It is a little known fact that Bayview Hotel operates a lunchtime eatery called Secret Alley Café. Located at the side of the hotel building, Secret Alley Café does not have air conditioning. But thanks to the high ceiling, the dining area is reasonably well ventilated.

Secret Alley Café serves economy rice (nasi campur) every weekday except on public holidays. Food is prepared from Kopi Tiam’s halal-certified kitchen. Adopting no-frills concept, Secret Alley Café aims to offer a variety of familiar dishes at very affordable prices.

Meat dishes cover chicken, beef, fish and squid. As for vegetables, there are water spinach, bok choy, broccoli, winged beans, bitter gourd and more. Soup is complimentary for dine-in customers.

Besides white rice, customers can also opt for nasi tomato (tomato rice) or nasi goreng (fried rice). Secret Alley Café adopts self-service model: Customers pick their own dishes and proceed to pay the cashier. Dine-in and take-away options are available.

Meanwhile, the noodle station serves a different noodle dish every day. Examples are laksa kahwin, mee udang, mee rebus, curry mee and koay teow soup. Fish head bee hoon soup (RM6.50) is served today.

Customers who prefer something light can go for roti jala (lace pancake), ulam (raw vegetables), acar (pickled vegetables), spring rolls, lor bak (fried rolls) or papadom (black gram crackers). The actual items vary from day to day.

As for drinks, the instant coffee machine dispenses coffee, tea and teh tarik. There are also canned and bottled drinks in the refrigerator.

Secret Alley Café is especially popular among office workers who work nearby. This is because the pricing is very affordable; a typical meal costs less than RM10.00. Compared to hawker stalls, Secret Alley Café has the upper hand in terms of better hygiene and significantly more dishes.

Name: Secret Alley Café
Address: Bayview Hotel, 25-A, Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-263-3161
Business hours: 11:00am-2:30pm, closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
Website: https://bhgp.bayviewhotels.com/dining-drinks/kopitiam
Coordinates: 5.42180 N, 100.33573 E
Directions: Bayview Hotel is located at Leith Street (Lebuh Leith), between Lebuh Farquhar and Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. Secret Alley Café is located at an alley between the hotel and Plaza MWE. The hotel’s multi-storey parking garage is accessible from Lebuh Farquhar. Street parking is also available in front of the hotel.

The post Secret Alley Café first appeared on Jill Teo.

The restaurant has air conditioning and presents a homely atmosphere. A lightwell provides natural lighting from above.

Claypot Restaurant serves Set Lunch from 11:00am to 3:30pm every day. The meal includes rice, fried egg and soup. My choice today is Hong Bak Pork Rice (娘惹式封肉煲饭, RM11.90).

Served in a sizzling claypot, this Nyonya delicacy is essentially pork and potatoes simmered in salted soy bean sauce (豆酱). The taste is too salty on its own, but is fine when eaten with rice.

Customers can add RM1.50 to any Set Lunch to get a drink such as White Coffee. For dessert, I ordered Ai Yu Jelly (爱玉冰, RM3.00). The jelly is made from seeds of the fig plant. It comes with lemon juice, honey, ice, lychee and a slice of lemon.

Address: 48, Jalan Sungai Kelian, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-899-7987
Business hours: 11:00am-3:30pm, 5:30pm-10:00pm, closed on Mondays
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The post Claypot Restaurant first appeared on Jill Teo.

Gaya Street is where you can find many popular restaurants in Kota Kinabalu. 5 Star Hainanese Chicken Rice & BBQ (五星海南家乡鸡饭和烧腊) is one of them. The shop is sandwiched between Yee Fung Laksa and Sabah Chilli Pan Mee.

A serving of Hainanese Steamed Chicken Rice (海南白切鸡饭, RM8.50) comprises of chicken thigh (鸡二度), oily rice (油饭) and clear soup. The portion is just right for one person.

The steamed chicken has yellow skin with tender flesh underneath. Unfortunately, it contains too much fat and feels rather greasy. According to the owner, his supply of chicken is inconsistent in terms of quality.

Address: 125, Jalan Gaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Contact: 016-843-1388
Business hours: 9:30am-9:00pm
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Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Coffee House is the main restaurant of The Northam All Suite Hotel. Located next to the hotel lobby, Coffee House is also where in-house guests are served breakfast.

Coffee House serves Nasi Campur from 12:00pm to 2:00pm every day except on Sundays. The promotion features several of the chef’s signature dishes. Meals are charged based on the number of dishes taken. In general, there are more dishes on weekdays in order to accommodate larger crowds.

Key to Malaysian mixed rice is obviously rice itself. Two types of rice are provided: Nasi Minyak and Steamed White Rice. The former is cooked with ghee and spices, resulting in lovely fragrance that pleases the nose.

The main highlight today is Lamb Kurma, which I enjoy very much. The savory gravy does a great job in masking the smell of mutton. Meanwhile for Daging Rendang, beef is cooked with coconut milk and spices for several hours until most liquid has boiled away.

Ayam Panggang is the poultry dish today. Unfortunately, I feel that the grilled chicken is not as flavorful as mutton or beef. I think the chicken needs more seasoning.

Other notable dishes today are Steamed Egg, Stir Fried Bean Sprout With Tofu, Fried Petola With Vermicelli and Siew Pak Choy. The actual dishes varies from day to day.

The “Ulam” section presents raw vegetables such as okra (lady’s fingers), winged beans, tomatoes and cabbages. The vegetables are often eaten with condiments such as sambal belacan (spicy shrimp paste), air asam (tamarind sauce) and sambal kicap (spicy soy sauce).

Egg salad and sausage salad are served today. As for sweet desserts, enjoy a warm bowl of Bubur Kacang Merah.

All customers enjoy complimentary soup and drinks. The Northam has certainly read the minds of most people!

In lieu of Nasi Campur, diners can opt for Nasi Lemak instead. Nasi Lemak’s rice is infused with coconut milk and pandan extract. The rice’s oily texture makes it quite appealing. Another key ingredient for Nasi Lemak is sambal bawang. The spicy condiment is one of The Northam‘s strongest suits!

Nasi Lemak also comes with chicken rendang, roasted peanuts, fried anchovies, cucumber slices and hard-boiled egg. If the basic Nasi Lemak (RM8.00) is insufficient, customers can supplement the meals with dishes from the Nasi Campur section.

There are also several à la carte dishes to choose from. For example, Fish Head Claypot (RM10.00) presents a satisfying curry that is not too spicy. Besides fish head, the claypot also contains okra and eggplants (brinjals).

Next, Sotong Goreng Kunyit (RM8.00) contains fried squid in turmeric-based gravy. I appreciate the springy texture of squid. As for Udang Masak Lemak (RM8.00), the shrimps are cooked in a gravy that is rich in coconut milk.

The à la minute action stall serves Char Koay Teow (RM8.00). This Malay-style noodle dish is not as dry as its Chinese counterpart. Other key ingredients are fish balls, fishcake, egg, bean sprouts, garlic chives, fried shallots, chili paste, soy sauce and garlic. Customers can always customize the level of spiciness.

The Grab & Go stall at Coffee House’s entrance offers a cup of coffee or tea plus two pieces of pastries for only RM8.00. This promotion is available daily from 7:00am to 5:00pm. This is perfect for customers who prefer a lighter meal or need to hit the road.

Pastry choices for Grab & Go are croissants, muffins and Danish pastries. Customers can also opt for nasi lemak in lieu of pastries.

The food pricing at Coffee House is very affordable; a proper lunch can cost as low as RM6.00 only. To stretch the dollar further, take advantage of The Northam’s loyalty program. For every 10 meals here, the next one is on the house!

Name: Coffee House
Address: 55, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-370-1111
Business hours: 6:30am-10:30pm
Website: https://www.northamhotel-penang.com
Coordinates: 5.42728 N, 100.32127 E
Directions: The Northam is located on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, right after VOUK Hotel Suites. Coffee House is right next to the lobby. There is a multilevel parking garage in the hotel.

The post Coffee House first appeared on Jill Teo.

The people behind Spade’s Burger have opened another restaurant near their i-Avenue outlet. The name of the new restaurant, Gohaniku, is a portmanteau of two Japanese words: “gohan” (ご飯) and “niku” (肉). They mean “rice” and “meat” respectively.

Gohaniku’s menu covers rice bowls with various toppings like pork, salted egg, curry and more. Also included are skewered pork and bingsu (빙수). Gohaniku uses the self-service model; customers are asked to collect their food from the pick-up window when their numbers are called.

Umami Pork Bowl Plus (RM11.90) consists of sliced pork with sweet-savory seasoning, making the dish very appetizing indeed. On the other hand, the pork fillets are not quite as tasty. An onsen tamago (soft-boiled egg) is also served over the bowl of Japanese short-grain rice.

Address: 1-1-8, Medan Kampung Relau 1, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: N/A
Business hours: 11:00am-9:30pm
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I ordered a serving of Shao La Noodle (烧腊面, RM7.50). The dish uses wan tan noodle (云吞面), which is quite springy. The meal comes with roast duck (烧鸭), roast chicken (烧鸡) and roast pork (烧肉). However, only the roast duck appeals to my palate.

The noodle dish comes with a bowl of pickled cabbage soup (酸菜汤). The soup’s sourness does a good job in stimulating my taste buds. It is also fairly spicy.

The accompanying chili sauce is too watery; it should be made thicker. Meanwhile, the dried shrimp chili is quite nice but it should not be so oily.

As for drinks, I ordered a glass of Lo Han Guo (罗汉果, RM1.30). This drink uses a fruit native to southern China. The fruit is a natural low-calorie sweetener.

Address: 29-1-63, Jalan Paya Terubong, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-455-8863
Business hours: 9:00am-9:30pm
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I ordered a serving of Chicken Mix (鸡参, RM5.40), which comprises of roasted chicken (烤鸡), roasted pork (烧肉) and BBQ pork (叉烧). The meal comes with rice and soup. There is also a saucer of chili sauce as condiment.

Roasted chicken is supposed to be the restaurant’s bestseller, but it is disappointingly bland and tough. On the flip side, roasted pork and BBQ pork are more acceptable to my palate. Meanwhile, the food pricing here is reasonably affordable.

Address: 175, Jalan Macalister, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-418-9229
Business hours: 11:00am-3:00pm
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The post Sin Nam Huat first appeared on Jill Teo.

The eatery has a simple outwardly feel as it is the front porch of a residential house. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Therefore, we understand that affordability takes precedence over atmosphere.

Obviously, the specialty here is the titular Claypot Chicken Rice (瓦煲鸡饭). The dishes are priced based on the portion: 1-person for RM6.00, 2-persons for RM12.00. The claypots used are identical nevertheless.

The fragrance of chicken rice is pleasant to nasal sensors. The tongue cannot agree more as the taste is also very impressive. Infused with the best essence of chicken, the rice has a savory flavor and is a delicacy by itself.

The claypot meal includes generous amount of chicken chunks and Chinese sausages (腊肠). These are not “unwanted” chicken parts like neck or feet. Instead, these are succulent pieces of chicken breasts and thighs. A sprinkle with scallion (spring onion) adds a fresh sensation to the exceptional infusion of chicken goodness.

A dry dish should be accompanied with something watery. The Lotus Root & Peanut Soup (莲藕花生汤, RM5.00) is the best candidate for the job.

It is a pleasant surprise that there is much more to the soup than just “soup”. The bowl has plenty of lotus roots, chicken feet and pork innards. The mild sweet and salty taste of the soup gives another level of enjoyment to our dinner.

Wei Ji Claypot Chicken Rice may not win medals in claypot chicken competitions (assuming are such events). Nevertheless, the delectable taste and cheap price (by KL standards) makes this business establishment a down-to-earth eatery in the vicinity.

The post Wei Ji Claypot Chicken Rice first appeared on Jill Teo.

The premises of Sin Lam Fatt is not merely a restaurant. The food preparation (i.e. roasting, barbecuing and drying) is done on site as well. Sin Lam Fatt also supplies other restaurants, which explains why there are several delivery vans in the morning.

I ordered a little of everything on the menu, just to get a feel of what Sin Lam Fatt has to offer. The bill comes to RM10.80, which is pretty decent in my opinion.

The Roasted Chicken (烧鸡) is expected to be the signature dish. However, it somewhat lacks flavor and the breast meat is too tough beyond my preference. Quite likely, the chicken has not been roasted well enough. The skin, however, is glossy in appearance and has a nice light crisp.

The other signature dish is the Roasted Duck (烧鸭). Like the chicken, the skin is well roasted and quite appetizing. The lean duck meat is acceptable by my standards, but I have tasted better ones elsewhere.

As for the Roasted Pork (烧肉), it is actually pretty good. It is not too dried up from excessive heating, therefore the fatty layer still retains its savory flavor. On top of this, the pork skin still retains the crunchy texture, making this dish an appetite opener.

The Barbecued Pork (叉烧) is my favorite ingredient in this meal. The barbecue marinate is perfectly balanced by my definition. It would have been nice if the pork is cut into thinner slices so that it can be dipped more thoroughly with soy sauce.

Moving on to the Braised Egg (卤蛋), it is reasonable in taste and appearance. It is best eaten with some soy sauce, as the yolk may can be dry in the middle.

The Chicken Rice (鸡饭) is amazingly refined too. I like the slight oiliness and flavored texture of the rice grains. Its softness is just right, unlike some other chicken rice stalls where the rice used resembles plain white rice.

Not to forget the chili sauce! The chili sauce used with chicken rice usually has more garlic than the “general” version, such as those used with noodles. I have to say that Sin Lam Fatt’s chili sauce is quite good too.

The meal comes with a bowl of Mixed Vegetable Soup (菜尾汤), which helps to wash down the food. There isn’t any vegetable in it, since it is just a small bowl.

Overall, the food Sin Lam Fatt does have some merits, though not all items deserve credit. In particular, the Roasted Chicken is not up to par in my opinion. Perhaps I happened to land on their worst piece of chicken today. Anyway, we will find out if and when there is in a future visit.

The post Sin Lam Fatt first appeared on Jill Teo.