Penang Lao Fu Zhi Bak Kut Teh

Like I said, I normally eat Bak Kut Teh at night (especially after clubbing :-p) There are many famous Bak Kut Teh around Penang. But the one that I always go and like most is the one at Dato Keramat, Lao Fu Zhi Bak Kut Teh. Not because the owner is my friend but their Bak Kut Teh is Bak Kut Teh. (What statement is that?) What I mean is they putting in the real stuff, herb and others to make the Bak Kut Teh. Not like the prepack Bak Kut Teh you can get in hypermarket.


This Lao Fu Zhi Bak Kut Teh is 老招牌, it been around for a few decades. If you drive too fast along Jalan Dato Keramat, you might miss it. In the street view, it found at the left side after curve road of Jalan Dato Keramat into Jalan Ayer Itam. Hard to explain if you're from outstation, use the GPS coordinate: 5.413498,100.312117 and see the map: 


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It open from dinnertime until the next day morning. 1am, you can't sleep. You go there, still open. 2am, you hungry, you go there, still open. 3am, you drunk, you go there, it still open. 

It just cost RM5, not sure it is a friend's price or it is that cheap. Look at the ingredients, more than the Raja Uda Yam Rice and better than having Nasi Kandar at Mamak Stall.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Sarkie's Corner Buffet

3 times in 2 weeks, I got the opportunities to have lunch at Hotel's restaurant. I seldom eat buffet if got choices because every time I eat buffet, I will out of control and stuck too much food that I can handle which make all hard work at gym to drain. 


I so admire people who work in Intel because in 3 out of 3 times, there sure will have Intel workers table reservation or Intel employee (with their Intel badge on) roaming for food at counter. Best part is, I saw the same guys twice in Equatorial Hotel and E&O Hotel. 


With my experience in eating buffet, I start to have a my own routine to eat the unlimited, free flow of food with limited tummy space. At the same time, also eat healthy by not simply eat something that look good that make you uncomfortable later.


First, you need to eat fruits. I learned that fruits should eat before meal, not after meal because it digest faster. So, should go first.

Then continue with Sashimi, Salmon and Sushi. Salmon rich in omega-3 fatty acid which good for health. Just to name a few that omega-3 fatty acids can help. Example Depression, Cardiovascular Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Fatigue, Dry, itchy skin, Brittle hair and nails, Inability to concentrate, Join pain.....I bet you'll try to eat sashimi when you know the benefit

Next, is the famous dish of Sarkie's Corner, the roasted duck. Some said if you didn't eat roasted duck in E&O hotel, then you are tag as never eat buffet here. It may not so healthy to eat roasted duck. So, I add in 2 slides of tomato to balance up.....lol

You see, when you eat buffet you should start off with small size animal like fish. Then move up to medium size animal to duck and lamb. If you start off with lamb first, then the duck taste will not be so good and the salmon sashimi will be tasteless when you already ate the stronger taste of lamb.

Before eat grilled lamb, I looking the best value for money in E&O buffet which is the grilled cod fish. However, the cod fish just not simply available even by asking. So, I end  with a replacement grilled Salmon and Tuna.

Salmon best eat as sashimi. For grilled, I only like the Salmon skin. The meat of grilled salmon tasteless. So, I try it with mint sauce and roasted duck sauce. By this time, normally people should be 70% full which is good to stop eating. However, if you got bigger "tank", then you can try something local like the Char Koay Teow and Laksa

It may not taste like the famous Char Koay Teow at Lorong Selamat but it got a real big prawn hidden inside the koay teow.

Oh, Laksa bek ki (cannot go) luckily it just small portion else, it just waste space in my tummy.  


When I go to Sabah, people recommend me affogato at Little Italy at Kota Kinabalu town, a small cup of affogato will cost you RM9.90 not including tax. I don't bother as you go to travel, you just spend. Since you already dine in buffet, you know you can prepare your own affogato free flow?

Pump the espresso from coffee machine and scoop 2-3 ball of vanilla ice-cream into the coffee, tada....affogato. You can even pump double espresso if you immune to caffeine. For me, I will sleepless whole night if double espresso.


Some said your meal didn't complete without dessert. For dessert, I only like bread pudding. However, that day is Banana bread pudding which not so good. I still prefer original bread pudding.

I already miss Salmon sashimi now (at time of writing this post)

Lunas Tan Kee Roasted Duck Rice

One of the afternoon, after serviced car at Kulim Toyota center. I suggest go to try out the Lunas famous duck rice since already at Kedah State. 2 stuffs I know about Lunas, one is my college friend a.k.a bak chang stay here and another one is Lunas famous with Duck Rice.


Some distance from Kulim Toyota Center to Lunas Tan Kee Duck Rice. I don't know how to go for sure, luckily I got Elisa who know the place. If you don't have "Elisa", then use the GPS coordination: 5.428184,100.535588 or refer to the google map.



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Slow down after you turn into Jalan Lunas and look for the signboard, Tan Kee Roast Duck

They sell quarter roast duck per person. If you come in a group of 4, congratulation! You get the whole duck. This is what I heard people said, don't know how true it is...and I get half duck, you guess how many of us?

A bit "hect" (too much) by looking at it. Eat until some point, I found the taste is the same all the way from beginning, make it so plain. I should just order some salted vegetable soup to mix it. However, to finish it will be a problem for 2 of us. So, just eat it for first time also the last time and never come back. Too much of good food make it bad.


Duck Rice for 2 and take away 1 duck rice cost about RM16. It is so cheap! I get to know the roasted duck and E & O Hotel cost RM100++ for a duck. So, I think this is so cheap. I might be using wrong example for comparison but it just roasted duck. :-p

ADelaporte's Oil-less Fried Rice

In one of the afternoon, a dragon boat prerace day, my teammate a.k.a Anne, who was also my colleague offered to cook me a healthy lunch to booth energy for next day dragon boat competition. This is her secret recipe to cook the fried rice without oil. As we  Malaysian know, fried rice surely oily and heaty. How can she prepare the fried rice oil-less??


I don't know. I just know "eat" when it ready....hehe!

Yummy~~! This fried rice so unique and special. Oil-less and yet didn't burned, can't get it anywhere except homemade. 

Bukit Mertajam Pak Man Mee Kuah Ketam

The real name for the BM To'Kun Mee Goreng is Pak Man Mee Kuah Ketam To'Kun. This was the same place I explore the Mee Goreng. We came here just for mee goreng but the waiter told us: "Mee Kuah tinggal satu jer, nak x?" Which mean, the Noodle Kuah left last one only, do you want to order?

Of course, we took the last plate of mee kuah and feel exclusive when newly walk in customer disappointment over the sold out of mee kuah....ngek ngek ngek :-p


Found same place as the Mee Goreng. Kaki Bukit of Tok Kun Hill.




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It look like Jawa Mee but it is not. They called it Mee Kuah: (Kuah is soup in Malay)

Oh, this Mee Kuah so tasty. The soup is so thick with taste of crab or shrimp or seafood. At first, I taste it like shrimp. But this is not mee udang (Shrimp noodle). When I taste it again, it like seafood soup taste as the soup taste more than shrimp. My mind just can't set it straight even the signboard said Mee Kuah Ketam (crab), The crab bisque soup is so-so good. So orgasmic! 


The problem of the last plate of mee kuah is it a bit chill. If they make hot the crab bisque soup, you probably suck and lick the last drop of the mee kuah... (".)


Normal Mee Kuah cost RM3.50 and with Ketam will be RM4.50 which I think it worth the price.

Found this video introduce Pak Man Mee Kuah Ketam in youtube, the same guy that promote best tasty rojak in the world

Alma Wang Wang Nasi Lemak

I went to one of the hawker center in Alma Bukit Mertajam, I noticed many people buy food from this stall and I said I will try this next time because I already ordered curry fish head. So, last week, I went back to this hawker center just to try out the food at stall named Wang Wang Nasi Lemak.


The hawker center found "near" Pasar Malam (night market) at Alma on every Sunday night. It not found on main road but from the hawker center, you can see the pasar malam. I not familiar with the place here. So, this is gps coordination: 5.32626,100.479648 (which I also don't know how to read it)


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I was expecting some good smell and taste of lemak from the Nasi Lemak:

However, the Nasi (Rice) is just plain white rice, no lemak at all. How can a stall named Nasi Lemak, sold the Nasi do not have lemak one? (-_-)" 


However, it has many variety of food to select from and mainly in curry, like curry chicken, curry fish, curry prawn, curry lamb, curry vegetable, curry curry....wah, blur with curry. I think it is because of the curry, it named as Wang Wang Nasi Lemak. For me, it is more suitable to call Economic Rice or that day, the nasi lemak just sold out. I don't know...


The plate above cost me RM4.00 with mainly vegetables. The "Wang Wang" (旺旺）do the trick, after I finish the food, many people still queuing at the stall

Bukit Mertajam To'Kun Mee Goreng

Many people go to Tok Kun mountain hiking and when they are done, many like to stop over at this place for a plate of mee goreng. My first visit to this place, I think is 10 years ago. No hiking, just straight to this place for mee goreng with Ah Hooi. He is my guide in Bukit Mertajam. :-)


Revisit to this place like walking down the memory lane with Ah Hooi last time. This place found at the entrance to Tok Kun hill. A good landmark that you won't miss or use this GPS coordination: 5.346898,100.487201 (btw, I don't know how to use or read the gps coordination, I simply copy from Google map)


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Not sure I'm hungry or because my mind-set set the mee goreng here is good. Indeed, the Cherok Tok Kun Mee Goreng really good. if you happen to hike at Tok Kun Mountain, you should try this, forget about the calories you just burn.....:-p

The normal plate without ketam (crab) cost RM3.50 which is a bit high in price for mee goreng, must be the popularity cause the extra. However, with crab is RM4.50 which is cheaper because crab is expensive nowaday.

Homemade Curry Chicken Mantou

We at new Carrefour hypermarket at Bukit Minyak (previously known as Krico) and wondering what to prepare for breakfast next day. It is good to do-it-yourself than always eating out. Last time, we already made the sandwiches, this time want to do something new and not so complicated


I saw mantou (chinese plain bun), and post the question in the air: "Mantou go best with what huh?" With no hesitation, Elisa said curry. Wow, what a good combination, let do it.


We buy the ingredient we can think of like curry powder, chicken and potato. Still have some tomato left for last sandwich making. We are all set, as what we thought. Being dummy in cooking, this is the curry chicken cooked by Elisa:

Got the look but only taste spicy, nothing more, nothing less. We lack some ingredient like Santan (Coconut milk), onion and carrot. Luckily with complement from soft and fluffy mantou, it still taste good. 

First time after so long, Elisa step into Kitchen to cook something. I already gave her best support by finish most of the ingredient except potato, it just too many. Let hope for more homemade meal to come from Elisa....hehe!

Permatang Tinggi Hokkien Mee

I food hunting this place for 3rd time, this place famous for Hokkien Mee & Loh Mee that  beeing published in local newspaper called Ah Shang Hokkien Mee. It is not easy to find if you not local. Elisa bring me to this place for first time. It not found at main road but one of the house at the Taman of Permatang Tinggi, Bukit Mertajam. 


If you would like to explore this Permatang Tinggi's hokkien mee, refer to below map or use this coordinate: 5.302844,100.478017.


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The Hokkien Mee taste good at my first visit, you can add extra meatball, chicken feet, loh nui (herb egg), egg and others. I guess the best is the homemade chili they provide. I always like original taste of hokkien mee and prefer not to put chili to spoil the taste. However, heavy taste or spice lover can add and change the hokkien mee to curry mee as the chili is free flow:

My second visit to this place is a bit in shock because the table is full of flies. I feel sick after eating the hokkien mee because worry about the hygiene of this place. Then I convinced by friends that Jawi, BM, Tambun these area is normal with many flies. Not sure why but the flies are big and many compare to other area. 

I doubted and visit again this place after longtime. (Hard to find good food around Simpang Ampat Area, I force to go back to same place when running out of choices) I think the flies is because the hygiene of this place. Look at the plate soaked in the oily water with tissue paper plastic and unknown floating stuffs:

This probably the last time I visit to this place unless they improve the hygiene. Not to condemn this place, but the hokkien mee not standard all the time. Sometime it taste good, sometime taste so-so only. Probably overrated by local newspaper or not much competition around that area. Trust me, I tried one of the Laksa at Permatang Tinggi Market, it is the worse Laksa ever but the seller still can survive.

Nibong Tebal Jawa Mee

I randomly google for food in Nibong Tebal and found many famous food in Nibong Tebal like Crispy Pork Knuckle, Tu Bak Hoon (Pork Meat noodle), Crab Porridge and other. I looking for something simple and light for breakfast. So, I decided to try the Jawa Mee at Nibong Tebal.

This hawker center found between morning market and Yawata in Nibong Tebal city center. Refer to below map or use the GPS coordinate: 5.166873,100.474986. 

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The stall named as Tiger's Jawa Mee. She does sell Tu Bak Hoon also. However, I just order the Jawa Mee:

It just taste like Jawa mee, sour, a bit spicy and sweet. Yum~yum~yum. The stall open morning 8am till 5pm, not sure what day is close. In case it close, you can other food like Bak Kut Teh. I noticed many people around also order Bak Kut Teh at the same Hawker center. I seldom eat Bak Kut Teh in morning, so find it weird to eat bak kut teh in morning.
Anyway, I will try it next time because it is full after ate Jawa mee that full of ingredients. Small bowl cost RM2.70 and Big bowl cost RM3.30 worth the price

Elisa's Homemade Sandwiches

This sandwiches homemade. You can't get it anywhere. Actually, you can get a better sandwiches at Subway, not any commuter or train station in your mind but it is the restaurant name called Subway. Remember there is a conversation between M and C.


M: Too bad, Penang do not have Subway. Else, it will at least solve the traffic problem.
C: (Intentionally twisted the meaning of subway) Why not, there are 2 subway. One at Gurney Hotel and one at e-Gate.


This was N year ago. Now, Penang have more subway outlet, not to relief the traffic jam but to fill your tummy with freshly made sandwiches.


Anyway, Elisa's sandwiches (my recipe) also freshly made. Inspired by Subway, you can also prepare similar sandwiches if you like DIY. Because of the bread size or pocket is not big enough, we just filled it with Tomato, Tuna and Mayo. If you can bake better bread, you can add in cucumber, vegetables, ham and others.


6pcs of hot-dog bread - RM2.40
1 can of spicy tuna - RM4.50
6pcs of tomato medium size - RM2.90
1 bottle of mayo - RM3.90
The sandwich making by Elisa - priceless

Raja Uda Yam Rice

I been long hearing about the yam rice at Jalan Raja Uda. One friend who stay and work nearby  Raja Uda recommend us to check this place out. He said the Aunty always give him extra bak eon (meatball) because he got the charm....hehe!


Many time the yam rice sold out fast and with no surprise, you can eat the yam rice without yam. Ya, that right. Just white rice.


Anyway, I went to try my luck with rule of thumb, if no yam rice, I passed. It no joking, the place is jaming-pack with people even already passed lunch time. Can't find an empty table. But luckily, the yam rice still available. The place is along Jalan Raja Uda. It found at the corner lot of a building, paiseh forgot the name of the kopitiam (coffee shop) You just search for RHB Bank at Raja Uda or set GPS to this coordination 5.433695,100.385513



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Here is the yam rice I ordered:

It is a bit oily, can't eat the yam compared with the one I tried at Sentosa Bukit Mertajam. It just got it own specialty of yam rice.


No extra bak eon, no intestines of pig, it cost RM5 for single serving.


I like the combination taste of yam rice and the sour soup. This is another Penang Food that you should try besides Hokkien Mee, Curry Mee, Nasi Lemak and Char koay teow that outstation friends always mention.

Butterworth Ah Khoon Loh Mee

I was recommend by a friend to go explore this food at Butterworth, Penang. She used to recommend me Nasi Tomato (tomato rice) but it not open on weekend. She said this Loh Mee is different from Penang Island's Loh Mee. The specialty is the Loh Mee itself tasteless and you have to add in vinegar and sambal (chilli paste). Hm...should it still be call Loh mee?


She draw us a direction on A4 paper and we managed to find it. It found opposite Telecom Malaysia, Butterworth Branch. Nearby vicinity is Hotel, UOB Bank. Normally you can't miss it, if you key the coordinate 5.410777,100.370874 at your GPS :-p or refer to google map below:


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Here is the Loh Mee

Before I add any vinegar or sambal, the Loh Mee taste genuine. It is so original, I enjoy eating without need to add any sauce. For those who like to distinguish the mainland loh mee and Penang Island loh mee, then you can consider add in Vinegar and sambal. 


Add in Vinegar itself spoil the loh mee taste but with combination of vinegar and sambal, it is another wonderful taste of loh mee. With just RM3.80 only a bowl, you get to enjoy at least 3 tastes for loh mee at the same location. Haven't mention the juicy pork meat, so soft and tender. Anyway who visit to butterworth, should try it. It open morning until noon only.