Steamed Cup Rice at BM

If you are thinking of that popular stall which is run by many generations, well...this is not. Instead this stall is strictly recommended by a BM friend who has a good sense of delicious food. We were intrigued by the name of the food...'cup rice' in short. We had not come across this in the island itself.

My steamed cup rice with a glass of fresh teh tarik

I was glad that we came to this stall because this coffee shop was much airier and spacious compared to the other one we passed by (which was supposed to be the popular one). We ordered a mixed steamed rice, which meant the steamed rice came with a mixture of chopped roasted chicken and pork on top with a cup (not bowl) of soup. It was only RM 3.50 per set. It was cheap but very filling.

Steamed cup rice topped with slices of chicken meat, roasted pork and its sticky gravy

What we think:

1. If you do not like sticky gravy on top of your rice, then this is not for you. The taste overall was just average for us as we were not into the sticky gravy rice thing. But this stall according to our BM friend was supposed to be better than the popular stall which was just round the corner.

2. I find the portion of the chicken and roasted pork were compatible with the price, which was just RM 3.50. But I guess I finished the meat first before the rice. It was cheap and the food was filling because the steamed rice was a lot.

3. The soup was good and the soup was served in the steamed rice cup.

The coffee shop where Hung Steam Cup rice stall is located

Details:
Hung Steam Cup Rice at Jalan Teh Cheoik Sah, Bukit Mertajam, Penang. (Just opposite Yoong Kee Restaurant)

Express Lunch at Loke Thye Kee Restaurant

This is the entrance to the restaurant (on the 1st floor) and the kopitiam (ground floor)

Loke Thye Kee Restaurant, as far as I can remember, was a rundown building for many years. I have never been there before but my husband had when he was kid. He told me that this place was considered a lavish restaurant in the past. 

Parking along Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe (beside the restaurant)

Now, it has been renovated and given a new breath of life. It is now as what it was in the past: a restaurant set in the 1970's but now with modern amenities such as the lift (which creaks at its every move that makes me wonder whether it is safe or not to use it). The floor (yellowish white and black in checked pattern) is of a typical old coffee shop style. The downlight throughout the restaurant gives it a cozy feel.

Cozy ambience with relaxing music

As of May 2014, they were serving their express lunch at RM 15 nett per set from 12 noon to 2 p.m. It was really express, true to their words. We finish our lunch at a very slow pace munching (and at the same time enjoying the relaxing ambience of the place) in less than an hour.  

The other half of the restaurant with tables facing the main road.

Their express lunch came with a tropical fruit punch, an appetizer of the day (that day was either a pumpkin soup or 'kerabu' chicken) and the main course of the day. Or we could opt for a tropical fruit punch, the main course and the dessert of the day. We went for the first option.

The yummy pumpkin soup

Kerabu chicken is equally good.

Steamed rice with stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts

What I think of this place:

1. The main course (steamed white rice and stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts) was good but I thought the portion of the chicken and cashew nuts was small.

2. Thumbs up to the pumpkin soup and kerabu chicken.

3. The tropical fruit punch was too sweet for my liking.

4. The stairs are steep but there is a very small lift that moves very slowly for those who hate the stairs. 

Yes, we definitely will come back to this place again. Oh yeah, they only have two choices of main course each day. So, I would advise to check out their menu before going.

Our express lunch table.

Details of the express lunch menu:

Monday       : Nyonya Assam Fish or Kung Po Chicken

Tuesday       : Butter Prawns or Local BBQ Chicken 'Ayam Percik'

Wednesday  : Sweet and Sour Fish or Black Pepper Chicken
Thursday      : Chicken and Cashew Nuts or Sweet and Sour Stuffed Squids
Friday          : Beef with Black Beans or Nyonya Chilly Prawns
Vegetarian food is served every weekday for lunch (Sweet and Sour Fish or Lamb Curry). The food here is pork-free.

The express lunch menu with two choices of the main course per day (weekday only)

Details of the place:
Address: No.2 Jalan Burma, 10500 Penang.
Telephone Number: 04-2641919
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Loke-Thye-Kee/610232382356876
Parking is available along Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe (beside the restaurant).
A useful link: http://lokethyekee.weebly.com/ 

Lye Lee Restaurant at Farlim

We yearn for healthy cooking. Therefore, after reading review from Kwong Wah Chinese dailies about preservative-free and additive-free bee hoon soup with ingredients of choice at Lye Lee Restaurant, we could not wait to try it out.

The place is just opposite Farlim's Petronas

Other than bee hoon soup, they also have porridge and koay teow. They have the usual choices of seafood and non seafood. Just to name a few, there are fish, prawns, crabs, minced pork, frogs and fish maws.

Fish, minced pork and fish maw koay teow soup (RM 13) with the chilli paste

We had ordered koay teow with fresh fish in slices, fish maws and minced pork. The portion of the ingredients was generous. The bowl of soup also came with lettuce in it and a small plate of chilli paste. They had a special chilli paste that went well with their soup. We were told to try it. Of course, they also serve chilli padi with soy sauce too. 

My fish and fish maw koay teow soup at RM 10

The verdict: the soup was sweet and tasty. The fish was fresh too. Everything was delicious except the chilli paste. In my opinion, the chilli paste tasted like the Hokkien Mee's chilli. We did not find it special anyway. During our first two trips, we were really happy that we did not feel thirsty after taking the whole bowl of soup. However, our third time there had made us very thirsty. So, this made us wonder whether they did what they preached. No artificial additive or preservative? We had used the 'feeling thirsty after a meal' as an indicator of whether how much artificial additives or preservatives were added to our food. 

If you are interested in crab porridge, they have fresh crabs where they will weigh them first before cooking. The price per bowl is quoted based on the weight.

The washroom is cleaner than most coffee shops. The place is not air-conditioned but it is quite airy with ceiling and wall fans. By the way, they are opened for lunch and dinner.

The details of the outlet:

Jalan Angsana, Air Itam, 11500 Penang.

(It is just opposite Petronas.)

Kim Gary Restaurant at 1st Avenue

If you are in 1st Avenue for a movie and do not know where to go for your meal, try Kim Gary restaurant. Unlike the one at Gurney Plaza, this place is not so packed. So, it also translates into quicker serving time. 

Purplish theme at 1st Avenue's Kim Gary

The first Kim Gary in Penang was opened in Gurney Plaza many years ago. However, this is my first time at Kim Gary's because usually, we are too lazy to wait for our turn and jostle with the crowd at Gurney Plaza.

The cashier near the entrance

You should expect Hong Kong style Chinese food here. Therefore, rice and noodles are the staple food here.

Spanish seafood fried rice

Spanish seafood fried rice set (RM 19.90) (after topping up RM 3 for set) comes with a drink and soup. However, if you order the yoghurt drink, it is also served with a bowl of pudding.  The soup  chosen is corn cream soup. The verdict: the fried rice is a little too spicy and sticky although the amount of ham is very generous. Other than that, it is also served with prawns, squids, scallops and vegetables. In fact, it is a balanced meal.

Cream corn soup

This is the cream corn soup.The taste is quite good.

Yoghurt drink and pudding

The yoghurt drink and pudding are there to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Nissin noodle soup

Nissin noodle soup (RM 8.50) is served with Chinese dumplings, leafy mustard and clear soup. To our disappointment, it is tasteless. 

Another drink; bubble milk tea had been missed out in the order form. When we realised it, it was too late as we were going to catch a movie. 

There is a service charge of 10% of the total bill. In short, the service here is fast and there is lesser crowd. 

The details of the restaurant:

LG01 & LG02, 1st Avenue, 182 Jalan Magazine, 10300 Penang

Tel: 04-2613408

Old Town Value Set Dinner

Looking to satisfy your craving for curry mee (noodles) but your stomach could not agree with seafood? Well, Old Town has chicken curry noodles instead of the Penang usual curry noodles with cockles, cuttlefish and prawns.

Old Town's menu

We had eaten their curry noodles at several locations but still find the one at LCCT airport is the best. Although they are franchised and should have the same recipe and cooking method, the taste is slightly different at different branch.

Modern coffee shop with a touch of old kopi tiam

Since we are in Penang, we try our luck with the one at 1st Avenue. This place is air-conditioned unlike most outlets. However, it is not that packed as compared to other branches. The service here is fast and efficient. Of course, do not be surprised that most Old Town White Coffee shops are manned by foreign workers. Anyway, communication is not a problem as they are trained and can speak English.

Their set dinner is only served from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. There are a varieties of set but we had the curry noodle set (RM 12.90) which includes a drink and a dessert. The curry noodle here is just okay but not as good as the one we had at LCCT airport.

Curry koay teow

The curry soup here is thicker than the usual one in Penang. The ingredients are long beans, chicken meat, fish cakes, bean sprouts, fried tofu and koay teow (we had requested for koay teow instead of the yellow noodle). The koay teow is smooth and slippery like the Ipoh version. 

The drink and dessert menu

They have a few choices of drinks and desserts to choose from. I was torn between ordering a gula Melaka ice kacang and an ice-cream. In the end, I opted for the ice kacang and hubby ordered the ice-cream.

Ice kacang with gula Melaka

The gula Melaka ice kacang is tantalising to the tastebuds. The usual one comes with rose syrup but here, the gula Melaka has given it an aromatic flavour. We have our own expectation of the ingredients in the ice kacang. However, the one here is different from our local Penang ice kacang. Instead, it bears some similarities to one we had at Lumut. It has cendol, jelly, nata de coco, kidney beans and corns.

Old Town coffee lava

Old Town Coffee Lava, that is what the two scoops of ice-cream with coffee is called. The coffee is a little bitter but it is complemented by the sweetness of the ice-cream. It is quite good.

Our drinks: Pepsi and lime juice

The set dinner per person is only RM 12.90 (excluding taxes: 10% service charge and 6% government tax). In short, the set dinner is very reasonably priced. Plus the good ambience and service, we would consider hanging out at Old Town in town here in the future.

Details of the outlet:
LG 111- LG 112, 1st Avenue Mall,
183 Jalan Magazine,
10300 Georgetown, Penang.

Nyonya, Chinese Food at Homes Chef Garden

Fancy authentic Nyonya food in Penang? Thinking of some home-cooked dishes that are only served during the festive seasons? Well, Homes Chef Garden restaurant is the place. Quality Nyonya and Chinese food ranging from jiu hoo char (stir-fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish), perut ikan (Nyonya pickled fish stomach curry), curry fish head, assam prawns (tamarind prawns) to too kar chor (black vinegar pork trotter), kiam chai ark (salted vegetable and duck soup)... Oh my, all these dishes really make me drool. At home, my mother only cooks these sumptuous dishes on special occasions or on special request. Here, at Homes Chef Garden, one can savour the dishes at anytime.

The place was decorated with antique lamps and collectibles 

As we entered the restaurant, we found that it was not very packed with customers. There were only a few tables occupied. 

Cute decor at the restaurant's restroom

We ordered their Nyonya fried rice, Too Ka Chor (vinegar pork trotter), Jiu Hoo Char (stir-fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish) and curry chicken.

First, their Nyonya fried rice (RM 8) is garnished with chopped spring onions, fried shallots, fried egg and cubed carrots. The best part is the rice is fried with four large juicy prawns. It is very aromatic and delicious. 

The Nyonya fried rice

Next, the Too Ka Chor (vinegar pork trotter) (RM 19) is equally appetising. The sweet and sour taste of the soup is mouthwatering. We had requested for leaner meat in the soup. So, they had duly obliged. The texture of the lean meat is a little hard. So, I guess the fatty meat would be a better choice. If you like this dish very much, then you should put aside your diet plan as eating fatty meat is real fattening but tasty.

The sweet and sour vinegar pork trotter

Another must try dish is their Jiu Hoo Char (stir-fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish) (RM 18). Although jicama or yambean and carrot are not cut very finely like in my mother used to but it is tasty. This dish is best eaten by using hands. It is usually served with fresh lettuce and sambal (ground chilli with belacan). So, just grab a leaf of lettuce and top with one spoon of Jiu Hoo Char on it. If you like it spicy, then put a little sambal on it, wrap it up like a tortilla and eat it.

Jiu Hoo Char (Fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish)

Curry chicken (RM 16) has been adopted as part of Chinese and also Nyonya food. The level of spiciness is just right (that is not too spicy for us) as the curry chicken is cooked with coconut milk. Therefore, the curry is rather thick and creamy.

Curry chicken with coconut milk

We had ordered two glasses of honey to cool ourselves in the hot weather; RM 3.50 for the cold honey drink and RM 3 for the hot honey drink.

Hot and cold honey drinks

The place has a very pleasing decor and ambience. If you are interested to view some old stuffs like an old sewing machine, it is on display as part of the decor. An old ice kacang machine (for grinding the ice), radio and a clay teapot are also being displayed on the manual sewing machine. 

An antique ice kacang machine, radio, clay teapot displayed on a manual sewing machine

Their service is quite fast because dishes like the Too Kar Chor, Jiu Hoo Char and curry chicken have been cooked earlier as they actually need a longer preparation and cooking time. Anyway, the dishes are served hot.

There is a service charge of 10% included in the bill which is quite common. The portion that we ordered is good to be eaten by three adults. That was why we were indeed very full after our dinner. 

In short, the food here is unforgettable and if you have an appetite for home-cooked Nyonya and Chinese food, this place is certainly worth a try.

Details of the restaurant:

Address          : 253G-1-06+07, Premier Center, Burmah Road, 10350 Penang

Telephone no.     : 04-2277881

Business Hour : 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Closed on Thursday)

Teow Chew Meng Restaurant

A straw rabbit welcoming you at the door

Teow Chew Meng's menu

Mention Teow Chew Meng and many will think of their Mee Sua Kor. It has been around for some time. Despite that, this was our first time in Teow Chew Meng Restaurant at Lorong Selamat.

Night shot of Teow Chew Meng Restaurant

They are famous for their Mee Sua Kor  (RM 13.90). It is actually mee sua or rice noodle cooked with fresh fish fillet in a sticky soup and it goes well with vinegar. It is a must-try dish in this restaurant. Although it is tasty, I still shy away from ordering a bowl of Mee Sua Kor myself as I could not finish the whole bowl of sticky soup.

Mee Sua Kor with fish fillet and vinegar

Next, the next popular dish on their menu is their Prosperity Oyster Noodle (RM 10.90). Yes, I love this one. It is served in a claypot and the portion is just nice for one person. The noodle is fried with a generous amount of oysters as I could almost scoop out an oyster every time I dip in. Besides oysters, it is also fried with prawns, mushroom and curry leaves. Overall, the Prosperity Oyster  Noodle had a strong pepper taste. Yes, I would reorder it the next time I visit Teow Chew Meng!

Prosperity Oyster Noodle 

We also ordered side dish like a plate of stir-fried baby cabbage which was RM 8.00.

Stir-fried baby cabbage

For drinks, we ordered a glass of celery and apple juice (RM 5) and a cup of warm honey ginger (RM 4.50). The bill included a 5% service charge but no government tax.

Celery and apple juice

Warm honey ginger

The lighting in Teow Chew Meng are dimmer than other Chinese restaurants so this gives it a cosy feel. In order to keep their customers occupied while waiting for their food, there is a reading corner with reading materials. To give the place a homey feel, the restaurant is further decorated with cute decor such as a colourful stationery on each table and a straw rabbit welcoming you at the door.

A reading and leisure corner

A colourful stationery on each table

Details of the restaurant:
Address        : 6B Lorong Selamat, 10400 Georgetown.
Telephone no: 04-2281817

Exploring Nibong Tebal Food

Although Nibong Tebal, Penang was a stone throw away from Georgetown, we had never been there. So, this was our first trip there. There will be four write-ups on Nibong Tebal, namely:

1. Exploring Nibong Tebal Food
2. Pulau Burung Landfill and Byram Estate
3. Changkat Village and Firefly Jetty 
4. Bukit Panchor State Park

A glimpse of Nibong Tebal town

We heard that there was a special soy sauce chicken rice stall somewhere in town. So, we planned to eat our lunch there. After driving two rounds passed Jalan Atas, we finally found the coffee shop. The place was crowded as expected as it was a Sunday. 

The coffee shop that sells the chicken rice

This is the chicken rice stall

We managed to find a table and ordered our chicken rice with homemade sausages. We also needed to wait for a while as there were many customers eating in and waiting to take-away.The thick sauce was sweet and the chicken rice was different from the usual. I thought the chicken rice was just average and the chicken portion was little too but we loved the homemade sausages very much. They tasted authentic. A plate cost RM 3.70.

The popular chicken rice with dark sweet soy sauce, chicken and homemade sausages

Next, a few shops away, there was another eating place. There were two rows of roadside stalls selling hawker food and economy rice. There were two laksa and ice-kacang stalls. We just took our pick and chose Laksa V 2020.

Laksa V 2020 stall

Since we just ate the chicken rice, we could only manage to eat a bowl of laksa (noodle in sour and spicy fish soup with some ingredients) and ice-kacang (a dessert made of shaved ice with mostly sweet ingredients). 

The laksa topped with a big piece of cracker

Dunk the cracker in the laksa' s sour and spicy soup

The laksa here was a little different from other Penang laksa because it was topped with a piece of crunchy cracker. We liked the taste of the laksa as it was not too sour. Besides, the sour and spicy fish soup was quite thick. It was only RM 2.50.

The ice-kacang topped with two scoops of chocolate chip ice-cream

The same laksa stall also sold ice-kacang. Ice-kacang with two scoops of chocolate chip ice-cream was only RM 2.50. They did not emphasize on the presentation of the food but overall, the ice-kacang was a thumbs up.

Cheng Hwa crab porridge restaurant is only opened in the evenings

We also spotted this seafood porridge restaurant along the same road (Jalan Atas). We had not tried before the famous crab porridge in Nibong Tebal but it was only opened in the evenings until midnight.

The crowd at Cheng Hwa Restaurant

To satisfy our craving, we had to come back to Cheng Hwa Restaurant the next night. It was packed with customers. The shop was new and all the furniture and fittings looked new too.

The interior of the restaurant

Without any doubt, we ordered two bowls of crab porridge. Each bowl had a crab together with its shell. However, the shell had been cracked for our convenience. 

My crab porridge

The porridge tasted very smooth unlike some porridge which was actually made of rice with soup. I found that porridge was really sweet (but not artificial) and tasty compared with any porridge that I had ever eaten. The tricky part was eating the crab with a pair of chopsticks. In the end, I gave up eating the crab with chopsticks. I just used my fingers and the job was done. 

The green vegetable sprinkled with meat floss and Chinese wolfberries

Overall, the two bowls of crab porridge and a plate of green vegetable cost us roughly RM 40 plus (which was not too expensive for our crab indulgence). By the way, the crab was weighed first before cooked.

Direction to Nibong Tebal from Penang Bridge:

Use the North-South Highway and head towards Ipoh. Exit at Jawi interchange. Follow signboard to Nibong Tebal. You need to make a U turn when you go down the golden brown steel bridge.

The golden brown steel bridge

Coming up...post on Pulau Burung Landfill and Byram Estate.