Penang Food: Lemongrass Restaurant - Thai & Home Cooked Food

It was just another day for lunch that we were always undecided of where and what to eat. So when a colleague proposed to go for Hakka Mee at Sg Nibong, we immediately said, “Let’s go” (talking about fast decision making :p).

Our joy was short-lived when we saw the queue there… boleh pengsan leh….So we walked around looking for alternatives and by chance happened to pop into this restaurant… Restoran Lemongrass.

There was a white board outside stated set lunch promotion that “looks” affordable and instead of waiting for the Hakka Mee, with our stomachs already playing hard rock tunes…Try lor!


There were two set lunch promotions available:
Set Lunch A: RM39 for 2-3 persons
Set Lunch B: RM78 for 5-6 persons.

Even though there were 6 of us, there were still some leftovers by the time we finished… are we small eaters (3 guys + 3 girls) or the portions were generous? I guess it’s the latter :P ……

tak thim trop


For Set B, there are 5 dishes + 1 dessert but you can choose how you want the dishes to be prepared. We had Kerabu Mango, Crispy Fried Kangkung, Fried Fish Fillet in 3 sauces, Chicken in Thai Paste, Seafood tomyam and the Thai dessert of tak thim trop (is this the right name?).


On most dishes, they used lots of Cili Padi (small green chilies) which were nicely camouflaged that if you’re not observant enough, the cili padi could end up inside your mouth… hehehe …we had that experience on especially the Crispy Fried Kangkung, since the dish was all green. As for the Kerabu Mango, it was just nice, not really sour.



The fish fillet tasted just like other regular “sah bee” but Chicken in Thai Paste tasted good, with some resemblance of Thai Green Curry taste and the chicken was tenderly cooked and easily chewable.



The portion for Seafood tomyam was also okay and the bowl looked as if it was filled up with lots of ingredients. The soup itself was reddish (rem the real Tomyam soup is clear one?) but quite spicy and sour, at least we did agree the soup tasted good.

Overall, RM78 for 6 persons (RM13 per pax + RM0.30 for water) is quite reasonable and does not burn hole to your pocket. It is in air-conditioned environment too so you don’t need to worry about sweating after having tomyam soup, like me :P.

One thing to watch out is we did notice a 10% service charge for the set lunch (it’s on the menu) but we were charged at nett rate instead. So it is advisable for you to check with the waiter/ owner upfront before ordering.

Btw, I was told that this restaurant was previously known as Namprik


Lemongrass Restaurant
76, Jalan Aziz Ibrahlim,
Sungai Nibong
11900 Penanfg, Malaysia
Tel: 04-641 5988




MAP


Written by PGTuaPui

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Penang Food: Claypot Chicken Rice and Curry Fish Head - Lekker Claypot House

Lekker Claypot Chicken Rice. I’m more than happy to write things about this because it’s closer to home, something I’ve enjoyed so much over the years. I can’t remember when they started business but I think I have been there since 8-9 years ago. Don’t be fooled, this shop is not just famous for its claypot chicken rice but also fish head curry. Of course, they do have other dish offerings like soup and vegetables.

Where is it? If you can still remember, it is behind the old Berkat Supermarket at Chai Leng Park (there used to be a big round about there). But of course, the old Berkat Supermarket is no longer there and PLB Engineering is occupying the building instead.

If you’re coming from Penang Bridge, you will take the exit leading to Megamall Pinang and need to back your way back to Chai Leng Park. At the junction where you see Fajar Supermarket, make a left turn and immediately another left turn again at the 2nd junction. Go straight all the way till you reach a curved road and Lekker Claypot is just at the corner.

Refer Map below for more details. (click to get larger map)


Now that we have arrived, it’s time to savour the yummy food. I have personally been there numerous times and I still look forward to going back again.

Claypot Chicken Rice


The claypot chicken rice is typically chicken cooked in soya sauce upfront and then mix with the rice whenever customers order them. It is then heated on the claypot until the rice is cooked and the cook will put some ingredients like Chinese sausage (lap Cheong), salted fish and eggs on top of rice (each person will get one egg). When the claypot rice is served to you, you can smell the aroma of freshly cooked rice yet also smell overcooked (chau hue tah). Some people actually enjoy eating the crust which tasted like burnt rice.

Claypot Curry Fish


Another item not to miss is the fish head curry and of course, if you don’t like fish head you can order fish meat itself. The main attraction is the curry gravy, once you’ve tasted it, it will leave you feeling heavenly J (ok, I may be exaggerating but trust me it’s nice).

The curry gravy is thick and full of ingredients. Inside, you can find fish (obviously), lady’s fingers, big onions, brinjals etc. The portion is also quite generous, for those of you who like to take rice, I’m sure you will help yourself with 2nd or perhaps 3rd, 4th servings of rice.

Even if you’ve finished the claypot rice, you can still order regular white rice just to taste the curry gravy. Once you’ve tasted it, you’ll definitely love it. The one thing I like about these claypot and fish head curry are the taste are bit stronger (kao lioa) and not chia chia (read: tasteless).

Also, apart from these two main dishes, you can also order side dishes like vegetables, bean sprouts or even soup (though I can’t remember if they still serve the soup). The shop is open from lunch till dinner and if you happen to have dinner there, there is also another stall in the shop which sell Bak Kut Teh. So want to have some claypot chicken rice with me there?

The Cook


Stove


Exterior View


Interior View


Click to see bigger picture

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Restaurant: Thai Food - Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom is one of the restaurant situated at Sungai Ara. This is one of our favourite Thai Cuisine restaurant as it located near to our working place, Bayan Lepas.

This restaurant is favourite place for most of the workers for welcoming lunch, or farewell lunch. What make this restaurant so special? The main reason is they didn't serve pork in the restaurant and it is good gathering place for all races.

They serve good Thai cuisine, Meng Kam, Otak-otak, Prawn Fried in Special Thai Sauce, Fried Kangkung and Pucha are some of our favourite dishes.



Meng Kam is one of the of the famous stater. It serve with these little bowls of chilies, garlic, onions, nuts, etc. How to have it? First you get one leaf and fold it in cone shape, then all you need to do is to mix them altogether (depends on your favors) into it and apply some special paste on top of that.



After you done with the paste, fold it properly and put the whole piece into the mouth... That simple... and special... You will have multiple type of taste fighting each other in the mouth; sour, sweet, bitter, spicy.. all in one. Amazing experience as the stater.

Their Pucha (stuff crab shell) and Fried Kangkung that you shouldn't miss if you pay a visit here. They filled the meat paste into the empty crab shell and fried it. It serves with hot and sour sauce.



Tom Yam Seafood and Green Curry



Pineapple Fried Rice


Pandan Chicken


Thai Restaurant Cherry Blossom
18 Chankat Sungai Ara 6,
11900 Pulau Pinang
Tel: 04-644 8867

Business Hour
12.00 noon - 3.00pm
6.00pm - 10.00pm
Closed on Tuesday

Map as Below


Interior View

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New Restaurant: Macedoine Dining

Dear readers,

IT IS TIME to MAKAN!!!! I wonder if you have ever faced the same problem like I do. Every time when my friends asking me for lunch, the first question pop up is "Ciak Hami" (what to eat in hokkien) or "Tak Lok Ciak" (where to eat)... I am sicked with this as it is wasting time discussing where to have lunch. again and again.....

The reason being that we had tried most of the restaurants at Bayan Lepas, Sungai Ara, Bayan Baru, Sungai Nibong...... so it is time to look for new location..

If you just like me.. then why don't you drop by Queensbay Mall and pay a visit to one of the newest restaurant: MACEDOINE Dinning. They served western food, such as pasta, chicken chop, fish and chips and etc. It is located at left side of the entrance on South Wing of Queensbay Mall or right above the Old Town.

MACEDOINE Dining
Business hours: 10.30am - 10.30pm
Tel: 04-645 5872
H/P: 016-4673632 (Michael)
Email: michaellau11@yahoo.com
Address: GF-126, Queensbay Mall, 11900 Bayan Lepas Penang

Never heard of the restaurant? Good or not? Expensive or not? How is the service? All those funny yet valid questions keep on popping up. But it didn't stop us from trying. I personally had been there twice with 2 different group of people and seem everyone is satisfied with the food, service and the best thing of all is the PRICE.... SET LUNCH for RM 10.80+ , which included soup of the day, a drink and the main course. But if the boss can consider adding a dessert... then it will be PERFECT......right?

Sound good? Not only that.. it also tastes good. I can't say it is best in town, but for me.. the environment, the service, the food at that price.... I have nothing to complaint about. At least another good place for lunch and dinner at Queensbay Mall.

Who are they... Emm.. I had a chance to talk to one of the owner, Michael who recently came back from Australia and I assume he had been equipped himself with all those culinary skills from the restaurant over there.... I assume la.... and 100% Penang Kia (Kids from Penang). Click here to get their name card.

During our first time there, we had ordered a chicken pie with ice-cream. Overall the taste is fine, but I had one complaint about the plate. I can't get hold of the plate when I wanted to cut my chicken pie... really GERAM... as the plate keep on spinning on the table whenever you try to cut the pie...... Did I feedback to the boss? OF COURSE I DID, Hopefully they can improve it.....

We couldn't get any set lunch on first visit as it was weekend. So we ordered the "Fisherman Basket" and the "Seafood Spaghetti". Both of them did meet my expectation. For the pasta, I personally give thumb up for that. But it is not perfect la still it is more than enough for me.....

Seafood Spaghetti and Fisherman Basket


3 of us were satisfied with the food and service, so i decided to pay another visit with another gang of friends..... This round we try the set lunch, we had ordered different set, so we can try all the set lunch....

Set 1 - Grilled Chicken


Set 3 - Fisherman Basket


Set 4 - Fish and Chip


Set 7 - Grilled Fish

Menu:
1. Set Lunch

2. Set Dinner
3. Ala-Carte
4. Beverage and desert

Refer below photo la.... enjoy... more photo sharing after the coming 3rd visit to the restaurant. Stay tune..

Exterior & Interior


Boss


Cook

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Penang Food: "Leng Si Lai" Nasi Lemak - Teluk Bayan

Dear readers,

Is time for us to introduce Penang Food again, this round is on the nasi lemak. I believe you must be very familiar with the food. It is well known Malaysian local food. It is combination of coconut rice with sambal, fried ikan bilis (anchovies), chicken, prawn, egg and slices of cucumber. It can be served in any sort of combination depend on our own favor.

We can easily get one nasi lemak by the roadside stall. Normally nasi lemak is served in wrapped banana leave from road side stall. It is for take away purpose and not for dine in. For dine in style, it is normally served in plate where you can choose your favourite combination of dishes with coconut rice.

Now is time for me to intro one of the nasi lemak stall in the hawker center, Teluk Bayan Hawker Center. The hawker center is located near the Bukit Jambul round about, right behind Shell Petrol Station as shown in below map. It is the favourite stall for most workers from Bayan Lepas Industrial Park.

Stall and Lady Boss (Leng Si Lai - Pretty Auntie)-hope she won't mind... :P


The recommended nasi lemak stall located right in the middle of the hawker centre. It can be easily spot when you on the way enter from the front. The stall is owned by a lady. What is so special about this stall? Because it owned by a pretty lady?

Of course not. The sambal is the most spicy and flaming hot I had ever taken. Sambal is my favourite dish. On my first visit, I asked the lady to give me more sambal. She said it is very hot and I may not able to take it a lot. It sounds like a challenge for me. Guess what? I told her I can take very spicy food, and insist of getting more sambal.

Burning sambal


I regretted what I had said right after the first dip of the sambal. Believe it or not? You may take a challenge. Just visit the stall and just ask for it. You will regret like me....

Even it is spicy, but it taste so well. I just like it. The rest of the dishes such as ikan bilis, black sauce pork, luncheon meat. vege, curry chicken, potato and more. You can choose any combination you want.

More option to choose


Ikan Bilis


One more thing about the stall, the boss is so polite and friendly. You can get more information of how she can get the sambal in burning hot and PRINT this article out and ask for a discount... She will consider.... No Harm trying... :)

More Photos




Below are the link for nasi lemak recipe in case you wan to try to make it your own. Happy trying......

Recipe from Partner Site - Rasa Malaysia
Recipe from Star Online - Kuali

Map - click for larger map

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