Jasmine Garden Cafe ( PF)

7th January 2013 :

I don'tknow what's happened. Whether the kitchen is on strike or the chef has got a better offer elsewhere but the usual foods below which we ordered were dissapointing.
No taste. Not salty enough. Rancid char siew. Undercooked chicken. 

Earlier post :

Although YMCA lies just a little further down, across the road , most tourists give this a miss, preferring to venture elsewhere without ever realising, that they have a gem right at their doorstep .

Instead a bulk of their customers nowadays, consists of Indonesian medical tourists and staff from the hospital nearby.

Belacan chicken is excellent.

No overpoweringly, bitter belacan flavour.

Just heavenly.
You absolutely have to try this dish when you're in Penang.

Springs Town Restaurant ( NH )

Every Penangite worth their salt, knows how to sniff out and make a beeline, for an out of the way, gem such as this.

Prices of most dishes are so ridiculously low , you might want to pinch yourself,
 seeing that the setting inside, is almost palatial with nice airconditioning and lighting even

Passions of Kerala ( PF )

This restaurant combines the best of both worlds....

a nice banana leaf meal, in clean, air conditioned comfort .

One vegetarian set costs just $5.50

Merlin Nasi Kandar ( U )

This is one Nasi Kandar you absolutely must try.

But you might regret it because from then onwards you will always 'gian' for it thereafter

As you can see, the crowd comprises of a very muhibbah mix of young and  old, from labourers and cleaners, to bankers and office workers.

Hillpark Roasted Chicken Rice (NH)

In Malacca they have rice balls, but I've never seen anything like this until today....how'd they come up with this shape ? Looks like a tent or some sort of Cappadocian cave dwelling.

Weird but cute.

The rice is not your usual chicken rice kind of rice...instead it's very garlicky,fluffy and dry.

Take a closer look.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co at The Curve

One might be forgiven for thinking that a Long Beach diner had been airlifted right smack into the middle of Mutiara Damansara

The entire restaurant is doted with memoribilia connected to the movie Forrest Gump

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

Kedai Makanan dan Minuman Wongkok ( NH )

Never expected this corner kopitiam to bear some nice hawker food.

but it did.

Set lunch at Shinju Tei ( NH )

Atually wanted to try out another restaurant out but it was closed, so I walked round the block since I remembered that this shop has been around for quite a number of years already

It was 2.30pm and I got a little worried when I slid open the door.

 A lady in her fifties ( I think !) gave us a big welcoming smile together with a nod when I asked if they were still open

Fatty Loh Chicken Rice ( NH )

Fatty Loh is probably the only air conditioned chicken rice hawker shop on Penang island, that looks like an antique shop at first glance.

This is what their standard roast chicken rice set looks like

However, the taste is different from most chicken rice versions you've tried.

Hakka mee,Restoran Xin Feng ( NH )

My first introduction to Hakka mee was at a hawker stall underneath the Kenanga flats in KL. The noodles were fantastic ! Handmade on the spot .
I still salivate at the thought of the red stewed pork belly dish that one could order, to put on top of the noodles .

I don't know if it is still around today but this is where I come if I want something close .

 Dry hakka noodles $3. Yum yum..very nice.

Asked them to leave out the char siew because I didn't want any sweet and smoky flavour to seep in and spoil the sauce.

Price is ridiculously low if you ask me.

Mall's Cafe, Prangin Mall ( NH )

Originally operating from the popular corner kopitiam on the same floor, today,they have relocated to this new spot .

Like other regulars I was not fooled. Checked out that original shoplot ( two new boy chefs in their place) before heading back here

Ang Hoay Loh ( NH )

If it gets too late for lunch or it's still too early for dinner, you can rely on this place to tend to your hunger pangs.

In the mood for fish today, the standard offering here is Kerapu or Garoupa.

Nicely deep fried, crispy on the outside, juicy inside,doused with sauce that is not too salty.

The fish tasted even better when we started on the underside as the fish had absorbed all the flavour from the sauce by then.

Oh Sushi ! ( NH )

Sick of the holiday crowds, we fled to this corner today for a little bit of peace and quiet .

At first I wondered why the waiter herded us to the back as the front portion looked much cosier.

I soon found out why.

Sai Toh Lim Restaurant ( NH )

Their advent in this area when it was up and coming sparked off another competitor just behind their shoplot. That operator has since gone on to open another three outlets with a much spruced up look today.

Differing views from various customers who are already have dead set preferences, makes it best for you to come and try it for yourself and see which of the two you actually prefer.

Although they do serve dry hokkien mee, most customers go for the koay teow thn'g.

It is different from the Penang island version because over here they put some fishcake slices as well as minced pork in your soup

Paul Bakery ( PF )

Paul is a french bakery chain that is reknowned for its rather reasonably priced offerings

Heard so many rave reviews about it being THE place for bread, established in the 1889 bla bla....thus I want to try this out for myself today

Our £5.20 takeaway feast from Sainsbury's ( NH )

Sainsbury's makes it possible to have a filling meal for slightly more than a fiver in the middle of expensive London. Just head over to their roast counter.

Take one (gigantically barbaric sized )

cooked gammon shank  priced at £ 2.75

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

How Ji Roaster Rice Noodle, Restoran Hup Kee ( NH )

The thought of coming to this coffee shop gives me quite a headache, as it is one of those places that attracts smokers.

Usually nobody dares to light up until the first one does. Then it sparks a chain reaction which makes us non smokers wanna get up and give them a hard swat.

However, the lure of How Ji's roasted duck paired with dry wantan noodles was far too great for me to abstain for too long.

I march in hoping for an invisible screen against the bunch of light upers who don't seem to understand that we DO mind inhaling second hand smoke.

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....