CRIZ BON APPETITE

There are also many different versions for the Curry Mee of Penang. You get the salty, sweet, salty sweet, spicy with lemon grass or chicken curry. Some would be cooked with thick creamy coconut milk, evaporated milk, full cream milk whereas some could be of almost clear soup type. Some stalls would also have an array of curry chicken, chicken legs, fish/meat balls, chicken intestines, squids, cuttlefishes, clams, tofu balls, prawns, pig blood gelatin, processed pork skin, long beans, etc for customers to choose.

The one I went to was located along Chulia Street. The crowds there were usually big and waiting for a bowl of noodle would take up to half an hour or more. The Curry Mee soup is not like those selling elsewhere. It has the taste of some curry spices and comes with a big fish ball, garnished with lots of tofu balls, cuttlefishes, clams and pig blood served with a spoonful of fragrant chilly paste. We ordered four bowls and they cost us on RM10.00. Do try this stall out when you are along town area. The Wan Than Mee and Apom stalls there are just as good.

The location of the stall is very prominent. As you move along Chulia Street towards Weld Quay, you would see lots of hawker stalls on your right. The stall is just right in front of a furniture shop. Next to it is the famous Wan Than Mee stall.

Name: CHULIA STREET CURRY MEE
Address: Lebuh Chulia, Penang, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 7.00pm – 10.00pm
GPS: 5.417892, 100.336595

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

Popularity: 2% [?]

NOTE: Effective 19 December 2009, Francis Fusion Western Food will be relocated to Poly Cafe (opposite the present location, directly next to Bellisa Row/3rd shoplot after Lorong Leandros) GPS: 5.432602,100.310738)

Name: FRANCIS FUSION WESTERN FOOD @ Kedai Kopi Guan Hiang
Address: 38 Jalan Burmah, 10350 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 012-4930554 (Francis Cheah)
Opening Hours: 5.00pm -10.00pm (Closed on Monday)
GPS: 5.431613, 100.311613

RATING:
Ambience: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 9/10 (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: 1% [?]

Name: MEE MANJA @ KEDAI KOPI CLG
Address: Lebuh Clarke, Penang, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 5.00pm – 11.00pm (Closed on Tuesday)
Contact: 016-480 3568 (En. Aman)
GPS: 5.420195, 100.330775

RATING:
Ambience: 5/10 (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: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 6/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Popularity: 1% [?]

Ramen has been getting so many responses recently that my friend had even opened up a shop specializing in Ramen and Pasta in Taiwan. It would be absurd to fly all over to Taiwan just to have a taste of her wonderfully photographed meals, especially her XO Sauce Ramen and Fried Rice. I have been longing for that dish for so long until I found a shop right here in Penang along Jalan Burmah in Pulau Tikus itself.

The place could not be prominently seen along the main road as it was hidden behind a row of shophouses. I would not say that the restaurant is grand and heavily decorated but it has the quiet and relax ambience for some good food and internet browsing. They do provide wifi facilities but it is hotspot. It would not be as fast but still you can do some simple emailing and browsing.

Coming back to the menu, you will expect to see a thick menu book which has beautiful taken shots of ramen dishes ranging from Taiwanese, Western, Thai, and Japanese styles. All the dishes are pork free. Of course I opt for the XO Sauce Seafood Ramen. The taste is marvelous with big prawns, fish fillet, squids and green vegetables. Except that the squids are rather rubbery hard, everything was perfect.

Next in the list was the Western plus Oriental style of ramen. We ordered the Sesame Chicken Ramen. It looked like spaghetti with bolognaise sauce with deep fried chicken fillet but it has the taste of mild sesame flavor. Not a bad combination though. Something different compared to the norm.

We also ordered a set of 4 fried shui gao (dumpling) to try out. The skin is totally different compared to the Wan Than Mee ones as these are more springy. Not bad for a new taste but I would prefer the filling to be richer. It came with ginger strips pickle.

Presently for April and May, they are having promotion for every set meals ordered. You can get a drink and a shui gao soup free for lunch and a fried ice cream and a shui gao soup free for dinner. Overall, the food can be considered good but the portion served is not big enough for a hungry person. The pricing is slightly above average. Both ramen dishes plus the deep fried shui gao, excluding the two free chilled Jasmine Tea we ordered, we paid RM25.95.

It is not hard at all to find the restaurant. Just drive down Pulau Tikus area towards One-Stop Midlands Centre. As you reach the traffic lights at Jalan Cantonment / Jalan Burmah, keep a look out for Bee Chin Heang and Kassim Mustafa on your right. Turn into the road on the right. Move on and you see the shop on your left.

Name: RAMEN WANG
Address: 11-A Lintang Burmah, 10250 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-2277 298
Opening Hours: 11.00am -10.00pm (Closed on Monday)
GPS: 5.432659, 100.311420

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: 7/10 (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: unranked [?]

Do you still remember last year when the FM Radio channel kept on broadcasting where to go for lunch? Well, before they even came out with the idea of banana leaf rice, I have been going quite frequent to this Shusi Banana Leaf Restaurant along one of the famous lanes in Little India. The white hair boss is a friendly person to talk with (provided his wife is willing to cook her mouth watering curries right on time :P).

You can opt for her different styles of cooking which include vegetarian, fish, chicken and mutton curries. The banana leaf rice comes in sets for 3 different vegetarian appetizers and 2 pieces of papadam (wheat crackers) served with hot steaming rice with your choice of curry (vegetarian, fish, chicken and mutton). An average set will cost you between RM4.50 – RM6.00, provided you did not add additional meat dishes. Adding more rice and dhal (potato & bean curry) is free.

We order a set each of the chicken and mutton banana leaf rice and we ate until our hearts’ content. The restaurant will also serve you plain iced water on the house but you can always try out the Indian Yogurt Lassi drink. There are also many other options such as tosai, puri, etc to go with your curries.

Going there would not be a problem at all as the shop is situated between Market Street and Chulia Street. As you move along the one-way Penang Street, you can see the shop on your left. As for parking wise, you have to try your luck in finding one along the busy street of Little India.

Name: SHUSI BANANA LEAF RESTAURANT
Address: 71 Penang Street, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 6016-476 2944 (Mr. Jaya)
Opening Hours: 12.00noon – 4.00pm and 4.00pm – 9.00pm.
GPS: 5.416275, 100.339583

RATING:
Ambience: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (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: unranked [?]

Penang is really a nice place to be in with so many varieties of food from the different Chinese community, namely the Cantonese, Hokkien, TeoChew, Hakka, Hainanese and so on. Do try out this wonderful Teochew cum Siamese restaurant, Goh Teo Kee along the Sg. Ara main road. They even have branches along Gurney Drive and Sg. Nibong areas. This double storey restaurant has the ideal place for family dinners, weddings, birthdays and company functions.

Recently I had a small group gathering for 30 pax and the restaurant gave us an impressive array of buffet line. The spread of food and cost for a person can range between RM30 to RM50 depending on the dishes you order. We had a mix and match of Chinese plus Thai seafood and poultry combination and everyone had their stomach full with sweet smiles on their faces. Maybe you can judge for yourself the quality for the food served.

You might get lost if you are not from that area. The safest way to go is to turn right into the Sg Ara Road just opposite the PISA stadium. Move on ahead. (DO NOT TURN RIGHT at the traffic light as it will lead you to Paya Terubong/ Bukit Jambul). After passing through TWO traffic lights, keep slow as the restaurant is just along the service road next to Sek. Keb. Sg. Ara.

Name: GOH TEO KEE (TEOCHEW & SIAM) SUNGAI ARA
Address:
78, Jln Dato Ismail Hashim, Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-644 0073
Opening Hours:
11.30am – 2.30pm and 6.00pm – 10.00pm.
(Closed on 1st and 3rd Wednesday)
GPS: 5.328172, 100.273386

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (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: 1% [?]