Saturday 29 November 2014

Restoran Nelayan Terapung Ujong Batu


After procrastinating for like forever, we finally make it in here.The restaurant belongs to the local fishermen's association and serves to aid their side income by giving their family members job opportunities in the kitchen



The road in, cuts through a slum like village.
Not a pretty sight in the least . The reward however, gets you the closest you'll ever get under this beautiful but seriously underphotographed bridge. Clear cut example of a deep rooted discrimination towards anything from the mainland.


Set up just next to a riverine mangrove swamp,
boats berthed here belong to local fishermen.
Idyllic setting for authentic homecooked Penang Malay food. The chefs comprise of fishermen's wives or family members of the association. 


Here, fishes are marinated with turmeric powder before being deep fried.
Take a plate and select the deep fried fishes you want from in front of this makcik. It's a self service restaurant . Pick what you want, take it back to your seat . Someone will  ask you what your drink order is before proceeding to calculate and bill you for everything that you've laden your table with.


Amazed to find out that they even have a grill station. Now I don't need to go into Kepala Batas where the food is good but the conservative crowd makes it feel so darned unwelcoming


In the background are a substantial variety of pre cooked dishes. Laid out in front is are various ulam or raw vegies and herbs


First time seeing boiled bittergourds in a Malay restaurant


On the side are 5 different sauces and dips to accompany your meal. This was the best in my opinion . Very spicy and salsa like, with onions and tiny pieces of tomatoes. 


Kari ikan sembilang, a fish curry. 
Taste is unique to the Penang Malays. First timers might get turned off as it is a little on the bitter side but trust me, in time, you will find this highly addictive



My meal....
I liked most everything except for the kangkung and the pucuk manis. Bits of spiced  potatoes, aubergine in sambal, super delicious baby shrimps in out of this world sambal , plus a deep fried egg . Most Malay vegetable dishes ( with the exception of the Minang community ) suck but their seafoods and meat curries are quite unbeatable.  Yum yum.
Very hard to find good Malay food nowadays. 


Senangin fish cutlet . Too dry.
Kangkong belacan. Don't like it done this way .


Shared these fishes between us.
2 black pomfrets ( surprisingly not exceptionally fresh ) and 1 kembung ( horse mackerel )
Bit overdone for me


Squid and beef with 1 hard boiled egg.
His pick . Didn't fancy any of it though the texture of the squid was nice , thick and chewy 


Bill time. 
Around RM42 for all that


Location : Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia

How to find this : head towards the ferry terminal . There's a flyover cutting across. Turn left before the ferry terminal at the corner where a Convent school is . Ask for directions from there. It's pretty complicated and off road. 

Tip : not open on weekends 

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I have been looking for this place for a long time! Do you know if I can find it on Waze?

gostansikit said...

I have left instructions on how to find the restaurant. Don't look for it on weekends , probably not open .
From the ferry terminal , you need to turn towards , the Post Office depot next to the train track . You could try asking some local kampung folks to show you the way after that . The entrance is easy to miss and under a flyover. Use the picture of the bridge as a clue. I don't use Wave but you could try.