It is that Fish-y Craving this Week~

It is just another craving that hit me this week; as I dream of the luscious thick fillets grazed by the crispy sides from frying and the dense yet tangy texture of the fish paste stuffed in uniform shapes floating in the heat of the flavorful soup.

A choice of the light creamy soup filled sparingly by liquid milk; maintaining that balance between both the milky taste and the natural goodness from the assortment of vegetables added to enhance the flavor of the soup,  or enjoy the clear soup boldly drenched in the appetizing tastes from the raw ingredients.

Pickled vegetables, sliced ginger and boiled tomatoes are some of the ingredients responsible in making up the flavorsome soup; creating that irresistible and relishing taste with every mouthful.

If you fancy more greens, sprinkle a handful (or maybe more) of the finely chopped and flittering hollow rings of spring onions atop the vermicelli noodles and the soup.

The wholesome fusion in the soup complements the juicy fillets or handmade fish pastes to perfection, along with the lightly filling portion of rice vermicelli noodles; intertwining the fishy tastes from both fillets and dense paste molds with the tantalizing blend of sweet, sour, salty and fresh crisp taste of fresh produce.

One can opt for the fish fillets; and be prepared for an adventurous yet satisfying fill with the spare time to gnaw through the succulent slab of fleshy fish meat and at the same time, extracting carefully the intersecting fish bones buried in the flesh. It will not be hard to miss as they are bound to emerge at almost every bite, and a little more patience is required but the hearty tastes promised by the juicy fillets will make it worth the painstaking moments spent on the bones.

For a less adventurous and fuss-free ride, or simply because you want to, one can also opt for the fish paste densely filled with the well-grounded mixture yet maintaining that fishy flavors in that lump of mold uniformly made to one size.



Oh, did I mention the generous servings of spinach; yes, Popeye's favorite vegetable apparently makes its signature appearance here too, are just simply to lust for.

More have been added to the menu; and one can even opt for steamed versions of the fish fillets, or have prawns and a variety of seafood for their dining pleasure.

I still prefer the fish; for it is what they were originally known for anyway.

Don’t forget the homemade sambal paste with that light squeeze of lime; even non-spicy food lovers like me was hooked on that exotic, and exciting blend as it touches the tip of my tongue.

They are definitely generous about this, and you can request for more without additional charge (though not overly so) to spice up your bowl of fish noodles a little more.

Mmmm….for some reason, I am just conjuring images of these as they haunt my mind and when it comes to fish noodles, with the description above, it is the famous Woo Pin Fish noodles that I am talking about.

For a bowl of the hearty soup and their fishy fillets or paste; I will take them all.

*Prices have increased since, and they now cost MYR8.50 per bowl at time of posting.

Making them Fishy at Blue Reef Fish and Chips

Blue Reef Fish and Chips, located in the trendy seafront retail marina of Penang; Straits Quay, is a much-talked about eatery around here. Known for its delicious and affordable servings of the good old traditional fish and chips, Blue Reef had the crowd well under its wing with their great reputation.

Initially situated in the tranquil neighborhood of Lembah Permai, the fish and chips outlet rose to fame almost instantly in its early days of operations; attracting the local islanders to their humble outlet especially on weekends. Their move to Straits Quay was by far another a wise choice; with the chic environment also the great ambiance with their location facing the tranquil seafront to give their patrons that dining-by-the-sea feeling in this bold and captivating concept of the seafront retail marina, which also happened to be the first of its kind in Penang.



Choose from their two signature styles of preparing the fish and chips; the traditional beer batter or the bread crumb to coat the fish of your choice (select from a variety of fish available on their menu).

The portions here may seem large for one with a petite appetite, and one could often opt for sharing from their list of Platters for Two.

Seafood Galore (Threadfin) for MYR41.00
Traditional Beer Batter coated thread fin fillet served with a tempting combination of scallops, prawns, calamari rings, salad and chips.

Truly, it was a galore of fresh, juicy and succulent prawns, scallops and gigantic calamari rings which did well to excite one's senses and set the mood for an enjoyable meal. The thread fin fillet was tender and tastes well with the light coat of beer batter wrapping the moist and luscious flesh of the fish.





Besides the traditional fish and chips, if you are into the fish or seafood but not in the mood for deep frying, go for their other styles of preparation such as grilled, poached, or even steamed; the Asian style. Yes, Blue Reef offers all the varieties of preparing their seafood that one can think of and even to the extent of localizing the tastes for their local patrons.

Poached Platter (Barramundi) for MYR46.00
This will be a much lighter option for those into a fuss free and simple tastes of fresh seafood with a zest of lemon juice for an extra refreshing taste.






Besides the traditional fish and chips and seafood platter, or their list of main courses, there are also varieties of salad greens, soups and also mouth-watering appetizers/starters for one to enjoy along with their meal.

Breaded Calamari (MYR12.00)

Enjoy chewing on these larger-than-usual calamari rings which are bouncy in texture that makes one indulge in more than intended. We enjoyed the tasty batter and the appetizing platter while taking note to save space for the mains before they arrive; or just simply, request for them to be served at the same time if you want, to be adventurous once in a while!



I would recommend this Seafood Chowder (MYR13.00), which is just soaking with goodness and generously hiding the large chunky sizes of seafood in the bowl.



This is surprisingly a pleasant and light tasting soup; which was not too creamy nor overly rich that could cloy one's simple taste buds. I am not really a fan of thick and creamy soups and this one is just the right potion to capture my tastes.



For a refreshing companion, we enjoyed the lovely and fruity scent of the Iced Peach Tea (MYR5.00)



One can choose to dine in their air-conditioned space of the outlet or go al-fresco style facing the seafront with the gorgeous view of the beautiful yachts parked by the quay, as though one is in the Fish Market in Australia (Fremantle Fish Market, one of my favorite places for Fish and Chips).







One can also enjoy a romantic stroll to enjoy the atmospheric seafront environment with the sea breeze.



Fish and chips may be well-known in our Australian and English counterparts; with their traditional recipes courting food lovers all over the world and also the fish markets are by far, attractive points.

Now, one does not need to go far or even board the plane to enjoy such an environment or even the fish and chips as we already have them here, right in our own backyard.

Blue Reef Fish and Chips has definitely lived up to that expectation with their fish and chips and topped it perfectly with the idyllic setting and picturesque seafront.
English and Australians may be proud of their fish and chips; touted as the best in the world, but Blue Reef is definitely not far behind in making that mark either and the best is, it is right here, making it possible for us to be able to enjoy good ol' fish and chips in the comforts of our own home environment~

All about Fish at Restoran Kolam Ikan

Starting from its humble beginnings in the comforts of their own sanctuary in the hidden parts of the remote areas in Kulim, Restoran Kolam Ikan was surrounded by man-made ponds amidst the dug up holes breeding freshwater fish such as tilapia, catfish, patin, etc.
The place was so well-known among the industrial workers in the Kulim Industrial Zone that it boomed from a small town family business to being featured in the local food program me hosted by Axian and expanded to opening another outlet in a residential neighborhood.





It is not too hard to locate this place, especially if you are already a worker in the Kulim industrial zone. Otherwise, just follow the road to the town and you will see Old Town on your left; following after you should keep to your left and then make a first turn to the right into a terrace neighborhood.
It would be far more tricky to get to the original location, and perhaps I will need to explore and share with you in a separate post someday.


Comparing to its original remote location which goes through a short tree-laden road (it would be convenient to have a four wheel drive to go through the bumpy road) and sitting at tables with the odor coming from the ponds and the flies driving you crazy, I would welcome this far more comfortable setting in a familiar terrace house compound.

Do not expect a widespread menu filled with all sorts of choices; as they are only specialized in certain dishes and fish; especially freshwater fish ranks high on the list.
Ask for the types of fish they have; which will usually revolve around the usual patin, catfish, etc.

They have this bottled homemade herbal drink; which costs MYR5.00 per bottle and is usually the value-for-money choice for most patrons here, especially in the hot and humid weather we have here in our country.





Triple-flavored tilapia fish is one of my personal favorites here. It is not easy to find this tilapia fish in the northern region, as compared to the city.

The size of the fish varies, and this round we were given a smaller fish which costs only about MYR19.
The fish is deep fried before being cooked with the combination of a sweet and sour sauce spiced up with finely chopped chilies, onions and garlic to make this an appetizing and flavorful dish.





Their mushroom dish is a house specialty, and I was told that one just need to mention mushroom and this is the only way they serve it.
Stir-fried mushrooms with dried chilies and soy sauce (MYR6)


A simple yet fulfilling dish which seemed like a comfort dish, with the oyster mushrooms complimented with the watery sauce flavored by the spices borrowed from the dried chilies.


Stir-fried water spinach/Kangkung with bellman (shrimp paste) (MYR6)

Yes, this is a favorite dish here and also among the Malaysians :-)
One of the most value worthy vegetable to have at any time! ;-)



The dishes ordered; indeed a very satisfying and value for money lunch yet with a fulfilling spread of tastes from home!~

Homecooked Food Diary: Blackened Snapper Fillet with thick plum sauce

This is as good as it sounds; and fish is always my personal favorite dish to look forward to, at any meal. I am blessed to be surrounded by good cooks (as I am definitely not a talent in the kitchen), and those who take note of my special preferences in food as I am often presented with all the good food made with all the love and thoughts from these wonderful people around me.

Blackened fish was a creation from my mother-in-law's kitchen where she experiments with different styles of cooking and sauces; depending on her haul from the morning market each day. She is one lady who really enjoys cooking, and making simple dishes at home, nothing complicated as she just likes taking it easy, as she says.

Plum sauce and the right amount of pan frying was all it took to whip up this dish; with the snapper fillet (the catch, or the buy of the day, from the market) being marinated and then lightly pan fried to create a little grazed on the cheeks of the fillets, before being served with the thick plum sauce concoction poured over the fish and of course, the accompanying fish balls and cakes atop the romaine lettuce leaves.

Well, that's basically how it tasted like to me, and I am no recipe girl as this is just a simple dish which I enjoyed and would like to share, or, perhaps to tempt your appetites?



Really, nothing beats home cooked food....and especially fish...which can be just so costly to order from the restaurants out there these days, with the ever increasing trend of the prices of commodity items and food.
So, guess we will be spotting more home cooking from food blogs? *winks*