Abang Jit Ikan Bakar - Lilitan Stadium

Exactly how long has it been since I've had a serving of ikan bakar that is not done Chinese or Portuguese Malaysian style ? Too long .

Let's try Abang Jit Ikan Bakar tonight now shall we ?

Photo credit : Abang Jit Ikan Bakar facebook

Midnight disciple of the Ikan Bakar man

Some Penangites pop cili padi like kacang puteh .

We go for our fix after midnight at Song River Cafe . Strange timing right ? Not really when you check out how many disciples are willing to make a beeline here and wait with the patience of a saint just to pay homage to this fiendish dish .

Grilled skatefish with oomph ! - keeping this one a secret

The standard of ikan bakar or grilled fish, in Penang has deteriorated from a few years back already. Which is why I almost gave up on ordering the dish . Some hawkers have begun to compromise on  the ingredients that give the marinade that oomph factor , others scorch it till it becomes 

a bit too burnt to the extent that the skin turns rubbery.

 Though Ikan Bakar is a Malay dish, what I'm having here is the Chinese hawker version. Basted in a basic Thai sauce from a can and grilled on a banana leaf. 

Well what sets this place apart is that this particular hawker only has one rival , only one in the whole country comes close to this stall . And that rival is not in Penang but that middle stall alllll the way south in Tebrau Market, Johor Bahru which I haven't been to in ages, so I don't know if it's still around or not. Just bringing it up as a comparison. 

Eng Lee Grilled fish stall- Song River cafe ( PF )

This stall is actually more reknowned for whipping up the most spicy small shellfish (lala) on Penang island, but you have to come later due to some agreement he has with another stall owner not to sell this bestseller earlier

Not to worry, his ikan bakar is just as crazily addictive.
It's nicely charred, tender, moist,sweey and spicy with tons of garlic slices encased in banana leaf.

The more you eat, the more water you'll need,yet you just can't stop.

Know what I mean?

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  .

( 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.