REVIEW – DEE TOM YAM

I must admit that I have been going to so many Chinese stir fry restaurants and hawker stalls in Penang that I tend to have overlooked on the Malay stir fry stalls. In fact, some of these stalls can provide food as delicious as any of the food stalls out there. Hidden within the compound of Farlim’s apartment, Block 1B, is a small Malay stall providing cheap, good and yet delicious Malay cuisine. Although it has no signage on the stall, it runs the business by the name of Dee Tom Yam. At times, you can see patrons of all races queuing up to order his delicious food. The wonderful thing about this place is that you can opt to sit inside the coffee shop (Huat Huat) or relax yourself on the field between the two blocks of apartments.

You can either order dishes to be taken with rice or simply ask the boss to cook up some fried/soup rice or noodles items for your meal. The menu list is not long but it is good enough for a simple meal. What else would you expect as nothing in the menu (except fish based on market price) costs more than RM4.50? You could easily order Masak Pedas Daging (Stir Fry Spicy Beef), Tom Yam Udang (Prawn Tom Yam) and Kangkong Belacan (Fried Shrimp Paste Water Spinach) for just RM10. Rice would be at RM1 each plate.

As I did not have to crowd to test out all the dishes, I managed to order his Nasi Goreng Ikan Masin (Salted Fish Fried Rice) at RM3.50. The combination was great as it did not contain the overpowering taste of the salted fish and the rice maintained its softness. Moreover, there are a lot of vegetables and squid slices in the dish.

Dee’s Nasi Pattaya (RM4) was great too. The portion for the dish was large. The fried rice was beautifully wrapped in a thin layer of omelette and garnished decoratively with some chili sauce. By tearing open the omelette, you could smell the fragrance emitted from it. The rice was tastefully fried with mixed vegetables and prawns.

This is again another maze as I could not locate any road name to this place but you can always ask around the Farlim (Bandar Baru Air Itam) residents where Block 1B is located. If you are coming from the main road at Jalan Air Itam into Farlim (Jalan Thean Teik), you would pass by one traffic light until you reach a crossroad traffic light (Block 7A is on your left). Turn right into Lebuhraya Thean Teik. Keep to your right and turn into the first road on your right (Jalan Ru 1). You can see Block 1B on your right. Turn into the small lane and try to find a parking space. The stall is just next to a Chinese temple and directly opposite Huat Huat Coffee Shop at the corner of the field.

Name: DEE TOM YAM @ HUAT HUAT COFFEE SHOP
Address:
Block 1B (off Jalan Ru 1), Bandar Baru Air Itam, 10500 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 017-554 8089 (Encik Dee)
Opening Hours: 4.00pm – 12.00am (Closed Alternate Thursday)
GPS: 5.392530, 100.282383

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

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REVIEW – FARLIM SHELL STATION LAKSA CAFE

It has been as a long time since I have taken any Laksa and decided to visit the famous Farlim Shell Station Laksa stall. Coincidentally, PenangTuaPui also have the same thoughts as we went exactly to the same shop, the same day, only at a different time. The last time I went to the shop for their Laksa, they where at the opposite coffee shop where the crowd was amazing. When I went back to the same shop the other day, I was stunned by the lack of customers and stalls in that shop. Then only did I realize that they had moved to the opposite coffee shop with a big signboard “Farlim Shell Station Laksa Café”.

Walking by the Laksa stall, I could smell the fragrant assam aroma of the boiling Laksa soup. Upon finding a cool spot to sit down, I ordered a bowl of their famous Laksa (RM3). It came with a full boneless Ikan Kembong (Indian Mackerel). It was so fresh that you could even see the glitters on its body. The yummy local delicacy consists of thick and spingy rice vermicelli, lots of sliced big onions, cucumber, lettuce, pineapple, chilies and some mint leaves and shredded bunga kantan (torch ginger); accompanied by the fragrant soup base (a combination of assam peel, blended shallots, garlic, chilies, candlenuts, galangal, turmeric, shrimp paste (belacan) and lemongrass); and topped with thick hae gou (black prawn paste).

Although the total dish was great in taste, I still prefer it to be spicier and sour to my liking. Maybe it could be due to the change of cook as I felt that when they were selling along the roadside at the Shell Petrol Station (Jalan Angsana), the soup tasted better. Anyway, the stall did sell some crispy spring rolls (90sen each) too. It tasted real nice when dipped into the Laksa soup.

As the bowl of Laksa could not fill up my ever hungry tummy, I ordered a set of Steamed Bun with Bak Kua (BBQ Pork Slice) and Bak Hoo (Pork Floss) costing me RM2 for both.

As for drinks, I ordered their Ching Po Leung (RM2) which has lots of ingredients such as green sago balls, Attap Chee (Nipah Palm), red beans, red sweet potatoes, dried and wet longan (dragon’s eyes) and some jellies. Although the dessert tasted quite fine, I prefer it to have more sweetness from the Lo Han Guo (magic fruit) instead of adding more syrup.

By the time I finished that bowl of Ching Po Leung, I was still thirsty from the humid weather. I tried out their Ais Kacang (Shaved Ice) at RM2. The sweetness and creaminess seemed to be missing from this dessert. Moreover, there were not much ingredients in it except lots of shaved ice.

Feeling still half filled, I saw some long packets of Keropok Ikan (Fish Crackers – RM3) hanging by the Laksa stall. I bought one packet home to test it out. It was great. The crackers were really crispy and puffy without any hardness in them. This is a must to have while watching TV as I had finished one whole packet within minutes.

If you are not a local, you might get lost trying to find this place. It is in fact within the latest commercial area in Farlim, Air Itam, next to where they have the biggest Pasar Malam (night market) on every Wednesday night. If you are coming from the main road at Jalan Air Itam into Farlim (Jalan Thean Teik), you would pass by one traffic light until you reach a crossroad traffic light. Block 7A is on your left. Turn right into Lebuhraya Thean Teik. Drive forward until you see a small lane on your left (Medan Angsana 1). Drive into the lane until you see Anak Ku Baby Wear Shop. Turn right into the road (Medan Angsana 4) and you will see the shop on your left towards the end.

Name: FARLIM SHELL STATION LAKSA CAFE
Address:
Medan Angsana 4, Bandar Baru Air Itam, 11500 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 016-459 7179 (Ms. Tanti)
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 7.00pm (Close Alternate Tuesday)
GPS: 5.390472, 100.283139

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

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