Saturday, May 30, 2015

Ah Soon Kor Mantis Prawn Hokkien Mee (阿顺哥福建虾面) @ Dato Keramat, Penang.

Avid fans of Hokkien Mee should not be new to the name- "Ah Soon Kor Hae Mee"; one of the popular Hokkien Mees in town. They are famous for the extra "ingredients/ toppings", namely Mantis Shrimps, Spare Ribs, Roasted Pork etc. The newly opened branch at Perak Road (opposite to Padang Brown food court of Dato Keramat) occupies two shop lots, offering a more spacious and comfortable seating. Hokkien Mee is a popular choice but many would want to go for their "lor cham th'ng" (Prawn broth with gooey/ thickened Lor Mee gravy). Which side are you on? The pure Hokkien Mee or "Lor Cham Th'ng"?

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Jeeves @ Love Lane, Georgetown, Penang.

Jeeves is one of the latest addition to the clamoring Love Lane (Cupido Cafe is another new member), Jeeves sees itself as a place specializing in offering brunch. Undoubtedly, the place proffers a substantial brunch menu, covering the classic brunch orders as well as new favorites by the younger generation. The menu, however, relies heavily on the use of Pork/ Bacon. The cafe does not have fanciful decoration- simple chairs and tables, a couple of murals and some hemp bags as decorations. The dog murals have got nothing to do with the cafe/ menu, purely the owners' interest in the pet. If you are in the vicinity, Jeeves might be the place that you want to drop by for a leisure weekend brunch. Jeeves is few doors away from Wheeler's Coffee and opposite to Love and Latte Cafe on the same road. 

Monday, May 25, 2015

Sea Palace (海外天) @ Lip Sin, Sungai Dua, Penang.

[UPDATE: Sea Palace has since ceased its business operations]

Talk about Chinese restaurants and many Penangites will be psyched up to share about their favorites. Somewhere relatively quieter from the buzz of town, Sea Palace at Taman Pekaka has proven to be one of the local favorites when it comes to authentic Chinese dishes. The place is one of the popular choices when it comes to wedding dinner as well. It has a comprehensive menu, teeming with myriad of selection and options for diners to explore. The restaurant is most crowded during dinner hours, especially on weekends; advanced booking is highly recommended to avoid disappointment. To find Sea Palace, turn into Taman Lip Sin (opposite to Tesco Sungai Dua), Sea Palace is on the first floor of Bangunan Lip Sin, on top of Maxim Dim Sum.

Many Thanks to Sea Palace for hosting us that evening. 

Friday, May 22, 2015

Marlons +Co. The Coffee Bar @ Raja Uda, Butterworth, Penang.

Trending at Raja Uda now, Marlons +Co is a humble beginning by two young chap. The cafe enacted the industrial-interior decor- shipping container adorning the walls, metal web for compartment, wooden tables with iron chairs. Marlons +Co. is the only cafe that adapts and exudes the industrial vibe at Butterworth thus far. It has quite a wide array of Cakes and Pastries available but they only serve ONE type of main right now- All Day Glory Breakfast. One of the few cafes worth checking out at Butterworth. Marlons +Co is facing Curry Noodle House and a stone throw distance away from Coffee Venture on the same road.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Korean's Table All Ban @ The Northam All Suite Hotel Penang.

*Update: A close friend of mine, together with her two family members were having dinner at Korean's Table All Ban. According to the restaurant's rule, they ordered three sets of course meal. However, the portion served was exactly the same as what posted in my blog post; which was insufficient for the group of three. The management of the restaurant claimed that the portion served to me (hereby refers to all the photos below) was for two and they did inform me. I would like to make a disclaimer, I was only told that they accept order minimum for two pax but since I was alone the other day, they decided to serve me. However, I DID NOT know that they were still serving the portion for TWO (in which I only paid Rm 32.80 nett). I thought the portion will be served according to the number of diners. My friend and her family were extremely disappointed with their dining experience. As such, we did see that there might be a tendency for inconsistency. Ken Hunts Food takes no responsibility from the discrepancy in serving portion and the photos below are solely for your reference only.*

Enjoy Korean food with a delicate touch at Korean's Table All Ban, housed within the iconic building along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah- The Northam All Suite Hotel Penang. The restaurant serves Korean food in a finer way, the menu is fixed and diners do not get to choose freely like most Korean restaurants. They are the only Korean restaurant that does this in Penang (by far). Opened in March 2015, the Korean Restaurant seems unusually quiet, an evidence in lacking of marketing. I get to know the restaurant by chance and it was indeed, a good find. Absolutely outrageous prices for the food- Rm 29.90 for 9 dishes, which equates to less than Rm 3.50 per dish. Best of all, most of the dishes I had were above par; the service was very attentive either (probably I was the only diner in the restaurant). The restaurant is cozy, spacious and fully air-conditioned. One of the best Korean restaurants not to be missed by Korean devotees. 

Monday, May 18, 2015

BM Pek Lang Rojak (White Clan) @ Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Talk about Rojak and the folks in Bukit Mertajam will be fired up. Intense competition between a few famous ones and the locals seem to have their very own favorite stall of Rojak. BM Pek Lang Rojak (hereinafter referred to as "The White Clan"), Or Lang/ Orang Hock Rojak (The Black Clan), the market follower- Or Pek Lang Rojak (The Black-White Clan)  as well as BM High School Rojak. All stalls seem to have their loyal fans supporting them over the years. The White Clan has a slightly better edge over others, due to its strategic location right smack in the BM town. Not only does the place sell Rojak but you could find one of the delicacies made popular in BM here too- Steamed Cup Rice. While we did not have the chance to try that for this round, we did manage to take a couple shots on the rice. 

Friday, May 15, 2015

Kim's Korean Restaurant @ Tavoy Road, Pulau Tikus, Penang.

Avid fans of Korean food will be glad with another opening of Korean restaurant in town; enjoy 10% opening discount (until end of May 2015) at Kim's Korean Restaurant at Tavoy Road, a short slip road off Burmah Road, opposite to Union Primary School. The restaurant occupies a big bungalow with tall facade. There are ample parking spaces available around the restaurant. It took us a while to flip through the bible-thick menu which covers a comprehensive range of Korean delicacies- from Dak Galbi to Shabu Shabu, Barbecue, Korean Rice Cake, or even Korean Fried Chicken; and of course, other delicacies as well. The items seemed to be priced slightly higher as compared to its competitors, nevertheless, we were very satisfied and happy with their attentive service; we need not to ask them for refills (of Ban Chan), the servers took the initiative to keep refilling the sides until... we had to tell them no. The very beautiful lady owner even apologized for the delay in food and compensated us with two cans of 100 plus. No, not that we were happy with free stuff given but it was the courtesy that we appreciated most

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Kai Curry Bar @ Phuah Hin Leong, Pulau Tikus, Penang.

Ardent fans of Japanese Curry should try Kai Curry Bar's proud creations, the Japanese Curry specialist serves more than just the conventional Japanese Curry Rice, but Japanese Curry Udon and Croquettes as well. Many would drive past the old rustic facade of Kai Curry Bar at Jalan Phuah Hin Leong, not knowing that the place serves interesting eats. Step in and you will be enveloped by a warm and homely atmosphere, with some simple decorations adorning the walls. Menu is straight-forward but it comes with many different combinations. While most of them are Curry dishes, diners get to choose between Rice and Udon (Japanese Wheat Flour Noodles); of course, Croquettes as side dishes as well. A point to note is that Kai Curry Bar is a vegetarian-friendly restaurant; vegetarian choices are available on the menu, including the Curry sauce. 

Monday, May 11, 2015

Insider Cafe Lounge @ Church Street, Georgetown, Penang.

An eccentric and unusually quiet restaurant cum lounge along Church Street, one would eventually find it hard to notice the place. It took me a few rounds of turnings before I could locate the place. It does not have much to offer, but a simple, standard Western menu. Prices are slightly on the higher side (for ala-carte orders, their Set Lunch is very affordable) but we were pleased with the attentive service. However, there seems to be an unpleasant cigarette-smoke odor clinging in the air on our visit. I hope the management is able to do something to get rid of the odor. Insider Cafe Lounge is facing the famous tourist attraction- Pinang Peranakan Mansion, on the same street.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Thai Me Up (夜泰美) @ Zainal Abidin, Georgetown, Penang.

Thai Boat Noodle craze continues in Penang, evidently seen from the opening of a new Thai Boat Noodle-specialist at Jalan Zainal Abidin, Georgetown. The new establishment has a quirky, catchy name- Thai Me Up; the small menu features a series of their Noodle-dishes but no, they do not serve their noodles in small portion but rather, normal-average portion. It should not be too hard to locate the place, Thai Me Up is just next to Sentral College on the same road. However, given that the food was not mind-blowingly good, I would not make my way all out just to have their noodles. Nevertheless, they are still new and the menu is constantly evolving, I might need to make a second visit before making a conclusion. 

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

[Sarawak Kolo Mee/ Sarawak Laksa] Sajo Cafe @ Air Itam, Penang.

Sarawakians can now ease their cravings for their hometown favorites at Sajo Cafe on the bustling Jalan Air Hitam, where the wet market is located (two doors away from the Police Station). The place is known to serve authentic Sarawak delicacies. Notable highlights are Sarawak Kolo Mee, Foo Chow Red Wine Mee Sua, Sarawak Laksa, tri-color Milk Tea etc. The air-conditioned restaurant has quite an extensive menu, covering most iconic dishes uniquely to Sarawak; the menu has choices more than sufficient to please everyone in any age group. The very hospitable lady owner explained the menu to us and shared with us some of her favorites and the authenticity of their dishes. Sajo Cafe is a place worth dropping by for a quick meal if you are in the vicinity. 

Monday, May 4, 2015

Fika, Swedish Cafe @ Lorong Toh Aka, Georgetown, Penang.

**Fika has since ceased its business operations.**

Swedish food? Malaysians are likely to know Meat Balls, a world-renowned Swedish food but what's more? You may find out some answers from Fika, a newly opened cafe manned by Swedish. A stroll along the narrow alley of Lorong Toh Aka, you will find yourself arrive at the quaint little cafe- Fika, easily recognized by the blue-yellow Swedish flag placed right in front of the place. The snug cafe has a pretty cool ambiance, in shades of wooden beam covering the brick wall, adorned with various bric-a-brac. It can be a little warm during sultry days so its best to visit the place in morning. It does not serve any main at present, only a few traditional Swedish pastries, a place most suitable for novelty experience.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Uncle Jang Dak Galbi @ Vantage Desiran Tanjung, Tanjung Tokong, Penang.

Competition amongst the Korean Restaurants is getting stiffer with the opening of a renowned brand- Uncle Jang at Vantage Desiran Tanjung. The brand is popular for its Dak Galbi, Korean stir fry marinated Chicken with Go Chu Jang sauce. Uncle Jang is not the first Dak Galbi in that area, Chun Cheon Dak Galbi had the first mover advantage and inevitably, both will be compared as to which one fares better. As far as price is concerned, Uncle Jang seems to be more affordable but they need to improve on the restaurant's air ventilation. Be prepared for a warm, stuffy and sweat-inducing dining experience if you were to visit the place during day time. The heat was unbearable that we actually wished that we could finish the meal quicker. Business was brisk on our visit but the service was attentive, though communicating with the staff was a rough experience (no one seems to understand English well- Korean Bosses with foreign labors).


Friday, May 1, 2015

Kirishima Japanese Restaurant @ Cititel, Georgetown, Penang.

One of the oldest Japanese establishments in Penang will be Kirishima, a Japanese restaurant housed within Cititel in the heartland of Georgetown. The Japanese restaurant is one of the popular dining places not only for many Japanese visitors, but locals as well; the place is well known for its fine quality Japanese food. We would agree on the quality part nevertheless, but we thought they could improve on their services. Having paid a premium price, we would expect top-notch service in return, especially in a well-established Japanese restaurant. We were there on Chinese New Year and the foreign workers seemed to be confused with their roles and responsibilities yet the management did not bother to correct them. I am not sure if I am willing to pay so much again, considering the unpleasant experience at the restaurant.