Chill out at East Coast PArk

Chilling out at East Coast Park and just people watching on a Sunday late afternoon. Wasnt there for people watching but I was there waiting for my sis as she went off cycling on the long stretch. Came without a book/mag to past my time, so the only way to fill my boredom is to people watch and eavesdrop on ppl's conversation...hiak hiak hiak...

Ming Court Dim Sum in Ipoh town

When we were young, before the North-South highway I always remember Dad always love to stop by at Ipoh when we were on the way to Penang. I dreaded the feeling of waking up as early as 5am to reach Ipoh in time to catch the hot and steamy dim sum. I just couldn't understand why we have to eat the "heavenly" dim sum as to me I'm always sleep deprived from his food excursion!

I guess age tells me things has change. I'm starting to follow Dad's footstep now. Maybe I should blame it all in the genes.

We started off our journey on a Tuesday morning around 8am. I wanted to depart at 6am however I just couldn't wake up and we over slept and manage to move our butt at 8am. We reach Ipoh around 10:30am and the place is always crowded. Parking at this place is no fun as we always having problem in finding a parking space. I just couldn't understand the public parking system in Ipoh. It's not the same as in KL. Finally, we manage to locate a private carpark just beside Ming Court Restaurant. We pay the parking attendant RM3 for a very bad condition road and all cars are parking back to back. You need to leave your car keys with them which I hesitate for a while before finally found a lot which we don't need to leave with him.

Dad found a table rather quickly next to the cashier and we settled down quite fast and we start grabbing har kau, siew mai, steamed chicken leg in black bean, steamed pork ribs, fish ball, chee cheong fun (this is very good), porridge, char siew pau, fried bean curd with prawn and many more. i was so hungry and i start attacking the food and always I forget to snap pictures again. tsk tsk....fail big time as a blogger!

Prawn wrapped in Yam

Steamed pork ribs. The meat is tender enough and very juicy

Most of the dim sum here are handmade. As you can see the consistency of the size and look is way out. However, with a bite you will forget the cosmetic look anymore.

Siew Mai

Whenever I have dim sum I must order the chicken feet.

Chee cheong fun that comes in 2 version. Prawn or char siew (BBQ pork)

Their signature fish ball

Penang food feast

Taking a break from work is a blissful feeling and coming back to reality is like robbing away my dreams. Yes, that happens to me last week when we took a week off from work to KL and Penang. We flew via Tiger Airways to KL and from there we stay a few days before we depart to Penang on 2nd Jun09.

This whole trip was about stuffing ourself silly with the good foods and just R&R. Besides this, I manage to clear some loooong outstanding stuff on my condo and this sums it off a very fruitful trip ever!

Today, what I'm going to blog about are the food we had during our trip. Thou I didn't manage to snap as many pictures as I wanted but the pictures I'm going to post will always remind me to go back there for more! And am very very glad to know that now with budget air I can visit Penang even more. Yay!

We started off our journey by stopping by at Ipoh for the good dim sum there. I'm going to blog on this seperately.

Here's some of the shots I took and savour and I'm going to let the pictures to the talking from now...

Mt Erskine Mee Goreng. The mee is not too wet and dry. Very balance texture.

Mt Erskine wet popiah, very yummy!

Old school peanut soup. Peanuts used were fresh and the soup is just not too sweet.

Gandum - the very same stall of peanut soup

Throughout my Png trip, I order this drink - "Ampulak Swee Buoy" I just love the taste. Sweet and sour and final taste very very refereshing after you had all the heavy stuff meals.

This is how Mt Erksine foodcout from the outside looks like. Many food stalls in here but cleanliness wise, to your own judgement. So far, none of us running to the toilet during this trip.

One of the Penang food which you can't get elsewhere is the Penang chee cheong fun. I just love the gravy that it comes with the Hae kor, tau cheu and some other sweet stuff which I can't figure it out. I normally will get them to open up the rice noodle but on that day, too many food makes my mind very absent minded.

The right way to eat this stuff is to mix all the ingredients once it arrives and start attacking.

Ooo, going to Penang without tasting their steamed otak means you had not complete the food journey. I had this very tasty otak that fills with chunks of fish meat and the spices are just right on the spot! I found this gem in the foodcourt of Super Tanker - nears to Lip Sin Garden.Highly recommended. I will definitely order this again if I go there.

Next, Penang Asam Laksa. my all time favourite! My dear cousin who is a very good cook decide to try out her culinary and turn them into money spinning. She started off to test market at a very cozy place which is at the foot hill of Bukit Jambul. This place is full of healthy looking people who goes to climb the hill for their daily exercise and on the way down, they will stop by at my cousin's stall to pack or have a tea break.

She opens her stall as early as 3pm and will be there till runs out. You will be surprised that they are many climbers there as early as 3pm when the sun is scorching hot. However, this place feels very cooling due to the trees that surrounds the hill. One thing that peeve me off is the mosquitoes. Go there armed with lotsa citronella ointment or you can always pack them home to eat in your comfort home :).

Here is where my cousin stall located.

I didn't manage to snap any photos on Png char kuay teow and the kuay teow teng. But if you are there, do try to go to Penang Road near to the old Odeon cinema coffee shop which sells very good char kuay teow, kuay teow teng and Penang Lobak. It's always pack with diners during lunch time. We manage to find a small table next to the cashier and it was hot and squeezy. But the good food makes the whole effort worth going.