Four Seasons - Trengganu Road ( NH )

As with their outlet in Bayan Lepas, it's high time they refurbished.

But don't worry if you can't read Mandarin.

Just point at their picture menu and tadaaa...

(Take note that you will either fail or score, if you take my advice and follow exactly what I did below )

YEA- Shabu Shabu christmas ( NH )

YEA's got a way of showering their customers with small surprises...

 ...especially when it comes to festive periods.

Kapah served in bamboo - Sunshine Bay (NH )

While Kapah is a shellfish that is available in abundance all year round,
in the old days however, December used to be the bonanza time ( so I was told ) that locals took a sieve to the beaches and hauled home enough bounty , to even have it pickled.

We're at Sunshine Bay tonight and it's packed to the brim .

Lots of returnees back home for Christmas, Gurney Drive is jammed to the brim, as if it were CNY.

Having eaten here numerous times, I was game for something new this time.

Real homecooked meal at Chew Jetty Cafe ( PF )

The shop isn't very wonderful to look at, in fact it's very cramped, but it does hold a small secret

Take a look at this signboard.

Call the number on your mobile ( bear in mind that you have to be able to converse in Penang Hokkien with the person on the other end of the line ) and within minutes ......

Peking Duck Skin- Midland Court ( NH )

Take a look at the area surrounding this restaurant and let your imagination run wild. It's located in a shopping complex notorious for er...certain activities... that can get Mazidul Akmal Sidik's panties up in a bunch.
In case you're wondering, no, that's not him.
He's balder.

Umay - Sri Lankan Briyani ( PF)

Always itching to try something new.

That's how I ended up in a foodcourt again although I totally detest the characterless, sterile environment.

Would prefer to eat by the roadside anytime...but hey...let's give it a go .

Offering Sri Lankan , Western and Arab food on the same menu , sounds as though it's gonna be a tall order, for the chef to pull off, right ?

But I'm willing to give everything a try once.

Settled on the Sri Lankan Briyani set.

Imbi Road Meatball noodles - Kota Kemuning ( NH )

Thank god there is now an alternative venue for me to go satisfy my craving.

Actually chanced upon this place while looking for another .

Was attracted both by the size of the crowd and the old man in a pagoda t-shirt ( hallmark of some seriously good old school food).

(U) Aini Sajian Selera - Sg Perak R&R Northbound

It's not easy trying to find good food at the many R&R's these days . That's why I always make it a point to stop here whenever I'm passing by.

Although lots of customers pick this simple, cheap meal off the shelf .....

$100 Grilled Platter at Lebanon ( U )

Update March 2013 :

The whole plate was overburnt.
No idea if the staff was sleeping on the job or what but tsk tsk, someone's got to watch over the cooks in the kitchen.

Earlier post
----------------------------

Lebanon is my current 'crazy about' makan place and these are the private rooms which we should have requested if we wanted to not look so fwah...kwacheong..

Actually they are reserved for Arab ladies to dine in private and not so much for big eaters who don't want anyone to know how much they can eat

But he and I not paiseh at all.

We took the plunge and ordered their $100 grill platter today. Then tag team polished it out in the open.

Only peeve of mine is the waiter always assumes that since I am the larger species out of the two , I eat more. Hence they will always take care to push the lion's share in front of me.

They will soon discover that it should have been the other way around.

I know we're being watched

Kuta Bali , Paya Terubong ( NH )

Besides the usual Penang fare, this place also offers un-Penang dishes such as KL Rojak , Sarawak Kolo Mee and Filipino food .

I should have scooted off like this lady in the picture, once I saw those dishes above but I didn't

Sin Tai Tung ( NH ) - affordable meal at Macalister Road

This restaurant is famous for a dish called

Crispy Chicken.

But tonight it was sold out as there are tons of visitors on the island.

Opted for the Beef with spring onion and ginger.

Always dependable.

Comes with glossy, cookbook perfect, mouthwatering looks

Melting Pot Cafe - Concorde Inn, KLIA ( U )

I have to say, I thought the food here would be average, But I was wrong.

Let's start with the Mushroom soup.

Last time I had something this good was many,many years ago at the Renaissance near KLCC.

Superb and very filling too if I may add.

Craving for piping hot pizza at 2am in the morning ?

Can't tell you how it tasted as the person who ordered this guarded it jealously.

What I can say though is that it looked real impressive.

Duck Meat Koay Teow Thng - Super Suck XXX ( NH)

Oily....sweet.....wrong recipe.

Most horrible ktt !
few fishball,small fibres of meat ....Costs $5 !!!

Who would have thought of using the thng for boiling kai see chook (chicken porridge) to cook koay teow thng ?

Koay Teow Thng - Kimberley Street (NH)

This was actually a very quiet street before a tv programme made a bunch of hawkers here so famous

Sadly, the stall in the picture below, 
is one of the last remaining handful that offers a decent bowl of koay teow thng , today, on Penang island
(there are so many horrible ones , let me tell you )

Glad to say that the owners have not let success go to their heads.They're one of the most humble, friendly and patient stall owners around.

My order comes complete with sliced red chillies ( rare ! )

Tong Pak Fu - what boycott ? ( NH )

Whose bright idea was it to boycott the chain ?

Because nobody in Penang is listening

Durian Snow ice with grass jelly .

Features small pieces of cornflakes, a few pieces of exploding pearl balls, tiny chopped fruit, grass jelly and most important of all, D24 durian flavour hidden within a soft cloud of shaved ice !

Ros Mutiara - Lemony Pickled Tandoori & Naan ( U )

I've never liked the tandoori , sold in the popular shop opposite Ros Mutiara.



Maybe because this place is frequented by less people,

 you are rewarded with the rare sight of a street chef , lovingly slaving over the clay oven like this.

Hainanese Delights - $60 ? Are you kidding ? ( PF )

Mind you, the restaurant is located within a budget hotel , so excuse me, for complaining that I find the bill a bit too much.

Our order

• 3 drinks - 2 hainanese kopi ( 1 hot, 1 cold), 1 orange juice
• 1 dessert - 1 small bowl of sago with gula melaka
• 3 mains - 1 fried rice, 1 fried rice with salted fish, 1 fried beehoon
• 1 appetizer - 2 spring rolls

Fried rice. Tasty and nice with prawns and chicken meat.

 Deep fried onions were so hard , I spit them out in disgust.

Fried beehoon. Crunchy sawi, nice fluffy scrambled eggs with prawns and chicken meat.

Again, the onions spoilt the whole dish.

Boiling inside.

Transfer Road Roti Canai ( U ) -Tomorrow You Will Know...

You might wonder why everyone is lined up against the wall, facing the dusty road like this.

In case you decide to join in the sweatclub , never take their

"ok ajer" face for granted.

Actually their insides are exploding and they're their best trying to maintain their composure

Others prefer to pour the meat and curry on top of the roti for that extra power kick.

But we're keeping the curry and bread separate.

Our breakfast.....

3 pieces of canai, one piece of chicken and one serving of mutton - all for $11

Close up of the roti canai. Looks burnt, oily and tiny.

Right on all counts. Add salty to the list.

Although this might be a borderline case in the hygiene and cooking school department , you can't help but wonder,  how on earth can something so unappetizing looking , taste so damn gooood ?

7 Village Lin Restaurant HQ ( NH )

This restaurant has grown and evolved by leaps and bounds today

With 3 branches scattered around the major growth areas on the mainland, I'm wondering when they'll ever open up a shop on Penang island.

They've very successfully elevated the humble koay teow thng shop, into a modern cafe with the option to dine in airconditioned comfort

..or not, in case you prefer the old sweat shop treatment

Part of their success has to do with the generous portion.

Large bowl costs $4.50

Restoran Deen - Nasi Kandar Jelutong ( U )

To me, Deen sells the most moderately priced yet delicious nasi kandar on the island

Most locals, I am sure would concur with me.

There is always a line , any given time of the day .