. Another place recommended by my friend Azmie; Jemputree is also worth a mention. Hopefully will blog about Jemputree soon.

Below is actually the goat 'farm' / kandang kambing.

Look closely and you might see one.

The view is fabulous, you get a view of the hills, vegetation, banana trees and more greenery.

Saying goodbye. Here's a shot from the entrance on our way out.

Summary.
This restaurant (restoran) answers the below questions
1. Where do I find a nice place for dinner, lunch in Penang Mainland, BM, Butterworth?
2. Where do I find / taste meat like ostrich (burung kasawari), deer (rusa), and rabbit.
3. Where do I find real good chicken sate / satay?
4. Where is a nice place to bring family, guests, tourists to taste all flavors of Malaysian food.

The food encompasses Malay food from Tomyam, Western from Lamb Chop, Grill, Spaghetti, Desserts, Indian food like Briyani, and mushroom. The menu has a good variety.

Price ? It is priced, average, and accepts Visa / Master. Do expect to pay premium for the 'rare' meat like deer and ostrich.

Business Hours : Our business hours:10.00 AM - 2.00 AM everyday
(Open everyday except Hari Raya Puasa & Hari Raya Haji)

Getting there.
1. You can refer to their website's map, click here
2. I found google maps easier to understand, basically you want to get onto Jalan Tanah Liat, and then on Arumugam Pillai. You will see a signboard (picture of mosque, 500m) , and then pass 'Pertubuhan Peladang', turn left into the small 'kampung' (village) road. At the turning you should see the Puncak Mutiara sign board.

They also do provide the place for functions, dinner etc.

Here's Puncak Mutiara's contact / handphone mobile number (from their web)
+6012-2865363
+6019-4719677
+6012-2065003
+6012-5175503
+604-522-8502

Enjoy!

Mee Rebus Pak Ngah

2010-12-07T23:20:00.003+08:00

Mee Rebus Pak Ngah - Tesco Extra Seberang Jaya

I seldom blog about food in Food Courts. Anyway this place deserves mention. We decided to have dinner at the food court at Tesco Extra Seberang Jaya, and I decided to try the food at Mee Rebus Pak Ngah stall.

The menu included Char Koay Teow, Pasembur, Mee Goreng, Koay Teow options and so on, and initially I wanted to order Char Koay Teow, but then I told myself "Come on, the stall's name is MEE REBUS Pak Ngah" shouldn't I try the Mee Rebus? So well that's what I ordered. And the verdict? Read on.

Firstly let me elaborate I am NOT a fan of Mee Rebus, mostly I find it just a jumble (or rojak) of stuff with no distinct flavor except maybe the 'soda' like taste of the yellow noodle.

Mee Rebus PakNgah

By the way, the above picture is after I had a few swipes at the noodle already. So how was it? The noodle itself was average, but the 'curry / soup' of the mee rebus was REALLY good. It had a distinct flavor, garnished by crushed nuts. It was rather spicy, which was to my liking. For those that prefer not spicy or less, probably can request so.

Price? RM3.50. Serving was medium to small. Need more info? Check out their website 'Mee Rebus PakNgah' , yes, they have their own website!

Location? It is located inside Tesco Extra Seberang Jaya (formerly Makro) click here for map.

Recommended? Yes definitely.

Hameediyah - Old School to New SChool

2010-08-09T23:21:00.008+08:00

Hameediyah Restaurant
Hameediyah Restaurant. To Penangites or those who have been here for a long time, definitely know about this ol' school Nasi Kandar.

Hameediyah is located on Campbell Street, off Penang Road. If I recall correctly they started with one shop, and then expended next door. And behold, after recommendation from my friend Lasiaf, that they have gone high end, fully aircond with drinks like cappuccino, I was tempted to try the 'new school' version.

So here we are, outside Hameediyah. Yes, take note, two ol' school buildings and one new school.

Old School

And the new school 2 shops down.

New School

Now for the main course. We ordered the Chicken Tikka Naan. Really GOOD. The chicken tikka was well marinated, juicy and fresh. The Naan was nice too.

Also had the lamb briyani. I've heard very good reviews about it, and in fact most of the diners there were having Briyani. However I found it ok only. I have tasted briyani there before and yes it has been good.

For drinks, I ordered the Special Bandung. And yes, it sure did look really special. Taste was average though.

We also ordered the Chocholate Mochiato or something and Raspberry Shake/Smoothie. The chocolate drink was good and tasty. The raspberry shake was amazing! It was smooth, and had a fabulous taste of tangy raspberry. Highly recommended.

Summary - Nice place. Choose between the old school or new school , up to your likings and mood. Price, average / reasonable. Food - a lot of items, plus point includes old school drinks like Teh Tarik (Tea) and also the newer blended drinks. Has north Indian, South Indian and other menu items.

Getting there - Get onto Penang road, take left on Campbell Street, drive 100 meters and you should see it. Otherwise, come from Hutton Lane go straight at the Penang Road Junction into Campbell Street. Parking, some do illegally park but there should be ample parking on the road side if you go during non- peak time. Otherwise slightly after Hameediyah, there's an abandoned disco or something which offers parking for a rate as well.

Enjoy!

Surprisingly nice Tiramisu Ice Cream

2010-08-07T22:10:00.005+08:00

Wondering why the title is 'surprisingly'? Read on.
There's some places where you can get nice Tiramisu, and some places just average, and the other thing is usually the Tiramisu is not consistent. Sometimes nice, sometimes not so.

Anyway, we stumbled upon RM0.99, yes 99 sen (99 cents) Tiramisu Ice-Cream. It's one of those small cup ice-creams from King's. It seems King's is a Singapore based company that manufactures ice-creams in Malaysia.

The serving is rather small, but what do you expect for RM0.99 right? The taste is actually rich and creamy, the way Tiramisu should be. One thing though, my first purchase had the almonds all nice and crunchy, but my 2nd cup the almonds were 'soft'. Could be due to the 2nd purchase I didn't makan (eat) straight but took it home, probably little melted and re-freezed it.

King's has a couple of flavors in this cup size RM0.99, namely Triple Chocolate and a Vanilla 'Roof' flavor. The Tiramisu is out of this world, and the Vanilla flavor is rather good also. I did not find the Triple Chocolate good. I would say I am a chocolate lover, like in my other chocolate bloggings however this one wasn't that nice.

ps- King's website is rather simple and leaves much to be expected for.

Caramel Coffee with Jelly Coffee at Starbukcs

2010-08-04T19:03:00.004+08:00

Sucks. Here I am at Coffee Bean Gurney, planning to go for my fav, green tea, but no, the adventuring me decides to try something new, Jelly Coffee. Basically it's ice blended whipped cream coffee with coffee jelly. I was imagining the jelly to be interesting. Guess what, it tastes like cincau..hahaha - Padan Muka
.
Actually it's ok, but not as good as expected, or just for Malaysian taste buds, we're too used to cincau, so when you feel like you're getting 'cincau kopi' at Starbucks, you might be lil dissappointed.

Best Nasi Kandar for Lunch - Tajuddin Hussain

2010-07-25T01:09:00.003+08:00

Definitely Penang is well known for it's Nasi Kandar, synonymous to the restaurants operated by Indian Muslim.

My favourite lunch time Nasi Kandar is Tajuddin Hussain. We first discovered this place when we were walking along Little India, and I saw a huge crowd at the entrance, and decided to step in to check it out. And when I stepped in, the fragrance of delicious food as if being at a Kenduri filled the air.

It is rather crowded during lunch hour, the system seems to be look for place and have a sit, the waiter will come over (or call for one if he doesn't notice u), then just tell him what would you like to have. The last time I went, different waiters for drinks and food.

I'm not sure what the BEST menu is, as most of it seems tasty. I usually go for the chicken,

but my friend claims the Quail Bird Curry rocks : "best kari burung puyuh in the worldddddddddddddddddddddd

dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd"

There is also a rather unique menu item that the diner next to me was having, I asked him what it was, and he was only familar with the Tamil name. If I recall, it's like the 'leg' area of kambing. You'll notice most of the regulars there might go for this menu item.

Notice on the table there is Rassam, kinda of a 'soup', which you 'pour' unto your rice for added flavor. Must try! Remember to shake and stir it first without spilling it, i.e kacau elok-elok. Otherwise ask the waiter to help perform the art of shaking.

The environment is ol' school. It is amazing to see how people enjoy and devour their meal.

Getting there, head towards little India (Jetty way). Tajuddin Hussain is off Chulia Street. It is on Queen Street (aka Lebuh Queen).

Coconut Jelly

2009-11-03T22:48:00.005+08:00

Coconut Jelly - If you think you've tasted something similar elsewhere, you're probably in for a shock.

I've have heard and read about this place often enough. And have pass by it many times, but somehow I've always missed it. Then once I came across a blog, don't remember who's specifically indicating where this place is.

Anyway the review first, then where to find it. The place, is nicely termed 'Penang Coconut Jelly'. The coconut Jelly which costs less then RM5, is something really refreshing. Typically when served, people assume it's the normal 'Kelapa Muda' (Young Coconut) water (endosperm) , however once you open it, a transparent jelly greats you.

It is one of the most refreshing things I've had. As you can see in the above picture. It is one of those things that is hard to Soft nice jelly. They have managed to 'jellize' the coconut water. Once you are done with the nice jelly, you still get to have the 'isi' or the flesh of the inner coconut which is it's usual nice.

The shop is located on Dato Kramat Road, coming from Komtar, it will be on your left side, after Times Square and before Patani Road Polis Station (Balai Patani Rd).

Mr Joel @ Joe (MD)

201, Jln Dato Kramat,

10150 Pulau Pinang.

HP : 016-4409049

Tel : 04-2296063

Click here for a google map

No more Google Ads in Posts

2009-06-30T21:16:00.002+08:00

Initially I was quite up-beat of having ads show in my posts. But my dearest hinted to me that it is a little 'disturbing' to the readers. So last month, I had a poll on my website to ask my readers about their preference. Yes earning AdSense is good, but earning readers loyalty and comments is as motivating. And I am mainly blogging not advertising.

So the results are out for the poll, out of 7 people who voted, 4 said remove it, 2 said leave it as it is, and 1 said doesn't really matter. That's a 'landslide' victory for 'remove the ads' . And so I have done so.

Come to think about it, one good thing about removing the Google ads in post is that now I can display more posts on my makan2food.blogspot.com, since my posts per page were actually limited coz I was down to 2 ad units.

Also if some of you noticed, I've started using InfoLinks, where infolinks' ads are double-underlined. Somehow earnings have been nil after the first day. Not sure what's up with that. Some people place the InfoLinks ads as a single underline, but to be fair to readers, that's confusing as it'll be difficult to differentiate a real link with an adv link.

Ok. Thanks to all that voted.

Sri Ananda Bahwan Vegetarian

2009-06-17T22:47:00.009+08:00

Pure Authentic Vegetarian Restaurant - Sri Ananda Bahwan.

That's how the sign board says it. So here we are at Penang Street, Little India.

This area is definitely one of the best areas to find fine Indian cuisine. I had previously blogged about New Woodlands Vegetarian Restaurant, which had also featured in the Star some time back, below is the pdf copy of the online article on TheStar.

The_Star_Water in a Crispy Fried Dough

Sri Ananda Bahwan (SAB) is located opposite New Woodlands Vegetarian Restaurant. Note, there is another Ananda Bahwan down the road at the junction, however that is not a full-fledged vegetarian place.

The set-up of the place itself looks inviting. The sitting and tables are new and nice. Environment is a definite plus.

Sri Ananda Bahwan - The Pure Vegetarian One

However we noticed the top floor dining area has a strong 'echo' due to the walls and lack of curtains. Definitely needs some sound absorbers here.

We ordered one of the Thali. Thali is basically an Indian Meal Set. Instead of serving it in the usual round large stainless steel plate and small bowls, SAB opts for pre-sub-divisioned stainless steel plates where different dishes can be placed. Note there's still a couple of dishes served in the small bowls.

The Thali Set - Most Economical Filling & Variety Lunch Set There

This thali came with Capati (also called Rotli or Roti in some languages), plain white rice, briyani rice and a number of dishes. The dishes with is were chick peas (kacang putih, chena masala in Hindi), brinjal & potato curry, ladies finger (bhendi) curry and mixed veges. All the side dishes were real good except for the mixed veges. It also came with curd (dadih, tairu) i.e. the creamy white filling in the bowl. Also in the thali set is dessert, which was Suji Kesar (Kesar is Saffron, Suji is Semolina)

And a normal favourite, we also order the Tosai. We got the Masala (Spices + Potato) Thosai. The Gravy and Chutney with it was nice. The tose itself was just average. For my favourite Tosai place, click here.

The Masala Tosai

Talking about Masala Tosai, the filling is placed inside the tosai. Below is how it looks after a few bites. :)

For drinks, we had the Sour Lassi. It was really nice.

Lassi

Here's a look at the kitchen. Nice concept where the kitchen is open to diners and they can get a feel of how the food is cooked. As well as check out the cleanliness!

Their Kitchen - Clean and Tidy

Sri Ananda Bahwan Pure Vegetarian also has a variety of sweets or Mithai. There are a number to choose from.

Sweets and more Sweets - Mithai

Here's a close up of one of them, the Halwa.

Halwa

We had the Gulab Jamun. I think they called it the Dry Jamun as the syrup is served separately, so it's up to us how much we want to pour.

The Dry Jamun

Good idea as some people don't like it too sweet so can opt to sue the syrup sparingly. Nicely served as below.

Need Directions - Try Google Maps. It is roughly located here, on Penang Street.

Secret Recipe - Lasagna & Pie

2009-06-13T20:54:00.005+08:00

Secret Recipe - Lasagna & Pies. - definitely a house hold name. Well known for it's lasagna, lamb stew, and western as well as oriental and Malaysian cuisines.

I had previously blogged about their cakes and drinks, which you can read by clicking here; Secret Recipe - Cakes & Drinks. Undeniably the cakes are good. But there are a lot of other good food as well, including some dishes that are not known by many.

So here we are, at Secret Recipe Bayan Baru, nearby Sunshine, same row as Young Ones and KFC.

Pasta Menu

Looking at the pasta menu, we decide to get the Beef Lasagna. This is one of my favourites. It is served with a bun / bread.

Beef Lasagna

Somehow this time it wasn't up to par. Usually the Beef Lasagna is REAL GOOD. This time though it seems not well cooked, e.g. the lasagna layer itself was either too thick or not cooked that well. Another option for Lasagna would be Domino's Lasagna. Somehow even Domino's Lasagna's quality is inconsistent. For valid reason I'd say. Cooking Lasagna and getting the lasagna, cheese and beef to be in a consistent manner is a challenge. Not that I've cooked one before!

The next item we ordered is what I'd say is worth a try and something 'different'. Pies. There are a number of options available, from the Shepherd's Pie, Gourmet Pie and Black Pepper Lamb Pie. The Shepherd Pie seems tempting and is usually good! Here's how Wikipedia defines the Shepherd's Pie; "Cottage pie, also known as shepherd's pie, refers to an English meat pie with a crust made from mashed potato and beef."

Pies and more pies

We decide to try the Black Pepper Lamb Pie. Usually you will have to wait as they will make it fresh. Try enquiring when you're there which pies are made fresh and which are re-heated.

Black Pepper Lam Pie - how it was served

Above is the Black Pepper Lamb Pie. Looks inviting doesn't it. Pepper is sprinkled on the pie. And the filling? Look below...

Black Pepper Lam Pie - how it looks after a few bytes!

The filling is soft moist lamb and its 'gravy'. Really nice and tasty. Best served and eaten hot. To put the picture in perspective, imagine a lamb sizzling gravy curry puff.

Here's the Irish Lamb Stew. Or at least here's the Irish Lamb Stew after I've dug in...

Lamb Stew

The meat is real tender and soft. Probably would have been better if the side dish is not flooded by the stew / gravy. A real nice dish for Lamb Lovers.

And for drinks. Well take your pick below.

Drinks

You know, if you want something warm and nice, ask them to make you the Hot Lemon Tea. Its served in a nice soup-like-bowl. Nice.

Anyway, we had the Oreo shake. Again some difference in quality. The best one I've tasted was once in Gurney, Belissa Row. Overall the Oreo shake was nice.

Oreo Shake

Enjoy.

p.s.-If you're looking for something spicy, the Tomyam Kung is a definite try!

Real Good Doughnuts - Nash Donuts Bakery

2009-06-09T22:05:00.005+08:00

Nash Donuts & Bakery - Real Good Doughnuts

You know, people usually say Penang is one of the more 'happening', modern, lifestyle cities in Malaysia. Especially that's what Penangites say. Don't go comparing with KL though. But it has been a weird notion for many, that Penang being Penang, doesn't have an Imax theatre, only Gurney's GSC 3D Cinema. No Dunkin Donuts, no Burger King and the list goes on.

And yes, everytime when we're traveling around Malaysia, and pass by Dunkin Donut, we'd stop and buy them. I remember the last time in Johor, while the taxi driver was re-fuelling, I noticed the Petronas had a Dunkin Donut and we rushed to buy some.

But well, Penangites, don't despair anymore. Seems Nash Donuts & Bakery is here. The branch I went was in Bandar Perda, Sebarang Prai City. My good friend Din recommended the place some time back.

Nash Donuts & Bakery is located in the De'Rendezvous building in Bandar Perda, which is opposite the Bazar Perdana and before Jusco Aeon. Same building as Kapitan Bandar Perda.

Nash Donuts & Bakery Box

Entering the place, the ambiance is really inviting. It seems like one of those bistros where you could hang out, have a nice coffe drink and doughnuts. There is an array of donuts and flavors for your taste buds. The prices decrease by quantity, i.e. the more you buy per box the cheaper. The packing box is pretty nice and tempting. But wait till you see the real pictures. As usual, you can click on the pictures for a larger size.

We 'tapau'ed (bungkus) a number of flavors.

Below is the Tiramisu Donut. Ever since we had the Tiramisu cake at the Fisherman's Place in Gurney, we've longed for more. But Tiramisu Doughnuts? Hmmm. Most of us have heard and had Tiramisu, but I've always wondered what it really meant. From Wikipedia, "Tiramisu (Italian: Tiramisù; Veneto: Tiramesù [tirameˈsu]) is one of the most popular Italian cakes. It is made of savoiardi (otherwise known as lady finger biscuits) dipped in espresso or strong coffee and layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, mascarpone, and sugar, and topped with cocoa."

Tiramisu Donut

Well the results was, the Tiramisu doughnut was pretty nice. Something really different and unique. There was a creamy fill both on the surface and on the inner fillings. Personally I would have preferred it even more if the inner filling were slightly less. Nevertheless, you get a very rich feel, which was just so nice.

And not to forget the plain donuts. My Golu's favourite. I guess the plain donut could be likened to the Dairy Milk for Chocolates, i.e. in it's purest form!

Plain Donut

The plain donut was nice. No too sweet and not too much sugar. Pretty soft but yet not soggy.

And now my personal favourite. Donut smothered with peanuts. This was really good. When driving home, during traffic lights, I munched on them. By the time I arrived home, there was hardly half of it left for my Golu. Upps, but it was really good.

The Peanut Donut

Since I liked it so much, I even cropped it so you can see a more zoomed-in picture. Tasty.

Peanut Doughnut zommed-in

Here's the Oreo and Chocolate Donut. They were pretty good. Somehow personally I'm not a huge fan of Chocolate Doughnuts. Not sure why. Maybe same reason I prefer Cheese Cakes, Chocolate Brownie Cakes, but not Chocolate Cheese Cakes. I think the Oreo Donut would be real good if the oreo's were not that fine. I prefer them in crunches and not too powdery. Imagine the oreo in Baskin Robbins Oreo and Creme.

Choc & Oreo Donuts

Here's the Mango Donut.

Mango Donut

More Donut flavors. Tempting isn't it.

Donuts - chocolaty...

Almond Donut. One of my favourites. Real good. Adds some crunchiness to donuts, getting the best of both worlds, soft, creamy and crunchy in one bite!

The Almond Donut - GOOD!

Ok, probably I should have started this entry with the below pictue. But just to tease your curiosity, here's a look of the 12-in-a-box I bought. Well you can probably guess which flavours are my favourites now.

Donuts in a box

They have 3 branches I believe. One in Bandar Perda Seberang Prai City, Autocity and Sg Petani. Addresses as in below picture.

Nash Donuts & Bakery Store Locations (snap shot of inside of the box)

Besides the donuts and coffee they also serve and sell other local dishes for a full meal. I haven't tried those, but definitely the donuts will continue to be on my list.

Summary - The motto says it all "Coffee, Friends & Family Place...".

Tea Time Snacks

2009-05-24T09:24:00.009+08:00

Tea Rusks, Toasts, and some other Indian Snacks for Tea.

For me, Tea Drinking is a passion, and having certain snacks along with it is an added pleasure. Here when I refer to my tea drinking passion, I refer mostly to what some refer to as Chai.

See Chai is actually Hindi for Tea. But as what I witnessed in the States and now have come to notice in Starbucks and Coffee Bean, many non-Asians construe Chai as either Tea with Milk or Spicy Milk Tea, i.e. Masala Chai. So Chai Tea is actually a tautological term, i.e. a repetitive word. Similar to terms we use here like Pintu Gate, Tolong Cuba Try (where Cuba is Try in Malay)

One of the best Masala Tea in Malaysia (according to me and my dearest) can be found at the Bharat Tea Plantation in Cameron Highlands. You can read more about it here. The best Masala Tea? Well for me it's at home. My dearest makes the best Masala Tea. :) Too bad the Masalah is not for sale.... yet.

So back here in Malaysia, Tea is commonly know as Teh. If you want the famous acrobatic hot milk Tea which the person 'pulls / tarik', and comes with the bubbly foam, it is Teh Tarik. It you want just normal hot milk Tea, it would be Teh Panas. (Panas for Hot). Now usually English Tea, is Black Tea, i.e Tea Bags dipped in hot water., so English tea would be Black Tea, and Milk and Sugar served separately. I always wondered why Tea Bags never tasted as rich as Chai (more later). Here, if you want just black Tea (with Sugar), you'd say Teh O. If you want Strong (Dark?) Tea, you add the Kau / Gau in the end.

Ok so why doesn't Tea Bag taste that good? Especially if you're planning to have Milk Tea i.e. Chai. Here's what Wikipedia says;

"The traditional chai-brewing process actively boils the tea leaves over sustained heat. Chai prepared in this manner has a caffeine level comparable to coffee, as the prolonged boiling produces a more robust beverage than quiescently steeping the tea leaves in hot (but not boiling) water. "

So why do people prefer Tea Bags? I guess convenience of preparation and cleaning. Hmmm, no wasn't my blog entry supposed to be about Tea Time Snacks and not Tea. Well, just proves how passionate I am about tea.

Ok back to the snacks. Toast and Tea Rusks are common snacks, with different varieties and fusions around places and cultures.

Most of the products we found were from the Zyka Brand which we bought from Mustafa in Singapore. Sorry no Mustafa in Penang yet. Let's start with Tea Rusks. This were really good. Now I'm not sure what's the difference between toast and rusk. Eventhough Wikipedia describes it as "A rusk is a rectangular, hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread (zwieback)." This we're more semi-sphere (semifera) than rectangular. Baked twice? Not sure.

Zyka Tea Rusks

And yes, it tastes fabulous with tea. We're those that like to dip the toasts into our tea. And it being rusks, don't soften up too much but suck up the tea, making a succulent toast.

The Tea Rusk

And above is how the Tea Rusk looks like. Yes somehow the graphics for the above picture is intriguing to say the least. It's an aerial view of the toast which has been placed in one of those plastic containers. If you remember, some time back I blogged about another good Toast found locally; Azan Toast. Somehow I don't see it in the stores anymore though. How sad.

Next is the Suji Toast. This toast are 'slimmer'. Why does that matter? It's easier to dip into your tea of course. Especially if your tea cup is not wide. Suji is Semolina per Wikipedia, i.e the purified middlings of Durum wheat used in making pasta; also, the coarse middlings used for breakfast cereals and puddings.

Suji / Semolina Toast

The taste was really good. I'm not sure how distinctively I recognized the Semolina taste, as I'm not sure how it should taste and since it's dipped into tea, you get a whole new and nice concoction.

Ok, now to more exotic Indian Snacks. This is Gathiya. Personally I don't agree with the English desciption they have as you can see. Savoury Gram Flour Noodles. When you say Noodles, something like mee, Maggi or those kinds of 'noodles' comes to mind.

Ghatiya - I'll pass

FYI, the Gram in Gram Flour is actually pronounced using the Malay pronounciation style, and not pronounced how you'd pronounce Kilogram in English. Here's some info on the Gram Flour I'm referring to from Wikipedia.

Agriculture and horticulture

Gram, from Latin granum (seed) via Portuguese and then languages of the Indian subcontinent, is sometimes used to refer to chickpeas and other pulses
- Green gram = Mung bean
- Bengal gram = Chickpea
- Red gram = Pigeon pea
- Black gram = urad
- Horse gram
It may also refer to a lentil

Gathiya - How the Look

Above is how the Ghatiya looked like. Frankly, it wasn't what I expected. Usually the home made ones, are really crunchy, alot thinner and rich in taste. This one tasted more like just Gram Flour! That was a dissappointment as Haldiram's other products have been really satisfactory as you can read on my Indian Sweet's Blog Entry by clicking here.

Khakhra is next. Basically Khakhra is a pretty good tea time snack. It is very light, and crispy and not that oily. We bought two different brands. As you can see, the below one is Jeera Khakhra. Jeera is cumin, so the Khakra is peppered with Cumin Seed.

Jeera Khakhra

Here's the Masala Khakhra. Different supplier, so different packing.

Masala Khahkra

And here's the last of the snack time food. Methi Khari. Methi is Fenugreek. Well you would have noticed that the additions / spices used together with these snacks have really good health properties. Indian culture is very rich with spices and appreciate its health properties as well. And this has been recognized by time. I'll try to share a story about Turmeric (Kunyit) in the future. Anyway back to the Methi Khari. It is very brittle and crunchy. Wouldn't be my favourite, but was a decent snack. Zyka has a good assortment of snacks and the quality is above average.

Methi Khari

Did you notice the Green Circle in a white square in the above packing. Yes, like indicated in my previous post, this would suggest it is vegetarian friendly.

Ok, that's all for Tea Time Snacks. My apologies as most of this is not avaiable in Penang, but it'll make a good shopping list when you travel abroad. Also hopefully some entreprenueering chap tries to import this.

A&W

2009-05-18T19:59:00.005+08:00

A&W at Gurney Plaza, Penang

Rootbeer, waffles, Coney Dog, Onion Rings. Yes, that's what comes to mind when we say A&W right. And good news. Most of the menu items are still super delicious.

Some time back Gurney Plaza went thru some major renovations and extension. I guess with the crowd moving to Queensbay Mall, Gurney had lost some of its glitter. Yes, just like what happened to Island Plaza when Gurney came around.

And our last 2 visits to Gurney for movies, has included a great dining experience. First was surprisingly delicious Tiramisu at Fisherman's Place and now A&W. Actually the first time we went to Fisherman's Place in Gurney, we didn't bring our camera along as we didn't expect a superb experience. And it was the dessert, the Tiramisu that surprised us. So this time, we came back, armed with our camera and appetite, sat down, starting deciding what to have for the main course, as dessert was decided earlier. And then, I decide to ask the Waitress, do you still have Tiramisu? And she replied, sorry we're finished for the day. And that really felt dissappointing.

Well, guess what, that just led us to A&W instead. The last time we went to A&W some years back was in Prangin Mall, on the outside. Is it still there??

Anyway, we start ordering. One thing that comes to mind though is KFC & McDonald's are aggressively offering lower priced combos, and so A&W felt 'little' expensive. Anyway, we order our favourites and try something new. We order the Coney Dog set, which comes with a set of root-beer and fries. We get the upgrade, making it a Float Root Beer and Curly fries. Nope you can't upgrade to Onion fries, those you need to get ala-carte. And yes, we get the Onion Fries ala-carte. We also try the Chicken Waffle.

Once we get our meals (some longer lead time items, like the onion rings will be sent to our table). We have a sit. It is averaged-ly crowded.

The Coney Dog was ok. Honestly I don't remember how it used to taste like, so can't really compare. Somehow the packaging was not convenient. It came in a wrapper, but the wrapper was glued to the box, so we had to 'tear' it off. You'll know what I mean once you're there.

Coney Dog

The Coney Dog looked real good. The hot-dog meat taste was really strong. This is one of those dishes that really look tempting when zoomed it. You judge.

Coney Dog : Close-up

The Curly Fries was nice. Something different then the usual Fun / French Fries. Not too salty either.

Curly Fries

The Chicken Waffle was average. I guess during the old times, waffles were hard to come by, and A&W were the ones that had waffles. Now with Leomag, etc around, they do offer some good waffle and competition. (there is a bakery renting in Giant Bayan Baru, has some good waffle as well).

Chicken Waffle

But to be fair, I didn't order their famous ice-cream waffle so can't comment on that.

Finally the Onion Rings arrive. And yes, they were really good. Just like good old times. Once you bite in, it's a 'struggle' to break of the onion inside. So best tip is to bite really deep and little hard on the first time. Otherwise you'll just pull the whole onion ring out of the fried flour.

Onion Rings - yes, they serve more then 2, but we've eaten them!

And finally the drinks. (should it be 'drink' as I ordered only 1? The Drink without the 's' sounds weird)

Root-Beer Ice-Cream Float

And yes, as we all die-hard fans remember, Look ma, the ice-cream doesn't sink (at least for a while). Yes the famous A&W rootbeer, fabulous taste, and the ice-cream floats along. Same ol' same good.

You can visit A&W Malaysia's website here http://www.rootbeer.com.my/

For a map to Gurney Plaza click here.

Summary - The A&W in Gurney is a fresh addition and an old school fast food back on the block. And still serves good food. I'd hope they also introduce and market new menu items.

Malaysian Food in the Papers!

2009-05-15T11:56:00.002+08:00

Way to go. Is this the same compay as the Kayu that's behind Vistana and in Penang road or trademark copy? I think the one on Penang Road (or has it closed, and re-opened) and the one in Bukit Jambul are slightly different names.
You can read more about The Kayu in Melbourne's branches here
http://www.impressive.com.my/kayu/chains_restaurant.html

How's the food like, dunno, never been to Melbourne.

From the Star

Kayu Nasi Kandar owner fined in Melbourne
"MELBOURNE: A restaurant owner who brought a Malaysian to work as a chef here and paid him less than A$10,000 over 18 months has been fined A$180,000.
Businessman Hong Poh Meng and his company, Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar Ltd, which traded as Kayu@Boxhill, admitted breaching 11 work place laws, including underpaying a full-time cook A$76,000, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reports.
Two 19-year-old casual waitresses were underpaid A$4,876 and A$899 respectively."

Kapitan Bandar Perda

2009-05-13T21:32:00.006+08:00

Restoran Kapitan Bandar Perda

Great news Penang Mainlanders! Delicious Tandoori is now just a drive away. No need to cross the Bridge towards Penang Island to enjoy Kapitan's famous Tandoori and other dishes.

Kapitan Bandar Perda - Recently Opened.

We were driving by Jusco Bandar Perda, and we passed by Kapitan. We were delighted to say the least. We are a real big fan of good Tandoori and North Indian Dishes, and Kapitan's the King when it comes to Nasi Kandar style Tandoori.

And yes, this is my 3rd blog on 3 out of the 4 Kapitans now. I initially blogged about Kapitan Chulia Street, then Kapitan Queensbay and now Kapitan Bandar Perda. There is one more Kapitan, which is my favourite, i.e Kapitan Gurney. Actually one of my friends and my brother introduced me to Kapitan's delicious tandoori. And both my friend and brother share the same name. And from then onwards, I have introduced so many of my friends both local Penangites, Malaysians and foreigners to this place. And everyone's loved them.

This branch of Kapitan is located in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam. Not sure why, but the Jusco here refers itself as being in Seberang Prai City. Well I'm not the expert in Penang Mainland. Din, Li any comments?

Anyway, here's a picture of Kapitan relative to Jusco Sbrg Prai City.

Aeon Jusco from Kapitan

As you can see, it would not really be visible from Jusco, but quite close. With the one way traffic system in that area, and the building Kapitan is in,it stands out on itself. Now that I've mentioned it, looking at the above picture, the one way seems like a illegal racing track in the making. But then the Police HQ isn't that far away as well. :)

Seems like the developer's dreams of making this building a 'happening' place might be coming true. There is also a nice Donut Shop on the other end of the building.

Kapitan has got the usual expected Nasi Kandar i.e. Rice with ala-carte dishes ranging from meat, chicken, fish and veges in a number of styles and curries.

Ala-carte / Lauk Nasi Kandar Dishes

The setup and ambiance is really good for a Open Air Restaurant. It looks fresh, inviting and clean.

Nice Fresh Look

We get the Garlic Naan. Personally the Garlic Naan if done properly is really good, and in a naan, the garlic actually adds a lovely flavor.

Garlic Naan - King of All Naans?

It is served with the Mint Chutney (Green one) and the Red Chutney. Not sure what they call the red Chutney. Yes, some of you might go, where's the Tandoori Chicken? Actually we didn't order the Tandoori Set but decided to have the Naan with other side dishes.

We ordered the butter chicken. It was really good. Rich and creamy. Guilty pleasure. It wasn't too buttery either. Just nice.

Butter Chicken

And how do I describe how good was the butter chicken? Take a look for your self below. Really looks nice right?

Butter Chicken - Close-Up

For veg, we ordered the Navratma Kurma. Nav is 9 in Hindi. Basically it would consists of 9 fruits/nuts/herbs. The paste itself is made from Cashewnut & Cream, giving it a rich creamy little sweet taste. If done properly, the Cashewnut taste will be faint, i.e. just nice.

Navratma Kurma

The one they served fared pretty well. It was nice. The serving presentation was done skillfully, making it quite tempting. Judge for yourself with the above picture.

A close-up of the Navratma Koorma. You can see the Cashew-nut, Banana, Apple, Leaves, Raisins (Kismis). One of the best ways (and tasty ways) to enjoy vegetables and fruits!

Navratma Koorma - Zoomed-in

For drinks, we had the Banana Lassi. It was really good. Mango Lassi is more common, but you could try the Banana Lassi for a change. If you like milk, and milkshake, I'd suggest trying the Lassi as it is a healthy alternative, but might still have lots of sugar. You could request 'kurang manis'. It is made from Yogurt.

Banana Lassi - Healthy

We had a delicious lunch. Fulfilling and tasty.

As we walked out, I decided to snap another picture, a beautiful picture of the MPSP building and it's surroundings.

MPSP

Summary
Kapitan Bandar Perda is fine addition to eating places and a good option for Mainlanders.

Indian Sweets Mithai

2009-05-13T05:10:00.006+08:00

Mithai aka Indian Sweets

Seems like it's a month of sweet tooth for me. First Cadbury Dark Chocolate, and now Indian Sweets. I've recently slowed down on my makan2food blogging, as been busy, and spending more time on my fyi-penang.blogspot.com blog, as it seems I get more visitors there. So I have been kind of 'neglecting' makan2food. Furthermore, as many of you realize, there are quite a number of makan, eating, food, tham chiak, sapde etc blogs around, and many of them cover Penang and are well updated and managed. So I guess I went more towards 'Blue Ocean', doing more sharings relating to Penang and Malaysia at fyi-penang, and also sharing all my best experience and tips there which I think is useful.

But then, interestingly, I've been meeting up with quite a number of friends, and a question I've been getting is, "Hey, you haven't updated your makan2food blog for some time now."

Hearing that was really heart warming. It's always nice to hear f/back or comments from friends and surfers on what we blog on, and if they're aware of my blogs and drop by once a while I'm really happy.

Also when I started blogging on food, one of my objectives was to try my best to cover good makan places (or products) that are Halal, as I've realized that there is a need for this, and I go for Halal food anyway. Sometimes I myself have come upon very interesting blogs and places, but confused whether it is Halal or not, no offence to anyone. Some do take the effort to mention based on their knowledge or understanding or info provided the status of this restaurants, which is appreciated.

Anyway, anyhow, back to Mithai.

Mithai actually refers to Indian (or Pakistani) sweets. It is commonly used in Hindi but might be common in other languages as India has hundreds of languages. Most Mithai are based on Milk, where the milk is boiled until it 'jams' up, I guess something like Condensed Milk. This product is known as Khoya or Mawa. For more on Khoya, you can refer to Wikipedia by clicking here. Some people liken Khoya to Cottage Cheese, but Wikipedia likens it to Ricotta Cheese.

Mithai itself is a very general term, therefore there are many varieties and types of Mithai or sweets available. And interestingly, the signature sweets differ from state to state. Again, Wikipedia has quite a good list of the sweets available, many of which sound new to me, List of Indian sweets and desserts.

Another thing to note is, most of this sweets are REALLY SWEET. But if you like them, I'd personally turn down chocolate for good Mithai!. Why ? Because they are richers, and creamier and harder to come along.

Here's some of the Mithai we recently bought, and all from the same maker, Haldiram. Overall their Mithai products are tasty, good, and fresh. Per the sticker on the boxes, they are Air-Flown to keep them fresh. See I guess one of the reasons Indian Sweets aren't that commercialized as Chocolates is they're don't stay fresh for long perionds of time. But I guess that means no preservatives right?

I would say our favourite here would be the Mix Kaju Sweets. Kaju here refers to Cashew-nut (janggus / gajus). The packaging itself looks good.
So the mix actually consists of 4 type of Cashew Nut (Kaju) Mithai. Believe the Kaju Burfee (Hindi: बर्फ़ी,) would be the diamond shaped ones, the Kaju Gunjia square ones, Kaju Ladoo the ball shaped once. Remember there are many types of Ladoo, as I think Ladoo itself symbolizes the round shape. And finally is the Kaju Kesar. Kesar is Saffron.

Looking at the back of the box, you get to see the ingredients, and the nutritional values. Also notice the green circle in a square box on your upper right. (The one that looks something like a PAS logo, at least that's what I thought when I first went to India and saw that logo) :) The symbol actually represents that it is 'vegetarian' friendly. Somehow there's also the green V near the middle which indicates the same. I guess maybe because the Green Circle might only be common in India.

Our next favourite is the Dodha Burfee. On the box it indicates 'Sweet Blend of Milk Solids, Wheat Flour and Dry Nuts'. The Dodha Burfee is really good. Very rich in taste, examplified by the dried nuts, mostly Almond and Pistachios. Somehow the Wheat Flour (felt like granules instead of flour though) added a distinct flavor to it. Not too milky tasting. A must try.
Now for the remaining 2 sweets. Actually they were good as well, but kind of just got over-shadowed by the above 2. When eating durian, people say start with the bitter ones, then progress your way to sweeter ones. But for our case in Mithai, the better ones were tempting so we enjoy them first. Once they were finished, our expectations dropped since no more stock, then we settle for the others.

Milk Peda. This is a very common sweet, which you can also get at Woodlands and some other shops in Little India to try. The original flavour is white, i.e milky coloured. Semi soft and rich. If you are in KL, there are a number of places that sell good Peda last I remember. One is shops in Little India KL, e.g. Jai Hind. All also I discoverd this booth which is located at the walkway from KL Sentral to the Monorail. There's like a shadded path. They have a booth there. And I still remember the shops name, cause they gave me a nice bookmark. Jesal Sweets I believe.

Peda gives you a very milky taste. Rather sweet. So if you like milk and sweet stuff, it is a must try.

And finally, Pinni. I'm not sure what Pinni means. As the label indicates, a sweet blend of black gram flour, dry nuts and ginge powder. Hmmm. No milk? Yes this sweet wasn't that sweet, and didn't feel milky. So for those who want to try Indian Mithai, but want something lighter, not milky and not too sweet, Pinni might be a good choice.

Ok, moment of truth again. Where do I buy all the above in Penang and of great quality? I don't know. Anyone any ideas? I actually got this from Mustafa in Singapore. Yes, I did some shopping there. This could be due to a couple of reasons, probably not that many north Indians or not that many people who enjoy or appreciate Mithai in Penang. Yes definitely there are, but does the volume exists? And also maybe no-one's though about importing them.

In Penang, there's a few places where you can get sweets, but alas, they do not compare that well to the original Indian sweets. One acceptable restaurant to get Indian Mithai is at Woodlands, however some of the sweets there taste more like milk powder then a product of Khoya. They have a real good sweet which they call Ajmeer Cake or something (not sure how it's spelled as they usually just pronounce it). which is brown in color, creamy and has good some nuts and figs.

Ok time to sleep. Good nite.

Cadbury Dark Chocolate

2009-05-12T13:51:00.007+08:00

Cadbury Old Gold Dark Chocolate - Roast Almond

It's pretty difficult to find Good Chocolate in Penang. Especially affordable good dark chocolate. Both me and Chotu are lovers of chocolate, not to mention dark chocolate.

And yes, the Cadbury Old Gold Dark Chocolate is really good dark chocolate!
But alas, we couldn't find it in Penang, so I actually bought this in Mustafa, Singapore. It is made by Cadburry Schweppes, in Australia. You can find anything and nearly everything there in Mustafa.
There are a few options available if I remember correctly, being just plain dark chocolate, Roast Almonds and Hazelnut. We went for the Roast Almond. It was sold in a pack of 3, (each 250grams) for below SGD20. Yes it isn't that cheap either. Start to wonder why rich cocoa chocolates are expensive but cocoa itself doesn't fetch a premium - proof, not many Cocoa plantations left in Malaysia.

The label shows it's got a Cocoa Intensity of 3 out of 5. I'm not sure how this is measured or benchmarked to. And yes, it claims cocoa is rich in Antioxidants. So no more guilty pleasure when eating on average, just pure pleasure! At least till we get to the other ingredients. Read on.

On the back is the packing, ingredients and nutritional information. It's got a Halal sign lower right.

Talking about the ingredients, ironic isn't it. Even though it is rich in Cocoa, the first ingredient listed is Sugar, so must be much 'richer' in sugar. :)But there are two Cocoa ingredients mentioned, namely Cocoa Mass and Cocoa Butter.

Now to the taste. Here's a picture of the chocolate un-wrapped and semi finished. It's just too tempting. In fact I wasn't even planning to blog about a Chocolate, but since it was really good, I thought it would be a good sharing.

As you can see, it has many full Roasted Almonds. Not like some of the other chocolates the you'll go hunting for the Almonds supposedly in the chocolate.
The Verdict?
Definitely a very rich feel of cocoa. Very enjoyable. It is best to eat it bit by bit to enjoy it more. To me, the Roast Almond adds the nice crunchy taste to me, making it fabulous.
We had a few bars, and gave some to family. And for those that we had, we enjoyed it till the last bit. Dark Choco might be an acquired taste for some, but I would think Bitter Sweet is a harder taste to get used to.

And here's the final temptation. I've cropped the above picture and posted it here.

(As for the other pictures, before uploading them, I resize them to use less space, and hopefully ease your loading concerns. Anyway the below should not be resized in pixel, i.e. you can click on the picture for the full size shot by the camera. You can also click on the other pictures, but they have been resized from the original)

Pictures paint a thousand words. Digital cameras paint a 10 thousand words (or for my case 8 thousand as I'm using an 8 Megapixel cam!) and SLR's paint even more. So I'm still painting with a Ixus Digital Cam.

After Feel (how I felt after having this chocolate):
It is said chocolates encourage happy / love hormones and now antioxidants. I actually did feel good after eating it!

p.s If anyone from Cadbury is reading this, send me some samples and I'll write an honest review your products anytime. Yes I'm a sucker for good chocolates!

Paddington House of Pancakes PHOP

2009-03-04T18:40:00.006+08:00

Paddington House of Pancakes or called PHOP, is a restaurant that serves a lot of things, with a twist - Served with Pancakes.

We visited the PHOP in Queensbay Penang. It seems they have updated their menu recently, and trimmed it down. I went there with my dearest and a close friend Gary. He's got a personal favourite dish at PHOP, so much that he remembers the item number. Yes, PHOP boast lots of dishes, so you usually order by item number! And nope, the item and the item number were missing.

I'm not sure how they rationalized the menu, but in a way, there WERE too many options and the numbering of the menu items were messed up.

Anyway, here's what we had for our main course. It was really good, and the pancake didn't seem too out of place. We enjoyed it overall.

And for dessert, below is the menu we had to choose from.

Dessert Menu at Paddington House of Pancakes

And here's dessert. This was just too tempting. Really tasty. Look deep inside the cup can you see something? (which as somehow a combo of something like maple syrup, choco and caramel?)

Real Tasty Dessert

Side View

Somehow this reminds me of Roti Pisang, Roti Bom, Khaleel's Banana Pancake Ice-cream and so on. Anyway, PHOP is something different.

Summary
Overall good and tasty items. Careful though, not all the menu items are really that good, and some of the portions are smaller then you'd expect.
Dessert was nice
This is something different and probably worth a try.
I did find it a little too costly. So won't be too soon before we go back there. Now, it's been some time since we've been to Chili's in Gurney. I think it's time to head there.

Breeks Cafe

2009-02-24T07:54:00.010+08:00

I wasn't really planning to blog today, but just couldn't sleep. Anyway, thanks to that, hopefully you'll find a nice review coming up. Read on.

So here we are at Queensbay Mall, walking around, looking around. And we reach Breeks. We look a the menu, interesting.

The setup is pretty nice and retro like. With sofa cushions, chairs and tables. One of our favourites here is the lasagna. Even in the menu the lasagna looks tempting. They do have other options like the spaghetti.

The Pasta Rice Menu - Nice presentation eh?

And that's what we're planning to order, the waitress apologizes and says they're out of lasagna. That's sad since we think that's one of their signature dishes. Anyway, sometimes bad news is a blessing right? Read on, and you'll see we discover another signature dish!

This was the offer they had at that time. Probably changes with time.

Watch out for good deals

Going through the menu, we decide to order the Deep Fried Chicken Chop with Black Pepper Sauce.

Chicken Chop - on Menu

It was ok. Either I was just bored of the everyday common chicken chop or it was just blend. Well what do you think?

Chicken chop - chopped and served!

Being adventurous, we decided to try the Hotplate Salmon Steak. Described in the menu, it is a

Feeling adventurous

pan-seared salmon steak with cracked black pepper and served with sauteed potato and fresh garden vegetable on a hot plate. Yes, it is a nice change to have something on a hot plate besides the usual noodles. (PS-My dearest makes a number of delicious dishes on the hot plate, sizzling brownies to mention one of them. That's really good)

Hot plate salmon - really hot and 'smokin' nice

Doesn't the hot plate salmon look really good? You can even see the 'smoke'. The salmon and black pepper source was just too good. And the way the potatoes and veges were cooked and served, it was a near perfect meal. Admittedly some of the vegetables don't really taste nice on a hot plate! I do like potatoes served in this way, it adds a different approach to the common potato.

Drinks

For drinks we had a chocolate drink and orange juice. Just the normal, nothing to shot about. Juice

Summary : Nice ambiance, some of the dishes are really good. Some average. Price is mid to high, not as high at TGIF I'd say, but still pricey. Look out for their offers as that's when you'd get the best deal and value for money.

Nurul Ikan Bakar

2009-02-07T11:33:00.009+08:00

NURUL IKAN BAKAR

Ikan Bakar directly translated means Burnt Fish? Actually it refers more to the way the fish is cook, I guess the burn can then be translated to ala barbecue.

Most restaurants that offer this dish alongside with many other dishes, inclusive of a comprehensive seafood options, call themselves 'Ikan Bakar'.

So here we are, at Nurul Ikan Bakar. The place is decently set up.

Nurul Ikan Bakar

As you can see at the entrance on your right, is a 'sampan' / boat like setup where people are standing. They are actually selecting their Dinner! Yes, looking closer below, it is platter of fish, crabs and prawns for you to choose from. The price of the fish / crab is decided upon your choice. Take Your Pick

This is where we sat. The restaurant is broken up into several 'zones' , some are well lit, some are darker and provide a romantic ambiance. They also have hut like tables and chairs, and also larger family dining tables, where you can dine while sitting on the floor. Many families will find this 'homely'. It is a nice experience and exposure to those who haven't seen this style of dining.

Nice Ambiance! ( little hard so see what you're eating though :p)

So if you look closely at the above picture, you can see the fruit juice just tempting you. Let's zoom in. We ordered the Watermelon Juice. It was nice.

Watermelon Juice (the makan2food watermark looks nice here eh?)

We were contemplating whether to go for Ikan Bakar itself, or have the crab. As we've had Fish quite often, so we decided to go for the Crab. The serving was very real nice. I'm not really a crab eater. I like crabs, but just find it a hassle to dig down to the meat. Anyway, it was nice. Finger licking. So Golu was 'fighting' with the crab, and surprisingly enjoyed it!

The Crab We had a 'War' with

And of course we had white rice. So why post a photo of the white rice? Well since I already took a photo why not post it right? :)

White Rice

We also ordered the mix vegetables as it included mushroom, a favourite of ours. However, it wasn't really that nice / fresh.

Mixed Vege

And also the butter garlic prawn. It was just average. But I'd give them an A for serving though. Looks sumptuous doesn't it?

Garlic Butter Prawns

So here's the summary. It's a great ambiance and experience. The crab, juice and overall dinner was nice. The veg could have been fresher. We really enjoyed it!

Find Nurul Ikan Bakar by clicking here.

Best Thosai in Penang

2009-01-27T18:44:00.008+08:00

Best Thosai in Penang - Gelugor Area : Nasi Kandar ISTIMEWA

This Indian dish is a delicacy all over India. Maybe that explains the many different ways this dish is called. From Tosai, Thosai, Dosa to Dosai. All sound pretty close. Looking at Wikipedia, the Tosai term is called in many different pronunciation, among them:

Hindi: Dosa / Dhosa (Hindi:डोसा )
Tamil: Dosai (Tamil:தோசை)

So what is Tosai anyway? Most would say it is a South Indian dish made from rice and lentils, can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is pretty light unless you have the Masala Thosai that is filled with Potato mainly. It's rich in carbs (carbohydrates) and protein. Note for a healthy version it would be wise to ask the chef to not add much oil. Maybe this would be something to consider after a workout at the gym?

Being in the Gelugor area in Penang used to be pretty frustrating, especially when you're looking for good Indian Food. Even though many shops sell Tosai, usually the Tosai is not really good. We used to go to Jaya for some time in Gelugor, but I've found the Thosai's not consistent, what more can I say about the service. I once complained and the waiter replied to me 'biasalah'. ie that's how it should be. :p

So one day we decided to go to Nasi Kandar Istimewa. It is located on Jalan Bukit Gambir / Yap Chor Ee at the Ivory Plaza Shoplots. Click here for Nasi Kandar Istimewa's map. We've come to experience that the waiters and chefs are very friendly as well. To name a few of the many friendly faces, is Pandi who's returned and Sajan. The owner is also a friendly person.

Typically when going to a 'Nasi Kandar' I would assume the Tosai's to be average at best. However Istimewa has surprised me in a very good way.

We ordered the tosai, and below is what we got. Crispy, and fresh. The flavour is also nice. The picture paints a thousand words. Delicious isn't it?

Here's a Video I took of the chef making the tosai. Enjoy!

Summary - if you're in town and craving for Tosai, Nasi Kandar Istimewa is a must.
The also serve other interesting and delicious dishes including my other favourites; Nasi Goreng Thai, Maqluuba and the normal Nasi Kandar dish. You can read about their Maqluuba by clicking here.
Most of the the other places selling tosai usually serve you soggy (lembik) thosai at best. Some might like that version but nope me.

Domino's Chicken Lasagna

2008-12-21T13:45:00.013+08:00

Chicken Lasagna at Domino's

Suprised? Usually when you hear about Domino's you think Pizza Delivery. That's it. Domino's has another hidden gem, their Chicken Lasagna.

Eventhough not well publicized, I'd go to the extent of saying they have one of the best Chicken Lasagna's in town. And not badly priced for that.

Relative to my experience in Secret Recipe, where the Lasagna is good but not consistently good. Also I have to say, the Domino's Lasagna tastes a lot better.

Domino's Chicken Lasagna

You would not expect a 'Home Delivered' Lasagna to taste as good as one you'd it at a Restaurante. (adding a little flamboyance to Restaurant).

The proportion of Lasagna, Cheese and fillings is just nice, and arrives hot.

Currently you can get it from RM10.80 as side order. Definitely a must try. You can order online, walk-in or call them.

Domino's
1300-888-333

If you register on their website and order online, you might be lucky to get additional coupons. My experience ordering online wasn't that good though, slow and cumbersome. Data entry wasn't' fun, and eventhough my apartment is located in the same line as a Domino's the website mentioned I might not be in the coverage area. :p To be fair the Domino's near my place just opened recently.

Ok, enjoy your Lasagna.

The Coffee Bean Card

2008-11-12T20:39:00.007+08:00

Just for Coffee Lovers...and Tea Lovers....aha, it's called Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves for a reason!
Back to business, yes, it's been mighty long since I've blogged on makan2food. I've been to a couple of blog-worthy places, but somehow never found the time. Blogging is like an engine, an old school engine, it takes some time to warm up, and once warm you can't stop... But once you're running, another problem occurs, not really of running out of gas, as usually there's much to blog, especially when one of my blog's name is www.everythingalsocan.blogspot.com . The thing is actually putting the break on. Yes, once you get started, it is hard to stop..

So here I am at CB&TL (Coffee Bean & Tea Leaves) . And I'm not going to blog about the coffee, but more on the value (or perceived value?).

Yes, to you lovers, do not forget to get the Coffee Bean Card. This is one benefit I see of Coffee Bean compared to Starbucks. Starbucks does give discount for certain cards, but no specific loyalty cards.

So what's the benefit? Basically a few
1.The card is priced at RM25. But here's the killer reason, you get RM25 of credit! So nothing's lost! Basically you should be able to get it from any CB&TL outlets.
2.Everytime you top-up, you get 10% more value. So why pay RM10 for a coffee, when you can top up your card for same value and get RM12 instead! (not sure what's the min top-up value though)
3. Sometimes there's discount for coffee, which I just got to know of and am enjoying now. I got RM2 off the price of the Hazelnut Latte.
4. I like paying using my credit card. Period. So problem is, it in Coffee Bean (at least the one I'm at now, CB&TL in Gurney Hotel, there is a minimum RM25 transaction for C/C use. (this is another thing I really don't like in most shops, what's all this minimum huha). How are we going to be a cashless, plastic card society? (Now, I'm not sure if this is a good thing in the first place).

Ok, and I have to realize I have one grouse. 1 disappointment. I have come to realize it seems I have lost my Points (which they call Beans) because it expires too fast!
From their website :
"All BEANS earned in each calendar year, will expire 6 months after the calendar year end i.e. on the 30th of June of the following year."

I wasn't aware of this, and now have lost my hard earned points. I talked to the manager here and he mentioned usually a couple of months before June, CFTL does put up notices about the expiry. Too bad for me I was frequenting Starbucks during this time.
An SMS reminder would be nice wouldn't it?

The other thing I noticed, after finding out that I can check my account info online at CFTL's website, is that it seems it doesn't really show when and if I used my Bean Points. Or I just can't read a table?
So maybe a clearer transaction history which includes when points are used would be nice.

Now let me send this entry to CFTLs customer service and see what's their reply.

2nd Best Soup - Pelita Nasi Kandar

2008-08-09T22:46:00.002+08:00

2nd Best? Yup that's what I think. Personally and many would agree that Sup (Soup) Hameed in Penang Rd is the best place to have this type of soup.

To those not familiar with this type of soup, it's a Nasi Kandar style soup. Full of spices, a little oily and sprinkled with spring onions and fried onions. You can have your choice of meat with the soup, from chicken, goat, cow, torpedo, ox tail (ekor kerbau?) and some other interesting choices. I won't go into the Sup Torpedo and the other 'special' delicacies. Just a hint, it's related to being an 'aphrodisiac'. Either you love it or don't. I have seen many foreigners falling in love with this delicacy, BUT there is a secret to having this soup, that many many non-Penangites don't know of. Read on, and you'll be on your way to enjoying Nasi Kandar Soup the Penang way.

Here's a picture of the sup at Pelita. Inviting isn't it? (You just need to ignore the oil)

The soup is great served hot, I had it with Goat (Kambing) meat. It's not spicy, but full of spices. Good to clear up your nasal and throat as well.

And now the secret of Penangites. Make sure to order Roti Benggali with the soup. Roti Bengali (Bengali Bread) is a famous not so soft bread, commonly found in Penang, and hardly anywhere else in Malaysia that I know of.

Roti Benggali (rather what's left of it)

This dry bread, is a great complement to the soup. You might be wondering "Why this bread specifically, and not normal bread like Gardenia and the rest?". The secret lies here I believe, this bread, is not as soft as common bread, and also has a hard skin surrounding it, so when dipped, it doesn't get too soggy and break off or sink away.

Now to master the art of dipping and savouring.

And the verdict:
Yes, I just had some great soup, with Benggali Bread. The specific Pelita I like to go to is in Sungai Dua, opposite McDonald and Pizza Hut.

Pelita Nasi Kandar has many branches, and have tried the soup at this and the one in Jalan Tengah and I am satifistied with it.

Find Pelita Sungai Dua by clicking here... Pelita Nasi Kandar Sungai Dua Pulau Pinang.

Pelita also has their own website, http://www.pelita.com.my/.

Summary :
Great soup (Nasi Kandar style Sup, sometimes commonly called sup Kambing), taste nice with Roti Benggali or rice.

As soup Hameed is rather far away from my area, and parking is difficult and expensive, this is a good alternative.

There is usually ample parking, and if you park inside the parking area you can get them to stamp (chop) your parking ticket for a cheaper rate.

Coconut

2008-07-27T01:09:00.004+08:00

Went back to Anba coconut to re-fresh ourselves. This time with a clearer video of the chap 'skinning' the coconut for us to drink.

Sahara Catering

2008-07-26T21:17:00.006+08:00

Nasi Kenduri Catering Food by Saharah Catering in Penang

I've recently come to notice a number of people are looking for caterers for functions, be it Marriage Catering aka Kenduri Kahwin, or This is the 2nd time I'm blogging about this caterers food.
For the first entry, click here.

As usual the food was good. I loved the Chicken and it's spices. Also served was Lamb Kurma, and Acar.

Have been to several kenduri which had Sahara Catering and found it to be consistently good.

This time I managed to keep a clean napkin where their contact details are printed.

Saharah Catering
(K.S. Hj Abdul Rahim)
Tel : Off : 04-2838967
H/P : 012-4053966

Haagen Dazs Fondue

2008-07-05T23:25:00.008+08:00

Yup, here I am back at Haagen Dazs, Pulau Tikus Penang, on a date with my dearest chotu.

Recently one of my close friend asked me what's the meaning of 'chotu'; well you'll have to ask me personally to find out. :)

Back with a vengeance, for more ice-cream. My previous visit was blogged here.

Yes, and this time we're here to enjoy the epitome of Haagen Dazs - The Fondue.

As described in their menu;

Perfect for sharing with that special someone. Luscious fondue scoops - Choc Choc Chip, Coffee, Macadamia Nut, Strawberry ice cream, served with slices of fresh seasonal fruits, crunchy nuts and baked pastries, accompanied by a warm pot of rich chocolate sauce.

At a price of RM59.90. It better be good.

Snap shot of the Fondue Menu

And here's an aerial view of the fondue served. I like the 'fork' they provide. Minus one point though, the choc sauce looks 'messy'. Overall serving does look nice. Tempting and seducing is the least I can say to describe it.

Aerial View - somehow the splat of hot chocolate stands out

Here's a side view of it. Some of the ice-cream flavors made a good combination with the hot chocolate sauce, some didn't. I liked the vanilla the best, followed by coffee. Dipping the love letters and other pastries was nice. The candle kept the hot chocolate nice and warm.

Sexy side view of balls of heavenly ice-cream.

Dipping the sliced banana into hot chocolate was also delicious. The other fruits were ok.
Also remember to enjoy the crunchy nuts.

View of the seasonal fruits

And last of all, an ice-cream ball , at 100% resolution. Melting ice-cream

Summary :
This time service was pretty good as the the place wasn't too crowded.
There are rest-rooms at the back of this row of shops, which is good, but bad thing is it's not well equipped, and doesn't really feel that safe at night (imagine a dark alley where you do your potty)

I recently tasted another version of Fondue; the chocolate sauce replaced by another sauce, and it really made the whole experience lousy. Given a choice, I'd stick with choc sauce.

Here's the address again.

Haagen Dazs Contact & Address
10-1-368, Bellisa Row,
Jalan Burmah, Pulau Tikus, 10350 Penang.
Tel : 04-2260623

ps- Any idea where to buy this fondue set? I mean the serving / china set.

Secret Recipte - Cakes and Drinks

2008-06-17T22:05:00.010+08:00

Here I am in Secret Recipe, to enjoy dinner, cakes and drinks.

This Secret Recipe is located in Bayan Baru, near Sunshine Supermarket, close to KFC.

Let's just cover the cakes and drinks, as I managed to get some really drooling pictures.

We ordered the New York Cheese Cake, which I believe Secret Recipe claims is an award winning cake. Yes, I have to agree, it is a classic.

The New York Cheese Cake

New York Cheese Cake -zoomed in. Looks really appetizing doesn't it.

We also ordered the Walnut Brownie, my favorite. Actually I prefer the brownies at Aunty Jenny, however she doesn't seem to sell Brownies with Walnuts, my personal favourite.

The Walnut Brownie with Molten Chocolate Syrup

Brownie zoomed-in. Delicious.

For drinks we had Coffee. Not bad. Not Coffee Bean, but not bad.

Summary : Really good cakes.

Tip - Personally I would never eat a cake with a cheese and chocolate combo, as both have strong flavors, and you loose the rich cheese flavor.

PS- do you think of the pictures with my new Canon Ixus 860 IS? I'm really happy with it. You can click on the pics for the full size. Enjoy.

Arab Food in Penang

2008-05-24T20:35:00.009+08:00

It's pretty tough to find Arab Food in Penang.

Be ready to be shocked, I found acceptable Arab food in a Nasi Kandar!

Here I am at Nasi Kandar Istimewa in Jalan Bukit Gambir. It is located in the shop-lots at Ivory Plaza.

Nasi Kandar Istimewa has become one of my frequent dining places ever since I signed up for the Gymnasium upstairs. And you know the theory to gain mass and weight, whack (eat) after you work-out, best in 30mins right after a workout.

Anyway, back to Arab food. Check out the menu.Arab Food Menu Options

They didn't have the Kubsa, however they had the Maqlooba Chicken and Mutton. It seems Maqlooba has a Briyani feel, however according to my lovely food adviser, in Maqluba the chicken or mutton is cooked together with the rice, unlike Briyani where they are cooked individually.

I ordered the Mutton Maqluba ((Arabic: مقلوبة). I find usually in this type of dishes, I personally prefer mutton to chicken.

So here's my Maqlooba.

How It Was Served

Looks Delicious!

Overall the Maqluba was good. It was something different and new for my pleasure and taste buds. Rice was nice and fragrant with tasteful seasoning. Mutton was well done and tasty.

Per my conversation with the owner, who happened to be a pretty friendly chap, besides Maqlooba, Arabs like to have the Roti Arab with Liver (Hati). However the Arabian Bread is not freshly made like the Naan Bread, but re-heated. I'll give it a try InsyaAllah one of this days.

Find Nasi Kandar Istimewa in Jalan Bukit Gambir by clicking here.

Fresh Coconut

2008-04-27T22:52:00.007+08:00

Let's enjoy some delicious fresh Coconut today.

One hot day, in fact in Penang, it's nearly every day is a hot day. So where would you head to? Where else but to get some refreshing coconut water, and then enjoy the coconut.

So let's head to Anba Coconut Trading, off Burma road.

Anba Coconut Trading

It is located in a lane opposite Giant Penang Plaza. Believe the roads name is Abu Siti Lane.

You get 2 options of young fresh coconut (Kelapa Muda), first being Normal (Biasa) or Pandan Coconut. I believe the Pandan Coconut is supposed to be fragrant, like Pandan leaves.

The Friendly Chap Selecting a Coconut

I usually go for the normal variant. The amount of water (which I just reliased is called liquid endosperm) is pretty refreshing, and usually more then enough to satisfy your thirst. It is always a pleasure watching the fellow skin the coconut and make a hole, for us to drink thru a straw.

Coconut Brother in Action. Stay far, you'll have flying debris

Once you're done drinking, it is time to enjoy the flesh or meat of the coconut. The younger coconuts have soft flesh, unlike the rippen ones where the flesh hardens, I believe due to the liquid sperm hardening? The moments scooping the jelly endosperm (isi kelapa) is always fun and tasty. Tender and soft. Mmmm.

Watch a video here on how this chap opens the coconut and carves a scoop out of the outer husk for the customer to use as a spoon to scope the inner meat.

Nature at its best. Rating? I'll let the crowd below speak for this one.

Huge Crowd

Need Directions? Locate it on Wikimapia by clicking on this text.

Food for Thought, why do we call it coconut water and not coconut juice?

2008-04-02T15:36:00.001+08:00

fyi-penang

I discovered a simple non-html savvy way to create a comment with html contents by just using what blogger had to offer and was pretty happy with it.

makan2food

Information on Penang

http://fyi-penang.blogspot.com/

fyi-penang

Yuwie Review

fyi-penang

Famous Amos, Penang

2008-02-27T22:21:00.007+08:00

Believe it or not, you don't have to drive all the way to a stall selling the famous Famous Amos cookies anymore. You can now buy it vacuum packed at Tesco.

My favourite flavor is Chocolate Chip and Pecans.

You can get a 12Oz Vacuum Packed (with a Vacuum Re-seal) for just RM10.98. I would say that is pretty reasonable for such a good masterpiece.

You can also get it in a box, RM8.99 for 6Oz. I'd stick with the 12Oz as it is more value for money isn't it.

Summary

At last you can buy Famous Amos packed, in a store nearby. Found it in Tescon
It still taste great, maybe not as fresh as the one in the 'stall', but I'm not complaining.
There is the UD Symbol, so probably Halal. Wallahu alam.

Haagen Dazs Penang

2008-02-09T20:31:00.002+08:00

Here I am, in Bellisa Row, Pulau Tikus, finding a parking spot, to go to Haagen-Dazs with my dearest, to celebrate out 3rd First Sight Anniversary. Sounds more romantic in Hindi "Pehli Mulakaat ki Anniversary".

Entering, we're greated by a full-house. Probably the weekend and post Chinese New Year Crowd. We make our way upstairs, where is it more cozy, with leather sofa. We're seated, waiting for someone to clean up the table and take out order. That was like a 10 minute wait, maybe due to staff on leave?

At last, someone takes our order. We order the New York Brownie and the Cookie Crunch.

Now we wait again. I believe I was the 3rd customer out of 5 or6 customers upstairs to be seated first. However, I was the last one to be waited on (taken order).

Then I realized, where's the usual complimentary plain water they serve. Ok, the waiter is serving everyone else, and refilling as well, but somehow doesn't notice me. I call out to the waiter and say, "Could you serve me water as well?!"

At last we get our water. At least it's free. Unlike even Nasi Kandars nowadays. And here comes our order, hold on, I didn't order that, guess what, they're serving me the wrong dessert. I ask the waitress what's this and politely tell her it's not our order.

Ok, we're waiting again. And here it comes. She puts the order quickly on our table and says wait she'll get the utensils. But guess what, wrong order. We call the waitress and inform here, wrong order. AGAIN!.

Talk about good ice-creams that can make you have orgasmic pleasure, this sure is faking it twice!

At last our order arrives, the New York Brownie first.

How it's on the Menu

How it really was. Pretty close to the Menu.

Note 2 set of utensils, I asked for 2 so I could share with my Dearest, and compliments to them for remembering this.

We had Belgian Chocolate and Vanilla scoops. And yes it was a pleasure. The brownies were soft, fresh and probably with crushed walnuts. It was a delight. The ice-cream accompanying was great. Loved the Belgian Chocolate.

Soon our 2nd order was served, the Cookie Crunch It has Cookies & Cream and Coffee scoops put in a milk shake like glass and look. Overall was just average, as the mixture of all the fillings, cream, cookies didn't let you enjoy the individual taste of the ice-cream but was a mixed feeling.

Dripped some ice-cream on my hands, and just noticed, they didn't even serve napkins. I had to walk over to the counter and request for napkins. This time I did feel like Nasi Kandar Service.

Did you know, why Haagen-Dazs ice cream taste so good? Coz it's more like Kulfi (Indian ice-cream like dish) then a typical ice-cream. Normal ice creams are whipped with air or overrun, where as Haagen-Dazs ice-cream has minimal air whipped into it. Whereas Kulfi contains no air.

Summary :

Great ice-cream as usual.

Service could be better.

Some flavors (Rum something & Tiramisu contains alcohol). Not sure if they use different scoops when they scoop between alcohol and non-alcohol flavors.

Haagen Dazs Contact & Address
10-1-368, Bellisa Row,
Jalan Burmah, Pulau Tikus, 10350 Penang.
Tel : 04-2260623

Nutmegs & Pickle (Buah Pala & Jeruk) -updated

2008-02-08T23:26:00.001+08:00

Among one of the famous snacks people from all over Malaysia come to Penang to look for is the pickles (would this be the correct name for buah-buahan jeruk?).

The most famous of this pickle is the Nutmeg (Buah Pala). There is also the nutmeg that comes in a dried sliced form.

Check out nutmegs in detail.
Also I found some interesting notes about nutmegs in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutmeg. (And some other interesting stuff I would rather not quote.)
"At one time, nutmeg was one of the most valuable spices. It has been said that in England, several hundred years ago, a few nutmeg nuts could be sold for enough money to enable financial independence for life."
No wonder so many non-Penangites like nutmeg so much.

Another favourite pickle is the buah salak, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salak

There's also pickles of papaya,

mango,

ambla, and some others. Most people here call the ambla fruit buah Melaka. It is the rounded bitter fruit. High content of Vitamin C.

The most common place to find this 'jeruks' would be at the Chowrasta Market. It is located on Penang Rd (slightly after and opposite Mydin Supermarket).
Personally I find something else of more interest at the Chowrasta Market. A treasure of 2nd-hand books store at the top floor.

Places to buy:

Click here for a map to Chowrasta Market.

Click here for a map to Medan Suri Sg Nibong.

Banana Leaf Mee Goreng

2008-01-23T21:42:00.001+08:00

Mee Goreng Mamak, Road Side, Banana Leaf Style

Believe it or not, this place was really right under my nose and then once I decided to try it.
An Indian Uncle is selling Mee Goreng right opposite Banana Cafe (Pokok Pisang) restaurant in Bayan Baru, right before Hotel Seri Malaysia, on his 3 wheeler hawker stall by the road side.
Usually he's there daily from around 3pm to 7.30pm. As you can see in the above picture, he has set-up some tables and chairs by the five footer, but mostly people 'tapau' (pack) it and have it at home. Drinks are limited to mineral water and some canned drinks.

Ingredients for the Mee Goreng

Looking at the Ane prepare Mee Goreng is really enjoyable, you can butt in a say, extra spicy, no sotong, more veges and other special orders.

Uncle whisking the Mee Goreng from the 'kuali' into the banana leaf

The Mee Goreng is really good. Served in banana leaf, it gives it a unique taste and flavour. Sometimes you'll find traces of grounded nuts.
Remember to serve hot. :)

Need Directions? Click here.

Enjoy.

Al Hambra Tandoori Restaurant

2007-12-08T19:10:00.002+08:00

UPDATED - This place has closed down. The Best Tandoori House in Penang, and it has closed.

Al Hambra - An addition to the the fine North Indian Restaurants in Penang. And a fine addition I would say.

It is located off Jalan Tengah, in the rows of shop behind CIMB (formerly known as Southern Bank), just 4 doors down Victoria Station.

My dearest Chotu and I were there for dinner. It is a cozy place, great place to have guest/expats, functions, and family for a nice dinner.

For starters they served Papad (Papadam) accompanied by green minty Chutney and onions. Dipping the papad into the chutney gives a nice taste to this crunchy snack.

Ordered some Stuffed Potato Tandoor as well while deciding on the main course. Was OK for stuffed potatoes.

For the main course, we ordered Kadai Chicken, Chap Masala, Palak Paneer, Briyana (Basmati) Rice and Tandoori Naan.

Requested the Kadai Chicken to be extra spicy, and no regrets. It consists of boneless chicken in gravy with a distinct flavor, possibly dried fenugreek leaves. The gravy was wonderful and couldn't stop enjoying it. Highly recommended, and if you're up to it, ask it to be extra spicy.

Chap Masala, soft, tender mutton (probably the thigh) served in gravy rich with spices. The mutton was succulent and well done. Must-have for mutton lovers.

The Palak Paneer, a favorite dish for North Indians, is spinach beat with cottage cheese.

My dearest ordered Green Peas Basmati (Briyani) Rice. I wasn't that eager, for green peas, but was proven wrong. The rice was fragrant, the peas were rather fresh, not dried-up as you'd usually get outside.

Also ordered the Tandoori Roti. Both Rice and the Roti went nicely with the mutton and chicken dish.

For dessert we had Masala Tea and Kulfi.

For those not familiar, Kulfi is a must have desert dish at North Indian Restaurant. How Wikipedia puts it "Kulfi is a popular South Asian dessert made with boiled milk. It comes in many flavours, including pistachio, malai, mango, cardamom (elaichi), saffron (kesar), the more traditional flavors, as well as newer variations like apple, orange, peanut, and avocado. Where western ice creams are whipped with air or overrun, kulfi contains no air; it is solid dense frozen milk. Therefore kulfi is not ice cream. It is a related, but distinct, category of frozen dairy based dessert."

It is definitely creamier and more lavish then most ice-creams. Imagine Hagen-Dazz Vanila, and you're close to imagining Kulfi.

And Al Hambra's Kulfi did not dissappoint. It was a pleasure.

Last we had the Masala Tea. Serving was nice. The tea was average. Still best Masala tea would be Bharat's Masala Tea at Cameron Highlands. I'd recommend Bharat's Masala Tea for all, but for me, my Angel makes the best home made Masala Tea/Chai. :)

Summary

Delicious North Indian Dishes, with the items in the main course and dessert a must have. Price range is mid to high, but relatively reasonably priced compared to other Tandoor / North Indian Places.

I'd highly recommend the Kadai Chicken.

They also have a buffet lunch option at ~RM15 and lower for the vegetarian option. Hopefully will review this soon.

Contact : Mr Gafoor @ +6-0195635455

No. 25, Lorong Mayang Pasir 5,

Taman Sri Tunas, 11950,

Bayan Baru, Penang, Malaysia.

Need directions? Find it on Wikimapia.

Ginger Biscuit

2007-12-08T19:08:00.001+08:00

Tesco Giner Nut Biscuit. Really good, and average priced. Nice to dip in tea, also for making crusts.

Chili's Penang

2007-11-18T18:32:00.002+08:00

Chili's in Penang. Yes, after waiting so long, it is now here. First the arrival of TGI Friday at Queensbay, and now, finally Chili's at Gurney.

The visit to Chili's in KLCC Suria some time back, had caught my taste buds, and the longing started.

Then, I find out Chili's has arrived in Penang, thanks to my colleague Kelly.. Sad to say the promo and publicity wasn't that good compared to when TGIF got here.

So it was my Chotu's Birthday, and she just loves Mexican Food. The affair started 1 year back at TGIF in Suria KL and also during our trip to Florida.

We drove to Gurney Drive, by advert, Chili's is located 'inside G-Hotel', however it is really the row of bistros between G-Hotel and Gurney Plaza.

This website, which was more of a pop-up when you click Chili's has too limited info, and you can only access thru G-Hotel's website at http://www.ghotel.com.my/ . I couldn't even get thru the listed number above.

I'd expect them to have their own stand-alone website like chilis.com.my, or at least an easy link to Chili'ls Penang from http://www.chilis.com/ but nope. (at least to date of this post)
But after clicks and clicks, finally found Chili's Penang website :
http://www.chilis.com/menu/default.asp?Unit_ID=701%2E085%2E0007&tierID=88&menuType=Dine+In&menu=1

Ok now down to the food. It was a weekday, so the crowd was average. We chose outdoor sitting, as we do not drink alcohol and don't really like its smell. Checked with the 'greeter' whether food was Halal, and she said yes. But note, they do server alcohol.

Starters, we started with, well if you're in Chili's, why not try Chili right. Sounds spicy enough. It's actually minced meat (khima) in chili soup. Guess what though, it wasn't spicy.

Little cup of chili, served in a too huge tray/basket.

Chili zoomed in with the cracker. Notice the generous amount of cheese.

Mushroom Jack - Official

We ordered the Mushroom Jack (Juicy, marinated grilled chicken smothered with Jack cheese, applewood smoked chicken, and fresh sautéed mushrooms. Served with onions, bell peppers and our house-made salsa.).
Mushroom Jack - thru not so great Camera Phone.

It was sizzler plate served, with chicken, mushrooms, and lots and lots of cheese. I found the chicken super delicious. But sad to say the salsa wasn't much of a salsa.

Served the tortilla,
and add on of black beans & rice.

FINALLY THE CLIMAX:

The desert, we had a shake, it was a mixture of many fruits. Verdict, this was the hilight of the night. Delicious, nice texture, and just a nice mix of fruits. The name - Can't recall.

Their full address
Penang Retail Space 3 (G-5) G-Hotel, Presiaran Gurney,10250 Penang, MALAYSIA (MY)
+6-04-2101111

Thought to ponder, it's Chili's but ain't spicy.

Summary

Small tables, serving's average sized, but the baskets and trays are too big for the tables.

Overall great Mexican food for my taste bud. Beware, I ain't no Mexican.

Pina Choladas to all.

Need directions ? Check out Wikimapia.

Yuwie Review - Special Edition

2007-11-04T00:18:00.002+08:00

Yuwie - Spam, Reality, Pyramid or just Yuwie?
I recently came across an email from a friend inviting me to join Yuwie. The theme is, you get to do what you'd do in Facebook, MySpace, Multiply, and GET PAID!.

I have always held close to a saying, If it's too good to be true, then IT IS too good to be true.
Still benefit of the doubt, I tried searching some websites reviewing and sharing experience about Yuwie.

1. This one seems to be a very un-biased review.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/376955/paid_for_popularity_yuwiecom_pays_users.html?page=3

2.Or try
http://www.contract-worker.com/should-freelancers-consider-yuwie/

There's many comments/reviews you can google out. To summarize based on my readings and perceptions, seems like a pyramid, but you don't have to fork out any $ (as of until now).
Seems like a MLM since you need your downliners to expand and grow revenue.
Seems just like any social networking site, BUT just it pays.
What did I do, I just gave it a try. Too good to be true? I hope not.

Replying to a post, what I've got so far from Yuwie? Nothing much.Probably it works if you log in often, have a great level of friends, and the thick-skin to ask them to sign up as well. For now, I'll focus on blogging. My earnings as below :

Strawberries - and let your imagination fly

2007-10-27T21:40:00.001+08:00

Big Red Strawberry Farm - Cameron Highlands

That's what the name was I think. There are many strawberry farms up in Cameron Highlands, once you start ascending the area. But what makes this one stand out is , not only the strawberry farm, strawberry picking and the hydro-phonic vegetables,

but what was memorable was the the dishes they offer based on strawberries.
I remember when I was a teenager, during my family trip here, we had Strawberries with whipped cream, and now was my chance to relive my memories. Aaah, fresh strawberries in whipped cream.

My dearest ordered strawberry ice-cream. The serving was really attractive. And the taste? It was great except for....

the love letter (the round pink biscuit stick). It wasn't crunchy nor tasty. But once you remove that, it's pleasure all the way. Strawberries, strawberry extract/syrup, ice cream, and yes whipped cream again. Delicious.

They also serve waffles, fried ice-cream etc all with strawberries somewhere inside. By the way, did I mention they also sell fresh strawberries? :)

Masala Tea - Bharat Tea Plantation

2007-10-17T22:03:00.001+08:00

It was Monday, we were headed to the Boh Tea Plantation in Sg Palas. But alas, it seems many places of interest in Cameron Highlands are closed on Mondays. So much for planning a trip and avoiding peak weekends. We still tried our luck and drove thru the Boh Plantation until we reached the entry gate, but were stopped by a guard as it was closed. I believe Boh has like a walk thru of how tea is produced. Still the view we got was breath-taking.

So my dearest said, lets try the Bharat Tea Plantation we passed thru during our way up to Cameron. And was that a blessing in disguise. This plantation produces the Cameron Valley Tea product. We entered the Bharat Tea Plantation and first enjoyed the tea plantation scenery.

Then we went to the cafe. Nice surroundings. Quite relaxing. Just a great way to say Tata to Cameron Highlands.

Going thru the menu, which of course, offers a variety of tea concoctions, we noticed they had Masala Tea. Masala is Indian Spices, or rempah ratus in Malay.
Once to often we have been disappointed by the Masala Tea preparations served in Malaysia.

So we sat down, waited for our drinks to be ready, and picked it up at the counter. Yes self-service, it's no Nasi Kandar. So here's the Masala Tea. I also got some 'short bread' from the counter. Nice serving isn't it.

Now comes the verdict. Yes, it was fabulous. A must try. After the drinks, we went into their store where tea leaves, tea bags and tea-you-name-it is being sold. They do sell the Masala Tea ingredient mixture (the spices) in a small jar. They also have a short history display on the entrepreneurs who started this plantation.
Check out their website. http://www.bharattea.com.my/

Cameron Highlands - Tandoori

2007-10-17T19:02:00.002+08:00

Restauran Bunga Suria "authentic south indian cuisine".

That's what the signboard says, interestingly we enjoyed the North Indian cuisine here.

It is located in Tanah Rata, around 15mins drive from Cameron Highlands peak. I asked the person at the cashier (possibly the owner or a relative) and he confirmed the food is Halal. However it seems they have an adjoining bar which opens at night and might be selling alcohol.

The ambiance is nice, they've got a few choices from outdoors (on the five footer) to inside and to a more private area. Here I am sitting in the 'private' area.

Being lovers of North Indian food, we ordered the nan / tandoori set. Price might be slightly higher then in the lowlands, but that's acceptable.
The set came with a nan, papadam, chick peas (kacang kuda )+ cauliflour, veggy acar (cucumber, onions and pineapples), coleslaw salad (or was it yogurt) and of course the tandoori chicken. Wait a minute, there was even a kaseri (sweets) on top of the nan.Perhaps the kaseri should have been served on a separate plate. The nan set was not disappointing. We enjoyed the the food.

We also ordered on the side (ala carte) fish curry and lassi. The fish curry was average.

They also have the normal fish and curry (lauk) choices to choose from. It did seem appetizing. Possibly the serving and maybe the lights.

Azan Toast

2007-08-22T22:01:00.001+08:00

Ever craved for some toast aka 'roti bakar'. The wanting to dip your toast bread into your cup of tea, nyam. But it's been rather hard to come across nicely fresh toasted breads. My wife came across a very good packed toast, Azan Toast.
They've got a variety of toast, from what they call Long Rusks Toas to smaller pieces of toast.I personally prefer the smaller pieaces as they seem more toasted.
Here I'm enjoying the last moments of this toast, before it goes dip into my cup of tea.
Ok later.

Ara Restu Lunch

2007-08-20T22:04:00.001+08:00

Newly discovered restaurant for lunch, Ara Restu.
It is located right opposite Giant Bayan Baru. To get there, take a left after passing Pantai Medical. The open space is a nice touch, and has a nice spacious atmosphere to it.
The variety is good. Food taste nice.

Mostly the customers would be office workers and of course those working in Giant. Still looking for any special dishes here. It's a good change for the Bayan Baru lunch-goers.

They got a banner up mentioning Sate Kajang. Possibly for dinner time. Will need to check it out.
Anyone any ideas?

Rumpun Mesra

2007-08-04T20:21:00.001+08:00

Rumpun Mesra

Located across the road from Masjid Bayan Baru. Some time back they had a niche, with the option to 'makan duduk bersila', however now it's fully table and chairs.
The variety is good, and they promote their 'masala chicken'.
Our favourites are the honey fried chicken and the ikan masak lemak.
I can attest to the honey fried chicken, with a slight sweet taste, lovely to me.

Find it here.

Bakerzin Queensbay

2007-07-19T21:24:00.001+08:00

Updated : Bakerzin in Queensbay has closed down.

This place was recommended by one of my colleagues, http://faisal78.multiply.com/journal/item/30 . The first time I tasted a Bakerzin cake, I fell in love. Was the Sumatra cake.
So now here I'm at Bakerzin, figuring out what to order.

Take a pick.

Chose the Sweet Pleasure

My dearest had the Black Forest (found on the Ala Carte menu).

Verdict - don't think I'll be going there soon. Sweet Pleasure was ok, but didn't really give me pleasure.
The Black Forest - it had mint leaves on it. Not my idea of ice-cream.
Price - towards the high end. By the way, you get 10% off the bill if you use Direct Access/ CIMB and some other credit cards.

I'll try Swensen for their ice-creams next time.

Kapitan off Queensbay

2007-07-16T01:29:00.001+08:00

Used to be, crave for Tandoori? Drive down to town, stop at either Kapitan at Chulia St, Kapitan off Gurney, or if you've got the extra cash, to Kashmir, Al-Hambra or the likes. PS - You can get RM10 set lunches at some of the posh places which are rather good.
Well now if you don't want to burn a hole in your pocket, enjoy good Tandoori AND not drive down to town, you just need to drive close to Queensbay Mall.
The Kapitan Tandoori and Nasi Kandar is located in the shop houses across the road opposite Queensbay. It is slightly hidden as it's in the inner row of shops. I've taken a picture with Queensbay at the background, so you relatively know how to get there.

Let's get down to the Food. First of all we start of with our fav dish, Tandoori. This time I get the Garlic Naan with Chicken Tikka (boneless chicken, cooked ala Tandoori Chicken). Let the picture do the talking.
Apple to apple or should I say chicken to chicken, I prefer the Kapitan in town, but this Kapitan still serves delicious Tandoori food.

Amazingly what I found more delicious was the Aloo Gobi (Potato + Cauliflower), which is a famous North Indian Vegetarian dish.
It was delicious and we ordered another Garlic Naan to enjoy it.

We also tried the Fresh Salad. Wondered how a Nasi Kandar restaurant would serve 'Fresh Salad'. Take a look. Note, the missing cucumber & carrot slice is due to my tummy. :)

If you're into the Nasi Kandar, ie the Rice and curry + gravy + everything you'd like on 1 plate, the options are aloft.

For drinks, we had the Mocha Blended. Not Starbucks, but will do.

This is where they make the famous Tandoori.
Ever wondered why it's called Tandoori Chicken. Wiki "A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in Punjab region, northern India and Pakistan in which food is cooked over a hot charcoal fire. Temperatures in a tandoor can approach 480°C (900°F). It is common for tandoor ovens to remain lit for long periods of time to maintain the high cooking temperature."

Some other options you could have:

You can find it at Wikimapia.

Best Samosas

2007-06-07T21:27:00.001+08:00

Best Samosa, Vede, and Indian Fried Snacks in Penang.

Going back to Little India, in Penang we end up at one of the junction. Here stands a stall, with a fellow frying samosas, vedes, and other snacks on the kuali.

The samosas, triangle shape, best to eat hot. You've got 2 variants, one vegetable and the other of chicken filling. Both taste super good. The 'skin' is crunchy.

Some of the other fried snacks including vede.

Getting there;

http://wikimapia.org/#y=5416980&x=100339513&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2

Tandoori at Kapitan

2007-03-24T23:54:00.001+08:00

My Favourite Tandoori Place

Kapitan, this branch located on Chulia Street after the Fire Station junction, before the Kapitan Keling Mosque Junction.
Also known as a Nasi Kandar, it serves the standard Nasi Kandar menu ranging from rice, curry and gravy, to specially ordered to cook Fried Noodles (Mee Goreng), Roti Canai and many others.

The Tandoor menu comes with some options, first the type of Naan Bread; eg plain, garlic, or butter Naans. I would stick to garlic naan if you're ok with the smell of garlic. And for the Tandoori set, you'd get the Tandoor Chicken.
It is served with some gravy, onions & chutney (mint chutney and the red one).

The Tandoori Chicken is really tender, succulent, nicely marinated and good! Serving size is also not bad.

There's some other interesting items on the Tandoor Menu, but I had my share of finger licking Tandoor for today. Not bad for RM6.50.

Next we tried the newly introduced claimed first in Penang Claypot Briyani. We chose the Lamb Briyani, but they were out of Lamb meat, so we had to settle for Chicken Briyani.

Serving was quite nice, served sweetly in a 'bucket'. As you can see, the portion of chicken was huge compared to the little rice served. It was quite nice for local Briyani, nothing up to the real Briyani cuisine in India.

And what's the best way to complete a North Indian Dinner but with Lassi. We got the Strawberry Lassi, and per the India Food Expert accompanying me, it was good.

This would be my favourite Tandoori Place, the food is nice and reasonably priced, wouldn't you say?

Find it at WikiMapia

Ayam Medan Suri

2007-03-10T12:03:00.002+08:00

Fried Chicken at Suri Food Court (Medan Suri)

The food court is located at Sg. Nibong, slightly after the mosque and graveyard. There's a number of stalls to choose from, from Pitchya Nasi Dalcha (Dalcha rice) to Malay style food.
And there's one stall which has really good fried chicken for the taking.
It's the first stall on your corner left as you enter from the front.

The menu items are common to most of Malay food stalls, but whatever's fried
here, is really crunchy & tasty. Maybe a little oily.
The fried chicken would be a favourite, especially if you get it hot, just fried.
It's crispy and nicely cooked.

You can also try out the fried fish, it has the same crispiness, but it's just fishy.

Madras New Woodlands - Pani Puri

2007-03-05T20:12:00.003+08:00

I'm sorry to say that I even though I would recommend this restaurant for its food, the service quality, friendliness and attentiveness of the waiter and staff leaves much to require. Good food, bad service, overall bad. If any of you or the management find that the service has improved, please leave a comment and I will visit them to evaluate.

Woodlands Restaurant in Penang Street, Little India.

There're a couple of Indian Restaurants in this area, some offering a mix of veg and non-veg menu and some purely veg.

This would be one of the better veg restaurant. But then what's so special about this place? It's some of the items on its menu that you can hardly find anywhere else Penang.
They have Pani Puri, Shev Puri, Bhel Puri and a few other snacks.

Pani Puri literally means Water in a Crispy Fried Dough. Pani is a Hindi word for Water, and Puri is somewhat like a 'fried chapati'.

It's a hollow, crunchy shell, stuffed with special spicy potato based stuffing and dipped in masala water to fill up the Puri.The stuffing is prepared separately and a small hole is made on the top center of the puri to insert the potato based stuffing inside the hollow dough.
So when you get this stuffed dough, you either dip it in the masala water, or just 'pour' the masala water into the puri's hole using a spoon and enjoy!

Pani puri served at Woodlands

and the Dahi Puri (Dahi=Yogurt)

They prepare this snacks right outside the restaurant doors. It serves as a good notice to passerbys about the availability of this snacks.

This snacks are only served on weekends, Fri-Sundays, from the evening onwards.

I would say that this snacks need an 'acquired taste', as my first try of this snacks in Mumbai wasn't that impressive. But the more I have this, the more I like it. Maybe for beginners, you should try Dahi Puri, as it is sweet. The Pani Puri is a very watery spicy taste.

This are actually very famous Indian snacks that haven't picked up here. Generally those whom have been to India are familiar to this snacks. Even in some Hindi movies, there would be a typical scene of couples enjoying Pani Puri and it's likes.

Woodlands also serves normal items like Chenna Bhatura (Chick Peas with a fluffed bread), tose (tosai) and other Indian Meals. Per my wife, they're Tosai is also not to be missed.

There is also something else special you can find at Woodlands, but I'll cover this next time, when I order it.

Contact Info :
Woodlands Vegetarian Restaurant Sdn. Bhd.,
No. 60, Penang Street, 10200 Penang
Tel : 04-2639764

Petronas Kg Jawa Kedai Roda Tiga

2007-03-01T23:35:00.001+08:00

Kedai Roda Tiga (Shop with a 3 wheeler cart)

We used to call this The Aquarium Restuarant (Kedai Makan Akuarium) because there were a few big aquariums they used to have.

But during my last visits, I just found out they no longer have any aquariums! Also people call this the 3 wheeler place since the food sold is placed on a three wheeler.

It is located at Kg Jawa, Bayan Baru, after the round about heading towards Sunshine, before the entry to the 3rd Phase Industrial Zone (going to Intel etc), & right after the Petronas pump station. Just turn left at Petronas. In the above picture you can see the Bayan Baru Flyover.

During my 2nd last visit in Feb 07 seems like they renovated the place and put up walls instead of the open air style. It was quite hot and stuffy. But in my visit just on the next day on ~22 Feb 07, they added 2 standing fans. So I hope they'll add some more fans and improve the ventilation.

As mentioned the food is served on the 3 wheeler.

To quote my friend, it taste like 'Nasi Kenduri/ Nasi Minyak'.
The food is a little spicy, and full of spices. In my words, it's a blend of Nasi Kandar (Indian Muslim food) and Nasi Melayu (Malay Rice and curry).
The spicy chicken curry is on the most top left.

To sum it up, it's no the typical Malay Food stall, it has some additional spices, especially the curry chicken. Food is good, priced reasonably, lunch only. Parking is not too difficult to find, just make sure you don't block anyone's house entrance.
Just 1 warning, you'll feel sleepy after this heavy rice meal, well at least I do everytime.

You can find the place at WikiMaps as below

http://wikimapia.org/#y=5327628&x=100295600&amp;amp;amp;amp;z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2

ps- Anyone know if the place has an official name?

Firefox

2007-02-24T00:55:00.001+08:00

Hello,

Folks, some friends are quite interested to follow my blog on Food
in Penang. And honestly don't plan to email friends everytime if and
when I update, as it would be bothersome both ways.

Anyway, I've found a great way to 'automatically' stay updated in any of our fav blogs. Actually it even works with CNN, and other established sites (including my blog).

All you have to do is downlod Mozilla Firefox, which icon you should be able to see on your left (otherwise click here), just click it to downlaod.
Then when you browse the Internet using Firefox, look forat the edge of the address tool bar.
Once you click on this icon, ie the RSS icon, you can opt to subscribe to RSS.

So, for example once I've enabled RSS to
http://makan2food.blogspot.com/ , I can see a summary of the latest additions/blogs/updates.

I believe you can achieve RSS thru My Yahoo, etc, but not very familiar.
The other benefit with Firefox is you get tabbed browsing,
ie can open many webpages in 1 window.

Something which only now IE7 has

ps- some companies might not allow using Firefox for browsing,
eventhough most people say it's safer then IE.

Laddu @ Ladoo - Sweet & Tasty

2007-02-21T21:24:00.002+08:00

Laddu or Ladoo, there's many types. I believe I've had the chance to taste a few.

But generally for Penangites, one laddu would be the most common, and by what wikipedia says, it's the Motichoor Laddu

"Motichoor laddu is a sweet delicacy of the central Bihar region, made from grilled gram flour flakes which are sweetened, mixed with almonds, pressed into balls and fried in ghee. Originally from Maner, a small town near Patna, it is now made and enjoyed throughout India. It is a traditional gift at weddings, engagements and births"

Being the food loving Malaysians we are, I don't think we really need a reason or special occasion to eat laddu do we?
So where's the best laddu place in town. Some might even ask, where can I find this 'laddu' thingy?
A stroll down Little India (which is located 10minutes walk from Penang Jetty), and you'll find a couple of stalls selling laddu with some other Indian snacks.
But to me, the best laddu shop, is located on Chulia Street (still in the Little India of Penang).
To those familar with Penang, it's right opposite Mydin Lama (a closed down supermarket, shifted to Penang Rd now), after the FireStation, just by the bus stand, as you can see below.

As many laddu sellers, this chap sells many types of Indian snacks, Bombay Mix (Chewro), Muruku, Jellebi, and also steamed chick peas. (Kacang Kuda).

But what's best here is the laddu. Today I was really lucky, as he had freshly made laddus for me to buy. Even looking at the laddu tray made my quite excited. Just like gold balls (reminds you of the chocolate doesn't it:-) ).

It's sweetness just hits the spot, not too sweet, it's soft, fresh, and just tastes delicious. And not bad for just RM1 for a few balls. Believe you'll love it if you're into sweet stuff.

For a map, click this link for where to find the Samosa Stall

Sahara Nasi Minyak (Kenduri Rice)

2007-02-18T21:05:00.001+08:00

Nasi Minyak

Direct translation would be 'oily rice'
11 Feb2007
Usually nasi minyak is served during wedding receptions (kenduri kahwin), consisting of rice (cooked with ghee), curry chicken (ayam shama), beef (daging) , acar, and usually syrup or milk syrup (ais bandung) for drinks.
For a sample recipe of 'nasi minyak' check out
TheStar's Kuali

It's hard to judge which would be the best nasi minyak in town, since you can only enjoy this cuisine generally during weddings.
Attended my ex-teacher's wife's sister's wedding. The 'kenduri' was at Patani Road Balai Raya (Public Hall), one of the more common places to hold kenduri receptions in Penang Town. Caterer was Sahara Catering. The food was nice.

The acar (pickle) was really good. Just nice, little sweet.Food wasn't too oily.

An interesting note from the Penang Tourism Website
"Nasi minyak – Note that the translation of this dish is not, as expected, oily rice
but scented rice. Nasi minyak is rice cooked with butter, ginger, coconut milk, spices,
raisins and almonds. Very popular at weddings and official functions. When an elder
Malay asks a young person when she or he is going to serve nasi minyak, he really
means to ask when they are getting married! "

Mamak Mee Goreng at Subaidah

2007-02-09T19:44:00.001+08:00

South indian style fried noodle (Mamak Mee Goreng).
4 days ago.
Was planning to check out the new Satay & Roti Jala website I mentioned. Went to Medan Suri ~8.30pm, but it was closed. That was disappointing. So we ended up for Mee Goreng.

Kassim Mustafa at Jalan Tengah used to be my favourite spot for mee goreng, but it's not that good anymore. Seems the chef has changed or I just go during the wrong shift. Anyone any idea?

Anyway, we ended up at Subaidah Nasi Kandar, off Sg Dua (opp Makro Sg Dua). Usually parking is rather difficult or should I say full. We were lucky to find a spot right opposite the restaurant. You can also park behind the restaurant, but generally it's also full on weekends. We ordered mee goreng ayam (south indian style fried noodle with chicken), and requested it to be extra spicy (extra pedas in local language) & butter garlic naan. After a few mins, the meal arrived. And wow, should I say the mee goreng looked really appetizing.

Now for the true test or should I say taste. I have to say, it sure was extra spicy, and didn't have any seafood as I specifically requested. It tasted nice, just like a mee goreng. On the negative side, there were many pieces /shreds of chicken bones. It seems the chicken (I believe fried chicken) was chopped into pieces, and little pieces of bones were there together. I've seen this in some other shops as well , so it might be a part of the style to prepare mee goreng mamak? But it wasn't the best mee goreng I had, and believe there should be better ones out there.

Anyway, to summarize, the search for a true great mee goreng mamak is still on.
Any ideas anyone?

Best Chicken Rice in Town?

2007-02-07T22:21:00.003+08:00

Lunch today at Nazir Cafeteria.

It's located close to Sunshine Sq, Penang. Right next to Pizza Hut. Some would remember that's where Anggerik Biru restaurant used to be.

Penangites would recall the Nazir Cafe name, a very famous chicken rice / nasi ayam place in Komtar. The main branch in Komtar is still there, but the people frequenting Komtar has really dwindled down.

Nazir Cafeteria's specialty has been and still is Chicken Rice. Most prob the nice thing about their chicken rice is the gravy of the chicken rice. It has cucumbers and a just nice sweet gravy to match the chicken.

If your not a lover of chicken rice, the place offers some other choices ranging from soup noodles and fish & chips.
I've tried the mee udang / prawn soup noodle which would come close to the famous hokkien mee, not bad at all. And it's served ol' school style, with a large spoon and chopsticks. (the spoon design gives it the ol' school image).

Price would say rather cheap to average for an air-conditioned outlet. RM4.50 for a standard chicken rice. You'd get chicken rice at food courts cheaper, but that's why they're called food courts right. Also Halal.

Post a comment if your not sure where this restaurant is.
You can find the restaurant location by clicking here.

New Satay & Roti Jala Shop

2007-02-06T20:38:00.002+08:00

I just noticed a new Sate (@satay - a skewered beef or chicken 'poked' through a wooden 'lidi' stick, more at wikipedia@satay ) and roti jala ('net bread') shop opening soon in Medan Suri, at Sg Nibong Penang. It's opening weekdays 3pm-10pm. Just love sate and roti jala, and it's a favorite for my dearest wife as well. Can't wait to check it out.

Main Course

2007-02-04T09:41:00.002+08:00

Let's continue on the dinner menu. It was a 3 course meal I would say. Dinner was mutton biryani. The mutton was really soft. The dish wasn't with curry, but more masala.
It was rather delicious.

Then it was dessert time. Fruit salad dipped in vanilla-strawberry ice-cream.

Thanks to my great chef to the night.

Home cooked food

2007-02-03T23:06:00.002+08:00

When I began, never occurred to me that sometimes the best food you can find, is right below your nose, home cooked, healthy, and yes tasty.
I'll introduce our dinner menu first, and more details in next blog, as it's bedtime.

First of all was gulab jamun.

Then some potato pakora, and also

some onion pakora

You have the onion pakora and potato (batata) pakora with Chutney or if you prefer chili / tomato / ketchup sauce. Usually I use Lingam's.

That's just the appetizer. I'll write more soon, and hope I get the formatting correct, my pics seems to be 'off'.

Food in Penang

2007-02-01T20:39:00.001+08:00

Always been asked, where's the best makan places in Penang.
I would say we need to break it into many categories, and the search is endless, new old places discovered, new places popping up, anyone daring to try it?
And then a sad one, the good places closing down without a trace. Or did they just shift but we don't know?
Or just old places with new food.
What I've found and still looking for, the list is long, plenty, lustful and delicious.