Wednesday, December 28, 2011

was it worth the drive?

penang is a good 5-to-6 hour drive. add another half to an hour for the holiday traffic on the expressway. but we usually spend the christmas weekend with the in-laws.

i don't envy the penangites for the constant traffic crawl & for the escalating cost of property but you can't beat penang for the variety of food on offer.

we had our 1st lunch at the newly opened coffee island at gurney drive. i like it for the ample free parking & the cheap lunch. the main course....
............came with soup, dessert (kuih & fruits) & drinks in a buffet spread....
my sambal fish with brianyi rice costs only rm10.90, & there's no service charge or govt tax!!

our 1st family dinner was at a restaurant in cititel hotel, a whole 8-course of it.
the next day, it's off to penang road for the cendol...
2 stalls....each claimed to be famous but 1 seemed to attract more customers. we showed no favouritism by having 1 bowl from each stall. what caught my eye was this man frying char kway teow...notice anything odd?
he's promoting his stall based on his handedness....
                                is he a marketing guru or what?

chowrasta market along penang road is where you get reasonably-priced tau sar pneah, nutmegs, rojak sauce & lots of other stuff.... 


i must also tell you about this new place that just opened recently along northam road called...

 it sells hawker fare but i like it because there is ample free parking. i may sound overly concerned about parking but not having lived in penang or KL/PJ in recent years, i personally dread driving round & round searching for a place to park. so, a spacious & free parking lot is like heaven on earth for me.
what's more, it's right by the beach, as the name suggests. there are over 20 stalls serving all kinds of penang food.

we used to go to porntip's for thai food but that has since closed. the in-laws took us to the thai restaurant at heritage club on scotland road, near the penang sports club. nice ambience, food tasted authentic & yes, ample free parking again!

one more for the road - dim sum breakfast at bali hai along gurney drive. it was still packed when we arrive at 10.30am.
but, it was good - everything you'd expect from a popular dimsum restaurant.

we left for home soon after breakfast. i think the person most happiest with this trip is the mother-in-law. she hasn't seen my daughter for 2 years & we had dinner together every night we were there. she's getting on in age & there won't be many more dinners like these.

as for me, i quite dread driving the long distance but i'd do it for the old lady. the sumptuous spread is just an added bonus.

18 comments:

Unknown said...

I am a Penangite, holidays? we stay home,make way for the outstation folks,you guys pour in the money for us,make it happen for us and we thank you....

Did you see any difference pre and post 308... we are proud that it is truly a cleaner and greener Penang now...

Never mind the traffic jam,next time you come to Penang,it will be better,i am sure

doc said...

Eugene,

we spent the most on food this trip. i'm afraid the crowd & traffic jam obscured my view of the cleaner & greener penang.

:P

but the word going around the coffee shops is that the current state govt will continue rule for many years to come.

Reanaclaire said...

Doc, of all the places you mentioned above, I am only familiar with the Northam and the cendol in Penang Road.. the other places, I havent try as yet...I am a frequent visitor to Penang as my son is studying there but like you, i dread the traffic and the narrow roads.. but my penangnite friend told me that we can park our car illegally.. not as strict as in IPOH here.. :) I would like to try the Bali Hai dim sum one day...

Soo Y said...

No way, tau sar pneah from Chowrasta? Had you tried the (almost) world famous Him Heang TSP at Burmah Rd? I can wipe out 16 of those in one sitting!

Most Penangite will say Pg is the best place in the world, but after 10 yrs in KL, I think KL is now my "hometown". But I would still fly back 1,000km to vote for LGE!

doc said...

Claire,

i'm sure you'll get to the other places in time. maybe Andy can even recommend better.

doc said...

Soo,

the 1st TSP i tried were those from Him Heang & Ghee Heang, & i was convinced they make the best TSP. however, after trying out some of the other brands, i realised they have improved over the years & some have other flavours as well, eg pandan, yam, etc. they're cheaper as well.

you can still vote for change wherever you are registered as a voter.

Soo Y said...

I'm still registered in Prai and Bagan, LGE is my MP! He's really cool, we had been in the same Air Asia flight PG - KL before!

doc said...

Soo,

not only cool, he looks much younger these days!

i once met Abdullah Badawi, when he was education minister, on a MAS flight from penang to KL. he was in business class.

wenn said...

I would love to go to Penang again..

doc said...

Wenn,

even if you dread the drive, now everyone can fly!

manglish said...

thx doc ;)

stay-at-home mum said...

you make me want to jump on the next flight and go to penang for the food right now. I lurve Penang food. yum!

doc said...

Manglish,

take care!

doc said...

SAHM,

thanks to uncle tony, now everyone can fly!

Birthie said...

Penang! Food! mMmmMmmMmmMmMM~!

Will most probably be back there during CNY.





Word Verification of the day:
semblett

Semblett. Sembelit? Food!? Hmm... an irony? Hmm...

doc said...

Birthmark,

be prepared to brave thru the traffic!

Adino said...

When I was stuck in the Penang traffic jams, I always see locals cutting through the small lanes. If only we tourists knew the shortcuts to avoid all the congestion!

doc said...

Adino,

stick to the main road - it's safer & at least, you know where you are going.