Passions of Kerala Restaurant, Georgetown - Penang

More than memories of backpacking - aromatic briyani rice on a rectangle sized banana leaf ala natural plate, accompanied by (clockwise from 11 o'clock) shall veg curry, hot sauces and sambar.

There is an art and etiquette to eating with hands from a banana leaf laid out in front of you.  At the very start, it is required to wash your hands, which can be obvious.  You are then asked your preference of steamed white rice or tomato flavoured rice laden with cooked spices, raisins and finely chopped nuts.   As with most Middle Eastern, South Asian and south-east Asian cultures, you always eat with your right hand - the other hand is reserved for other specific uses.   Condiments, garnishings and vegetables are provided in several forms and you just take it all on your banana leaf, which soon gets crowded.  Meat and seafood dishes which you  have chosen additionally from the menu are then served in separate plates.  When you have finished your meal, you can show satisfaction to your host or the chef and restaurant by folding your emptied banana leaf inwards towards you. Do the opposite if you are unhappy with the quality and taste of the food served.

After all this awareness, I nevertheless opted for the use of folk and spoon at a banana leaf and curry restaurant in the heart of Georgetown.   I had no recent practice using my hands ( a technique that requires being able to push a dollop of rice into mouth with a finger) - and so I had missed this unique opportunity to re-try this interesting practice that reduces the use of utensils at meal time.

Kerala cuisine or Sadya evolved from the heavy influence of the land lying along the Spice Trade, in the path of Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and British sailors and being subject to the socio-commercial implications of the monsoons, when travelling historically relied so much on weather and wind direction.  The Thalassery Briyani  from the Malabar area epitomises such influences with its dual utilisation of both chicken and seafood.  Kerala is part of the Tamil language speaking zone - and Tamils have traditionally formed a significant minority of the populations of both Singapore and Malaysia.  Many a traveller in this region is familiar with the puttu, sambar, dosa and Paal-Appam at breakfast time along busy road stalls and in tourist food hubs in this part of the world,    These dishes are part of the Kerala tradition and  just refer accordingly to steamed rice and grated coconut, chutney-like condiments and pancakes.

Chicken curry with an authentic twist, a delightful change from what is usually available.

Deep fried fish is bathed in a thick and flavoursome curry.

Seafood stands out in this cuisine and you can have a wide variety of options in this space. Squid and prawns are part of this menu but what captivated me was the crab masala.  Masala is a term that refers to a blend of spices to produce a heady mix and flavour. Generally the dishes here are noted for their rich but rewarding curries. Service is efficient and tables were quickly filled up at the lunch time we were there, a working day. The restaurant is air conditioned and spacious. Penangites love their fried fish which are then consumed in a variety of cuisine styles, whether with a light gravy or soaked in curries. The coast of Kerala, on the south-west coast of the Indian sub-continent, with cities like Kochi, Payyanur and Thiruvananthapuram, does significantly affect this specific cuisine, apart from the unique herbs and tropical flora and fruits that dot its hinterland. Prices charged are most reasonable and offer a refreshing value when compared to eating similar meals in Singapore or Sydney. Henry, who took me there, remarked that the standard of Indian food here is as good as to what backpackers and tourists may find in exotic cafes and shops in Little India, about ten minutes away by car in Penang's old quarter. Passions of Kerala Restaurant is open daily, with lunch served from 1130am and dinner provided from 6pm. Its location in the New World Park entertainment and street food precinct is popular and relatively easy to find.  Apparently additional rice and vegetables are offered to customers at no additional cost.  There is another branch of the passions of Kerala in suburban Georgetown in the Bukit Gelugor area on  the way south to the airport.

Portions of delightful accompaniments, some spicy and others not so chili hot, are dished out neatly in front of you.

What are the essential differences between Kerala curries and their northern cousins in India? The ubiquitous use of aromatic curry leaves, the careful pouring of different types of fresh coconut milk at critical stages of the cooking process and the prevalent presence of cinnamon, pepper and cardamom perhaps contribute to the distinctive taste of this specific cuisine. There is definitely a sense of the heavy tropical air from Kerala cuisine.

 Interesting enough owner Gary Nair also offers kiwi flavoured lhassi yogurt, something which restaurants in New Zealand and Australia may consider, especially with the availability of this gooseberry fruit in the Antipodean countries. I tried this type of lhassi and I liked it. Pappadums offered were small sized compared to what you find in Sydney or Wollongong.  Indian food inevitably contains a strong element of vegetarian - the dish that stood out to me was the sharp but stimulating lime acar, with julieanned strips of hard vegetables marinated with a sour and spicy marinade.

If you have time for only one dish, I strongly suggest the mutton masala (photo below). This meat of goats, as opposed to sheep, has a more powerful natural odour, so is best cooked in a curry with several spices.  I was more than satisfied with our meal of several dishes and could no longer try the Kerala desserts - okay, maybe  the next time around!

Miraku Japanese, G Hotel - Georgetown, Penang

Cold tea flavoured infused soba (buck wheat noodles) were sitting on a bamboo weaved mat on a shallow bento box.  It was a lovely time catching up with Michael, who had studied at university in Wollongong and his family, which included a good mate and his own wife and two boys.

The only apparent condiment, sitting precariously on top of the sloping long noodles, were delicate pieces of sea weed and intense tasting small fish, with their eyes gleaming up at me.  There are many utensils in a Japanese meal, with ladles, chopsticks, sauce plates and small bowls, all looking petite and in the deep colours that Japanese culture appreciates. Ten of us were provided a private function room in a restaurant sited on the first floor of a trendy hotel.   It is best to savour the well appointed surroundings inside the restaurant rather than have takeaway, which Miraku offers as well - mainly don sets accompanied by steamed rice and small servings of salad with mayonnaise.

The venue was spacious, with both sliding door locations and outside seating.  Decorative and studied presentations of meals were emphasised throughout, with obvious well arranged meals served like miniature pieces of art.   Apart from the expected offering of Japanese beer and sake, including brands like Shouchikubai Nigori, Suishin, Kirin, Yebisu and Sapporo, the drinks list was highlighted by Ruffino wine and ume shu or plum wine options.  Tea choices were rather like cocktails or mixed with fruity options.

Tradition does run deep in the Miraku (which signifies a place where one can enjoy great food), as illustrated by the offering of a quail egg to take with the soba (refer to photo above).  Appetisers of note are the grilled skewer scallops, fermented soya beans, crispy deep fried white bait and a whole garlic (Ninniku Age).  For those on the run, the lunch sets can be considered - I recommend the Hokkai Chirashi for those who like their raw seafood and their signature Miraku bento set itself - looking as much pretty as tasty.  Premium items are available as part of a Grand or Course menu.

My group had plates passed around the table often as supplementing our personal main choices. The staff seemed well trained and were quick on their feet that Sunday afternoon. the most interesting side and communal dish taken that day was one labelled a Ladies Special - delicate tofu in a hotpot exquisitely steamed with some fresh greens.  Kar Wai's sons thoroughly examined the room even if they had been there before. My group chatted about outsourcing, changing competitiveness amongst economies and more in a cocooned environment.  The rains may have poured down incessantly for days in Penang Island but in the Miraku, we found refuge, good company and tasty cuisine.

DrawnNGo, Island Park - Penang Island

Mushroom soup and garlic bread has epitomised Western cuisine for several generations, mainly as a result of colonial Brit influences and local preferences. Whilst converging practices and various migrating populations led to fusion food on the Asian side,until in the past twenty or so years, Euro food in the Malayan Peninsular lacked the variety that you see in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong today.  There was  an obvious lack of continental choices but American food arrived with a gusto in the fast food chains.

Pork chop in batter, accompanied by coleslaw and smooth potato mash - the winner was the dipping sauce, which, amongst other things, utilised aromatic and fresh Sarawak freshly ground pepper.  My sister in law Sian Kin had suggested trying this cafe and it brought me back in memory to the likes of Eden and other outlets that were effectively run by Chinese chefs from Hainan Island in southern China.  These Hainanese earned a living in the 19th and 20th centuries manning the kitchens for their Caucasian masters and created a new cuisine blending in the preferences of their employers (living so far away from home) and their quintessential Chinese cooking techniques. The pork chop I had had a crunch, a flavour and a bite that stood out on its own.

Colourful and cooling drinks served before the food.