boon's log 3910.02: B*tchy-Penang Char Koay Teow

I received this through the mail recently.


B*tchy-Penang Char Koay Teow;
credit goes to the fantastic artist who has managed to portray this so well

As many of us have been victimized by this inconsiderate hawker, I felt compelled to post it up here to warn future potential 1st-time customers.

Go ahead and give this lady a try if you want to pay someone to scold you, wait inline like in some government department and then have her give you a plate of way-over-charged Char Koay Teow that is of mediocre-taste.

My thoughts - she does not represent Penang Char Koay Teow, and she definitely does not represent Penang Hospitality!

boon out...

boon's log 5109.07: What on earth is "Meat Bone Tea"?

I saw this full-page advertisement by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia (http://www.motour.gov.my/), in the Star paper today and, honestly, was quite ticked off by it.


"Meat Bone Tea?!"

On one hand those "1Malaysia-guys" are preaching about new plans on Government Transformation and plans on improving unity and all that... stuffs. But on the other hand, they come up with some screwed-up advertisement such as this?! How can they expect us to fully trust this "1Malaysia" plan to fly or even mean anything other than just another empty promise, when they can't even convince the people that they really mean business?!

"If you appreciate your
Nasi Lemak, Laksa and
Meat Bone Tea, share it us."

Am I the only one noticing this? Why can't they just call it Bak Kut Teh - just like how they call Nasi Lemak, Nasi Lemak?! Is it because the Hokkien term "Bak Kut" closely relates to PORK? Well, Mr 1Malaysia, here's some news for you, in case you might have missed out - majority of the Malaysian Chinese eat pork.

I mean, let's be fair. If you want to call Bak Kut Teh, Meat Bone Tea, then you should call Nasi Lemak, Fat Rice or Fatty Rice; and Laksa should be called Spicy Vermicelli Soup, or Spicy Sand according to some theory. But calling Bak Kut Teh as Meat Bone Tea really degrades the dish itself. And it really shows us how much the "1Malaysia-guys" really mean business.

We may have Bak Kut Teh variants such as Chick Kut Teh so that our non-Pork-eating friends can also taste the great food creation. But the fact of it is that Bak Kut Teh is Bak Kut Teh... so don't kill it, guys.

C'mon show us you mean business. Call it as it is. As you mention in the advertisement's final words,

"...Be proud of our food heritage and share with others the joy of eating delicious food."

boon out...

boon's log 1809.07: Foodie update - Hai Oan Penang Hokkien Mee

In my previous update on Penang's Top Ten Hawker favourites / hangouts, I mentioned Hai Ann (or Oan)'s Hokkien Mee. Here's are more details... and photos.


Hai Oan, Burmah Road, Penang

CL is back from Perth for family reasons and is staying over at our place. We decided to head down to Hai Oan for breakfast - the place where there is something for everyone.


Hai Ann (Oan) Hokkien Mee Uncle

No, I do not know his name, even after all these years eating there. I find it kinda odd to just spring the question at him, out of the blue, "Uncle, Lu eh mia si hamit?" Anyways, he will always remain as our Hokkien Mee Uncle.


My personal favourite - Loh-cham-Teng

Though he is known as our Hokkien Mee Uncle, our favourite is still his Loh-Cham-Th'ng (Loh mee & Hokkien Mee Mix). We normally upsize it, adding bak kut (pork ribs).


Char Kueh Kak

IL's favourite is the Char Kueh Kak (fried raddish/carrot cake with beansprouts and eggs), which is sold not in the shop's interior, but by the roadside, next to Hai Oan. It is self-service, if you want to enjoy it in Hai Oan - so, you will need to do a little bit of walking.


Loh Bak, though not the best, but still desirable...

You can practically find Loh Bak at any hawker centers / shops in Penang. The one at Hai Oan, though not the best in my list, but is still desirable - CL's favourite.

Ab's favourite at Hai Oan is the Koay Teow Th'ng. I did not manage to snap a photo of this this round - perhaps next time.

boon out...

boon out...

boon's log 1609.01: Home Sweet Home

Final Destination

Home, finally. There's truly no place like home. There at the airport was IL and Ab - the 2 faces that I would never trade anything for. Pure gold. The last leg of the trip was, to be honest, MUCH better than the earlier one, with reclinable seats! Happyluyah! But it was only just a 3+hr flight. Just enough to catch an episode of No Reservations and then a short nap.


Hong Kong International Airport

The most typical question that people ask me whenever i come back to Penang is, "What is the first thing you would want to attack first - foodwise?" I normally would list the following - boonspot's Top Ten Penang Hawker hangouts:
1. Sar Teow Lor's Wan Ton Mee
2. Innira's Banana Leaf (Now known as Passion of Kerala)
3. New Lane's Char Koay Teow
4. Hai Ann's Hokkien Mee (Burmah Road)
5. Carnarvon St's Loh Mee and Loh Bak
6. Jelutong Market's Mee Goreng/Rebus
7. Kimberly Street's Kueh Chiap
8. Pulau Tikus Market's Lok Lok
9. Pulau Tikus Roast Pork/Chicken/CharSiu Rice Shop (Burma+Cantonment junc.)
10. Penang Girls School's Laksa

I have yet to complete the list since i touched down. Perhaps just 50% of that list. what a shame, ain't it?! :)

Ab started her day school 3 weeks ago. but the school had to shut down for 1.5weeks (10 days) because one of kids contracted Kowsacki and a lot of the parents requested for the school to close and be sanitized - which is a good thing, but that means ~7 over days without school. Some of our rellies asked us to ask for a refund for that 7 days. haha! Anyway, it is a good precautionary measure. Better be safe, than sorry.


Ab's School

She seems to like her new school, pretty okay. I guess it's because the system they adopt is quite similar to that in Goddard, when were in Hillsboro before. A lot of teachings of being independent and sharing among friends and also developing motor skills. Making friends and remembering their names and her teacher's names since the second day at school.


Ab washing her hands with her Korean friend

I had the chance to bring her to school during her 2 week orientation. She cried a little when i left her alone with her friends and teachers, but she calmed and settled down quickly and started eating and playing with the rest of her friends.

We'll see how things go for a few more weeks before we decide whether to keep her there. As what they say at work - we'll have a checkpoint in a few week's time. :)


I leave you with Anthony Bourdain's Quote in No Reservation:Hawaii...

"I happen to believe, if you look deeply into the heart of every great cook, there's a Chinese guy."

boon out...