Hokkien Mee, 大山脚广西伯公埕福建面 (Pek Kong Cheng, Bukit Mertajam)

Two weeks ago, my parents and I went to Jalan Pasar, Bukit Mertajam's Tua Pek Kong temple for some food. The temple does not serve food. It is just that a lot of food vendors set up their stalls in front of this temple and it is really popular with foodies, make it local or outstation. 

Our main purpose was for their hokkien mee and my dad got so disappointed when the stall was not opened that night. So, we went back yesterday and again, it was not there. While my dad was at the point of cursing, my mom saw a blinking LED sign board and VOILA! It was a signboard to the hokkien mee stall. They have moved to the back of the temple instead of their usual spot on the right side of the temple by the alley.  

 This signboard was placed far back of the alley, and we did miss it last week. 

All that fuss over, our bowl of hokkien mee is served at a standard size of RM4.00 with two chicken feet and a big headed prawn.  

They have also upped their game in that they now served cappucino with coffee art (RM4.00). But don't bother ordering it if you can't wait. It took so long for this to be served to us, at the point of us emptying our bowl. But, the taste was great! 

If you know where the market is, it is just opposite of the market before the turning to Jalan Danby. Opening hours: 7.30pm to 12am and they have moved to a shop behind the temple since 1st September 2014.

Just Food Foodcourt, Gurney Paragon

Gurney Paragon gives a posh ambience and welcoming feel once you enter its premise. The ground floor gives the impression that things ain't gonna be cheap in here. But, you are wrong. As you escalate further upwards of this mall, you will realise that there are many affordable brands to shop around. You can also dine inexpensively, too. 

No one would have thought that the food court is a good place to start with if you are undecided on where to eat. Well, try it out. It offers local, western and eastern cuisines and all under one roof. You can have some Lebanese food or Korean even Thai or local hawker food. 

You can have some kebab with chicken or some rice. 

Or an economy priced set lunch at RM10.90 at Bee Won, Korean food stall. 

with some Teochew Chendul from Penang Road just a stone's throw away. 

Best not to compare the price charged here than those you can get from outside. Besides, for the price, you get decent place to eat with some cooling air conditioning. It's canny!

Just Food @ Gurney Paragon 
(163D-L5-08 - 13 & 20 - 23),
10250 George Town,
Pulau Pinang,

Lok Lok (Skewered style hot pot)

Based on Wikipedia for Penang Cuisine, "Snacks" section, lok-lok is defined as: -

"Lok-lok is a variant of the steamboat/hotpot meal, except that the food served is skewered and the skewered food is dipped into a hot boiling pot of water to be cooked. This is then dipped into a variety of sauces provided for you. A wide selection of food is served, ranging from seafood and meats to vegetables. The food is eaten off the skewer."

Not everyone can handle the way the food is serve or had to be served due to hygiene reasons. But, noting Penangites grew up eating hawker food either by the road side or beside a drain or even a football field, we have high tolerance against germs and bacterias. Well, most of us are. 

It is charged per stick based on its colour markings. So, usually red and black are much more ranging between 80 sen to RM1.00 and with the cheapest at RM0.20 usually not coloured if not in blue or green. Best to check with the stall owners. But what amused me the most is the way the owner calculate our bill. He counts very quickly and immediately right in front of us. I should have recorded it but I am sure you can find some in Youtube. 

It is not difficult to find if you know where is the market.

Pulau Tikus Market,
10350 George Town,
Pulau Pinang

Late evening, dinner or supper only.

Pork Satay, Sin Yin Nam Cafe, New Lane

Brace yourself for a wholesome plate of fragrant and tasty pork satay! RM10.00 for 10 skewers of lemon grass goodness!

Only available at night. New Lane is where Sunway Hotel is in Georgetown. So for a good stay with hawker food just a walk away, New Lane is for you.

Char Koay Teow @Siam Road, Penang

a good plate of char koay teow is one that is fried with charcoal fire! 火气! 

I got to know about this place through a local television program called Taste with Jason (阿贤人情味). Jason or Axian went on a char koay teow hunting in Penang in one particular episode. One of the places he tried and recommended is the one at Siam Road, Georgetown.

What makes this different from others is that the vendor, an old uncle serve each plate of char koay teow with the usual ingredients - pork lard, koay teow, waxed pork sausage, prawns, chives, bean sprouts and eggs and it was fried individually using fire fuelled with charcoal. He will fan up the fire with his left hand and then fry the dish with his right hand. His son is in charged of taking orders and serve the orders to hungry fans or first timers, like me.

I've been wanting to try out this plate of char koay teow ever since I got to know about it but the chance didn't come until a friend of mine who is a Penang food enthusiast from Singapore, sought a recommendation for a good plate of char koay teow ("ckt"). It struck me that we must try the one at Siam Road and after calling up my mother just to verify on the uncle's stall opening times, we drove to Siam Road from Gurney Drive with a glimpse of hope to taste a plate of ckt. It was already 6.40pm when we started our drive and the uncle has started selling ckt since 3pm that day.

Lady Luck was on our side and we get our chance! We sat at the kopitiam opposite the uncle's stall and waited patiently. You must be patient and have a friend with you because the wait for your turn will take up to an hour!

The taste is good, not that salty and packed with flavour. The price, only RM3.30 for the smallest plate. The portion commensurate with the price. For better experience in which my friend taught me, order two small plates instead of one big plate. That way, you get to taste the ckt fully without stuffing yourself silly in one plate.

Siam Road Char Koay Teow
Corner of Siam Road and Anson Road
(Seating in Hock Ban Hin Café).
Georgetown 10400 Penang

Big Tree Trunk (大树脚)

When in Ipoh, best to travel out of the usual eating places in the old town and come here, to Pasir Pinji for some local hawker food. Situated under a very old tree, lots of food stalls congregate around it and it also attracted a lot of locals and tourists alike. 

During my visit, I noticed it is not just the Yong Tau Foo that this place is famous for, but also for their drinks, too. Yong tau foo in English means "stuffed vegetables". Vegetables like aubergines/brinjal/egg plant, ocra/lady's fingers, chillies, bitter gourd and not forgetting tofu or beancurd skins are filled with fish meat paste. They are then deep dried which is oily and scrumptious all at once. 

Check out the queue for the yong tau foo, out to the busy main road. It's dangerous! 

Tip: Don't queue politely like how we did. But to swarm in front of the stall and pick the food. It might involve some patience but you'll get your chance. 

Just like that. You grab your food at the front counter and move down to this lady who will then sort your orders. You can also order some noodles to go with your yong tau foo. I highly recommend the laksa! The laksa noodle is silky smooth and al-dente! 

Not forgetting the waiting time for these yong tau foo in view of its large number of orders at one go. You had to wait about 45 mins to an hour for your order to reach you. 

You washed all that oil down with these jumbo sized drinks. Dragon fruit juices, mixed fruit juice, ice blended with red bean or corn. Green tea ice blended. All yums! That's my dad by the way. =)

Big Tree Trunk (大树脚)
652, Jalan King,
Pasir Pinji,
31650 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.