KEN HUNTS FOOD: Old Tiong Kee 老東記 @ Penang Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Monday, July 13, 2020

Old Tiong Kee 老東記 @ Penang Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Both a Deli and a restaurant, Old Tiong Kee 老東記 has the option for diners to either dine-in at the restaurant or purchase their pre-packed goods and have them cooked at home. The dine-in menu features a wide range of Western option, from Grills to Burgers and Pasta... as well as a small choice of local Chinese dishes; the pre-packed goods include ready-to-grill, pre-marinated meat, gourmet Sausages etc. The restaurant at Penang Street has a cozy, roomy space for dine-in... well-equipped with air-conditioners. The service however, could be more attentive and efficient. It was quite empty on our visit with just another table waiting for their food, but it took them more than 40 minutes to serve our orders. Price points are mid-to-high, though the Set Lunch menu seems more wallet-friendly.

Asian Style Spicy Crab Meat Pasta (Rm 19.90)

Grilled Norwegian Salmon Steak (Rm 34.90)

Fresh Garden Salad (Rm 10.80)

[Steamed] Hainam Kaya Butter Bread (Rm 3.90)

We started off with the Steamed Hainam Kaya Butter Bread... in which Wholemeal bread was used. The bread was soft and fluffy but not as warm-soft as we would have hoped. The Kaya was sufficient to provide its distinctive flavor but the Butter aroma was not apparent. The Fresh Garden Salad was nothing out of the ordinary. The home-made dressing was disappointingly average and for the price of Rm 10.80, we thought it was overpriced.

On the main, the Asian Style Spicy Crab Meat Pasta was somewhat unique and new to us. The Crab meat paste had an indelible sweetness with chili chunks. It was not spicy but it did provide the necessary heat. The paste was enjoyed with Angel Hair in which the concoction was okay at first but rather flat and monotonous towards the end. It lacked the juicy crunch or refreshing touch... might be a dish good for sharing. Grilled Norwegian Salmon Steak on the other hand, was served with mashed Pumpkin, Salad and Brown sauce... all were alright but nothing overly exciting here. Probably we ordered the wrong dishes, the ones we had did not seem to hit the mark.