CRIZ BON APPETITE

Archive for October, 2008

CREPE COTTAGE

Posted by Criz Lai On October - 18 - 2008

The C.A.S.T. (Criz, Allen, Steven & Tan) team had an interesting food expedition last night in Pulau Tikus area. Initially, we wanted to have our dinner at Francis’s Fusion Western Food along Jalan Cantonment and Jalan Burmah junction but the place was packed. We ended up at Yaw’s Roast & Grill at Gerbang Midlands instead. The place was rather crowded as it was a weekend. After dinner, we adjourned to Crepe Cottage, a place which has been in operation for the last 9 years, along the famous sea front of Gurney Drive for desserts.

The place was packed as well, leaving us just a small table outdoor under the bright yellow neon light of the lamp post. Although the place had limited sitting capacity, the menu was an amazing 14 pages consisting of starters, soups, savouries, desserts, sundaes and juices. The team had decided to share out some crepes (Thin French pancake made from a mixture of flour (wheat/all purpose), milk, eggs, salt and butter).

The first order was Espresso Crepe (RM7.50) served with a large scoop of homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and some whipped cream. This was rather mild as we could hardly taste the bitterness of the Espresso Coffee.

The next one which was Mango Cup (RM11) was great. It has a cup-like crepe, glazed with chunks of fresh honey mangoes, topped with two large scoops of homemade Mango Ice Cream, some whipped cream and crushed peanuts.

The last order was unique – Chocolate Crepe with Nutella and Banana (RM10). The crepe was rolled and stuffed with cooked banana and served with Vanilla filled Chocolate Ice Cream, topped with some chocolate rice, whipped cream, crushed peanuts and glazed with melted Nutella Chocolate. The hot and cold combination was very well presented.

You should not miss out their A Twist of Taste (RM9) as well. It has a lemon crepe as base, glazed by freshly chopped banana and nuts, topped by vanilla ice cream, white and brown chocolate sauces.

If you feel that these desserts are rather filling for you, you could always ask for their single scoop ice creams. You can choose either vanilla, chocolate, coffee, mango, rum & raisins, peppermint & chocolate chips, strawberry, lime sherbet or orange sherbet. Each scoop is only RM2. If you want double scoops, the price is only RM3.50 per serving.

Since we had taken our dinner early, we did not order any of their savouries. You can always try them out as shown in their pictorial menu.

Overall, the desserts were great, considering that they had the right combination and were not too sweet for my liking. Moreover, there won’t be any taxes here. The shop is strategically located along the sea front of the famous Gurney Drive. If you are coming from town center towards Gurney Drive into Jalan Kelawei, turn right at the first junction (Jalan Lim Chin Guan) where Gurney Tower is. Drive towards the end and turn left. You would pass through Evergreen Laurel Hotel and a stretch of hawker centers on your left. Slow down as Crepe Cottage is immediately after the last hawker center (Song River Café). Car park is not available on this side of the road and the other side would be packed during weekends. I would advise you to park you car in the Jalan Birch Car Park (the road after Song River Café) and walk up to the restaurant.

Name: CREPE COTTAGE
Address: 77-A Persiaran Gurney, 10250 Penang, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 6.00pm – 12.00midnight (Closed Tuesday)
Contact: 019-448 1680 (Agnes Chee)
GPS: 5.432781, 100.316505

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Popularity: 3% [?]

dessert, penang, review

MEE MANJA

Posted by Criz Lai On October - 17 - 2008

I have reviewed Mee Manja when I first started on food blogging but I guessed not many would have known about its existence except those regular customers. Manja is the Malay word for “Pampered”. You would have asked why the name “Pampered Noodles”? You might have interpreted it wrongly as that’s the family name for the cook cum owner Encik Aman Manja. He had followed his father and uncle as early as 13 years old when they were located just opposite the recently relocated premise at Jalan Hutton. For over 40 years and 3 generations, Encik Aman has served thousands of loyal customers with his delicious Mee Goreng and Mee Soup. Encik Aman is in fact the elder brother of the famous CRC Mee Goreng stall located in a coffee shop next to Dorsett Hotel, Jalan Larut, Penang.

While most of the Mee Goreng stalls in Penang are using the modern technology to blend their ingredients, Encik Aman believed in using the traditional way to grind his ingredients with the old fashion Batu Giling (Metate Millstone). According to him, that would preserve the original taste of the blended items. Mee Manja’s style of cooking the noodles is totally different compared to the rest. Their noodles (Mee, Bee Hoon or Koay Teow) are more towards the salty chicken bones soup based flavor, whether fried or soup. You can opt for plain, chicken, beef or mixed meat too. If you do not want spiciness, you would have to inform him.

The Chicken/Beef Mee Soup (RM4) is the most popular in his stall as you can taste the sweetness from the chicken stock. This is really good for eat in. Takeaway would make it soggy.

Somehow, I preferred his Beef/Chicken Mee Goreng (RM4). I felt that the amount of spiciness and taste was just right for me. I do not even have to squeeze any lime juice or sprinkle any vinegar soy sauce served with fresh cut green chillies as provided.

Encik Aman is quite a sociable and friendly person. You can ask him anything in English or Bahasa Malaysia. Finding the place now would be easier compared to previously. His shop is just on your right at the traffic lights between Jalan Penang and Jalan Hutton. Parking might be a problem as it is illegal to park next to a traffic light. You may opt to park your car at his previous shop at Lebuh Clarke or Lebuh Dicken (next to Mydin Supermarket) and walk to his shop.

Name: MEE MANJA
Address: 1 Jalan Hutton, 10050 Penang, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 5.00pm – 11.00pm (Closed on Tuesday)
Contact: 016-480 3568 (Encik Aman)
GPS: 5.419022, 100.331483

RATING:
Ambience: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 6/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 9/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Popularity: 2% [?]

halal, hawker, penang, review

FARLIM SHELL STATION LAKSA CAFE

Posted by Criz Lai On October - 16 - 2008

It has been as a long time since I have taken any Laksa and decided to visit the famous Farlim Shell Station Laksa stall. Coincidentally, PenangTuaPui also have the same thoughts as we went exactly to the same shop, the same day, only at a different time. The last time I went to the shop for their Laksa, they where at the opposite coffee shop where the crowd was amazing. When I went back to the same shop the other day, I was stunned by the lack of customers and stalls in that shop. Then only did I realize that they had moved to the opposite coffee shop with a big signboard “Farlim Shell Station Laksa Café”.

Walking by the Laksa stall, I could smell the fragrant assam aroma of the boiling Laksa soup. Upon finding a cool spot to sit down, I ordered a bowl of their famous Laksa (RM3). It came with a full boneless Ikan Kembong (Indian Mackerel). It was so fresh that you could even see the glitters on its body. The yummy local delicacy consists of thick and spingy rice vermicelli, lots of sliced big onions, cucumber, lettuce, pineapple, chilies and some mint leaves and shredded bunga kantan (torch ginger); accompanied by the fragrant soup base (a combination of assam peel, blended shallots, garlic, chilies, candlenuts, galangal, turmeric, shrimp paste (belacan) and lemongrass); and topped with thick hae gou (black prawn paste).

Although the total dish was great in taste, I still prefer it to be spicier and sour to my liking. Maybe it could be due to the change of cook as I felt that when they were selling along the roadside at the Shell Petrol Station (Jalan Angsana), the soup tasted better. Anyway, the stall did sell some crispy spring rolls (90sen each) too. It tasted real nice when dipped into the Laksa soup.

As the bowl of Laksa could not fill up my ever hungry tummy, I ordered a set of Steamed Bun with Bak Kua (BBQ Pork Slice) and Bak Hoo (Pork Floss) costing me RM2 for both.

As for drinks, I ordered their Ching Po Leung (RM2) which has lots of ingredients such as green sago balls, Attap Chee (Nipah Palm), red beans, red sweet potatoes, dried and wet longan (dragon’s eyes) and some jellies. Although the dessert tasted quite fine, I prefer it to have more sweetness from the Lo Han Guo (magic fruit) instead of adding more syrup.

By the time I finished that bowl of Ching Po Leung, I was still thirsty from the humid weather. I tried out their Ais Kacang (Shaved Ice) at RM2. The sweetness and creaminess seemed to be missing from this dessert. Moreover, there were not much ingredients in it except lots of shaved ice.

Feeling still half filled, I saw some long packets of Keropok Ikan (Fish Crackers – RM3) hanging by the Laksa stall. I bought one packet home to test it out. It was great. The crackers were really crispy and puffy without any hardness in them. This is a must to have while watching TV as I had finished one whole packet within minutes.

If you are not a local, you might get lost trying to find this place. It is in fact within the latest commercial area in Farlim, Air Itam, next to where they have the biggest Pasar Malam (night market) on every Wednesday night. If you are coming from the main road at Jalan Air Itam into Farlim (Jalan Thean Teik), you would pass by one traffic light until you reach a crossroad traffic light. Block 7A is on your left. Turn right into Lebuhraya Thean Teik. Drive forward until you see a small lane on your left (Medan Angsana 1). Drive into the lane until you see Anak Ku Baby Wear Shop. Turn right into the road (Medan Angsana 4) and you will see the shop on your left towards the end.

Name: FARLIM SHELL STATION LAKSA CAFE
Address:
Medan Angsana 4, Bandar Baru Air Itam, 11500 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 016-459 7179 (Ms. Tanti)
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 7.00pm (Close Alternate Tuesday)
GPS: 5.390472, 100.283139

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Popularity: 1% [?]

hawker, penang, review

TYE SIN STREET ECONOMY BEE HOON

Posted by Criz Lai On October - 15 - 2008

I had a laugh when I asked Allen and Steven if they would like to join me for a round of “Teong Kok Hoo Chi” (Chinese shark’s fins) yesterday for dinner. Both of them thought that I was crazy enough to go for a RM40 small bowl of soup without realizing that this was the local term used for Economy Bee Hoon (Rice Vermicelli)/Mee (Yellow Noodle) which would cost me RM1-RM1.50 per plate. LOL! I have been using this term ever since I was in my primary school which was ten of years ago. We used to call this dish the “poor man’s shark’s fin”.

Anyway, after a few days of lavish dining, I thought of visiting such stall for a simple meal which is cheap yet delicious. I have tried many such stalls within the town area and find this one along Jalan CY Choy to be one of the best around. Other than having some add on like their ever delicious Lor Bak (Pork Roll), they have something better. Their noodles did not have the strong taste of unwashed Lye water. Here’s my large plate of the Economy Mee (RM1.50) with some sweet chili sauce and fried sweetened tofu sheet (Teik Gar Kee in Hokkien).

If you feel that the noodles is too plain for your taste bud, you can always add in their delicious Lor Bak (RM1 each roll). If you want to try them, make sure you be there early as those yummy rolls will normally be sold out after 9pm. Anyway, you can also contact them if you would like to purchase some from them for your functions.

There would be one disadvantage if you are a person who would want to have some cold drinks with your meal. They do not sell drinks. But you can always try out their desserts which are not so sweet. The Peanut Soup and Red Bean Soup are only selling at 80sen per bowl.

The stall is just in front of SMJK (C) Sum Min at the junction of Lebuh Tye Sin (Si Teow Lor) and Jalan CY Choy. You sure won’t miss it.

Name: TYE SIN STREET ECONOMY BEE HOON
Address: Lebuh Tye Sin, 10300 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 012-438 5348, 012-404 0466 (Mr. Koay)
Opening Hours: 6.30pm – 11.30pm (Close Saturday & Sunday)
GPS: 5.409604, 100.331247

RATING:
Ambience: 4/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 6/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Popularity: 2% [?]

hawker, penang, review

MAT RELAX CORNER @ JONES ROAD

Posted by Criz Lai On October - 14 - 2008

Still remember when I was posting up the “Idris Karipap Ayam & Daging” review? I did mention a hawker stall down in Jalan Jones (Jones Road) selling many different types of Kuih Melayu. In fact, there have almost 80 types of modern and traditional Malay kuih (Malay desserts), noodles and rice to fill up your appetite. They call themselves the Mat Relax Corner – a place you can enjoy your favorite local delicacies while seeping in their thick creamy Teh Tarik. The good news is that you could try out any 5 different kuih at merely RM2. Unless there is a price tag on the tray, each item would cost you only 40sen. The cheapest in Penang!

For the last 12 years, they have been there along Jalan Jones and Jalan Kelawei junction selling those yummy desserts. People from all walks of life would gather there for breakfast or afternoon tea. You could even see some in ties sealing some deals there. Surprised right? You can start savoring their food as early as 6.30am but my recommendation would be after 3.00pm as that would be the ideal time for more hot steaming items being displayed on the tables. Here are some of their yummy kuih-muih.

As I always love to consume salty items rather than sweet things, I would like to recommend their Popiah Goreng, Cucur Bawang and Udang, Roti Sumbat Sambal Ikan Bilis and some of their tasty rice and noodles. You can even add in their Sambal Tau Kua if you would like more ingredients in your food.

Finding Mat Relax Corner would not be hard as it is strategically located at the junction of Jalan Jones and Jalan Kelawei, next to the Pulau Tikus UDA Flat. I would advise you to find a place somewhere before the stalls as the place would be high in traffic.

Name: MAT RELAX CORNER @ JONES ROAD
Address: Jalan Jones, 10350 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 017-429 5082 (En. Aziz)
Opening Hours: 7.00am – 8.00pm (Close Saturday & Sunday)
GPS: 5.431094, 100.315347

RATING:
Ambience: 4/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Popularity: 1% [?]

halal, hawker, penang, review, snack

SCALLOPS AND OYSTERS CONGEE RECIPE

Posted by Criz Lai On October - 13 - 2008

After having the rich and contented hi-tea at E&O Hotel on Sunday, I have decided to cook some congee instead. With all the grilling, roasting, barbequing and frying from the brunch, it’s good to have something less oily and burnt. Well, the weather here has been rather humid one minute and wet on another, thus lots of people tend to fall sick easily. Congee would be good then. Today I would like to share my easy-to-cook SCALLOPS AND OYSTERS CONGEE recipe with you all.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups rice grain
250gms minced meat
30gms dried oysters (~6 pcs – soak in hot water to soften and slice thinly)
30gms dried baby scallops (~20 pcs)
1” thumbsize young ginger (slice thinly)
1pc salted duck egg (boil 10mins and cut into cubes)
2pcs century eggs (cut into cubes)
1 tin braised peanuts (170gms)
6 cloves of garlic (chop and make into garlic oil)
1 stalk spring onions (chopped)
Sesame oil
Oyster sauce
Soy sauce
Salt & Pepper
Sugar
Hot water (9-10 cups)

SEASONING FOR MINCED MEAT (MEATBALLS):
2 Tablespoon oyster sauce
3 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoon corn/tapioca flour
1 Tablespoon salted pickle vegetable (Tong Chai – chop until fine)
2 teaspoon fried garlic (minus oil)
Some pepper
Pinch of salt

PREPARATION

1. Wash the rice grain clean in a rice cooker (10 cups size would be ideal).
2. Wash the dried scallops and put into the cooker together with the sliced dried oyster.
3. Add in 5 cups of hot water.
4. Add in 1/2 teaspoon salt, sprinkle some pepper and bring to boil, stirring every 3-5 minutes. (Note: salt would increase the temperature in water or oil)
5. When the grain soften and turn into congee like, add in another 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 4 Tablespoon oyster sauce, 2 Tablespoon sesame oil and 2 Tablespoon soy sauce. Sprinkle some pepper. Stir thoroughly.
6. Add in more hot water as the congee gets thicker to suit your choice of thickness.
7. While the congee boils, roll in all minced meat to get your meatballs. Stir constantly to avoid the base being burnt.
8. Add in the cubed salted eggs, century eggs and the whole tin of braised peanuts (including the gravy). Mix thoroughly.
9. Serve while hot.
10. Garnish with chopped spring onions, garlic oil and some pepper.

(Serves: 4-6)

YOU CAN CHECK HERE FOR MORE RECIPES.

Popularity: 2% [?]

recipe

savoring the best in town…

Archive for October, 2008

CREPE COTTAGE

MEE MANJA

FARLIM SHELL STATION LAKSA CAFE

TYE SIN STREET ECONOMY BEE HOON

MAT RELAX CORNER @ JONES ROAD

SCALLOPS AND OYSTERS CONGEE RECIPE

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