Fruits N Spice (Part 2)

My Ratings: 4 Stars
Cuisine: Chinese, Street Food

Location: 202B, Jalan Sungai Pinang, 11010 Balik Pulau
Pork Free
RM7-10 per person
Contact: +604 8661807 (Eric Kee)
Opens on Weekends and Public Holidays only
GPS N05 23.727 E100 12.998

Joanne called me up and invited me to Eric's place for Hokkien Mee. He is cooking it this weekend instead of the usual laksa because he found fresh prawns in the market. I raced up to his place and true Hokkien Mee was served.

Balik Pulau is also known for its Hokkien mee. Always complimenting the more acidic laksa with the sweetness of the prawn broth. Eric's Hokkien mee, is another winner. Packed with ingredients, the broth is sweet and the chilly paste packs a punch.

Going to Eric's place is always a pleasure and a chance to get away from the city's hustle and bustle to the lush mountain greenery. This time, I had the chance to taste durians from Eric's plantation, from the famed Hor Lor to 604. Eric brought for me his "reserved" priced durians and freshly harvested from the nets and not those that have fallen to the ground. The "harvested" durians are smooth and aromatic compared to the fallen fruit which has more watery and "wrinkled" texture (pic2). Eric also makes nutmeg syrup and durian cake on every Wednesdays.

My advice is to call up Eric to confirm if he is cooking Hokkien Mee or Laksa and to order your durians before making the trip there. But most of the time, he is cooking Laksa

Drink Koopuwa - Health for Life

Fruits N Spice

My ratings: 4 Stars
Cuisine: Chinese, street food

Location: 202B Jalan Sungai Pinang, 11010 Balik Pulau
Pork Free
RM 7-10 or RM15-20 (include durians)
Contact: +6048661807 (Eric Kee)
Opens weekends and public holidays only

GPS: N05 23.727 E100 12.998

Nestled in the hill side of Balik Pulau, there is an unique place to have laksa and durians - the favourite indulgences of Malaysians. The place is actually a private cottage with a vast durian plantation in its backyard - a place where lives a passionate man in the art of making laksa and has the green thumb especially for the durian tree.

Eric Kee gave up a corporate career to focus on his love of cooking and dreams in living in harmony with nature and has made Balik Pulau as his home. Eric cooks up a wonderful dish of homemade assam laksa and the nonya pai tee. Helped by his lovely wife, family and helpers. Eric also has manage to grow his business and now Penangites and its island visitors traveled all the way up and around the island to Balik Pulau solely for his laksa. And when the durian session is here, the crowd just keep coming over for the fruit and spicy noodle - a perfect combo and a hallmark of Balik Pulau. And visitors always go home with laksa to go and packs of durian flesh

It is truly a "home made" enterprise. The laksa is only available on weekends and public holidays. Eric has converted his house porch into the dining hall and he also converted the living quarter into an antique gift shop. Eric is an avid antique collector also trades in antiques. The durians are picked fresh from his ochard at the back of the house. Eric has most of the varieties of durians including the famed "Ang Heh". The durians are harvested when they (fruit dropped from the tree and not fall to the ground. To prevent the fruits hitting the grounds, they are tied up to the tree using string or collected from a net above ground. Once the fruit has hit the ground, the taste and texture of the fruit becomes inferior.

The laska (RM3:00 small/RM400 big per bowl) ingredients are fresh and the taste is well balanced. Not too sweet nor salty (add shrimp paste to taste), so it is perfectly suited to the health conscious. 2 type of drinks are served. First is Nutmeg juice (another hallmark of Balik Pulau) and sour plum drink (RM1.50 each) . The pai tee is crunchy and light (RM3.00) for a plate of 5 pieces.

The cottage is packed with customers. While waiting for your table, you can start with the durians under the shade of the durian tree. The cottage commands an excellent view of the valley below. Drivers driving to/from Teluk Bahang to Balik Pulau can never miss this place. It is a very well maintained and beautifully landscaped front yard.

I definitely recommend his place whenever you are heading to Balik Pulau. You will get good simple food, farm picked durians and a fasinating collection of antiques (some for sale) but most important you also get to experience how it is like to stay in a location that is so close to nature.