CRIZ BON APPETITE

savoring the best in town…

KRISTAL SEAFOOD CAFE

Posted by Criz Lai On July - 3 - 2008
Where would you go for some hot steaming homecooked food after working late in the office or had just arrived from a long tiring trip from outstation? Most of the time you would just end up at Mamak stalls or McDonald’s to grab your meals as majority of the good restaurants and famous hawker stalls would be closed by then. Well, I had that experience myself as I had late dinner dates with a few friends of mine. By the time they have finished their work (especially those from malls) and refreshed themselves, it would be almost 11.00pm at night.

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You might get some stalls still selling rice/porridge but their food were precooked and left on the warmer for hours. What I needed was some freshly cooked dishes with rice. I have searched for this type of service all over Penang and managed to find barely a handful scattered at different districts of the state. One of the coffee shops worth mentioning would be the Kedai Kopi Kristal Seafood located right in the heart of Pulau Tikus. Not only do they serve their customers right until 2.00am, they also provide delivery services right to your doorsteps. What impressed me most was their internet/WIFI ready access in their shop as this extra service is extremely rare in Penang coffee shops.

The charges for the food here can be considered reasonable with a meat/vegetable dish in the range of RM6, RM8 and RM10 whereas seafood dishes would be RM10 and above based on the market rate. My friend and I spent barely RM32 on the food and drinks, not forgetting the extra helping of rice we had ordered. It was a waste that there were just the two of us. If there were more, we would have tried out their impressive arrays of steamed fish and spicy prawns. Here were the basic dishes that we had ordered.

HONEY CHICKEN (RM8)

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FRIED JAPANESE TOFU WITH PACIFIC CLAMS (RM8)

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FOO YONG TAN (RM6)

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PRESTEAM RADISH SOUP (RM5)

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I did also find out that there was another room upstairs with air-conditioning and KTV that can cater for a small gathering of 50 persons or more. It is real easy to find the shop as it is situated along the main road. Just refer to the map below for directions.

KRISTALMAP

Name: KRYSTAL SEAFOOD CAFE
Address: 224-B Jalan Burmah, 10350 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 604-227 2218, 012-438 3962, 016-445 6882 (Mr. Y.K. Lim)
Opening Hours: 6.00pm – 2.00am
GPS: 5.430064, 100.313351

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

Popularity: 2% [?]

EA BISTRO AND PUB

Posted by Criz Lai On June - 28 - 2008

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You may have pass by this restaurant always but maybe you did not pay much attention as it is hidden at the end of a lane. This restaurant is actually right with the premises of the Penang Eurasian Association. That’s how it got its name as EA Bistro & Pub. Not only does the restaurant serve Set Lunch (RM9.90) daily (except Monday), it also served one of the best Western Food as well as Japanese Meals around the area and everything in this restaurant is freshly cooked daily. Even the soups are prepared with the freshest ingredients and the Japanese meals are prepared with imported Japanese products.

My friend and I discovered this place on our way to Tanjung Tokong area a few days back and decided to try out this place. We ordered the BBQ Chicken (RM16.90) and Blackened Chicken (RM16.90). The Blackened Chicken is actually grilled cajun spiced chicken breast meat served with black pepper sauce. Every piece on the plate is well prepared and tasty. The portion served is extremely large.

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The BBQ Chicken on the other hand is a grilled cajun spiced chicken drumstick served with sweet fragrance-rich BBQ sauce. Absolute delicious too!

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For every order of an Ala Carte Western Dishes, you are can upsized to Set Dinner with an additional RM7.00. You will get a glass of soda of your choice, a fresh Mushroom Soup, a spicy green salad, and coffee or tea. This is recommended for those big eaters. You should also try out the smoothness of their Vietnamese Coffee. This is such a great offer!

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There will also be different Live Bands performing from Thursday until Saturday. Thursday would be Jazz Night, First and Third Friday would be Country Night, Second and Fourth Friday would be Retro Night and Saturday would be Oldies Night. This is not a bad place for group gatherings or party but you will expect dimly lighted place with some smoke since this is a bistro cum pub.

There is also a list of Teppanyaki and Sashimi dishes, Spaghetti and Pasta, and finger food available for your hungry tummy. The boss recommended their Yaki Udon, Yaki Mesi, Spaghetti Marinara and Chicken & Mushroom Fettuccine for our next visit.

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If you are coming from town towards Gurney Plaza along Jalan Kelawai, you will reach a traffic light. Go straight and turn into the second lane on your left. The restaurant is just at the end of a no-through road, right in between the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Malaysia building and Arcadia Apartment. Hunzaland Project Office is just directly opposite the lane. The will be parking space inside.

EABISTROMAP

Name: EA BISTRO & PUB
Address:
107-A, Jalan Kelawai (Solok Serani), Pulau Tikus, 10250 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 604-228 2406, 016-422 6688 (Pauline)
Opening Hours:
11.30am – 3.00pm (Lunch)
6.00pm – 10.00pm (Dinner)
6.00pm – 1.00/2.00am (Pub)
6.00pm – 12.00/1.00am (Live Band – Thursday – Saturday)
GPS: 5.434593, 100.310315

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: 1% [?]

YAW’S ROAST AND GRILL

Posted by Criz Lai On June - 9 - 2008

Note: Yaw’s Roast & Grill will be shifting their business to Jalan Transfer (next to Esso petrol kiosk) effective 22 July 2009.

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Have you heard of Yaw’s Roast & Grill before? Maybe this name is rather new to you but this western food corner used to be from one of the famous western food restaurants along Jalan Burmah in Penang many years ago. It was formerly called Top Top Snack Bar & Restaurant. The western food corner has been operating there for many years in a residential house. The taste for the food served has not change but the menu surely increased a lot.

If you love to have some quiet moments in a nice and cozy place, spending some romantic moments as well in a dim lighted corner, do check out this place. The best is that you do not need to pay extra for whatever taxes that you normally pay in any other restaurants.

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Since I was around that area, I decided to patronize this place with a friend. We ordered the Soup of the Day @ Onion Soup (RM6.50) as appetizer, Black Pepper Chicken Chop (RM7.50) and a Chicken Minced (RM8.80). All together plus drinks, we paid only RM25.80 which is reasonable for such quality food.

Garlic toasts were given complimentary from the kitchen, slightly toasted to perfection with yummy garlic butter and herbs.

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The Onion Soup was also perfect, creamy yet did not have the over-powering taste of onions at all. It came garnished with some crouton (small pieces of deep fried cubed bread) and celery.

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The Black Pepper Chicken Chop was also great. It has crunchy deep fried chicken topped with thick not-so-hot black pepper gravy, suitable for kids too. In fact, I did ask for an extra bowl of the gravy without additional cost incurred.

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If you are a potato lover, you would love this dish – the Chicken Minced. It is actually a ring of buttered mashed potatoes, slightly baked and garnish with the chef’s special creamy chicken cube gravy. This is a must to try out. Do not underestimate the look of the portion served. It is really very filling.

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To get to the place might be quite confusing as it is hidden from the main access road with no signage at all. If you are coming from town towards 1-Stop Midlands Centre, you will see Convent Pulau Tikus on your right. Turn into the road (Lebuhraya Maktab) immediately after that. Drive forward and turn into the second road (Jalan Midlands) on your left. As you reach the first junction (Gerbang Midlands) on your left, find a parking space nearby. The place is just at the corner house.

YAWSMAP

Name: YAW’S ROAST & GRILL
Address: 1, Gerbang Midlands, 10350 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 604-227 6273 / 012- 484 8178
Opening Hours: 5.30pm – 11.00pm (Closed Monday)
GPS: 5.435490, 100.307708

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: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Popularity: 1% [?]

RAMEN WANG

Posted by Criz Lai On April - 25 - 2008

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

RAMENMAP

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 [?]

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