CRIZ BON APPETITE

Low Yat Plaza might be the best place to shop for computers as well as other electronic gadgets but where would you go for food then? I have found a great place hidden down at the basement of Low Yat Plaza. The place is called Hong Kong’s Food Culture. It is normally packed during lunch hours as the crispy roasted duck there tastes real great.

I was there to have lunch with my two friends and we ordered Curry Pork Rice (RM9.80), Fried Beef Nissin Noodles (RM9.80), Nissin Noodles with Egg set lunch (RM7.90), Roasted Duck Leg (RM9.50) and Steam Egg Custard with Honey Syrup @ Yellow Tan Tan (RM4). Overall with 5% Government Tax and 10% Service Charge, it came out to RM47.15 which was reasonable for KL standard.

It might be confusing if you are not familiar with the interior floor map of the plaza. I would recommend that you go out of the building and move around until you see the restaurant name boldly being displayed. You can’t miss it as they do have a small stall outside selling some finger food and beverages.

Name: HONG KONG’S FOOD CULTURE
Address:
LG-18, Lower Ground Floor, Low Yat Plaza,
Off Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 603-2141 6998
Opening Hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm
GPS: 3.143976, 101.710353

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 8/10 (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: 2% [?]

I have tried so many different versions of Pan Mee from all over Malaysia but this is the first time I had come across this unique version. Normally, Pan Mee will come with minced pork, green sweet leaves, mushroom, black fungus, anchovies, etc but this stall along the rural area of Seri Kembangan served the Pan Mee differently and simple.

Other than the normal kneaded dough for the noodles, it comes with three other options such as spinach, purple sweet potato and pumpkin. Each bowl will come with lots of sweet leaves (Sauropus androgynus, sweet leaf bush, sayur cekur manis, sayur Sabah), deep fried stuffed fu chok (soy bean skin) with fish paste and some garlic oil, accompanied by crunchy anchovies and chili paste. This is one of the best chili pastes I have ever tasted as it was cooked along with blended dried shrimps. Each bowl only cost RM4 which is considered cheap. Here are the three special noodles (we did not order the original version at all). My recommendation – The Spinach Noodle

It might be hard for those people from outstation to find this small coffee shop within the inner part of Seri Kembangan. The stall is situated in a village area and only locals will know how to find this place. Fortunately, I managed to get the address and search for a map that will lead you there. Happy hunting!

Name: PO CHOI PAN MEE @ LIN CHIN COFFEE SHOP
Address: No.6 Jalan SK 5/2, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia.
Contact: 012-233 2498
Opening Hours: 7.00am – 3.00pm
GPS: 3.029634, 101.704302

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% [?]

Ma Zhi or steamed blended glutinous rice mixed with pounded peanuts, sesame and sugar is one of the tasty desserts available in Malaysia. Hot steaming glutinous rice is cut into small cubes and coated with a mixture of the three pounded ingredients mentioned above. Certain stalls, especially those in Penang will garnish the Ma Zhi with fried onions.

I have came across a stall down in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown (Petaling Street) selling a different version. Madam Tang has been selling these yummy desserts for years there. The Ma Zhi comes in different colors and flavors. You can have it original (RM3.50/box) or you can have the mix flavors (RM5/box). The flavors available are apple, banana, grape, kiwi, lemon, lychee, mango, orange, pineapple, ribena, strawberry, black glutinous rice, or pandan. With so many flavors available, it is up to your luck to taste what are the mixed flavors.

If you are in for a new experience, this is a must try if you are around that area. As for my personal preference, I somehow missed the Penang’s original version with fried onions as it is softer and warmer than the one in Chinatown.

Finding the stall would not be hard. Walk into Petaling Street, Chinatown’s main entrance from Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (opposite Kota Raya) and you will reach a crossed junction. Hong Leong Bank is at the corner on your left. Turn left into the road (Jalan Hang Lekir) and you will see Madam Tang selling this delicacy on the left.

Name: PETALING STREET (CHINATOWN) MA ZHI
Address: Jalan Hang Lekir, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 8.00pm
GPS: 3.144533, 101.697972

RATING:
Ambience: 4/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 5/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 5/10 (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: 1% [?]

Please take note that the stall has ceased operation in 2008 and the present coffee house has been renamed as Yummy Cafe. What you get from the coffee house and whichever stalls that carry the same name were not the original.

Bak Kut Teh is a popular Chinese soup in which contain meaty pork, simmer with many herbs and spices. This popular soup is taken with white rice or dark oil rice. There are quite a number of Bak Kut Teh stalls scattered all over Penang area. All of them have their own different recipes and thickness of the soup. The one that I like to frequent is situated in a corner coffee shop along Jalan Macalister. The stall is called Lai Lai Bak Kut Teh.

The reason we like to go there is that the owner is very generous with the soup as he will make sure that each clay pot he served will not be out of soup. We ordered our own selection of choice meat, a plate of boiled Cameron lettuce topped with a lot of meat floss, a plate of You Tiao (Yau Char Gwai or You Char Kway from the famous Penang shop) and four big bowls of white rice. Everything cost us only RM27.50 and the amount of meat in the clay pot could easily feed 3 adults. We managed to pack some back for lunch the next day. What I did with that is another story… haha. Could you believe that this portion is meant for only 2 persons?

In fact, there are still many other options you can add into the Bak Kut Teh clay pot as shown in the photo.

The shop is just opposite Red Rock Hotel. If you are driving down from Komtar into Jalan Macalister, you will see a petrol kiosk on your left. The shop is just right after that.

Name: SUPER LAI LAI BAK KUT TEH (Opposite Red Rock Hotel)
Address: 97, Jalan Macalister, 10400 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 012-473 1471
Opening Hours: 6.00pm – 1.00am (Closed Thursday)
GPS: 5.416585, 100.323029

RATING:
Ambience: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 810 (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: 2% [?]

Where would you treat your family for lunch on a Sunday? You should try out Sarkies Corner Sunday Buffet Hi-Tea, located in Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Hotel. By paying just RM42++ (adults) or RM21++ (children), you could savor one of the most wonderful spread of buffet lines in Penang, ranging from local delicacies to international favorites.

You may want to know what are the choices of food available in Sarkies Corner? At one corner would be the appetizers which consist of greens, salads, cold cuts and at times sushi. You have the soup section as well. As for the main course, there are so many dishes that stood out amongst the best in Penang, namely the roasted duck, chicken, grilled fish, skewed BBQ chicken (satay), roti canai, curry fish head, etc.

The restaurant provided a generous amount of food and all of them are of quality. I was surprised that they have thick slices of grilled cod fish and salmon, which are considered expensive in the market. They even gave a curry fish head each for those who love this dish.

As for dessert, there would be the local kuih (desserts), fruits, choices of cakes, jellies ice creams and of course our local favorite, Ice Kacang (Shaved Ice). Coffee, tea and juices are free flow.

If you are in for quality food without worrying about your waist line, this would be the most ideal buffet hi-tea in town. Please make reservation days earlier before you go there as there will be large crowds. You can even reach there earlier before 11.30am to ensure a good sitting place. Here are some of the photos of the food that the restaurant was serving.

I am sure everyone knows about the location of E&O Hotel, the oldest hotel in Penang. If you are not sure, you can refer to the map or ask any of the friendly Penangites and they would be glad to show you how to go there.

Name: SARKIES CORNER, EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
Opening Hours: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
GPS: 5.423154, 100.336021

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

Popularity: 1% [?]

If you are running out of ideas on what to cook for your next meal, you can try out this recipe. It is so simple to cook and appetizing that you may want to have it always. This is my own recipe and you can change the amount of ingredient used to suit your taste. Let’s try out my Spicy Potatoes With Anchovy recipe here.

Ingredients:
150gms baby anchovy (ikan bilis) – wash and dry
6 pips of onions – blended
1 Tspn chili boh (chili paste) – add more if you want it more spicy
4 large potatoes – quarter and cut into slices
150gms tamarind juice (juice from 2 large lime plus 100gms water)
Salt and sugar to taste.
Some oil

Method of cooking:
Deep fry the potato slices in medium fire in a wok until they are cooked and slightly brown. Dish them out.

1. Leave about 6 Tspn of oil in the wok and with low fire sauté the anchovy until they are fragrant and golden in color. Dish them out.
2. Again with low fire, put in the blended onions. Stir for about 5 minutes then add in the chili paste. Saute until you get the pungent smell.
3. Add in the tamarind juice. Cook until thicken.
4. Add in pinch of salt (not too much as some anchovy can be salty) and some sugar to taste.
5. Put in the pre-fried anchovy and potato slices and stir thoroughly.
6. Serve with rice while it is hot to maintain the crunchiness of the anchovy.
7. Garnish with some tomatoes and celery leaves (optional).

(Serves: 3-4)

YOU CAN CHECK HERE FOR MORE RECIPES.

Popularity: 1% [?]