Cendul by the Penang Roadside

How often do you see roadside stalls on this little gem of an island, nicknamed the Pearl of the Orient?

The answer is: ALWAYS

But how many stalls do you with a crowd who stands in the middle of the road just to wait for a bowl of shaved ice with brown sugar and green gooey stuffs?

The answer is: ONLY ONE - Teochew Cendul on Penang Road


Located along the sidewalk next to a coffee shop, you will not miss this aisle which is often spotted with a crowd so big that sometimes you wonder whether they are handing out freebies (I mean, how else can you attract a crowd like this here?)


I am impressed with the crowd who did not seem to mind standing under the hot sun and constantly being honked by vehicles which made various attempts to steer their master skills through this narrow aisle.
The crowd just sashayed their way with equal skills while enjoying a bowl like this in their hand


Cendul is supposed to be a commodity item; you can get it practically everywhere in Malaysia for about the same price, with the same ingredients.
So, what makes this so special?



The answer lies in the brown sugar in the shaved ice.
Observe carefully, every bowl of cendul we get everywhere is laden with brown sugar and the shaved ice, topped with of course, the cendul (the green stuffs) with red beans.
However, this Teochew style cendul actually poured the Gula Melaka into the shaved ice and that made the whole bowl so enticing and irresistible!

No wonder people do not mind standing with the bowl under the hot sun here!

For something cooling and refreshing, you can also opt for a glass of wheatgrass juice to relieve that thirst


The wheatgrass is a type of plant; whereby the juice is extracted to make this drink with reputed cooling effects


There are 2 stalls along this aisle, facing each other and if you are not sure which one is the original, just follow the crowd - it's hard to miss


Check out their website too; their increasing popularity has expanded to our capital where they have their franchise outlet in Giant (Subang)

You don't leave Penang island without tasting the famous Teochew Cendul

Fish-Head Start for the day at Air Itam

A good day starts with a good breakfast; but what would be a better way to give a great head start to the day than a delicious breakfast?

Most of us are familiar with the sights of dim sum served at all Chinese dim sum restaurants everywhere in Malaysia and even in Hong Kong and China.
The conventional ones would be the Har Gao, Siew Mai,Char Siew Pao, Egg Tart and the likes of these.


And a meal of dim sum is complete with a pot of hot Chinese tea


However, have you tried something like, having fish-head for breakfast?
Not fish-head with rice vermicelli, but fish-head on a plate like this?

It is a serving of fish fillets; which were marinated in fermented bean curd sauce and sliced red chilies to spice it a little to give that enticing taste on your taste buds.

Priced at RM6 (a RM1 hike from the previous RM5 per plate last year), this is one of their specialty dish here despite its steeper price of an approximate 50% higher than the normal dim sum dishes.

Never mind the price, I find this rather filling and is appetizing for a morning start. Besides, fish is good for the brain, ain't it?
So what is better than brain food to start the day *smiles*


You can also choose from the array of other dim sum dishes
For instance, fried fishballs


It goes really well, a little spicy with just a dip with chili sauce!



For a serving of prawns, you can try the Japanese tofu with shrimps and laced with the light gravy of battered egg whites



Another variation of the prawn dumpling is this Har Mai, which was the prawn version of Siew Mai (it was stuffed with shrimps instead of minced pork)



A bowl of hot prawn dumplings in soup is also recommended as these handmade dumplings were stuffed with marinated prawns before being wrapped with wanton skin


It is rather delicious and just warm for the stomach and the chilly breeze early in the morning


The normal Har Kau; the classic prawn dumplings in crystal clear skin is on the average; not the best I have tasted yet.

Most of their prawn dishes come in four on the plates; and they are usually priced at RM3.30 and above per plate


A good dim sum breakfast is never without tea to gush down the oil and to warm the body up


This is one of the popular Dim Sum haunts among the local residents here too, and also the morning joggers, or the hippy crowd up partying all night



Self service on weekends and public holidays

Padang Brown : A Lunch-ea

There is no such word as 'Lunch-ea', in case you are wondering.
It is just a crazy thought of mine to combine the words Lunch and Tea into one and so it became Lunch-ea.

But hey, who knows it may one day become a recognized word in the Oxford or Webster Dictionary, right? Just like how brunch turned out to be, eh?
Then don't forget that I was the originator, ya:)


Now Padang Brown is already a familiar place in my blog and in many Penang blogs.
Don't you dare deny it!
We have all talked about the famous Lok Lok, popiah, etc etc, and I am sure it has, over the years, found a comfortable spot in each of our food-tionary (food dictionary) when we are thinking of where to eat; especially during lunch hours.


Ever wondered why there are so few places available for lunch compared to dinner?
Why is dinner always getting all the attention?

Fortunately, there are places like these that decide to operate in the afternoon too; and there's a whole lot of variety.
If you can't decide and wanted to taste Penang food for lunch and yet wanna just whet your appetite with light snacks, this is the place to be



You can choose to savor the variety of food on skewers and ponder


You can choose to dip a few skewers of food into the hot boiling water

(You may have to share your table and pot of boiling water with strangers if you are not early. It gets crowded as it gets later in the afternoon)

Choose from your sauces

Crunchy peanuts


Or Spice it up with chili


Pour it into your little plate
(If it's peanut sauce that you chose, then fill it up! I see everyone doing that:)


Or if you want some carbs, you can opt for a light Kerabu Meehoon from the old uncle selling nyonya kueh, just next to the Hokkien Mee stall


How can you not try the famous Padang Brown wet popiah with crab meat?

(Although sometimes I feel rather too thirsty after taking the popiah which I suspect is loaded with MSG)

But hey, that's when you order the drinks
Choose from:
A. Cendol



B. Grass Jelly for a soothing and refreshing flow down your throat


Or, there is always
C. Ice Kacang (shaved ice laden with lots of goodies)



And if you still have room, I wonder whether this plate of Or Chien at RM5 is enticing enough to stimulate those taste buds back to appetite?


From a closer view, how enticing is that?

Old Kopitiam Kek Seng

Kek Seng is a legacy in Penang town and it is so rare to see coffee shops like these days, which came all the way from the pre-war shophouses and still maintaining the heritage 'outlook' of the place.

I have always loved the marble tables, wooden chairs and the atmosphere inside these old time coffee shops. Everything about seems so historic that it's so exciting to be a part of it:)


These are the places which will conjure that picture of old men in singlets and shorts with Japanese blue slippers, putting one leg up on their stool (or the one next to them) and talking in loud voices to their friends.

It is also the place where the grandpas will pour their 'kopi' from their cup onto the saucer to cool it off....ahhh, doesn't it sound so yesterday and so uncivilized as well?
Sounds funny, but it's pretty nostalgic (although I was not even born yet in those times!)

Anyway, you'd better make sure you have a cup of coffee to drink from or a saucer to pour as they charge you a minimum of 40 cents if you do not order any drink from the shop


The prize winning pride which brought fame to this shop is the Ice Kacang and also the durian-flavored ice cream.


Funny thing is, I am not fond of the durian, and therefore it is only natural that I did not want it to appear on my ice kacang!

I found it rather pricey; at Rm2.90 and just limited amount of red beans and sweet corn; although there was a jelly placed at the side of the bowl.
My opinion?
I don't find anything special (even without the ice-cream, I was expecting to taste better than average) but I believe I have tasted better ice kacang on the island.
Perhaps I have come with too high of an expectation after hearing about their famed product.


There is also a popiah stall, and as I am a fan of popiah, guess what

RM2.40 for 2 pieces; I find this rather disappointing too!
Rather bland in taste and it was a rather small portion


I heard the Loh bak here is also pretty famous but the stall owner was enjoying his free time chatting with others that I don't think it is persuasive enough for a try.

Any verdict from other Penangites?