* This article was published in the New Straits Times (Northern Streets) on 9th May 2011.

Penang is dotted with many restaurants, with some hidden unnoticed even though we often pass by it. One such place is Chin Bee Tea Restaurant. Located on Noordin Street, or commonly known as ‘Ji Tiau Lor’ among the Hokkiens here, this tea house is unique in its own way. This place is not all only about serving Chinese tea, but also serves appealing Chinese dishes.

One of their best dishes offered here is the Hainan Kampung Chicken. Dosed in the chef’s concoction of light soy sauce and oil, the chicken is tender and juicy. The condiment of fresh and fragrant chilli sauce blend with garlic and ginger is a must-have. I highly enjoyed the chicken with its natural sweetness flavor.

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Tags: Chilli Sauce, Chin Bee Tea Restaurant, Chinese Dishes, Chinese Tea, Classic Steam, Egg Yolk, Fish Sauce, Freshwater Fish, Fried Tofu, Garlic Oil, Hainan Kampung Chicken, Hearty Dish, Hot Wok, Light Soy Sauce, Light Tug, Natural Sweetness, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Northern Streets), Non-Halal, Noordin Street, Pang Pang, Patin Fish, Red Pepper, Spare Ribs, Spicy Sauce, Sweet And Sour Pork, Tea House Penang, Tender Meat

* This article was published in the New Straits Times (Northern Streets) on 3rd May 2011.

One will find numerous hawker stalls serving a wide array of local delights at Gurney Drive Hawker Center in Penang. Nasi lemak lovers should try the all-time favourite at Nasi Lemak Cili Bilis. The stall specialises in nasi lemak kukus (steamed rice in coconut milk). (The owner, Hashim Haji Ismail who is the champion in the Battle of Penang Hawker Masters 2012’s nasi lemak category has switched to using palm milk  instead of coconut milk).

The rice, cooked with ginger, coconut milk and pandan leaves that give it an amazing aroma, is steamed on the spot on large metal trays in a giant steamer.

Rice and egg steamed in the premises itself

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Tags: Anchovies, Anjung Gurney, Ayam Goreng, Battle of Penang Hawker Masters 2012 Nasi Lemak Champion, Coconut Milk, Coconut Rice, Crunchy Peanuts, Cucumber Slices, Deep Fried Chicken, Fragrant Coconut Rice, Fried Egg, Glutinous Rice, Gurney Drive Hawker Center, Haji Ismail, Hard Boiled Egg, Hashim Haji Ismail, Hawker Center, Hawker Centre, Hawker Fare, Hawker Food, Hawker Stalls, Idyllic Place, Ikan Bilis, Local Delights, Metal Trays, Nasi Lemak Cili Bilis, Nasi Lemak Cilibilis, Nasi Lemak Kukus, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Northern Streets), Pandan Leaves, Pulut Durian, Rm2, Santan Pulut, Sticky Rice, Sunrise Mc Donald, Tasty Meal

* This article was published in the New Straits Times (Northern Streets) on 19th May 2011.

The Tropical Spice Garden Cooking School was officially launched in May 2011. The event took place in the pavilion of the beautifully landscaped Tropical Spice Garden in Teluk Bahang, Penang. Named after the four and a half acre garden itself, the cooking school began operation in late April.

The official launching of the Tropical Spice Garden Cooking School was graced by the presence of Food Ambassador of Malaysia, Chef Wan and YB Danny Law Heng Kiang, Penang state exco for tourist development and culture.

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Tags: Acre Garden, Azizah, Azizah Othman, Black Pepper, Chef Wan, Choc Artisan, Cooking Classes, Cooking School, Culture Malaysia, Danny Law, Ecco Cafe, Exco, Food Ambassador, Guest Chefs, Hawker Food, Heng Kiang, Herbs And Spices, Jala, Lighthouse Coffee, Lily Tan, Malay Cuisine, Medicinal Values, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Life & Times), Nyonya Food, Pearly Kee, Penang, Penang State, Permai Village Cafe, Serene Garden, SiTigun, Soul Kitchen, Soul Kitchen Trattoria, Spice Garden, Teluk Bahang, Tiffins, Tree Monkey, Tropical Spice Garden, Tropical Spice Garden Cooking School, YB Danny Law Heng Kiang

* This article was published in the New Straits Times (Northern Streets) on 12th May 2011.

Lameizi Restaurant in Bayan Lepas is famed for its spicy Szechuan-soup (ma la) steamboat. The soup is filled with dried chili, with a layer of chili oil floating on top. Besides this signature soup, there are several other tasty soup bases to choose from — chicken, old duck, pork knuckle, tom yam and fish. The clear chicken soup offers a welcome throwback for those who prefer a more traditionally-flavoured steamboat stock. Each of the stock is boiled for hours for it to acquire its natural sweetness and flavour.

The steamboat at Lameizi is cooked on an infusion plate, which is faster than the conventional potable gas stove or charcoal pot. We choose to have a sectioned pot with the old duck soup on one side, and the sour vegetable fish soup on the other. The sour vegetable fish soup was rich and sourish and includes plenty of salted vegetables (kiam chye).

Combination pot of sour vegetable fish soup (RM28) and old duck soup (RM10.50)

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Tags: Bean Curd, Beef Tripe, Button Mushroom, Chili Oil, Chopped Garlic, Duck Soup, Egg Mix, Fish Balls, Fish Soup, Jade Blossom Restaurant, Krystal Point, Lameizi Restaurant, Lameizi Restaurant Nagore Road, Meat Ingredients, Natural Sweetness, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Life & Times), Raw Egg, Raw Meat, Red Chili, Soup Base, Steamboat Ingredients, Steamboat Restaurant, Szechuan Soup, Szechuan Style Steamboat, Tasty Soup, Thin Slices, Tom Yam

 BY CK Lam

SiTigun, located in two double-storey pre-war shophouses on Nagore Road, Penang is a wonderful cafe for a light meal and a cup of coffee. Tagged as “a bicycle pit-stop cafe”, it  is pleasant and relaxing.

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Tags: Bali Indonesia, Bali Robusta Coffee, Balinese Furniture, Bicycle Pit-Stop Cafe, Caf, Cafe, Cheddar Cheese, Cheezy, Cheezy Egg Jaffle, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Cinnamon Rolls, Coffee Aroma, Coffee Beans, Coffee Drinks, Coffee Roaster, Crash Coffee, Croissant with Smoked Salmon, Cup Of Coffee, Dijon Mustard, Espressos, Flavored Coffee, Generous Portion, Holland Fries, Ice Americano, Kopi Toebroek, Kopitiam, Nagore, Nagore Road, New Straits Times (Life & Times), Nutella Jaffle, Peanut Butter Jaffle, Penang, Pit Stop Cafe, Rm10, Rm5, Rm7, Robusta Coffee, Savory Taste, Scrambled Egg, Shophouses, SiTigun, Sitigun Cafe Penang, Spaghetti Bolognese, Sumatra Arabica Coffee, Tiramisu, Vast Interior, War Shop, Wate, Wheat Bread, Wooden Tables

Located at the heart of the UNESCO heritage zone in George Town Penang is Muntri Mews. This beautifully refurbished boutique hotel on narrow Muntri Street is successfully done up by renowned hotelier Christopher Ong of Clove Hall and the UNESCO award winning hotel Galle Fort in Sri Lanka.

Opened in March this year, the hotel is currently the newest restored boutique hotel in Penang!

Iron gate opening to the hotel

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Tags: Antiques Collection, Award Winning Hotel, Beer Batter Garoupa Fllet Fish & Chips, Beverage Menu, Boutique Hotel, Boutique Hotel Penang, Broadband Internet Connection, Cafe, Carriage Houses, Cheng Th’ng, Christopher Ong, Clove, Clove Hall, Comfortable Place, Cup Of Coffee, Dining Area, Dining Hall, Fruit Frappes, Fruit Platter, Galle Fort, Ground Coffee, Hotel Galle Fort, Hotel In Penang, Hotel Penang, Hotelier, Iron Gate, Lebuh Muntri, Local Art, Lunch Visit, Marble Flooring, Mesclun, Mews, Mews Cafe, Mix And Match, Mixed Mesclun & Rocket Salad, Muntri Mews, Muntri Street, Nyonya Laksa Lemak, Penang, Penang Heritage, Penang Heritage Boutique Hotel, Penang Hotel, Rocket Salad, Sago Pudding, Sauces, Smoked Duck, Spices, Thick Pieces, Unesco Award, Unesco Heritage, Verandas, White Linens