where and what to eat lah?

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Nasi Lemak Peel Road is undeniably one of my favorite Chinese nasi lemak joint in KL, it's reasonably affordable and delicious. This nasi lemak stall is located alongside of Restoran Queen's and directly opposite of Carrefour.


They start for business at about 4pm and by 7.30pm, you'll find yourself digging for curry gravies only. Business is that good!


What makes Chinese nasi lemak so good, pork of course! They have the pork curry, pork luncheon meat, chicken curry, sambal sotong, fried chickens, curry potatoes, sambal petai, braised chickens in soy sauce, assam fish, vegetables and many more. Apart from the fattening coconut rice, they do serve white rice as well.


Nasi lemak with sambal petai, pork luncheon meat, fried egg, the usual condiments, lots of curry potatoes and drenched with all sorts of curry gravies (RM 4.50). The thing I like best about this nasi lemak stall, it allows you to scoop your own dishes and be as creative as you want. This plate was filled to the top and it was really satisfying yummy!


Here's another plate of nasi lemak with pork curry, fried chicken, pork luncheon meat, the usual condiments, lots of curry potatoes and drenched with all sorts of curry gravies (RM 6.50). The pork curry was tender tasty, the fried chicken was crispy good (it's better if you arrive earlier when it's all hot and crispy!) and with the combined flavors of all the curry gravies mixing together with the coconut rice, it was indeed a glutton satisfying meal.

Verdict: I'm a frequent customer here and will continue to be as such. They're reasonably affordable and delicious plus the lady owner is actually quite friendly. Trust the crowds, it'll never go wrong! Moreover, you'll have choices for the other popular stalls like satay, steam fish head and Ah Wah grilled chicken wings.


Address:
96, Jalan Peel,
50400 Kuala Lumpur
Business Hours: Opens daily from 4pm - 8pm
Pork Free: No
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 3.131110, 101.722927
Map:

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Whenever we talk about Penang asam laksa, it has to be the legendary asam laksa at Jalan Pasar in Air Itam, just beside the Air Itam market and at the foot of Kek Lok Si temple.


The strong aroma of the herbs, the sourness of the soup and the quality of the prawn paste definitely attracts all walks of people to Air Itam. The only thing I hate about this place, it's forever jammed and packed!


Creating a perfect bowl of asam laksa is like art - messy at first sight but you'll like the end product anyway. This stall has been in operation for more than 30 years and needless to say, the business has been passed on from one generation to another.


It was hot, jam packed with people fighting for tables and chairs and do you know that almost all the best food in Penang is always served nearby a drain.


The legendary mouth-watering Air Itam asam laksa (RM 3), the soup isn't only thick with mashed mackerel fish but it was brimming with flavor! Perfectly sweetened with the drizzling prawn paste and the aromatic lemon grass kicking in together with the spiciness of the chili. It really puzzled your taste bud with the combination taste of sweet, sour and spicy. Generally over the years, it was really good still and I love the mashed thick fish soup even though there are numerous rumors circulating about how the soup gotten so thick. Hopefully it's not true because I've eaten like more than 10 bowls throughout my life. However, I remembered the soup used to be thicker before and the price was RM 2.40 back then. Nevertheless, it's still reasonable for a nice bowl of asam laksa.

Verdict: It's nice and it's reasonable. But whenever I think about it, I'll need to consider the traffic jam driving to Air Itam, lack of proper parking spots, packed with people waiting for tables, the unpleasant smell of a typical market and plus the hot Penang weather...you must be really craving for asam laksa I'd say!


Address:
Pasar Air Itam,
Jalan Pasar,
11500 Air Itam,
Pulau Pinang
Business Hours: Opens daily from 11am - 8pm
Pork Free: Yes
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 5.401193, 100.277999
Map:

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Right across New Lane (Lorong Baru) hawker stalls, lies a new brightly-lit spacious restaurant selling bak kut teh with a twist. Well since I was there, I gave it a try. Interestingly, I didn't know that Yi Xiang Bak Kut Teh is also available at SS18 in Subang and Puchong.


The concept here is similar to the authentic Klang bak kut teh, pick your cut of meat and they'll serve it in a small bowl with precious little thick soup. No such thing as the claypot gimmick with mushroom, beancurd and vegetables - just pure tender meat goodness.


You'll have different cut of meats to choose from and they're priced between RM 8 - RM 12/bowl. Comparing to Penang's street food standard, Yi Xiang can be quite expensive but in KL, it is actually same price with the popular ones like Mo Sang Kor and Ah Her.


Bak kut teh is at its best taken together with dipping sauce comprises of cili padi and minced garlic in a full-bodied condiment of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce.


Instead of serving it over a normal bowl, Yi Xiang uses a mini pot-bowl combination with a burning flame underneath to keep the soup hot. More like drying up my precious little soup faster than keeping it hot.


Go hui (RM 9), wasn't too quite sure which part of the pork it was but I wanted something lean. It was indeed lean and it wasn't tender enough to warrant for its price tag.


The soup do looked thick, black and promising but it was lacking in the rich herbal taste. However, the good thing is they do refill the soup without any hesitant.


Pai kut (RM 10), with about 3 pieces of decent size pork ribs. Again, it wasn't tender enough. Probably lacking of the long hours of slow cooking.

Verdict: For the same price tag, I'd rather go for other popular Klang bak kut teh like Mo Sang Kor. Anyhow, Yi Xiang in Penang is still packed with people despite the lack of herbal richness in their soup and meat tenderness. Maybe there isn't many good bak kut teh in Penang?


Address:
88, Jalan Macalister,
Georgetown,
10040 Pulau Pinang
Tel: 04-2298 131
Business Hours: Opens daily from 10am - 3pm and 6pm - 11pm. Closed every fortnight Tuesday.
Pork Free: No
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 5.415078, 100.326823
Map:

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Penang has developed hawker food to an art and has exported it to other states in Malaysia, some even found its way further abroad. But to taste authentic Penang hawker food, one has to come to Penang itself.


I stayed at Sunway Hotel which is located along New Lane (Lorong Baru), off Macalister Road - the famous street packed with hawker stalls and punters. From 5pm onwards, this street transforms into a busy food heaven which was quite convenient for me.


Assam laksa (RM ?), the #2 must-eat hawker food in Penang. However, it wasn't that great. The soup wasn't thick enough and it was no where near the assam laksa in Air Itam.


Popiah (RM ?), Teochew-style spring roll filled with grated turnip, lettuce, beancurd, egg bits, grated carrot, a dash of chilli paste and sweet sauce. I didn't really like it, it was expensive for the small size and the skin was a little soggy.


Prawn paste chee cheong fun (RM ?), steamed rolled rice noodle sheet served with prawn paste, chili sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was just okay. Could've gone for the Teluk Intan's chee cheong fun instead.


Fried oyster omelette (RM ?), it was actually quite starchy and small for that price.

Verdict: Always thought that you'll never go wrong with Penang street foods, but I was wrong. It would be unfair to say the food in New Lane is bad based on the few dishes that I've tried. Furthermore, there are few repeated stalls offering the same dish, I'm sure there are some good ones. Will probably try the other popular stalls like the pork intestine porridge, curry mee and Teluk Intan's chee cheong fun in my next visit.


Address:
Lorong Baru (New Lane),
Off Macalister Road, Georgetown
10040 Pulau Pinang
Business Hours: Opens daily from 5pm - 11pm.
Pork Free: No
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 5.414704, 100.326504
Map:

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