Cooking 'em up in the Clay pots

There is just something about clay pots, the distinctive aroma and taste of the food are just comforting, and in a natural way.
The warmth of the food and the unpretentious flavors make everything that comes out of a clay pot naturally irresistible, which makes it one of the favorite way of preparation of food in many regions especially in Asia.

I was introduced to this Claypot Restaurant, nestled in a residential neighborhood along Jalan Sungai Kelian in Tanjung Bungah.
Specializing in claypot dishes, as its name suggests, the restaurant has since changed ownership recently though maintaining the concept of claypot in their preparation.

Located within a terrace house lot along a row of houses transformed into businesses, the number 48 distinctively highlights the place out of the many other restaurants (there are plenty of good restaurants in this area as well).




The natural homey interior of the restaurant makes all the sense, since it is an actual house converted into a restaurant and the furnishing is kept to the minimum to create that spacious and clean concept of a dining environment.



I love the little touches of the retro-themed posters on the wall, which creates a soft blend of classic memories amidst a pristine and fuss-free setting with plain wooden dining furniture.
Simplicity always say it best, and is definitely welcomed especially in a setting fit for a pleasant dining ambiance with family and friends.



The selection of dishes on the menu are pretty straightforward, offering a domestic variety for each category; from vegetables to chicken, pork and seafood, humbly served in their signature clay pots.

Braised Japanese tofu in Claypot (MYR8.00) is a simple and plain version of the egg-laden version of the beancurd cooked in a modest starched gravy dressed with peeled onions and spring onions.



It is just like any home cooked version of a braised tofu would taste like.

Seaweed with white tofu soup cooked with eggs is comforting without frills in its presentation and taste.
Served piping hot, this indeed warms one's soul at the very first taste.
As the owner is a family friend, who took over the business, we were treated to this hearty serving on the house as our selection of dishes were somehow constricted to rather dry-based dishes, as according to the owner.
(It is indeed a thoughtful gesture from his side :-) )



The owner is one specialist in vegetables; having formerly (and still) ran a vegetables business and he recommended us the Brussel Sprouts with meat floss (MYR8.00), which was the vegetables which new in stock on that day.
Ask for recommendations for the vegetables of the day, and they will be more than happy to oblige to offer suggestions.





Deep fried Mantis Prawns with dry chilies (Kung Pow style) (MYR20.00) is not served in a claypot; and was fried to crunchy crisp.



This is always my favorite dish anywhere and I was delighted to see that they have it on their menu.
(It can be a bit of a scavenger hunt for this dish sometimes, as there are restaurants which don't serve this or sometimes they run out of the mantis prawns).
This is a little too crispy to my liking though; as I usually prefer the light crisp and slight moist of the flesh inside which is perfection in my personal definition.



The version served here is a little on the spicy side too, with their generosity in the red chilies and sliced ginger.


One of the highlight would be this Braised Fish Slices with Black Bean Paste (MYR25.00).



Served in a claypot, of course, this is a little dry, according to the owner, but we enjoyed the unique flavors used in the mix of the gravy, keeping the salty tastes of the black bean paste to a moderate level and the succulent flavors of the fish slices are preserved at its optimum.
Juicy and fresh slices of fish are used; instead of fish fillets which make the impeccable tastes of the dish, and the claypot added to enhance the flavors.

The food here tastes just like home, and one could easily be momentarily entranced by that thought that they are actually dining at home, especially with the homey settings as well.

Drinks are also served from a homemade selection; though only a few, and I would recommend this naturally refreshing and appetizing mix of Haw with Apple Juice (MYR3.80).

 

The combination is well-blended and kept to their natural tastes; with no additional flavoring or sugar, and is definitely a soothing option.

Prices are reasonable here, though the portions could be considerably smaller.
Most of the dishes are in one size of serving, and larger groups might consider ordering more from the menu due to the compact portions of the food.

However, the ambiance, cleanliness and the service make up a pleasant dining environment.

Also, who can say no to a good round of home-tasting food, not to mention served directly from the warm clay pots?


Address:
48, Jalan Sungai Kelian, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang



Check out more articles and posts

LIKE my Facebook Page Here
Google+
Instagram: AngelstarChristy
Twitter: @Angelstar

Visit my Main Site HERE

Relishing Comforts of Home at Siang Pin

Everyone has that favorite or familiar family eatery which they frequent religiously when dining out with the clan. It could even be more than one place where there is just something to please everyone's taste buds; from the young to the old; everyone could definitely find that dish they agree with.

Chu Char (in Hokkien) or Tai Chow (in Cantonese) are the regular terms used to describe modest Chinese eateries whipping up those regular habitual dishes from the home kitchen, and is popular among families on weekends or those days when mothers are not in that usual cooking mood.
Typically run by families as well, these simple concept restaurants aspire to serve and satisfy those home-cooked food cravings with the basic dishes while occasionally highlighting their specialty dishes handcrafted by their own resident chefs.
They may be miniscule compared to the star-studded restaurants and hotels out there, but their allure lies in the simplicity and that close-to-home comfort feeling they bring to connect to the families looking for a moderate and fuss free meal with an ordinary price tag.

Siang Pin Restaurant is one of such place, having been in their location for years; serving the local neighborhoods along the coastal drive of Tanjung Bungah area in Penang.
I have previously blogged about this place twice (here and here), and that is proof enough of our sentiments towards this old-time favorite on the island.



This humble eatery offers a rather extensive menu; covering almost every basic category and styles of cooking one's mind could conjure of and occasionally introducing a dish or two concocted from their resident chefs.

One of their most loved and recommended is this star; Curry Fish Head (Market price)
One can opt to enjoy either the fish head or just purely the fish fillets; which are both equally satisfying as the main attraction lies in the aromatic and exotic flavors of the curry broth.
Spiced with rich Kerala-style curry ingredients, teamed with cubed tomatoes, thickly sliced onions and okra with the final touch of cumin leaves garnishing the top makes this a clear winner as it makes it way to almost every single table in the restaurant.



It is impossible not to fall for the relishing tastes of this bowl of curry; even for a non-spicy food person like me, and the very sight of its bright orangey-red colors accompanied by the seductive aroma of the curry spices are sure signs to entrap one's attention and stirring that appetite almost instantaneously.
The fish used here is the garoupa, which is one of their recommended fish and could be slightly higher in price; based on their market price although one can expect a range of MYR25-50 for their fish head curry over here.
Garoupa are naturally smooth in texture, and was a perfect complement to balance the piquant tastes emitted from the combinations in the curry with its silky and tender flesh.



The first taste of the broth will get you hooked, and before you know it, you will probably be scooping spoonfuls of the gravy onto your white rice to enjoy its taste which will never seem enough.
Yes, it is addictive and it leaves little to wonder why this dish is so favored among the regulars to the restaurant who are mostly drawn to this dish as their main reason of visit.



Kung Pow Mantis Prawns is my personal favorite, as evidently seen in most of my posts.
The dried red chilies and slices of onions paired with the thick viscid Lea Perrins sauce gave the mild flavored (or even flavorless) wobbly texture of the mantis prawns that boost of enriching tastes.



This is one of my personal favorites to order when I dine at Chinese or seafood restaurants, and to date, this is still one of the places which made it to my favorite with their light crispy texture (not overly crispy) on the outer and maintaining that fresh fleshy taste of the prawns on the inside.



Stir-fry Kangkung with belacan (Stir-fry water spinach/water convulses leaves with dried shrimp paste) is another local favorite as the simplicity of the dish brings the tastes so close to home.



Slightly spicy, the crunchy and definitely juicy vegetable is a great ally to the pungent flavors of the belacan, and throw in a couple of luscious prawns and you have yourself a mesmerizing dish right before you.
Fondly known as Kangkung Belacan, this is clearly a Malaysian favorite and one of the most memorable dishes which is almost always on every restaurant's menu.



Moving away from the hot and spicy dishes, there are also other delicious offerings which go lighter on both the taste buds and of course, the tummies.

Braised Fish Fillets and Tofu with Mixed Vegetables served in a clay pot is a dish which immediately puts one in that comfort zone with its simple presentation and unpretentious appearance.
Well-seasoned fish fillets coated with a thin layer of flour braised with lush amounts of vegetables in the form of leeks, carrots, napa cabbage, onions, spring onions, garlic and button mushrooms are harmonized with the soft neutral tastes of the silky bean curd, finished with the light starchy texture of the broth. It was the idea of a comfort food, and the clay pot brought that well-intended meaning of the warmth of the dish; in both temperature and tastes savored from every serving.




Kids would enjoy the appetizing tastes of this Sweet and Sour Fish Fillets 
Fish fillets are seasonal items, depending on the market, and I am a fan of the flavorsome tastes resulting from the intermarrying of the simple ketchup with the brood of vegetables; namely cubed tomatoes, capsicum, onions, cucumber and pineapple.
It just reminds me of my childhood with the delightful tastes; which I am pretty sure every child would enjoy. It would be like turning down sweets or any child's favorite food for one to resist this yummy dish packed with enticing flavors.





Champagne Pork Ribs is one of their highlighted dish for Father's Day yesterday, and it was highly recommended by the owner, being an occasional/seasonal dish.
While the name sounded like it was upgraded with the glamorous festive bubbly, the tastes was merely and creatively emulated with the fizzy tastes of a sparkly to give it that same sensation from the celebrated wine.




This place is located along the row of shophouses facing the Tanjung Bungah market and the bus station, and right before the post office.
Keep to your left after the Paradise Hotel stretch (on your right) as you head towards Tanjung Bungah , and turn to your left after the second traffic light after this hotel area. It is along the row with Maxim's Bakery and a pharmacy.

It can get crowded especially on weekends, so do be there earlier to enjoy your meal without being harassed by the large crowds or the incessant noise surrounding you as the place fills up with people.

Prices are on the average range; though some may be according to the market price trends so do check with them when you place your order.
Generally a pleasant place to dine in, and is definitely one of those homey close to comfort abodes for many craving that sensuous tastes of home cooking.

Siang Pin truly delivers the comforts of home in their very own way~

An Evening with Seafood at Hai Boey

Literally translated to the "End of the Sea" in the local dialect of Hokkien (common language spoken on the island of Penang), Hai Boey Seafood Restaurant is a resident seafood eatery located at the far end of the coast of Teluk Kumbar; a district located between Bayan Lepas and Balik Pulau in Penang.



It has been a few years since I was first here, and my recent visit to this restaurant was indeed a far cry from its heydays during my first visit. The restaurant has fully developed into a systematic and organized outlet, with well-planned facilities for the convenience of the customers and also the efficient system in which the dining orders were taken. I have to commend their ordering system which was well-thought of; with the waiters/waitresses attending to each customer with a PDA in hand and keying in the orders to be sent directly to the kitchen. Of course, this has been practiced in many restaurants for some time now, but I really mean it when I say that their system works quite the way it was intended to, or at least when I was there.
It is also worth mentioning that the restaurant's kitchen was lined with a team of chefs; in a count exceeding five, all busily tossing and frying at their woks and pans to cook for their customers.
Then there is the serving team, who pushes metal carts around (like in a dim sum restaurant) with all the ready-to-serve dishes to multiple tables at the same time. This whole scenario really sped up the entire process from the ordering to the serving, and keeps their customers happy, which is key to their success.

One of the house specialty as recommended by the waitress is this Braised Prawns with Hor Fun (Thin and Flat broad  rice noodles) (明虾河粉)(MYR26.00)



The thick sweet and sourish flavored gravy enriched with the addition of generous amounts of stalks of spring onions and slices of ginger added to the relishing factor of the dish. Of course, the star of this is definitely the fresh and succulent prawns, which were well-sliced to permeate its natural sweetness and juicy taste, and along with hor fun, it is an appetizing combination which makes this an indefinite memorable dish. Truly, this is a specialty here worth the recommendation.

Having used to the usual style of Kung pow mantis prawns, I was enticed by the mention of their other styles to prepare the mantis prawns which was quite distinct from the regular cooking methods in most restaurants.
Kerabu Mantis Prawns (MYR12.00) is an interesting palate teaser with a burst of sourish spicy mix  to complement the dry crisp taste of the deep fried mantis prawns, which, was tender and squeaks with a juicy flavor inside.



This has totally recreated and rebuffed the regular styles of serving mantis prawns, as it introduces a more refreshing and exciting sensation to the tender tastes of mantis prawns. I might try another style on my next visit, as I hear they have other creative cooking styles for this tantalizing sea creature.




If you are bored of the usual stir fried lala (clams) or the steamed style in superior stock, look forward to the way they spice up the dish with this slightly spicy yet flavorful
Steamed Lala with Sour Plum and Chilies (MYR12.00)



The flavorful yet light broth is really enticing to the taste buds, and the addition of garlic and coriander leaves just elevates to the appeal of the dish, and the clams were really fresh and juicy to begin with that it was just the perfect marriage for the fresh sea ingredients and the accompanying cooking ingredients.



The restaurant is fond of serving their fish in clay pots, which they will always recommend to their customers as one of their regular serving styles.
Claypot steamed Red Snapper (MYR40.00) 
(~MYR7 per 100g)

Coriander leaves are served separately, for folks who are not fond of the addition of them beforehand.
It is indeed a thoughtful move, as I do know of many who would shy away from this and it is often a love-or-hate relationship most have with them.

The fish was cut up into large chunks to fit them into the clay pot; and it did seem a little queer though that the fish seemed to be a little uneven on the portion and I believed it was one-sided.


The texture of the fish was smooth and well-immersed in the light tastes of the soy sauce which gave it that extra flavor on top of its natural sweetness owed to the freshness of the fish.




Stir-fry Baby Bok Choy (Siu Bak Choy) (MYR8.00) with garlic was a simple yet healthy finish to the above seafood fare.
The soft and crunchy texture of the vegetable accompanied by the garlic and simple broth made this a light option away from the flavored dishes we had.


Sour Ambra plum juice which comes in bottles are perfect for larger groups.
Priced at MYR12.00 per bottle, it did come across as a little pricey compared to the usual but the juice was rich with the flavors of the fruit combination, giving it that less than the usual diluted tastes we get at some of the places out there.



Compared to my last visit here, I would say the quality has improved in terms of the food and also the overall system in place here.
It is definitely another reason to indulge in seafood when you have interesting places like these, and on an island known as a food paradise.

There are ample parking space for the cars, and the restaurant has even organized their parking lots by stilts to guide their customers to a well-arranged layout on their premises.
It seems that they kept everything in order here, and nothing seems to miss their mind.



With the typical setting of the countryside in the background and the seafront dining before the you, it is definitely an authentic island environment to enjoy your seafood in much more atmospheric style.

Sunday dinner at Sunshine Bay Seafood

Weekends are synonymous with crowds and holidays here in Penang island; and we have gotten used to the trend here where there are always eager tourists hanging around our little island.

It is not an out worldly thing when you are living in a world famous (if not Malaysia alone) island, famed for food, heritage and the hills and the sea and is one of the world's most livable cities.

With the island filled with tourists almost every weekend (and sometimes even weekdays during the peak seasons; public and school holidays), there is pretty much no place for the locals to escape to a quiet little sanctuary to have that piece of local life. Not that we are complaining much; but traffic can be really horrendous and worse, seems like the costs of living are just increasing exponentially, and there are just so many places which are falling into the zone of over-commercialization that sometimes, to be honest, it just gets a little tad, well, frustrating.

Anyway, as the saying goes, the going gets tough, we, just play tough and get going; hunting for different places to try out sometimes whenever we get bored of our usual places, or they are just starting to move into their tourism zone. *Laughs* Now it sounds like the locals are running away from the tourism, how ironic that sounds!

We are not really active hunters for new food places; mainly because I am also a rather habitual person where I tend to sink into the comfort zone when I like a place and the food served that I would tend to stick to that place and frequent it until I decide that I am bored, and usually that is not in a short term.

However, the good thing is, recently, I am starting to, and wanting to check out some new places because there is just way too many new places and I haven't been doing it in a while. So it seemed like a great time to spice it up again and just, be a little adventurous.

Sunday dinners, like everyone is usually with the family (unless we have prior plans or events) and we don't usually go to new places unless otherwise requested by the elders.

This round, we decided to go to this seafood restaurant in Tanjung Bungah.

Well, they have all visited this place before, and I was the only one visiting for the first time.

Sunshine Bay Seafood restaurant is located right before the traffic light and after the post office if you are coming from the Gurney direction, facing Harmony Residence in the opposite direction.
If you are at the traffic light, you can see Maybank. Therefore, you should turn left/keep left when you see the post office (which can be quite hidden) on your left and there is a slightly upward slope heading into their premises.

We were there quite early on a Sunday evening, and the place still looked pretty vacant at around 6-ish. However, we noticed that there were two tables with the reservation tags; reserved by their regular customers I suppose.

We had an elderly woman who came over to help us with the ordering and she gave a list of recommendations based on the menu they have and we just ordered a couple of simple dishes which would suit the tastes of the elders as well. (In fact, our parents decided on the ordering as well).

With the hot and dry weather in the afternoons, coconut juice seemed to be a perfect choice to complement the meal.
The coconuts were priced at MYR5.00 each.



Coconut juice is always a good thirst quencher and one can only understand the cooling sensation when the soothing taste of the clear liquid gushes down the throat. It is indeed a refreshing treat, and the best part is that it is rarely overwhelmingly sweet (unless it was sweetened in some way) which is the reason the coconut juice is also always referred to as coconut water, because it is just so similar to the pure H2O in so many ways except with that slight hint of sourish sweetness and that it comes in a hard husk.


Kung Pow Mantis Prawns (MYR10) is a delightful combination of deep fried mantis prawns which were then stir fried with the light touch of Lea Perrins sauce (or other similar sauce) along with spring onions, onions and dried chilies as the main ingredients.

There are many other ways to enjoy this delicacy of the mantis prawns, such as salted egg yolk being the other popular choice, but I would not have it any other way except this. It is just my own definition of the perfect way to enjoy this; provided that they do it well.
Somehow, I found this version a little salty for my liking and also, the mantis prawns were inconsistent with some being a little over the top in the deep frying process. It is never easy to perfect the deep frying of the mantis prawns, as I was told, as too much would lead to it being totally dried and crispy while an instant deep frying might lead to the prawns being undercooked.
The perfect texture is in the equality of the outer crispy texture, while maintaining the soft and juicy flesh inside when one bites into it, and so far, I have only found probably, less than 3 restaurants which could really perfect this dish.

(I am not sure about you, but it seems to be rather tough to find this dish being on the menu of many restaurants; perhaps of the scarcity of its kind? In Penang, it is still generally found in most restaurants, thankfully, but they are still seasonal items).

Homemade Signature Beancurd (MYR10) is a recommended dish by the restaurant; with their fresh and smooth bean curd braised with a light broth served with finely minced chicken meat and spring onions tossed atop the dish.

Most of the restaurants these days are all proud to call their own signature homemade tofu dish, and it seems that all the signature tofu dishes are made from their own kitchen. I am not complaining, as undeniably, the texture can be really smooth (though not fully delicate) and there is that tinge of freshness when one bites into the juicy bean curd.

Stir fried Qing Miao vegetable with crunchy fish crisps (MYR12) is another interesting vegetable dish, which was something new to me as I have often known the Qing Miao or any Miao suffixed vegetable to be in the form of a fine and thin shoot/stalk-like type of vegetable. After all, it is indeed a type of pea shoot. Therefore, when we first saw this dish, it seemed like it was a wrongly prepared dish.
It was still quite an enjoyable dish, as the vegetables were quite crunchy and fresh, though the same cannot be said of the fish crisps which did seem like they could do with a little bit more to kick that goodness into complementing the vegetable.

To complete the meal is this Steamed Fish (a sea perch) with sour lime sauce (MYR36)
The fish was half of a whole fish; and the spicy and sourish sauce was the highlight of the dish and was indeed an appetizing addition to the spread we have on our table. In fact, this dish stole the limelight (pun intended) from the other dishes with the slightly fiery taste of the wicked combination of pounded chili and finely grounded garlic mixed with the bitter and acidic sour juice of the lime as a surefire way to weasel into everyone's appetite. The tantalizing and tempting taste of the sauce, along with the freshness and lightly steamed flesh of the fish is the grand finish to the entire meal.

It goes without saying that this is my favorite dish of the night.

(Perhaps it was my personal tastes, but I did find the overall tastes of a dishes a little salty for my liking).

The overall bill costs approximately MYR85++ for four pax; and was a little higher than expected due to the price of the fish. This goes to say that the costs of dining out are indeed on the rise towards the higher end these days.

The restaurant do serve prawns, crabs and other seafood fare in a home cooked style and a homey environment.
This adds to another restaurant explored on my quest to hunt for more seafood restaurants on the island, to add to my personal list of favorite and frequented restaurants :-)

Seafood dinner at a fishing village

I have been searching for a good seafood restaurant on the island of late, as I could hardly find a good  seafood restaurant these days (or maybe I am too picky with my tastes). Furthermore, I have not really had much time to do much exploring as well, as even weekends are packed with tons of activities.

Over the weekend, I stumbled upon a restaurant tucked away from the vicinities of the towns and cities; all hidden in a highly secluded fishing village. Well, we were also told by my a friend about this place as he was a resident nearby and he just told my hubby to check the place out.

It was like discovering a gem; as I found the place and realized to my delight, that it was really a localized restaurant with a homey ambiance, right beside a huge fishing pond.

It did indeed have a very good environment, and I was eager to see what they had to offer on the menu.
Do not expect those extraordinary or city restaurants offerings, as this is local home-like restaurant run by a family.
At a glance, they seemed like they were very down-to-earth and not commercialized like the other more popular seafood restaurants around the island.







I liked how the drinks were served in a mug; which is pretty much like what we do at home.



Stir-fried asparagus with prawns and belacan (MYR10)
This was rather oily, and spicy but the asparagus were really crunchy and the prawns were just as fresh. I have to admit that I am a big fan of asparagus, and I really like the vegetable; whichever style it is prepared though this is usually the recommended style of preparation by most of the restaurants.



Deep-fried Mantis prawns with dried chilies (MYR10)

This is also another of my favorite dish; and it is really difficult to find the dish in some of the restaurants, though I am blessed that I could still find it at the local restaurants that I go to.
I find this version a little too deep fried and dry to my liking; and I think it was dipped into the oil for too long that it seemed to lose that juicy taste of the fresh flesh of the mantis prawns.



As there were only two of us, we contemplated on ordering a fish; but as his friend told him to try out this special style of fish which was not bad here, we asked for a smaller fish.
We opted for the tilapia fish; which was third on the list, but as this was the first time I have heard of the tilapia fish in Penang, we decided to just go ahead and order it.

Steamed Tilapia with Nyonya Style (MYR40)


The tilapia fish turned out to be bigger than expected, but I have to admit, the spicy and sour taste of the gravy did make this an irresistible dish. The price was slightly higher, but the fish was indeed larger in size too.
The gravy was indeed good, and made this a really memorable dish of the entire meal.
It helped that the fish was quite fresh too!~





I guess based on my first impression, the place was not too bad, but I think I would like to give it another try to try out more dishes before I could form a completely fair and unbiased opinion about the restaurant.
I do hope that it would be good of course, so that I could add it to my list of seafood restaurants again; the list has been lonely for a long time....almost void...

Looking forward to hunting and adding to my list of favorites soon...