Ah Leng Char Koay Teow

Recommended by my 3 fussy pots, we're heading to the Ah Leng Char Koay Teow亞龍炒粿條 that is located by Jalan Chor Sin Kheng at Ayer Itam. Char Koay Teow or Fried Rice Noodle is a famous locality in Malaysia that is Non-Halal as pork fat is a secret to enhance the deliciousness of this dish. Commonly, the rice noodle is fried together with the prawn, cockle, bean sprout, egg and Chinese chives that are then being seasoned with chili paste, light and dark soy sauces to create the spiciness and saltiness. The specialties by Ah Leng is he's serving my favourite Mantis Prawn with the Char Koay Teow and you can ask for Duck Egg鸭蛋 instead of the Chicken. People believes that duck egg makes a better taste with the Char Koay Teow.

  

Ordering the Special that costs me RM 10.50, the Char Koay Teow comes with 5 prawns and some mantis prawns. I'm a little surprised by the price because the prawns are not only quite big but they're as well succulent and juicy. I find the Char Koay Teow to be quite delicious except that the mantis prawns are slightly too soft and they taste a little 'fishy'. I guess it's definitely great if the mantis prawns are served hot and crispy, immediately after frying! With or without chili, I'll ask for more chili during my next visit. For the big-eater, you can ask for big plate or additional duck egg at an extra cost of RM 0.50 each.

The Ayer Itam's stall is owned by the Dad while the Son is in-charging the Char Koay Teow that is located at Jalan Dato Keramat. Dad or Son, both of them are preparing delicious Char Koay Teow. The girls prefer the Dad's because the repeatability of the taste is more stable.

The Homemade & the Porky at 43

Here comes the homemade pork burger in town! 43 Cafe that is located at no. 43 by Jalan Sungai Dua, this self-owned double storey terrace house that is nearby the University Science of Malaysia (USM) is the place that you can expect for a delicious homemade pork burger. To cater only about 8 tables of guests, they're serving quite a limited menu but almost everything is about the pork.

We've started with the appetizers that are called Egg Pecah Toast and the Nom Nom Nom. The 1st dish is the fried egg or scrambled-type of egg with their special chili paste that is topped over the toasted bread while the Nom Nom Nom is indeed the modern style Penang Satay. The sliced pork fillet is marinated with the special homemade sauce that tastes alike the mixture of ginger and lemongrass that is then being oven grilled. I find the egg is not salty enough and I'll prefer if the chili paste can be spicier but this is a special dish that its taste can be accepted by the kids. I'm totally indulged into the Satay as the meat is having the "biteness" yet it's neither hard nor dry that I can still feel the swirling of the taste and the juiciness of the marination sauce in my mouth. A very small difference comparing to the charcoal grill is maybe the oven is unable to create a slight burnt and crisp at the outer of the meat. Why is it named as Nom Nom Nom? Chew the Satay in your mouth and you'll answer the "Why"...

Our main courses are of course their special pork burger whereby Attila has ordered the 43's Pork Pork TT while I've taken the Fork Pork Single. To start the basic introduction, their burgers are available in 3 versions or number of patties that are called Single, DT (Double Troubles) or TT (Triple Troubles) and in 3 types of sauces that range from Original, Black Pepper to BBQ. Either for the big eater or to add-on for the tastes, you can opt for additional cheese, bacon, vegetable or the meat that is either patty or the fork pork. The Pork Pork is the pork patty that is oven grilled before being sandwiched with the crunchy lettuce, fresh onion, tomato and mayonnaise in between the sesame buns that have been lightly toasted. The Fork Pork is pork that has been slowly cooked with 9 types of herbs and spices that the meat looks alike being shredded that it's very tender and juicy. The burgers are delicious as both of the meats are indeed very juicy. Anyway, I'm recommending to add the cheese and pork bacon to give a little bit more saltiness and taste to the burger.

 

The environment here may not be the most cozy that I've ever known as I need to listen to the pray from the nearby mosque during my meal yet I've totally enjoyed their special pork burgers here. Oh ya, not to forget the Homemade Ginger Tea! It's spicy and this hot tea is really warming the stomach.

Facebook

Xuan Feng soup at Xuan Feng Ramen

Ramen is a tradition of Japan that has gained the popularity among Malaysians that I'm seeing more Ramen restaurants being setup each day. A new restaurant that I've found out accidentally is the Xuan Feng Ramen轩风拉面 that is located at the shop houses beside Krystal Point. A well boiled broth, succulent noodle and flavored toppings are important to complete a delicious Japanese Ramen. It's kind of special that they're serving 4 types of soups here that range from Xuan Feng soup轩风汤底, Miso soup味噌汤底, Tonkotsu soup豚骨汤底 to the Broth soup清香汤底. The 1st soup is slowly cooked with pork bone, chicken bone, fish and various types of vegetable that the taste is strong yet it's unique. The 2nd soup is using the traditional Japanese seasoning, the Miso that is made from the fermented soy beans. The taste is slightly more fragrant and it's containing soy's taste. The 3rd soup appears to be white and milky whereby it's stewed from the pork bones with a moderate fire. The last soup is a mixture of chicken bone, pork bone and various vegetable that has been boiled for 8 hours to create the light and delicious taste.

Attila has ordered the Xuan Feng Ramen轩风拉面 whereby the noodle is topped with Japanese Char Siew, flavored egg, onions, bamboo shoots, leek and sesame oil. We find the soup to be sweet and tasty that I like especially the nice aroma of the soup while it's swirling in the mouth. I've asked for myself the Hokkaido Scallop Ramen北海道带子拉面 that is served with the Char Siew, flavored egg, green beans and the Scallop. There's no indication of the soup that is being used for this Ramen but I'm guessing the Broth soup because the soup tastes light and it's matching the seafood or the scallop that is water-boiled.

For side dishes, we've taken the Traditional Smoked Duck传统烟熏鸭 and the Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken台式咸酥鸡. The duck meat is served with a sweet sauce that is garnished with white sesame. The thick sliced of duck meat tastes quite hard that it seems to have lost its juiciness and I find it quite tasteless. On the other hand, I'm definitely the fans for their chicken cube as the outer skin is crispy while it's still hot, tender and juicy at the inner and the saltiness is really appealing. It's sinful as the skin or the chicken fat is needed to enhance the taste of this dish. Anyway, I just can't stop myself and here goes piece by piece...

On a revisit, Attila has tried their Tonkotsu Ramen豚骨拉面 that is topped with the Char Siew, flavored egg, black fungus, bamboo shoots, spring onions and the garlic oil. The soup tastes very thick and I'm indeed dislike the strong porky's taste. Anyway, it matches Attila's appetite.

I don't really find their Ramen to be outstanding as I've a feeling that the noodle is similar to the ordinary instant noodle that I find it to be quite soft instead of succulent. However, I'm amazed by their Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken that I've loved to have them for my snacks.

Tong Pak Fu, Shop of Hundreds Sugar

Tong Pak Fu糖百府 is the newly bloomed dessert house throughout Malaysia. Learning from Taiwan, originated in Hong Kong and here is the specialist of ice in Penang. They claim themselves as the Pride of Snow Ice冰之骄子 by serving the famous Snow Ice雪花冰. They're emphasizing on using fresh fruit juice to create this healthy and naturally flavoured shaved ice that is not only very light but also smooth in its texture. Other than the traditional Oriental dessert, the originators aim to carve the impression about this Western ice dessert into the people's memory and to make it a popular demand that will be known across centuries.

Triggered by Su and Elaine, Phui Yee and I have to buy off this new dessert house other than to make it as my new article. As far as I've known, the 1st shop is at Jalan Burmah but we've decided to visit their branch that is located at Gurney Plaza. A recommended and not to be missed is their signature ice in Durian flavor that is called Tracka Durian Snow Ice榴莲飘香(竹脚). They're serving D24 Durian Snow Ice as well but it's claimed that Tracka Durian is making a more fluffy and fine ice because the pulps are sifted to remove the fibre that only the juice is being used. The pleasant aroma has stimulated our appetite and the rich Durian's flavor has lingered our tongues to ask for more. Additionally, we've asked for a Horlick Snow Ice好立克秋香. We've wanted for a thicker and stronger Horlick's taste but I guess the amount is to optimize the lightness of the Snow Ice.

To fill up our stomach, we've ordered the Peanut Cream花生糊 and the the Glutinous Rice Balls with Syrup in Black Sesame(芝麻)糖不甩. I like the smooth texture of the creamy peanut's paste but it's not heated to my level of hotness. The Black Balls or Black Pearls that are made from black sesame are quite tasteless because of the thick flour's taste. I think I'll prefer if the inner part is filled with hot sesame or peanut sauce.

 

Tong Pak Fu will launch a new branch in Queensbay Mall and I bet that they'll be overwhelmed by customers again.

Run Forrest Run; Stop Forrest Stop

Have you ever watched Forrest Gump? If yes, you're not a stranger to this great movie that has depicted the life of Forrest Gump since his birth in 1945. This masterpiece has been an inspiration to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. that they're intending to provide friendly service and to let the customers to have fun here while enjoying the great meal especially their signature prawns. Urging again and again, Attila has finally entertained my request to visit one of the Bubba Gump's franchise that is located at The Curve, Damansara. Sitting at the walkway that is alike the balcony, I've my joy to capture the photo of the restaurant from the opposite of the street.

Before starting, the waiter or waitress will brief you about the functions of each instruments on the table. Please turn to the page of 'Run Forrest Run' if you need any services or 'Stop Forrest Stop' if you don't wish to be disturbed, the Ping-Pong bat is the compilations of their beverage menu while the Bubba Gump basket is the storage for the paper towel and sauces. You can take as much time as you've wanted for the menu and you'll not be asked if the metal plate is not flipped to your mood.

Attila and I have ordered the Shrimpin' Dippin' Broth and the Shrimper's Net Catch. The earlier dish is a spicy broth that is cooked with a lot of shrimps that is then being served with Jasmine Rice and French Baguette while mine is the peel 'n' eat shrimps that need some handwork. I've asked for their secret recipe spice cajun as the flavoring. We do quite like the shrimp broth especially with the lots of peeled prawns inside the salty yet tasty soup. Something is missing and the soup is tastier by squeezing in some fresh lemon juice. Another enjoyment is the yummy Baguette that is crispy at outside but so soft at the inner side. I'm not so fancy about my choice because it's not to taste whereby I've found a lot of non-melted salts in between the shrimps and I dislike the soft meat that is not succulent that is alike to have lost its freshness.

The Run Forrest Run is as well in the menu whereby it's the mixture of fresh oranges, strawberries and non-fat raspberry frozen yogurt. One small joke about this beverage that we'll run to toilet after the drink ;)

I'm happy that I've finally tried out the Bubba Gump that has been Su's favourite. At least, this seems to be a decision making that I'm not the big fans for their shrimps.

Official Homepage

The Vietnamese by the Vnam`

A trip down to Ipoh, Su has suggested to go for Vietnamese food as it's her wish to try again the delicious Vietnamese noodle that she has tasted in oversea. Thus, Jackson has brought us to Vnam Kitchen越南小厨 that is located at Jalan Seenivasagam. It's a new experience for me to try and getting to know about the Vietnamese food.

To begin with starter, the shop owner has recommended the Vietnam Combinations(濱海)越式拼盤 that consists of the thinly sliced fresh vegetable, rice noodle, fried fish and grilled meats that include pork, chicken and beef. It comes with the rice papers that feels alike plastic and two types of dipping sauces whereby the 1st is the mixture of sweet and chili sauces that is then garnished with grounded peanuts and the 2nd is the sour sauce that is sort of lemon juice. How to start? Firstly, soften the rice paper in the plain water. Secondly, rub a layer of the sweet sauce that has been mixed properly onto the rice paper. Then, put on a little portion of each ingredients from the platter. Please don't be greedy or you'll have a hard time to roll the rice paper! Finally, roll it up and here is the delicious spring roll. Additionally, the platter comes with Vietnam Fried Spring Roll越式香炸春卷. The spring roll is delicious and I like especially the crispy outer skin.

The owner has then urged us to try their Vietnam Rice Paper Roll越式米纸卷. The spring roll is quite similar with our 1st starter except that it's not DIY (Do It Yourself) and it comes without sauce inside the rice paper. The fresh vegetable slices have really completed the spring roll that it tastes not only delicious but also very refreshing.

For the main courses, Attila has decided to take the Vietnam Beef Teriyaki with Fried Egg Rice越式香茅牛肉煎蛋飯 while I'm going for the Vietnam Lemon Grass Triple Taste Noodle Soup越式香茅三味湯粉 that is served with Pork, Chicken and Beef. The meat has absorbed the smell and the taste of the lemongrass completely that they taste very delicious in the mouth. Attila and I like especially the beef as it's juicy and succulent. The chicken tastes good as well except that the oily skin appears to be a little sinful while the pork meat is slightly too dry. My plain noodle soup is a little light in taste but it has a nice aroma from the Thai Basil leaves. I hate the raw bean sprouts into the soup but the owner insists that I should add them in.

The girls have ordered the Vietnam Special Beef Noodle Soup火車頭越式特別牛肉湯粉. I find that the soup has been quite sweet with a full aroma of the beef yet Su still prefers to have thicker meat's taste inside. Anyway, they're totally satisfied with the noodle soup and as well with the tender beef.

Ending the lunch with a cup of Vietnam Coffee越式咖啡, I find the coffee to be too sweet for me. This is not my cup of coffee whereby the thick creamer has covered the bitter coffee's taste that I'm used to. Anyway, it's still a nice experience as the stainless steel dipping container is a specialty from Vietnam.

Vietnamese food is something that I'm missing to have in Penang. This is a great and delicious experience that I'm happy to have.