A Post LKY Singapore

Singapore was an idea, but now a reality based on conservative caution and over whelming preparedness for its continuing future.

Singapore is a country very conscious of the fates of nations in the past, calculates its risks at all levels, harnesses the power of the human potential and fully acknowledges the vagaries and timing of opportunities arising and lost.  The government and economy has delivered but they both take no rest in taking things for granted.  Singapore's intelligentsia is passionate about the interplay of forces, changing politics, alignment of key factors and the means to survive and prosper.  It is a nation that has worked with very limited physical resources and utilises disadvantages to empower and lead.

Singapore's history has been powerfully influenced by both the positive and negative interactions of various cultures, religions and races.  It strongly monitors the continuing outcomes of such key factors around the world, seriously learns from how empires and small city states have reacted to such challenges and provides perhaps the best of both so-called Western and Eastern thinking on such  powerful factors.

Singapore does not take any thing for granted. Its leaders, socio-economic mechanisms and mindset are ready for what ifs and scenarios beyond tomorrow.  The country takes its inheritance profoundly but also try to be innovative for the various sets of scenarios the nation may face.  As it has suffered the hunger of true limitations, it also displays a talent for over coming them. It believes in aligning with positive players, technology and potential possibilities. At the same time, it has one of the world's best business continuity plans, at both macro and micro levels.  Underlying all this is the increasing agenda to be flexible to capture the best, have the best and provide for the best.

Its very beginnings as  hub, as a broker and as a lighthouse on the trading sea routes of the world provide  very strong clues about Singapore.  Communications, in the broadest sense of the word, is a key pillar in its growth, competitiveness and attractiveness.  Singapore is an entity that does not believe on dependency but on a building up ability on its own reliability and ability to influence. It is passionate on the power of strategic thinking, ability to translate these into workable plans and maintain non-negotiable key beliefs.  The current outcomes are high standards in governance, social stability and strong economic resilience.  Just as Singapore Harbour still attracts the ships of the world, its society continues to captivate immigrants with brains, money and personal abilities.

So what are the primary challenges for Singapore in the next 50 years?

1.   How will it optimally manage the expectations of its core citizens?
2.   How shall it keep up with the changing political landscape of the major players in world politics?
3.   How can it continue to inspire its main talents?
4.   How will it best react to the changing socio-economic profiles of its surrounding neighbours?
5.   How can it grow its contribution to the new world financial order?
6.   How shall it keep its innovative edge?
7.   How will it keep relevant the role of a small city state?
8.   How shall it best protect its interests with ground breaking technology?
9.   How shall it transform its government to suit future demands?
10. How shall it keep the best features from the past 50 years?

George Town, Penang - Street Food, South Indian

Prawn based curry - rich, gratifying and full bodied, goes well with the traditional south Indian banana leaf rice or with Penang's unique Nasi Kandar.

PUTU MAYAM - STRING HOPPERS

The tongue has to twirl itself a bit in naming this snack, but it is a truly simple rice flour breakfast creation from Tamil Nadu in southern India and also popular in Sri Lanka and south-east Asia.  Idiyappam flour is mixed with coconut milk to form a mixture which is then pressed against a holed ladle to create the vermicelli-like noodles.  Such noodles are steamed for eating and often flavoured with the Pandanus leaves favoured in tropical climes.  As the Putu itself is often plain, they are served often with palm sugar, grated coconut or jaggery (which is Hindi or Urdu for a composite made from sugar cane and palm sugar, which can be mixed with peanuts and coconut).  A total vegetarian diet choice!

Suggested Sources of Putu Mayam:

1.   Stall at the Sin Hup Aun Cafe, Pulau Tikus, near the site of the markets, from 6pm to 10pm.

2.  Stall in front of the preserved Birch House, now part of the Berjaya Times Square complex, Datuk Keramat Road near lower Penang Road. 

APOM -  SWEET CREPES

Rice flour, thick coconut milk, eggs, corn starch, pinches of salt and sugar, baking powder and even a little cooked rice are the main ingredients mix into a batter in preparing these fluffy Indian styled crepes. The batter can then be pan cooked on flat skillets with several round holes.

They are flaky light on the palate, excellent for breakfast and usually eaten by themselves or with small banana cuts, kaya toast, poached eggs, shredded coconut and sweet corn.

There are even the so-called Chinese versions in Penang called the Ban Chien Kueh.  Such sweet crepes are also alternatively called Apong or Apong Balik (turned over crepes) in multi-cultural Malaysia.  The Chinese styled versions tend to be slightly thicker at times.

Suggested Sources of Apom:

1.  Ravi's Apom Manis at the Swee Kong coffee shop, at corner of Moulmein Close and Burma Road, opposite the Pulau Tikus police station. Open 6am to 10am.

2. Stall at the New Cathy Cafe, near corner with Kuching Lane and Burma Road, Pulau Tikus - open from 730am to 3pm.

2.  Apom Chooi and Apom Guan along Burma Road -  run by two aging brothers whose push cart stalls are placed only around 30 metres apart. Both stalls are open from the afternoon till 8pm and are well known amongst Penang locals. Their stalls are parked in front of the Union Girls Primary School.  Note the use of the delicious local banana type Pisang Raja in their Apoms.

ROTI CANAI - FLAT BREADS

Roti is the sustenance when you are twenty years old, carrying your knapsack in a  strange land, sweating it out with fellow travellers.  You are hungry after a late night out, still thrive on this inner passion for adventure and yearn for this wheat based snack as an alternative to all the exotic foods that are in front of you. You do not have much money, still dream of covering more unexplored lands with what you have and there is this sweet young something walking beside you. Life is seemingly free, life is uncomplicated and you can do anything with your time.

The legend of Roti Canai stretches from the Indian sub-continent to South-east Asia and even the capital cities of Australasia.  Yes, they are essentially carbohydrates, required to pump the body under the relentless carrying of all your possessions on your shoulders, doing the outdoor thing and effectively managing a tight budget whilst on the go.  Usually the Dalcha bean vegetarian curry is provided to dip the roti with.  You sit on rickety chairs beside equally unstable tables on road pavements or inside well run shops.  The Indian vendors do know a spattering of touristy English - do not under estimate them! In Penang, they offer different varieties of Roti  - with names like Roti John for Australians, Roti Tissue, with an empty high cone, Roti Telur for those who miss eggs and Roti Kosong for plain flat breads.

Nowadays, you can also request for meat based curry dips to accompany your Roti - I prefer mutton, chicken or lamb.

Most of these Roti Canai places are deftly run by Indian Muslims around the upper Penang Road area, Transfer Road and Argyll Road - all within the UNESCO heritage designated are of George Town.  Often open from mornings till evening time.

Vegetarian version of banana leaf rice - you may get this at religious festivals in Hindu temples but also at commercial outlets around Penang Island. My recommendations are to go to the Kerala Restaurant in the New World Park, Swatow Lane in George Town and to its parent outlet in the southern suburb of Gelugor (at 5, Lorong Endah 4 near Permai Road and the small playground).
My rating for their banana leaf rice at Kerala, New World Park, is an eight out of ten.

TOSEI  

This unassuming snack is made from rice and beans - the Urad Dhal  (split bean which is black outside and white inside) with ghee or margarine - and so can provide much energy if you are on a travelling diet.   Both the rice and beans are soaked in preparing for Tosei, which requires a flat based skillet for making the batter.  They can be served with chicken curry or coconut chutney.  Recommended for breakfast time.  Does a Tosei look like an Apom?  No, the former is savoury and has a spicy mix - not as plain as the fluffy thin Apom.  

You can easily find this offered in Little India, especially along Penang and Market Streets in the UNESCO heritage designated area of George Town.

PASEMBOR  - SPICY SALAD

Pasembor refers to a snack with crunchy deep fried stuff and julienned slices of crunchy vegetables. Prawn fritters, boiled and sliced potatoes, cuttlefish, sliced cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, shredded turnip, servings of spiced up crab and cubed deep fried tofu are ingredients.  The sauce is critical, it makes or breaks this dish - and it is made from tamarind juice extract;  boiled, peeled and mashed sweet potatoes; roasted groundnuts; peeled shallots; oil-fired dry chilis; garlic; toasted sesame seeds; and sugar and salt to taste.

The resulting mix is tossed and served fresh.  The gravy is potato rich and yet the outcome is spicy, light and gratifying.  In other parts of Peninsular Malaysia, this dish is known as the Rojak Mamak, "mamak'  being the Malaysian term to mean the south Indian Muslim community.

Suggested Sources of Pasembor:

1.  Stall at the Gurney Drive Food Centre, northern end of Gurney Drive near the Gurney Plaza and Paragon Shopping Centres (Indian version) - open during evenings only.

2.  Stall at the Padang Brown hawker complex in the afternoons  (Chinese version)

3.  Stall at the New World Park, Swatow Lane, open from 11am to 5pm.  (Chinese version)

Map Copyright Cozy Home Inn

TASTY TWINS - MAMAK MEE REBUS AND MEE GORENG

The delights of these two wok prepared hawker dishes goes back to my childhood.  Many a time, these dishes were a treat for me at tea time in the afternoons, an alternative to plainer Chinese food, with my stomach instinctively prepared for the aromatic wok heat of the stir fried noodles of Mee Goreng or the yumminess in the sweet potato based gravy version of Mee Rebus.  Best eaten with cooling syrup drinks like Ais Tingkap (a  blend of coconut water, basil seeds, shaved ice and dug out coconut flesh), I can still envisage the vision of a hot setting sun, with the concurrent bite into the deep fried stuff and twist of the Kalamansi lime juice that accompanied the noodles.  Easy to get into a sweat from this, but there is an inner satisfaction from the kick of the chili hot noodles and its marinade.

Mee Goreng - Just referring to stir-fried yellow Hokkien noodles, the uniqueness of this dish is in the marinade utilised.  The garnishings are the same as for the Mee Rebus mentioned below.

Mee Rebus - Literally meaning boiled yellow Hokkien noodles, but its taste is better than its name.  Garnished usually with dried shrimp battered crunchy bites, tofu squares, sliced Chinese cabbage, deep fried shallots, green chili bits, bean sprouts, hard boiled eggs and deep fried marinated cuttle fish.  The gravy  is a rich wonderful recipe based on both potatoes and sweet potatoes.

The Mee Rebus has  a variation in the Mee Java, with Indonesian influences.  These related dishes are all based on the plain noodle dishes from southern China, except that they have been fusion-influenced with chilis, given a south-east Asian stir and enriched with innovative sauces and garnishing.

Suggested Sources of Mee Rebus and Mee Goreng:

1.  Excellent Cafe at the New Asia Coffee Shop, 39-B Air Itam Road, Air Itam, on the way to the station to take the furnicular railway up Penang Hill. Open from morning till late at night.

2.   Stall at the New World Park, Swatow Lane.open from 11am to 5pm.

3.   Seong Huat coffee shop ( formerly the Larut Cafe ) at No.1 Larut Road, the corner of Larut and Bawasah Roads – this stall has an enviable positive reputation amongst the locals and was formerly based along the road at the Chinese Recreation Club. Open from 530pm to 1030pm.

4.   Malay styled version at the hawker centre, Fort Cornwallis, Esplanade. Open from the afternoons except Fridays.

5.    Stall at coffee shop, 270 Bangkok Lane, at junction with Burma Road, Pulau Tikus, from 830am to 5pm.  My long time favourite.

JAVA MEE

6.  Java Mee at the Cecil Street Markets, Cecil Street, not far from Weld Quay.  The stall is open from  9am to 5pm.

7.   Java Mee at  the Kek Seng coffee shop, lower Pernang Road, open from 11am to 430pm daily.This place has other street food dishes worth trying - Ais Kacang, tamarind Laksa, Lor Bak, Poh Pniah and Satay.

NASI KANDAR  - A PENANG ORIGINAL

Popular at break fast, lunch time or dinner sessions and even for supper, this dish epitomises the passion for food in multi-cultural Malaysia.   It is one specific dish that transgresses any boundaries in race, culture and wealth groups.  A main meal by itself, it offers steamed white rice, or Briyani cooked with various aromatic condiments, or tomato flavoured rice, on top of cut and cleaned banana leaves or plates.  You choose from a spectrum of meat, veg and seafood curries - my preference is for okra, deep fried chicken, braised mutton curry, creamy fish curry and stir-fried vegetables.  

The dish literally means cooked rice carried by a vendor's pole - that was how the dish evolved when sold in the early 20th century by people moving from street to street, house to house, market to market.  Today you can enjoy eating this in the comfort of air-conditioned restaurants, beside street pavements and in market food courts, the only difference is that the consumer has to go to the source!

Suggested Sources of Nasi Kandar:

1.  Restaurant Caravan (formerly known as  the Craven A Cafe fro many years) at 4 Datuk Keramat Road, near junction with Macalister Road and the GAMA Shopping Centre and KOMTAR.

2.  Outlets along Tamil Street, in Little India section of the UNESCO designated heritage area of George Town, near the Esplanade.

3.  Line Clear, with an address of 177 Penang Road, near junction of upper Penang Road and Chulia Street.  Stall hidden away from Penang Road but there is a yellow marker that points towards this stall. Open 24 hours a day, except between 1pm and 2pm on Fridays and every alternate Tuesday. Best for a take away!

4.   Merlin Coffee Shop, 1 Penang Street, near the junction with Union Street and part of an old styled hotel. Within the UNESCO designated heritage area of George Town, near the Esplanade.  My personal favourite! Lunch time only.

Banana leaf rice in the south Indian style is often vegetarian whilst Nasi Kandar is always served with meat based curries and cooked vegetables.

Crispy deep fried sides are always popular in the variety off street food in Penang - the best contain seafood or vegetables.

The extent of dip on curries is a must try when you are in George Town - photo above has a display of accompaniments that go with veg meals.

POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops ask for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, Lebuh refers to a street,  Solok indicates a cul-de-sac, Lorong means a lane, Lebuhraya is an avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in  food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out.  Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us secure a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.

Chapel Street, Toorak and South Yarra - Melbourne Victoria

The art of personalised care as echoed in Toorak/South Yarra.

Adjoining Toorak is the hip Chapel Street, running seemingly for miles across different suburbs, with an eclectic choice of books, craft, clothes, accommodation, art and alternative lifestyle options.  The old Jam Factory now houses a cinema complex and shops, but the charm and thrill is literally the streets into the sun set.  It is not just the Chapel Street precinct, for nearby Prahran, Greville Village and the Windsor Quarter makes this area one of the most exciting that defines Melbourne itself.  A great place to ride your bike, but if you have to catch public transport, there are easy buses and train stations on the Sandringham Line (stations at South Yarra, Windsor and Prahran).  The Exchange, Commercial Road cruise clubs and Burlesque 54 offer the LBGT community a party focus.  Foodies naturally are attracted to the events organised here for the annual Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
For luxury accommodation, check out the Olsen.  Then check out the nightlife with names like Zhou Zhou, the Emerson, Saigon Sally and the Flamingo.

Urban setting in the arvo.

The Neo-Georgian and Neo-clasical styled mansions and tree linked street of Toorak and South Yarra seem to be in a cocooned and privileged world of their own.  The key word is "south", that is south of the Yarra River and away from the working class precincts of Brunswick, Fitzroy and those that gather from Chinatown to the north. Never mind, some of those suburbs have become more hip and trendy in urban renewal, they cannot challenge the charm, air and feel of hallowed streets with expensive makes of cars, the old rich and what it means to be separate and distinct from the masses, just like in good old England.  James Jackson built the Toorak House in 1849, most probably linked to an indigenous word indicating a black crow or a swamp with growing reeds, reflecting the essential landscape confronting the first settlers in the Melbourne area.  Around a third of there residents here are today engaged in the financial services industry (hello!) and the majority are university educated at the very least.  The iconic Australian Open was held at the Kooyong Tennis Club until 1988, when riot moved to its curet home at Melbourne Park.  Well known personalities, alive or demised,  whose names are linked to Toorak include Andrew Demetriou, Nathan Buckley, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, Solomon Lew, Charlie McLeod,  Harold Holt (Australian Prime Minister who disappeared when swimming off the Victorian coast), Eddie McGuire, Malcolm Fraser, Sidney Myer and Lindsey Fox.
Interesting enough, the percentage of toddlers and infants in Toorak is the lowest in Melbourne but it has the highest percentage of children attending private schools.

Scallops entree in one of the dining places.

Bistro Thierry, Romeos, Quaff, the Manhattan and Oritas are strewn around in conversation for Euro dining in Toorak Village, Grange Road and Toorak Road.  Accompanying all this fare are florists, optometrists, pet care providers, hair stylists, fitness trainers, fashion boutiques and other services aiming to deliver of the highest order.  There is an interesting bed and breakfast run by the Country Women's Association of Victoria; a Haigh's Chocolates outlet; Laurent Boulangerie & Patisserie; the Hunters & Collectors Emporium; Mercedes Benz Toorak; Egons Cakes; Monkey Bean; the Osozai Japanese Cafe; and the Dihnersaw & His Fionsay.

George Town, Penang - Street Food, Evenings

OYSTER OMELETTE (OH CHNIEH)

When made well, oyster omelette is all at once crispy outside and gooey delicious inside. My rating of 8 is given to this version photographed at the Lam Ah Cafe, opposite the fire station at the corner of Beach and Chulia Streets, within the UNESCO designated heritage area near Penang Harbour.  Lam Ah Cafe is open only from 1030am to 430pm, closed on Sundays.

Suggested Other Sources of Oyster Omelette:

1. Yi Garden Coffee shop, 150-152 Macalister Road near corner with Lorong Selamat - open from noon to midnight, except Sundays.

2. Song River Cafe, 65 Gurney Drive - evenings, a tourist hub. This is within walking distance from the Gurney Plaza and Paragon shopping centres towards the middle of Gurney Drive.

3. Stall at the Pulau Tikus Markets - from 630am to noon every day.

4. Bee Hooi coffee shop, at the corner of Pulau Tikus Lane and Burma Road, with the stall for the oyster omelette open from 6pm to midnight.  Please note that this coffee shop is also open in the mornings but with a different set of stall holders and therefore street food!

5.   Seng Thor Coffee Shop, 160 Carnarvon Street (near junction with Kimberly Street), open from 1pm to 530pm only and there is one day per week that they do not operate but this day is not fixed.

CHOON PNIAH OR DEEP FRIED SPRING ROLLS

Suggested Sources of Choon Pniah:

1.  Beach Corner at the Batu Ferringhi  tourist strip along the main road near the beach - my rating is for a 9 out of ten.  Hainan in origin, theses are best eaten piping hot from the wok, downed with cold herbal drinks or beer and eaten with family and friends.  This hawker complex, within walking distance form the Batu Ferringhi hotels and in the midst of the evening craft and souvenir markets, is open every evening from 6pm till late.

2. Restaurant open to public at the Penang Swimming Club, Tanjung Bungah.

ROJAK - FRUIT AND VEG SALAD

I am referring to the Chinese styled rojak, which cleverly combines texture, taste and health for snacks or dessert consideration.   When you bite into this heady mix, you can find this dish simultaneously spicy, salty, stinky, savoury, sourish and sweet on your palate.

Cucumbers, guava, skinned pineapples, green mango, jicama shreds, peanuts and a sauce that blends in dark soy sauce, belacan (or the toasted dried shrimp with chili paste), castor sugar, tamarind juice and soaked and deseeded chilis. It must  have garnishings that include the toasted sesame seeds and the black shrimp-based paste unique to Penang - the Hae Kor.   The only oily stuff that perhaps is included are cuts of the deep fried Chinese dough - you tiau in Mandarin or the eu char koay in Fujian dialect - that you can ask to be not included in your own serving.

Suggested Sources of Rojak:
1.  Penang styled Chinese inspired rojak at stall in the New World Park, Swatow Lane 10am to 5pm.

2.  Hock Seng Rojak King, open from 11am to 5pm, at MaCallum Street near Cecil Street Ghaut, in front of Sin Hong Leong coffee shop.

3.  Joo Hooi Coffee shop at 475 Penang Road, at corner with Keng Kwee Street, also good for Cendol.

4.  101 Rojak Ho Wei Jeng, at the Esplanade, open every night from 7pm till midnight except Wednesdays.

5.  Stall 77 Rojak at the Gurney Drive Food Centre, near the northern end of Gurney Drive, Gurney Plaza and Paragon Shopping Centres. Closed on both Mondays and Tuesdays, otherwise open from 7pm.

KOAY TEOW THNG - RICE NOODLE SOUP

The Pho noodle soup in Vietnam is outstanding for the richness and uniqueness of its soup.   The same white coloured narrow rice noodles are used in the Penang version, which utilises less spice and beef and more chicken when preparing its stock.  Vital are fresh ingredients like thin pork or chicken slices, fish cake bites, shallots. aromatic pepper and ginger, minced pork or fish paste balls, wanton dumplings and choi sum greens.

Suggested Sources of Koay Teow Thng:

1.  Sky Emperor Stall offering braised chicken feet with Koay Teow Thng at Kimberly Street, not far from junction with Sungei Ujong Road.  Open for business from 6pm to 10pm.

2.   Eel fish ball Koay Teow Thng at 183 Carnarvon Street from 9am to 430pm, except on Sundays and Mondays.  Amazingly, this place is called Pitt Street Koay Teow Thng.

3.   Beef rice noodle soup at the Lam Ah Coffee Shop, at corner of Beach and Chulia Streets, open from 1030am to 4pm, closed on Sundays.  This place is also worth a try for the oyster omelette.

The three  outlets indicated above are within the Chinese section of the UNESCO designated heritage area of George Town.

SATAY SKEWERS

Satay must be the most well known dish for visitors, especially back packers,  to south-east Asia apart from the roti - and variations are found in Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent and in East Asia.  The well chosen tender and succulent  marinated meat is lovingly placed in skewers, swiped with lemongrass juice and grilled ideally over charcoal.  I love the satay in Hoi An Vietnam; Kajang  Selangor, Malaysia; and night food markets all over Thailand.

In Penang, the Chinese operated outlets have satay served in pork or chicken versions.  Muslim stalls only provide beef, mutton and chicken variations, but come with the ketupat, a traditional rice cake often steamed in bamboo covers.  The satay skewers are normally served with cut onions, sliced cucumbers and the must-have, a rich yummy peanut gravy that brings out more in the grilled meat.

Suggested Sources of Satay:

1.   Satay stall opposite Maxim Cafe at corner of New Lane and Macalister Road, open 6pm to 11pm.

2.    Red Garden Cafe, 20 Leith Street in the UNESCO designated heritage area of George Town, near to upper Penang Road. A tourist gathering area in the evenings!

3.  Kheng Pin Coffee Shop, 80 Penang Road - at the corner of Upper Penang Road and Sri Bahari Road.  This place is also well known for its lobak.   Opens from 7am till early afternoon.

Do check out:

http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/george-town-penang-street-food-in.html

PRAWN STOCK NOODLE SOUP - HAE MEE 

Hae Mee is known well in both Singapore and Penang Islands, with a version in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong called Har Mee.   Served with a combination of yellow Hokkien noodles and vermicelli, it is tasty because of the richness of its prawn shell based soup and a variety of ingredients like thin sliced lean pork, squid and fish cakes, bean sprouts, pork lard bits, de-veined prawns and kangkong or local water spinach greens.  

Chili condiment is provided according to your preference and there are also crispy deep fried shallots to complete the act!   The dish came with Fujian immigrants settling in Malaya and Singapore in the 19th century.  The same yellow Hokkien noodles also provide the basis for another dish, stir fried with a rich gravy, Hokkien Char.  In the Klang Valley with Kuala Lumpur as its core, dark soy sauce is used to create a rather special version of the stir-fried Hokkien mee.

Suggested Sources of Hae Mee:

1.  Old Green House Restaurant at 223 Burma Road, open from 8pm to 4am but closed on Sundays.

2. Song River Cafe, 65 Gurney Drive – evenings, a tourist hub.  Also worth a try for its oyster omelette.

3.  Swee Kong Coffee Shop, near to junction  of Moulmein Close and Burma Road,  opposite the Pulau Tikus police station -  opening hours 6am to 9am, closed Mondays and Thursdays.

4.  Stall at the Jelutong Night Market, Penaga Road, in a suburb south of Georgetown.

 You may want to check out
http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/george-town-penang-street-food-midday.html

POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops ask for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, Lebuh refers to a street, Solok indicates a cup-de-sac,  Lorong means a lane and Lebuhraya is an avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in a food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out. The above food outlets featured in this specific blog post begin their business only from evening and often until midnight, unless otherwise stated.  Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us secure a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.

George Town, Penang - Street Food Midday

POH PNIAH 

The Poh Pniah or "thin biscuit' in Fujian dialect - delectable, delicious and divine as made by the Padang Brown stall, only available from 12 noon onwards until sold out.  My rating for this particular dish is a 8.5 out of ten.  Freshly made poh pniah skin is a good start - followed by filling in fresh and adequately textured ingredients like crabmeat, dried shrimp, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, cooked pork bits, grated Chinese turnip (or jicama), cut lettuce and grated carrots. The sauce is made with blending soy, rice wine, Hoisin sauce and oyster sauce.

Suggested Other Sources of Poh Pniah:

1. Sin Yin Nam Cafe at New Lane junction near Macalister Road.  New Lane has been localised in name to 'Lorong Baru".

2.  Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

3.   Stall at New World Park food court, Swatow Lane (from 11am to 4pm each day).

4.   Wah Leong Coffee Shop, along Burma Road.

High hygienic practices can be adhered by street food stalls in George Town.

AIS KACANG, CENDOL AND CUT FRUITS

Fresh fruit and veg juices and slices are essential to stay refreshed and quenched in an equatorial climate.  This scene is from the New World Park at Swatow Lane,  where a visit often means compulsorily having the Ais Kacang, a concoction of ice shaving, sweetness, crunchiness and delight!  The New World Park is open from 11am to 4pm each day.  I score the Ais Kacang here an 8 out of ten.

The Cendol is another dessert common throughout South-east Asia (for example in Thailand it is known as Lod Chong; in Vietnam, Banh Lot; and in Bandung and Yogyakarta, Jendot).    The Penang version is served chilled, has strong hints of palm sugar with coconut milk mixed with shaved ice and garnished with red beans, black grass jelly bits and the compulsory green coloured rice flour bits.  The green colour is obtained from using extracts of Pandanus leaves.

Suggested Other Sources of Ais Kacang:

1.  Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

2.  Low Eng Hoo Coffee Shop, Lorong Selamat near Macalister Road.

Suggested Source of Cendol:

1.  Stall for Teochew Cendol, Junction of Penang Road with Keng Kwee Street,  near Chowrasta Market.  A tourist gathering point! There are also branches of this dotted across other suburbs of Penang Island.

FISH STOCK LAKSA

I found  the Thai laksa, pictured above,  allowing me to soak our palates in the aroma of Thai herbs and spices.  Photo shows an appreciated home made version.
The difference between curry laksa and the other types of laksa described here is that in the latter,  the use of grounded fish in the soup base - and in the sourish taste, often garnished with cut Spanish onions, fresh chili bits,  sliced cucumbers and thicker noodles.

There are four types of laksa  - the curry laksa, the tamarind based laksa, the lemak or coconut milk based version and the Thai aromatic herbs recipe.

Suggested Sources of Tamarind Based Laksa:

1. Stalls in Air Itam Market near the Kek Lok Si Temple Complex in Air Itam (Black Water Village).  Popular with tourists.
2. Stalls in the Balik Pulau Market food court - this is on the western side of Penang island and not in George Town.  A gathering point for visitors from outside Balik Pulau.
3. Kek Seng Coffee Shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open from 800am to 5pm.
4. Kheng Pin coffee shop, 80 Penang Road, at corner of upper Penang and Sri Bahari Roads. Closed on Mondays, the coffee shop is otherwise one from 7am to 3pm.
5.  New World Park food court, Swatow Lane - from 11am to 4pm daily.
6.  Swee Kong Coffee Shop, near the corner of Moulmein and Burma Roads, opposite the Pulau Tikus police station.
7. Joo Hooi Cafe, 475 Penang Road - corner with Keng Kwee Street (refer to Cendol entry above)

STIR FRIED GLASS VERMICELLI

A yummy Fujian special - tang hoon, or the glass vermicelli, seen at an oyster noodle shop (open from noon till sold out) in Lintang MacCullum, an area land reclaimed from the Penang Channel.  The noodles are slimy yummy and the flavours of the prawns permeate throughout.  My rating for this dish as shown above an 8 out of ten.

CHICKEN CURRY PUFFS

Teatime favourite of mine - chicken curry puffs, which can  be found in various versions, the best of which I prefer are either based on the south Indian or Straits Chinese recipes. The trick is in the crust! Photo taken at the Continental Bakery in Georgetown ( at 33 Nagore Road and open from 10an to 7pm every day - last orders taken by 4pm).

HERBAL TEA, JELLIES AND SOUPS

How they make and store the cooling Guangzhou herbal teas at an outlet along Kimberly Street.
Kimberly Street is within the UNESCO designated heritage area of Georgetown.  Also worth trying in this shop is the Guilin jelly, which  is a good option during the late afternoon - my rating is a 7 out of  ten for this dessert.

PASTRY PIES

These pies are especially appealing to my eye!  I have not eaten a banana pie before.
Continental Bakery at 33 Nagore Road.

PENANG CURRY MEE

The name of this dish can be a misnomer in Penang.  Unlike the curry laksa, not much curry paste is utilised at all in this dish.  Instead what is critical to the soup of the Penang curry mee is the sambal condiment, which is made by the choice of good quality fermented shrimp paste, chili paste, garlic, onion, salt and sugar.  

For obtaining the variation of white curry mee, the chicken and prawn shell based soup is always cooked and served separately from the noodles, so that the customer can decide on how much colour to have for his or her final choice of soup - akin to the Swiss practice of serving chocolate separately from milk.  The colour from the Penang curry mee comes from how much chili and coconut milk are used in proportion.

Ingredients then added to the noodles and soup are commonly coagulated pig's blood, chicken slices, bean sprouts and the puffed bean curd (the tau hoo pok), 

Penang offers its own variation of the curry laksa, in the white curry mee, which had a spike in popularity in 2014.

Suggested Sources of Penang Curry Mee:

1. Tua Pui curry mee at 23 Kimberly Street from 9am to 5pm -  in George Town UNESCO designated heritage area.

2. Bee Hooi Coffee Shop at the corner of Pulau Tikus Lane and Burma Road, with the curry mee stall open in the mornings.  Please note that this coffee shop is also open for business at night, nut with different stalls and street food.

3. New Cathy Cafe, corner of Kuching Lane and Burma Road, opposite the Union Primary Girls School. Evenings only. Closed on Sundays.

4. Coffee shop at corner of Naning Street and Lorong Seratus Tahun in George Town UNESCO designated heritage area. 

5. Stall at the Pulau Tikus Market each morning.

6. Taman Emas coffee shop near corner of Gottlieb and Scott Roads, opposite the Penang Chinese Girls High School. Opening hours are from noon to 5pm.

SAR HOR FUN

The hot wok is used to stir fry broad based rice noodles and vermicelli, with other ingredients of prawns, octopus,  pork or chicken, eggs and local green with stems on. There is a gelatinous sheen over the noodles. Many years ago, some vendor in George Town started making a-go-go dancing moves while stir frying the Sar Hor Fun - he must have loved his job and was a showman at heart!  The heat of a good wok shows through in the aroma of the finished product - so if the wok has been used cooking this all day, it really radiates through in the taste which can be a bit burnt but which brings up the quality of this dish.

Suggested Sources of Sar Hor Fun:

1.  Foo Heong Restaurant, 56-58 Cintra Street, open by lunch time.

2.   Hon Kei Food Corner/ Cafe, 55 Lorong Kampung Malabar, open from morning.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

CHEE CHEONG FUN

It may sound like a person's name in the Cantonese dialect, but this is truly a whiz of a pick-me-up on the run.  Usually eaten for breakfast, in Penang, it is readily available at any time of the day, but at different outlets.  The dish on first impression looks like rolls of rice noodles, cut into squares or in cross sections, smeared with sweet hoisin sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds spread out on your serving plate - but the crucial ingredients are the variety of chili based sauces used to lift up the taste! These can be made from sambal or just the hot sauce in commercially available bottles.  XO sauce and soy sauce are also put into the mix.  The resulting outcomes will then determine the quality of any particular serving in front of you.

Suggested Sources of Chee Cheong Fun:

1.  Seow Fong Lye Chee Cheong Fun at 94C Macalister Lane - opening hours are from 730am to 1230pm.

2.  Cheong Kok Choy stall at New Lane (or Lorong Baru), off Macalister Road.  Opening hours are from 630pm to 1130pm.

You may want to check out

http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/george-town-penang-street-food-in.html

POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops ask for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, Lebuh refers to a street, Solok indicates a  cul-de-sac, Lorong means a lane and Lebuhraya is an avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in  food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out. The above food outlets featured in this specific blog post are open from lunch time, unless otherwise stated.   Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us secure a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.

George Town, Penang - My Favourite Things

NUTMEGS

Nutmeg seeds drying in the sun, off Chulia Street in the UNESCO heritage designated area of George Town - the outer covering of such seeds, the mace, has been removed here.  Nutmegs were first planted by the British East India Company on Penang Island after seeds were transplanted form their native home in the Banda Islands. The British colonials also successfully grew nutmeg trees on what is now the island nation of Grenada in the Caribbean.

My quickly depleting nutmeg drink, stirred with sour plum to create a cooling tasty effect.

SWEET STEAMED SNACKS

Sweet sticky cakes in miniature baskets freshly steamed - a significant cultural concoction for the southern Chinese, especially for the Lunar New Year.  You an also taste such snacks in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and in the Asian suburbs of Western cities.  Preparation and photo credit - Ms S.K Teoh.

WESTERN STYLED TEA BREWS

Teatime relaxation, with ginger lemon (background) and chamomile (foreground) at ChinaHouse at 183B Victoria Street, a great idea to get away from the midday sun and enervating humidity.  Victoria Street is within the UNESCO designated heritage area of Georgetown.

DEEP FRIED FISH

Shanghai has its really fatty pork, Germany has its pork knuckle and Greeks love their olives.
I reckon Penangites love their crunchy deep and belly stuffed fried fish! 

BAKERY CREATIONS

The Rocky Road slice at the Gala Restaurant, corner of Mounter and Leigh Streets.

People, Planning and Performance

So the cabin crew lady forgets, or omits, to bring you the juice you have asked for two times, even with your fellow passengers being aware of this.  This is on Silk Air between Penang and Singapore on the scheduled 1215pm flight on 28 February 2015.  Aw, is this only a minor thing?

However, on a later connecting flight, its parent airline, Singapore, consistently provides quality customer engagement, whether for business class or economy class passengers, on the flight sector between Singapore and Sydney.  The cabin crew members on the upper deck of the Airbus 380 exude greater training, better personality, show initiative and reach out beyond their mere job role on this overnight flight of SQ221, arriving at Sydney Airport around 735am on Sunday 1 March 2015.  The on-board in-flight entertainment facility was out of action for a while mid-flight, but I reckon no one passenger was bothered much.  This is because the overall flying experience with SQ on this flight was good, primarily because its attending staff knew how to respond in micro situations as well when interacting with passengers. And technically Singapore has always been ahead of its competitors in technology - on that flight we could send text messages from our smart phones and for a fee, have access to the internet.  Most important of all, the pilots handled the rather disturbing turbulences pretty well for short periods over certain portions of sea and land.

What makes the difference, in the level and nuance of service between two airlines, echoes the varying levels of focused business management, not only at the operational level, but also reflects the implementation of effective strategic values transformed to staff behaviour.    Every one would have experienced the ineptitude of airline staff who seriously believe they are more important than passengers, mainly because of the me me me emphasis when they grew up and in how they are trained for their job.  I have seen Silk Air ground crew at Penang Airport asking couples with infants to line up with the rest of the queue - hello?  At the same time, they did not know how to optimally handle those irritating passenger types who on arrival at the gate lounge, walk up to the counter demanding they get to board first, when the aircraft is not even ready and has to be cleaned.

Ground staff representing airlines are the first point of impression for their customers, as these are the very first people customers see and interact with, whether upon checking in or when waiting to board. I witnessed such a ground staff member shouting to passengers because a boarding area in  Sydney International Airport does not provide simple microphone facilities for the boarding gate for an Airbus 380 flight. Whether such  staff individuals are from an outsourced contract arrangement or full employees for the airline is not relevant.  Airline management must negotiate better with the management of whatever airport in the world to understand better what a passenger goes through in utilising services for which they have prepaid.

Why does Changi Airport in Singapore open the gates to A5 in Terminal Three so late these days?  Is it cost saving or for a more rational reason? When passenger numbers build up for the hand luggage security check, the risk of stress, over crowding and rushing late passengers increases dramatically.

A flight from Penang to Singapore is officially and technically by all counts a trip between two separate countries.  I cannot for several years and even now fathom why the Silk Air ground crew checking in passengers at Penang Airport cannot open their counters at the very latest two hours before flight time.  Are they subconsciously treating such flights as more of within domestic counter opening times?

I am thankful for safety and security aspects promoted and practised on airline travel. However, personal, corporate and community attitudes can vary in making the passenger experience a rather varied spectrum.  For example, when one is used to punctuality, it can be unnerving to watch laid back attitudes cause issues which logically impact negatively on the passenger experience.  Passenger numbers have escalated, revenues have risen and yet service is getting patchy in the new age of airline travel, whether with budget airlines or not.  Reasons for delays in and hiccups to commercial airline travel due to weather risks are most acceptable; those relating to human service gaps, bureaucracy and lack of professional behaviour are not.  You may only want to fly with one specific airline, but practical code-sharing these days can really mean you actually fly with other airlines on certain sectors of your ticket, even if you want to avoid such a specific other airline.

Positive attributes for example are shown in carefully selecting the path on how an aircraft takes off or lands.  Subject to the permission of the related local airport authorities, it is appreciated when the pilot of your commercial aircraft flies over close to a rather uninhabited isle that you have always wondered about and now get to view. Thai Airways allow you to view the camera panorama from the pilot's cockpit.  Some considerate pilots mention on the PA system when the plane is flying over significant landmarks. Fun aircraft pre-takeoff videos for passengers are a welcome feature of Air New Zealand flights.  Helpful ground crew provided for arriving transit passengers from long haul flights are a privileged experience, not a standard any more.  A smiling steward who speaks clear English even if it is not his mother tongue on Emirates is not to be taken for granted. The varied backgrounds of Cathay Pacific crew resonates well with their multi demographic passenger profile.

Helpful security check officers are desired instead of those treating passengers in a condescending manner.  I have heard accounts by passengers, at Sydney International Airport, who have had their hand luggage taken by other unauthorised passengers or go missing, whilst such items are supposedly under security scrutiny on the first entry security check machines and conveyor belt.  What is more critical is how such passengers were treated when they realised that their hand luggage had gone missing. I have not heard such negative accounts from people who go on domestic flights within Australia.

Go figure.

Golden Phoenix Cantonese Restaurant, Equatorial Hotel - Penang

Abalone, sea cucumber and all that to restore the body's inner health.

Penang's Chinese demographic  cannot shake off its penchant for the three treasures at each restaurant dinner - the marinated cut chilis, the garlic and the soy sauce.

Rice noodles - the sar hor fun - with a mocktail.

Delicately braised tender scallops served with steamed broccoli.

The Beijing duck, accompanied by wraps and a light pomelo and prawn cold salad.

Types of Chinese smoked tea, taken hot without any other addition to taste, palate and texture.

Birds nest soup in a light broth of coolness.

Celebrating the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, traditionally to commemorate the birth of humankind, my group had an elegant experience of what Cantonese can do in cuisine.   We aimed for things away from the usual banquets that are served all over the city, the country and really, the East Asian region and south-east Asia in these two weeks of festive delight, gatherings and celebration. We did not want the roast meat nor the noodles laden with seafood. We wanted something more delicate, creations that made more use of the inherent flavours of ingredients and showed the potential of carefully combined items when served on a plate.

We had contrasts of duck with a light pomelo laden salad.  The unavoidable gaminess of an essentially wet fowl has been balanced with the freshness of a rather light citrus!   We are against the harvesting of sharks fins, so we chose the restorative powers of other sea creatures.  We wanted each dish to have meaning to mark the arrival of another Lunar New Year.  And we still wanted to eat a share of greens.

There is a long standing proverb in China that it is fortunate to be born in Guangzhou, for its cuisine has reputedly been the best in over a thousand years. Harmony is desired in all eastern Asian cultures, the perpetual balancing of the yin and yang. Even when partaking food at the table, Chinese all over the world consider their cultural heritage.  This is especially appreciated as we look over the past and focus our eyes and heart to the future. We are so through the festive rush, as epitomised by the traffic, vehicle parking and noisy dinner halls - but we relish the opportunity to meet, synchronise hearts amongst long standing friends and have a reunion with family and more.