Invited Review: Viva Dim Sum Delight

My Ratings: 4 Star

Cuisine: Chinese/Dim Sum

Location: Viva Local Food Haven

Lot 303, Jalan Tanjung Tokong 10470

(Beside Penang Chinese Swimming Club)

Non Halal

Tel: 604-8902549

RM15-20 per person

Newest Dim Sum outlet opening on the island (on 10th August). On the outside, it may look like another food court. Well it is but at the back, Viva has managed to set up a full working kitchen to dish out one of the best dim sum on the island

Judging from the dished we reviewed, the dim sum is superior to its competitors, the variety is wide selection, taste more refined and the ingredients is quality. Much more to standard you get in hotel restaurants. In fact the proprietor, Mr David C.M. Loh stressed that the concept of this restaurant is to present diners with quality dim sum made to established restaurants at affordable price that everyone can afford to enjoy

As a matter of fact, the chefs has many years in the restaurant environment in the greater city of Kuala Lumpur and they are proud of fact that they used top grade food ingredients to muster their creations. For example stuffed avocado and custard cream with crispy friend vermicelli noodle - sweet and exotic.

I recommend the dim sum place to anyone who enjoy quality and reasonable price and and a keen taste of true Hong Kong style dim sum. I definitely would like to go there often. Opening hours is 6:00am - 2:00pm daily but I believe they will extend their operating hour to include 6:00pm - 10:00pm for a fix of evening dim sum by the time of this review's publication.

Congee@New Lane

My Ratings: 4 Stars

Cuisine: Chinese/Street Hawker Fare

Location: Junction of New Lane & McAllister Road, Penang

Non-Halal

Price: RM4 - 5 per person

One evening, I decided to haunt a street famed for its street foods sold by the tens of hawkers who have been plying their trade since since I could remember. It has been years since I ate there. So there so some unfamiliarity of the food available their. Also that evening, my appetite wasn't at its best. So I was looking for something less filling and easy to go down.

I scouted the stalls from my plastic stool and I kinda like what I saw. I saw poh piah and a congee stall side by side. But I wasn't really sure what to have. So I ordered two. I was confident I could finish both.

But the setup of the congee stall really attracted my attention. All those pork inerts and meat hanging on the same push cart. Stomach lining, Char Siew (Marinated BBQ pork), intestines (deep fried till crisp and dark golden colour, more intestines (cooked) and some other parts or meat which I do not even know such existed.

At first look, the mass of meat and inerts hangings do not really stimulate ones appetite, especially I am trying very hard to eat more vegetables (be a vegetarian). But then the memories of soothing congee brings me back to a time and place I was really comfortable.....home and home cooked congee.

Congee on its own is so simple. Often taken when the weather is hot (and it is really hot nowadays) and when one is sick. The silky sooth consistency really helps the food goes down the throat. Add those deep fried inerts and char siew and a pinch of white pepper powder and freshly chopped shallots (spring onions) plus a dash of sesame oil is a must.......make the whole dining experience heavenly

But what had changed from the golden olden days is the price. I remember not paying more than RM0.80 for a bowl to now a minimum of RM4.00 to satisfy the desire for congee

A must try if you are not afraid of this bizarre food of port inerts and a fan of this Hong Kong styled congee.

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Bizarre Food: Sin Geylang Claypot Bull Frog Porridge

My Ratings: 3 Stars

Cuisine: Chinese
Location: 87, Macallister Road, 10400 Penang
(opposite Red Rock Hotel)
Non Halal
RM15-20 per person

Move aside Andrew Zimmern, there a dish in town I bet you have not tried. Bull Frog Porridge! For those you are uninitiated, bull frog porridge is quite a common dish among the Chinese community here in Penang but this restaurant specializes in preparing them into the most delicious manner.

Geylang, famous as the red light districts in Singapore where it also serves Singapore's most famous bull frog porridge, this Sin Geylang (New Geylang) restaurant is situated in town opposite the Red Rock Hotel (formerly The Ming Court Hotel).

There are a number of ways this restaurant cooks it bull frog porridge. They can be cooked using claypot over high heat with Ginger & Spring Onion or the more popular spicy Kung Po way. It can be steamed, made into soup or even deep fried with Belacan (Shrimp Cake). The price is about RM9 per bull frog depending on how it is cooked.

If bull frog is not your cup of tea, there you can substitute it with seafood like fish slices, prawns, eel, pink Hussors or white/black prom fret

There are also other meat, egg, tofu and vegetable dishes to accompany. You can either have your dinner with rice or porridge.

We ordered 2 pieces of bull frog cooked in claypot Kung Po style, Homemade Yun Nan Tofu and Tou Miau vegetable.

The Kung Po Claypot Bullfrog is well prepared with no strong aftertaste that usually associate with bull frog. It is fresh and the Homemade Yun Nan Tofu is crispy outside and soft and light on the inside and the tou miau is fresh.

The portions are small and our total bill was RM37 for two persons including drinks. Open daily 12noon - 3pm (lunch) and 6pm - 11pm (dinner). For more information, call Mr. Tan 012-421 1206.

Tai Buan Teo Chew Porridge

My Ratings: 4 Stars

Cuisine: Teo Chew, Chinese

Location: 173 Muntri Street, Penang (Corner of Muntri and Leigh Street, nearby Red Cafe)

Non Halal

RM12-15 per person

I came across this place by accident/chance. My original intention was to have dinner at Red cafe along Leigh Street. I did not want to park inside Red Cafe car park which I think not worth pay the RM2 parking, so I cruise along the back at Leigh Street. There was not parking right in front of Red Cafe so I had to park a little further.

As I got out of the car, I noticed there was crowd of people in front of a shoplot. Curiously, I checked it out and to my amazement, there is a cart inside the shop selling good old Teo Chew styled porridge. What a pleasant surprise!

So Amanda and me decide to give this porridge stall a try. We ordered all the "must haves" for a Teo Chew porridge which is the most important......Succulent, fatty braised pork belly and then followed by pork ears, preserved vegetables, salted duck egg, pork inerts, bean curd and 2 portions of porridge each. One portion is to eat immediately while the other is left to cool and when by the time the first porridge portion is finished, the second portion would be at the right temperature

Asking around, the stall has been operating for more than 15 years. It is a family business, started with the father and then passed down to son and assisted by mother and a few workers. This restaurant is definitely old styled. Simple, no frills and selling porridge from 6pm till 10pm everyday except Sunday. Steeped in tradition, this stall enjoys a constant flow of loyal customer although eating porridge nowadays is no longer cheap. Our bill came up to about RM30 for two including drinks. So next time, if you are feeling heaty or having less appetite, head down to Tai Buan Porridge for a refreshing comforting old school porridge.