Quay Café

 
Every 1^st and 15^th of the Lunar calendar, many Buddhist will go for vegetarian food. Some will go for a full day practice some will go for half day. With this new place that CK Lam that has written, it definitely gives many of vegetarian folks an additional choice of venue.

This place is definitely not the usual vegetarian stall that normally has in Penang. It’s like a café kind of concept, though self service in terms of collect your own cutleries, and place it back at the designated place after finishing. The whole environment is cozy, pleasant and it’s also airy.

   
What I like most is you have to line up for order and also make payment before the food is served. Choose your seat, be it is high chair and table or the normal height. Table size is big and spacious for 6 to 8 people. Food choice though limited, but, it’s all quality food. Well, at least I believe in that… limited choice produce quality products.

 
Home Made Noodle with Mushroom (RM6), a special home made sauce, that is come with braised bean curd, vegetables and mushrooms.

 
Chicken Rice Set (RM7), I supposed this is what they called it The Quay Set which is only available on every 1^st and 15^th day of each Lunar month. The set come with 2 choices of vegetables, 1 is what we normally called it Kiam Chai Th’ng and the other is Chap Chai.

Snacks that is many Penangites favourites are Popiah which is RM2 per roll.

And Rojak (RM5). That’s definitely a kick if you happen to bite on a sourish unripe mango.

There are many people going for vegetarian food nowadays, well, it’s not because of religious, but mostly are encourage due to the current environmental threat. In fact, it’s good to have this momentum going, so that more and more people will be seriously in taking care of our earth. Taking care of our earth is not only you and my responsibility, but it’s all of our responsibilities. Don’t you agree?

Other Review

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Address & Contact Number

Quay Café

2 Church Street Ghaut

10200 Penang

Tel: +6012-403 6659

Business Hours: 11am to 2.30pm daily (close on Sunday)

No Sign Board 無招牌海鮮

I got to know this name 6 to 7 years ago, but never get a chance to visit. This name always appears in the receipts where I need to assist my superior to claim. After some time, you will just put it in your food hunting list, which you didn’t want to miss it.

On our recent trip to Singapore, I finally get to step foot into this place where I know 6 to 7 years ago. And it was just located opposite our hotel. After a long day meeting, and a quick check-in in the hotel… we were all get ready marching into to the mall for our dinner. Wondering what would be the food that will be filling up the 12 humongous stomachs or rather the gluttons.

What’s famous in Singapore is the gigantic mud crab, and many called that Sri Lankan Crabs, perhaps it is imported from there. The crab can grow as big as 28cm, the claw is as big as 15cm long, and the width can be wide as 8 to 10cm.  It’s a most famous seafood on any dining table, be it cooked it with chili, pepper or sweet and sour sauce.

Baby Squid was the appetizer. Though it looks pitiful, but, if it’s placed on the Lazy Susan and with 12 gluttons eyeing on it, how pitiful would that be? It will just go straight to the stomach.

Next is the gigantic Bamboo Clams. What we have seen in Penang is mostly small in sizes, but this is definitely the XL size that I ever seen so far. Though it’s simple to steam it with garlic and garnished with cilantro, but it honestly make the clam looks tempting to wallop and tasty too.

I supposed this is Fish Meat that deep fried with sesame seeds. But the info that I have gathered, they actually called this dish ‘You Tiao’ (油條).

Vegetables with Braised Mushrooms. Mushrooms though are huge, but it’s tender and juicy.

Braised Beancurd with Assorted Seafood, it looked nice to serve in a claypot.

Drunken Prawns. Didn’t get to take the picture of the pot of Drunken Prawns. But, you’re rest assured this is another dish that you didn’t want to miss it. The prawns were absolutely fresh and the soup is yummy. The soup is definitely cooked with alcohol, otherwise, how could you name this as Drunken Prawns, right?

Here comes the main character… the Sri Lankan Crab. And please bear in mind, it’s only 1 crab for the whole table, a 12 gluttons in a table! And this is definitely filled up the 12 gluttons’ stomach.

  
Chili Crab, it’s their signature dish, apparently not to miss whoever dine here. Good to eat with Deep Fried Buns.

 
White Pepper Crab. Look at the claw, isn’t that big? It can be shared by both persons if you are not a big eater.

It was a sumptuous dinner and the companion was great... hope I can go back there again. :)

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Address & Contact Number

No Sign Board Seafood

無招牌海鮮

The Central Mall

4^th Floor

#04-63, Clarke Quay

6 Eu Thong Sen Street

Singapore

Tel: +65-6699 7071

Business Hour: 11am to 10.30pm (Daily)

Sour Plum Sauce Steam Pork Ribs 酸梅醬蒸排骨

This is a dish which is certainly for anyone that didn’t want to mess up their kitchen. Steaming is a way of healthy eating, and it also able to taste the taste of the ingredients freshness too.

Learnt this from my mom whenever she’s out of idea what to cook for us. Of course, comparing her skills and mine, there are rooms for improvement from my side.

Ingredients

300 to 400g of Pork Ribs

10 cloves of chopped garlic

5 to 6 Chili Padi, chopped

2 tablespoons of Sour Plum Sauce

1.5 tablespoons of sugar

Tiny pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of corn starch

Chopped spring onions for garnishing (optional)

Step-by-Step

1. Wash and clean the ribs with running water.  

2. Once done, add in sour plum sauce, sugar, salt, corn starch, garlic and chilies.

3. Mixed well and make sure it’s all well coated with the sauce.

4. Marinate for about 20 minutes, if time permit, best to marinate more than 30 minutes.

5. Boil a pot of water and wait till the water is boiling.

6. Put in the well coated ribs on a plate and steaming for 25 to 30minutes, depending the size of the ribs.

7. Once done, garnish it with spring onions.

8. Best to serve with steam rice.

Angry Bird Cocktail

When Angry Bird game rule the entire world, basically everything you will get to see that in any menu, be it food menu or even drink menu. Who in the world doesn’t know Angry Bird, right? Even my 2 years old nephew can tell me he wants to play Angry Bird.

And this is what I encountered in one of the renowned bar in Singapore.

Basically it’s Chivas Regal the Scotch whisky, mix with crème de peach liqueur, lemon juice and apple juice. Added all these and shake well. That would be the so called Angry Bird cocktail.

A drink that can cool you down instead of using a slingshot to hit on the hungry green pigs. Anyway, it’s a new cocktail to explore… Enjoy!

Home Cooked Fried Rice

While I am complaining of the recent hot weather in Facebook… I am actually missing the raining days that was raining non-stop at beginning of the month. During that period of time, I practically yearn for fried rice. Funny is it?? I just do not know why but I only want fried rice.

I don’t need fancy fried rice like other restaurants did. My type of fried rice is something that I called it my comfort food.  It’s just egg, onions, Chinese sausages and chili padi which cannot be missed and lots of lots of garlics!

 

Ingredients

2 Eggs lightly beaten

2 Chinese sausages cut into thin slices

1 medium onions cut into wedges

2 bulbs of garlics, but I used about 8 to 9 bulbs of garlic.

5 to 6 chili padi, but if you like it more spicy, you can add more.

2 bowls of steamed rice

3 tablespoon of light soya sauce

2 teaspoon of dark soya sauce

Steps-by-Steps

1. Heat up the wok with 4 tablespoon of oil

2. Throw in the garlics, and fried it till its golden brown and scoop out

3. While the wok is still hot and the oil is full of garlic smell, add in the sausages and stir fry it

4. At this time, I will sure throw in the chili padi and stir fry it with the sausages

5. Put back the whole bulb of garlics

6. Add in the rice and stir fry it with light soya sauce and the dark soya sauce

7. Mixed all the ingredients well and add in the lightly beaten eggs and fry further

8. Last I will add in the onions and fry for a few more round before serve

Hmmm… that’s my comfort food for the raining days!!! 

Ming Garden Restaurant 茗園大酒家

If we wouldn’t be invited for a cousin’s son’s wedding, guess I will not have a chance to step foot into this spacious restaurant in town. It is so spacious that it could actually cater for almost 70 to 100 tables for any wedding banquet.

To cut it short…. Here are the dishes that fill up each our stomach with a big grin.

    
茗園五福临門 Ming Garden 5 Combination Platter

蟹肉烩生翅 Braised Shark’s Fin Soup with Crab Meat

乳猪拼烧鸡 Roasted Suckling Piglet Garnished with Roasted Chicken

梅菜蒸石斑魚 Steamed Grouper Fish with Preserved Vegetables

極品醬焗明蝦 Baked King Prawns in Chef Recipe Sauce

八仙齐贺喜 Braised Assorted Vegetables with Dried Oyster

荷叶香口饭 Fried Rice Wrapped In Lotus Leaf

蜜瓜西米露 Chilled Honeydew Melon with Sago Cream

Ming Garden is offering a couple of wedding package for the newly wed couple, apart from the sumptuous dishes, they are also giving complimentary of –

1. Basic Wedding Decoration at Entrance, Backdrop, Red Carpet Layout, Stage & some simple interiors

2. A Grand Wedding March per the Couple’s preference

3. Special Food Presentation for the 1^st Dish

4. Multi-Tier Wedding Care for Cake Cutting Ceremony

5. A Champagne Fountain with 2 Bottles of Sparkling Juice

6. Unlimited Refill Orange Cordial and or Chinese Tea

7. Provide Visual Project and Large Video Screen

8. Lovely Wedding Invitation Cards, excluding card printing

9. Free Corkage for Hard Liquor or Wines

10. Last…. Elegant Chair Covers for the entire banquet.

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Address & Contact Number

Ming Garden Restaurant

2^nd Floor, Lot 77-2-28

Penang Times Square

Jalan Dato Keramat

10150 Georgetown

Penang

Tel: +604-226 9977, 016-6610 777

Fax: +604-226 3977

URL: http://minggarden.com.my

Business Hour: 11.30am to 10.30pm (off between 3pm to 6pm)

Matsu Japanese Restaurant

  

I have not come across any Japanese food that cooked in Fusion ways and it has its one of its kind of taste. Well, I would say it is creative in respective dishes presentation and innovative in its dishes designs, thus an article from The Star in April 2011 was featured this new restaurant.

   

Matsu means Pine in Japanese. The entire place decorated in a modern design and tables were keeping a distance to save guard individual customers’ dining privacy. It’s located at the mezzanine floor and it’s above of BatuBar. BatuBar is a place where you can relax and listen to their deep soul, R&B music, apart from that, they also serve Japanese Tapas. Do look out for their menu on your visit.

  

Each customer’s will be given a different type of appetizer. Ours was a steamed sweet potato cut into small cubes and mashed banana on top of it. Isn’t the Chef having a wild idea to impress his customers?

   

Rainbow Carpaccio (RM35) is the New Type of Sashimi that the staff had recommended to me. It’s 2 slices of each Salmon, Tuna and White Tuna that rolled like a ball to cover the thin slices of lettuce; and it sits on top of the dressing that is made of Basil Mint Oil and Ponzu Sauce. It’s a bit too salty for me, but it does have its tangy taste, and create one’s appetite.

  

Wasabi Egg Fried Rice (RM10) is something that caught my attention when I read thru the menu. Instead of getting 1 Garlic Fried Rice which we can get anywhere, might as well, let’s have something that I can’t find it in any other ordinary Japanese Restaurant. True enough, this fried rice gave me a surprise and the way they presented it was absolutely impressive. It’s like serving in a mortar than an ordinary bowl. Isn’t that creative?

 

Char Grill Teriyaki Cod Fish (RM32) is something that you couldn’t find this in any places, but here in Matsu. The fish is definitely fresh and to many people may find it a bit wasteful if you grill it and not eaten it raw. But, the skill of grilling it does needs lots of patient and knowledge too. I personally appreciate and value the chef’s experience that brings out the fish’s freshness.

  

Italy Udon (RM25), do you find this a bit too weird? This is another dish that is recommended by the staff. Udon is Japanese noodle but it stirs fry in Italy ways, with tomato, smoked duck, onions and green beans.  It was unique and it is like crossing boundaries as an ordinary Japanese food.

If one thinks that driving up to Batu Feringghi is a hassle, well think it as a slow drive enjoying the sunset along the way that could easily build up your appetite before you reach Matsu! Do make your reservation soon!

Address & Contact Number

Matsu Japanese Restaurant

Lone Pine Hotel

97 Batu Ferringhi

11100 Penang

Tel: +604-886 8555

Fax: +604-886 8666

Business Hours:

Daily 5pm to 11pm