Any hawker food from Penang it seems will be favourite to many. As for now, most of the travellers now can get good Penang food in Klang where Angcle Peoh one of the siblings from famous Penang Ayer Itam Laksa as now he have move down to venture new market.
Klang is their new target as where they find similar home feelings like Penang as most of them speak Hokkien.
Of course their signature would be their all time crowd favrouite – Penang Laksa which is filled with alot of mince fish meat and also slices. Pungent in flavour, sourish enough and just perfect.
YOu can get other famous items such as Penang Prawn Noodle. .
Penang Curry Mee
Char Koey Teow
Another of my favourite would be their instant cook Koey Teow Th’ng. Recommended as the soup base is cook with pork bone soup for 8 hours.
Rojak
Cendul is a little let down. . .
To me the flavour offered in Angcle Peoh is slightly different as their flavour taste for other items are more towards Penang, Mainland (in my own opinion)
If you visit here during 11am-2pm do expect huge crowd as the crowd constanly pouring in non stop and to get the shop less crowd, ideal time to come is 2.30-5pm . . They have two seating area which is outside and indoor with air con.
Some combination of mural in Penang.
Here you go Angcle Peoh busy prepare all the ingredients himself to all the hungry customers.
Looking for authentic Penang Laksa, I am sure this is one of the place to be. 🙂
I guess some of you have seen my previous blog on Hennessy X.O appreciation grows in Penang happening last year happen on May 2011 at Suffolk House Penang (click here for previous write up). Early this month, we were the lucky few bloggers to be selected to follow the young Chef Michael Han to Penang for food trail.
We were all just excited about the food trail as on the plane, some of them were saying, I want Chendol, Laksa, and . . . . those food names just got blurt out by many of them.
We purposely did not take any breakfast as we prepare to follow suit food hunting with the chef.
and I could not even remember when was the last time, that I did follow a tour or onboard a bus with a tour guide. It makes me felt that I am like a tourist, with the guide explaning and telling us the history of Penang. Learn quite a lot of new stuff on the way. As we look on our itinerary, I am happy all those food area are my favorite locations.
First stop of food trail at 10am, we stop by at Penang road, at Joo Hooi Cafe for Asam Laksa.
this laksa stall was chosen as it is around 40 years old, starting from parents then now the son is taking over. Penang Laksa well known to many tourist that its a food that must not miss if you set into Penang, that is also voted as one of the best street food listed at number 7 on World’s 50 most delicious foods complied by CNN Go in 2011.
All of us getting ready as our arrival create a huge curiosity to many customers inside the coffee shop. Most of them stare and commented, and then stare again as we came in a huge group with cameras, including Penang reporters and cameraman.
Asam Laksa is know along with its sourish fish base soup that Asam is the malay word for tamarind that use to give the stock its sour flavor.
One of the main ingredient that is used is made with ikan kembung know as mackeral fish. Penang Laksa is different in flavour as it include lemongrass, galangal and chilli. For garnishing on top, serve along with mint, pineapples slices, thinly sliced onion, shirmp paste, and torch ginger flower.
Then it is serve along smooth texture of rice vermicelli
Chef Michael is definately not a stranger in this local scene street food as he grown up with a nanny that is from Penang. Chef enjoying his bowl of laksa. . .
So does me. 🙂
Then after the meal, he went over to learn Penang Style laksa preparation by the stall owner, as checking out the broth and he is impress on the process as this laksa stall prepare by going through 2 types of soup.
Early in the morning, we were already yam seng all the way with Hennessy X.O and the uncle is so joyful
Uncle were so happy as get to know that a famous young chef dropping by his stall. Very nice and talkertive too.
As before we head out, we were adventurous trying to think what the chef have in mind, then we pair X.O into our laksa. Turn out to be, not bad. If it were cook into it, I think would taste more kick eh!
Next stop, New World Park, Lee Brothers famous Ice Kacang.
Along with Pai Tee also known as Top Hat.
Anna with her weird expressions!
chef is enjoying both Ice Kacang and Pai tee
Pai Tee, outer layer of pai tee is cripsy, then filled with chinese turnip and topped with fried shallots, diced carrots, fried egg and peanuts. For me I always eat it in one big mouth. 😀
Ice Kacang
3rd stop is one of my all time favourite Nasi Kandar, never fail to come here whenever I am back Penang but this would be the first time I dine here in the afternoon. This place need not any further introduction as now it is pretty well know to many locals and even tourist.
Many people would have hard time finding this place as it is actually hidden one of a small alley that tuck in between these 2 pre-war house.
Usually in the afternoon the crowd here is crazy and gets even worst if its a long weekend with tourist pouring in. . .as I only often come here for supper. . 😀
I just realise that many family crowd did order their Curry fish head and the fish head is seriously huge!
This round this is what we have for lunch . .
Beef Curry
Bean Sprout
Fish
Fried chicken is a must have!
And I prefer my version of nasi kandar is with kuah banjir (lots of curry gravy)
Wilson enjoying his meal as turn our to be one of his favourite spot too.
This is what happen if you come after 12pm during long weekend. You can see its line grow and make a long L shape after that. One of the reason people love this stall because of its spicy curry gravy and the spices that they cook along.
4th stop is at Kafe Khoon Hiang at Dato Keramat for Ah Leng Char Koey Teow. Apparently, there are places which is available that, in the afternoon in this coffee shop, is the son that fried it and during night, is his dad that are frying at Jalan Zoo, Ayer Itam area. I have heard so much about Ah Leng CKT and never once drop by and here am I to get the opportunity to try one of the stall.
Look at the huge prawn that were added in
One thing I notice on the frying style is that he added in ‘ti chio’ (sweet Sauce) and this is the first time I come across Char Koey Teow added that in.
Then chef were thought to fry on Ah Leng Char Koey Teow version.
Guess who is next tyring to cook. Anna. Wonder who will eat her cooking version.
Tadaaa, here is the Char Koey Teow with the texture and colour of it, definately looks good!
As the char Koey teow were fried up and serve, most of them cant wait to get a bite of it as it smells fragrant and top with juicy prawns.
Before that, cheers again as we were drinking as early as 10am from the first stop, and of course we have to skip at Nasi Kandar area.
Ah Leng Char Koey Teow cook along with prawn mantis too. Best of all, it did not stop there as we went adventurous again we we infuse the CKT along with Hennessy X.O and it turns out to be superbly good. More fragrant and stronger in taste. After our own mixture, the CKT were gone in seconds. As another plate was serve, we did the same thing again and other food bloggers just came and attack.
Chef enjoying this CKT a whole plate by himself.
Final stop would be at Kedai Kopi Seng Thor that is famous for its fried oyster. This is one of the shop that I grew up along to dine there most of the time when I was a kid as this fried oyster is stall is my grandmother’s favourite stall. We called it ‘O-chein’. She would eat at least 3-4 times aweek or would follow my grandpa to sit in the coffee shop while he is reading his newspaper.
Seng Thor Fried Oyster Ommelete is one of the stalls that you must try if you love this dish. Just that you must have the patience to wait, as it can easily take up your waiting time from 30 mins to an hour.
First he will put his own mixture of ingredient with a thin layer at the bottom to cook along then top with 2 eggs. Then he will repeat this process couple of times and chef is amaze of the version of Fried Oyster Ommelet in Penang as they have never seen this version of cooking which is totally different from the ones they had in Singapore.
As when Chef Michael saw how he pour the whole pot of oil to cook along, he was stun for a while and imagine how greasy the food will be.
After the base is cook, he will separate it at the side and cook another layer.
this is how it is while cooking along that soak into near full pot of oil
With huge fire frying along like that, I just cant wait to have a big bite on this fried oyster.
While waiting for our lovely fried oyster, I get a chance to take picture with the chef himself and understand further on how he actually end up being a chef.
Upon request need to take a weird picture, so this is how it end up . .hehe
Jeng Jeng Jeng, after 35 minutes of waiting, here is our plate of oyster that its sprinkle along with lots of mini oyster. It cook with alot of oil yet it does not taste greasy as it is.
And this plate turns out to be one of Chef Micheal’s favorite. To make it even more flavourful, must not miss to dip along with chili sauce.
And we try again to infuse with Hennessy X.O. Turns out to be CKT still the winner among all. I guess if the oyster were soak into Hennessy and cook then, it would taste awesome (in my own imagination)
Then we head back to hotel for a short break then head for an interview session with him. During the interview session, one good thing to know that he have high expectation for Penang food as he grown up to have one of the best food from his Nanny.
chef mention that Penang food would pair very well with Hennessy X.O as the food in the island is robust in taste. Then further understand him that he is actually from Law background that did not practise law but his instead pursued his dreams to become a chefs. Then by following his passion he kick off his career in a fine dining restaurant Au Jardin before moving on to stints at The Fat Duck, L’Enclume and Anthony’s in England, Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain and Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark.
With his hard work and dedication to excellence that had made him being nominated for the World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence ‘Rising Chef of the Year’ in 2010 and 2011, with FiftyThree, his restaurant that opens its door at year 2009 and nominated as ‘Best Restaurant’ in 2011. Notably, FiftyThree was featured as one of World’s 50 Best Restaurants ‘Regional Spotlight –Singapore’, and on CNNgo.com’s Best Eats 2010 as Singapore’s Best Gourmet Restaurant of 2010. The awards doesnt stop there as FiftyThree also won the World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence ‘Restaurant of the Year’ in 2012, with Michael garnering the title of ‘Rising Chef of the Year’.
Here are the interview video capture by Wilson. Thanks you~
Pictures credit to Wilson (bloggers whom attend along are, Anna,Cheng Yi, Me, Wilson and Sidney) along with Chef Michael and Karen
However, after this preview of food trail, I am very curious what Chef Michael will prepare for us at next session in Penang within the chapel of St. Joseph’s Novitiate from September 26th to 28th 2012. His cooking style or background are more European cooking which using less oil and fresh ingredients. I just cant wait what is the dish that he is going to come out with this challenge that being put upfront, that by deconstructing Penang local delicacies to make a fine dine. Looking forward for end of this month for the special dining.
and wheee. . got feature in The Star, Metro north section
Laksa Beras? or translate it into Rice Laksa? Doesnt sound right . .:D Anyway, as my understanding is that Laksa Beras is made of rice flour in a certain mold and comes out with this silky smooth laksa noodle. Every chef have their own secret recepi to make it better when the noodle boil in the hot water it doesnt break.
So my friend decided to bring me to one of her favourite malay laksa stall over the past weekend that its called Laksa Beras. They have been a regular customer since when she was a kid. This hidden stall started off with family business and as it gains its popularity around the area, many stalls had open up as most of the stalls along the road or around the area are related to them as in either relatives or cousins. I think there would be handfull more than 5-8 stalls along the road.
To reach here, along the road heading off from Bukit Mertajam, Penang to this road, spot for a Police station on your right and head straight then next is to spot on this few buildings that I have taken with blue roof top which is very obvious that is hard to be miss.
The stall is located next to the blue roof top building . . . I would say the stall is pretty hidden and you can drive pass by without realizing it as right infront it would be a small curving road.
A business operated from their parents and now taking over by their kids is one of the popular stalls among the neighborhood in the area.
What is the difference between Laksa Beras and Penang Asam Laksa as the ingredient cook in it is similiar but taste came out is quite different.
Penang Asam Laksa you can taste sourness and especially there are people who love to put alot of shrimp paste (heh koh) in it, spicy at the end and turns out to be many people’s Favourite.
Laksa Beras or I called it Malay Laksa is another version of laksa I love to eat especially during Pasar Ramadan month. The soup base is a bit clear, sour bitter at the end, and the fish they had it slice or mince it and cook.
Price is pretty cheap as SPecial for RM 3 and Normal for RM1.80. Its hard to find a portion like that in that kind of pricing.
As mention by my friend, she help me order Special which is their signature.
This is the plate of Laksa Beras Special @ RM 3
One thing I agree with my friend is the texture of the Laksa Beras noodle is super smooth and hardly come across this kind of texture and according to her it is made fresh by the family itself. In the special it comes with cucur udang and dip for a while and eat it is pretty good.
Soup base is a bit clear or mild in taste as this is what the family recepi is, a bit sour bitter at the end, and the soup can just drink a lot. I did not finish my noodle as this is the 3rd stop for the morning itself. So its pretty much and one thing I did is I finish the soup. which is something different.
This place if you ask me to go again, I will be a bit lost and they do not have the exact location as they told me to watch out for landmark only as insert in my post. Happy hunting to this Laksa Beras Place as I would rate it nice malay Laksa. It is advise to go early as at times the finish out early.
Its one of the road heading off from Bukit Mertajam to lead here.
*Halal
-= Ka Ching =-
Food Rating 7/10, pretty good, worth a try ~-Stamped-
–Warning– This is based on my individual taste. Try it at your own risk-
Location:
Laksa Beras
Jalan Kumbang Semang,
Kubang Semang,
Penang.
Tel: 019-521 3452
Operating Hours: 10.30am – 4.30pm
Closed on Friday
During festive seasons like for the past few days, many local tourist will flock to Penang shore as Penang is famous for hawker/street food. It can attract tourist as far as Singaporean to drive all the way to satisfy their crave on food and some of the Best of Penang Street Food is still top in the list of many people.
For example a little stall that smack at the junction of Lebuh Keng Wee and Penang Road that many people surely wont miss this little stall that had been operating more 10 years and till date it had attracted many people from far
willing to queue up under the hot sun just for this small bowl of:
Penang Road Famous Teo Chew Cendul and Ice Kacang @ RM1.90
It was used to be an old uncle that scoop and prepare this and I believe now had been taken over by his son.
This is what is called Penang famous Cendul, its filled with shaved ice, green grass jelly, red bean and coconut milk ontop, lastly just topped with some gula melaka. Undoubtly, this little bowl sure will satisfy your crave and cools you down under this hot weather.
Like some of my KL friends did, they are satisfied and enjoying every sip of it.
Location:
Penang Road Teochew Cendul and Ice Kacang
Junction of Lebuh Keng Wee and Penang Road
Next destination is this place where no doubt that recently Penang Laksa had been in the list of world top 10 food that must eat which I am surely proud off and many of my friends that come Penang the first thing they mention is they want to eat Asam Laksa.
I was recently introduce to this stall by my friend that this is another new joint that I found that served good laksa as I find that the one at Ayer Itam Market is very commercialise and I do not really like the taste of it. I find that this taste much better.
This few hawker stalls is located at the round about of Ayer Itam Junction and now it had attracted many other local tourist as when I was there, alot people speak cantonese in the area.
This is one fine bowl of laksa that comes with a lot of mixture of vegetable such as finely sliced vegetables including onions, cucumber, red chillis, pineapple, lettuce, mint and pink bunga kantan then shower a few rounds with sour and and a bit spicy soup base, also a spoonfull of ‘Heh Koh’ (prawn paste). RM3.50
The noodle is silky smooth and slurp it all the way into my mouth, texture of it a bit chewy that comes to my liking. Soup base is one of my prefered choice as it cook along with fish meat that had been smash and every sip I can bite some of the fish meat. It is sour and spicy enough that can satisfy my crave.
Next stall that is quite famous among there is this Duck Meat Koey Teow Soup that the soup is very aromatic with its well cook soup base with duck bone, pork bone and a few other ingredients that make it sweet, served along with duck meat and some pork lard to make it superb in taste. RM 3.50
Penang Rojak is also another dish that you must have which is a mixture of fruits and mix with prawn paste. This is not the best stall and find that the prawn paste is quite salty and its expensive as for this small portion its RM4.
Location:
Laksa – Jalan Bukit Bendera
Junciton of Jalan Ayer Itam & Jalan Bukit Bendera
(Ayer Itam Round about – infront of a huge kopitiam.)
