Famous Malay Fish Head Curry@ Restoran Pen Mutiara

This is probably a Malay restaurant that needs no introduction to, especially those who work in the free trade zone area of Penang, or is a big fan of curry fish head or all of the above.

Okay, maybe that's not so true, because I found out about this place from my boss who is a frequent visitor to this place and based on the number of friends/colleagues/subordinates he had recommended to dine here, I think they should consider giving him the VIP membership.

This place is located at the Southbay; which is all towards Batu Maung, and it all started from a shabby little stall under a tree.
Today, this little stall is a decently big restaurant, with full air-conditioning, a grand piano and ready to cater for weddings!

That was exactly what I walked into when I was there for lunch last weekend; a Malay wedding to commence in an hour.
We were led into the rear section of the restaurant as shown in the above photo and it seemed that the crowd was not that buzzing on a weekend.

It has been a while since I have had Malay food, but I am a fan of Malay food and being a Malaysian blessed me with the opportunity, not to mention the variety to enjoy a myriad of cuisines from different cultures!
That's why Malaysian is constantly cited as a food paradise :)

Ayam Masak Paprik (Stir-fried chicken in Paprik Style) -RM9.00

Paprik style is a sweet, sour with a tinge of spicy taste and it is quite appetizing, really. The gravy of this is made of sauteed chili paste.
It is quite a popular style of dish with the Malay food, although the origin is Thai (word Paprik).

Sotong Asam Kunyit (Stir-fried squids with Asam Kunyit) - RM9.00

The popular squid dish was the deep fried squids, but I was more intrigued with this; the Asam Kunyit which is a slightly sour taste due to the tamarind (asam).
Tumeric (Kunyit) was used too; which lend the dish its yellow color.
It was not a bad choice, I'd say! A quite unique taste and they were generous with the squids:)


Stir-fried Kailan (Kale) with salted fish - RM8.00

I am not a fan of salted fish, I tell you, but the Malay style of Kailan always recommend the company of salted fish. It was not too bad, which surprised myself:)

Now, on to the star of the meal, and the main purpose one comes to this place for lunch/dinner.

Kari Kepala Ikan (Fish Head Curry) -RM39.00 (3 pax)
*You may be surprised by the size of the claypot they use to serve the fish head, and probably thought you are in for a throat-cutting experience, but be assured that every order gets served that same claypot*

The whiff of the aromatic fish head curry, and you will forget about the size of the claypot.

Spicy aroma, steaming hot and flavorful just makes one tempted to try the taste of the curry immediately, even if you are not a curry fan (like me:p )

The curry is dense in its taste, but I found it slightly lacking in the thickness compared to my previous times. I don't think they slacked, maybe it was due to the busy wedding preparations:) (I am sure they do well all the time :)

With okra, and fish, I am not complaining, besides, this is one smokin' HOT curry :)

What could be better to cool down that chili heat (not to mention spicy taste) than a good glass of sour plum with lime juice (Limau Asam Boi), which, by the way, is one of their favorite drinks too:)

You could order by glass, or if you have more than two people, I'd say go for a jug!(RM10.00 - even if it's a little pricey)

The sour plum with lime juice just have everything you need in a glass, bursting flavor, coolness and refreshing in a gulp, and with curry, you'd definitely need a glass of this!

It would cost about RM20 per pax (minimum) to dine at this place, but that is just a rough estimate as it really depends on what you order from the menu.


It's not THAT hard to find this place too; if you're coming from the coastal highway leading towards Southbay (Batu Maung).
Take a left when you reach the end of the highway at the traffic light intersection and you should see the place (Take left at the fork)

Oh, in case you cannot finish your dishes, you can ask for the waiter's help to pack it for you to bring it home; they will be delighted to do so for you :)

Best Curry Fish Head in Penang? @ Pen Mutiara

Once upon a time, there was a little stall under a big tree by the roadside along the Batu Maung road or now known as the FTZ Coastal Highway.
The big tree was the umbrella, providing the needed shade to the customers who sweat profusely while enjoying spoonfuls of curry-covered rice with a bite of the fish.
Regardless of the races, Chinese, Indian and Malays flock to this little stall and proclaim that it is one of the best curry fish head served in the island!

Today, this little stall is no longer little, in fact, it has grown into a restaurant and sits comfortably in an air-conditioned environment; a shoplot located next to the LKIM in Penang; and is known as the Restoran Pen Mutiara.


The interior is so different from those roadside view anymore, and eager diners can enjoy the tranquility of the piano tunes coming from the grand piano at the lobby or the serenade of the gushing waters from the landscape on the other side.





This restaurant also caters for wedding banquets, private functions or gatherings as they provide special rooms for personal functions.

They offer the range of the usual Malay food; something which I have missed for some time now since I came to Penang. (I used to go for Malay food with my family once in a while)

At the back of the front cover of the menu, they did provide a little history of their stall/restaurant


I was first introduced to this place by my bosses; who, on their business trip to Penang, recommended this place as the one serving the best curry fish head in Penang (as my Penang-born and raised boss said).

Therefore, I have been here for 2-3 times with my boss (he comes here everytime he's in Penang) and I am rather familiar with his recommendations.
For instance, a glass of Limau Asam Boi Juice (RM2.50) is definitely recommended to start and to quench your thirst when you pant and wag your tongue after the curry meal.


We had to wait for a while before the main finally arrived (I do not know what took them so long since it was not exactly a peak hour)
They seem to serve faster during peak hours of lunch!

The limelight of the meal; the Curry Fish Head (minimum of 2 pax per order) - RM20


It is always served in a huge pot like this; regardless of how many people you ordered for. It seems to be their standard pot.
I do like the fact that it's always served piping hot.

Taste wise, I find the curry too heavily laden with curry powder and spices. However, it does provide a rather spicy taste and scent when it arrives. Anyway, when you step into restaurant, you will already get a whiff of the strong curry powder and spices scent floating in the air.

White rice; tastefully decorated with the fork and spoon on the plate

But it will definitely be swimming in curry after you dip into the curry bowl


The main focus is always the curry fish head; however, they serve a variety of other side dishes, from vegetables to prawns, sotong, chicken and beef.

Sotong in plum sauce (RM8.00)

This one had an average taste; although there was a distinct sourish sweet taste in the sauce.
The sotong were all rather bouncy; and I must say they didn't really clean the sotong properly though.

Stir-fried kailan with salted fish (RM7.00)

This one was slightly sourish too; and I find it a little distasteful after a few bites.


Overall, the bill came up to about RM50; and I find the prices here slightly more pricy compared to the other Malay food I have tried before.
Although I am not a fan of curry nor fish head, I don't particularly fancy this one either and it may not be the best as it is claimed.

One thing that struck me is how large their fish heads are; and we once jokingly said, they probably got their fish from their neighbour! =)