Sunday, August 24, 2008

Penang Day 3: Breakfast

Our flight home was 10:15 am so there was time to eat before we go to the airport. I wanted to eat Two Sisters' char kuey teow (CKT) at Macalister Rd but it wasn't open when we got there. What a bummer! The last time I was in Penang, 7 years ago, Two Sisters were Three Sisters at Lorong Selamat and the queue for their CKT snaked around the block. After a long wait, Hub came with a plate of CKT. I ate a mouthful and the sky didn't fall down. I looked around at the Singaporean tourists and noticed that their CKT looked different, and they looked contented. I turned to Hub and he guiltily said, "Okay, I bought this plate of CKT from another stall. The line was too long! How can you even notice the difference when you haven't tasted their CKT before?!" You think you can deceive my tongue I replied. Since then, I've longed to try Two Sisters' CKT, but it seems like that is an elusive dish for me.

A reader had recommended Hokkien prawn mee at Sungai Tiram, only 2 minutes from the airport. Off we went, but the place too was closed. It was a Saturday. Bummer again. The only place open was this coffeeshop with a big sign that said "Salted Chicken". But there was no salted chicken which makes sense because it was 8 am. Bummer No. 3. What they served was this:

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Coddled egg with soy sauce and pepper. I liked it.

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Toasted bread with margarine and a sprinkle of sugar.

I didn't like this because I have never liked margarine, not even when it was touted as a better alternative to butter. It's just too perfumed.

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Nasi lemak.

The nasi lemak was not good so I ordered this:

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Mifun kosong.

I guess it's due to regional differences but this mifun was sugar-sweet and I didn't like it either. Ultimate Food Bummer Day. On the plane I felt happier when I realised that I'd be home in 2 1/2 hours and I can go straight to Apiwon for a bowl of my favorite ngew chap. I smiled as I reclined my seat on the plane and closed my eyes.

p.s. The best coffeeshop bread in KK, hands down, is Full Yuen's (formerly Fook Yuen) in Damai, opposite shoplot from Consfood. Full Yuen's bread has been on Hong Kong TV and Astro food programs, and Precious Pea searched for it when she visited last year. I've sorta known the baker/owner since he first started. So yesterday I was very disappointed and upset when I ate his roti kahwin (soft white bread with butter and kaya, a Malaysian jam-custard made of coconut milk and eggs and good enough to die for) and tasted margarine in it. He was shocked with my discovery and promised to go back to butter once he gets a good butter at a reasonable price, now that the butter he used to use has gone up nearly 300% according to him. I suggested cutting the butter slices thinner because they really are too thick but he said he'd tried and at very thin slices, they melt too fast for them to even pick them up with their tongs. I feel kinda bad highlighting this, but I think if we don't complain, there won't be improvement. But he was very nice about it. Thumbs up. His roti kahwin is still the yummiest, but for perfection, let's have the better (and better-tasting) evil, butter. Please tell him you prefer butter too when you eat there.

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9 comments:

Unknown said...

alamak aunty terri! you the bomb!, i salute you for confronting the boss. I dont know how you do it but those pictures make the food look better then i remember them. I mean they are good ,maybe i am homesick.. yeah,actually i am salivating... sigh

Terri @ A Daily Obsession said...

oiyoh John, somebody has to speak up for food's sake. no u can't be homesick, u just got there.besides ur pohpoh is feeding u well...

ganache-ganache said...

hey, my tongue is as sharp as yours ! we used to frequent FY & know the boss too, found out that they've stopped using butter & told the boss, guess what stupid excuse he told me - that ppl complain about the butter that's why he change to margarine, since then we've never step into his shop again ! the only places that still serve butter are Old Town (SCS) & Kuan Ah (Anchor), I think......

Precious Pea said...

BUTTER BUTTER BUTTER! DEFINITELY BUTTER!!! I don't mind it thinner as long as it's butter. I didn't know the price of butter went up that high. Love the bread here so much. Just can't wait to visit KK again.

p/s...there is no place like home hor?

Anonymous said...

There's another kopitiam that serves roti kaya just as good as Fook Yuen's. Never notice the name but it's the one in the corner at Bornion centre behind Milimewa supermarket. Their bread is just as fluffy soft and they use butter!

Anonymous said...

Hate margerine too! Taste too plasticky and has that oily greasy aftertaste.

terri@adailyobsession said...

ganache: u noticed? great, not many ppl can. n u did right to complain but d reason he gave u is so diff frm d one he gave me. hmm. u know, there r some ppl who prefer d funny flavor of margarine, esp the malays who prolly don't understand the harm in eating margarine. i haven't eaten roti at old town (i tried their coffe it was yuks).

pea: yes butter is beautiful...no place like home but u r leaving it.

anon: hey, tt baker used to be a partner in full yuen. but somehow i find his bread too light? maybe i'm biased.

anon: high 5!

Anonymous said...

Hi Terri! You found one of my fav hang out places near the airport...I usually go at night for the porridge.. can go up to RM10-RM15 easily depending on the seafood ingrediant you choose.

LilyAnette said...

That mihun kosong looks so good except for the sweetness! I miss Lido mee kosong too!

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