Have some of you enjoy your little long weekend over Wesak Day? I did, I had a great party and great dining while I am at Penang. I had lunch with my friend to a place which I have not been since I was a kid. Yap, this shop is quite old already as when I was a kid my grandpa used to bring me here for his favourite plate of chicken rice.
Kedai Makanan & Minuman Hock Seong Choon that located at Penang Road house this famous chicken rice that is quite extra ordinary. A place used to be so famous 20 years ago and till date still standing tall on its business with their very own regular. Offering traditional Chicken Rice in another way, that Dark/Black soy sauce is one of the main ingredient for the chicken.
The shop is more well know for their dark chicken instead of the white ones.
Dining in here can be another experience as this is one of a few rare coffee shop that still maintain its classic dining area with wooden cubical at the side and wooden table and plastic chairs in the middle area, along with cheque titles that remains the heritage look of it.
A normal plate of Hainanese Chicken Ricefor single person comes in a side plate of chicken, a bowl of soup and I did order extra herbal egg to go on. @ RM 4-RM 10
Oily rice are used here as they cook the rice with some chicken soup to make it more fragrant. Little ginger is detected.
AS for the special homemade dark soy sauce are added ontop of the roast chicken, to make it more fragrant, not too dry and easy to eat. The taste is little sweet salty and I would prefer my side of chicken is drumstick. Love the chicken texture at that part and my friend whom usually do not eat chicken breast and he would only eat here as the sauce did tone down the hardness and make it nice to chew.
Although the famous one are the roast chicken, I like the white chicken more as the texture of the meat is smooth and cook to perfection along with the sauce added on makes it taste much better.
Herbal egg is a little disappointed as with the term Herbal Egg, there is not much taste of herbal is detected. This herbal egg is ordered separately from the coffee shop owner.
To make the chicken taste more interesting, try to pair with their very own homemade green chili sauce dressing, light spicy with sourish end and you will enjoy all 4 taste in one plate.
This place do bring back alot memories for me and if you are looking for something little different from the rest of Hainanese Chicken Rice, then its good to try it this version here.
*NON-Halal
-= Ka Ching =-
Food Rating 6.5/10, pretty okay -Stamped-
–Warning– This is based on my individual taste. Try it at your own risk-
Location:
Kedai Makanan & Minuman Hock Seong Choon
Penang Road
(Corner of Lorong Bertam)
Next to Komtar Bus Station
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
Since this week, some of my blog post will be in some different location and lets head to North Malaysia which is Penang, my hometown that I was back during Hari Raya break with a few of my KL friends tagging along and I was in charge of arranging all their accomodation which they stayed one of a cozy nice recommended backpackers inn Ryokan Chic Hostel, also I am in charge of driving them around to pamper them with all the best hawker food in town.
As night time falls, we head to Batu Ferringi , which is one of the main tourist attraction where by all the resorts are there also night market that happens everyday.
After a short walk, I brought them to this new bar Sixty 9ine Mansion which had open its door to public since last year. I have heard so much about this place that most of my friend enjoy it here and honestly, this is the first time I am visiting this place. This is a bar that is quite unique from the hottest in town spot – Upper Penang Road.
This big bar surely amaze me, with many sections to choose from and lets head to the outdoor area first. I consider this as one of the best area, as it have curtain fountain with water flowing, tables and chairs are place on this shallow pool. You can just sit by this section with your leg soak in the water and just chat all the way .. .
there is a pool right in the middle, then another fun part is there are 3 pairs of lazy chair right by the side of it . . .
where you can sit comfortably on this chair and take off your shoes and let your leg soak in the pool. 🙂
Another section right by the pool is filled with comfortable sofa’s
If you want to have a bit more away from the music, then the beach section might suits you, that you can be seated on this section with plastic chairs and tables or :
in a bamboo hut. This place is must dimmer as it looks, you can just sit here sipping your wine or beer enjoying a bit fade off music background that tunes with sea waves. Here is abit more windy compare to inside.
seaside bar is right infront to cater for your drinking needs.
When comes to indoor area, of course will be much more cooler with their air condition is on, and its like another total ambiance that you enjoy. It is more luxury in style with huge english classic sofa place by the walls and huge rectangle table to place all your drinks.
those who feel a bit lazy, pillow are there for you to hug or melt onto the cushion.
the 3 leng lui’s and another guy mia that visited Penang during the holiday.
I love this club alot, the set back is that, they played house/trance music. If they were to play latest mixture of R&B it will be a big hit for me, in such a great ambiance.
Location:
Sixy 9ine Mansion
69, Jalan Batu Ferringhi,
11100 Penang, Malaysia
(located in between Holiday Inn Hotel and the Ship)
Operating Hours:
Mon – Sun: 18:00 – 03:00
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.)
Often my friend asked me, where is the best cheap place to stay in Penang and I always have issues in recommending that as to find something really nice like what offers in Taiwan is hard to find, but not until recently there is one new Ryokan Chic Hostel that opened up that offers a very good rate especially to those who travels in group.
Cannot deny that this Ryokan Chic Hostel is one of the place that I would be recommending to all travelers if you are looking for somewhere comfy, clean environment and looking to make some new friends while travelling and with its cheap rates at backpackers price for a 3 star hotel stay,this would certainly can accommodate all types of travelers. Best even to backpackers looking for budget place to stay or travelers looking for a budget stay over the weekend for a place that offers Japanese Theme accommodation.
Ryokan Chic Hostel is smack in the middle Unesco World Heritage territory, surrounded by rustic architecture buildings and cultural sites, as there are also a few other operating rustic and classic cafes operating around it.
Besides that, for party animal, this place is just 5 minutes walk to a large Hawker center called Red Garden and 10 minutes walk to Penang most happening place which is Upper Penang road that filled with Bar and Clubs, also 10 minutes walk to famous Nasi Kandar Line Clear.
At the main entrance welcomes you the modern style of baba n Nyonya concept as what I feel . .
and I love the interior which is very simple and nice place to hang out, as the counter sited right in front is their check-in counter for your rooms.
You are able to rent towels and other basic necessities you need.
They have a mini bar to cater for their inhouse guest and at the moment which is not fully operational yet . .
Dining place for your breakfast, lunch and dinner n also they have high speed wifi for you to use. Just incase you would want to connect to your love ones or keep in touch with your friends.
They have 2 types of rooms available which is Suites Room that offer at the rate of RM 68 and I didnt manage to view this room as it was fully occupied but you can view it at their website (click here)
Very nice walkway with a bit of garden concept and white lamps placed right in front of their rooms.
Then other facilities for other rooms do not have toilet build in it and its a shared toilet available at the back of the hostel. Washing area. . .
and 6 toilets available
Let’s head up to their dorm room and you evolve from as you climb up the stairs. . .
Before you head to their dorm you are required to put all your shoes in this shelves which is available upper section called The Loft,
6 Bed Dorm
The Sunrise, 6 Bed Dorm
The Classic, 4 Bed Dorm
The Chic, 4 Bed Dorm
this is the 4 Chic room dorm which are only meant for female only . . . . that RM38 per bed for a night.
chic room also get a huge Hollywood glass frame to do their dressing up and putting on make up.
Each traveller will have a individual locker each to put in their stuff. .
If you are bored in the room they have area Chillax Corner that filled with bean bags. .
The rooms do not have tv and they include this super comfy area filled with bean bags too is this little entertainment area. . .
They also have Reading Corner to do some leisure reading or while waiting for your friend to get ready you can browse thru some magazine.
This are the rates on all the item including the room rates for you to check out and cannot deny that this is surely one of a good cheap accomodation to be highly recommended to travelers around the world if you do visit Penang also for its attractive location located UNESCO heritage zone and surrounding food they can go after. .
One thing to note is that, there are very LIMITED parking space available. .
Hopefully there will be more budget hotel or clean nice backpackers Hostel available in the future.
For more info or reservation you can check at their website: MyRyokan
Location:
Ryokan @ Muntri Street
62 Jalan Muntri
Georgetown
Penang
10200
Malaysia
Last weekend when I went back to Penang, I do not feel that I am original from Penang. Ken brought all of us for a food hunt and street photography equip myself with a camera and went to all the food places I have not went before. I thought of doing it a random post and a new discovery place for me that must share with all of you. One of them is Ais Tingkap.
It was hot sunny afternoon and Ken decided to bring us for a refreshment break as most of us would definitely know Penang Famous Cendol located at Penang Road but another hidden gem which is hidden at Lebuh Tamil (a road next to it) which is called Ais Tingkap (Window Sherbet) operating with other stalls, the English name got translate by a foreign guy. The name is very catchy and I asked the guy why is the stall called Ais Tingkap and the Indians told me that it was first operate by his grandfather way back in the 1930’s. He serve the drink behind a glass panel and people came by and make a take away taking through the window and that is how the name originate from. Now the grandson had taken it over.
Then I got to know that Chinese we do have Leong Cha to cool our body down and for Indians they do have this to cool their body down with the ingredient mixing in it.
Now this stall is operate by his grandson, and this is the only place where you can find Ais Tingkapin Malaysia. Its nice to see and nice to drink, but when you see the preparation you will be amaze how many ingredients are added in.
Shaved ais like ice kacang are been made.
Then he shove every glass with the ice
add this unique ingredient called ‘Getah Anggur’ which is an abstract from a tree, and the purpose of it is to cool our body. . It looks a bit like chewy jelly.
Next mixed with Basil seeds that looks like Frog egg
add on with syrup (as our version is Kurang Manis – Less Sweet)
Add with coconut water
Next spray with his very own secret ingredient that he told me cannot reveal out.. . . Smells good!
Last to top up with coconut meat.
A complete version of Ais Tingkap for ONLY RM1.20 that seriously caught me by suprise as it involves so many steps and I thought it would cost at least RM2, for big packet it is only RM1.50.
The taste is OMG. Very cooling with the shaved ice that melts into our mouth, fragrant with rosy flavor and the taste is very unique by itself, every taste we sip get to suck on the getah anggur and the frog egg. In this hot weather, we are definitely enjoying yourselves over this little glass of drink. With me, Bernice, my brother and the rest . . . Great Stopover! or I would say a new Recommended place by me if you were to go by Penang.
Directly infront of the stall, this guy selling Cucur Udang and his business is very good. Non Stop frying when we were there.
