Hawker House by Street Feast

In a building on Kingsland Road recently used for many pop up events just a few minutes walk away from Haggerston Station is where Hawker House has opened this winter. Famed for it's quality street food usually held in Summer outdoors, it is nice to see the same concept made for the winter months. 

With three levels to explore, make sure you get there early, before 7pm to avoid the entrance fee of £4.00. I would rather spend £4 on a delicious burger. That's just me. Even if you have to pay and possibly queue to get in to this popular feasting heaven, it's worth it. 

We headed straight to the drinks section. Oh, so typical. There were multiple bars serving craft beers, hot cocktails and the other usual. There is also what they call the whisky roulette. Pay £8 for a spin for your luck for a drink from the interesting and extensive list of whiskies ranging from below £8 to £40. 

The trader line-up is on rotation and has some very very good ones. We tried Busan BBQ's Kimcheese beef burger and the Pork Belly burger. My favourite was the pork belly of course, though both were equally impressive. Smokestak's thick cut pork ribs were fat, juicy, tender and delicious. Finger licking good! 

We'll be back for more!

Remember to check it out soon as their last weekend of trade is on 10th and 11th April. Oh, one tip I have for you is to start queueing for the next one as soon as you get your food. The queues are long!! If you're there with lots of your friends, even better. Each one can queue for one. 

Have fun there and eat lots.

Hawker House - Street Feast

260-264 Kingsland Road
E8 4DG London,UK

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Famous Penang hokkien mee (prawn noodles) for breakfast | Penang

What's for breakfast on my first day back in Penang? Hokkien mee (prawn noodle) of course! The broth is made with lots and lots of shrimp shells and pork ribs so it is packed full of intense flavour. The chilli paste gives it that extra kick. Factor in eating this in a tropical weather with no air-conditioning but fan, it makes the experience a lot more exciting! That's just me, probably. You might think otherwise. Luckily the hokkien mee is sold only in the morning. Remember to come here early too as this flavoursome bowl of goodness sells out by 9:30 / 10am.

'Hokkien mee' that is spicy and packed full of flavour

Apom balik (an indian version of thin eggy pancake), so simple yet so good with soft centre and thin crispy edges. Do try this too while you're here.

The making of 'apom balik' with charcoal and clay pot, served on banana leaves.

'Ban chang kueh' (pancake with peanuts) is a sort of pancake with spongy honeycomb texture that is so unique, it's hard to find one like it elsewhere.

Swee Kong Coffee Shop


319 Jalan Burma 
10050 Pulau Tikus
Penang, Malaysia

(intersection of Jalan Burma and Solok Moulmein, near the Pulau Tikus market)
GPS Coordinates: N5 25.828 E100 18.757

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Penang Road Famous Cendol | Penang

Cendol is a very famous dessert in Penang and Malacca but both versions taste slightly different. The main ingredients include shaved ice,  coconut milk, gula melaka (palm sugar), green jelly noodles made with rice flour and red bean. The green colour used for the jelly noodles are made from natural green colouring extracted from the fragrant pandan leaves (screwpine leaves) commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking.

This dessert is a must try for anyone visiting Penang and the most famous stall serving this dessert is on Lebuh Keng Kwee, off Penang Road. There are two stalls selling Cendol on this street but this famous Teochew Cendol is located on the right as you turn in from Penang road. Many people travel all the way for this Penang Road Teochew Cendol. The already narrow street will be clogged up by people who are there just to have a bowl of this shaved ice dessert. Also, there is no apparent queue so be smart about where you stand. Make sure you are seen by the guy taking orders and not hide behind the crowd.

The ingredients for making Cendol

Lebuh Keng Kwee off Penang Road

This is the other Cendol stall opposite the very famous Teochew Cendol stall. Be sure to look at the sign correctly as this one does not have the word 'Teochew'.

While the most famous stall is crowded with people, this Cendol stall opposite it is usually not as packed. Funnily, this is the stall I prefer and recommend. The Cendol here is tastier with more distinct flavour of its ingredients. I find the Cendol of the more famous Teochew Cendol stall too diluted for my liking. You can always try one from each stall since they are just opposite each other. Compare and pick your favourite, I would say.

Machine shaving a big block of ice

Cendol

Snack Stall on the same street

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Authentic Nasi Lemak at Medan Selera Mutiara | Penang

Medan Selera Mutiara translated as Pearl Food Court, is a famous hawker centre in Tanjung Bungah. It is located opposite the The Cove Condominium and is right in front of a row of shop houses, including Ingolf's Kneipe German Restaurant, 7-eleven and Vintage Bulgaria.

Medan Selera = Food Court
Mutiara = Pearl

There are quite a number of stalls here selling different types of food like char koay teow, tom yum mee and chicken rice. But the only reason I come here is for the Nasi Lemak (Coconut rice). Nasi Lemak is a popular Malaysian food and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper. This is a Malay dish with coconut rice, sambal ikan bilis (chilli paste with anchovies), peanuts and boiled egg, wrapped in banana leaf the traditional way. But nowadays, it has been modernised into a more complete meal with chicken curry or fried chicken. Some even serve it with fried fish.

Authentic Nasi Lemak with no frills, as simple and delicious as it used to be long time ago

There was once when my sister and I bought this Nasi Lemak to takeaway so we can enjoy it in the comforts of our home. But because it filled the car with such salivating aroma, we could not wait for the 5 minutes drive to get home. We had to unwrap the banana leaves in the car, look for the plastic spoon my sister conveniently had in the glove compartment and share the Nasi Lemak! Since I was the passenger, I had to carefully feed her while she was driving. And because she was driving, I get more than half my share! Woohoo!!

MEDAN MUTIARA SELERA

Jalan Tanjung Bungah 
(opposite The Cove Condominium)
11200 Penang, Malaysia.

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Succulent 'Or Chien' at Bee Hooi Food Court | Penang

The main reason I go to Bee Hooi is for the Or Chien (Fried Oyster) and Poh Piah (Fresh spring rolls). Of course, these are not the only good food at this food court. There are so many varieties, there is bound to be one that will become your favourite. Bee Hooi is located along the row of shop houses where Poly Café and Baskin Robbins is. It is also opposite of Belissa Row where Haagen Daz is situated. Baskin Robbins and Haagen Daz used to be one of our usual family hang out as we used to be extreme ice cream lover. Therefore my locations explanations are very often all based on ice cream parlours.

The inside seating at Bee Hooi

There are inside and outside seating available but this place is always full of people so, be quick at eyeing for tables that are almost done with their food and grab them as soon as people leave their tables. It is not a restaurant, so no one will seat you. First to seat on the chair gets the table.

'Or Chien' uncle frying the fantastic Or Chien (fried oyster) at his stall

Frying of oysters and eggs

Or Chien (fried oyster)

Or Chien is actually not just fried oyster on its own but is more like oyster omelette served with garlic chilli sauce. The omelette is cooked with a little starch to give the omelette a slightly gooey texture. When you mix them all up and take a big bite, it's like biting into an oyster heaven of goodness. The oysters from this stall in Bee Hooi are very fresh, big and succulent, unlike others I have had which are usually half the size.

The juicy sweet Poh Piah (fresh spring rolls)

This tom yum soup with vermicelli was quite spicy and intensely flavourful

Lor Mee when served

Lor Mee is noodles in thick starchy meaty gravy served with pork slices, minced garlic, soy boiled eggs, bean sprouts, fried shallots and chilli paste. Addition of chicken feet is optional. I really enjoy lor mee as I like the starchy gravy coating every little surface of the mixed noodles and ingredients.

Lor Mee when mixed

Hokkien Char (fried noodles with sambal on the side)

Frankie's pizza - Hawaiian delight with chicken and pineapple

This is a totally different kind of pizza. It is not Italian nor American. It is a Malaysian version of pizza with thick crispy base, nothing like a deep dish pizza at all. You have to try it to know what I am talking about.

Lok Lok - skewers of food

There is a van filled with 'lok lok' skewers that parks along the same street as Bee Hooi. Lok to blanch or to boil, which is a very appropriate name for these skewers. Food are pricked through bamboo sticks into skewers where most are cooked, or need short time to cook. There are two square buckets, one filled with boiling water and the other, boiling peanut sauce. You can either boil the skewers in either, to heat or cook the food on skewers then top up with the many different kind of sauces on the side.

** If you noticed, I referred the man frying oyster at the stall as 'uncle'. This is the way we refer a man older than us, in a casual and respectful way. So uncle does not always means uncle as a family member. This will be the same for auntie.

BEE HOOI FOOD COURT

Lorong Pulau Tikus,
10350 Pulau Tikus
Penang, Malaysia.
(Next to EON Bank, OPPOSITE Belissa Row)
Operating Hours: 6pm-12am

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