CRIZ BON APPETITE

Savoring The Best All Over Town…

MELLANO FOOD CORNER

Posted by Criz Lai On July - 7 - 2008

NOTE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CEASED OPERATION

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There are many businesses in Penang that had converted part of their business to food business. The latest being the Mellano Florist along Jalan Dato Keramat. What I do not understand is that how could a restaurant have only 3 main dishes and 3 main beverages to serve its customers. Customers would want more choices when dining in. The 3 dishes mentioned are the Broadbean Delight (RM3.50), Glass Noodles in Chicken Soup (RM3.50) and Shanghai Beef Noodles (RM6.00). The drinks are Mango Yogurt (RM2.50), Strawberry Yogurt (RM2.50) and Root Beer Float (not available)

The Broadbean Delight was just some flour cake (somewhat like our koay kak) cut into strips using wavy chee cheong fun knife. It came with some soy sauce, crushed peanuts and some chicken meat. It looked impressive but the taste was totally not Malaysian and not to my taste bud.

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The Glass Noodles in Chicken Soup came with some chicken strips, wood fungus, and 3 chicken balls. The soup tasted real flat for those who do not consume chili powder. It is very Taiwanese style. Not to my liking as well and the portion was real small.

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The Shanghai Beef Noodles came with only thinly sliced beef and some intestine. This was again without much taste and no side sauces came with it. The soup in fact was too diluted without the sweetness of bones.

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The drinks were normal with the Root Beer Float being not available on the first day of launching. I guessed the owner should look into adding more choices and to ensure the satisfactions of its customers. Overall, it flopped my taste bud totally.

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The restaurant cum florist is located just immediately after the Honolulu Restaurant (previously Federal Theatre) along the main road of Jalan Dato Keramat. Parking can be real scare over here even if you are on a bike. So, be prepared to park behind Honolulu Restaurant and walk up to the restaurant.

MELLANOMAP

Name: MELLANO FOOD CORNER
Address: 373, Jalan Dato Keramat, 10150 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 604-229 6012, 012-411 6012
Opening Hours: 7.00am – 3.00pm (Closed Wednesday)
GPS: 5.412537, 100.319456

RATING:
Ambience: 5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 1/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 4/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 6/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

AGOGO WAN THAN MEE

Posted by Criz Lai On June - 18 - 2008

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Penang produces so many different versions of delicious Wan Than Mee (sometimes called wonton noodle) that most of the time we get confused with what style of the noodles to consume. We have the Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Teochew even Hong Kong styles of Wan Than Mee, not forgetting that the different style of how other states prepare the dish such as the versions from Johor, Pahang, Perak, Sarawak and Selangor. The dish comes in two versions, the dry and the soup. We also have the boiled wonton and the deep fried wonton, fine noodles and thick noodles, served with sambal and/or pickled green chillies.

One of the regular Wan Than Mee stall that I frequent is right in the heart of Georgetown. Somehow I like the taste of it compared to a few famous ones in Penang. I gave the stall the name Agogo as the boss will always shake vigorously when he shook the noodles dry. The noodles come in three sizes, small (RM2.40), medium (RM2.90) and large (RM3.40). If you want to try out the noodle, be prepare to wait for awhile as the customers will come in nonstop. After all, there are selling only for 5 hours or less per day, except for Sunday.

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You have to drive towards Lebuh Pantai to get into Lebuh Melayu as it is a one-way street. You can see the stall on you right at the junction of Lorong Toh Aka. Ample parking spaces can be found on the left road ( Lorong Ikan). If you find that the stall has no more places to sit, you can always move to the coffee shop opposite, which is cooler.

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AGOGOMAP

Name: AGOGO WAN THAN MEE
Address: Junction of Lorong Toh Aka / Lebuh Melayu
Opening Hours: 12.30pm – 5.00pm (Closed Sunday)
GPS: 5.414032, 100.336300

RATING:
Ambience: 5/10
(1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 5/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

PETALING STREET (CHINATOWN) HAKKA/PAN MEE

Posted by Criz Lai On June - 5 - 2008

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Petaling Street or Chinatown as most tourists would call is not only a haven for good bargains of items such as clothes, DVDs, watches, bags and shoes. It is also a haven to please your appetite up to the wee hours of the morning. If you know how to explore further into the many lanes and corners of this street, you will discover many delicious hawker stalls hidden from the main shopping area.

One such stall which I have discovered some years back served the most amazing Hakka Mee and Pan Mee in that area. Not only are the noodle portions quite a lot, they are also cheap. RM3.50 per plate compared to RM4.50 in any of the cafés on the main road. Now you know why I have never stopped visiting this place. The stall also served many other noodles variety such as the Curry Chicken Wan Than Mee which is just as good. Here are the two noodles which we had ordered.

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Finding this noodle stall would be quite hard as it is hidden in one of the lanes. If you are walk into Petaling Street, Chinatown’s main entrance from Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (opposite Kota Raya) and you will reach a crossed junction. Hong Leong Bank is at the corner on your left. Turn left into the road (Jalan Hang Lekir). Walk straight up until you see a lane on your right. There will be a shop selling DVD there. Walk inside and you will see the stall. Next to the stall is a Roasted Chicken/Pork (Char Siew) Rice which is just as good.

HAKKAMEEMAP

Name: PETALING STREET (CHINATOWN) HAKKA/PAN MEE
Address: Jalan Hang Lekir, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 9.00am – 8.00pm
GPS: 3.144298, 101.698025

RATING:
Ambience: 4/10
(1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

FRIED HOR FUN WITH GLASS NOODLES RECIPE

Posted by Criz Lai On May - 23 - 2008

Sometimes during weekends, I would create some special food to share with my family. This is something that you cannot get from any food stall out there. I tried something different which tasted real nice and not as oily as our famous Penang Char Koay Teow. Since my family has a few children in it, I opted out the chili paste. I called it “Fried Hor Fun With Glass Noodles”.

FRIED HOR FUN

Ingredients:

1 kg hor fun (open up and cut into 1” strips)
300 gms tang hoon (glass noodles) (soak for 30 min and drain)
3 pulps garlic (chopped)
1.5” thumb size young ginger (grate and juice)
300 gms medium prawns (peel and marinate with some pepper, soy sauce & sugar)
1 chicken breast meat (slice and marinate with pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil & some ginger juice)
300 gms bean sprout (taugeh)
4 eggs (beaten with some soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil)
Some oil
Dark Soy Sauce (optional)
Salt and sugar to taste
1 stalk of spring onion and chillies (for garnishing)
Sambal Belacan (shrimp paste chili mix with lime)

Method of cooking:

  1. Saute some chopped garlic with some oil until golden in a wok.
  2. Put in the hor fun. Add in some pepper and soy sauce (optional: drop some dark soy sauce for darker coloring) and stir fry on high fire. Scoop up and put aside.
  3. Stir fry the prawns and chicken meat individually and put aside.
  4. Heat up some oil. Put in the eggs and scramble until cooked.
  5. Lower the fire. Stir in the glass noodles and sprinkle some salt.
  6. Put in the cooked hor fun and stir evenly.
  7. Put in the cooked prawns and chicken meat. Stir evenly.
  8. Put in the bean spout and stir until the bean sprout becomes almost transparent.
  9. Dish out onto a plate and garnish with sliced chillies and spring onions.
  10. Best served with Sambal Belacan.

(Serves: 4-6)

YOU CAN CHECK HERE FOR MORE RECIPES.

ORIENTAL CHICKEN MUSHROOM HOR FUN

Posted by Criz Lai On May - 13 - 2008

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This is one type of hawker food that you would not find anywhere else in Penang – the Oriental Chicken Mushroom Hor Fun. The stall has been operating there for two generations ever since it moved over from Jalan Siam. Most of the patrons are regulars as the stall is way out of the view from the main road. You can either order it dry or soup with Hor Fun, Bee Hoon or Mee. Both will come topped with yummy, tender juicy chicken meat, mushrooms and wood fungus.

What make this dish unique is that the boneless chicken meat cubes, mushrooms, wood fungus are stewed until all the herbs and spices had gone right into the meat. One bite and you will taste the mild herby taste of Dong Quai (Chinese Angelica or Female Ginseng), a traditional herb used in some Chinese dishes for strengthening the blood circulation, gynecological ailments, fatigue, mild anemia and high blood pressure. Women should know better how this herb will help. 😛

Price wise, a small bowl will cost RM3.00 and a big one RM3.50. Here are the two big bowl of the Hor Fun that we had ordered. If you plan to eat something heavier such as dinner, Tuck Sai Café does provide ala carte dishes with rice. The dishes are quite tasty but the pricing for the food and drinks could be pricey a bit.

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If you are moving from town area along Jalan Dato Keramat towards Greenlane / Air Itam, you will see the Dato Keramat Police Headquarters at the traffic light. Drive further about 800m and you will see a big Nasi Kandar shop on your left. Turn into the road, Jalan Singapura (next to the road, same stretch as the Nasi Kandar shop is Honolulu Bistro & Café – formerly an old cinema) and turn right into Jalan Bukom. The stall is prominently located on the ground floor of the Sri Pelangi Apartment on the right.

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Name:
ORIENTAL CHICKEN MUSHROOM HOR FUN @ TUCK SAI CAFE
Address:
Ground Floor, Sri Pelangi Apartment, Jalan Bukom, Penang, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 6.00pm – 11.00pm (Close Sunday & Monday)
GPS: 5.411768, 100.319059

RATING:
Ambience: 6/10
(1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 6/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 6/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

CHICKEN/BEEF MEE GORENG AND MEE REBUS

Posted by Criz Lai On April - 28 - 2008

Note: Check out the new location at http://www.crizfood.com/118/mee-manja/

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There are so many different versions of Mee Goreng and Mee Rebus around town. It could be in tomato puree, lemon grass spices, dried squid or prawn flavor and even beef/mutton soup based. Most people would not notice the differences but I did as the noodles are cooked by different races in Penang, namely the Indians, Malays, Chinese and Indian Muslims (Mamak). If you are in for the not the normal tomato based Mee Goreng or Rebus, you should visit this place along Lebuh Clarke. This Malay guy has been selling his version of noodles for years, same as his brother (the former famous CRC Mee Goreng stall, now located in a coffee shop next to Dorsett Hotel, Jalan Larut).

The noodles (Mee, Bee Hoon or Koay Teow), whether fried or soup are cooked with thick bone soup. The sweet fragrance taste the soup will all be seeped into the noodle, giving it that tasty flavor. You can opt for either chicken or beef to be cooked with your noodles. Each plate will cost RM4. If you are a big eater, do ask for extra noodles. Please take note that you have to ask for non-spicy if you do not take chilly. All noodles will come served with fresh cut green chillies with lime and soy sauce.

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Most people would order the soup based noodles as they love the taste of the soup. Drop in there to enjoy your freshly cooked noodles, take away would not taste that good when cold. Getting there is easy. As you move along Jalan Larut (KFC Larut Road branch) towards the town center, you will reach a traffic light. Drive ahead and you will see a road on your left. The stall is just on the left. Prominent landmarks – a Nasi Kandar shop at the junction and Eden Steakhouse diagonally opposite the road. Please refer to the map for a clearer idea of the location.

MANJAMAP

Name: MEE MANJA @ KEDAI KOPI CLG
Address: Lebuh Clarke, Penang, Malaysia.
Opening Hours: 5.00pm – 11.00pm (Closed on Tuesday)
Contact: 016-480 3568 (En. Aman)
GPS: 5.420195, 100.330775

RATING:
Ambience: 5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 6/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 6/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

RAMEN WANG

Posted by Criz Lai On April - 25 - 2008

Note: This restaurant has ceased operation.

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Ramen has been getting so many responses recently that my friend had even opened up a shop specializing in Ramen and Pasta in Taiwan. It would be absurd to fly all over to Taiwan just to have a taste of her wonderfully photographed meals, especially her XO Sauce Ramen and Fried Rice. I have been longing for that dish for so long until I found a shop right here in Penang along Jalan Burmah in Pulau Tikus itself.

The place could not be prominently seen along the main road as it was hidden behind a row of shophouses. I would not say that the restaurant is grand and heavily decorated but it has the quiet and relax ambience for some good food and internet browsing. They do provide wifi facilities but it is hotspot. It would not be as fast but still you can do some simple emailing and browsing.

Coming back to the menu, you will expect to see a thick menu book which has beautiful taken shots of ramen dishes ranging from Taiwanese, Western, Thai, and Japanese styles. All the dishes are pork free. Of course I opt for the XO Sauce Seafood Ramen. The taste is marvelous with big prawns, fish fillet, squids and green vegetables. Except that the squids are rather rubbery hard, everything was perfect.

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Next in the list was the Western plus Oriental style of ramen. We ordered the Sesame Chicken Ramen. It looked like spaghetti with bolognaise sauce with deep fried chicken fillet but it has the taste of mild sesame flavor. Not a bad combination though. Something different compared to the norm.

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We also ordered a set of 4 fried shui gao (dumpling) to try out. The skin is totally different compared to the Wan Than Mee ones as these are more springy. Not bad for a new taste but I would prefer the filling to be richer. It came with ginger strips pickle.

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Presently for April and May, they are having promotion for every set meals ordered. You can get a drink and a shui gao soup free for lunch and a fried ice cream and a shui gao soup free for dinner. Overall, the food can be considered good but the portion served is not big enough for a hungry person. The pricing is slightly above average. Both ramen dishes plus the deep fried shui gao, excluding the two free chilled Jasmine Tea we ordered, we paid RM25.95.

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It is not hard at all to find the restaurant. Just drive down Pulau Tikus area towards One-Stop Midlands Centre. As you reach the traffic lights at Jalan Cantonment / Jalan Burmah, keep a look out for Bee Chin Heang and Kassim Mustafa on your right. Turn into the road on the right. Move on and you see the shop on your left.

RAMENMAP

Name: RAMEN WANG
Address: 11-A Lintang Burmah, 10250 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-2277 298
Opening Hours: 11.00am -10.00pm (Closed on Monday)
GPS: 5.432659, 100.311420

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10
(1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

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