East Street | London

 

Gyoza and Bulgogi

Bulgogi

Chap Chae

Chicken Pad Krapow

I’ve walked pass East Street dozens of times and each time, I was curious. Finally, we made it here. East Street is made to convey the South East Asian street food experience which I think was almost spot on. The colour, décor and noise felt like home. We ordered the Korean bulgogi of marinated grilled beef and griddled gyoza (dumpling) to start. Then we moved on to Thai Pad Krapow with rice and Korean Chap Chae for mains. The best of the lot was the Pad Krapow and the rest were a little disappointing for me. The bulgogi tasted nice but was dry, gyoza was lack of flavour and Chap Chae was just ‘meh’. My Spanish friend loved them though. Maybe I am just being a tad picky with my food.

Although the food was not up to par for my standard, we still enjoyed our time there. It was a very casual, fun and exciting place. I can see how many will like this place. It is the perfect place for cheap food off Oxford Street after a full day of shopping and possibly spending lots of money on clothes that we would probably only wear once. I might actually give it a second try next time, with a different selection from the menu. Maybe Nasi Goreng. Who knows. I will let you know my verdict again soon.

East Street

3-5 Rathbone Place
W1T 1HJ London,UK

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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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Satay and Roti Bakar at Joo Leong Cafe | Penang

I’m back! Yes, I was away in Penang (Malaysia) and Lombok (Indonesia) for a well-deserved break. That was why my weekly posts have been missing. Now that I am back from my holiday in paradise which all seemed so short, I will try my best to get back to my routine of writing and giving you highlights of my great finds. 

PENANG! Well well, if you've read highlights about Penang prior to travelling there, you know food is the ultimate highlight. Of course eating is not the only thing to do here. There are so much more to see here but you have to know that eating is almost like a hobby for most Penangites.

Toasted bread with soft boiled eggs

So my advice for your arrival at the Penang International Airport, go to Joo Leong Cafe for breakfast or dinner or even supper to satisfy your hunger after a tiring flight and surplus of plane food. This cafe is only about 5 minutes from the airport, on your way to town.

A good dunk in the eggs

This cafe is known for it's breakfast of toasted bread with butter and soft boiled eggs. I have my toast topped with granulated sugar, soft boiled eggs with ground white pepper and light soy sauce, and a Milo to drink. It's an ultimate breakfast combo.

If you arrive later in the evening and will be missing out on this breakfast, don't worry. They are open for dinner serving their famous noodle soup or rice porridge with freshly caught fish and seafood. I've been coming here for years. Please also order satay from the stall at the entrance. This satay served with peanut sauce will be a great way to open up your tastebuds for more deliciousness that will come your way while in Penang.

Cuttle fish

'Ju hu eng chai'

Enjoy yourselves and drop by again for more posts on Penang!


Joo Leong Cafe
179-H, Sungei Tiram
11900 Bayan Lepas
Penang, Malaysia

Tel: +6 (0)10 412 4865; +6 (0)12 498 4865
Opening hours: 06:20-11:30 (breakfast); 18:00-23:30 (dinner). Close Mondays.

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Urban Food Fest street food night market | London

Have you got any plans for this saturday evening? If you don't, do head to Shoreditch for the Urban Food Fest to check out the Street Food Night Market. It is on every saturday night from 5pm-midnight until mid October. This saturday is Octoberfest themed, filled with German beer, bratwurst, schnitzels, strudels and all that is fun and exciting. Below is a little sneak peek of last saturday's night market.

Korean spicy kimchi rice burger from Galbi Bros and English cider by Sommerset Ploughmen

Empanadas from Portena

Tender Argentinian steak burger from Portena

Cajun deep fried frogs legs with sweet potato fried from Geaux Cajun

There were a lot more other stalls selling wood fired oven pizza, Peruvian food, Portuguese cakes and a whole lot more. The best to find out how great the night market is, is to be there yourself. If you manage to be there, do let me know how you enjoyed it. Have a fantastic weekend!

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My first Currywurst | Berlin

Currywurst is the most popular and favourited fast food in Berlin. It is said to have sold an estimated 70 million servings a year in Berlin and about 800 million servings in Germany. That is an awful lot of sausages! A currywurst is steamed and fried pork sausages, cut into slices, covered with tomato based sauce and curry powder usually served with a bread roll or fries alongside.

My first ever Currywurst

I am not a currywurst connoisseur. In fact, it was the first currywurst I have ever had. Where better to try currywurst than in Berlin. I was pretty surprised that the sausage was actually served with ketchup and some sprinkling of curry powder on top. I was expecting some sort of curry sauce, almost like chicken curry but with sausage. Although we did not try those from specialist currywurst shop, I still like our Currywurst Express experience as our first try. At least now I have an idea of what it actually is and understand why this is the most popular fast food in Berlin. It is so very easy to recreate at home or anywhere, really. All you need is three ingredients for the most basic of all currywurst. But if you insist on a more authentic alternative, there's always an option of making your own sauce.

If you speak to any locals about currywurst, you will find that it is difficult to come to an agreement on the perfect currywurst as each of them likes it their own way. Some would even say that those served with tomato ketchup is not authentic and has to be some sort of stewed tomato based gravy. The Berliners obviously take their popular fast food very seriously as there is even a Currywurst Museum! So if you are ever in Berlin, do have some currywurst.

Here is the top few places for currywurst as compiled by Gourmet.com .

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Sedap, authentic Malaysian food in London

Malaysian food which has a multicultural influence of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai and Indonesian food, is undoubtedly one of the most interesting. I might be biased here but so far, everyone I know who's been on holiday in Malaysia came back raving about the food so I think it's not just me. For those of you missing your tropical holiday and its exciting cuisine, you'll be glad to know there is a restaurant worth your visit when the craving kicks in.

Sedap (means delicious in English) is a family run restaurant that does very well prepared and delectable home cooking, mainly peranakan / nyonya food. This restaurant is run by the same people behind my once favourite restaurant named Nyonya which was based at Nottinghill Gate. It closed down many years back and then Sedap sprang up on Old Street.

The rather plain interior but has a few peranakan decoration, like the rattan weaved basket and tiffin carrier.

The tiny crispy spring rolls

Penang Char Koay Teow , a must have.

One of the most popular street food in Penang is its Char Koay Teow. People from ashore will track all the way to the island for this tummy loving plate of satisfaction. Also, majority of my friends from home who lived abroad will never miss out on their dose of char koay teow when in Penang. A plate of a simple looking fried flat rice noodles cooked with beansprouts, chives, prawns, lap cheong (chinese sausage) and blood cockles is actually possible to make one salivate just by hearing a whisper of its name. The main characteristics of this dish is its slightly charred aroma cooked over a very hot wok on charcoal fire. The ultimate secret to the best Char Koay Teow is fresh ingredients and the ability to control the perfect heat and cooking time.  The authentic CKT uses lard and fried crispy lardons.

So far, the best Char Koay Teow in London, comparable to the authentic version in Penang is from Sedap. Although two ingredients were missing; blood cockles (not my favourite so it's okay) and lap cheong (chinese sausage) which I personally think is a must have in Char Koay Teow, this is still where London-based Char Koay Teow lovers come for their craving fix. They used to make this with lap cheong but it seems they have stopped serving pork!! Even their very tasty Tau Eu Bak (soy sauce braised pork) served with sambal (chilli paste) has been removed from the menu.

Hainanese Chicken Rice (rice cooked in chicken stock)

Chicken rice is another popular hawker / street food in Malaysia and is easily found. Many are pretty tasty so its not difficult to find decent Chicken Rice. Some food stalls serve with roast chicken but the Hainanese version is made by poaching the chicken in chicken stock with ginger to infuse more intense flavour and also keep it moist and tender. The rice and chicken is usually served with chicken broth or kiam chai buoy (a spicy and sour soup where it is simmered with lots of the chicken and duck bones, dried chilli, mustard green) and garlic chilli sauce on the side.

Curry Tumis Fish is a nyonya sweet and sour fish dish. As a picky Penangite, I would prefer it to be more sour ad spicy for a more intense flavour. Saying that, I thoroughly enjoyed it as all the flavours were still there. The okra in this curry was surprisingly well cooked. No slime whatsoever.

Sambal Brinjal needs a little more punch from the chilli

Assortment of nyonya kuih

Kuih is a type of dessert or snack, which can be sweet or savoury. The baba and nyonyas / peranakan usually have them as a tea time snack in between meals. It is usually made with rice flour or glutinous rice flour.

The yellow coloured soft and slightly chewy kuih is kuih bingka, my mum's favourite kuih. It is made out of tapioca and coconut milk then baked in the oven to give it the dark top layer. The pink and orange diamond kuih is the kuih lapis, literally means layered kuih. As a child, I used to like this kuih as I get to peel it off layer by layer. It just makes eating kuih a lot more fun. The green coloured one is kuih talam. Talam means tray in Malay and is reflected to how the kuih is usually steamed on a large tray. Don't be put off by the green colour. It is a natural colouring made from the juice of pandan (screwpine) leaves. It has a very fragrant smell and is commonly used in South East Asian cooking.

Smile..

Very tasty home cooked Malaysian and Nyonya food. I especially like the Char Koay Teow and kuih.

Frown..

Tiny portions. Slightly bigger portions would have been more satisfactory.

Will I return?

Definitely. Been back many times.

Sedap

102 Old Street
EC1V 9AY London, UK.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7490 0200

Closest station: Old Street (northern line)

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Banana Tree followed by Upperfield

About 4 weeks ago, we were at the London Emergenza Showcase Competition. The final 16 unsigned International bands had to compete for one spot to perform at Taubertal Festival in Rothenburg with the likes of Biffy Clyro and Editor. The bands played their original best songs and the panel of judges selected the best based on criteria such as Stage Presence and Song-writing skills. Before heading to The Garage to support these unsigned bands, we made sure we fill ourselves up with some proper meal at Banana Tree so we have enough energy to enjoy the night.

Upperfield at Emergenza

I must say that I immediately liked Banana Tree from the first time I visited at Angel. This time, we were at the Soho branch. The interior is filled with bare concrete long tables and wooden benches, no fuss décor that exudes warmth. Even the service complements. It was mid afternoon when we got there so everyone was really hungry. It was not surprising we all had a combo up. With an extra £3.25 each, we get Sesame Glass Noodle Salad, Sweet Corn Cakes, Spicy Crackers and Steamed Jasmine Rice in addition to our main course. What a good deal! Who would miss out on that. If you are not as hungry, I suggest ordering mains and rice separately so you can have less rice and more dishes. That's what we would normally do but not when the tummy's growling like crazy.

Beef Rendang with Special Combo was very flavourful

Crispy chicken with mango and sweet lime sauce.

I ordered the tamarind crispy fish with Thai basil glaze. Everything on the plate was delicious, except the sweet corn cakes. The salad was nutty; the fish, crispy with a tang from tamarind and fragrance of the basil. The vegetarian dish of Spicy Tamarind Aubergine was also very tasty. 

I will definitely be back again to try more of their food. The most tempting dish is the Kajang Chicken Satay. Kajang is a town in Malaysia that is renowned for its satay. I have had them in Kajang and gosh, it was GOOD! I'll also recommend trying a typical Malaysian drink, the spiced Malay 'pull' tea. Will write more after my next visit.

Smile..

Good service, good food and portion big enough for hungry diners.

Frown..

Nothing to frown about.

Will I return?

Will definitely return for some simple and tasty South East Asian food.

BANANA TREE

103 Wardour Street
W1F 0UQ London
(Soho Branch)
Tel: +44 (0)20 7437 1351

Other branches at: Angel, Bayswater, Clapham Junction, Maida Vale and West Hampstead

Back to the Emergenza Showcase

Now that I'm done telling you about Banana Tree, lets get back to the Emergenza Showcase. The 16 bands who played, some were some really good and some, I would say not our cup of tea. Although Black Orchid Empire won, Upperfield was one of our favourites of the night. Even though Upperfield did not make it to Taubertal Festival, they won the best guitarist of the night, taking home a valve amplifier, now an add on to their studio.

Here's my personal Upperfield favourites: 'Hello' and 'Rainbow'. Hope you like them as much and do let me know what you think.

Voted as the best guitarist of the night by the panel of judges. The prize was a valve amplifier from Marshall Amplification.

That's us with the friendly Upperfield

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