Lempok Durian

I'd half given up on finding a good dodol these days. 

The santan that goes in , is either not fresh or straight from the box pack. Which totally affects the end taste.

Don't even start me on that famous brand from Malacca. Totally hate that.

But yesterday, I found this at an R & R stall up north.

Hope that explains that half eaten , partially squeezed pack.

The instant we cut the top portion open, omg, the aroma was even more pungent than tempoyak.

 So pungent that if you were to eat this in say, a European train or office premise , the overpowering smell would cause panic and there would be a forced evacuation due to suspicions that there was a gas leak or some biological weapon employed.

80 percent durian, 20 percent sugar.

Top class ! This lempok is really top of its class !

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

Wonder what large looks like

My preferred stall only had medium sized prawns at the counter. Thus, I had to go next door since I was beginning to hallucinate over when I could sink my fangs into a big fat crustacean.

Pointing to the fattest one , I start snapping away until the lady boss asks me...

" Amoiiiii....nak makan ke nak bungkus ?"

( Young lady , would you like to takeaway or eat in ? )

In other words, I was probably being darned annoying to her. Someone had to stop me. Part of me wanted to tell her that we're both around the same age.

The other part shrugged it off. Must be I have more male hormones, cos either I seem to be blossoming with more character the older I get or I'm just imagining all these up. Syok sendiri. 

Oh what am I rambling on about ?

See, of late, I

have been getting more than a fair share of attention of which I have no explanation for. Even when I think I'm dressed so shabbily. 

Even got a call late at night from someone who thought I'd sent him a present . Hmmmmm....what in the world ? Do I really look like I'm in hunt mode ? How do I always end up sending out the wrong signals ? Beats me. I told him no .

He sounded totally dissappointed . In me. Sigh...

I got laughed at over this.

" what did you do to him , to make him not forget you and want to contact you a whole year later ？＂ 

Gimme a break. 

Anyway, back to the lady who's the same age as me. Maybe she thinks I am an Amoi because I'm acting like the usual fluff ball I am, totally unafraid to show my lack of intelligence. Keh keh keh. It's fun on my part. Fun that I don't feel the need to prove anything.

Point out the one I want. Then ask how much. Turns out, the largest one cost just RM7.

Jeepers.

She breaks into a smile the more I speak. Geee ....am I some entertaining goon or what...oh, never mind.

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...

PARAM at Jalan Utama

Pasar Ramadhans or PARAM's are once yearly affairs most look forward to. The one at Jalan Utama features the usual fares one expects to see, so I'll just highlight those I deem to be rarely seen in Penang.

First thing you'll notice is that there is a massive amount of fish dishes on display at the nasi campur stalls....

....and a larger variety of grilled ones by ikan bakar operators

Nasi Kandar Deen Maju - Jln Gurdwara

Know how jammed the roads are in Georgetown today ? It's sheer madness trying to get around. Anyway, we interrupt my long winded travel posts to bring you yet another nasi kandar place.

Mind you, although Deen Maju has become very popular, the prices here, tend to attract a hoard of lower income earners. If you're not comfortable with that, then I suggest you move on. But this being Penang, where the filthy rich and the dirt poor, eat side by side at roadside stalls. Learn how the different classes co-exist if you can. Most important don't start wiping your plates or engage in other demeaning uncouth practices such as staring at the down and outs in disdain , for goodness sakes.

Open for less than a year, Deen Maju has succeeded most admirably in drawing in the locals looking for that cheap and tasty Nasi Kandar fix.

Breakfast at The Loaf - neither here nor there

I have nothing good to say about this outlet except that this multi nut pastry was scrumptious and that the staff though slow as tortoises, were nice people too.

Coffee tastes stale as the filter it passed through. Bleaugh.

 Breakfast sausage, bland.

Hash browns smell like the inside of the fridge.

Eggs, no butter, meant for dieters.

 Bread not fragrant.

Even the cheese baked on top of the tomato is bleaugh !

Restoran Haji Ramli - peak vs non peak ( U )

Restoran Haji Ramli is immensely popular amongst local and foreign visitors staying near Pantai Cenang, in Langkawi. 

 You can chose to sit outside or in. Makes no difference since some asses don't seem to know how not to light up, seeing how this place employs an open air concept.

Jeruk maman and fist sized prawns - Gurun R&R Northbound (U)

How many times I have passed here, yet only today, I venture in. Wanna kick myself cos most of the dishes are quite good.

Since it's rather early, and there's a lull in the holiday crowd, the staff , though rather busy, can afford a breather to entertain my queries.

Midnight supper at Carousel Restaurant

 

 

Just before midnight, only did we manage to pull ourselves away and saunter downstairs to the coffeehouse for a snack.
Or so it seems...

 

 

 

So why settle for Nasi Goreng with curry chicken, you may wonder ? For one , hotel fare tastes different from what one can get in the hawker stall and occasionally, it's nice sitting in the still of the night, attended by hush hush staff and stuffing yourself silly with a favourite Malaysian dish.

Nice and fluffy. Curry is quite hot, but very addictive. Can't stop once you start.

( U ) Daud Cafe Corner - ice kacang

Daud Cafe is located just next to the city stadium .

The fact that there's a massive thieves market nearby which operates from late morning till the afternoon, puts off more people from coming to this quarter more often than they would like . Actually, it's not that bad, you just have to apply common sense and keep an eye on your belongings and vehicles when you're in this area.

Presenting to you, a motherload of freaking creamy goodness. Omg it's been soooooo long since I've had ice kacang as good as this. In fact it's so good, I'm rating the taste...Class 1.

Warung PGK - everything celup tepung

 

 

This stall has been visited by Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan, the tv show, so I guess it has to be good right ? I mean judging from the line ?

 

 

 

 

On the menu was fish, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and a whole variety of other ingredients. Squid is rare so I guess we were kind of lucky to be able to get some on the day we visited .

One thing worth taking note of is the white board. Spot the big order from the state palace,mind you.

Mee Rebus and Pasembor Edgecumbe Road

Mee Rebus is not one of my favourite dishes , and yet I found myself raving stark mad, hopelessly hooked over the one sold here.


 

" Neh, this is the beef right ? " ( it's got an awesome smoked flavour to it lemme tell you )

" What style is it cooked in ? "

His reply tells me it's a Top Secret recipe.So forget it, his trap is shut.

One bite of the squid and all the fibres unravel. Omg, damn addictive. Damn, damn addictive.

Gong Kapas Kueh stall - I must be dreaming !!

 

" How much did you say all this cost you once again ?"

* One Ringgit *

"What ? You're kidding right ? "

* Am I laughing ? *

"Serious arrrr ? "

* Ya larrrrr *

" All this Onde-onde really cost just one ringgit ? "

* Don't believe izzit ? *

" They crazy or what ? "

 

Warong Corner - Jalan Banggol, Kuala Terengganu

One of the most peculiar things that sets the northern east coast states apart from the others is that the frontline businesses are mostly a woman's domain .

 

And judging from the lunch crowd, the white collar workforce seems to be like that too. Unsurprisingly, this first impression makes future parents in law from other states rather wary about their offspring settling down with a life partner from this region .

Nasi Ganja - Yong Suan coffeeshop

As I entered the old but spacious kopitiam, the shiny glistening walls just made my jaw drop.

Unlike many other kopitiams in Penang, these days, they never sold a single antique chair. If there are any plastic ones around, it's to replace those broken beyond repair. How not to fall in love with this lovely kopitiam ?

( U ) Lis Char Koay Teow Basah - Bayan Baru

Char Koay Teow Basah is the Malay version of Penang Char Koay Teow. Because the noodles are cooked in a concoction of sauces , Lis is one of the best places to give it a try. Formerly known as Sany Char Koay Teow, even with the name change, the place is almost always packed to the brim .

Their special order features medium sized prawns, cockles, beansprouts and silky beaten eggs. While I'm not crazy about the prawns and blood cockles, and some might not like the taste of the almost raw sprouts, Gawdamnit, the sauce is really out of this world ! Absolutely mouthwatering, not very spicy yet very addictive. Overall, what gives this dish a real nice kick to it.  Doesn't look like a lot but once it settles in, lemme assure you that this is quite filling .

Bayview Georgetown Hotel - Sunday Malay lunch buffet

Seeing that we've been to some of the best places Penang has to offer , sometimes, we like to go back to the old basics....
which is good old hotel food.

Of all the hotels in its category and I dare say beyond , we know that they are dependable , as they're not obsessed with cutting too many corners and still employ locals , who are truly commited to the service industry.
Plates are cleared promptly, everyone works as a team, all of them can communicate in English and are alert at all times.

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.

Restoran Kak Ani, Langkawi ( U )

Update Dec 2014 : there's a massive new competitor across the road next to a Shell station. Her prices are higher now and the curry chicken I raved about earlier was just not fragrant nor as good. As for the BBQ selection, this time the prawns lacked umph but the squid was excellent. Probably will only return for the BBQ and skip the rice plus other dishes altogether

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Just as it's getting harder and harder to find good , tasty Malay food on the northern mainland , this humble little shack, blows me out of my socks .

Barbecued selection is excellent. Don't normally think the world of Percik this and Golek that, but they are experts at slow roasting foods over charcoal fire .
More delicious than an Argentinian assador halfway round the world !