Wang Zhao Jun

My Ratings: 3 Stars

Cuisine: Chinese

Location: 73 Rangoon Road, Georgetown, Penang

Non Halal

RM7-30 per person

This place is recommended by TV8's Ho Chiak! programme which airs every Sunday 6:30pm. Situated at Rangoon Road, operating from 8:00am - 2:30pm daily and closes on Tuesdays. This is a top favourite restaurant for local Penangites. It's super packed for lunch right up to closing time at 2:30pm.

Nevertheless, you need to be there early as their specialty dishes are usually sold out before closing time. Their specialty dishes are their Fish Meat Hor Fun (pictured), Sour and Spicy Fish Head Bee Hoon Soup (pictured) and Deep Fried Tofu.

I did not manage to order the Deep Fried Tofu as it was sold out when I reached there about 1:30pm. Instead I ordered the Chearn Jiang Pork Ribs (pictured). If you are not a fish head fan, you can replace it with bite size fish meat. I am not a fan of fish head coz I am just too lazy to work through all the bones in that part of the fish. So on this adventure, I had the fish head replace with fish meat.

All the food was delicious. The Hor Fun taste fresh as it is made as ordered and not ready made. It came with Chai Sim vegetables. The fish peices are very freah and its meat tasted sweet. Ginger is not used in the cooking, so that tells you how fresh the fish is. Served steaming hot in a light soya sauce with a sprinkle of fried garlic. The taste is flavourful. Every other table in the restuarant has a plate of the hor fun.

The Fish Meat Sour & Spicy Bee Hoon Soup came next in a claypot. It has Bee Hoon, fish meat, Thai chilli, tomatoes and chopped shallots. The first taste of the soup, you are immediately overwhelmed by the sour and spicy of the dish. The heat of the Thai chilli is strong but not intense while the sourness makes you want more of the soup after every spoonful. The sour come from preserved plum. I can see that people comes to the restaurant ordering that bee hoon only which clearly shows that it is the top favourite.

The next dish from the kitchen is the "Chearn Jiang" pork ribs. It has a strong flavour, It's deep fried and then served with a savoury and sweet sauce sauteed until the sauce is thick. I enjoyed the dish until the very last piece of the pork ribs.

I will definitely go there again to try the other dishes on the menu. Parking is limited so you must be prepared to walk further. The price for our 3 dishes and 2 herbal drinks came to a total of RM28.40. Slightly pricey but I think it can be justified coz fish meat is expensive.

Call 0125559046/0124709549

Swatow Lane Ice Kacang

My ratings: 4 Stars

Cuisine: Asian/Dessert

Location: New World Park (102, Burmah Road), Penang

Halal

From RM2:00

Some call it ABC (Air Batu Campur), some Ice Kacang and even in some countries (Philippines) they have a nicer name to it...Halo Halo. Well it is just a concoction of Rose and Sarsi syrup, sweet corn, sweetened red beans, evaporated milk, herbal jelly, palm seeds and of course a large dollop of shaved ice. For some, ice-cream and fruits like banana or mango are added for extra bite! (see pictue 4)

It's a common dessert dish in Penang, mainly found in food courts and local cafes like Gurney Drive. But having tasted most of the them, I still like the one made at the Swatow Lane before they moved to the New World Park very nearby. New World Park a.k.a Sin Say Kai was the premeir entertainment centers for our parents during the 1930's right up to the 70's which hosted famous shows by Penang's top entertainer Rose Chan. New World Park was rebuilt and re-opened to the public in early 2008

Their Ice Kacang dish is flavourful and aromatic. Every scoop into the mouth melts like heaven and you get a mixture of the sarsi, rose and creamy dairy and small parcels of the sweet corns and red beans.

Of course, I can say this is an acquired taste because my American friends who tried it finds the combination of taste weird and not used to the texture

This stall has a long history. It has been there ever since I can remember. I remember my dad used to bring me there for afternoon bites after visiting my grandma who lives nearby. During those days, it was a street side stall serving the best dishes with other street side stalls. Hence, why Penang is such famous with its street foods

This stall besides serving the best Ice Kacang, also serves a variety of fresh fruits and rojak. Sometime, the varieites are seasonal and what sets this stall apart from other fruit stalls is they have the widest variety with fruit not normally sold coz they are so hard to get. For example, pictured are local variety called "Paw Teh", sweet tamarind and "Pee Pah". Yummy!

The rojak is also good. flavourful and aromatic with the generous prawn paste, sugar, grounded peanuts and their secret ingredient

I definitely recommend this ice kacang. Best ever tasted.

Bali Hai Dim Sum

My ratings: 4 Stars

Cuisine: Chinese/Dim Sum

Location: 90-90D Gurney Drive

Non Halal

RM10-15 per person

Ah ......What a wonderful Sunday morning. This morning in particular, the fresh smelled so fresh, probably the rain last night cleared the rest of the smog from the evening traffic polution. I am a morning person. I just really appreciate the rising of the morning sun.

So this Sunday, I decided to have dim sum at my favourite dim sum place - Bali Hai. A dim sum restaurant during the morning/day and a great seafood restaurant at night. All kinds of seafood from all over the world. It's kinda like the worlds ocean on your platter

What I like about going to Bali Hai for dim sum is the food. Most of the dishes are well cooked with a balanced taste and generally with very less oil than the other dim sum houses' dishes I have tasted.

I think chilli sauce should be banned when the food is good enough to be eated as it is and not be masked over by the over powering of the sweetness and spiciness of the chilli sauce. I don't understand why some people must always dip into th chilli sauce for every bite. You are then eating the chilli sauce only and not the full rane of flavours of the dim sum

Good food presentation too like putting little paper dollies. As the restaurant is by the Gurney Drive bay, you will be treated with a great sight and taste. Ample parking. If you go early like 8 - 9am, the crowd is less but beware, after 9am the place can really get crowded.

The restaurant is self serving on weekends and public holidays. I think this is the first dim sum restaurant which is self service, no push carts. So if you are hungry and you want your food, you have to line up in a queue to get your food. I don't mind because I think this self service system is more efficient.

Tea is charged RM1 per person but I usually bring my own tea as there is no surcharge for bringing your own tea. And own tea is of course better quality in taste. The money I save, I can buy another dish or two.

I has a number of typical dim sum dishes. They are generally priced from RM1.20 to RM4 per dish. Not that much more expensive than other dim sum houses but hey, this place is generally a class better than the rest. Clean, lots of food variety and good taste

Azuma

My ratings: 3 Stars

Cuisine: Japanese

Location: 2F-87 (south zone), Queensbay Mall, Penang (beside Harvey Norman)

Halal

RM20 - 35 per person

Ah......Friday lunch. 2 hours of gourmet hunt. This week, we decided to head down to Queensbay Mall. This seemed like the prefered place to go on Friday lunch coz it's air conditioned, there's lots of things and people to see and one of the nearest place to the office. Hence we can maximise the time spent there

We decided to head down to a newly opened Japanese restaurant/sushi bar named Azuma. Exterior and interior of the restaurant looks much better than the other commercial sushi bar kings namely Sushi King and Sake Sushi. Judging by the crowd there, I won't be surprised if one day Azuma will be considered another major commercialised sushi bar.

The restaurant has all....sushi bar, tatami seating, fish aquarium, private function room and what a view from the window tables. But one thing stands out. It has by my standard, the smallest table cubicle for couple dining. Two persons sit at right angle at each other. I quess it must be a smart way to save space and generate as much income as possible from the confined space of the restaurant. Now I can understand how this restaurant can fit the sushi bar and all those dining tables to one corner of the mall. Only thing missing is a tepanyaki grill.

I ordered their recommendations....chicken teriyaki set lunch at RM18++ which comes which rice, miso soup, cawanmushi and a mouthful of salad. I heard from my friend that the garlic fried rice is good, so I upgarde my steamed rice to garlic fried rice. My friend is not wrong. My friend however had another of the restaurant recommendations, the chicken curry rice (also at RM18++). We also orderd a couple of sushi plates to share (prices from RM4.00++ per plate).

The waitress recommended us raw sea urchin sushi. From all the food and travel shows that I have seen on Astro from Tony Bourdain to Andrew Zimmern the Bizarre food chef, all had tried the raw sea urchin. All of them said it has a sweet after taste. Well I think I will give this lil spikey urchin - a miss this time. I could bear to think of the poor sea urchin having their guts scooped out and being slurped. Sea urchin, your precious life is saved this time. Next time I guess I might have to try it. I guess you can call it "The 1001 things you must eat before you die"

Overall, the chicken teriyaki and the chicken curry is good. The sweetness of the teriyaki sauce is just nice while the curry has a strong flavour. But unlike the Indian curry, it is pretty mild and a hint of sweetness. The color is different too. Unlike the red curries we are used to, Japanese curry is darker more towards the brownish color

During the opening promotion, every diner received a tiny scope of green tea ice cream.

In summary, the food is more tasty than Sakae Sushi and Sushi King. Azuma VIP diners get 10% off.

For reservation, call +604 6413118 or email: azumaqueensbay@yahoo.com

The Sire: Museum Restaurant

My Ratings: 4 Stars

Cuisine: International

Location: 4 King Street, Georgetown, Penang

(Oppsite Esplanade by the Great Eastern Building)

Halal

RM50-60 per person

I wanted to take Amanda for a romantic dinner...somewhere that serves good food with warm ambience...a place which is unforgetable, especially that night it's pre Valentine (13th February). There is a restaurant that have been catching my attention ever since I am driving to work everyday passing through the new Penang High Court. It looks kinda boutique-like restaurant. You can see it from the road as you are heading towards the jetty. I did not want to go to any hotel restaurants. I have been to all hotel restaurants that I wanted to go except The Spice Market at Rasa Sayang (next time when I have a big bonus).

So I decide to put an end to my curiousity then and head there straight after work. We arrived there quite early. Lots of parking space then. We went in. I think we were the third table there. The first thing that caught my attention is the aquarium kitchen. The front dining area kinda small - about 9 tables for four and a couple for twos and then the kitchen.

We were sitted at the small front area dining coz we did not make a booking and it was almost fully booked. BUT wait........an little exploration beyond the kitchen and then the toilet, pass a row of couple's table....there is a whole lot more dining area at the back portion (two levels) and a bar. BUT that's not all. That's only half of the length of the restaurant. The other half is dedicated as a muzeum exhibition. YES, you heard me right. It is a Muzeum (duh, that's why it is call a muzeum restaurant) I didn't get the reason behind restaurant name but now I know.

The muzeum showcase the life (the rise) of the late billionaire and philantrophist Yap Chor Ee and Yap family's heir looms and history. The place is HUGE (length and height wise). It has two levels but seprated by another two mezzanine floors. It has a private dining room for private parties of 10 -12 people.

You can practically spend a good whole 2 hours or more there. Meals and then visit the muzeum after that. I ordered from the ala carte menu, the pan sheared chicken breast with garlic sauce, served in a timbale of vegetables for mains while I ordered mushroom soup to share. The chicken is flavourful while the soup is equally good. The lamb shank stew looks good too. However I did not order that but I will definitely try that when I come back for dinner.

Since it was Valentine session, the restaurant gave away a stalk of rose to all male diners to give to their partner. The beer and wine list is varied with a good selection of imported brands, hence the pricy nature of the drinks there. (above RM12 for beers). Food is from RM30 for chicken and pasta dishes to RM50 for imported steaks. Salads and desserts are about RM12 onwards. Soups are about RM9

Overall, an unforgetable dining experience. You can clear see that no expense has been spared in doing up the restaurant and muzeum. It is a smorgaboard of lots of photography opportunities from oriental to colonial settings....as you can see from the photos I took. A feast for your eyes! Although pricey, but you get to fullfill all five senses in one night. BUT no photography allowed in the muzeum area, so I can't show you here. You got to go there and see for yourselves.

I recommend you to book ahead and request to sit at the back portion of the restaurant. it is just more to see there. Furthermore the bloody expresso machine and cashier is at the front area so it is annoying and just dampen the mood. The restaurant was packed out as it went well into dinner time.

The Sire - Muzeum Restaurant recently open last year together with her sister restaurant (Ferringhi Garden) which from the looks of promotional slideshow is as top class as The Sire. I will be definitely going there soon. Keep a look out for my future review in this blog

For reservations at The Sire, call +604-2645088 or fax +604-2645089

Kocha Taiwanese Delight

My Ratings: 3 Star

Cuisine: Chinese/Taiwanese
Location: 229 Jalan Burmah, Penang (beside 1926 Heritage Hotel)
Non Halal
RM15-25 per person

Wanted to try this restaurant for quite a while. I heard from a friend that the interior is cozy with beautiful aquariums of sea fishes. she right, once you stepped in, it does feel warm cozy with small Taiwanese decor and the you know that a lot of effort has been put into the aquariums. Beautiful. This restaurant serve typical Taiwanese cuisine and set meals.

But I went there on a Sunday nite about 8 pm. The restaurant is packed out and I had to wait for a table outside and there was a queue number being given out. It took about 15 minutes for the waiter to call us in to our table.

We were seated at a corner of the restaurant next to the wall mounted fish tank. What a sight! Beautiful fishes swimming around and probably just as curiuos about me as I am about them. Order was quick coz we already know what we wanted coz we looked through the menu.

Amanda ordered spicy chicken wings (3 pieces) for RM8.00 while I ordered the Pork Steam Boat (RM17.00) and hot honey lemon (RM4).

Honey lemon was the first to come out follow not long the chicken wings but the pork steam boat take ages to come out of the kithcen.

The steam boat dish is accompanied with a sauce which has beef in it. So for those who are on a beef free diet, be careful to avoid the sauce. The food that we had was nothing spectacular. I think it is quite expensive for the portions they are serving. Again nothing spectacular. I left the restaurant with room left in my stomach to fill.

No service charge nor any government tax.

Parking is limited, so be prepared to walk or compete with other drivers for parking space. And kinda creepy to park at the side road at night coz it is pretty quiet.

2 star for value for money, 3 star for ambience.

Mizi Bistro

My Ratings: 3 Stars

Cuisine: International

Location: New World Park, Penang

Halal

RM7-39 per person

I have been to New World Park and I walked passed this restaurant a few times but never thought of patronizing it. Usually quite busy during lunch and dinner.

Well I got invited to a birthday get together and soon I was looking at the menu. It has all the western food range from soups, to meats to pasta but what got my attention was a set lunch or dinner menu from only RM21.90++. For that price, you are getting a small bowl of soup of your choice, pasta or meat, drinks and bottomless ice cream. All the choices comes from the ala-carte menu. So you get to choose from a wide range of food dishes.....not like other set menu that limits you to a few choices. For this menu, you can even order lobster tails but of course you pay more (price of the main dish plus RM6 if you are including the set of soup, drinks and bottomless ice-cream)

Well, I just had to order their "signature" mushroom soup, a "three-combo" meat dish of lamb, fish and chicken and a black current drink.

Someone recommended me the mushroom soup. Guess what, he is right. The "signature" mushroom soup is really tasty & creamy with chunky bits of blendered mushrooms. Yummy! I think it is the best mushroom soup I have ever tasted (previously my favourite was the Italian Restorante at Bellisa Row). I finished it in no time.

My combo meat dish is OK (lamb too boney and a little tuff) but I wished I ordered the chicken maryland (CM). The CM dish looked good, simple with large servings vegies, and fired banana......yummy. I saw the next table had pasta which also looked savoury to me. Perhap my next visit, I would order either CM or the pasta dishes.

When I finished my main course, I hardly have room left for the ice-cream. Too bad.

The restaurant offers inside dinning or al-fresco. I think al fresco dinning experience is nicer. But the restaurant is always so busy. You really have to book to ensure you get a seat. parking is easy at New Work Park. RM1 per hour or RM2 flat after 6pm.

I find the set menu at RM21.90++ is value for money. Consider this, even at hawker western, the bread (RM0.70), the soup (RM2.50) + CM (RM7) + drink (RM1.20) + ice-ream (RM1.60) already totalled RM13. For a few more bucks, you get a larger potion of main course & better quality food, nice & clean atmosphere & service.

I will difinitely go there more than once.