Chicken Nuggets - GSC Cinemas

Came here to watch Men In Black 3 tonight.

That was just the pretext.

This is the real reason why I chose this place over others.

Chicken Nuggets

Can't get enough of the hard, crunchy, puffed up crust.

Large size please.

We settle into our seats in the cinema hall .

Noom noom noom....until we realise that we've finished them even before the show has started.

A quick run outside for a second order, soon fixes that.

Happens that I was seated next to a girl with 3 kinds of odours. That kind of spoilt it for me.

Till it didn't matter if I thought Josh Brolin's acting was like kayu. Nor that Will Smith's timing seemed a little off.

Everytime she bent forward, she released the heat from the drawers she had soaked for 3 days before washing.

And when she lifted her right arm,every now and then, I smelt car freshener.

She also bought a box of popcorn with her.
I was ok with that.
It was when she opened her mouth to pop one in, that the right side of my body wilted from her garlic breath.

Maybe next time we should get Premier Class tickets.

Either that or she was really Boris the Animals sister in disguise.

Panasonic Leica Lens - FX80

I'm not about to splurge on a pricey Leica camera. At least not yet.

Even if their cheaper digital compacts like the one below, costs less than a wad of $5000 ONLY.

However, did you know that Panasonic have point and shoot cameras that come outfitted with them ?

Without costing an arm and a leg too, that's quite awesome !

Look at that. See the LEICA brand name across the lens barrel of the 24mm wide angle DC Vario-Summarit ?

Yes. You heard right. Wide angle lens on a compact. Is that more than nice or what ?

The Fx80 is a camera that is slim and lightweight. With a 3" touch screen panel that makes editing options such a breeze, as well as a CCD sensor, to grant you low noise, high quality images .

Perfect for slipping into a purse , neither is it too cumbersome to strap onto your wrist.

Observe how the charger head, is way thicker than the camera itself.

The best thing about this camera, are 2 features that I like very much. Beauty Retouch and Defocus.

Beauty Retouch makes it simple to digitally add on make up, slim your jawline, widen small eyes and airbrush the worst complexion so that it ends up looking magazine worthy.
No need to use a computer and spend hours doing that, making it a piece of cake for anyone, to look instantly made up, slimmer and most radiant even .

While Defocus, helps achieve DSLR looking pictures, by blurring out the background for you .

Retailing at $899, it's a 12 megapixel full HD dream, compatible with 3D viewing equipment .

There is a ton of fun to be had, with a mike on top and a speaker at the bottom . A whole lot to discover and record.

Duck rice in New Lane

Sometimes I wonder how come our many excellent roast duck rice stalls, are hardly featured on the must try list for tourists . 

Every neighbourhood on the island, has at least 2 stalls that specialise in this, with operators coming from as far as Kulim to tempt islanders tastebuds .

New Lane is no exception.

There are two rivals here, operating on the same street, opposite one another.

Although I prefer the younger man's juicier, more tender version, hard luck. He's sold out.

Thus here I am today, at the stall run by this older guy .

Check out the bottom left corner .

See how many duck heads there are ?

Eaten by Penangites not tourists .

My order.

Duck drumstick and breast meat $10 only for the entire plate.

Super cheap .

The thing about this older guy's version is, it is best to eat it on the spot .

Try not to take away, as the meat starts to get very greasy the longer it stays wrapped .

Where's my rice ? Who needs rice ?

Look, you're in New Lane.

Take the duck to a bowl of Curry Mee, together with not one but TWO spoonfuls of sambal, so you are guaranteed to spit fire.

Dragon breathing hot.

Extinguish the heat with a cooling bowl of Si Koh Thng

Location : Duck rice and si koh thng -entrance of Maxim Cafe, New Lane .
Curry Mee- the first stall on the right row, nearest to Maxim Cafe.

Directions : from Traders Hotel on Magazine Road, take the middle road at the intersection and heads towards Sunway Hotel Georgetown. The road is right in front of this hotel.  

Chowtime : the younger man who operates from starts at 5.30pm, the older around 7pm. Both sell out in 2 or 3 hours.

( NH ) Hong Kong Kim Gary Restaurant - new look

It's been ages since I've been here. They've closed for renovations for so long, I've almost forgotten they even existed on this floor .

We followed the waitress into the area where the cushioned seats were.

Chin Ho Chiak Charity Food & Fun Fair 2012

A word of caution before I start, the event happened in the middle of April and I have been sitting on the pictures I snapped, all this while of something related to it. Not the actual fair itself.

Laugh all you want but it's been bugging me and I just have to get it off my chest already.

It started when I spotted this sign below, 2 weeks before the actual day.

Due to the fact that they didn't label it as CHIN HO CHIAK , I thought that there was a new makan spot. Thus I followed the sign.

Gleefully rubbing my greedy hands . I imagined I was going to be among the first few to try it out ! Whatever it was. Yeah ! Wow, got unloading some more. Must be a nice restaurant.

To this next one.

Inspiring.

Onto this one.

I'm pumped.

But scratching my head because I just realised the signs go either way.

Drive till we see this small one at the corner.

Must be close.

Nope. Wrong.

But I'm not giving up.

Just follow the sign.

Gems take some unearthing.

Until we come to this.

Now I'm confused.

Because the direction points to this place.

Which, as far as I know, does not have a restaurant.

Still, I wanted to be 1000 percent sure. Thus we drove in only to have to make a red faced u turn to exit this entrance .

If you think we were alone, other 'treasure hunters' followed us in, up and down, the u turn slope . Last I counted, there were 5 cars tailing us.

I don't know about the others, but I certainly felt like such a big fool. Went home to eat bread with jam. Shy only.

Next time, can someone tell the organisers of this event not to put motivating signs like this so early ?

5 boxes of Happy

Received this via courier services today.

Thank you very much. Gifts like these motivate me in every way.

Pegaga Juice ( U )

The local name for this drink is Cheh Chao or green grass. Some people mistake this drink for wheatgrass when it is really Indian pennywort, or daun pegaga, a bitterish ayurdevic herb.

This herbaceous creeper is known as brain food that can heal and protect the nerves, heart and skin.

Malay and Indian people eat this raw like a salad, to reap its maximum benefits.

Penangites on the other hand,turn this into a juice, served with ice and syrup, for instant relief especially when the weather gets too hot .

As you can immediately feel the heat lifted from out of your head, it can be quite addictive.

Beneficial as it may be, it is better to go easy on the juice as you can develop giddiness if you consume this on a regular basis. Once a month at the most .

I know of only 3 places in Georgetown where you can get this drink.

Lebuh Cecil's afternoon wetmarket , a stall along Lebuh Keng Kwee and another stall at the entrance of  Datuk Keramat wetmarket before a fresh coconut water shop and the police station.

( NH ) Hokkien Mee, Lebuh Cecil

What I love most about Lebuh Cecil wetmarket, is the adjoining hawker centre, where prices of hawker fare is still so incredibly low.

My favourite Hokkien Mee stall is this one.

A short step away, in front of a Malaysian flag hung up on the roof. Nearest to the two red lanterns. Next to a small yellow telco booth.

( U ) Satay Ah' Basri - Bayan Lepas

I have to say I was a bit apprehensive before stepping into this satay outlet.

From the outside it looked like a cafe but once inside it resembled a fast food outlet .

Oh oh.

On top of that, it was also clean, brightly lit,with sweet, well mannered staff....hmmm.... I was truly prepared for the worst.

( NH ) Keat Duck Rice, Fettes Park

Update : I've found them again .
They were the couple that was pictured inside the viral picture in the surau after the floods .
 They are now operating from a corner kopitiam also in Fettes Park just 3 or 4 shops away from their old premises .
Open during lunch , you can find this couple in the back of that shop .
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To me, this is the best chicken rice shop in Penang.

The irony is, he sells more chicken,char siew and siew yoke, than duck, although the shop name denotes otherwise.

But that doesn't mean that his duck isn't good.

It is. The skin is crispy. The meat most delicious.

 Just that Penangites prefer to see more ducks hanging not just 1 or 2 .

More as in 20 ducks hanging before taking your duck rice claim very seriously.

But who cares which is the best seller, when what they serve here is so good, they even get Mat Sallehs as regular customers.

(NH ) Ming Xiang Tai, Jalan Burma

Ming Xiang Tai was featured in todays newspaper. How come I didn't know even about this place until today ? I just had to check this one out.

The writer raved about the Trishaw Egg Tarts sold here.

Am about to put this to the test.

( U ) Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt, Island Plaza

Today,it was so unbearably hot . Time for a yogurt treat

2 Missed calls - Lumix FT dot dot

Organisers like to pick the busiest time, to convey the good news to you. And I never seem to be able to pick up the call in time. A dial back did the trick.

Waterproof. Shockproof. Freezeproof. Dustproof. Just what I need.
And apparently I still do as they have decided to give me a newer, more stylish model.

Summer Garden Food & Bistro, Vale of Tempe (NH)

What makes this restaurant so arresting and stand out from all the rest, is this cascading wall of water at the entrance.

While the inside is no less elegant as it is cozy.

View from the wine bar.

( U ) Nameless Tomyam shack, Tanjung Tokong

Update : Closed down due to the development in Tg Tokong
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This is another tomyam shop operated by a Thai-Malay husband and wife team.

Always friendly and obliging, they even help cook fish, that local villagers bring to their shop, for a small fee.

Tanjung Tokong Rempits often hang outside this pathway for a drink and a smoke.

Hot Wheels collectible toy from Mc Donalds

I'm not embarassed to admit that I often pop into Mc Donalds to check out the collectible toys. Neither do I hide behind a cloak and explain that " I'm getting this for my kids"

"It's for me " is the answer anyone will get, should they ever ask.

Today, I stumbled upon one of the finest Hot Wheels cars they have ever offered . Nice !

( U ) Tomyam at Mutiara Ombak, Tanjung Tokong

Update : the outlet has changed hands . This review is no more relevant . As the other operators across from Tesco are Indons and Cambodians , if you want Southern Malay Thai cuisine , Nurmee Seafood just outside Fettes Park is the closest to this 


The people that run this Tomyam outlet are Thai-Malays .

This restaurant attracts a sizeable number of chinese customers because the chef whips out seafood dishes as if he had been under the tutelage of a chinese sifu.

As it is located along the main road

frontal, fringing the 100 year old or more, kampung Tanjung Tokong,

I don't know how much longer they can hold fort before UDA Holdings takes back the land.

( NH ) Tapioca Fried Fish Noodles,Min Jiang, Air Itam

When the rare tourist comes here, they tend to take locals word for it, that the tomyam stall is the best there is.

I beg to differ.

Most locals are enraptured by the tomyam because the level of spiciness is on a psycho scale of a gazillion sweat beads and a paralysed tongue .

This you can savour in one of the many small mom and pop stalls in Prangin Mall.

However, nobody on the island has been able to replicate what these men have been churning out night after night.

Teenage Suicides

There is plenty of advice on how you should counter the Terrible Twos but not on how to survive a teenage meltdown.

Simply because there is no right formula on how to deal with the mood and temperament associated to that peculiarly complex stage in their lives where they like to maintain a ten step distance away from you .

I was saddened after a wonderful Mother's Day weekend spent with my family, to hear of 2 heart wrenching suicides, which involved 2 boys. One 11, the other 14.

Both suicides have a commonality.They are linked to the deaths of their grandmothers.

( NH ) Supper at 999 Seafood, Fettes Park

999 Seafood is a cheap place for a great home cooked meal . Run by a husband and wife team, many singletons come here as they offer one dish rice meals that are cooked on the spot .

The sambal, belacan and gulai dishes are awesome but I seriously think that they are not from the northern states as it is not typical Penang fare. The lone cook whips out everything on his own and has given an edgier,more exciting take on those kinds of dishes Penangites love so much .

Lick & Win yourself a Paddle Pop Surprise

I knew that Paddle Pop was giving away 670 Units of X Box 360 Kinect, an unbelievable 4500 Units of Nokia basic handphones as well as a massive amount of their comics.

But I had to rub my eyes again and open them wider when I thought I saw this .

Nando's Cataplana feast, Gurney Plaza ( PF )

Penangites have fallen hopelessly in love with this Portuguese chicken franchise from day one.

Us included.

 We want to try out their signature dish, served in this very cute but strange looking copper/brass like container.

( NH )_Look Yuen Restaurant, Bukit Mertajam

This is the famous Look Yuen.

It's located just next to a busy highway

( U ) Cargas Cafe - Killer Fried Chicken, Bayan Lepas

This is the most famous Nasi Kandar on this side of the island.

It's so famous that at anytime you arrive, this is what you will see.

Kiam Chye Pork Soup, Nan Shan, Paya Terubong ( NH )

While this soup dish is available in many places on the mainland,it is a rarity on Penang island. Especially more so at night, it is near impossible to find.

Now you don't need to cross the bridge anymore. Just head on over to Nan Shan coffeeshop in Paya Terubong.

Look for this particular stall.

Siam Yeong Curry Mee, Mount Erksine ( NH )

I have to say that I am quite a fan of this curry mee .

If you subscribe by the saying " never trust a skinny chef"

this one must definitely rank as trustworthy.

Tree Monkey tea break, Teluk Bahang ( NH )

This is the view from the balcony . Peaceful and laid back.

While the main dining cabana has such a resort feel to it, you might even think you were on holiday in Phuket or Bali.

( U ) Subaidah midnight desserts, Tanjung Tokong

18th july 2012 :

Don't bother stopping,they finally closed shop. Boon Siew has bought over the land. In case you still want to try it out,the nearest Subaidah is at Taman Pekaka near Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

Earlier post :

This nasi kandar restaurant used to be a very popular stop once upon a time.

Today it is mostly packed around 3am,

when an illegal mat rempit race is about to happen along this stretch .

Heng Kee Koay Teow Soup, Chai Leng Park ( NH )

Update , August 2014 : have not seen the old man in a long time and the noodles are just not the same anymore

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 This is the famous Wai Sek Kai in Chai Leng Park. 

Dark and dimly lit but alive with great hawker food.

I trek across the bridge quite often for the chicken koay teow thng, sold by Heng Kee, a mobile hawker stall run by this old couple.

Bangla Char Mee Hoon, Jalan Kimberley ( NH )

The change is telling, especially since the younger generation is unwilling to take up menial, sweaty jobs like these and the older, still dependent on it for their continued livelihood.

James Foo, Fettes Park ( NH )

James Foo is a Hainanese style , western food restaurant,  famous for it's taste and affordable price.

It's so good, even the Korean expat community knows how to come here.

This is the crowd at 5.30pm. Half an hour after he has opened for business at 5pm. Amazing.

He is now open for business everyday of the week but he doesn't sell plain water anymore. For that you'll have to purchase mineral water.

Ferringhi Garden Restaurant, Batu Ferringhi ( PF )

Ferringhi Garden Restaurant is Penang's most romantic dining venue, reknowned for its beautifully landscaped, well tended container gardens and attractive water features.

Due to its immense popularity, you might be hard pressed to find yourself a space, come nightfall, if you arrive without a reservation.

We gave ourselves a good headstart by arriving earlier than the peak period.

Starting off with the Coffee Latte ( $9.80 ) was a good choice on our part, as it was indeed a very nice cuppa.

Adorned with a cute cream caricature, with a cookie to nibble on, helps you fully appreciate the well appointed surrounds.

(U) Nasi Campur with kampung cats and chickens- Teluk Bahang

A lady and her teenage son, man, this small roadside hawker stall, in front of a block of flats, a short throw away from the Penang National Park entrance.

Her stall lies in front of a small detailing workshop with the Jetron signage you see in this picture.

Swensen's Set Lunch - Tesco Tanjung Pinang ( PF )

Attracted by their $18.90 ++ Executive set lunch offer as well as a 30% discount off their ala carte menu, we sat down for lunch.

Coffee.
Weak. 
Tastes of stale paper and coffee beans.
High time to change the filter .

Porridge & Noodles on Jalan Cintra ( NH )

This is Jalan Cintra.  A street that's famous amongst local gourmands of Snakehead fish .

The fish is reknowned amongst the Cantonese clan for its ability to accelerate healing from within, but scares the shit out of a whole lot of American people, for its ability to 'walk' on land.

Follow the road to the end and you come to Jalan Chulia, a famous backpackers area.

At night, there are two coffeeshops that people patronise.

The green coloured one which sells porridge is called Sin Seng Vood.

Nyonya Breeze Desire - Straits Quay ( NH )

This has definitely got to be Penang's premier Peranakan restaurant..

Where friendly staff , clad in pretty  Nyonya Kebayas,  greet you with a warm heart and a cheerful smile on their face, no matter how absolutely busy they may be.

( NH ) Euro Deli Biergarten, Penang

 

How wonderful it is, to be able to watch their progression as the years go by.  I've been a fan, from the time they first infiltrated our supermarkets to the exciting dining options they present to us today.

Take a look at this unbelievable All day long offer .

We don't need convincing since we know, just how smooth the dark Erdinger beer here is.

( U ) Domino's Extreme Edge crust pizza - Pulau Tikus

After getting my tastebuds refined by the many fantastic pizzas churned out by Ecco cafe, Pastamania, Bella Italia and Spasso Milano, I admit to being guilty of haughtily snubbing this trusty American giant.

But some kids, especially mine, are loyalists, atuned to advertisements that drop out of our morning newspapers.

( PF ) Joo Leong Cafe, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah

If you are on the way to the airport, and you come across a long row of cars parked on the side, with a hive of activity and people, from morning till night, it's got to be the one and only Joo Leong Cafe.

In business for over 50 years already, they are reknowned for Teochew seafood noodles and porridge cooked without monosodium glutamate.

(U) Restoran Nasi Padang Minang, Kedai Kopi International Hotel

This place needs no introduction. Standards are so high it's practically got no rivals.

Indonesians know how to find their way here, Singaporeans too. Malay celebrities are no exception when they're on the island for a film shoot .