Village Coffee Shop (Seafood Noodles) @ Weld Quay

While I have no complains about the freshness,service,drinks,taste,portion nor price,some in our group did complain of the following

1.  Extreme thirst after trying out the Tom Yam noodle version here.
2. The older set in our party of anonymous 'testers',found it strange that they felt a certain numbness and aches in their body almost immediately after we left this place.
3. The younger ones were divided,some huffed that the clear soup version (non spicy),was not something they would return for,while others found it pleasant and nice.

Things you need to know before you head here.

1. The shop itself while clean,is in surrounds that are not.One can be at risk from sewage crossover contamination into the water supply as there is a ongoing roadworks at the moment.
2. Diners on the road shoulder itself are at high risk of being mowed down by irrate and crazed drivers during rush hour and bad jams.If you are not familiar with the driving habits on Penang roads,please know that this is top of the meter because of the high amount of diners and limited space which makes the owner put tables and chairs out further than desired,not caring if the Grim Reaper picks us when time is up.
3. You need to place your order at the back of the shop and pick your ingredients.Fresh fish slices are weighed by the gram.On the average,one huge ingredient packed bowl will set you back $9
4. The kitchen staff and drink makers are level headed foreigners with one flustered local lady taking orders like she is on a bed of Kotex.
5. If you like Joo Leong you might find this a poorer cousin.But if you don't like Joo Leong mainly due to the price,you might like it here cos its like $3 less with a ton of stuff.
6. Deep fried fish is served with fresh lime for you to squeeze yourself minus sambal,which I think you have to request but I didn't bother enquiring cos the scaly shoreline fish,which we had,though tiny, was done better,flaky,juicy,white, than most fish n chips restaurants.
7. Deep fried fish roe can be extremely bitter
8. Their Tom Yam soup is the sweet type, which is hot as hell,yet toe curling sour,so you can embark on a trip to the moon free of charge.

Restaurant Panjaab @ Chulia Street

1. If you think you know what hot is you ain't eaten hot till you come here

2. You need intensive toilet bowl care after this experience

3. Your meal will be interrupted by the staff propositioning backpackers to dine here

Hameediyah @ Jln Campbell

This place is also more for Penangites and true blue Nasi Kandar lovers.However do not attempt to take tourists from overseas or even the local visitors from other states(Johor being the exception) here because they simply will not appreciate this Penang institution.
Nasi kandar may have had its roots in Penang and then spread to the peninsular and south towards singapore.When the original sellers in Penang set up shop elsewhere in malaysia they made a less oily version of the kandar available.The only other state where a layer of oil atop a dish is acceptable is Johor.So in short most Malaysians are used to Nasi Kandar that has less oil.
What is the problem with this layer of oil you say?
First of all to international tourists it is a complete turn off.
Second,ask any local that knows how to cook and they will tell you that if you have such a thick layer of oil on top it means that you used the head of the santan strain (which is actually of higher quality)and were too lazy to laboriously stir the dish so as not to allow the oil from the coconut to break out and settle on top.
I myself like this place for the wonderful tea and spice laden curries but I have also been amused many times by watching tourists wretch and spit out the murtabak and turn up their nose at practically everything they have ordered.
To be fair the ang moh have had some pretty good murtabak elsewhere in the world and the ones in Hameediyah are pretty average.Same goes for the briyani.
If they are the best in penang for these two dishes it is because the other outlets cannot even come up to average.
So do enjoy this place at your own pace and spare your visitors the torture.

Crepe Cottage @ Gurney Drive(night)

1. only meant for those that love meals that blow their brains out cos extremely pepper laden as if it were chilli padi

2. everything is loaded with black pepper/green pepper/or white pepper I don't know
 
3.Don't be fooled by harmless sweet looking little old lady that look like santa claus wife.she really like her stuff hot hot until you become asstronut wan