Hainan Orkid Tropica - fast forward 2017

Do you have any idea how famous this restaurant has gotten ?

I first wrote about it back in January 2014 , then a local newspaper followed suit in February .

Long story short , we've finally made it back. And finally gotten a table . This is after having been told numerous times the following reasons ...

" not open " ( wrong timing )

" finish already " ( so many times I can't remember )

" come back later in the evening " ( which we didn't feel like doing

" you'll need to book or make an advanced reservation " ( I hate that )

And the latest one

" come back tomorrow morning . Make sure you come early please " 

( which we did )

Hai Kee - charcoal cooked Hainanese fare

At long last I finally found a place that serves tasty Assam Prawns .

Not everyone who claims to be able to cook this can actually pull it off . I've been extremely fussy ever since the old place near Transfer Road changed hands . That was the benchmark . Today however , that place serves some of the worst dishes I never want to touch ever again not in this life nor the next .

Back to the people who claim they can whip it up , those I've tried have come up with variations that were too sour , too watery , too fail even .

Below however , is the answer to our tamarind sauce ,connoisseur prayers . And for this I thank the Chinese gods of the kitchen for blessing the cooks with the wizardry required to whip up this rather simple but not easy to replicate prawn dish. 

Almost as good ....perfect enough for me ! When they are properly done , even the shells will be so delicious , you'll want to suck and lick every last bit of the savoury sauce out .

Pay per entry Zumba in Alor Setar

Take note that this list is for the hardcore Zumba or dance sport enthusiast who doesn't want to commit to a monthly gym membership . Whichever category you belong to , you'll be glad to know that there are 8 pay per entry places you can check out while you are in town .

1. FMF - Friendly Muscle Fitness

Price per entry : MYR 8

Times : 6:00 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays .

8: 30 on Saturdays .

8:45 pm on Mondays , Tuesdays , Sundays .

Photo credit : https://facebook.com/fmf2u/

Sin Hong Keng - deep fried fish steamboat with yam

I'm very particular about the fish I eat .

It should not reek of a fishy pong but should smell like the ocean .

Though I'm not expecting sashimi grade flesh , if it arrives on my table with an odour straight out of a market drain , no matter how many people are enjoying it , I will not touch it .

And it's pretty telling of the sad state of affairs when one can find fresher fish in Kedah than in Penang , even though by virtue of Penang being just next to the sea , fish meat supplies ought to be super fresh , right ? Wrong a lot of times before I finally learnt my lesson and stopped ordering steamed fish at any chu cha place on the island .

Anyway , we're having the rare fish meal today . 

Deep fried red snapper ( it's all farmed off shore today ) boiled with round cabbage and yam .

Not only is it succulent and naturally sweet , he cannot remember when was the last time he actually had snapper this fresh . We'd probably have to pay a bomb for it on the island but even though what we had here is not THAT cheap , it still cost less than that airconditioned giant garoupa place near Chew jetty .  

Tastewise : oily , plain , with a slight hint of Chinese wine , full of aromatic yam flavour ( the root is the very fibrous type )

Restoran C.H.Tay - Jalan Gangsa

Each venture into Alor Setar turns up something new . Stumbled upon this restaurant while searching for another place .

Restoran Riverbank - black pomfret claypot curry

Riverbank is just a few doors away from the old Hupsa .

From the outside , it looks all quiet with no action ....

Darned bloodsuckers of Taman Saga

Some time back , one local half Thai lady bragged to me about how great the salted egg crabs were over in Taman Saga . She smacked her lips and gave it the thumbs up . But I was not so familiar to want to venture further than the centre of town ...yet. Still , I made a mental note to go check it out one fine day. 

Then when I last queued for the McD nanoblock house , the nice chatty guy in front of me , had a twinkle in his eyes when he mentioned that he had sacrificed supping at Taman Saga just to get in line for his tiny girlfriend . 

Damnit , now I really had to go find out for myself what the fuss was all about .

 Not knowing the area , it did not help that the roads were pitch black , with pockets of potholes . Confoundedly confusing . 

After feeling around blindly , found the crab place tucked away in a corner but there were no diners. Ditched that and went to Chong Wahh instead because Wahh ,will you look at the full house yo ! 

Nasi Lemak Royale Hijau Kuning

Been putting off trying this famous stall for some time already. However due to a disastrous food hunt, one thing led to another and we ended up here.

Crowd of diners consists of a nice mix of diehard Chinese and Malay fans. 

Start off by telling them whether you intend to eat in or takeaway. Then point out the ingredients you fancy.

If you ask the locals, they'll say this is the best in the world. What about me ? Read on...

Curry Fish head - Hainan Orkid Tropica

Most curry fish head lovers, will know this place.

Under a block of dowdy flats...alllllll the way in Alor Setar.

 We Malaysians, this is how we keep on driving the food industry. Nothing is too far. No zinc roof to lowly,when duty calls for a good eat.

Zakaria Laksa Teluk Kechai ( U )

The shop lies along a busy main road. 

A constant stream of visitors, who park their car alongside, make this place, highly visible to the curious, who might not know about their existence.

Numeral Eight Curry House, Alor Setar ( PF )

Update Nov 2014 :

I have bad news and I have good news. The good news is, they now cater to Malay & Muslim customers. The bad news is, the high quality is gone. The beef rendang was dry, the fish head curry was not as delightful as before. They even serve the weirdest Chinese tea I've ever had in my life.
Not returning. So long, farewell, goodbye forever. Wasted my time. Wasted my money. Wasted my petrol. 
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Plenty of fans will agree that this huge bungalow with no signboard is one of Alor Setar's best food venues.

Perfectly manicured lawns in a pleasant environment filled with interesting features greets every visitor....

(U ) 122KM for Pekasam,Jeruk and Sagun- Alor Setar

I jump at every opportunity to take a drive into Alor Setar.

Other than a couple of unforgettable great eats which I will divulge to you another time,
I know I'm really there for the sight of the expansive paddy fields .

 Just like the wheat fields in Europe.