Located at eastern end Penang Second Bridge, Batu Kawan is the home of several affordable seafood restaurants. Yen Batu Kawan Seafood (燕海鲜餐厅) is one such example.
Seafood is best enjoyed while fresh, which is why Yen Batu Kawan keeps various marine denizens alive in water tanks before they meet their demise. Many customers take pleasure in selecting which creature they want on their dinner plates.
The selection of seafood here is quite extensive. There are various types of fish, crustaceans and shellfish to choose from. The restaurant also provides cooking suggestions for each type of seafood.
Our meal started with Red Snapper (红鱼, RM72.00), which is priced at RM60.00 per kilogram. The fish is steamed with pickled mustard (榨菜) and garnished with parsley. I like the refined texture of this fish, as well as the mild sweetness of its flesh.
Next on the table is Crab (螃蟹, RM184.00). For a table of 8 people, we ordered 5 large crabs which masses 2.3 kilograms. It is fortunate that we selected large crabs because there is more flesh overall.
There are 2 cooking styles for the crabs: curry (咖哩) and sweet and sour (酸甜). The curry style is the specialty in this restaurant. I love the way that sweet crab meat complements the pungent curry flavor. As for the sweet and sour version, I find it inferior compared to the curry version, but it is still decent on its own right.
As for the Fried Squid (炸苏东, RM16.00), the taste is reasonable although I have encountered better ones before. I think the aroma of batter requires improvement.
The next delicacy is Barracuda (斋鱼, RM20.00), which is the last 11 pieces in stock tonight. This elongated fish is deep-fried to golden perfection. When served, the flesh easily peels off the bones.
Mixing some poultry to our seafood feast, we also ordered a plate of Guinness Chicken (黑狗鸡, RM30.00). The chicken is cooked with Guinness stout so give it a thick coating of gravy. Not to worry about alcoholic content because most alcohol has evaporated during cooking.
Last but not least, we also enjoyed a plate of Kangkung Belacan (马来风光, RM16.00). The water spinach is silky in texture, and is nicely flavored with fiery belacan (spicy shrimp paste). In addition, the dish also includes several decently-sized shrimps for additional appeal.
The meal tonight at Yen Batu Kawan is very satisfying indeed. The bill is also quite reasonable; it is rare to find similar-priced seafood restaurants on Penang Island.
Despite its secluded location, Yen Batu Kawan is packed with customers especially during weekends. This shows that people are willing travel further in search of nice seafood at reasonable prices.
Address: 701, Jalan Besar Batu Kawan, 14110 Batu Kawan, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-587-2616
Business hours: 12:00pm-11:00pm, closed on Wednesdays
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