Asam Laksa & Tong Sui @ Separk, Petaling Jaya

Let me take a break from blogging on my Hatyai-Penang trip~

Last weekend, both me and my husband went to IKEA Damansara to celebrate IKEA Turns 20'~ though is was fun and there are tons of people but it become pain when you want to dine in for a meal in IKEA restaurants. We was there for couple of hours to play games and then decided to leave IKEA for late lunch.

Decided what and where to have a quick lunch especially when you hungry is kinda make one depress. After getting my car, I decided to drive to Seapark and hope that the AIK Prawn Noodle is available. Too bad, by the time we reached around 2:30pm and they told us the prawn noodle is finish?! sold out?! Therefore, we had to settle down with their Asam Laksa.

Yes, is was a food truck~

AIK Prawn Noodle and Asam Laksa is located next to the market. They are super famous with prawn noodle and Asam Laksa and normally open from noon till sold out. If you go on weekend, that is the crowd from their open till sold out.

Up-close of the stall or food truck from inside

As written in the truck, they are open from 12pm till 5pm, but trust me, they probably sold out before that. Besides, they closed on Monday. Well it make sense, since the market also closed on every Monday too.

Asam Laksa - RM6.00 (small)

A small bowl of Asam Laksa cost RM6.00, cheap or reasonable? Personally, is was quite expensive if you ask me as we all know what are the ingredient normally served. The taste is not bad, and the broth or soup is so tasty which make me craving for more. As for the noodle was just so so, which I would expect it would be more tender and smooth.

After the quick lunch, thought of going back home due to the hot sun, but guess what, we found a newly open dessert restaurant, or I would rather refer to a snack or tea break shop. As we are curious to see people queuing for the fresh fried 'Youtiao' in mandarin or 'You Char Kway' in Cantonese. While passing the place, I wan eyeing since I saw they serve beancurb dessert, 'tou fu fah'.

Fried You Cha Kway and dessert Tou Fu Fah & Mak Chuk

I was too excited until forget to take picture of the shop. Well, I am still hungry even after the Asam Laksa. I had choose a plain 'you cha kway' and a another sweet type of 'you cha kway'. As for the dessert or 'tong sui', I had the beancurb with brown sugar and my husband go for 'Mak Chuk' or sweeten wheat porridge. The dessert is not bad but a little too sweet for us. If I not mistaken the total bill come out to be around RM 8.00+/- 

The small eatery shop named, Yuen Ting Cafe. Besides, they did serve several dessert and few common Chinese fried dough, They also have economy noodle and others sides. The small shop is located opposite the market before towards Seapark famous Pasembur and Cendol. It was super easy to located where they directly opposite the wet market.   

4D 3N @ Hatyai & Penang Trip ~ Day 2

If you missed the my first day in Hatyai, click here.

For the second day in Hatyai, first thing to do in the morning is breakfast!!! Whenever I travel, first thing to concern is a good breakfast to start my day. The hotel we are staying did not provide any breakfast therefore, we are good in our own. Upon walking out from the hotel there are lots of tuk tuk will ask you where to go or they will even suggest where you should go?!

After some research before going to Hatyai, Dim Sum is already in my check list. Trust me, non of the local especially tuk tuk, will not know this place, Chok Kee Dim Sum & Bak Kut Teh restaurant. we took a tuk tuk with 20THB per person this restaurant. Reaching there at 8 o'clock in the morning didn't seem to be early as the restaurant is fully pack.

The Chok Kee Restaurant signboard & my Thai ice tea

Self-pick dim sum and the morning crowd

Variety of dim-sum and bak kut teh  

Our choice of dim sum

Luckily, we are only 3 pax, so easily can get seat, once you seated they give you number so you can go to the counter to choose your dim-sum. The Bak Kut Teh is a must, since most of the table orderand we can have it while waiting for the dim sum to heat up. The total cost for the breakfast is 384THB, with 10 variety of dim sum, 1 small bak kut teh and 3 drinks. Overall, is still affordable but I still prefer the dim sum in Malaysia, maybe as I use to it.

After such a heavy breakfast, next destination will be... Shopping or walking around Hatyai. We took a tuk tuk from Chok Kee to Kim Yong market at 20THB per pax. This market is huge and they have 2 famous market in Hatyai, one is Kim Yong another is Talad Sat Market. Both market is along walking distance to each other.

The interchange road where the market start 

fresh vegetable 

local food?! 

Kim yong market - indoor 

Talad Sat market  

opposite of market is Hatyai Plaza

Things in Hatyai is not really cheap. Especially, in this two market since you might see more Malaysian or Singaporean shopping here. There are some local also shopping here, but I am sure they might getting cheaper price compare to us. Both market is huge and the things that selling almost similar or I would say is same. 

After walking for whole morning, we just realis is almost time for lunch. Therefore, we just stop at a stall nearby the market and have our early lunch.

Soup noodle and braise pork rice 

Chicken porridge

This stall is directly opposite the entrance of Talad Sat market, simple but cozy stall. They serve local food but the serving is quite small which is just nice for us, since we are still full with breakfast. The lunch cost us total of 130THB, which we did not order any drink. After lunch, we are too tired to walk back hotel under the hot sun, so tuk tuk again.

We are staying in P-residence, most of the Tuk Tuk do not know of this place, however, if you mention The Bed, trust me, they all know. This hotel is located next to the bed but you might need to walk all 50 meter in. 

P-Residence and the room with triple sharing

We booked the hotel online, if I am not mistaken the rate is around RM100/night, which seem quite reasonable and review seem to be not bad. About the location, I personally think is ok since is walking distance to Lee Garden Plaza and wifi is available throughout the hotel. The only thing about this hotel is they do not have any fridge and quite lots of mosquito. We are unlucky enough as there was a blackout in the afternoon when we want to have a nap after a long walk at the market. However, the electricity came back after 3 hours later.

waiting place for free shutter & the view of the Central Festival Mall 

The view of the outside the Mall

After some rest we walk to the central shopping mall which located opposite Lee Garden plaza to take the free shuttle service to the newly shopping mall, Central Festival Mall. It located at the southern Hatyai which directly opposite the bus terminal. 

Western Food

Out of curiosity, we tried the western food in one of the restaurant at the mall. We had type of steak and 2 drinks, the bill come out to be 401 THB. The weather is too hot and humid outside even though it already 6pm. We find it so comfortable to walk around this new central mall as it was clean, spacious and the air-conditioning is cold. 

Long after the sun down, we had decided to walk to the nearby night market. There are 2 night market nearby which is Asean night market and another one slightly further is Greenway night market. 

The stall 

Local Food

 

Variety of dessert and my favorite yum mama

As mentions earlier, the food in Hatyai is never cheap. The yum mama noodle which I ordered (forget to took picture due to super excited) is cost 60THB and a grill squid already cost me 75THB. The reason we did not go to the Greenway night bazaar is due to the review is not so good and mostly the vendor selling second goods and we might easily get cheated. TRUE???

After the supper, we went back to hotel by tuk tuk and surprisingly the price is at night is much more expensive than day. We manage to get a tuk tuk at 80THB back to hotel after long bargain with the driver... finally, I end my day by going to nearby 7 eleven to get a beer before going to sleep. It was a long and tiring day~ 

4D 3N @ Hatyai & Penang Trip ~ Day 1

Working, working & working...
Isn't is time to take a BREAK? Do you agree with me? Hee hee...
This time, I had a pre-planned ahead trip with my fellow colleague to Hatyai for 2 nights then travelling down to Penang for another night. My transportation? Fly lor... the most convenient and fastest travelling method. Thanks to the budget airline which really make 'everyone can fly' now.

Let proceed with my day one trip to Hatyai, he had the morning flight to Hatyai from KLIA 2 where all of us will be meeting at airport. I took a pre-paid skybus from One Utama to KLIA at 8am and reach KLIA2 by 9:10am. Once alighted from the bus I notice a new food court;

Their serving mostly Mamak Food

Let skip all the story, as our main purpose for this trip is MAKAN (EAT), therefore, once we landed at Hatyai, we boarded an airport taxi to the hotel at THB320, which we think is quite reasonable for a 20 minute ride. After check-in, here start our fattening journey...

Thai Laksa, Keow Teow Teng, Fried Rice

Trust me, we found this restaurant by chance since we are roaming around the city and looking for lunch. This Thai lady (auntie) smile at us while we pass by and even show us what she can offer. Even language is the barrier for us (foreigner) but when it come to food, you just need to pin point what you what from the picture or the food in front of you. Easy right? The one with the red color sauce with noodle is Thai Laksa, then on bottom left is clear soup noodle and bottom right is the thai fried rice. Overall the food is not bad and it come out to THB 150 with the free self service of drinking water on the table. As for the shop name... I totally forget, even to take a pic of the shop.

The weather in Hatyai is humid and hot, the best thing to do after lunch is back to hotel and rest which include Zzzz... In the evening around 4pm, we start walking to the Lee Garden Plaza, where we plan to try the buffet dinner at the sky restaurant.

Outside Lee Garden Restaurant

Fragrance Soap Stall and Tops Market at Central 

The view from the Sky Restaurant

Food and buffet line at the Sky Restaurant

Sky Buffet Price and the street near Lee Garden after dark

If you would ask me to review on the buffet at Sky Restaurant, I would said it was pretty common or average. The variety is rather less and the taste is nothing special. The tom yam soup is rather disappointing where they use the frozen prawn instead of a fresh one. The restaurant had divided by 2 section, you can either choose the seat near the buffet line or the seat with the view of Hatyai. This restaurant is pack with tourist as early as 5:30pm and you can't even take the seat with the view section as it pretty hot and sunny.

After dinner, we walk around the shop nearby the Lee Garden Plaza and asking on how to travel to Penang from Hatyai. We found out that, the only way to travel to Penang is by mini-van daily and it cost THB400 per person with 5 hours journey. It really took us by surprise for a moments. There end our first day in Hatyai with our tummy full to bed. Here my Day 2 in Hatyai, Thailand.