Pearl Of The Orient, My Penang

Apong Guan : Best Pancake in Town

2009-04-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

RM 0.30 per piece and it is delicious! Can you believe it? Apong Guan is the best pancake in town, but there is always long waiting line. So, you better order 20 pieces, at least.

Loh Mee, best kept secret in Far Lim, Ayer Itam.

2009-04-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

It is little known to many out of Far Lim, Ayer Itam that there is one "Loh Mee" you should not miss. I have tried many in town, the famous Loh Mee at Carnavon Street, Jalan Masjid Kling and Pulau Tikus, there is no match if compared to this "well kept secret" located at Far Lim, Ayer Itam.

The kopitiam is called "Kedai Kopi Teoh Guan Hup" and one of the hawker stall sells this special Loh Mee. If you are a crazy fan of chilli, add another spoon into the noodle and it will take you to heaven.

After taking this Loh Mee, I bet you will forget the others.

Price tag : RM 2.30 / bowl.

Located near the old market (now renovated to become a small mall), there is only one kopitiam, you cannot miss it. While you are there, try out the "Chee Cheong Fun", again one of the best in Penang, again another well kept secret. I will feature that in my next post.

Get there Map:-

Be adventurous, go to Far Lim, Ayer Itam and look for the "old market". You cannot miss it.

Fish Head Noodle

2009-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I came to know about this kopitiam a year back which serves only Fish Head Noodle. I have tried many around town and found the Fish Head Noodle at Kim Maou Cafe along Cintra Street to be one of the best in town.

First of all, you do not need to tell the waiter to put in more fish fillet because there is pretty in your bowl already. It also comes with a bowl of chili padi with "special" soya sauce which you can use it to dip your fish or you can just pour all into the Fish Head Noodle soup.

Price : RM 4.50 a bowl

Located at the old side of Penang town, you can also find many old colonial houses and a few good restaurants along the way.

Chuan Store Kedai Kopi & Makanan

2009-03-21T04:46:00.000-07:00

This small stall is located in Bedong, Kedah. If you pass through Bedong, you probably missed it if you are driving too fast.

It is pork free and I have seen our Malay friends eating there too, quite rare to find such places nowadays.

This small stall cooks Chinese food and customers come from far away places to taste their famous steamed fish, curry fish head, steamed tofu, "kapa" clams with ginger, fried kai lan, just to name a few. The total price for the dishes presented here is RM 71.50 (inclusive of rice and drinks for 5 adults).

Address :-

Chuan Store Kedai Kopi & Makanan

11 Pekan Lama, 08100 Bedong, Kedah.

Tel : +604-458 3006

Mobile : +6016458 0955

How to get there?

Take the North South Highway towards Sg. Petani (U), pay the toll, at the traffic lights turn right, drive towards Bedong town, look for a Shell station on the right, the stall is next to the Shell station.

Location : Google Earth

Best Curry Mee in Ayer Itam, Penang

2009-03-16T20:53:00.000-07:00

If you are going to Ayer Itam market, make a point to stop for a bowl of Curry Mee. Near the Ayer Itam bridge, there are two stalls just next to each other selling the same food!! So, go there with an empty stomach and wallop 2 bowls and tell me which is better.

The "kaki lima" five foot way stalls are located after the Ayer Itam bridge. If you are coming from town, it is the first left turn after the bridge. The stalls are on the left side of the small road.

First, let me introduce the Sister's Curry Mee (above). Like the name suggested, yes, they are both sisters and has been selling curry mee at the same spot for at least half a century. Yet, there is no change of how they cook their

famous Curry Mee.

Additional to this, they also sell economy fried noddle. Charcoal is still being used to cook and to "bring out" the true favour of Penang Curry Mee according to the sisters.

Just next to their stall is the other Curry Mee seller, ingredients are about the same but it is more spicy and lots more coconut milk which makes it more aromatic. Looking at the crowd, they favour this stall more than the sisters'. Well, I for one like both, a good excuse to have 2 bowls, isn't it?

Location : Ayer Itam Market, Penang.

Blossoms of Bougainvillea in Bayan Baru, Penang.

2009-03-10T00:23:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Bougainvillea petals fall to the road every second. This road is full of these trees, I didn't count, but I think there are at least 20 of them lining up at both sides of the road. This road is leading to PISA, Penang. PISA is probably 200 metres away.

If you want to enjoy the spectacular colours of Bougainvilleas, don't waste time, go and see it while they last. It will soon be over. So, take a drive to Persiaran Mahsuri, Bayan Baru, Penang. Send me those photos too.

Bougainvillea is a genus of flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Peru and south to southern Argentina (Chubut Province). Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus. The name comes from Louis Antoine de Bougainville, an admiral in theFrench Navy who discovered the plant in Brazil in 1768.

They are thorny, woody, vines growing anywhere from 1-12 meters tall, scrambling over other plants with their hooked thorns. The thorns are tipped with a black, waxy substance. They areevergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4-13 cm long and 2-6 cm broad. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or sixbracts with the bright colors associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes referred to as "paper flower" because the bracts are thin and papery. The fruit is a narrow five-lobed achene.

(Taken from Wikipedia)

One of my favourite Curry Mee

2009-03-08T01:52:00.000-08:00

I think I have at least 5 favourite "curry mee" hawkers in Penang. I will do anything for a bowl. This hawker is located in the hawker centre at Lebuh Cecil (next to the market).

So, when I am there, it is always a bowl of each for me, Duck Meat Koay Teow Th'ng and Curry Mee. They are always a satisfying pair.

You probably have to wait pretty long for the curry mee as there is always a long line to serve. You will save a lot of time by self serving. RM 2.50 a bowl.

Location : Lebuh Cecil

Best Koay Teow Th'ng in town

2009-03-08T00:45:00.000-08:00

Best duck meat koay teow th'ng in town. Located in the hawker centre at Lebuh Cecil (next to the market), this bowl of flat noddle with duck shredded meat has been my all time favourite. The clear soup is sweet and when added with fish balls, it makes it more aromatic. Currently priced at RM 2.50 per bowl. Serving is average and goes well with other side dishes sold within the hawker centre.

Location : Lebuh Cecil (next to the market)

Earth Hour : Switch Off Your Lights 28 March 2009

2009-03-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

Penang will join the rest of the world to flick the switch for Earth Hour!

Part of Penang will soon be going dark to help Mother Nature. On 28th of March 2009, Penangites are urge to participate in WWF movement known as "Earth Hour," to raise awareness regarding climate change and global warming.

If you would like to participate in Earth Hour, just simply turn off all of your lights on March 28, 2009, from 8:30 to 9:30 pm.

Save our Mother Nature by turning off your light for one hour.

Maxim Dim Sum Restaurant, Penang.

2009-03-04T21:05:00.000-08:00

If you are staying around Sungai Dua, Taman Perkaka, Lip Sin Garden or Bayan Baru, Penang, you probably had tim sum at this restaurant before. The restaurant serves very fresh tim sum and my favourite the glutinous rice chicken "lor mai kai". It is soft even if you leave it for a few hours. Located at the ground floor of Bangunan Lip Sin, Sungai Dua, Penang, it caters for at least 150 people, but advisable to be there early to get a table during the weekend.

Price is reasonable. Try the "Steamed Fish Hor Fun", it is simple but very natural. The located is opposite Tesco Extra. Parking is always lacking, try to be early.

Address : Maxim Dim Sum Restaurant

Bangunan Lip Sin 2-G-11 & 12,

Lebuh Pekaka 1, Sungai Dua,

11700 Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia.

Tel : +604 6560915

Location : http://maps.701panduan.com/?zoom=4&lat=3.11164&lon=101.64237&layers=BTT0T&keyWord=lebuh%20pekaka%201&area=Pulau%20Pinang

The Tree Top Walk, Highest Canopy in Asia.

2009-03-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

That's not me in the video clip. I took one of my colleagues from Switzerland to the highest canopy in Asia, The Tree Top Walk. Nope, this is not located at Penang Hill and the last time I went to Penang Hill, the canopy walk was closed to public for maintenance. Hopefully, it will resume soon.

Coming back to this place located in the Sedim Recreation Park, near Kulim (in the state of Kedah), it was my first time too walking among the tree tops and I was afraid of heights. They don't call it the highest canopy in Asia for nothing. Walking on the steel platform (it is a see-through type platform, which made it more terrifying) was the hardest part. I was not sure how long the path was, but it took like 10 years to complete it. Just kidding, don't look down, time pass faster.

Nevertheless, the fear of heights somehow disappeared and we turned our focus to the rapids below us and the tree tops at the same height of the canopy railing. It was a fantastic feeling. You should try it, it is like bungy jumping, only without the fall.

Google Map : Kulim, Kedah.

Info about the place:-

The frothy fast flowing rapids at Sedim River Recreation Park near Karangan, 30km from Kulim, is a great eco-tourism draw for stressed-out minds and tired bodies. Picnicking is a popular family activity here as the recreational park has basic infrastructure and facilities such as chalets, changing rooms, public toilets and food stalls. Adventerous visitors can test their endurance by taking on the rapids with rafting, kayaking or canoeing while the less daring can opt for soft adventure activities like bird watching.

Coconut "Slayer" at Abu Siti Lane, Penang.

2009-03-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

I took this video about a year ago. My colleague and I were showing one of our Swiss guests around Penang. He enjoyed the coconut and the FOC show. To tell the truth, I was pretty scared just watching the "ninja".

This place is located at the end of Abu Siti Lane, Penang. Parking is a problem though, and try to park at the appropiate parking lot or you will get a ticket.