Something Sweet - Leng Lui Tong Sui

If you are hankering for some refreshing and healthy dessert like tong sui, head over to Leng Lui Tong Sui in Jelutong Market.

The name was actually coined by the patrons because the proprietress was quite a beauty in her hey day and later on, they noted that her daughters inherited her looks as well. Now, the daughters of the proprietress are running the business and they have expanded to another branch in the Terengganu Road area.

Their main branch remains at Jelutong, though, in a corner coffee shop directly opposite the Jelutong wet market.

Leng Lui Tong Sui in Jelutong Market

People can see their very familiar pink signboard from far away.

Leng Lui Tong Sui Truck

However, their operations are from this pink and yellow truck parked in front of the coffee shop building. There are other stalls operating inside the coffee shop such as sharks fin soup, Taiwanese sausages and laksa.

Their signature dish is the Mat Dou Yao. Translated from Cantonese, it literally means "a little bit of everything". The name for the dish was coined by a famous movie star from Hong Kong when he visited the place.

Milky Mat Dou Yao (RM5.30)

The above is a later evolution of the dessert that uses milk instead of the usual syrup that is the base for all tong suis.

Mat Dou Yao definitely lives up to its name as there is a little bit of everything inside. Ingredients include jelly, sago, kwan ling gou (herbal jelly), white fungus, ginko nuts, red bean, laichee and longan, to name a few. Customers can add other ingredients like lentils and pineapples by paying a little bit more.

I always ask for more ginko nuts. My favorite ingredient is their sago which I think has been soaked in syrup because they are sweet.

They have other tong suis as well, such as foo chuk and leng chi kang, but customers basically just mix and match whatever they want.

Leng Lui Tong Sui is only open for business in the evenings.

Penang Beef Koay Teow

There are a few places in Penang to get beef koay teow, but today, we will look at 3 that are considered above average.

One thing patrons of beef koay teow need to look out for is to make sure that the sellers clean the ingredients very well, especially the innards like beef tripe. Otherwise the lingering smell will spoil any appetite.


Sin Yin Nam Cafe, New Lane

Situated at the corner of New Lane and Macalister Road, the beef koay teow stall here is very popular amongst tourists and locals alike.

However, quality is somewhat inconsistent, with the broth having a sourish undertone, most likely from coriander, which is more pronounced on certain days while conspicuous on other days.

Understandably, they cater to local taste buds, who feel that the smell of beef is less than appealing. Therefore, majority of beef koay teow sellers tend to use copious amounts of herbs like coriander to mask the smell.

Other than that, it is still appetizing, with beef balls, strips of beef, beef tripe and tendons.

Prices start from RM10.00


Kang Beef House

This establishment takes beef offerings to a new level with more dishes than just beef koay teow.

If you want something that is less soupy, try their crystal beef fried rice (RM12.80). They add rice krispys to the fried rice so every mouthful is a delightful crunchy experience. For those who prefer their rice a little moist, they may add soup that accompanies the rice.

For an appetizer, try their crispy deep fried beef balls with croutons (RM4.80).

Their beef koay teow comes in 3 different versions:

* Regular
* Claypot
* Herbal (tastes like bak kut teh)

If you happen to have a vegetarian in your midst, they will not be left out as well. Their vegetarian fried hor fan is just as tasty, even for a meat lover like yours truly.

They also have beef steamboat for big celebrations (RM20.00 per pax) with a variety of beefy-licious ingredients such as rib, tripe, balls, intestines and sirloin.

By special request, customers can also get the penis. What does that taste like? Well, the shaft is pretty much like tendons - opaque and tasteless. The balls, however, are an acquired taste but the texture is smooth. Will I eat it again? No thanks.

Overall, Kang Beef House trumps in terms of variety of dishes. However, my one complaint is that the taste of their broth can be more bold. As it is, the flavor is very diluted. At times, it feels like boiling water with a hint of beef.

Again, I'm not sure whether it is because locals tend to shun the smell of beef and they try their best to mask the smell, which to me is really unnecessary.

Kang Beef House is located on Perak Road, just a stone's throw away from the Jelutong police station. They open during lunch time and dinner as well and are closed on Tuesdays. However, the fried dishes are only available from dinner time onwards.


Kedai Kopi Lam Ah

Also popularly known as Bomba Beef Koay Teow amongst Penangites as it is situated just opposite the fire station, the beef koay teow here definitely rules the bull pen.

The coffee shop is at the corner of Beach Street and Chulia Street.

The thick broth filled with beefy goodness always gets slurped to the last drop. The pretty lady who runs the stall there has been selling beef koay teow since 1997.

Customers can have the choice of choosing koay teow, egg noodles, a combo of koay teow and egg noodles or rice. They can also choose to have dry koay teow instead of the soupy version.

Toppings include strips of raw beef that are seared with the hot beef broth, beef balls, tripe and tendons.

Note worthy is their sauce which accompanies the beef koay teow. It is a special blend of sweet sauce and chilli sauce that is created by the proprietress. You are not going to find this anywhere else.

Prices start from RM10.00.

The downside is that due to its popularity, finding an available table, especially for lone diners, can pose a challenge. Due to its location in one of the busiest sections of Georgetown, parking is also a problem, especially during weekdays when offices are opened. It doesn't get any easier during the weekends either.

The coffee shop is also pretty warm, so if possible, try to get a table that is near the doorways.

And again, because business is so good, it can be quite a long wait before you finally get your bowl of beefy heaven, so while waiting, customers can order the fried oyster, the only other stall in the coffee shop.

They open from Mondays to Saturdays from 11.00 am till around 3.00 pm or the beef koay teow is sold out, whichever comes first.


So that's the run up on the good beef koay teow available in Penang. If you have any other recommendations, please let us know and this bak ong will head over to the place to get the scoop ;)

Chef's Delight Western Food

Feeling like having a nice juicy steak but it's the end of the month and budget is an issue?

Don't worry. You don't need to go to some pricey atas restaurant to get served good steak. Just head to Sin Hup Aun coffee shop near the Pulau Tikus market and you will find Chef's Delight.

Chef's Delight is located in Sin Hup Aun coffee shop

This stall has been around for over a decade and has been feeding the students from nearby schools for just as long.

Chef's Delight stall

In terms of the menu, they certainly have more dishes than most Western food stalls on the island, over 20 different dishes.

The many delightful selections on their menu

This is just a fraction of what they have on their menu. And if a particular dish is not exactly to your liking, you can always talk to the friendly auntie manning the stall to see if she can make some adjustments for you.

Chicken cordon bleu deep fried in bread crumbs not to your liking? Then how about having it grilled instead?

Or what about fried rice with cheese?

Auntie comes up with new recipes every once in a while. Regulars will know to ask her if she has something that is not on the menu.

While waiting for your main course to arrive, you can start your meal with a bowl of their home made chicken mushroom soup.

Chicken Mushroom Soup (RM3.00)

A hearty bowl of rich soup served in a classic Campbells mug is just the way to start a good meal. However, it can be a little less "onion-y" to make it even better.

My must have main course is the sirloin steak.

Sirloin Stead (RM18.50)

What sets this dish apart from all the other steak establishments is auntie's secret sauce. I have been to many other Western food stalls and atas steak houses, but can never find steak sauce that comes close to auntie's secret recipe. There is just the right balance of tanginess and sweetness to complement the beef and it is not too overpowering that it just kills the natural flavor of the beef.

Notice anything missing in the above picture?

That's another thing that customers like about going there. Once you've been there often enough, they can remember all your quirks and eating habits.

I've never mentioned that I don't want any side salad with my steak. I just left them there at the end of the meal and one day, they stopped giving it to me. That's a plus point in terms of customer service!

In terms of portion, it is definitely a lot, better than some atas restaurants where they give you a huge plate and a tiny pile of food in the middle and calling it fine dining.

Nah, give me value for money any time.

Chef's Delight opens from lunch time till late at night and close on Tuesdays. It may be somewhat packed during lunch because there are other stalls operating in the coffee shop so it may be a little challenging to find a table. But by dinner time when all the other stalls close, you can take your time to enjoy your meal. It is a lot cooler by then too.

Duck Meat Koay Teow Soup @ Pulau Tikus Market

It's been raining consistently for the past few days in Penang and anything soupy and hot is a welcome relief from the cold.

A hot bowl of hearty duck meat koay teow soup is just perfect. The best duck meat koay teow soup on the island can be found in the Pulau Tikus market. There are other stalls on the island, but so far, this one stood out because of the rich and sweet broth.

Business is brisk as usual

This unassuming stall nestled between a satay stall and a stall selling all types of bread and pastries has been enjoying brisk business for as long as I can remember. It is run by a family consisting of father, daughter and son, but it is the daughter who calls the shots.

The pretty lady who runs the stall

Customers waiting for their orders to go will be amazed by this pretty lady's almost photographic memory. She can remember who ordered what, what they wore, the toppings that they want, what they don't want, etc.

 The father told me once that the secret to the sweetness of their broth is rock sugar. For the base, I noticed carrots and yam bean in the boiling soup.

Duck meat koay teow soup with added meat balls

Of course mine came without the vegetables ;)

The brown bits on top are "bak ewe phok", bits of fat that have been fried till crispy and fragrant. I asked for additional meatballs besides the usual fish balls, duck meat (it's duck meat koay teow soup) and pork. The meat balls have a very distinct hint of cuttle fish. I passed on the coagulated pig blood, though.

 The whole dish came up to RM4.50, which is still pretty reasonable.

They also serve char koay teow, but it's nothing much to shout about. The brother used to be the one who takes care of the char koay teow part of the business, but of late, I noticed that it is the lady boss who mostly runs the stall.

A tip: Never buy from them if you don't see the pretty lady around. Somehow the consistency is just not there when she is not around to prepare the dish. There was once when she went away for her honeymoon, leaving her father and brother to hold the fort. The soup I got was tasteless. Needless to say, I waited for her to get back before returning for my duck meat koay teow soup fix.

They only sell in the evenings and are closed on Fridays.

Dayumm Grilled Pork Burger

Being a carnivore I am always on the lookout for anything that is meaty-licious. When I heard about Dayumm Burger, I knew this is something that I must try.

OK, most Penangites are familiar with Marshalls, the name that started it all for the many grilled burger joints sprouting up across the island. But since so many friends have raved about Dayumm, I just have to sink my teeth into one. The only reason I haven’t is that it is a little out of the way for me.

But I decided to finally make the trip one night after gym. For those who don’t know where it is, it is opposite the old Federal Theatre along Jalan Dato Kramat.

I discovered 2 things when I showed up:

1) The location of Penang’s famous Ah Leng Char Koay Teow, which Dayumm takes over at night, but we’ll leave this for a char koay teow post in the future.

2) My friend, B, is helping Dayumm with their marketing.

It’s a rainy night, so there is only one table full of college kids waiting for their order. Even then, I noticed that the grill is full of their homemade patties.

Patties on the grill

Burgers assembly line

Looking at their menu, they have only 2 choices – the Classic with single patty and vegetables or the Complete that comes with egg, cheese and bacon. Customers can add on other items by topping up the price. They also have meatballs as side orders.

Guess which one I ordered.  Well, it was B's suggestion to take the Complete when I told them to make it meaty and ditch the vege.

While waiting for them to complete my order, I had a chance to talk to B, and in the meantime, the aroma of bacon filled my nostrils. Oh man, I so can’t wait to get my burger.

B said that their patties are different in that they include herbs in them. He said that if I have the chance, I should cut out a piece of the patty without the sauce and trimmings. I should be able to see and taste the herbs.

Another thing I noticed is that their egg is akin to McDonalds’ Egg McMuffin, not scrambled or sunny side up.

B told me that they are coming up with more choices on their menu, including a pork chop version. This is still in the R&D stage at the moment, as they will need really good cuts of meat, something which they are currently negotiating with their butcher about.

The college kids get their order served up first. It’s similar to how Marshalls serve up their burgers. In a little basket with skewers keeping the burgers from falling apart.

With their excited chanting of, “Dayumm, Dayumm, Dayumm…” and the mandatory food porn pictures later, they were contentedly chowing down their burgers.

Mine arrived soon enough and I eagerly took my first bite. The first thing that registered in my mind was that the bacons were crispy and smoky fragrant. They only have tomato and thousand island sauces so there was no overwhelming sweet and sour tastes to overpower the taste of the meat.

Another thing that pleased me immensely was that they kept the egg yolk a little undercooked so the yolk oozed out and seeped into the meat in the patty. B was right. There is definitely hint of the herbs, whether it is thyme, rosemary or a mixture of different herbs, I couldn't tell. Another pleasant surprise was raisins. Whether they were from the bun or included with the patty, I didn’t ask. But they definitely complemented the pork very well. In the end, the marriage of all the different flavors and textures created a masterpiece of grastronomic ecstacy.

By the end of the meal, I had sauce and pork juice running down my arm. Did I complain? Absolutely not! But I will say that it is definitely very filling because of the egg. And it was then that it hit me - I forgot to take a pic! :(

So folks, if you haven’t Dayumm yet, as they say, you don’t know what you’re missing. And while you’re there, say hello to Morgana, their little mascot, the sweetest little darling that patrons automatically fall in love with ;)

Say hello to Morgana while you wait for your burger!

Are You Penang Lang? Heard of Nasi Kandar?

Nothing keeps us motivated like a reward waiting for us in the weekend, and my reward for this weekend is I am off to Penang to spend my weekends productively, with tasty food, bumpy ferry ride, and awesome movie time! Just by typing all the activities that I am about to do this weekend driving me with full excitement!

You can’t speak about Penang without speaking about their food, am I right? This is absolutely true because Penang Island is indeed a food paradise. There are vast choices of food there, be it Malay, Chinese or Indian, you name it, they got it! And today I am about to tempt you with a common but a super yummy meal and renowned in Penang- Nasi Kandar!

Nasi Kandar is a typical Malay dish that you can get almost everywhere in Malaysia, but the authentic ones (SUPER DELICIOUS ONES!) can only be found in Penang. I was introduced to Nasi Kandar by my loved ones, and I was so amazed at the super duper choices of dish that they offer. You will be amazed too if you were introduced to Nasi Kandar for the first time.

My favorite nasi kandar restaurant will be Pelita. Okay some may argue that the best nasi kandar doesn’t come from Pelita but different restaurants in Penang. Well, I am not up for argument here, but the one I truly like is from Pelita Restaurant for their variation and excellent services.

As I said earlier, they have various choices of dishes of seafood, chicken and mutton with its own rich curries. Well what is so special about Nasi Kandar Pelita anyway? The secret here is to utter the “magic word”, and that is *drum rolls* - Kuah Campur! Kuah Campur simply means mixed curries from various dishes, such as chicken curry, fish curry, mutton curry, and crab curry even prawn curry and the best of all, kandar curry. A combination of all these curries makes a wonderful meal and a great choice for spicy lovers. There are choices of fried chicken, fried fish, fried squid and eggs to compliment your dish as well. Sounds yummy right? The mixed texture that dances in your mouth with combination of multiple flavors does not only taste delicious but also keep your appetite high!

Other than Nasi Kandar, you can also get few types of Naan bread with Tandoori chicken set that are absolutely mind-blowing. My other favorites are spicy mutton soup that filled with rather large chunks of mutton marinated with herbs that are rich with aroma as well as spicy flavor.

So, why not reward yourself a good weekend in Penang and treat yourself to a nice plate of Nasi Kandar at Pelita Nasi Kandar? Oh well, I know I would be having great fun filling up my tummy with lots of food this weekend! 

Man... It's Laksa!

“Let’s go have laksa!” depending on where you are, you will get different laksa in different state! Don’t believe me? Allow me to take you on a Laksa adventure throughout my beloved motherland. Jom!

Laksa is actually a commercial dish consumed at any time of the day; that consists of two main elements, the noodle and the broth. The noodle itself is made of rice flour and it is thicker compared to mee, the yellow coloured noodle also used in certain laksa dishes; laksa is long and cylindrical in shaped. Unlike kuey teow that is also known as rice cake, which is long and flat noodle with approximately 1cm wide yet thin. What differ laksas from one state to another is the broth. Some laksa’s broth has coconut milk in it and some doesn’t.

In Johor, the southern-most state in the Peninsula, Laksa Johor is consumed with spaghetti. The gravy is a mixture of blended fish, coconut milk, lemongrass, torch ginger (bunga kantan), dried shrimps, kerisik (toasted, grated coconut ground into a paste), galangal (lengkuas) and other spices akin to make the thich gravy. This laksa (noodle and gravy) will then be garnished with sliced cucumber, bean sprouts, daun kesum (Vietnamese coriander), chopped long beans, finely sliced four angled bean and sliced onion. One may also opt to squeeze some fresh lime juice before eating.

Well that’s Johor’s specialty. Let’s head to Malacca and indulge in a bowl of Laksa Nyonya. This dish can be served with any type of noodles of your choice. My favourite will be the yellow mee. The stock of this laksa is a coconut milk based broth of which made with a mixture of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, turmeric, chilli paste, candlenuts, shrimp paste (belacan) and few other spices. Prawns and fish balls may also be added in. This laksa is then garnished with shredded chicken meat, fried tofu, bean sprouts, coriander and hard boiled eggs. Check out Peranakan restaurants that serve this!

The ever famous Assam Laksa originated from Penang has a twist to it. Unlike the Laksa Johor and Laksa Nyonya which has coconut milk in the broth, this Assam Laksa has no coconut milk in the broth. However, what make this assam laksa interesting is the pineapple slices and a thick sweet shrimp paste (petis udang) that gives the dish its kick. The thick broth is made if ground or shredded fish and the sourness of the broth came from the tamarind also used in the broth.

People are often confused between Penang Assam Laksa and Kedah Laksa. Kedah Laksa lacks the soury flavour that Penang Assam Laksa is rich in. Often the Kedah Laksa is slightly dull in colour unlike the Penang Assam Laksa that is reddish in colour. The consistency of the broth varies too. Kedah Laksa is slightly lighter. Sharing some similarities to these two states’ laksas is the Perlis Laksa which differs from Kedah Laksa is the fact that it is topped off with eel of catfish and it too lacks in the sour flavour that can be found in the Assam Laksa. However, you may ask for a lime if you like.

Laksam is one of my favourite dishes from Kelantan. What separates laksam from other laksas is the noodle used. I’m not so sure if you want to call this noodle, since it is thicker that kuey teow and it is rolled and cut into an inch slices. The laksam is made of rice flour and it is steamed. As for the the gravy, it is a mixture of blended fish, shallots, ginger, lemon grass, black pepper and other spices. I like mine with just the noodle and the gravy. Some like it hot, so the sambal may be added into the dish. This dish is topped off with ulam, a mixture of green vegetable which includes chopped long beans, four-angled beans, cucumber, cabbage and beansprout. I guess it’s not too cheesy to say Bon Appetit!

Lastly, (I’ve been saving the best for last) there’s Laksa Sarawak. Unlike other laksas in Peninsula, Laksa Sarawak is served with vermicelli (bee hoon) and a shrimp based broth thickened with coconut milk. I don’t understand why this dish has been neglected as this dish is unique on its own. This dish, I must say is a fusion of Curry Mee and Assam Laksa. There’s a certain tanginess in the broth that makes you sip for more.  Together with its sibling Kolo Mee, this Borneo Treasure is sure to make you crave for more! It has been said that the best feature in Kolo Mee and Laksa Sarawak is the juicy pork in it. I myself, have to pass in this case, since the once I’ve tasted contains absolutely no pork (I’m a Muslim, in case you’re wondering).

I hope you enjoy this piece on the variety of laksas. Of course there are more than just these that you can try. I’ll keep posting more! See ya!             

Penang makes me FAT!

What comes to mind when somebody says Penang to you? Is it the bridge? Is it Penang hill? Or are you reminded of the explosion of flavour in your mouth when you indulge in one of the delicacies prepared by the locals. Oh my God, just the thought of eating in Penang takes me to food paradise dream!

Let’s begin this gastronomic adventure of Penang food with the ever famous Nasi Kandar. Nasi Kandar has been said to be originated from Penang as Nasi means rice and Kandar is actually the pole that the vendors used to carry the food on their shoulders during those eras where they sell Nasi Kandar at the road side. My perfect definition of Nasi Kandar would be warm white rice eaten together with a mixture of dhal and curry, some meat and poppadum! Just typing it out makes one drool.

Not a fan of rice? That’s OK! Char Kuey Teow is another must try in Penang! Literallly translated it is known as fried rice cakes, Char Kuey Teow is a signature dish in Penang. Stir fried together with eggs, bean sprouts, prawns, cockles and light soy sauce and chives as its basic ingredients, it is considered to be fattening due to high amount of saturated fat! Oh well, while you’re in Penang, they say! Check it out!  

Penang is the melting pot of culture and tradition. Aside from these two dishes, Penang too is famous for its Assam Laksa. The sour taste of the gravy comes from the assam which is tamarind and ground mackerel (fish) making the gravy think and savoury. What differes the Penang’s Assam Laksa from other laksa is, the tiny bits of pineapple in the dish. Laksa on the other hand is a type of rice noodle. I wonder if I’m the only person who drools reading this alone!

Rojak typically means mixed! You’ll be surprise but the amount of rojak you’ll encounter. Offsprings of mixed marriage are even labelled rojak! Speaking of it, there’s also rojak and pasembor that one must try when in Penang! Rojak is basically a fruit salad with a special dressing, called the kuah rojak, dark brown in colour. Pasembor on the other hand is another type of rojak, which consists of fried shrimp fritters, toufu, bean sprouts, shredded cucumbers, boiled potatoes and squids among other condiments is a must try! The famous rojak and pasembor stall is located at Gurney Drive.

To quench your thirst, the local favourite drink will be cendol. Cendol is made of rice flour and green colouring that is drank with coconut milk and brown sugar. My description may be disgusting considering the fact that no one in their right mind wants to drink coconut milk as a dessert! Don’t be fooled by the description, however. It is refreshing to be taken during a hot sunny day! Some cendol vendors made their own rendition of cendol by inserting glutinous rice, red beans and corn bits into the drink. It tastes like parade in your mouth!

I believed those reading this, are already gulping and wants to have a taste of what I’ve been describing above. There are more than just these five dishes for you to try. Go on, plan your next visit! Penang-aites will be welcoming you! Jom pakat mai ramai-ramai!

Other blog links:
1. How to spend $100 in Penang