Shut away from the main road,and situated at the end enclave of a small quiet Hakka fishing village,this eatery at the water's edge, assumes a mini carnival like atmosphere at night.
Parking is a limited open space juxtaposed by a chinese temple and an abandoned relic on the opposite side of it, that can give off rather eerie vibes even during the day.
Walk in and the first thing that catches your eye is a hawker selling spring rolls that taste more like a vegetarian version of Roti Babi than a thin crusted spring roll.
The filling,was still disgustingly fridge cold even by the time it got to our table and that kinda spoilt it for us.
We had to up that, by ordering the calamari with fries.
Awfully amateurish salt and pepper dish that was.
Thank goodness we had the presence of mind to forgo the spring chicken.
Then there's the satay stall manned by a glum faced lady.If coriander powder is right up your alley,you'll like this tender skewered serving.Don't even think of asking for ketupat cos there's none.The raw onions are too tough,lost their crunch and moisture,same too for the cucumber.
Didn't try the grilled fish but from what I saw on other people tables it looked kind of dry.Noticed that they really took some time to finish it which kind of meant also that it probably wasn't that good either.
Should you like to sit near the large boulder,where the air is cooler,less smoky,less chaotic a din and the view especially at dusk is nicer,do bear in mind that not all tables are available as a few are almost always reserved.
Perplexing since we sat there for some time and yet no one turned up.Still the owner insisted that it was taken up.
Made me wonder if they had kept it for 'special guests' like what happens during stage performances held in the seventh month ?Creepyyy.
Inadvertly,you'll end up on the receiving end of a lung filling episode anywhere near the foggy kitchen,the hissing grill or the puffing satay seller.
The tsunami of 2004 had destroyed its original structure (not that it was attractive then,it wasn't,it's much nicer today)jolting the superstitious as to the ominous meaning pertaining to the washing away of Tua Peh Kong's stone lions.
That aside,I dare say that the baked crabs here are undisputably the best tasting in town.
Some Penangites will complain that it costs a bomb to dine here.But at $40 a kilo I think it's rather reasonable.
They're not exactly baked,it's a skill that entails quick boiling in a witches brew over a wok at high heat.
That the crustaceans are cooked wholesale with gills and all,may be something that visitors from other states might find revolting.
Those unaccustomed to this version of baked crabs may absolutely find it a complete turn off or love at first bite.
Much as I like the flavour,sadly it's just confined to the outer shell with insufficient cooking time for it to seep in and slightly flavour the flesh.
Worst of all,the crabs used these days are not exactly fresh.
Thus you'll be on the receiving end of some very mushy textured decomposing specimens.
Not to mention that are small in size.
Too small to pound with the bamboo mallet provided as a matter of fact without screwing up what little flesh you may wriggle out.
But that's just what it boils down to here,cos they take orders from you and you never get to see if the creatures are alive or frozen.Which is bad cos mudcrabs must be slaugthered just before cooking or (sadly sometimes it is cooked alive)or the meat will not be firm and disintegrate very quickly.
Salt baked prawns have been deep frozen for god knows how long.Absolutely NOT fresh.
Oh chien (oyster omelette) the worst I ever had in terms of freshness and taste.YUCK!
NEVER order the noodle and other chu char dishes.They're not churned out by the same operator.
They're bland as knitted strands of blanched threads drenched in too much chinese wine.Hopeless,tasteless,pale,regrettable.A perfect pick me up for drunkards and AA candidates.
The vegetable dishes are just as knuckle wringing.Over exposed to high heat,no more crunchy,tastes wild and very peasant like.Big yuck from one who likes her vegies.
Last time,I considered this order a major suck to an otherwise glutton's seafood banquet and sadly it still remains the same till today.
A quirky platter of used lime,placed next to the wash basin,is this cafe's idea of a fragrant end to a messy,table banging meal.
If only I could close my eyes to the spectacle of a prangin mall nerd gathering every last one of them and squishing them like he were massaging his thighs for maximum effect with his smelly crabby hands.
Parking is a limited open space juxtaposed by a chinese temple and an abandoned relic on the opposite side of it, that can give off rather eerie vibes even during the day.
Walk in and the first thing that catches your eye is a hawker selling spring rolls that taste more like a vegetarian version of Roti Babi than a thin crusted spring roll.
The filling,was still disgustingly fridge cold even by the time it got to our table and that kinda spoilt it for us.
We had to up that, by ordering the calamari with fries.
Awfully amateurish salt and pepper dish that was.
Thank goodness we had the presence of mind to forgo the spring chicken.
Then there's the satay stall manned by a glum faced lady.If coriander powder is right up your alley,you'll like this tender skewered serving.Don't even think of asking for ketupat cos there's none.The raw onions are too tough,lost their crunch and moisture,same too for the cucumber.
Didn't try the grilled fish but from what I saw on other people tables it looked kind of dry.Noticed that they really took some time to finish it which kind of meant also that it probably wasn't that good either.
Should you like to sit near the large boulder,where the air is cooler,less smoky,less chaotic a din and the view especially at dusk is nicer,do bear in mind that not all tables are available as a few are almost always reserved.
Perplexing since we sat there for some time and yet no one turned up.Still the owner insisted that it was taken up.
Made me wonder if they had kept it for 'special guests' like what happens during stage performances held in the seventh month ?Creepyyy.
Inadvertly,you'll end up on the receiving end of a lung filling episode anywhere near the foggy kitchen,the hissing grill or the puffing satay seller.
The tsunami of 2004 had destroyed its original structure (not that it was attractive then,it wasn't,it's much nicer today)jolting the superstitious as to the ominous meaning pertaining to the washing away of Tua Peh Kong's stone lions.
That aside,I dare say that the baked crabs here are undisputably the best tasting in town.
Some Penangites will complain that it costs a bomb to dine here.But at $40 a kilo I think it's rather reasonable.
They're not exactly baked,it's a skill that entails quick boiling in a witches brew over a wok at high heat.
That the crustaceans are cooked wholesale with gills and all,may be something that visitors from other states might find revolting.
Those unaccustomed to this version of baked crabs may absolutely find it a complete turn off or love at first bite.
Much as I like the flavour,sadly it's just confined to the outer shell with insufficient cooking time for it to seep in and slightly flavour the flesh.
Worst of all,the crabs used these days are not exactly fresh.
Thus you'll be on the receiving end of some very mushy textured decomposing specimens.
Not to mention that are small in size.
Too small to pound with the bamboo mallet provided as a matter of fact without screwing up what little flesh you may wriggle out.
But that's just what it boils down to here,cos they take orders from you and you never get to see if the creatures are alive or frozen.Which is bad cos mudcrabs must be slaugthered just before cooking or (sadly sometimes it is cooked alive)or the meat will not be firm and disintegrate very quickly.
Salt baked prawns have been deep frozen for god knows how long.Absolutely NOT fresh.
Oh chien (oyster omelette) the worst I ever had in terms of freshness and taste.YUCK!
NEVER order the noodle and other chu char dishes.They're not churned out by the same operator.
They're bland as knitted strands of blanched threads drenched in too much chinese wine.Hopeless,tasteless,pale,regrettable.A perfect pick me up for drunkards and AA candidates.
The vegetable dishes are just as knuckle wringing.Over exposed to high heat,no more crunchy,tastes wild and very peasant like.Big yuck from one who likes her vegies.
Last time,I considered this order a major suck to an otherwise glutton's seafood banquet and sadly it still remains the same till today.
A quirky platter of used lime,placed next to the wash basin,is this cafe's idea of a fragrant end to a messy,table banging meal.
If only I could close my eyes to the spectacle of a prangin mall nerd gathering every last one of them and squishing them like he were massaging his thighs for maximum effect with his smelly crabby hands.
