vkeong loves good food, travel and photography!
Bukit Mertajam
Tong Pak Fu HK Dessert Restaurant @ Bukit Mertajam
Jan 21st
Firstly, do not confuse this Tong Pak Fu with the HK one that recently launched at KLCC and Sunway Giza. In fact this is a Penang based dessert chain that has branches at Pulau Tikus, Raja Uda and Bukit Mertajam. Although their names share the same pronunciation in Cantonese, one word used is different. The HK one from HK uses 百 (hundred) while this one uses 伯 (uncle) for the ‘Pak’. I think anyone who does not pay enough attention to details might think they are the same.
The menu selection is quite limited and consists of the usual stuff you would find at any dessert shop, so no surprises here.
Some mango dessert which I can’t recall its name. Couldn’t be bothered anyway because it is artificial as hell.
Fried Oyster (O Chien) @ CH Coffee Shop, Bukit Mertajam
Dec 28th
I miss blogging about my hometown’s food. For those who don’t know where I am from, it’s Bukit Mertajam – a small town on the mainland of Penang. Now that I am home for the holidays, it is time for food hunting again. There is a saying in the Chinese community that good food can always be found near temples. Come to think of it, that saying is quite true especially in small towns, like mine.
The most famous temple in BM would be Pek Kong Cheng which is situated right in the center of the town, just next to the wet market. In the morning, there are plenty of food stalls in the catering for the local marker goers and workers with some being the most famous ones in town like the white wantan mee, koay chap, prawn noodle and many more. Come night, it turns into a popular supper spot with new food stalls that operate until midnight.
My latest discovery is a Fried Oyster stall that is manned by a young man in his 20s. I seldom return to BM nowadays so I didn’t even realize the stall which he has been operating for almost 5 years. His style of fried oyster is true to the northern Malaysian style, in which the eggs are fried into thin pieces then folded on top of each other followed by the oysters. The smallest portion costs RM7 and consists of two eggs and roughly 8-10 oysters. There are a few large sized oysters while the rest are medium to small but nothing too tiny, so not bad at all.
Ayam Penyet AP @ AEON Seberang Perai, Penang
Feb 7th
Ayam Penyet AP, an affordable restaurant serving the delicious and addictive Indonesian cuisine called Ayam Penyet, loosely translated to smashed fried chicken. It is a perfect alternative to the already over-mushroomed kopitiam franchises. Not only the quality is getting worse, portion is getting smaller and prices are always increasing. Imagine, after I finished my cuppa of iced white coffee, the cup is still filled with 3 quarter ice cubes. Daylight robbery.
Besides flattened chicken, beef and fish you would be glad to find other dishes like soup and barbecued meats. But you certainly won’t go wrong with AP’s signature dish – Ayam Penyet, priced at RM8. You could get a whole thigh or breastmeat, depending on your luck. I guess you could also specify the parts you want when ordering. Do note that steamed rice has to be ordered separately.
Bazaar Ramadhan @ Bandar Baru Perda, Seberang Perai Tengah
Aug 25th
Every year I will make it a point to visit the colorful and tantalizing Bazaar Ramadhan. Last year I was at one of the largest in Malaysia at Shah Alam and this year, I am visiting one near my house at Bandar Baru Perda, Seberang Perai Tengah.
The Bazaar Ramadhan at Bandar Baru Perda is located at the car park of Masjid Perda. I feel the best time to go is around 5pm, when the crowd is at its minimum and most of the stalls are already ready to sell their food.
Right at the entrance of the mosque is a Ayam Golek stall, selling a whole roast chicken at RM18. The minimum portion is half a chicken at RM9.
