Ipoh Chicken Rice and Hor Fun @ Beng Aun Coffee House, Relau, Penang.

Pride of the Ipohan- Ipoh Nga Choy Kai/ Ipoh Chicken Rice can now be found at Relau area... no less. The place is especially famous amongst the factory employees and would be most packed during lunch hours. The most attractive factor apart from the above-average taste would be their extremely wallet-friendly prices... I mean, where can you find a bowl of Hor Fun at Rm 1.50 and a huge serving of blanched Sprouts at Rm 3? Locating the place can be a little tricky for the uninitiated, while you are driving from Bukit Jambul towards Relau area, after the traffic light right in front of sPICE Arena, go straight and before you hit the second traffic light, Beng Aun Coffee Shop is on your right. The Chicken Rice stall is housed inside Beng Aun Coffee Shop.

Chia Bee Restaurant (佳美河鲜饮食馆) @ Pinang Tunggal, Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Approximately 8 km away from Sungai Petani town, Chia Bee is known as a recreational spot ideal for fishing as well as a place to feast on freshwater fishes. The restaurant is tucked away from the main street and can only be found with navigation system. Once you are near to the entrance, follow the signage and make your way through the forest and a row of light-industry factories; the restaurant can be found at the end of the road. There are two fishing ponds side by side, right next to the restaurant. The heat-intolerant might be frustrated as the place is not air-conditioned but diners are to be rewarded with a serene scenery. Those who are keen can try their luck at the pond (3 hours for Rm 30, fishing tackle and tools must be prepared by the fishers), the harvest can then be cooked and served at the restaurant. The menu is not big but you can tell their effort in serving the best-quality dishes. Food's standard but this could be a nice place to stop-by for a quick and short weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle city life.

Viet Food Vietnamese Restaurant (越南餐馆) @ Taman Kheng Tian, Jelutong, Penang.

The newly opened Viet Food Vietnamese restaurant is certainly not short of Vietnamese competition in Jelutong area but in terms of variety and execution, it stands on its own. Housed in one of the shop houses in Taman Kheng Tian (behind Old Town Perak Road), Viet Food is not an easy spot that catches the eye. The interior is cramped and filled with Vietnamese staff that struggles to speak local dialects, not even basic English; but the place has a good showing of Vietnamese locals. We were not surprised. The menu is large enough that it took us a while to browse through; the quintessential Vietnamese eats are there as well as scatters of the unexpected (such as Balut, Banh Mi, Fish Cakes and authentic Vietnamese sweet treats). Bounteous offering, budget-friendly, authentic and top-notch food; one of the best places for Vietnamese delicacies in Penang. 

The Will's Brasserie @ Icon City, Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

The Will's Brasserie can be easily stereotyped as the conventional-boring Western food in the neighborhood, at least both the interior and exterior decor did not convince us but if you were to study the menu thoroughly, you will find that it's actually a place offering premium steak cuts and seafood. There's a display fridge at the end of the restaurant where ambitious meat eaters can pick their preferred cuts and pay according to the weight of the meat (same goes to Seafood). Premium products such as Wagyu Beef, Angus Beef, New Zealand Lamb Loin, Lobster and Cod are available (no, they don't come at the prices that you would want to pay for a casual-regular meal) while the budget-watchers can opt for the pasta and poultry dishes on the menu. The Will's Brasserie is located in front of Iconic Hotel at Icon City.

Awakenings Coffee N Tea House @ Ideal 1 Square, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

There's a literal smorgasbord of cafes and restaurants in every corner of Penang but none operates the way like Awakenings does. The team behind the meatless cafe has an ambitious mission... to educate and create awareness of healthy living/ lifestyle; in which many are intoxicated by the unhealthy lifestyle (whether forcefully or willingly). They wish to share the message that living healthily is achievable with little effort, everyone should start from small and that includes... a healthy meal. The cafe serves as a platform for communal offering. It does not operate for profit, anyone who shares the same vision may join in; raw ingredients can be provided to individuals to churn out snacks/ food to be sold in the cafe. One needs not contribute in monetary form, rather... the effort to cook/ bake the delicacies. Taking the idea from White Ocean Strategy, there are plenty of things on sale in Awakenings- products from different countries that could contribute a good cause. Speak to the proprietor and she will be more than willing to share her story with you. Awakenings does not offer a big menu but simple, healthy snacks to munch on (mains are served during lunch hours only). 

Nana's Green Tea and Madame Waffle @ Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur.

Nana's Green Tea and Madame Waffle are both famous in their respective fields, the former brand is renowned for churning out superior Green Tea products (or sweet treats) while the latter name implies they are the Waffle-specialist. Both brands can be found in major shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley but we had our first experience with them at Mid Valley Megamall.

1) Nana's Green Tea

Chinese Noodles and Dumplings (中国福建拌面。扁肉。饺子) @ Lebuh Tye Sin, Georgetown, Penang.

For a plate of straight-forward, simple but delicious Chinese Noodles (somewhat similar to Mee Pok), make your way to Lebuh Tye Sin. Housed in one of the heritage houses along the 4th Street (Lebuh Tye Sin), the unpretentious stall manned by a Chinese lady opens as early as 7 am. Expect no sophisticated setting but a few simple tables and chairs placed outside of their residence. The stall has limited offering but good enough to satisfy even those with stubborn palate. 

Arte Restaurant @ Argyll Road, Georgetown, Penang.

Art galleries do not just delight culture vultures, sometimes... they can be great places to satisfy the needs of gluttons too. Opened in early 2016, Arte is home to one of Penang's great art collections. Daiichi Art Space is the management company behind the paintings and artwork, a branch of Daiichi Modern Art Gallery (Sungai Petani), one of the largest private art museums and galleries in Malaysia. Combine a visit to the art gallery and a visit to Arte Restaurant, which offers French with Asian-inspired menu. The restaurant is calming, elegant and well-decorated in shades of white and grey; with hand-crafted paintings adorning the walls (the paintings are for sale too). Chef Jay's food is something to shout about, a sublime blend of French and Asian cooking techniques to present the ingredients' vibrant pure flavors. 

Many thanks to Arte Restaurant for hosting us that afternoon.

Jin Ding Restaurant (金鼎香港粥麺小厨) @ Burmah Road, Pulau Tikus, Penang.

The classic but sturdy combination of Roasted Meat with Egg Noodles would never go out of fashion. For a family with Cantonese-root, we do have a soft spot for these Cantonese delicacies. We did not hesitate to try them out- Jin Ding Restaurant at Burmah Road, an extended branch from HK Gourmet Kitchen at Bukit Jambul. The aforementioned restaurant specializes in serving Roasted goodies- Roasted Pork, Roasted Duck, Chicken and Barbecue Pork. Though the menu is predictable but the quality is above the average standard.

Casa Calda Cafe @ Bangkok Lane, Pulau Tikus, Penang.

If you are old enough or a huge fan of Pasta, chances of you hearing the name "Get Em Smack" could be high; previously at Penang Times Square, "Get Em Smack" was said to serve some of the best Pasta in town! Business operation was then ceased due to some reasons and now, they have returned as "Casa Calda Cafe". The newly opened cafe at Bangkok Lane preserves some of the regulars' favorite Pasta dishes (except that prices have gone up) while additional offering such as Breakfast items and Desserts have also added to the menu. It settles in one of the houses along that street; inside, it has a simple-homey setting with a few tables (air-conditioned though). It can be an ideal spot for early encounters (it opens as early as 8:30 am) to grab a quick meal or sweet treat to sweeten the day. 

Ah Gu Pan Mee (阿牛板面) @ Lorong Selamat, Georgetown, Penang.

Ah Gu Pan Mee is not the conventional Pan Mee place that serves Pan Mee in the neighborhood; it churns out atypical but lip-smacking flavors. If you think Pan Mee can only be served with clear Anchovy broth or dressed in dark Soy sauce, think again. Ah Gu, the Pan Mee specialist is creative at churning out Pan Mee... differently, some of the notable choices include Clams Pan Mee, Scallion Pan Mee and the never-out-of-fashion Pork Lard Pan Mee. Opened in less than a month, Ah Gu has garnered an appreciate following.

Shia's Homemade Granola @ Church Street Ghaut, Georgetown, Penang.

If you think Granola can only be eaten with Milk, think again. This snug and unpretentious place at the bustling Church Street Ghaut offers healthy brunch that cuts the calories but maintain the deliciousness. As the name would imply, the core product of Shia is their range of homemade Granola. From the still Granola, Shia's has expanded their menu, introducing a range of creative but unconventional dishes, including a series of dreamy-colorful Smoothie Bowls, Granola-Sandwiches etc. The place at Church Street Ghaut is unusually small and more of a place offering pack-to-go; where fitness aficionados could pack something for their post-workout snacks.