600 CC Taiwanese Restaurant @ Tesco E-Gate, Penang.

When it comes to Taiwanese style of Beef Noodles, I always have this restaurant in my mind, probably due to childhood memories as I used to go to this restaurant quite often with my mother last time. 600CC Taiwanese Restaurant is a chain restaurant which opened its first outlet many years ago at Bukit Jambul Complex (correct me if I am wrong). As of now, 600CC has five outlets (all of them in shopping malls) in total, namely Gurney Plaza, Prangin Mall, Mega Mall, Sunway Carnival and Tesco E-Gate Penang. Variety-wise, they have a lot to offer, but I have no interest on their other dishes as I find most of them are rather pricey. However, their desserts will be worth of trying as I find them pretty special especially their Taiwanese TofuHua (台湾豆花) and their Iced Red Bean Blended Milk (红豆牛奶). To my surprise, I find the quality of the food will be rather inconsistent depending on which outlet you are heading to.

Zhonghua Gourmet (中华海鲜鱼翅) @ Cititel Hotel, Penang.

I am always skeptical to try on Dim Sum at Hotels due to their prices are always on the steeper side, but coincidentally, I had the chance to visit Zhonghua Gourmet, which is one of the restaurants inside Cititel Hotel, Penang, at Penang Road (from the main entrance of Cititel Hotel, walk until the very end of Ground Floor, and you will find Zhonghua Gourmet there). Zhonghua Gourmet offers authentic and exquisite Chinese cuisines to its customers, you will find a lot of Dim Sum lovers there, especially during brunch hour (around 11am to 12pm), weekends. I had my visit at around 1pm and the restaurant was flooded with customers. Anyway, their Dim Sum were good no doubt (everything was served piping hot), but they were rather expensive too. Parking will be a bit troublesome as the parking rate is pretty expensive, try to find yourself a parking outside of the hotel. Service-wise, was pretty attentive and the ambiance was pretty good either, in short, my overall experience at Zhonghua Gourmet was rather good.

Chalet Healy Tearoom @ Araluen Botanic Park, Perth, WA.

Araluen is a very beautiful place in Perth which is 35km (south-east) away from Perth city, the word "Araluen" simply means "Singing Water" in Aboriginal language. In Araluen Botanic Park, visitors get to see all those colorful blooming flowers and breath-taking scenery, so I was there for a day trip, and was introduced to the park's environment and some history. Coincidentally, there was this small little cafeteria up the hill and Ken never let go any chances to hunt for food does he ? Chalet Healy Tearoom offers morning/afternoon teas and lunches and it operates from 10am to 4pm daily. I did not check out their entire lunch menu but I did glance through and I've found out that they do offer some Salads, Chips, Burgers etc but most of them were priced steeply. As for teas, they have a wide selection of pastry cakes and coffee/teas. Prices are reasonable by Perth's standards. Try it out to experience the truly Al-fresco dining experience with amazing breath-taking scenery (especially after the tiring walk/tour around the park).

Restaurant Law Chang Kee (璋记饭店) @ Nibong Tebal, Penang.

I am not a regular patron at mainland areas (Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai etc), I rarely do review on eateries at mainland, mainly due to I am a retard to the routes. As for this time, I happened to pass by this place during our one-day trip to Parit Buntar/Taiping. Law Chang Kee is very famous among the locals, especially for their "Tu Bo Sweei" (Boiled Little Octopus) and "Chim Moey" (Crab Porridge). I can't help much in terms of directions as I was led by my local friend either (Yes, I am that bad when it comes to food hunting at mainland). I once had a lunch here with my family back in many years ago, it was an early afternoon and the place was very crowded. Do go there earlier to avoid disappointment and long waiting time. Price-wise, was very cheap, in fact, you can hardly get all these dishes at this price in Penang (referring to Penang Island), although ambiance might not be that ideal but their foods are definitely one of the best that you can ever find. Moreover, most of the ingredients used in their dishes were very fresh during our visit, I am looking forward to my next visit.

Korea Palace @ Tanjung Tokong, Penang.

** Korea Palace has renamed as Gangnam Style**

Ever since the launch of Korean Dramas, Korean Pop Singers/Bands, a lot of these K-fans are very interested to try on Korean cuisine and that explains why on the recent mushrooming of all these Korean eateries. There are a few of the more famous Korean restaurants in Penang namely Daorae, Bee Won Restaurat and the restaurant I am covering in this post- Korea Palace. Korea Palace has two outlets in Penang in total, one being stationed in Krystal Point (Bayan Baru) and the other one at Tanjung Tokong. Along with some friends of mine, we've visited the one in Tanjung Tokong, opposite to Precinct 10. From Jalan Tanjung Tokong, upon reaching Precinct 10 and Island Plaza, pay attention to the building opposite to Precinct 10, which has CK Furniture and some electrical appliances outlets, Korea Palace is located at the first floor of that building (colorful and huge banners will be there too). Korea Palace offers one of the most authentic Korean cuisine in town (the lady owner of Korea Palace is a Korean), price-wise, I would say average since I was expecting such range of pricing. Service was attentive earlier but when the restaurant started to flood with people, the staff tends to forget some of my orders (for refilling the side dishes). There are ample parking spaces right in front of the building itself too, but do watch out for peak hours and reservations are recommended to avoid disappointment.

O' Briens (Irish Sandwich Cafe) @ Queensbay, Penang.

The long-awaited O' Briens, the Irish Sandwich Cafe has landed in Penang, which is also their 13th outlet in Malaysia and first in Penang. As the name suggested, O' Briens is a franchise-based cafe which originated from Ireland, they serve mainly some some healthy made-to-order sandwich none other than any outlets. We were told that all the breads in the store are sugar-free as well as their sandwiches will be prepared using the freshest and premium grade ingredients. In conjunction with their new opening at Queensbay (not inside the mall but opposite to Queensbay Mall instead, right beside Tutti Fruitti and opposite HSBC Bank), they are offering 5 types of sandwiches at a very affordable price of Rm10. Promotion valid from 29th June until 8th of July 2012 only. 30% off will be given for a limited time from 9th of July until 9th of August, so grab this chance to try this delicious and healthy sandwiches. Service was a bit slow that day due to its promotion and service crew were not too familiar with the system. As for the price, tho it will be slightly pricier if without the promotion, but I am still recommending one to try them out due to their superior food quality.

Five types of Sandwiches under the promotion were: 

1. O' Briens Classic Tripledecker 
2. Chicken Slice and Cheddar on Shambo
3. Sundried Tomato on Hot Ciabatta
4. Chicken, Chicken Crisp and Cheddar Wrappo
5. Tuna Swiss Melt 

Cicerellos Fish N Chips @ Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia.

In case you are not aware of, kindly refer to About Me column to know more on my current location. So Fremantle is known as one of the best places in Perth that offers fresh and affordable seafood (such as Oysters, Scallops, Mussels, Squids etc) and one of the most famous places amongst tourists and locals is this Cicerellos Fish N Chips (there are two outlets in total, one being Fremantle's and the other one is located at Mandurah). Claimed to be the first amongst equal in Western Australia, Ken had decided to have an impromptu visit to check their famous Fish N Chips out. Its very easy to locate Cicerellos, from Bus Station or Train Station, walk towards the esplanade area, where you will find deep blue sea behind some shop houses/ restaurants where Cicerellos is one of them. The place will normally be loaded with crowd (particularly tourists) especially during weekends, but the restaurant has sufficient seats and tables to accommodate the crowd, they do host private functions as well and the place is available for reservation. Price-wise, I find it okay by Australia (WA) standards and the quality will be guaranteed. 

Tarbush Restaurant @ Batu Feringghi, Penang.

If you are finding something exquisite enough to suit your taste buds, you should at least give this restaurant a try. Finding Arabic and Lebanese cuisine has never been easy in Penang, one of the more well-known ones is being Tarbush Restaurant. Tarbush Restaurant has four branches in Malaysia in total, being Penang's branch situated at Batu Feringghi (right beside The Ship Western Food). Tarbush Restaurant has a lot to offer its customers, namely salads, main course (seafood, beef, chicken or even lamb), soups, and a variety of desserts/ beverages. Quoted from Tarbush Restaurant's website:

" TARBUSH's dedication to using only the freshest and finest ingredients and incessant passion of a man's love for authentic and fine Middle Eastern cuisine has undoubtedly rendered TARBUSH's incredible success and growth for all these years. "

Overall verdict: The foods were actually okay to my liking but they lacked of the authenticity. The heavily use of spices and herbs is essential in Lebanese cuisine, but unfortunately, we don't taste the strong aroma of those herbs. Price-wise, expensive for most dishes, despite of their big portion for most dishes, I still find most of them over-priced, especially with the additional 10% service charge and 6% government tax. There is a need for improvements on their services too, with many of the waiters/waitresses do not understand English, the process of ordering/ acquiring information was very troublesome for us (thank GOD the manager was kind and understands English). As for parking, one can simply park its car right in front of the restaurant, there were ample parking spaces available, but do beware of the night market happening every night there, make sure you do not reach the restaurant too late, else, you might face problems finding the parking.

CAB Western Food @ Air Itam, Penang.

I was really surprised to see that long queues were outside of this restaurant during weekends, to ease my curiosity, I've decided to check it out some day. Coincidentally, with some of my classmates, together we explored this place earlier ago. I was shocked to see that their menu and interior design of the restaurant are very similar to James Foo Western Food, not only as such, most of their dishes listed on the menu are pretty similar those those offered in James Foo Western Food too. I was skeptical right after looking at their menu, anyway, we do go on with our plans and decided to have our dinner there. CAB Western Food is situated at Air Itam, where Air Itam's Pizza Hut and KFC situated at (facing the main road), in fact, they are few doors away from CAB Western Food (Farlim Night Market/ Pasar Malam situated at there too). However, please beware of the long-queue during weekend nights. Price-wise, was okay only considering the portion and the food quality, as for service, there are still rooms of improvements as obviously most of their workers are not motivated (it took them more than 30 minutes to serve me my order). Ample parking spaces nearby the restaurant, but please beware of the directions as there are a lot of one-way street at that area. It was rather a disappointing dinner as my order served was not as shown in their picture displayed and the food quality was not impressive either (more information will be disclosed below on the specific dish).

Lok Lok @ Padang Brown Hawker Center, Penang.

I've been visiting this Lok Lok stall very frequently since young, I am a big fan of fish balls and seafood, but I don't really drink the steamboat soup whenever I had steamboat. Hence, Lok Lok is a very good choice for me. This stall operates since noon until evening, and it has more than 30 types of Lok Lok choices for you to choose from. Price-wise, was okay, I would not say its cheap nor its expensive, just average Lok Lok price. To go to Padang Brown Hawker Center, locate the Police Station at Jalan Dato Keramat, turn left (you are heading to Jalan Dato Keramat/Georgetown/Komtar) into Perak Road (beside the Rumah Kelab). There are still other very delicious food in the hawker center too, namely Fried Oyster, Char Koay Teow, Tom Yam Bee Hoon, Yong Tau Foo and Pasembur, but my main focus of this post will be on the Lok Lok. Service provided was attentive, the Indonesian maid will constantly refill the food and the sauce.

Petaling Street Famous Porridge @ Kuala Lumpur

During our previous visit to Malacca for the event-- A Date With Bloggers 2012, we actually stopped by at Kuala Lumpur for the transit. We arrived there too early for the LRT to operate and hence, we have decided to hunt for some food for our early breakfast. Criz from Crizfood.com suggested that we search around the Petaling Street area since its just a stone-throw distance away from Pudu Bus Terminal. The place should not be too hard to locate as the whole Petaling Street will basically be very quiet and dark except this stall. Ambiance-wise, please do not expect too much as this place is a market area, and you should expect it to be that range.

42° La Bohéme @ Sri Bahari Road, Penang.

 ** This place has since ceased its operation.**

In the bustling heart of Georgetown area, there is this humble little French Bakery/Pastries opened few years ago, which serves authentic French pastries and desserts. The whole place is being operated a couple of husband (Mathieu) and wife (Huvi); 42° La Bohéme only opens at afternoon (from 10:30am to 6pm), making it a perfect place for afternoon tea and a light lunch/meal. This place has a homely ambiance too, wooden tables and classic chairs. Some magazines and antiques were spotted around the corner of the restaurant as well. You can find plenty of the French specialties here too, namely Pizzas, Quiches and Galettes. If you are someone who are always looking for something light, there are always a various choices of salads for you too. As for pastries, there were not a lot of choices during our visit, some of the notable ones are Apple Tarts, Pear Tarts, Pain Au Chocolat, Croissant etc. We did see some Crème brûlée in the fridge as well. Price-wise, I find most of them reasonable considering the huge portion we are getting but the price for the beverages will be on the steeper side tho they are still acceptable (prices are net). Service was a bit slow during our visit, probably due to there were just two of them working, so you have to bear with that if you are visiting during peak hours (particularly lunch hour). My overall experience on the food was very good, I will definitely come back for other dishes as well.

Weld Quay (Tree Shade) Seafood @ Weld Quay, Penang.

As the name suggested, this eatery has a huge tree resting inside, in fact, its right in front of the main entrance to the restaurant. This place should not be too unfamiliar for Penangites as it has been operating at the same place for many years. Weld Quay Seafood is facing the main road of Penang Jetty/ Ferry Terminal. The place is often filled with people as well, especially during weekends or festive seasons. I've been hearing a lot of good compliments about their affordable prices and the freshness of the seafood. Upon entering the place, their fresh-caught seafood and vegetables will be displayed on the little kiosk set up there, staff will be taking orders at there as well. One can simply choose what they desired and straight away ask for quotation and place their orders there. The customer flow was very heavy and we had to ask three times for the bill. The person in charge was too busy and I don't even have a chance to ask her for the individual price. Total damage was Rm 54, including drinks and white rice for four. It will be a bit troublesome to find parking at that area, but you can always find some parking at the road next to it, tho some walking might be required. Price-wise, was affordable for most dishes, but try to ask for price quotation first before you place your order if you are on a tight budget. Their fast-service was something impressive as well, so need not to worry on the time it takes to serve the food.

Tian Ding Xiang (天鼎香) @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

I have never tried/visited any of the newly opened restaurants on 5th and 6th floor of Gurney Plaza after the extension/renovation. Despite the fact that there are a lot of interesting new restaurants opened there, this restaurant (Tian Ding Xiang) caught my attention, mainly due to their outrageous long queue of customers during weekends and their creative yet unique dishes offered. Strategically located at 6th floor of Gurney Plaza, Tian Ding Xiang is a Chinese restaurant that offers unique and delicate Chinese dishes, with some fusion dishes available. This place is always crowded with people especially during weekends or special events/occasions. One of the most appealing dishes/soups that I find was their Black Chicken with Shark's Bones (鲨鱼骨炖乌鸡汤), I wish to try this out but unfortunately, it was not available on the day I visited. If you are having a family lunch/dinner, this might be a very suitable place for you as they have a wide variety of Chinese dishes with reasonable prices (extra marks for them for charging 5% service charge ONLY--no government tax). I would say that there is a need of improvements on their service (probably due to lack of staff).

Famous Bowl (旺盅宝) @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Previously Xuan Xin Lok Lok Steamboat Restaurant, it has now turned into this brand new restaurant-Famous Bowl (managed by Xuan Xin Sdn. Bhd.). Famous Bowl is located at the same place as Xuan Xin Lok Lok Steamboat restaurant does earlier ago, which is on the 7th floor of Gurney Plaza, Penang (behind SenQ and beside Next Stop). As the name suggested, Famous Bowl had most of its dishes served in a bowl, instead of plates, which here, referring to rice/noodle dishes. Famous Bowl categorizes most of their dishes (Chinese cuisine/dishes) into few categories, namely "Hong Kong Famous", "China Famous", "Taiwan Famous", "Local Famous", "Thai Famous" and their "Famous Double-Boiled Soup". Most of the prices ranging from Rm 8.80 to Rm 16.80, which I find them pretty economical due to their portions. However, their beverages are rather pricey (mineral water costs Rm2.50). Improvements on service needed, the waiter whom served me seemed to be very impatient from the questions I've asked.