Bak Kut Teh in Kota Baru ? [Updated 13th February 2010]

I love Bak Kut Teh  with its nutritious herbal soup, spare ribs, pork belly, tendons, leg cuts, pork balls and of course 'Yu Char Kueh'. My wife prefers to add the pig intestines, stomach and liver.

Sometime in January, I was at the Metropole Food Court at Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah (aka Northam Road) and ordered a bowl of Bak Kut Teh and specifically said that I wanted spare ribs and not the spine and lots of  "Yu Char Kueh". Imagine my sheer disappointment when it was finally delivered after a long wait with no "Yu Char Kueh" and totally no spare ribs ! To add insult to injury, it cost a bomb at RM 35.00. What a rip off and in no uncertain terms, I told the delivery person that her boss is really a dishonest hawker !

Fast forward a couple of weeks later, I was back in Kota Baru to supervise the parallel run by my client. After being sick of eating at Pizza Hut, A & W and the lone Chinese restaurant at Jalan Padang Garong, I decided to look for Kota Baru's China Town.

Taking a left at the Traffic Light and turning into Jalan Kebun Sultan, I walked across the road and saw a solitary Indian Restaurant and thought to myself... Perhaps I can get to eat Mamak Indian Mee after all. A short distance later, I saw shop selling Bak Kut Teh but did not stop as it did not look to clean. Then, I saw a couple of coffee shops selling a respectable variety of Chinese hawker food and then I saw "Feilo Heng Bak Kut Teh" :)

 

 

I then ordered my usual favourite combination of spare ribs, tendons, pork belly, pork balls and of course "Yu Char Kueh". How was the taste ? Surprisingly, delicious and yes, I got my spare ribs and all for a sum of RM 7.50 !

But wait a minute, isn't this Kota Baru, the capital of Islamic Kelantan ? According to Fei Loh Heng (in picture) , he has been openly selling "Bak Kut Teh" for the last 28 years at the Coffee shop fronting Jalan Kebu Sultan with no harassment from the municipal authorities. He claimed that in neighbouring Terengganu, such shops would need to have a plastic sheeting to hide them.

Best Sea Food in Penang ?

I am sure that you have heard of the "Beginning of the World" in Batu Maung or the "End of the World" in Teluk Bahang. But have you heard of the "Fishing Village" also in Telok Bahang ?


This is what we had last Sunday at the Fishing Village :-

The lobster (about 800 gm) was fresh and very tasty with the delicious cheesy onions and sliced mushrooms combination. Even, Kimberley asked for more :-)

 

The Shark Fins soup was pretty delicious.

Look at the size of the crab roe, yum yum !

The Honey Buttered Squids was simply delicious !


To get there, at the Telok Bahang roundabout, take a 3 O'clock turn and you will see the "End of the World" restaurant at the corner, proceed straight until you see a left turn and there you are...

Kelantanese Food

As far as I can recall, my 6th Maternal Auntie from Kota Baru, Kelantan will always drop by to see my mum (Eldest in the Tan Family) in Penang with a packet or two of delicious Ayam Percik (aka Kay Peng in Hokkien) skewered on sticks and wrapped in newspapers. This was how I acquired the taste of Ayam Percik :-)

Recently, I was in Kota Baru with my Senior Software Engineer to implement a project which was first demonstrated to the customer 7 years ago !  On the first day, we were treated by Ridzuan  to Sup GearBox at Pantai Cahaya Bula (previously known as Pantai Cinta Berahi).

On last Thursday, I asked to be taken to Restoran Yati where we feasted on Ayam Percik, Nasi Kerabu, Grilled Beef and Stuffed Lady Fingers :-

Ayam Percik

Nasi Kerabu

 

Stuffed Lady Fingers

 

Grilled Beef

Penang Hawkers Food : Wan Tan Mee [Updated 2nd Dec 2009]

Based on a poll carried out by the Penang State Government , Wan Tan Mee was voted # 12 with 1109 votes out of 2,018. The objective of the poll was to select 12 food that will be featured in the special brochure called the “Penang 12 Best Food”. However, I read somewhere that Mee Goreng (ranked # 15 with 997 votes) will replace Wan Tan Mee as Penang Best Food # 12 :-)

There is 2 basic version ie the Dry and the Wet version and this is how Wan Tan Mee (at New World Park) looks like  :-

For me, the version at New World Park is just okay.

This how the version at the New Cathay Coffee Shop opposite Belissa Row, Pulau Tikus looks like

All I have to do is to say "Good Morning" to the Lady and the above will be served to me automatically :-) I love the fried Wan Tan and the bowl of wet Wan Tan but I think the wet Wan Tan will taste better without the taste of prawn in it.

Updated on 2nd December 2009

This how the version of the Wan Tan Mee sold by the seller beside Union Primary School in Jlan Burmah

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Penang Hawkers Food : Penang Curry Mee

Just before noon, I suddenly had the urge to eat Penang Curry Mee. I was in the Pulau Tikus area and walked into the New Cathay Coffee Shop opposite Belissa Row in Jalan Burmah.

A typical bow of curry mee will comprise :-

• Yellow Mee
• Bean Sprouts
• Bee Hoon
• Tau Hoo Pok
• Prawns
• Fish Ball
• Jew Hoo
• Pig Blood Curd
• Mussels
• Long Beans
• Mint Leaves
• Curry Soup
• Special Curry Mee Paste

As usual, I ordered a bowl with no prawns, pig blood curd and mussels but with plenty of tau hoo pok. Here is how it was served to me...

Penang Hawkers Food : Endangered Hawkers Food

Whilst there are plenty of stalls selling Hokkien Mee, Char Koay Teow, Wan Tan Mee, do you know that certain Penang Hawker Foods can hardly be found such as :-

Traditional Nasi Lemak

There seems to be 2 basic versions of nasi lemak that is easily available in Penang

• Nasi Lemak Bungkus (curry with ikan billis or fish plus boiled egg) that is commonly sold by the roadside
• Nasi Lemak sold at coffee shops and food court (pandan rice + a selection of add-ons)

The one that I like best is none of the above !

Up to the mid-70's, you can buy a packet of the real Nasi Lemak as peddled by itinerant Indian Koay Sellers. This simple but very delciious Lasi Lemak comprises

• Delicious Pandan-flavoured Rice cooked with Coconut Milk
• Assam Prawns or Fish
• Belachan Sambal

Sadly, this traditional Nasi Lemak is no longer sold by these intinerant Indian vendors :-) Fortunately, you can still get this version at the Coffee Shop opposite the Supermarket at Cantonment Road :-)

Satay Babi

This yummy hawkers food comprises

• Stick of marinated alternating pieces of lean meat and fat
• Pigs Intestine (Hoon Chiang)
  
• Traditional satay sauce (not peanut sauce)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Slices of cucumber
• Toasted bread (optional)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

When I was a boy living at Immigration Road, I remember a man carrying a kandar stick selling satay and there was a boy always following him.

This boy is now an old man known as Tung Ah Chun selling Satay Babi on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at Bangkok Lane. Apparently, no one is going to take over from him. He uses to also sell delicious Hoon Chiang but does not do so anymore and it is simply too much work. :-)

Previously, there was a woman selling almost the same version at Penang Road beside Kampung Malabar. but since the Rent Control Act was repealed, she has moved away and I have not been able to locate her since :-)

Penang Hawkers Food : My Favourites [First posted in 1996, Updated 2nd Dec 2009]

I know...I know... There is bound to be better places which I may not aware of !  Anyway, one man's meat... another's poison and these are my favourite hawker food :-

Traditional Nasi Lemak - Updated 21 September 2009

• Cantonment Road, opposite Supermarket (Morning only)

Traditional Pork Satay (Satay Babi) - Updated 21 September 2009

• Bangkok Lane (Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays Morning)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Traditional Siew Mai, Kow Chee - Updated 21 September 2009

• In front of Sisters Char Koay Teow in Macalister Road (Saturday/Sunday Morning)
• Along Pahang Road & beside Padang Brown (At Night only)

Curry Mee - Updated 21 September 2009

• Lorong Seratus Tahun
• Corner of Tavoy Road/Burmah Road (At Night only)
• New Cathay Coffee Shop at Pulau Tikus (Morning only)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Hokkien Mee - Updated 1st Nov 2009

• Perak Road, opposite Padang Brown
• Coffee Shop at junction of Moulmein Road and Burmah Road (Usually finished by 9.00am ! Not opened on Thursday)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Gurney Drive Hawker Centre (Starts in the Afternoon)
  

Wan Tan Mee - Updated 10th October 2009

• Near Union School, Burmah Road (When he feels like it :-) )
  
  
  
• New Cathay Coffee Shop at Pulau Tikus (Morning only)
• Along Pahang Road & beside Padang Brown (At Night only)
  

Char Koay Teow- Updated 1st Nov 2009

• Lorong Selamat, most expensive but very tasty
• Coffee Shop before Tanjung Bungah Market (Tuesday - Sunday Morning)
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Jalan Burmah, opposite Police Station
• Behind Pulau Tikus Market (At Night)
• Bee Hooi Coffee Shop in Pulau Tikus
  

Indian Mee

• Bangkok Lane
• Gurney Drive (formerly Edgecumbe Road)
• Behind Pulau Tikus Market
  

Pasembur

• Bee Hooi Coffee Shop , Lorong Kuching, Pulau Tikus opposite Haagen Das (At Night)
  

Loh Mee - Updated 21 September 2009

• Bee Hooi Coffee Shop , Lorong Kuching, Pulau Tikus opposite Haagen Das
• Next to Kuan Imm Temple at Pitt Street
• Corner of Jones Road/Burmah Road
  

Fried Oysters (Oh Chien) - Updated 22 September 2009

• Carnavon street (Afternoon)
  
• Bee Hooi  Coffee Shop, Lorong Kuching, Pulau Tikus opposite Haagen Das (At night only)
  

Koay Teow Thn'g - Updated 21 September 2009

• Hutton Lane
  
• Anson Road
• Tanjung Bungah Market (Morning only)
  

Laksa - Updated 21 September 2009

• Air Itam market
• Balik Pulau market
• Summer Cafe, Jalan Lembah Permai
  

Pork Porridge - Updated 21 September 2009

• Kampung Malabar, off Penang Road - 7:00 pm onwards (At Night, Please be prepared to wait at least 45 minutes)
• Junction of Macalister Road/Lorong Selamat

Penang Char Koay Teow is a National Heritage ? [Updated 30th August 2009]

I read with interest the gripe by YAB Lim Guan Eng, CM of Penang as to why no Penang Buildings are listed as National Heritage Sites. However, he did mention that Penang Char Koay Teow is a National Heritage :-)

Well, when I cannot resist the taste for this high cholesterol sin food, I usually visit

• Coffee Shop near the Tanjung Bungah Market
  
  
  
  
  
• Coffee Shop in Jalan Burmah opposite the Police Station in Pulau Tikus
• Coffee Shop in Jalan Perak opposite Padang Brown
• The proud lady at Lorong Selamat where you used to have to queue up with your plate
  

So, where is your favourite CKT hawker ?