DESTINATION : Penang
Travel period : 231113-251113
this is not a place for a stroll in de sandy beach but de hotel is located in an excellent spot for very convenient shopping (nestled in between Gurney Paragon and Gurney Plaza). de reservation was made via HotelClub with Citibank Premier Miles CC as we thought it helped to save about 30% while fulfilling his luxurious moment. upon checking in, we were served with ice-cream at de reception.
rate not including breakfast
king bed was subjected to availability and we were thankful to get an island bed.
oh my what de fish.
it was a let down with de G particularly for its housekeeping service. when we checked in our room, immediately I felt disgusted to see dropping crumbs on de carpet from de previous guests. called housekeeping twice and finally got de mess cleaned up. and on de second day when we were back into our room in de late afternoon, de cup filled with yesterday's milo and used tissues remained untouched on de table. bin was selectively emptied and they missed de one in the washroom.I didn't want to complain about de plastic teaspoon they provide to stir on hot drinks. are these to expect for our overpriced room rate?
it was a let down with de G particularly for its housekeeping service. when we checked in our room, immediately I felt disgusted to see dropping crumbs on de carpet from de previous guests. called housekeeping twice and finally got de mess cleaned up. and on de second day when we were back into our room in de late afternoon, de cup filled with yesterday's milo and used tissues remained untouched on de table. bin was selectively emptied and they missed de one in the washroom.
including some can drinks, and two kitkat bars. de G was generous enough as they refilled our kitkat bars de next day.
bathroom amenities only provided de minimal. no shower cap, sanitary bag, cotton buds, and not even a piece of facial puff. no bathtub
#2 三条路 888 福建虾面 @ Lebuh Presgrave.
this stall operates in de evening until night. our first dinner in Penang turned out pretty satisfying, with this popular street food among de Penangites.
Hokkien mee RM3.20
with additional
egg RM0.80
fishball RM0.80
roasted pork RM2.00 --- recommended
roasted pork is indeed a good choice. other add-ons (upon request) include pig skin, pig intestines, pork ribs, and pork knuckle. don't get confused as prawn mee is commonly known as Hokkien mee in Penang.
Cendol RM2+ --- recommended
you must not missed this bowl of heaven. it is truly addictive after a few sips.Cendol RM2+ --- recommended
ABC with vanilla ice-cream RM2+
surprisingly, it tasted pretty normal and not as good as cendol.
Ojien RM9
(ordered from next door)
a lil starchy but these big oysters appeared in generous portion.
(ordered from next door)
a lil starchy but these big oysters appeared in generous portion.
#3 Ah Leng Char Koey Teow 亚龙炒粿条 @ Jln Chor Sin Kheng, Air Itam (operates at night)
CKT is known to be another staple of Penang street food. if you crave for a plate of Ah Leng CKT in de afternoon, you can head to Khoon Hiang Cafe located at Jln Dato Keramat. at night, you'll probably get de real Ah Leng to serve you in Air Itam. Ah Leng CKT is claimed to be one of de best CKT in Penang.
(Jln Dato Keramat) operating hours: 8:30am – 2:30pm
(Air Itam) operating hours: 6pm – 10pm
besides de usual ingredients, this plate of CKT special came with four large bouncy prawns and four mantis prawns with an additional request for duck egg. in other words, you're able to "customize" your own CKT. a plate of full flavours and obviously this is what you paid for (price is in an increasing trend nonetheless).
we wanted to try out Siam Road Charcoal CKT too but unfortunately it was sold out when we arrived. we'll definitely be back, uncle!
de place was already crowded on a Sunday morning even though we came for early breakfast. food was okay but I personally think that they should improve on their drinks. I'm real cranky now because I didn't get a good cup of Teh C!
Lor Bak RM7
a two person mixed portion Penang-style appetizer, including deep-fried marinated pork beancurd rolls, prawn fritters, spring rolls, and tofu. I guess de fried squid have to be specially ordered because it wasn't in my plate! as usual, this popular treat is served with chilli and sticky brown sauce. it was good but wasn't too extremely delicious. thumbs up for its special brown sauce recipe, it was really thick.
Nasi Lemak RM10.50
I was literally staring at de glutton boy until he passed his plate to me (= and seriously it was pretty good. brinjal was my favourite.
de springy noodle was served with de usual ingredients and also a half slice of chinese mushroom. we were cheated by de crowds to order this (almost every table has a plate of wanton mee!). sesame oil overloaded and sorry to say I didn't like it.
for drivers, you can either park your car near to de main temple with RM2 plus an additional fee for tram or drive uphill to de top for Guan Yin Statue (Goddess of Mercy). ridding a tram in Penang is forever a dreadful experience for me. regardless of safety, be prepare to be packed full like sardines. if more unlucky, you'll be forced to listen to some conversation you may not be interested as they are people who do not respect space privacy. hot and stuffy basically sums up all de horrible experience.
#6 Asam Laksa @ Pasir Air Itam.
although not quite a pleasant environment as it is located just next to de market, but this is where you find thrills for your tummy.
Asam Laksa RM4
a bowl of wee serving that constitutes another yummy Penang street food that should not be missed.
Asam Laksa RM4
a bowl of wee serving that constitutes another yummy Penang street food that should not be missed.
#7 Love for Penang Murals.
trishaw and bike rental services are mostly everywhere although de area can be covered by foot alone. cycling is a fun option but I choose to walk simply because I'm a lousy cyclist. thanks to Ernest Zacharevic who started de trend, these mural paintings have made Penang a more interesting place. tell me if anyone still think that street art (provided is done properly) is a disgrace to de society?
Little Children on a Bicycle | Armenian Street.
Boy on a Bike | Ah Quee Street.
Little Boy with Pet
(next to Boy on a Bike) if it hasn't fade away, this should also be my favourite. ahhh.. my T-Rex!
The Brother and Sister on a Swing | Chulia Street.
this is one of my favourite.
Children Playing Basketball | Chulia Street.
(opposite The Brother and Sister on a Swing)
Reaching up | Cannon Street.
arghhh... not tourists with camera again?!
More minions | Chulia Street.
(opposite The Brother and Sister on a Swing & Children Playing Basketball)
The Giant Cat | Armenian Street.
#8 Clan Jetties @ Weld Quay.
this communal site is a waterfront settlement created by de old Chinese fishing village that built their homes over de water. among de existing jetties, Chew Jetty stands out as de largest and most well-known in Penang. we also had a quick stroll to Lee and Tan Jetties. rarely see anything interesting in these jetties but I kinda regretted for not walking further into Tan Jetty (partly because of de planked walkway wasn't very stable) to look for de picturesque red wooden house =/
Lee Jetty 姓李桥.
looking prosperous.
Chew Jetty 姓周桥.
this place did provide a good setting for photography but somehow I felt it more as intrusions into people's privacy. some even showed sign of "no camera" in front of their houses.
completely faded before we got to catch a glimpse of it =(
more pictures on Chew Jetty.
#9 late afternoon tea @ The Alley, 5 Stewart Lane.
you may easily overlook de place at first glance. previously it was a shop selling joss stick but now turning into a cozy little cafe. trust me, this is definitely one of de hidden gems in Penang if you're kinda satiated with Penang street food.
Cappuccino in Penang-style RM9
sorry but I still prefer biscotti more.
Churros RM9 (L) ---recommended
for a large serving, it came with six churros and two dips. we chose Nutella and Salted Caramel to go along with these Spanish doughnuts as their in-house chocolate dip was sold out. I would say this is by far de best churros that I've ever tasted in Malaysia. seriously fatdieme but not enough!
Cronut with Nutella RM8 ---recommended
totally gone crazy with de roasted macademia nuts on this hybrid of croissant and doughnut. heart de way it was served too. I'm lovin' it!
they have a more picturesque corner but I wasn't able to capture since de place was occupied. this place definitely worth a return visit if I'm coming back to Penang =)
#10 Goodall Hawker Centre @ Jln Gottlieb.
(opposite Penang Chinese Girl School)
Crunchy Chocolate Banana.
this addicted finger food was well worth waiting for. crispy on de outside with bursting flavours in de mouth making it a perfect late night snack. sharing is caring as it may be too sweet to handle alone.
(clockwise from upper left):
Grilled stingray ---recommended
Grilled squid ---recommended
Grilled giant scallop
Grilled clams
and yes we tried almost everything while waiting for de crispy roti to arrive.
#11 Lam Ah Coffee Shop @ Chulia Street.
(opposite Beach Street fire station)
(opposite Beach Street fire station)
this place is located just nearby many of de Penang murals (near to Boy on a Bike). parking might be difficult if you're driving a car. it is closed on Sunday.
Crispy Fried Ojien RM5
in contrary to de moist and starchy style, this ojien appeared dry and crispy and simply it was delicious (more oily however). oysters, though in petite size but they were fresh and equally tasty.
Beef Soup Koay Teow RM7
#12 Chinahouse @ Beach Street.
I've been hearing that this place will transform you into little Ernest. when you dine in here, you're allowed to scribble on a piece of tracing paper lined on their table with de crayons provided. but sadly, we were seated at a table with a glass lining and no one even care to tell us more about this artsy stuff. at least, I think this is de restaurant's specialty that should be promoted. there are different dining venues in Chinahouse to cater for different needs of atmosphere. nevertheless, beware as some rustic sections are just too dimmed and quiet and you may be welcomed by mosquitoes.
losing its spark and fading.
some of de masterpiece by their customers.
latte was pretty forgettable, coffee art attempted but it was sorry. de boy ordered a fresh mango juice with extra RM3 for a neat drink (no ice). it turned out to be fresh mango juice without ice but with extra water.
dessert corner with a huge variety.
although many have said they served yummy cakes, but we were not motivated as we felt disgusted to see multiple fruit flies sitting on top of one of their cakes that wasn't cover with lid. their cakes appeared more towards homemade-style.
Big Breakfast RM30
served with fried egg (no selection in terms of choice of cooking), lamb sausage, beef patty, mushroom, spinach, caramelized onions, lemon hollandaise felt like butter, and chilli jam tomato puree. though well marinated, lamb sausage and beef patty were rather charred and didn't look appetizing.
it sort of fulfilled de craving for greens but tasted mediocre. failure was due to stale bread, and it could be better with slightly reduced vinegar.
Yoghurt Fresh Fruit Salad with Granola and Honey RM12
a main that no one would bother to remember.
it seems every favourite Penang food can be found everywhere. and oops.. did I miss out KOMTAR Tower?
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