Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Penang II (And Perak too)

Following up from my previous post of proposed crash course, makan-makan program to Penang under Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Penang. OK, maybe parts of Perak as well, since this is a road trip up north. Sharing with all on the food photos & my views of them



Char Siew Pau: Restoran Foh San, Ipoh - Fluffy, freshly made with chunky meats. There's feels of satisfaction already after seeing smokes out from the pau upon opening of one side.



Nasi Kandar: Line Clear Nasi Kandar - Talking about brand awareness, this is one name in everyone's mind whenever u mention Penang Nasi Kandar. Always fresh at any time of the day u want it. I really mean ANYTIME...

 

 

Durian ABC: Restoran Kek Seng - The best in Penang, a desert that I ate since my childhood days. Although the durian ice cream is no longer that pulpy as compared to yesteryears, still worthwhile to have it...

 

 

Fried Oyster: Restoran Seng Thor - This is fried oyster with eggs. Read me, Fried Oyster with Eggs & not Fried Eggs with Oyster. Enough said. Without doubt, the best in Penang

 

 

BBQ Drumsticks: New Lane hawker centre - Tastes better than wings and its a wonder why cant those be available in KL

 

 

Sar Hor Fun: New Lane hawker centre - Its that broth...Not too watery, not too dry either. By the time u finish eating the kueh teow, nothing is left on the plate, really.

 

 

Brown Sugar Pancake: Pulau Tikus market stall - No one else in M'sia have pancake of tis kind. Filled with brown sugar & grinded peanuts, giving the not-too-sweet flavour to it. Perfect for the one who crave simple breakie meal without compromising the glucose level
 



Fruit Rojak: Gurney Drive - Its hard to explain why Penang fruit rojak is only available in Gurney Drive. Main difference compared to the ones in KL are the sauces and the mangoes used. Try stall no 52, "Tan Swee Hoe" and stall no 39, "GP Soon".
 

 



Duck Egg Char Kueh Teow: Pulau Tikus market stall - People say duck eggs has high cholesterol. With the tantalizing aroma that comes with it, does anyone cares?
 

 



Steamed River Prawn: Restoran Luen Fong, Tanjung Tualang - The best prawn dishes ever !! One taste, & u wouldn't wanna eat any prawn dishes anywhere else. Juicy, meaty, fresh. Eat it original style, u will understand why people travel long hours from KL just to have this

 



Kueh Teow Soup: Restoran Onn Kee, Ipoh - It so smooth that u can slurp this from your mouth into stomach without u really realize it
 

 



Ipoh Bean Sprout: Restoran Onn Kee, Ipoh - What more can I say? Ipoh people are lucky lot for having first hand supply of this wonderfully created products of nature. U have to eat it to know how I felt about this one

 

 

 

 

Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Penang

Being a foodie, it must be a sin to the Food God (if there's any) for not writing a post about Penang food. I always become a food tour guide for friends, probably due to my knowledge of local roads & local foods. Below is my usual program for a weekend crash course 2D1N Penang food tour for beginners, to have a taste of Penang food.

SATURDAY

• Departs from Subang
• Arrives Ipoh for dim sum breakfast at Restoran Foh San / Restoran Ming Kok
• Departs Ipoh for Penang
• Stops at Restoran Kek Seng for lunch
• Must Try: Durian ABC, Kueh Teow Soup, Popiah
• Recommended: Lor-Bak, Mee Jawa
• Check into hotel (preferably near to town)
• Stops at Restoran Seng Thor for tea time
• Must Try: Fried Oyster
• Recommended: Lor-Bak
• OR alternative stop at Toh Soon Cafe
• Must Try: Hainanese toast, Hainanese coffee
• Walkabout at nearby shopping malls (Prangin Mall, 1st Avenue Mall)
• Stops at New Lane hawker centre for dinner
• Must Try: Fried Kueh Teow, BBQ Chicken Wings/drumsticks, Fried Oyster
• Recommended: Sar Hor Fun, Ee Foo Mee
• Walkabout at Ferringhi night market / Straights Quay
• Stops at Gurney Drive hawker centre
• Must Try: Fruit Rojak, Pasembur (Mamak rojak)
• Recommended: Desserts (Ling Chee Kang, Bubur Cha Cha)
• Walkabout along Gurney Drive
• Stops at Restoran Old Green House for supper
• Must Try: Prawn Mee
• Go back hotel to recuperate

SUNDAY

• Check out early from hotel
• Stops at Pulau Tikus market for breakfast
• Must Try: Duck-egg Fried Kueh Teow, Chee Cheong Fun, Charcoal Indian apom
• Recommended: Brown sugar chinese pancakes, Kueh Teow Soup, Sar Hor Fun
• Stops at Ghee Hiang / Him Heang / Ban Heang to buy biscuits
• Recommended: Tambun biscuits, brown sugar biscuits
• Go up to Kek Lok Si temple, using the old pedestrian walkway
• Stops at stall besides Ayer Itam market for light meal
• Must Try: Assam Laksa
• Stops at Line Clear Nasi Kandar / Nasi Kandar Kassim Mustafa for lunch
• OR alternative stop at Restoran Sin Kheng Aun
• Must Try: Hainanese chicken chop, Fish Gulai, Fried Assam Prawns
• Recommended: Foo Yong Egg, Cabbage Soup with Fishballs & Meatballs
• Departs to mainland via ferry
• Stops at Restoran Luen Fong / Restoran Lung Seng, Tanjung Tualang for seafood dinner
• Must Try: Steamed river prawns, pan-fried river prawns with soy sauce
• Recommended: Steamed Soon Hock fish with soy sauce, fried squids
• OR alternative stopover at Restoran Lou Wong / Restoran Onn Kee, Ipoh
• Must Try: Chicken rice, Ipoh bean sprouts
• Recommended: Meatballs soup

Note: For participants with health problems, doctor's approval letter must be given to the organiser prior to the trip. The writer would not held responsibility for any health issues that may happened during & after the trip.

4 Wedding Occasions & A Couple

The title is clearly stated. 4 wedding occasions held over 3 weeks, solely for a couple, namely Ray & SL. Not whining, but just unusual arrangement. Add in several colourful characters into the scene such as the Akurians (& their partners in crime) and u have 3 eventful weekends, which I can safely say memorable enough for the couple to remember for a generation at least.

The album with CD intact, proudly displayed at the champagne corner

It's all started with the gathering during Raya eve (1 week before the 1st week) for a project. See, if people like Theva can be the first person to arrive, u know it's a damn important project to come up with gift of sorts for the soon-to-be-wed couple. We produced this MTV style video presentation featuring ourselves (Too obscene to be shown here) plus photo album for the couple. 1 week later, there's the wedding dinner held first in restaurant near Bukit Bintang. Beautiful setting in a cosy (although small) area. No prize for guessing which table is the noisiest & has the loudest cheers during the "yam seng" drink session.

Our breaking point: When glasses broke

Move on to the next week, we have this pre-wedding buffet in the groom's house. Hell broke loose as the night went along. With consent from his parents, the plan is a surprise attack for Ray with flour & water. Witnessed by all his relatives, groom was left to fight for his survival with attacks from all corners with water & packets of tosai flour. With those Akurian peeps, u can expect "conspiracy within a conspriracy" whereby even Maj, Nei & myself also got attacked without any of us knowing it. I'm still trying to figure out who was the first to throw flour on me. Poor Ray with the 3rd surprise attack on him. We can't be blamed though, u always "create" the perfect setting & occasion for the peeps.

Here we go....

It's war....

The next day, we braced ourselves for another potentially dangerous occasion, the bride pick-up at SL's house at Ampang. Arrived at the doorstep of SL's house, we were faced with several challenges thrown by the bride's friends. There's food & drinks of all 4 tastes (sweet, sour, bitter & salty), waxing of leg hair (Hail the great Phil), calligraphy writing by groom, rap+beat box session by groom & mates and tens of packets of ang pows given away. Negotiation finally completed after 45 minutes. Thankfully, we're given challenges relatively modest by KL standard.

Gang preparing for toast, drinking whatever that's given....

We drove up north to Ipoh on the next weekend where the groom held another session of dinner for his Ipoh relatives. Rather, this is an excuse for us to have another fun trip together. Stayed in this Ritz Garden hotel presidential suite where it has an adjacent private pool, sauna, steam room & jacuzzi. A heavenly resting place & perfect area to leave our marks. Honestly, everybody mind is already in the pool, even during our dinner in restaurant. Spent 5 hours in the pool for camwhoring sessions to find the perfect shots. Had the best Ipoh "hor fun" in Ipoh Old Town for breakie the next day. We then proceed for another camwhoring session in Gua Tempurung before calling the end of 3 freakily mad weeks.

The gang with the sauna. jacuzzi & steam room behind

One of many camwhore shots taken in the pool

To Ray & SL, do enjoy the ride together. It won't be easy but faith & care for one another will make the journey worthwhile enough to last u a lifetime. Just a piece of an Uncle's mind..:)