RECOMMENDED: The Grind Burger, SS17/45, PJ

Sorry folks, SG foodie had been busy with work and family commitments and haven't really sat down to record the enormous amount of food she has consumed (GULP!). If like SG foodie, you have children, you'd understand what I mean about them growing up way too fast. K1 is a full-fledged teenager with the usual growth spurts AND constantly hungry... perhaps it's also a way of coping with the stress of education and growing up but hey SG foodie's genes so... FOOD. K2 is entering the teenage years and while the growth spurts have not kicked in just yet, these look like they're just around the corner. SG foodie can only stare and offer shudders of fears/worries and disbelief at the reality of her children being taller than her (SG foodie is far far far from being a petite person so ya imagine the children being TALLER)! So yes, with the growth spurts (vertical for the children, horizontal for SG foodie) come the need to supplement the growth and development with good food!

Ok enough rambling ... the family wanted beef but not a steak so instead of the usual Burger Junkyard that we frequent, we thought we will try somewhere else... frankly we haven't had the patience to queue at The Burger Lab (although one of SG foodie's closest friend is a major fan of The Burger Lab). We drove down to Bangsar, Jalan Telawi 2, thinking we would try out KGB (Killer Gourmet Burgers) but when we got there, there was a queue and being as adverse to queueing as we are, we decided to go the The Grind instead since we've not tried it.

Despite The Grind being our 2nd choice, we were pleasantly surprised at the find and would certainly recommend this place to those seeking to satisfy their gourmet burger cravings. The Grind is situated at a quieter street of SS17/45 so thankfully DH was the driver since SG foodie, with her bad sense of directions and inability to follow maps (including GPS directions... don't judge her!) would have taken a much longer time to arrive at the destination. Found out that The Grind is situated on the same row as Raju's Curry House which SG foodie has been told she should try out for its banana leaf and so she shall be returning to that street on another occasion.

These were what we ordered: 1) The Grind House Burger, 2) The JD Burger, 3) The Hono'Lulu Burger, 4) The Big Black Dog and 5) Onion Rings. As you can see from the picture, the onion rings was a favourite as they got gobbled up before SG foodie remembered to take a picture. As indicated earlier, we all wanted beef so all the burgers were beef patties although you can choose chicken patties with some. The Grind House Burger and the Hono'Lulu Burger were relatively similar except for the extra pineapple on the latter. The burger patties were juicy and tender and were not overshadowed by the accompaniments (cheeses/sauces/etc) in the burgers. SG foodie honestly recommends the JD Burger (JD = Jack Daniels that is used in the gravy/sauce on the burger patty). It was heavenly! The bacon (what's not to like about bacon?!) complemented the beef patty and the JD sauce too. The Big Black Dog was delicious too... a gourmet hot dog on a charcoal hotdog bun with condiments to complete the whole sloppy-joe/coney-dog idea. Almost ordered a Big Kids' milkshake but was informed that it contained alcohol so couldn't share this with K1 and K2 (since SG foodie is unlikely to be able to finish a milkshake together with the burger) so SG foodie gave up on the idea and got K2 a regular chocolate milkshake instead.

AVERAGE: Bistro Den Den @Oasis Damansara

You may have realised that SG foodie have visited Oasis Damansara quite a few times... she likes the almost-carnival-like eating atmosphere here and have returned to try various places with some repeats... this trip involved a taste of Bistro Den Den, a modern Japanese fusion restaurant. The restaurant decor is modern with tasteful use of wood/bamboo to reflect its Japanese influence and consists of segregated spaces for various types of groups. A great atmosphere and place for entertaining family, friends and work-related functions.

The items SG foodie ordered included:

WakeUp Bear (RM18) - there is also a GoodNight Bear which is basically a different sauce used and both the bear plates can be either single or double (as in two bears!). Too cute to cut into really but a good way to tempt the younger ones to eat up!

 7 Colours of Tofu Dengaka (RM20) - 7 cubes of soft cold tofu served with 7 different coloured condiments to complement which was visually pleasing but unfortunately lacking in flavour...

 Tebasaki Spicy Chicken Wing (5 wings @RM16) - this was a hit with K1 and K2, the chicken wings were well-marinated and barbecued served with some flavoured salt. Not too spicy, just a hint of heat.

Mountain Lasagne (RM36) - meant to be shared as this is a large portion, good for those of us who love cheese!

 

Napolitan* Spaghetti [*this is what it is named on the menu] (RM23) - if you are craving for pasta, give this a try. Sufficient for 1 hungry person or to be shared. The green marinated seafood (RM22) is a flavourful plate of seafood salad (sorry SG foodie can't remember what dressing this came in but it was delicious). And if SG foodie remembers correctly there is a red marinated seafood on the menu too.

RECOMMENDED: BLACK MARKET (NON-HALAL) / CAFFEINEES (HALAL), Kampung Pandan, KL

We heard from someone that Black Market serves pretty good food at reasonable prices in Kampung Pandan, KL (near to Jalan Tun Razak) so we decided that's where we were going to check out one evening. Since it was a weekend, we called ahead to make a reservation and we were thankful that we did so as the place was more or less fully booked. You do need to look out for its neighbour, a Chinese banquet restaurant and its sister establishment, Caffeinees instead, as Black Market shares the same entrance but is situated behind Caffeinees. A free-standing colonial bungalow is transformed into Caffeinees and Black Market is the bungalow/building behind this.

Upon entering Black Market, you don't really see the restaurant as much as you do the wine cellar with a circular stairways... until a few steps later when the automatic sliding door opens up and brings you into the "lion's lair". True to its name, the restaurant is in an all-black theme and water is served in stainless steel goblets. We were seated at an inside table that faces the Royal Selangor Golf Club, pretty tranquil. Wanting a sample, we placed our orders for: 1) Sausage platter @RM28 - SG foodie recommends this especially to gourmet sausage lovers, 2) Black scallop pasta @RM36 - small portion with nicely done scallop and squid ink pasta which was not really black though, 3) Wild ginger fried pork Ribs @RM42 - this was a recommended dish and while it was flavourful, SG foodie found the fried ribs to be on the tough side so personally won't recommend this, 4) Incredible hog pizza @RM28 - thin-crust sausage pizza with mozzarella cheese that appealed to K2. Pricing is not overly expensive but the portions were not very big either. SG foodie wouldn't mind returning to this place for a second try.

Decided to walk over to Caffeinees for dessert. Caffeinees also serves food which is Halal. We ordered a Dark Chocolate Chocolate (a must-try for chocoholics!), Earl Grey and Lemongrass Tea with a Tiramisu and a Strawberry Waffle. After our drinks were served, we experienced a blackout so we only got to try the Tiramisu (average) that came from the chiller. This place reminds SG foodie of Levain - this popular Euro-Jap cafe at Jalan Delima (opposite Prince Court Medical Centre) that serves food and yummy pastries.

AVERAGE: BAD BOY COOKS: OASIS @ARA DAMANSARA

Wanting to try something new, SG foodie and the family decided to try out Bad Boy Cooks at Oasis Ara Damansara just because we passed by the place some time ago. Having had brunch and nothing in between before heading out for an early dinner, we arrived at the place just before the main dinner crowd starts streaming in.

We were pleasantly surprised that the prices at this restaurant were rather reasonable (between RM6-15 per dish) when we were browsing through the menu and there were our orders:
1) Fried Chicken with Peppercorn sauce (Peppercorn sauce was fantastic although the batter of the fried chicken was just average),
2) Grilled Chicken with Pomodoro sauce (this took a while to arrive but it was well worth the wait and SG foodie recommends this dish),
3) Double Peppercorn Spaghetti (without any add-ons, the aglio olio style pasta was done just right),
4) Moo Bowl - baked rice with beef in cheese sauce (not recommended - if you've tried baked rice at Kim Gary or other HK tea houses, you'll be disappointed with this),
5) Onion Rings(small basket with about 8 onion rings in it, average)
6) Nachos with Chilli Beef (pretty good! Would recommend this but portion tiny so order a few!)

The portions were all small which explained the pricing but that works well for small-eaters or those who like SG foodie prefers a spread on the table rather than just one main course. You get to order a drink for RM1 for every main course you ordered too. The total cost of the meal came up to about RM55 for 4 pax (very reasonable) but umm we were ravenous from having skipped lunch so we proceeded to Secret Recipe just across for some desserts after the meal.

SINGAPORE: MUST TRY (a proper mix!)

Friends from Malaysia visiting Singapore should try these foods that are not easily available in KL despite our similarities in cultures and palates... these are also food that SG foodie and her K1 and K2 who grew up in Singapore miss and will certainly gorge indulge themselves with whenever they are on home leave back to Singapore (which though nearby doesn't happen often).

$1 ice-creams

1) $1 ICE CREAM -You can choose to have different flavours cut up in blocks or scooped ice-cream and also choose from having these in a cup, as a thin-wafer ice-cream sandwich or on sweet bread and yes only $1! Available along Orchard Road where you'll find the ice-cream man/woman especially outside the Takashimaya traffic light area. More ice-cream carts around on weekends. You betcha SG foodie had more than just one ice-cream whenever she's back in Singapore! ;)

2) Chwee Kueh with Chay Po - this is one of SG foodie's favourite foods and unfortunately being a Teochew cuisine, not readily available in KL (more Cantonese-Hakka cuisines). Soft, steamed rice-flour cakes served with sweet-salted vegetables and some sambal chilli on the side. What's not to love?? Available at most major hawker centres (Tiong Bahru, Clementi, Bedok, etc) and some food courts for about S$2 for 5 pieces.

3) MUTHU'S CURRY (top 2 pictures on left) - Race Course Road (3 mins walk from Little India MRT) or Dempsey Road - for the best fish head curry and other Indian food choices in air-conditioned comfort and hygienic, spacious and wonderful atmosphere to dine with friends. Expect to spend about S$20-30 per person. (Or try Samy's Curry at Dempsey and Gayathri/Apollo at Race Course Road for non-airconditioned banana leaf delights for between S$10-20 per person).

4) MAGNUM BAR SINGAPORE (top and centre row left) - Clarke Quay - Magnum Bars tend to move from country to country and then disappear after a short spell, not sure if this Singapore one will do the same or move to a permanent shop but this current container-like space in Clarke Quay offers make-your-own-Magnums but it's a splurge at about S$15-20 each.

5) Kueh Tutu and Muah Chee (centre picture) - KL offers the Malay version of Kueh Piring which is different from the Hokkien-Teochew Kueh TuTu which is smaller and filled with peanuts/coconuts usually and sells for about S$2 for 3 pieces. Most places that sells Kueh TuTu will also sell Muah Chee. SG foodie has tried a Muah Chee in Petaling Street/Chinatown, KL but it was nothing compared to the Singapore ones where the Muah Chee is soft, moist and chewy and eaten with loads of sugary peanuts for about S$2 a box.

6) Mee Pok with Chilli (centre row right) - SG foodie only found Mee Pok in this cafe-like place, Tien Pin (in SS2 PJ and Kajang/Sg Long area) while Mee Pok is readily available in almost all shops selling noodles in hawker centres and food courts all over Singapore. In Singapore, we eat these usually dry with vinegar and sambal chilli mixed in.

7) Chay Tau Kway (bottom left corner) - In Penang this is called Char Kway Kak and in KL you can find this Fried Carrot Cake too but theses are the white versions mainly BUT only in Singapore, you can choose to to have your Chay Tau Kway black or white (with or without the black sweet sauce). This dish is available in most, if not all, hawker centres and/or food courts. It just taste different without the black sweet sauce. Try it for yourself if you are in Singapore.

8) Non-Halal Tony Roma's BBQ Baby Back Ribs (top left corner) - Ok yes there's Tony Romas in KL/Penang and there's also the non-Halal version in Chicago's. Having tried both, SG foodie still prefers the non-Halal Tony Roma's in Singapore - there's one in Suntec and one in Orchard Hotel. The baguette with herb butter, onion loaf are consistently good in both KL and Singapore.

9) Cronuts (top row centre) - Having heard so much rave about Cronuts (the combination of croissants and donuts) from other foodies, SG foodie bought some to try from Da Paolo Pattiserie at the basement of Paragon. Some people absolutely love this compared to plain croissants/donuts. SG foodie's verdict?  It's ok la - not fantastic but it's something new to try.

10) Char Kway Teow (black) (top right corner) - it's a different version from the Penang Char Kway Teow but SG foodie loves the black version (the order is always more black sauce, more chilli, no hum).

11) Sarawak Kolo Mee (centre row right) - yes this is available in some hawker centres in KL but none like the chain that has opened in Singapore that offers fish soups and different versions in that old style setting. You can find this shop at the basement of Vivo City, Jurong Point and other malls across Singapore.

12) McDonald's Curry Sauce (centre) - ok so this sauce used to be available many many years ago in Malaysia but it was somehow taken off the menu. Anyway K1 & K2 loves this sweet curry sauce with their McNuggets that unfortunately can't be found in Malaysia (only BBQ and Sweet&Sour sauces available with McNuggets). There was a big brohaha about McDonald's charging for extra sauce but this charge only happens if you request for more than the usual amount which actually is a pretty fair deal. In many other countries, you actually have to pay even just for chilli sauce/ketchup. Anyway SG foodie understands new sauces have been introduced in Singapore and these have taken off pretty well too.

13) Herbal Mutton Soup (centre row left) - this is Hong Wen Mutton Soup in Beauty World, Bukit Timah which is one of SG foodie's favourite. She can finish 2 bowls of the soup on her own and slurp up the accompanying garlicky/vingery chilli sauce along with the meat too. While you're there, you may want to try the Singapore style rojak (again different from the Penang more fruity version)... Singapore rojak comes with toasted You Tiao and Taupok, in fact you can have a plate of toasted You Tiao and Tau Pok mixed with the sweet rojak sauce without the rest of the vegetables if you prefer and that's how SG foodie likes it too! The xiao long bao and dumplings (guo-tie) just a few stalls down is pretty decent too.

14) Soon Kueh (bottom right corner) - SG foodie has seen Soon Kueh being sold in KL but only on rare occasions. Soon Kueh is a Teochew kueh where cooked turnips are wrapped in rice-flour dough and in Singapore, it is accompanied by black sweet sauce and some chilli paste. SG foodie also like the pink Peng Kueh or Bee Kueh (glutinous rice cake) that are usually sold with Soon Kueh in Singapore.

15) Lao Ban Dou Hua (Cold Soya Beancurd Pudding) (bottom centre) - After trying one of the best soya beancurd in Ipoh (Tau Huay in Singapore/Tau Foo Fah in KL & Ipoh), SG foodie wondered what the fuss was about with Lao Ban Dou Hua and when one of the nephews insisted she try it for herself, SG foodie realised what the appeal was. Instead of warm/hot, soft/smooth, sweet beancurd, you have cold, soft/smooth, sweet Tau Huay. SG foodie understands there are Lao Ban Dou Hua sold all over Singapore and other famous ones such as Rochor Road and Old Airport Road, all with different flavours and textures to different tastes.

16) Twelve Cupcakes (bottom left corner) - SG foodie had never really favoured cupcakes as she doesn't like cloyingly sweet frostings but her friends have been asking her to give Twelve Cupcakes a try and so passing a branch one day, she bought a Red Velvet cupcake to try and you know what, she is now hooked! The cupcake was soft and moist while the cream cheese frostings wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. Actually that's one of the issues SG foodie has with sweet stuff in Malaysia, they tend to be over-poweringly sweet that the sweetness/sugar takes away all other enjoyment of even just the simple teh tarik... even Kurang Manis style (less sweet in Malay) is still too sweet for the Singaporean taste bud. Well there are some pretty nice cupcakes in KL too like Bisou (Bangsar Village/1Utama, etc) and Rui (MontKiara) but SG foodie is still very much in love with the bittersweet chocolatey Red Velvet cupcake with full-flavoured cream cheese frostings from Twelve Cupcakes.

17) SWENSENS - Surprisingly Swensen didn't survive in KL but seems to be sprouting up in every single mall in Singapore. Although Swensens isn't gourmet ice-cream, it still hits the spot when you are craving a Sticky Chewy Chocolate/Coit Tower or a Birthday Earthquake (all sundaes) that SG foodie grew up with. Kids of all ages will also love the baked rice, fries with dips, mozzarella sticks.

So as much as we may think that Singaporean and Malaysian foods are similar, there are actually a lot of differences and Malaysians should try some of these hard-to-find-in-Malaysia foods when they are in Singapore.

BEYOND KL: PENANG / IPOH (Lorong Selamat + Heng Huat / Hai Boey Seafood / Lebuh Keng Kwee / KhunThai / Ong Cheng Huat Seafood / Lebuh Carnavon / Line Clear Nasi Kandar / Ming Court + Funny Mountain

SG foodie went on a food trail as you can obviously see... almost immediately after returning from the East Coast of Malaysia, SG foodie went home to Singapore (more of that in the upcoming post) and upon returning to KL, SG foodie was again packing for her annual pilgrimage to Penang (driving pass Ipoh).


We stayed at the newly-renovated Equatorial Penang (superb hotel if you drive as the location is far from almost everything although the hotel provides shuttle services to some places) and then moved to Traders Hotel (great location, walking distance to the Heritage Trail and good food, but the hotel and its furnishing are a bit dated and the rooms may face a construction site and the workers can literally look into your room if your curtains are not drawn).


You may wish to try some of the following places if you're planning a trip to Penang:

HAI BOEY SEAFOOD, BAYAN LEPAS: MUST TRY!

Before & After (Crocodile's Tail)

Wash Basin

A Penang friend recommended this place and the dishes we tried include: Stewed Crocodile's Tail, Butter Mantis Prawn, Claypot Grouper Fish, Beancurd with Mushrooms, Boiled sotong served with rojak sauce and a bottle of Umbra Juice.SG foodie definitely recommends the Crocodile's Tail which although sounds quite gross, was actually cooked in a fantastic stew and tasted like an oily fish such as cod. The Butter Mantis Prawn was this giant mantis prawn that was deep-fried in butter, making it really good for kids of all ages (3-103!) and the Claypot Grouper Fish was just as delicious. We ordered a fried eggplant/brinjal which unfortunately was sold out and hence replaced the order with the Boiled Sotong served with rojak sauce. SG foodie says this dish is for Sotong lovers otherwise nothing spectacular. Skip the beancurd with mushrooms too, a pretty ordinary dish. Umbra/Kedongdong juice comes in a bottle here for those like SG foodie who enjoys this tangy fruit that tastes like green, sour mangoes. Total bill for all these food came up to RM 180 for 4 persons, pretty okay price for seafood.The ambience of the place is great since it's situated by the beach with fish tanks containing live seafood that are taken out when you make your orders. SG foodie loved the handwash sinks which was a fish tank with fishes swimming around as you wash your hands.



KHUN THAI, TELUK KUMBAR - DEFINITE MUST TRY!

Apparently Khun Thai has branches in KL too but this is the 1st time that SG foodie has tried Khun Thai. Situated right next to the sea, you can choose to sit right by the beach which is why when you walk into the restaurant, you wonder why it looks so empty because everyone walks right onto the beach instead. By the way, this restaurant is located next to Hai Boey Seafood.We kinda over-ordered with Miang Kam, Mixed seafood Otak, Belachan Fried Rice with sliced pork, Kangkong Tempura, Tom Yum Red Soup and Prawn Tanghoon. The Miang Kam is quite a popular dish at amany Thai restaurants. Absolutely love the rest of the dishes on our order though. K2 who hates vegetables liked the Kangkong Tempura and SG foodie agrees it was really tasty! SG foodie adored the tangy, spicy yet sweet tomyum soup that even K1 and K2 tried and liked. The Belachan fried rice was flavourful as was the pork slices that came with it. SG foodie was licking the very last coconut-laden mixed seafood otak/fish-paste as it was just oh-so-delicious! By the time, she got to the Prawn tanghoon, she didn't quite have space for the lovely dish but it was still good. SG foodie is gonna seek out the KL branches of this place when she gets hit by a Thai food craving.


ONG CHENG HUAT SEAFOOD, BAGAN LALLANG, BUTTERWORTH - DEFINITE MUST TRY!

 Located in Butterworth, which is the mainland rather than on Penang Island, this is one place that you certainly need help getting to as the restaurant is located within a kampung/village area but you can WAZE it quite easily and get navigation assistance (Thank God for technology!). There are rather standard items on their menu. SG foodie got the fried pigeons, fried beehoon, steamed fish-head, steamed kempar (big la-la) and po-piah (fried prawn crackers). The steamed kempar is good for those who like shellfish but didn't quite appeal to SG foodie although she did like the soupy-sauce that came with it that had that Chinese white wine taste. SG foodie really like the fish head with another soupy-sauce that was more ginger-garlic based and the fried pigeons. The po-piah is something different and crunchy to the last bit.The fried bee hoon is really really good too though it was just plain fried beehoon but it wasn't too dry nor soggy. Total bill for 4 persons including a big bottle (1.5l) of Luo Han Guo drink came up to about RM125, very reasonable.


THE MUGSHOT CAFE/ RAINFOREST BAKERY, LEBUH CHULIA

 SG foodie took a Heritage Trail walk around Penang Island and came upon The Mugshot Cafe, right next to Rainforest Bakery (they both belong to the same owners). Apparently this cafe is popular for its homemade yogurt that comes at about RM10 per container, pretty steep for just yogurt and condiments but worth a try. SG foodie ordered a Jackfuit Gula Melaka yogurt and the cafe recommended Walnut-Raisins yogurt (apparently a best-seller?), a Bacon and Egg Bagel (bagels and other breads can be bought from Rainforest Bakery) and a double shot espresso. SG foodie wouldn't mind a 2nd serving of the Jackfruit Gula Melaka yogurt which was smooth and the contrast of sweet and sour with the jackfruit and gula melaka really hit the right spot; But not so much the Walnut-Raisin yogurt where the texture was rough and really sourish even with the condiments. Took a long while before the bagel arrived and another long wait before the coffee appeared but then the cafe was really crowded and even we had to share a table that is really old school carpentry. But while you're waiting, enjoy taking a mugshot of your own with height measurements at the back too and take a rest from all the walking you will be doing around town.


LORONG SELAMAT + HENG HUAT - NOT AS GOOD AS BEFORE

Previous pilgrimage to Penang always ends up with many plates of Char Kway Teow (CKT) from Heng Huat and Ice Kacang with Peanut Butter ice cream from the Lorong Selamat coffeeshop just a short distance away and other accompanying street foods like kangkong with cuttlefish drenched in sweet rojak sauce and Hokkien Mee (which is prawn noodle soup in Penang. Note this is unlike the Singapore's Hokkien Mee [fried prawn yellow noodles with thick beehoon] or the KL's Hokkien Mee  [fried broad yellow noodles with pork lard and black soy sauce]). The Hokkien Mee is not fantastic but a filler while you wait for other food to arrive. This trip was no different where we would go to Heng Huat for CKT then walk to the coffeeshop to have other food. Except that SG foodie felt the Heng Huat Char Kway Teow, the main star of this place has lost its "wok-hei" somehow, it just wasn't as tasty as before and this time the CKT certainly lacked salt too... and for RM8 per plate you certainly expect the CKT to taste great (surprisingly even the Lorong Selamat coffeeshop CKT stall charges RM8 per plate). Our ice kacang came with Vanilla ice cream instead this time though we asked for peanut butter so it wasn't a very satisfying trip.

LEBUH KENG KWEE (CHENDOL, ASSAM LAKSA) - MUST TRY!

This stall is extremely popular for its chendol and at RM2 per bowl, it's a pretty good deal. Only gripe is SG foodie prefers the coconut to be less diluted and more creamy though she knows some people like it the way this stall serves it. There always seem to be a queue at this stall which is in a small lane that isn't quite so easy to find but it's around the KOMTAR area. We saw some cars drove up to the stall and order takeaways too which is quite an interesting local sight drive-through concept. While you sit and wait for your Chendol to be served, try the Penang Assam Laksa - it's good with enough sour and sweet, sardines and shredded cucumber, pineapples and chillies.



LEBUH CARNAVON - PING HOOI COFFEESHOP (TIGER CHAR KWAY TEOW, HOKKIEN MEE SOUP, CURRY MEE) - DEFINITE MUST TRY!

Curry Mee

Tiger Char Kway Teow

Hokkien Mee

SG foodie has been hearing talks about Tiger CKT and managed to find this place this trip. And of course when you're in a coffeeshop and on a food trip, you certainly should order other food that are served within the same shop. So Hokkien Mee and Curry Mee were added to the buffet spread on our table. We wanted to order Lor Mee but it was sold out at 11am (must be good?). SG foodie highly recommends this place as the Tiger CKT (RM4.50 for small, RM5.50 for big) is absolutely saliva-drippingly delicious! SG foodie understands that they use salted duck eggs to fry the CKT here hence the extra boost in flavour. Even the Hokkien Mee here was great, the rich prawn soup just hit the right spot. The Penang Curry Mee is the non-coconut-rich type that has its own uniqueness to it. Try also their Milo Cham (Milo with Coffee), the kopitiam version of Mocha. This is one place SG foodie will certainly return to on her next pilgrimage to Penang.

LEBUH CARNARVON - PITT STREET KWAY TEOW TNG - AVERAGE
 Penang being Hokkien-speaking call this Kway Teow Tng (broad rice noodles in soup) while in KL it would be called Hor Fun Tong. Either way, this shop was supposed to be good so we went to try it. This is just 2 doors away from Ping Hooi by the way so you can order CKT too if you want. On top of jus Kway Teow Tng, the shop serves up their handmade pork fillet in soups, handmade fishballs and pork intestines. There also a side shop selling egg tarts and such but it was sold out by the time SG foodie got there. SG foodie liked the pork fillets which was soft and flavourful and the handmade fishballs were different in that it is not the bouncy or chewy but the soft in texture; butSG foodie didn't think much about the kway teow tng, the focus of the shop as the soup wasn't as rich as SG foodie would have preferred. There must be a better Kway Teow Tng somewhere else in Penang.


LINE CLEAR NASI KANDA, PENANG ROAD - DEFINITE MUST TRY!

 

 When SG foodie gets a craving for curries when she's in KL, she tends to visit Original Kayu for her fix of Nasi Kandar; Nasi Kandar is popular in Penang too and SG foodie visited Line Clear this time. If you drive, you have to look for the street behind this restaurant and walk in through the back instead. Follow the signs around the area that directs you to the correct car park that leads straight into the back of the shop. It's relatively clean but we did see some rats in the drains nearby... well you do learn to ignore the rats in back lanes after a while (as long as they don't come close!). There are plenty of choices at Line Clear. You choose your rice, white/briyani then the dishes that will be scooped on top of the rice. Choosing Nasi Briyani rice instead of the normal white rice and accompanied by chicken curry, mutton curry, mutton korma, fried sotong telur, this place is a definite must try if just for its soft, fluffy briyani rice alone. SG foodie loved the mutton curry and chicken curry, both on different curry bases while K1 & K2 loved the non-spicy mutton korma. Have a cup of Teh Tarik with your Nasi Kandar for a true Malaysian meal. This is one place SG foodie will be returning to again and again.

IPOH
If you're driving from Singapore/KL to Penang, you'll certainly have to pass through Ipoh. If you choose to enter Ipoh for some food, try some of these must-have favourites that SG foodie frequent whenever she's there. (Note that there are a lot of other good food in Ipoh that SG foodie visit like Ipoh Chicken Rice, Wantan Mee, etc., that will appear in another post soon!)

MING COURT DIM SUM

Most people will tell you Foh San is the most popular dim sum place in Ipoh but having tried Foh San, Yoke Fook Moon and Ming Court a few times now (these 3 dim sum places are jammed-packed on weekends and festivals/holidays), SG foodie's preference is still for Ming Court where the dim sums are bite-sized and in small crates. In terns of texture and flavours, Ming Court surpasses all especially in their traditional dim sums such as Siu Mai, Har Gow. DH can slurp up 3-4 crates of the steamed fishballs on his own as it is soft and smooth while K2 devoured about 3 crates of Siu Mai alone.


FUNNY MOUNTAIN SOY BEAN

 Soy bean drink and Soy beancurd (Tau Huay [Hokkien] / Tau Fu Fah [Cantonese]) is quite common in Singapore and Malaysia. But you haven't tried Soy beancurd until you've tried the one at Funny Mountain (Kei Fung). The smooth and soft Tau Huay is unlike any other even the best that we find in Singapore (Lao Ban, Old Airport Road, etc). AND here it cost RM 1 for a small bowl of Tau Huay. The queue (both human and cars) here is almost always long... locals queue in their cars waiting to be served Tau Huay that they can eat in the car. SG foodie prefers to park and walk to the shop to join the queue. Most people will consume on the spot plus buy some to takeaway. There are other soy bean shops around the area but none with a queue like that found at Funny Mountain. No funny business this.

BEYOND KL: EAST COAST (TRENGGANU - Hai Peng / Madam Bee's / Golden Dragon / Tappers / On The Way Cafe / Kuantan Hai Peng)

SG foodie has been gone for a long while because she was on the move looking out for good food beyond KL! So here's the lowdown on some of the places she visited in KUALA TRENGGANU and KUANTAN:


HAI PENG KOPITIAM - DEFINITE MUST TRY!

 A charming and quaint shop located at the corner of KT town that was recommended by DH's friends from KT... SG foodie couldn't find the place initially then realised the name of the place is at the top of the building! Silly SG foodie!Now SG foodie enjoys her kopi kau kosong (black, rich coffee/double shot espresso) with that bitterness and found it in Hai Peng in KT. Even though SG foodie tried the Kopi (with condensed milk) at Hai Peng, the taste of the coffee wasn't diluted in any ways by the sweet milky taste so that was a BIG thumbs up! K1 and K2 enjoyed the Japanese curry rice and curry spaghetti that were not too spicy while DH and SG foodie went for the famous Hai Peng Toasted Kaya Buns that has that nice crunch on the outside while the bread is hot and soft on the inside with melted butter and not-too-sweet kaya.

DH bought a box of coffee bags from the shop but when it was tried at home, it just didn't taste the same... maybe we bought the wrong coffee? Anyway if you're in KT, Hai Peng kopitiam is a MUST TRY.

MADAM BEE'S - MUST TRY

Madam Bee's serves nonya food with a Trengganu twist to them, like Trengganu Laksa, Mee Jawa, Nasi Lemak, Lor Mee, Steamed Lekor, etc. Madam Bee's is a small shop, right smack in the middle of Kampung Cina, so when a big group of customers arrive, it gets a little chaotic and squeezy. The food is great, the service personable. Trengganu Laksa reminds SG foodie of Sarawak Laksa, a bit sourish and not so heavy on the coconut milk. Lor Mee here is also slightly different where the gravy is lighter and a bit more tangy tasting compared to the thick, gooey sauce that we fancy in Singapore. SG foodie remained a huge fan of the fried Keropok Lekor (fish chips/crackers) and wasn't quite impressed with the steamed version (fishcake-style) served here although she must admit the chilli sauce that came with the steamed lekor was fantastic!

GOLDEN DRAGON - NOT WORTH IT, GIVE IT A MISS

Having heard good things about Golden Dragon, SG foodie made a visit for dinner. Calling for some assistance to get our orders taken took a while as the place was rather busy at dinner time but that was ok. When the lady came to take our orders in Mandarin, we asked for some recommendations and so ended up with Fried Black Pomfret with soy sauce, Sambal Kangkong, Sweet & Sour Pork (for K1 and K2) and Old Cucumber Soup. We were contemplating adding another dish but the lady who took our order walked off and we had to get someone else's attention to add on an order of Claypot Tofu. We also ordered a pot of Tei Guan Yin chinese tea to go with our meal. Food is served fairly quickly but frankly there was nothing spectacular about the food... taste of all the dishes we ordered is akin to what you can find at those economical rice stalls in most hawker centres/food courts, nothing was outstanding. Maybe this place appeals to non-Chinese foreigners who haven't tasted better Chinese food but SG foodie just don't quite understand the raves this place received. Moreover the Chinese tea we ordered which is supposedly one of the better grades of tea... tasted really bad with a muddy, musky taste.

TAPPERS CAFE - NICE ENVIRONMENT, GOOD SERVICE, AVERAGE FOOD

SG foodie has seen Tappers Cafe around KL but not tried it so was pleasantly surprised to see a newly-opened Tappers near the KT jetty, just just behind Kampung Cina. Tapper faces the new waterfront area so it is a really nice environment to sit, have a drink and just relax. Being new, the whole place looks really clean, white and inviting too. We dropped in for dinner one day and were unfortunate enough to be faced with new staff who took our orders but forgot to enter it into the system so we were left sitting there for 15-20 minutes, wondering why our food and drinks never arrived. Upon checking, the staff soon realised our orders were missing from the system and quickly came and took our orders again.Sean whom I believe is the owner of the place came up and apologised, offering to give us the meal on the house. We indicated that we'd be glad to take the drinks on the house but will pay for the food. Our orders were Kung Pao chicken with rice, Hainanese Chicken Chop, Bangers and Mash and Chicken Parmigiana. The Kung Pao chicken was pretty good but the rice that came along with it was dry and hard. SG foodie wouldn't recommend the Bangers and Mash as the hotdogs tasted like those normal supermarket packs of hotdogs and the mashed potatoes was rough and flaky instead. The Chicken Parmigiana and Hainanese Chicken Chop were good but not great. As we asked for the bill, Sean insisted on letting us have the meal on the house so we took his offer gratefully. Would we visit the cafe again? For drinks and snacks maybe but unlikely for a full meal.

ON THE WAY CAFE - DEFINITE MUST-TRY!

When we drive past On The Way Cafe, we are always fairly amused by the name so we decided that before we leave KT, we should just try this cafe for the fun of it. The cafe is in a refurbished shoplot, those really long colonial ones. The front of the cafe faces Kampung Cina while the back of the cafe faces the new waterfront area near KT jetty. We had lunch there - Kway Teow Ratna, Bihun Goreng Tomyum, Nonya Chicken Rice, Black Pepper Chicken Chop and Keropok Goreng. Every single dish we ordered was delicious! The Kway Teow Ratna is like Cantonese Hor Fun with gravy and K1 absolutely loved it. The Nonya Chicken Rice came with fragrant Nonya-style chicken curry and soft fluffy rice. SG foodie was truly pleased with the Bihun Goreng Tomyum when it arrived - it wasn't too dry or too soggy and the lemongrass and kaffir lime taste in the tomyum is so evident in this dish. K2 enjoyed his Black Pepper Chicken Chop very much too as the chicken was tender and the sauce wasn't too overpowering. BUT the bestest thing here is the Keropok Goreng! We quickly finished the 1st basket and ordered a 2nd basket and gobbled that up too. It was just so good!

KUANTAN HAI PENG - MUST TRY 

We thought ok the KT Hai Peng was good, this Kuantan Hai Peng must be worth something and it was! These 2 places are very likely completely unaffiliated but they both serve really good grub. This was being our last stop before our drive back to KL, we made sure to fuel up our tummies - Nasi Lemak, Beef Noodles, Laksa, Kaya Toast and Kaya Buns (Roti Kahwin). The Nasi Lemak is absolutely delicious with rich, coconut taste in every bite of the rice, fragrant spices infused into the chicken curry and sweet sambal condiment... it was so good, we ordered a 2nd plate! The Beef Noodles was equally good with strong beef stock akin to Vietnamese Beef Pho and the Laksa is relatively different from those found in the West Coast, with its tangy but still some coconut milk added. The Kaya Toast and Buns and the coffee at KT Hai Peng, in SG foodie's humble opinions, are superior but Kuantan Hai Peng's selections were not too far behind.