Footsteps - Jotaro's Travels: June 2013

Friday, June 28, 2013

YummY! - Penang Laksa @ Farlim Shell Station Cafe

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YummY! Jotaro's Food Review

PENANG LAKSA @ FARLIM SHELL STATION CAFE

Bandar Baru Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia - 23rd June, 2013

This place in Bandar Baru Farlim that sells Laksa has a very odd name, locals call it "The Shell Station Laksa"

Why? Because, the operators where formally selling from a roadside stall next to a Shell Petrol Station nearby. That is until business got so good, and the crowds were jamming up traffic there. They were humbly requested to relocate.

They have moved to a shop-lot nearby, but has maintained their unique name, after all it's a very recognisable name.

Interestingly, unlike other laksa stalls, they have added fishballs to theirs. These were soft and tasty.

To add more spunk to the eating experience, they sell deep fried spring rolls to go with the laksa.

These are dipped into the laksa soup, where they can soak up some of the soup.

YummY! This is similar to what one can do at the Nyonya Kueh stalls (.. see Raj Nyonya Kueh).

The original stall is still there and being used, placed at the front strategic corner of the shop.

Workers preparing the laksa.

For those who want additional fish, fresh fish is boiled in the soup and filleted to add on top of the laksa.

FARLIM SHELL STATION LAKSA CAFE

Medan Angsana 4, Bandar Baru Air Itam
11500 Penang, Malaysia

Phone:+6016-459 7179

Hours : 11:00am to 7:00 pm

GPS : 5.390563, 100.283232

Farlim Shell Station Laksa Location Map (Google Map Link)

Related Blogs :

Rustic Penang Laksa @ Pat's Place

Enjoy home-cooked laksa and other delicacies
at a rustic house on hill side with a good view of the hills and jungle
- Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

YummY! - Rustic Penang Laksa @ The Middle of Nowhere, Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, Penang

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YummY! Jotaro's Food Review

RUSTIC PENANG LAKSA @ THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia - 23rd June, 2013

I have heard of this laksa place in Balik Pulau, it's run by a friend. But so far I have been unsuccessful in getting to try it. In a previous attempt, I went to the Kampong Laksa in Balik Pulau instead (... see The Penang Laksa Hunt Ride).

Since the writing of this blog years ago, the place now has a name and is called "The Middle of Nowhere", and I have updated it to replace the former tiltle of this blog which was "Rustic Penang Laksa @ Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau"

I was riding in the Penang Where2Go event, it is a public event cycling round Penang Island within a cut-off time (... see more). Three quarters of the way into the ride, at Sungai Pinang just after Balik Pulau, I saw this signage "Home Cooked Assam Laksa". Hah! By not looking for it, I found it!

I just thought to myself, "Forget about the time limit for the ride, I just have to go in to see my friend and try her food!"

Going in, I was met by my friend Pat. She showed and sat me at a nice blue Ming Table.

From my table I looked up. Hmmm.... this place looks real cozy, has that nice rustic ambiance. And this is actually Pat's house, I sure envy her.

So when they say their food is home-cooked, it IS really home-cooked!

Pat brought me my bowl of laksa - it looks good with the sprinkling of bunga kantan (ginger flower) contrasting with the green mint leaves.

I dug in. The laksa noodles were more akin to the Malay type, with a less springy bite. The soup had a good fishy flavor, tasting above average.

To go with the food, I had iced Nutmeg Juice.

As usual, nosey ol' me could not resist going to their "kitchen" to have a look.

The laksa ingredients are hygienically put in plastic containers.

In another corner were crispy "pastry cups" for making Pai Tee.

Pat's son preparing the laksa, this is a family business.

The Menu-on-the-Wall. Seems like they offer much more than Penang Laksa. There is also Pai Tee, Creme Brulee, Spaghetti, Durian Cake and Nutmeg Syrup - all of which are home-made. Pity that I was on a tight schedule, but I will be back another time to try the others.

There is also ample car-parking, no worries of having to park at the main roadside.

I just love the mood of the place; sitting on a table in a rustic house on a quiet hillside, with a cooling breeze blowing in, enjoying Mother Nature, all while having good food.

RUSTIC PENANG LAKSA

202-B Jalan Sungai Pinang,
Sungai Pinang, Penang, Malaysia

Tel: +6012-401 0101.
E-mail: info@fruitnspice.com
Web Site: http://fruitnspice.atspace.co.uk
Hours : Open Saturdays & Sundays only
11:00 am till stock finishes (approx. 3:00 pm, call first if going later)

GPS : N5 23.727 E100 12.998

NOTE : They have much, much more to offer - durians, antique collectibles; to find out more, visit their website http://fruitnspice.atspace.co.uk.

Rustic Penang Laksa @ Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau Location Map (Google Map Link)

Related Blogs :

Where2Go Event - Round Penang Island 23rd June 2013

It all started well with me on track until a couple of pleasant distractions stumbled me and I was straggling.

Penang Laksa Hunt Ride - Balik Pulau 30th March 2013

Hunting for good Penang Laksa at a village in Balik Pulau, with an interesting en-route 2 km. up-hill push to the Hakka Village.

Fresh Nutmeg Juice @ Balik Pulau New Market

A tangy drink with a slightly bitter underlying taste. One that packs an oomph! - Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

YummY! - Nyonya Delights @ Ah Tuan Ee's Place

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YummY! Jotaro's Food Review
NYONYA DELIGHTS @ AH TUAN EE'S PLACE

SS2/72, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia - 20th June, 2013

I recently had the opportunity to eat some delightful Nyonya food at Ah Tuan Ee's Place.

From outside, the decor made the place look more like a Chinese Restaurtant. But I am glad they used the word Nyonya instead of Peranakan which is not an accurate word.

Indoors, the decor was more Nyonya-ish, but still there is room for improvement. It is very cozy though.

But when the food came...
Oolala! It made up for all short coming of the place.
The Gulai Tumis was very good. Sweet and just adequately sour, it went very well with the white rice. Best of all, the fish was very fresh, with the curry flavor creeping into its meat.

To those from the northern states, Gulai Tumis is different from curry. Gulai is a term used for curry without the coconut milk.
We tried to ask for Fish Head Gulai Tumis, but unfortunately they did not do it with fish head - it would have been much better then.

The Ulam (vegetable salad) that came next had the veg blanched in oily water, making them lose their fresh crispiness. Probably this was done for hygienic purposes, so I can't complain.
The sambal that came with it was well pounded and with a strong underlying belacan flavor - we should have asked for some lime and sugar to add to it, that would have really spunk up the chili.

For the sambal-petai prawns, they were a bit stingy on the petai but were generous with the prawns; real huge prawn, fresh and sweet.

The curry that came with the prawns was a bit on the sweeter side, but this was made up for by the large onion slices that came with the curry.

Here is their Inche Kabin - deep fried chicken. This should not be missed as not many Nyonya places serves it. A fair amount of work has to be put in to prepare this dish.
First the chicken is seasoned is a simple soy sauce, sugar, pepper combination. Then they are hung up to dry in the sun; the timing of it must be accurate - to long and the meat becomes dry, to short and the skin will not have that unique crispiness when fried.

The Inche Kabin is dipped into this "Lamchoot" sauce when eating. This sauce is a blend of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce, soy sauce, squeezed lime juice, sugar and with cut large onions & red chilis added. Taste it and it hits like a "Whooomph".

Overall, it was a nicely balance meal in terms of spread, taste which went well...

... with the white rice that was served. I went for seconds of white rice - shouldn't let the curry gravy go to waste.

For desserts, we had cincau-chendul in iced with a few groundnuts thrown in. This was serve with fresh coconut milk and topped up with some Gula Melaka. They got the Gula Melaka right, thick and full of coconut aroma.