Free View , Cheap Food near Queensbay ( U )

Chances are most of you would not know that this place even existed .

There are a few pasar malam style traders that open here on a daily basis and I guess you have to try them out one by one first before you find one that you like the best.

The main draw however is the fact that you get to dine on a sandy beach with a free view of the Penang Bridge. Simply spectacular ....how can you beat that?

Nasi Hadramot, Jalan Sultan Ismail ( U )

Hadramot lies just at the corner of the entrance into the Ain Arabia enclave in Bukit Bintang.

Looks pretty luxurious from the outside, but once on the inside, um, it's better to focus your attention on the food.

There's no clear non smoking section and the foreign customers here seem to like to use dividers to ensure their privacy. Not that I'm against it just that I felt kind of odd.

Restoran Aur Gading - Mee Udang Sungai Dua ( U )

Although it came highly recommended, I regretted coming here. It wasn't that easy to find, mind you. Anyway I am posting this up as a reminder to myself not to step in here again.

Satay. Hard,Burnt, Very very Sweet.

Chicken meat not fresh,smells like from supermarket.

The much touted Mee Udang Sungai Dua.Looks can be deceiving

A&W- Aeon Bandar Perda ( U )

Even though I have to drive all the way here to get my 'fix', I feel like I want to kiss the ground first before nursing my rootbeer float.

Yes, ever since they closed their Gurney Plaza outlet I have to pay toll and make the journey across the bridge just to dine in this outlet.

But hey, it's worth it !

Nando's London ( U )

There are approximately 65 Nando's restaurants in London alone with more than 250 outlets spread over the UK .

We decided to dine here because we wanted to make a comparison with the outlets we have back home.

Downstairs was too cramped for comfort so up we went

Emirates In Flight Meals (Long Haul ) (U)

Be prepared to be spoilt silly even if you are in Economy class. Below is the chic looking menu, front and back cover which elicited a few oohs and aahs from a couple of Mat Sallehs

The inside of the menu might as well be a buffet ticket.

You can even have instant cup noodles anytime you want.

Nasir Pasembor Edgecumbe Road ( U )

This is the only Penang Pasembor stall which I will ever patronise.

They have one small shop in Gurney Drive, but it is located near Bali Hai seafood restaurant which is so far away from the popular hawker centre at the roundabout.

It's puasa month and he is now located at the Tg Tokong Param

His variety may not be vast but it is certainly fresh. 

Satisfaction guaranteed .

Din Ikan Bakar, Kepala Batas ( U )

This ikan bakar place is something you'll have to see for yourself because the spread is so crazy massive for such a small sleepy hollow such as this.

My pictures simply do it no justice as they're about to close for the day, thus you won't be able to spot the amazing rows of heaving grilled buffets  .

Canai Tomyam Cafe, Jalan Lembah Permai ( U )

Note : fast forward 2014. They have been chased out and replaced by a roti canai seller now. Was told that they have relocated a few doors down but when I tried out the food, the recipes just did not seem right. Tomyam was horrid, omelette terrible.
Well what to say when their chefs are now smoking keretek, an Indonesian ciggey. My guess is that Indons/ Suluks ( yes, they are here in Penang pretending to be Malays) have now resorted to hawking the popular Thai Malay food when they clearly have absolutely zero talent in cooking anything other deep fried fish. Sad case really but don't be fooled.

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The general complaint , is that the service here is incredibly slow. Not to worry. We weren't in a rush.

Ordered this huge basket of keropok with dip, to stave off hunger.
Wise choice on our part as other patrons were doing light neck and leg stretches every now and then as if we were all on board a long haul flight.

( 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.

( U ) Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt, Island Plaza

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

( 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.

( 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.

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.

( 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.

( 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 .

(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.

( 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.

(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 .

( U ) Hammer Bay Ikan Bakar, Jalan Bayan Bay

Lots of people like to come here because of cheap seafood dining by the sea with stunning views of the Penang Bridge.

There are 3 operators here. Two of them use gimmicks to attract customers.
One features a sampan ,the other a water feature. The last one nothing . 
If you order from anyone of them, you need to know where their designated seating area is.

All this time I have been I patronising the more run down, no frills, no gimmicks place, run by this guy with an army haircut.