Red Garden, George Town, Upper Penang Road

Cross a Food Court and a Nite Market, you will get Red Garden. formerly a Pub, now this old mansion have been transform in to a food court, that concentrate on late nite crowd, as some of the stall were not even open or ready at 7pm. It have two entrance, One on Upper Penang Road, while the other is on the road behind, where New Cathay Hotel is.

I use the Penang Road Entrance which is inside a Car Park, Very Convenient, However the car park is pricy, RM2/- per hour.

Nice interesting Ceiling Decoration.

Oyster Omelette, Fairly good, Up to Standard.

Chicken Rice, Overall, Urg! No comment, however if you eat just the chicken it fairly well done. The Rice is some thing else though. Even My wife agreeed. Western Food, Better then average . . . . There also a few shops that is open just like a typical nite market. This place is a place where you have to go late, It cater to the tourist as well as the night drinking crowd, and there are singers around too.

Neww BT Food Court

There is a new Food Court in Town. I have not sample the food there yet, but i is a big food court, with all the usual hawker food and some. There is also a lucky draw or some thing. Location : next to Am Assurance along Burma Road, Just after Penang Plaza.

Food here is not cheep though, But it big, wide and airy, not hot at all, and many many car parks which is important. I will be back here to try it out. This food court even have a web!

Fort Cornwallis India Mee

One in a while I get offer of free food in exchange for some work done. Well on this day the reward was Fort Cornwallis Indian Mee or Hameed 'Pata' Special Mee. and i must say that it is good.

This stall is located at the Fort Cornwallis Food Court, so those tourist out there you can drop by when you visit the fort. Well patronise, especially by the navy guys (from the nearby RMN base), Though I have to give this warning, Do not order your noodles extra Spicy hot, unless you can really take it. (I come from a family that spicy is normal, extra spicy is good), It was "Explosive" hot, and had a bit of trouble the next day.

To accompanied the mee, was Ice Kacang, a small bowl topped with Ice Cream, which help to cool down the hot noodles that i have ordered.

Back to the Main Course, the Noodles was explosive spicy hot, serve on a metal plate, (to prevent breakage), but tasty and good, with generous topping of Sotong (cuttlefish) mmmm. I can feel the noodles going down. I will be back for more, though with out specifying i want in extra hot.

1 final advice, the food court is a bit run down, crack cement, old tables etc, so i would advice those who like to consume their food in nice bright food court to think about it before coming here, But then the crack cement, old tables, tree growing through the roof add ambiance to the street food you can get here.

Federal Place/Theater Char Koey Teow

This Char Koey Teow Stall use to be at the Maybank that is near Lorong Kulit, where is a sign that say Kimbley Street Char Koey Teow, Now having move here there a Sign here that Say Ah Leng Char Koey Teow.

The Coffee Shop

Located not too far away from the Padang, Police Station at Datuk Keramat, the Stall is at a coffee shop just opposite Federal Theater or now what is now know as Federal Place along the main road George Town heading to Ayer Itam, Parking is hard to get.

The Stall (Right in front)

The Char Koey Teow here is as pricy at the one in Lorong Selamat, RM5 per plate normal and RM8 ++++ for special. The fella here use duck egg, and this stall is open for lunch. As with the price, what you get is extra big prawns. It is just as good as the stall in Lorong Selamat, without that long of a wait.

But to me it really a place i come too often, I bring out station big spending friends here as they are impress with the big prawns.

Lorong Selamat Char Koey Teow

Reputed at the Best Char Koey Teow in Town, a blog recently comment that the stall move shop just a few shop a way in a new coffee shop, As i was in town and need a urgent fix of char koey teow, i drop by and try out the new shop.

Now is this the original char koey teow? I am a bit, 50 50 to say either way, though to me it that this stall have loss some taste, but it look like the same person cooking it, and charcoal fire is use. I only been here once. It's still good, (dont get me wrong) but a bit lacking in taste on this day.

I like the new coffee shop though, its clean. I had the normal Char Koey Teow which is 50% more then what us penangite usually pay for char koey teow. ;-) as the special is just only extra prawns and stuff. A bit disappointing is the lack of Cockles. which to me is the highlight of Char Koey Teow.

How to get here?, simple, look for the UMNO Building, or the Pakistan Mosque, Lorong Selamat is just next to the UMNO Building.

.

I will need to confirm by trying out the stall at the original shop.

Nasi Ayam from KFC

Now a days Fast Food Chains is looking at the humble chicken rice or nasi ayam as a potential money spinner. You have the Chicken Rice Shop, Ayammas and now we have International Kentucky Fried Chicken serving up this dish.

.

.

Why? I suppose all Malaysian eat chicken and like rice. KFC version of chicken rice is their basic set, but instead of the salad and mash potato, they give you the chicken flavoured rice, and chicken soup in a set with their fried chicken.

.

.

I tried it out, no a bad combination, it should do well, with one clause, the rice have a plasticky flavour to it? How come, No QC Check? KFC should look into this seriously as is spoiled everything. The rice was nice a flavour full, though adding a extra rice cost RM1.50/- but for that plastic taste and smell. Urg! I don't think i will be back for more of the Colonel Chicken Rice

The Tray of Colonel Chicken Rice

Keropok Lekor / Fish Flavoured Fritters

Keropok lekor is a commonly found Deep Fried Fish Flavoured Fritters, in the shape and size of a "finger" in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Eaten as a snack, with a dip of chillies sauce it is a good source of protein as it is made from fish mix with with flour.

.

The Bag of Keropok Lekor

.

It is unusual for it to be found on the west coast especially in Penang, there for my surprise when i saw a stall selling this at Carrefore Prai, and at RM1/- per cup but smaller in size (Bite size). Having tasted this keropok when i was in kuantan. I have to say that this product here is about just as good. I will be back for more especially at this price, and that it is prepared in a hygienic way. I hope we will be seeing more of this Franchise around.

.

The Other Delima Coffee Shop at Island Glade

I drop by with my family at the other Delima Coffee Shop (the old one) and while the place is small and is just the corner lot beside the 4 D shop, the food is good, Penang Price. I prefer it over the other coffee shop which i posted earlier, i will be back for more.

Koey Kak, A sister of Char Koey Teow, Cook the same method, but using cube noodles instead of flat noodles. "Penang" Hokkian Mee "Soup" Wan Tan Mee Eggs and Sausage

Excellent Koey Teow Th'ng at Nibong Tebal, Penang

Penang Culinary Experience is found every where, Usually on the Island, but once in a while you can find them on the main land. Some how or other, Mainland Penangites seem to get to enjoy nice Koey Teow Th'ng, (Flat Rice noodles in Soup), This Kopi Tiam at Jalan Siong, Nibong Tebal sells only Koey Teow Th'ng and it is excellent.

The Dish is made with fresh ingredients such as prawns, pork meat ball and others parts as well, a Normal will set you back by RM3.50 and a Special by RM5.00 (thought with the price increase of noodles you may have to pay more). Kindly note that this is the only dish avaliable here so if you want some thing else sorry.

How to find this place you ask? Nibong Tebal is a pretty small town so it's not to difficult, If you enter town from the North, which is via the Railway Station, (tosai), Keep to your left, and near the end of the main road (way pass the Maybank) there is a small lane on the left, (lorong Siong) which is one way, drive up that lane till close to the end.

;

Note: Open Lunch Only

Penang Laksa at Sungai Bakap

I had some nice Penang Laksa at Sungai Bakap Town, at a Road Side Stall, Just the other day.

Location: If heading south, turn left, if heading north turn right, at the only turning in the Sungai Bakap town, drove straight till you see a temple, drive in and park, you will see the laksa stall, they also have Chendol here, which goes well with the laksa.

Penang Lakas is Round Rice noodles serve in a spicy sourish fish soup, garnish with cucumber onions and salad cut in Jullian, should be eaten with prawn paste.

Chendol is another famous Penang food, Mini Pandan Flavored Dumplings serve with coconut milk, and gula melaka, (coconut brown suger) and ice.

Chicken Rice

A Popular food among malaysians, as most malaysians can eat chicken and rice is the staple diet. Now Fast Food Chains are trying to cash in on this trend. The Chicken Rice Shop (earlier post) d0es it quite well. So I was game for more Fast Food Chicken Rice when my wife said let try this one out.

This reputable Fast Food Chain have a few different sets, We took the 2 person set, and took our seat, Food was brought over within 10 min. So far so good. The Chicken (Roast), Rice, Chillies Sauce, Beansprouts, and Beancurd. All for below RM20/-.

Well all was good and delicious, but for me it was a let down due to the chicken. Its over cook, and dryish. Dont get me wrong, the chicken was serve warm and delicious, just that i feel that it's was way overcook. Not my day i think.

Jalan Delima Makan

I have not have dinner in this area (Jalan Delima, Island Glade) for a long time, to be accurate before I started blogging, and surprise surprise, the place where i had tim sum with my cousin is no longer there (not that i wanted a bite there) In fact before I took my cousin there, it was even a longer time, 15 + years.

.

.

The Old Coffee Shop (Near the 4 D shop)

This area use to be a favourite of my family, long a go. Why did we not come back here? Traffic and timming i guess. Getting there is a hassle from Ayer Itam and Tg Bungah and cannot find proper car park, but its sure convenient if you are comming in from the Main land.

. .

. Any way there is a new coffee shop, in this block of Shops, Everthing looks new, I did not get the name by the way, but in general the food here is good. (By the way, I came here on the Night of 7th of March 2008. Just pre elections)

View of the New Coffee Shop

Interior View

This is what Penang lang call Laksa, Thick Round Rice Noodles in a Sourish (Asam) base fish soup with Prawn Paste. The Best I tasted for a long time. Yum!

Chee Chong Fun, Rice Roll, with Prawn / Shrimp Paste and Chillie, No Tee Chong Please, (Sweet Sauce) Yum! Again Nice and Thick Sauce, Best I tasted in a long time.

Tim Sum, Lots of Selection and its good.

Roast Duck Rice, Urg! One of the worst i ever tasted, I thought it good with around 20 ducks hanging, but it tasted like cardboard, overcook, dry, and Pricy

Hokkian Mee, Good. Please Note: Penangnite terms of food is different from other states, to them this is Prawn Mee.

I was sitting next to a Claypot Rice Stall, View of entrance.

The Decoration in a Coffee Shop, Wodden Spoons and Fork.

Well worth a vist for those who is looking of Penang food all in one place, Lots of Verity, Real Street Food, Just Horrible Parking!. For those of you comming in from Mainland, turn of the Highway just after Tesco, turn left at the frist traffic light, and turn left again. You will see a block of shop house, That the place

Back to Swee Garden, Nibong Tebal

Back to Food.

.

.

Sis in Law and Gang wanted to visit the Taiping Zoo, along with my wife and kids, I said go, I am working any way, but what for dinner? Oh we will call when we get back, and lets eat out was the answer. Ok I said let try Cheng Kee. Unfortunately it started to rain just before we left, and with Cheng Kee, Most of the table are outside, so it is back to Swee Garden.

All the Food on the Table. Lotus Root, Peanut With Pork Steam Soup (Good), what left of it.

Pai Kut Ong (Ok), Chinese Style Pork Chops Lala, Steam, (Good) Number 2 wack half of it on her own even with the chillies. Number 2 is only 3 years old. Steam White Pomfret, Teo chew Style, (Good)

Vegetable

Boil Octopus with the Chile Sauce

Verdict: Let say i prefer the Pork Legs, Total Damage: RM100 inclusive of Drinks