KEN HUNTS FOOD: Carbo And Bites [Pan Mee] @ Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Monday, March 30, 2020

Carbo And Bites [Pan Mee] @ Bayan Lepas, Penang.

The name- Carbo and Bites might not be too appealing to diet-watchers but the brand specializes in churning out piping hot bowls of home-made Pan Mee noodles served in Anchovy broth and various of delicious condiments. The proprietor is an expert in this field and has been selling Pan Mee for years... she was running a stall at Mandarin Cafe Island Glades previously but has since taken over the family business. The air-conditioned eatery along Jalan Aziz Ibrahim (near Sungai Nibong) is not a one-trick pony though, while their main core product is Pan Mee... there are also other options to top up the variety. Those who are on budget would be glad to know that a bowl of basic Pan Mee at Carbo and Bites is merely selling at Rm 6. No frills, straight-forward but tummy-comforting Pan Mee that one can eat on a daily basis.

Many Thanks to Carbo and Bite for hosting us that evening.

Soup Pan Mee (Rm 6)

Dry Pan Mee (Rm 6)

Nan Ju Bak (Rm 8)

Curry Chicken Pan Mee (Rm 10.40)

Spicy and Sour Soup with Fried Fish Fillet (Rm 10.40)

It's essential for Pan Mee to carry the slight al-dente texture and definitely not floury or mushy (many chain Pan Mee brands have failed to realize this). Carbo and Bites did this well- all noodles are home-made (yours truly used to be a regular customer at Mandarin Cafe). The broth on the other hand, carries a clean-tasting Anchovy flavor with sweet seafood after taste. The noodle dish is then topped with crispy deep fried Anchovies, sweet Potato leaves, julienned black Fungus, Fish Balls and some minced Pork.

The proprietor is also trying to be creative by rolling out some new Pan Mee combo... like pairing the noodles with Curry Chicken. While the Curry Chicken was nicely done, we did not think the combo stand out. The classic Pan Mee served in Anchovy broth is still the best soul-comforting dish. Other notable signature sides include Nam Ju Bak (deep fried Pork marinated in Red Bean Curd Paste) and Spicy-Sour Soup.