Island Penang Kitchen @ Clementi West Street 2 - Good Penang Food In The West

Just like life, you probably have to give a restaurant a second chance. I remembered when I first moved to the West Coast about 3 years ago, I tried Island Penang Kitchen which has moved from Chinatown to Clementi West Street 2. I did not enjoy the food and hence I did not write about it. However, recently I have been hearing good  reviews about the place from my friends, so I made a trip back to find out for myself.

Penang Fried Kway Teow 4/5

Our plate of Penang Fried Kway Teow ($6) comes with Chinese sausage, pork lard, egg, beansprouts, prawn and fishcake. The savoury plate of rice noodle has a hint of smokiness and I like how the egg is still a bit runny coating the noodles. The beansprout provided the extra crunchy texture while the Chinese sausage and pork lard accentuated the flavours.

Penang Hokkien Prawn Noodle with Pork Rib 4.2/5

My favourite among the 3 mains we ordered is the Penang Hokkien Prawn Noodle with Pork Rib ($7). The robustness of the prawn broth, with a hint of spiciness was balanced and work harmoniously with the different ingredients and noodles. In the bowl, you will get half an egg, kang kong, prawns, lean pork slices, pork ribs and pig skins. The pork rib was so soft that it literally melted in your mouth. What surprises me is the addition of pig skin in the bowl of noodle, this is a bonus to me.

Penang Assam Laksa 4/5

Island Penang Kitchen serves a decent bowl of Penang Assam Laksa ($5) too. It has a nice balance of sour, sweet and spicy, topped with onions, cucumbers, pineapple and greens I also applauded the effort of using the authentic type of noodle served in Penang and not those thick beehoon. My only disappointment was that I could not find much minced fish in the assam laksa, another characteristic of assam laka.

Chendol 3.8/5

Last but not least, we wrapped up or lunch with a bowl of Chendol ($3). It didn't seen that the restaurant uses fresh coconut milk but I can make do will it. It was still a refreshing bowl of dessert to wash down a satisfying meal.


Island Penang Kitchen
Blk 721 Clementi West Street 2
#01-126
Singapore 120721
Tel: +65 68730163
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 230pm, 5pm - 930pm
Sat-Sun, PH: 11am - 930pm
(Closed on alternate Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station. (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 201. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk towards West Coast Community Centre. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel Singapore - Popular Penang Hawkers' Fare Buffet Is Back To Delight Gourmands From 10 March to 26 March 2017

The popular Penang Hawkers' Fare buffet at York Hotel Singapore is back for another edition from 10 March to 26 March 2017. Diners will get to savour unlimited helpings of the street food specially prepared by 12 hawkers specially flown in from Penang to recreate their dishes.

Char Kway Teow 4.2/5

My advice is to hit straight to the Char Kway Teow station because the queue is the longest here. Fried under high intense heat, the plate of thin rice noodles imparted a smoky wok hei to the dish. Do note each person is only allow 2 plates each time so get more people to queue if you have a big group.

Penang Prawn Mee 4/5

The soup of the Penang Prawn Mee is painstaking made from prawn heads, shells and pork ribs boiled for hours to achieve the robustness and rich flavours.

Kway Teow Soup 4/5

The Kway Teow Soup comes with smooth rice noodles and bouncy fish cakes and fish balls. What I enjoy most is the light but yet flavourful soup. It comes in both soup and dry version.

Penang Laksa 4/5

A sip of the tangy tamarind fish based broth woke up my sensitives, hitting the right spot. Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed that the Penang Laksa uses the thick rice noodles instead of authentic type used in Penang. If the serving has more of the fish meat, it would be better.

Lor Bak 3/5

The plate of fried snack comprises of five spice meat rolls, prawn fritters, deep fried beancurd and more. The highlight has to be meaty and tender Lor Bak which is well marinated and painstakingly hand rolled into shape.

Cuttlefish Kang Kong 3.5/5

A dish not commonly seen nowadays is the Cuttlefish Kang Kong. Although it is a simple dish, the quality prawn paste sauce has elevated the enjoyment of the crunchy cuttlefishand water convolvulus.

Oyster Omelette 4.2/5

The combination of rice flour batter, eggs and oysters are fried to wok fragrant crispiness. For a more fulfilling enjoyment, have it together with the tangy spicy sauce.

Duck Porridge 4.5/5

The star of the latest edition of Penang Hawkers' Fare is the Duck Porridge. The porridge comes with braised duck meat, pig's innards, ginger strips and spring onions. What makes me gone back for a second bowl is the fragrant and flavourful braising sauce that is drizzled over the comforting bowl of duck porridge.

Chendol and Ice Kachang 4/5

For a sweet ending to the hawker fare, there is the Chendol and Ice Kachang. However the not to be missed item is the Ban Chang Kueh which is made freshly on the spot. The crispy pancake is topped with ground peanuts and sugar for a sweet and nutty finish.

Ban Chang Kueh 4.5/5

Dine at White Rose Cafe during the Penang Hawkers' Fare to stand a chance to win a complimentary two-night’s weekend stay in a Premier Room inclusive of a $100 dining voucher for use at White Rose Cafe; one-night weekend stay in a Deluxe Room inclusive of a $50 dining voucher for use at White Rose Cafe for two persons; ‘Treasured Flavours of Singapore’ daily à la carte Buffet Lunch at White Rose Cafe for six persons.

Price
Mon-Fri: $29 adult, $20 child (aged 12 yrs and below)
Sat-Sun, PH: $33 adult, $23 child (aged 12 yrs and below)


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12pm - 230pm
Dinner: 630pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

10 at Claymore @ Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel - Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta

For the month of April and May 2016, 10 at Claymore, Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel will be bringing to you the Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta. Executive Chef Andy Oh, a Penang boy himself will be serving an ensemble of dishes which the Malaysian town is famous for.

Besides the Penang feast, the restaurant has also put together some timeless favourite beverages such as the Milo XL, Bandung and Calamansi Juice at $6 nett each.

XO Popiah 3/5

The spread at the buffet line is quite extensive. I started with some light bite in the XO Popiah. An interesting twist to the normal roll but I thought the XO sauce was a bit heavy throwing the balance off.

Penang Rojak 4/5

The light and refreshing Penang Rojak tossed in a savoury prawn paste is a delightful starter to whet up the appetite.

Penang Prawn Noodle 4/5

Moving on to the noodle section, I tried the Penang Prawn Noodle. The broth is robust and packed with flavour. It also comes with an hint of spiciness.

Assam Laksa 4.5/5

One of the real deal at the Penang Fiesta is the Assam Laksa. All the components of a good bowl of assam laksa can be found in it. Definitely one of the best I have eaten for a long while. This is as close as we can get for the authentic flavour of Chef's hometown.

Bak Kut Teh 3/5

For those that like Malaysian style Bak Kut Teh, you can savour it at the Penang Fiesta too. The claypot comes with pork belly ribs, pork intestine, pig stomach, meatball, bean curd stick, dough fritter in a rich and intense flavoured broth. However it seems the kitchen was a bit heavy on the sodium chloride.

Cuttlefish Kangkong 3/5

Another dish that can be better is the Cuttlefish Kangkong. The most important component of the dish, the sauce was too sweet and lacked the prawny pungent taste. Sorry to say that but I thought it tasted more like the yong tau foo sweet sauce.

Chicken Lor Bak with Century Egg 2.8/5

Lor Bak is another staple of Penang cuisine. The version at the buffet is made using chicken instead of pork. If not for the saltiness, this would be a very enjoyable bite.

Penang Char Kway Teow 4.5/5

An all time favourite is the Penang Char Kway Teow. The smokey wok hei is an excellent showcase of the chef's control of the fire and wok. This is a dish not to be missed if you have the chance to dine at Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel.

Besides the spread of Penang fare, the buffet line also has many delectable cooked food that will satisfy your tummy as well as your wallet. The extensive choices make every dollar worthwhile. Among the spread, the other dishes I tried are Nonya Kerabu Fried Rice, Braised Pork Trotter with Black Rice Vinegar, Chicken Kapitan Perankan Style, Braised Duck with Preserved Salted Vegetables, Inchi Kabin Fried Chicken, Braised Lamb Shank, Slow Braised Beef Cheek, Baked Norweigian Salmon,

Banana Fritter and Gula Melaka Ice Cream 4/5

By the time for dessert, I was already too stuffed. Hence I just try only a few items from the dessert section. The Banana Fritter with its crispy exterior is worth trying. Furthermore, the sweet snack is seldom served in hotel buffet. To elevate the presentation and enjoyment, I told a scoop of the Gula Melaka Ice Cream and added some condiments.

Great to have my favourite shaved ice Chendol in the dessert section too. The sweetness of the dessert, coupled with the fragrant coconut milk and gula melaka, is the perfect ending to a delicious night of Penang fare.

Chendol 4.2/5

The Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta will be available from April to May 2016. During the same period, the lobby lounge will be offering a three-course menu featuring chicken lor bak as appetiser, a choice of assam laksa with barramundi fillet, live king prawn noodle broth or Penang char kway teow for main course, ending with the chendol for dessert.

Lobby Lounge - Penang Set Lunch
Mon-Fri
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Price: $16 nett, $19 nett (with a choice of Milo XL, Bandung and Calamansi)

Buffet Price Details
Mon-Fri Lunch: $42
Sat-Sun Lunch: $48
Mon-Sun Dinner: $68


10 at Claymore
Pan Pacific Orchard
10 Claymore Road
Singapore 229540
Tel: +65 67370811
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PanPacificOrchard
Website: http://www.panpacific.com/en/Orchard/Overview.html
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6am - 1030am (breakfast), 12pm - 230pm (lunch), 6pm -1030pm (dinner)
Sunday: 12pm - 3pm (brunch)

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheellock Place via ION. Exit Wheellock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Royal Thai Embassy. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Cut through Palais Renaissance to the other side of the building. Pan Pacific Orchard is opposite the building. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Royal Thai Embassy direction. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Cut through Palais Renaissance to the other side of the building. Pan Pacific Orchard is right opposite the building. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]