Penang Food

Although I now live in Singapore, I still yearn for delicious Penang food. Be it a simple
hawker food at the road side, or delicious Hainese curry served in a coffee shop. Penang
food is simply out of this world. My favorite Penang food have to be Penang char koay
teow, assam laksa and Hokkien mee (prawn soup mee). Undeniably, Penang food is top
in Malaysia.

I am lucky to have grown up in the Pulau Tikus area.This area is littered with wide
selection of coffee shops serving delicious hawker fares throughout the day. Close to
Pulau Tikus is Gurney Drive, along which scattered many coffee shops and restaurants.

My favorite coffee shop in Penang is Swee Kong coffee shop at the junction of Burma
Road and Moulmein Road. It is directly opposite the Pulau Tikus police station. The
Hokkien mee at this coffee shop is unbeatable. I have been visiting this store for the last
thirty years. The daughter of the original owner still runs the store, and serves the same
bowl of Hokkien mee like it has alway been done for the last thirty years. The prawn soup
has a sweet savory taste, and the noodle is cooked just right. Add the chili provided if you
prefer it to be a bit spicy and hot like I do. This is usually my first breakfast whenever I am
back to Penang. Be warned that the noodle is almost certainly sold out by 10am
everyday, sometimes even by 9:30 am. So if you are not to miss out on this tasty
Hokkien mee on your next trip to Penang, try to be there before 9:30 am.

A few steps along the same row of shop houses, I usually savour a decent plate of char
koay teow. The aunty fries it with lard and cockles to the right temperature. The koay
teow noodle has a smooth textures, with the right smoky flavor. Though it is not the best
in Penang, it is convenient for me, after my visit to Swee Kong. If I am still looking for
something to further satisfy myself after the Hokkien mee at Swee Kong, I usually go to
the nearby Pulau Tikus wet market to look for Ban Chean Kueh.. At the road side along
the Pulau Tikus wet market is a Ban Chean Kueh (peanut pancake) store , always the
black sugar version. Apong Balik (a thin version of coconut pancake) at the store across
Swee Kong is my alternative to the Ban Chean Kueh.

My favorite char koay teow store is at Lorong Selamat. Here be prepared to wait for at
least 20 minutes before one is served one's share of perhaps the best char koay teow in
Penang. The char koay teow is served with sumptious portion of crab meat and big size
prawn, and fried pork skin (ba yu poh in Penang lingo). For visitors to Penang, don't
worry if you do not know the exact shop to go. Just ask anyone you meet in Penang to
take you to Lorong Selamat Ang Tau S'ng shop (Ice Kacang shop) Lorong Selamat Ang
Tau S'ng as it is known in Penang, is shaved ice dessert from Selamat Lane, shaaved
ice mixed with big kidney beans, sweet corns, topped with a scoop of ice crean and sarsi
flavor is my dream dessert. How I wish I can have it everyday.

Next to Swee Kong Hokkien mee,my favorite is lor mee at Hai Beng coffee shop at 32,
Pitt Street. The coffee shop is adjacent to Kwang Yin Peng (Penang most famous
Goddess of Mercy Temple). This is the top lor mee in Penang. I will patron this store if I
am find someone to drive me there. There is supposedly a branch at Jones Road and
Burma Road junction (even it is near to my home in Pulau Tikus), but it is never as good
as the original at Pitt Street.

Air Itam assam laksa is the de facto assam laksa in Penang. Located at the Air Itam
market, the famed Air Itam assam laksa never fail tingles my taste bud. The bowl of sour
course rice noodles is what I yearn for whenever I am back to Penang. A visit to the
nearby Kek Lok Si temple (a tourist landmark) and a bowl or Air Itam assam laksa
combined to anchor any visitor an unforgettable Penang experience.

For lunch, Sin Kheng Aun at Chulia Lane is my favorite restaurant. The Tao Tay Gulai
(Pomfret curry), as well as Liver and Pork served in the unique Hainanese flavor are
something that cannot be found elsewhere. Another heaven selection is juicy, tangy
assam (tamarind) prawns, plus the sambal belachan make it perfect combination.The
fried mixed vegetable and fishball cabbage soup complete my usual selection.

For the evening, I head to Gurney Drive Song River coffee shop. My day will be
completed by enjoying a selection of baked fish (usaully sting ray), satay, popiah, char
koay teow. Nearby Gurney Drive Hawker Center is an alternative haunt for me. The
hawker center is located Gurney plaza and Sunshine Tower. At the Gurney Drive Hawker
Center. I look variety of hawker fare, especially the rojak with cuttlefish.The evening visit
to either of Song River or Gurney Drive Hawker Center places typically round up my
balek kampong (back to the root) routine. I can now go back to Singapore happily till the
next visit to Penang.

A Georgetown Eatery that's a

Marketing Masterpiece Too
I’m writing from Washington, DC. Two nights ago, my family and I had dinner at a
terrific Georgetown eatery called Martin’s Tavern. This morning, we went back for
breakfast. And if we were staying another day - you guessed it - we’d be going back
for lunch.

It has been a long time since I’ve come across a restaurant with that much “pull,” as
marketers like to say. In part, it’s due to the fact that Martin’s delivers great food,
attentive service, spotlessness and all the other make-or-break restaurant essentials.
But that’s only part of what has kept Martin’s going strong since it opened its doors in
1933. Much of the restaurant’s successful business plan is due to terrific branding and
positioning.

If owner Billy Martin wrote a book about marketing, I’d buy it. He handles these
marketing strategies brilliantly:
 • Terrific differentiation. Unlike neighboring restaurants, Martin’s doesn’t just
sell food. It sells experiences. If you stop to read the menu in the glass case
outside, you’ll learn that JFK proposed to Jackie in one of the booths. Nixon
and LBJ had favorite booths too. A spy used to sit in another booth by the bar
and eavesdrop on conversations. You can dine in any of these booths. Now,
how about proposing to your future spouse in Booth #3, where Jack popped
the question to Jackie? How many other restaurants can offer you that? And
the point is, Martin’s doesn’t make you dig for this information in guidebooks.
It puts it right in front of you.
• Strategic segmentation and pricing. Members of Washington’s power elite
can dine pretty reasonably (for them) on $27 New York strip steaks. But the
restaurant also takes pains not to alienate empty-pocketed students from
Georgetown University up the street, who can pony up just $11 for a burger or
$8 for Welsh rarebit at dinner. Brunch, which is served daily, was drawing
both tourists and sleepy-eyed undergrads on our second visit. There are also
plenty of tastefully installed TVs above the bar where Georgetown sports
aficionados can watch their beloved Hoyas. And of course there is a vast
selection of beer, the most effective marketing tool yet devised for students.
• A terrific Website. Martin’s Website is packed with information about the
restaurant’s history, about things to do in Georgetown, and lots more. In the
“photos” section of the site, you won’t find those dopey pictures of lobsters
and steaks that turn up on most restaurants’ pages. Instead, you’ll find lots of
photos of the restaurant’s own employees at last year’s Christmas party. Those
images do a great job of reinforcing the impression that Martin’s is run by
friendly and caring people.

Thriving businesses like Martin’s can teach you a lot about what it takes to succeed in
the marketplace. The good thing about Martin’s is that you can soak up all that
knowledge while you are enjoying a burger and a beer.

Emily Butterworth’s Summary

I have been working as a graphic designer for several years now and feel lucky to love what I
do. I freelance design for a book publisher, several small businesses and my favorite
pasttime, brides. I also am currently starting a side business with my sister called Emery. We
handmake several items and will be selling these for retail in March of 2010 locally (if
everything goes through), and in April of 2010 they will be available on Etsy.com.

My dream/goals are to own my own freelance graphic design business and see Emery have a
storefront in downtown Spirit Lake someday.

Emily Butterworth’s Specialties:

invitations, announcements, wedding collateral, logos, newsletters, brochures

Emily Butterworth’s Experience

•
Marketing Coordinator

Bank Midwest
(Marketing and Advertising industry)
September 2008 — Present (2 years 1 month)
I am currently the in-house graphic designer for Bank Midwest. We have nine branches in
Minnesota and Iowa that I design all the collateral for. I work closely with the Electronic
Marketing Coordinator as well on our external website as well as our intranet. I serve on a
three person team that decides the marketing strategy for the bank as a whole, with the
goal of all branches working as oneplace.

Senior Graphic Designer

Stelter Company
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
June 2004 — July 2008 (4 years 2 months)
Stelter is a nationwide marketing and publishing firm for non profiit organizations. I design
collateral for planned giving departments ranging from hospitals to universities. I currently
work in the National territory using my design expertise for large and small non profit
groups across the US.

Marketing Specialist

Kinseth Hospitality
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Hospitality industry)
September 2003 — June 2004 (10 months)
Publication and ad design for hotels and restaurants owned by Kinseth. I assisted the
Director of Marketing and Sales internally and also the general managers of all hotels and
restaurants. I would do anything from writing a press release to designing ads and posters
for new promotions.

Emily Butterworth’s Education

• University of Northern Iowa
1999 — 2003

Hard Rock Hotel Penang - Batu Ferringhi

Opening early 2009

Hard Rock Hotel Penang will be a luxury resort situated along the
famous beaches of Batu Ferringhi, hailed as the Pearl of the
Orient. The property, which aims to infuse new excitement and
energy into the market, underscores resurgence in tourism and
reflects Hard Rock's strategy to accelerate expansion of the brand
worldwide.

Hard Rock Hotel Penang is located in Batu Feringghi which is 45

minutes drive from Penang International Airport and 30 minutes
from Georgetown. Penang is easily accessible by road via the
Penang Bridge which links the mainland of Peninsular Malaysia to
Penang Island. The approximate travelling time to Penang by road
is: 4 hours from South (KL) or 2 hours from North (Perlis).

Accomodations
There will be a total of 255 guestrooms, configured as mostly
deluxe rooms with hill, sea, and garden or lagoon views. There will
also be nine studio suites and one Kings' suite.

• Seaview Deluxe 166

• Hillview Deluxe 44

• Lagoon Deluxe 27

• Garden Deluxe 8

• Studio Suites 9

• Kings' Suite 1

Dining & Nightlife

There are four food & beverage outlets planned for the resort.
These include a Hard Rock Cafe, an all-day dining restaurant, a
bar and a lounge.

Amenities
A main trademark of the Hard Rock Hotel experience, Hard Rock
Hotel Penang will feature an incredible oversized free-form pool,
totaling 25,833 square feet, replete with sand islands and water
slides, and luxurious poolside cabanas. There will also be a Lil'
Rock Kids Club, a full-service luxury spa, a well-equipped gym and
a Hard Rock merchandise store. Other services and facilities
include wireless Internet Access and a Snooker Table.

Entertainment
Hard Rock is synonymous with music, good fun and entertainment,
and Hard Rock Hotel Penang will offer a plethora of options to be
entertained and to have fun!

Meetings
Hard Rock Hotel Penang's MICE facilities offer a total of 5,700
square feet for private events and the meetings, incentives,
corporate and exhibitions clientele. These include a Marquee
Garden Ballroom, a Pre-Function Garden area, three Meeting
Rooms, and a Business Centre.

JAYA RESTAURANT:

Restaurant Marketing Strategy

Everything starts with the desire to be more than you are today; a highly coveted brand, a fiercely
dominant player, a more profitable entity, a better and more stimulating place to work. What will be your
legacy and how will you arrive there?

Efforts of massive change, it turns out, do not have to be massively painful processes. Done correctly,
they can be accomplished through easy-to-understand actions - each triggering another set of actions -
eventually evoking holistic change through an entire company that can send sales and profits rocketing
upward.

Every business deserves and demands a thoughtfully constructed plan for growing sales and profits - a
restaurant marketing strategic road map that efficiently helps you reach the fullest potential of your
company. We help you build it by developing restaurant marketing strategy in the areas of branding,
positioning, culture, public relations, training, design, local store marketing, new store openings, concept
development and an overarching restaurant growth strategy.

Today, effective restaurant marketing strategy develops competitor-proof relationships with customers,
suppliers, employees and other key stakeholders through strategies that rarely, if ever, call for mass
media. For a myriad of reasons, mass media vehicles, such as television, radio, newspaper, outdoor
advertising and the like have lost their appeal and effectiveness to build these important relationships.

There are far better ways to develop sustainable relationships and build profits these days; we help you
find and implement them.

Restaurant Marketing Audit

Staying on track

Everyone knows that a financial audit is very beneficial to keeping a business profitable. The same is
true for marketing. You have a marketing plan, you're spending money on public relations, advertising
and collateral material. It makes sense for you to know if the money spent on the tools that support your
marketing is worth it.

In a marketing audit, QMG evaluates the entirety of your restaurant's marketing collateral, from menus
to brochures and advertising, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

We let you know what is good, what is bad, what should be improved and what needs to be done.

T House in Penang
House in Pin Penang

About Tandoori House - Great family run

Indian Restaurant
 It is a great place for authentic Northern Indian Food in Penang.Its
menu boasts of a wide selection of curries: prawn, squid, fish, mutton
and chicken, and vegetarian for the vegans. Curries come in mild,
slightly spicy and spicy to cater to diverse taste buds.It is reasonably
priced and service is prompt and efficient.

Cuisines Available Facilities Available

North Indian/Indian Credit Cards Accepted
Air-Conditioned
Liquor Served

I don’t usually features eating places. Only few appear on MalaysiaBest. This is one
of them. The bright lights from this restaurant, crowds and aroma of their tandoori
chicken drawn us there. This is an Indian (Hindu) chain restaurant, unlike the chain of
Indian (Muslim) nasi kandar restaurants.
They have several stalls along the road in Penang Street. This man is cooking thosai
on the stove.
Penang Street is located in the Little India enclave. This man is selling all sorts of
beads and go from table to table to peddle his wares. This gives the place atmosphere,
isn’t it?
Chicken Kohtu Porota, Vegetarian Kohtu Porota.

Something new. I saw the guy making them AFTER I had finished my dinner. It
seems very delectable, sort of like Indian teppanyaki. LOL.
Sri Ananda Bahwan Restaurant –
Northern and Southern India Cuisine
Little India in Penang is the place to look for good Indian food. Once you step into Little
India you will first be greeted by the smell of burning incense sticks, the sights of colorful clothes and
the hearing of loud Indian music.
Sri Ananda Bahwan was the place I went for the taste of Little India. Located at the intersection of
King Street (Lebuh King) and Penang Street (Lebuh Penang) Sri Ananda Bahwan offers northern and
southern India cuisine, one of their many specialties is banana leaf rice.

Actually I got to know this restaurant from Deva, who’s currently doing his industrial training in my
company. It was his recommendation which prompted me to come to Little India and try the Indian
food here.
A set of banana leaf rice with chicken costs RM6. The restaurant is very generous with the curry, they
left a 2 big bowls of curry chicken and dhaal for us. At first, I thought it would be charged into our bill
But it’s actually free. It might be known to you guys but this is my first banana leaf meal, so pardon my
ignorance lol.

Chicken masala tosai is excellent and it’s only RM3.50. The chicken masala is placed at the center of
the tosai and then folded into shape. Eating the tosai with masala chicken and curry gravy.. fuyoh,
damn nice. You must really try this!
There are also many types of cakes which all look very nice. Too bad I was already full from the
banana leaf set and couldn’t stomach more..

Delicious looking curries that I will definitely try the next time I return. Besides Penang Street, Ananda
Bahwan also has branches in Bukit Mertajam, Tanjung Bungah, sungai Petani and Kuala Lumpur! Do
you have any recommendation for good Indian food? Please do tell me, for I am a curry lover lol.

Other reviews and related stories: