Have Perut Will Travel...: 2021

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Sunday, 21 November 2021

KT Trip Day 5 Recap

нello everyone! we are caт and нarold. welcoмe тo oυr blog, creaтed ιn нonoυr oғ oυr devoтιon тo тнe everyday ғood ғor тнe everyday perѕon, aѕ well aѕ тo caтalogυe oυr мeмorιeѕ, lιғe'ѕ evenтѕ, and тravelѕ wнere oυr 'perυт' (тυммy) leadѕ тнe way!

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 5!

Today is our fifth and final day, and we hoped to have a productive time doing all the things that we had intended to do.

We headed to Pasar Kedai Payang bright and early in the morning for our customary market hunt, but stopped by the food court to have Laksa Kuah Putih for breakfast. Sustenance received, we started our market hunt that lasted for the better part of an hour and a half.

After our market hunt we stopped by my late Aunty's house to check on things, and bid a fond farewell. We promised to be back in a month or so to continue with the spring cleaning.

On the way back to the hotel we thought we would visit my old Primary School, Sekolah Rendan Sultan Sulaiman 2 and boy how it has changed.

Knackered, we came back to the hotel and rested before walking down for lunch at Plan A.

We later picked Vinodh up and headed to Kampung Tok Jembal for Ikan Celup Tepung (literally Fish dipped in Flour). We made sure to be early and arrived there before 5pm. We had a seafood feast of flour-dipped fish (of course), prawns and squid, and ordered their Pisang Goreng (Banana Fritters). We also ordered several plates of their Keropok Lekor for good measure.

An hour and a half of gorging later we made our way to Uptown Kontena and spent the evening there enjoying the sunset.

All good things must come to an end, and this video marks the end of our series of videos on Kuala Terengganu. We hope to be back soon to fulfil a promise we made my late Aunty, and to bring you along on another East Coast adventure!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Food Court Pasar Kedai Payang - https://goo.gl/maps/LPTAUZWCnHNB2qxH9

Pasar Kedai Payang (Baru) - https://goo.gl/maps/Su9K267KuLUACAHC8

Restoran Plan A - https://goo.gl/maps/AJ53uiz3xHLJgFz2A

Warung Bidara (Pokman) - https://goo.gl/maps/imiPV4f8dyJLXgmL9

Sultan Mahmud Airport - https://goo.gl/maps/yhNPKUg5uFVSNFCaA

Uptown Kontena - https://goo.gl/maps/p2bNeyAsyiDvccYe7

Warung Bidara POKMAN

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 5!

Eager to make up for yesterday's disappointment with the Ikan Celup Tepung (ICT for short, which literally means Fish dipped in Flour) we picked Vinodh up again at 4:30pm and within half an hour found ourselves back in Kampung Tok Jembal.

This time we were single minded in our purpose, and picked an ICT stall that Vinodh usually goes to when he needs to pick up his mother from Kuala Terengganu's Sultan Mahmud Airport. Located to the north and beside the runway, Vinodh will usually sit here at Warung Bidara Pokman and watch his mother's particular flight land before picking her up. Genius, right?

We went a little overboard and ordered a plate of everything they had to offer! We sampled their flour-dipped fish (of course), prawns and squid, while ordering their Pisang Goreng (Banana Fritters). To top things off we ordered several plates of their Keropok Lekor (and why not?) as well.

Vinodh was truly astonished by the amount by the amount of food we ordered, and was even more amazed that we managed to (almost) finish everything off. You could say we ended our KT trip with a bang!

Our meal came to RM77 (approximately USD18/EUR16) which in hindsight is very reasonable since we did go overboard when we ordered. We highly recommend Warung Bidara Pokman if you're looking for an authentic Ikan Celup Tepung experience.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Warung Bidara (Pokman) - https://goo.gl/maps/imiPV4f8dyJLXgmL9

Sultan Mahmud Airport - https://goo.gl/maps/yhNPKUg5uFVSNFCaA

Restoran Plan A

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 5!

We came back to the hotel from our market hunt at Pasar Kedai Payang and rested for a bit. We made plans with Vinodh to try our luck with Ikan Celup Tepung later in the evening, so we decided to keep lunch light and simple at Plan A.

Located just beside our hotel, we came here two days ago for dinner but did not record any videos. This time around we made sure to showcase this cafe. We wanted to keep it light and ordered the:

• Grilled Chicken Chop (for the Millenial)

• Bun with Kaya and Butter

• Egg Mayo Sandwich

• and beverages all around

Our meal came to RM46.50 (approximately USD11/EUR10) which was a little pricey by local standards, but definitely on par with Kuala Lumpur prices. Still, we highly recommend Plan A if you're looking for a quick and easy cafe that is situated right in the heart of Kuala Terengganu.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Restoran Plan A - https://goo.gl/maps/AJ53uiz3xHLJgFz2A

PASAR KEDAI PAYANG Market Hunt

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 5!

It is our fifth and final day in Kuala Terengganu, and we planned to cap off our trip with a market hunt here. The Millennial, knowing our gusto when it came to market hunts declined our invitation.

The former Pasar Kedai Payang (under renovation just next door) was divided into two: the ground floor was the wet market that sold a variety of kitchen items including fish, vegetables and traditional cakes. The upper floor was famous for selling clothes, especially Terengganu batik, silk, brocade cloth and Malay woven songket. The upper floor housed the food court as well that used to serve my favourite variety of Nasi Minyak.

The new Pasar Kedai Payang went horizontal, the spacious warehouse-like main annex now sells all manner of dry goods from keropok to batik and songket. The food court is located at the back, but for some reason I could not find my favourite variety of Nasi Minyak anymore.

Next to the main annex and to the right is a smaller single story structure where fish, meats, vegetables and fruits could be found. We found it to be quite cramped, but enjoyed the ambiance all the same.

This was only our second visit to the new Pasar Kedai Payang, and we hoped that our walkabout video did it justice.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Pasar Kedai Payang (Baru) - https://goo.gl/maps/Su9K267KuLUACAHC8

AISAH AWANG Gerai 27 Pasar Kedai Payang

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 5!

It is our fifth and final day in Kuala Terengganu, and we planned to cap off our trip with a market hunt at the Pasar Kedai Payang. Before commencing the hunt, we paid a visit to the food court here.

The Millennial declined our invitation to the market hunt, and so it was just the two of us on this morning sojourn.

We broke the duck and finally had something other than Nasi Dagang at an unnamed stall. We noticed a small signboard that said "Aisah Binti Awang", and the stall's number was 27.

We had Laksa Kuah Putih at On The Way a few days ago, and this time we tried the same dish here as well.

The verdict? It was a different but equally good take on our favourite local noodle dish, and we were pleasantly surprised. And the damage? Together with a round of beverages for everyone the total came to an astonishing RM16.50 (approximately USD3.90/EUR3.50), talk about the everyday food for the everyday man!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Food Court Pasar Kedai Payang - https://goo.gl/maps/LPTAUZWCnHNB2qxH9

Saturday, 20 November 2021

KT Trip Day 4 Recap

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 4!

We woke up incredibly early this morning and headed to the Nasi Dagang Atas Tol (NDAT) 3 outlet located at Jalan Hiliran, Kampung Tok Ku which was the nearest outlet to us. We read online that large crowds will form long queues, so we took the initiative to come as early as possible, in this case before 6:30am!

We are still not sure if there is such a thing as a 'better' Nasi Dagang, or just a case of different, but equally good.

The rest of the day was spent at my late Aunty's house, where we gave her kitchen and downstairs toilet a thorough washing and cleaning. We then headed to a laundromat nearby while having lunch at a cafe. We did not shoot any videos throughout the afternoon since we were quite knackered. Lunch and laundry sorted, we headed back to the hotel and had a long nap.

Late in the evening we made plans with my good old friend Vinodh to have dinner at one of the Ikan Celup Tepung (ICT, or fish dipped in flour) in the Seberang Takir area. Alas, we left our hotel at dusk, picked Vinodh up and by the time we reached Seberang Takir most ICT stalls had closed for the day.

Undeterred we drove up and down the coast from Seberang Takir to Tok Jmebal for an hour or so before calling it quits and headed back to Kuala Terengganu town. Vinodh then suggested we try his favourite late-night hangout that served an excellent version of the local Nasi Minyak (fragrant rice dish that can be directly translated to "Oily Rice") variant.

Tomorrow will be our fifth and final day, and we hope to have a productive time doing all the things that we intended to do. A market hunt is on the cards, so be sure to stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Nasi Dagang Atas Tol 3 - https://goo.gl/maps/J88JwhRciVBQUAaM9

Kedai Makan MYM - https://goo.gl/maps/J88JwhRciVBQUAaM9

Kedai Makan MYM

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 4!

We had made plans with my good old friend Vinodh to have dinner at one of the Ikan Celup Tepung (ICT, or fish dipped in flour) in the Seberang Takir area. Alas, we left our hotel late in the evening, picked Vinodh up and by the time we reached Seberang Takir it was already dusk.

We drove around Seberang Takir for an hour before calling it quits and headed back to Kuala Terengganu town. Vinodh then suggested we try his favourite late-night hangout that served an excellent version of the local Nasi Minyak (fragrant rice dish that can be directly translated to "Oily Rice") variant.

Kedai Makan MYM is located in close proximity to the Pasar Kedai Payang and Istana Maziah. We placed our orders and sat down to enjoy Nasi Minyak like no other, and quite unlike the ones you will usually find in the West Coast of Peninsula Malaysia. Different, but amazing just the same.

This time around we were not able to quote the price of our meal for four, since Vinodh graciously footed the bill. All the same and believe you me it would not have breached RM10 per person!

If you're looking for a late-night meal do pay Kedai Makan MYM a visit, you won't be disappointed!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Kedai Makan MYM - https://goo.gl/maps/J88JwhRciVBQUAaM9

Nasi Dagang ATAS TOL

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 4!

There is a debate raging about which Nasi Dagang is the best in Kuala Terengganu. This morning we aim to determine if there is such a thing as a 'better' Nasi Dagang, or it is just a case of different, but equally good.

We woke up incredibly early and headed to the Nasi Dagang Atas (NDAT) Tol 3 outlet located at Jalan Hiliran, Kampung Tok Ku which was the nearest outlet to us. We read online that large crowds will form long queues, so we took the initiative to come as early as possible, in this case before 6:30am!

Much has been said about NDAT, and we were excited to try their dishes. The Millennial had a long night of assignments and decided to give NDAT a miss, to his loss.

We promptly ordered, paid, and sat down sat down to enjoy (in our minds) the second best Nasi Dagang in all of Terengganu. We agree with Vinodh's conclusion that NDAT's Nasi Dagang has a sweeter gravy and better presented, but still thought Kak Pah's gravy held a slight edge in terms of authenticity of taste. It can be surmised from various opinions that my generation still prefer Kak Pah, while the younger set were inclined towards NDAT. Does it boil down to the 'sweet tooth' factor?

The entire breakfast including beverages for the both of us (Brendan was still asleep) came to RM14.00 (approximately USD3.30/EUR3) which in our minds was very reasonably priced given that NDAT was now a household name.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Nasi Dagang Atas Tol 3 - https://goo.gl/maps/J88JwhRciVBQUAaM9

Friday, 19 November 2021

KT Trip Day 3 Recap

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 3!

The real reason we made plans to come back to Kuala Terengganu was to tend to my late Aunty's house. As soon as inter-state travel was allowed again, we made a solemn promise to visit and straighten out her house and see if we cannot make it a home once more.

But before that could happen, we need sustenance, and had breakfast at where else but Kak Pah Nasi Dagang. We thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast of Nasi Dagang (for the second morning running) and headed to my Aunty's house to begin work but not before stopping by a Mr DIY for some much-needed provisions.

A gruelling but satisfying three hours later we were done and did not realise that it was past lunchtime. We made our way to On the Way (OTW) to give ourselves a treat after all that back breaking work, and OTW did not disappoint.

We then went back to the hotel and rested. There were no videos after that since we were completely knackered, and only had the strength to walk downstairs to have dinner at a cafe nearby.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Locations:

Kak Pah Nasi Dagang - https://goo.gl/maps/tLj2jvqhecbJj1tH8

Medan Selera Batu Burok - https://goo.gl/maps/Di5wc3mNToXfGqoh9

Jalan Sultan Ismail - https://goo.gl/maps/qbEuDtDaj9s75a2e7

Restoran On The Way - https://goo.gl/maps/QkoARiDhKwrvuA129

Restoran ON THE WAY

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 3!

We spent a gruelling but satisfying three hours at my Aunty's house sorting out her front porch, and by the time we were done lunchtime had quietly passed us by. Not wanting to dwell on the matter we immediately made our way to Kampung Cina, and to a local eatery called On the Way.

We heard so many good things about this place and we had our hopes up and were mighty glad we were not disappointed. Famished after all that arduous work we put in earlier we ordered the:

• Laksa Kuah Putih

• Laksa Kuah Merah

• Laksam Kuah Putih

• Cheesy Fries

• Rojak Betik

• and a multitude of beverages and fruit juices

To set the record straight, despite someone's insistence the Rojak Betik here does not resemble my favourite Ceranang at all!

Knowing that On the Way would not be cheap and partly to give ourselves a treat after all that hard labour we were kind of expecting our meal to come to RM76.20 (approximately USD18/EUR16). Still, we highly recommend On the Way if you're looking for delicious authentic Terengganu cuisine, just don't expect to find Ceranang here.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Restoran On The Way - https://goo.gl/maps/QkoARiDhKwrvuA129

Spring Cleaning!

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 3!

Breakfast sorted, we made our way to Jalan Sultan Ismail and to a house left behind by my late Aunty. She passed away (of natural causes) last year and living alone her house was left unattended for more than a year. We have not been to her house since her funeral all those months ago, with the pandemic putting paid each plan we made to come back here.

This time around as soon as inter-state travel was allowed again, we made a solemn promise to visit and straighten out her house and see if we cannot make it a home once more.

We have not much more to say on the matter, so we hope that the time-lapse footages taken will help us tell you, our story.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Jalan Sultan Ismail - https://goo.gl/maps/qbEuDtDaj9s75a2e7

KAK PAH Nasi Dagang

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 3!

We have been coming regularly to Kak Pah for an awfully long time now, and to know that there is a pretender to her throne bodes well to the Nasi Dagang loving community here. She has been the standard bearer, and it is hard for us to imagine anyone being able to dethrone her.

We promptly ordered, paid, and sat down sat down to enjoy (in our minds) the best Nasi Dagang in all of Terengganu. The entire breakfast including beverages came to RM21.00 (approximately USD5/EUR4) which in our minds was still very reasonably priced given Kak Pah's fame.

We need to keep our strength up since we will be hard at work a little later in the day, so please stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Kak Pah Nasi Dagang - https://goo.gl/maps/tLj2jvqhecbJj1tH8

Medan Selera Batu Burok - https://goo.gl/maps/Di5wc3mNToXfGqoh9

Thursday, 18 November 2021

KT Trip Day 2 Recap

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 2!

We meant to wake up early, but fatigue kept us in bed for longer than we expected. We finally managed to start our morning walkabout at 8:30am, walking the length of Kampung Cina and having breakfast at the market, Pasar Kedai Payang. Making a loop around the market we headed back to our hotel, before driving out to Batu Buruk beach for a very pleasant walk down memory lane.

We came back and did our laundry at a laundromat near the hotel. It was an unpleasant experience with the fussy proprietor hovering over us watching every single thing we did. Social distancing is an alien concept for this pesky little man.

After laundry was done we chanced upon a stall across the street selling the most delicious pisang goreng (banana fritters) and enjoyed it too much that lunch was forgone.

Dinner however was a grand affair. My dear old friend Vinodh invited us to dinner at Restoran Ocean where we spent hours catching up while reminiscing on our times growing up in Kuala Terengganu.

Tomorrow will be an important but tiring day, since we will be fulfilling our true mission for coming back to Kuala Terengganu. Please stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Locations:

ARENA Boutique Hotel Kuala Terengganu

- https://g.page/ARENABoutiqueHotel?share

China Town, Kuala Terengganu - https://goo.gl/maps/yoqvMxSvnJpoEJRM6

Jalan Kampung Cina - https://goo.gl/maps/VsGLxurxyA62Yvko6

Pasar Besar Kedai Payang - https://goo.gl/maps/YfQfbUmgYfbCBWtFA

Warung Kak Sal Nasi Dagang - https://goo.gl/maps/DHMNifVYVDCjx7UF6

Pantai Batu Burok 2 - https://goo.gl/maps/5X9n5ZLo6o2f6XE79

Pantai Batu Burok - https://goo.gl/maps/p6gYrfcYeT6HpCWZ7

Restaurant Ocean - https://goo.gl/maps/xMzxiRLwpBQsRFCN7

Pantai Batu Buruk

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 2!

Pantai Batu Buruk. We arrived in Kuala Terengganu yesterday, but I truly 'came home' only after the first whiff of the salt air here.

Growing up in Kuala Terengganu in the late 70s and early 80s this beach was the focal point of everything I did, be it to socially and even to go to school. Others may wax lyrical about Batu Feringghi, Tanjung Bungah, Langkawi, Mersing and the lot but in my (definitely biased) mind these beaches do not hold a candle to the breathtaking Batu Buruk beach.

We began our tour of this magnificent beach at the aptly named Pantai Batu Burok 2 nicknamed 'Matterhorn' beach where a group of misguided youths tried the most horrid packet of menthol cigarettes for the first (and last time). Here laid in ruins was once majestic complex of government quarters where a friend used to live. A shame.

We then headed to Batu Buruk proper, and had the beach almost to ourselves devoid of the customary crowds (and triple parked cars). It was a pleasant Thursday afternoon indeed. A visit here would not be complete without having keropok lekor on the beach, and spent an enjoyable half an hour spend doing just that.

We would visit this beach everyday for the entire duration of our stay in Kuala Terengganu, such is my affinity and bond with this magnificent beach.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Locations:

Pantai Batu Burok 2 - https://goo.gl/maps/5X9n5ZLo6o2f6XE79

Pantai Batu Burok - https://goo.gl/maps/p6gYrfcYeT6HpCWZ7

Warung KAK SAL Nasi Dagang (within Pasar Kedai Payang)

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 2!

A little over half an hour into our morning walkabout we reached Pasar Kedai Payang and decided to explore the myriad of food stalls. We looked to have Nasi Dagang for breakfast and soon found Warung Kak Sal serving exactly just that.

A diminutive stall, Warung Kak Sal sells Nasi Dagang, Nasi Minyak, Pulut Kuning (or as we call it, Nasi Kunyit) and even Nasi Ayam. We ordered two plates of Nasi Dagang and a plate of Nasi Minyak from the stall next door. We also ordered two glasses of Iced Tea, a glass of Nescafe and a glass of Kopi Radix. We sat down to enjoy our authentic Terengganu breakfast and thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

The entire breakfast came to RM20.50 (approximately USD5/EUR4) which in our minds was still very reasonably priced. Breakfast out of the way we resumed our morning walkabout, hoping to catch a boat across the river.

So please stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Warung Kak Sal Nasi Dagang - https://goo.gl/maps/DHMNifVYVDCjx7UF6

KT Morning Walkabout

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 2!

We meant to rise early this morning, but the exertions of the previous day kept us in bed for longer than we would have liked. We managed to leave the hotel a little after 8am to begin our morning walkabout.

We walked west along Jalan Sultan Ismail, then north along Jalan Kampung Cina. We walked the entire one and a half kilometres of Jalan Kampung Cina until we reached the new Pasar Besar Kedai Payang.

We did not explore the market much, leaving it to another video later which focuses exclusively on this market. Several theories exist regarding the name Payang. One - it came from the name of the perahu payang (payang boat); or Two – it came from the local dialect for Kedai Tempayang.

We had breakfast at Warung Kak Sal Nasi Dagang before continuing our walkabout. We wanted to take a boat across the river to Seberang Takir and waited at the Jetty but alas there were no boats in sight!

What was available to us were the river cruises that cost RM50 per person (approximately USD12/EUR11) which did not appeal to us. We were looking to experience the bot penambang (small ferry boats) that used to ply across the river, not some fancy speed boat.

Defeated, but not dejected we resumed our walkabout south along Jalan Banggol. We walked the kilometre or so until we reached our hotel.

Thus ends our mini walkabout, stay tuned for a full market hunt video at the Terengganu Central Market (Pasar Besar Kedai Payang) in the days to come!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

ARENA Boutique Hotel Kuala Terengganu

- https://g.page/ARENABoutiqueHotel?share

China Town, Kuala Terengganu - https://goo.gl/maps/yoqvMxSvnJpoEJRM6

Jalan Kampung Cina - https://goo.gl/maps/VsGLxurxyA62Yvko6

Ho Ann Kiong Temple - https://goo.gl/maps/yQbbx3qY26mcAhvG6

BeansWork_SuperheroCafe - https://g.page/beanswork_superherocafe?share

Pasar Besar Kedai Payang - https://goo.gl/maps/YfQfbUmgYfbCBWtFA

Warung Kak Sal Nasi Dagang - https://goo.gl/maps/DHMNifVYVDCjx7UF6

Payang Water Taxi - https://g.page/payang-water-taxi?share

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

KT Trip Day 1 Recap

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 1!

We woke up at 6am and left our condominium by 7am. We had a pitstop at the Temerloh R&R at about 8:30am before continuing our drive which was largely uneventful.

We reached Kuala Terengganu at approximately 12:30pm and headed to our first port of call, Restoran Chuan Kee. This has got to be our most favourite of all Hainanese Chicken Rice restaurants, which we had blogged about previously.

Lunch out of the way and with time to burn before we were able to check into our hotel we headed to my late Aunty's house. The true purpose of our trip to Kuala Terengganu was to visit her house that has been left abandoned since her passing in July last year.

The house was in a state of neglect, and to add insult to injury an inconsiderate neighbour parked her car in front of the house, partially obstructing the gate. And to make matters worse, the inconsiderate person left her car there unattended while she went holidaying!

We found out who the inconsiderate person was and managed to leave word with a relative. The relative contacted the inconsiderate person who promised to move her car as soon as she got back the following evening.

We promised ourselves that we would be back as soon as the inconsiderate person moved her car so that we could begin in earnest to spruce things up.

We then checked into ARENA Boutique Hotel, a very pleasantly refurbished hotel that we had covered in an earlier blog. We took a nap and was out of the hotel looking for dinner by 6:30pm.

Alas our first, second and even third choice eateries were closed (for the day, or for good we were not sure) so we ended up in the general vicinity of the Sultan Mahmud airport where we stumbled upon Ridwan Cafe & Seafood.

We had a sumptuous dinner at a ridiculously low price which we had blogged about here and headed back to the hotel where we hoped to have an early night.

Tomorrow we plan to go on an early morning walkabout, so please stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

R & R Temerloh West Bound - https://goo.gl/maps/wCnfssRxLjggqrNG7

Restoran Chuan Kee 全記茶餐室 - https://goo.gl/maps/6aYw3y6Li8zqwSkM7

ARENA Boutique Hotel Kuala Terengganu

- https://g.page/ARENABoutiqueHotel?share

Ridwan Cafe & Seafood - https://goo.gl/maps/Pf9umvEadCtABmzx6

RIDWAN Cafe & Seafood Kuala Terengganu

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 1!

It was a very maddening night, with most eateries on our list closed (either for the day, or for good). We left the hotel at about 6:30PM and after an hour and a half of driving the width and breadth of Kuala Terengganu found ourselves at this seafood restaurant. Quite by chance, actually.

Located in the vicinity of the Sultan Mahmud airport, we were happy to see that this eatery is run by a group of youths. Rather than idling their time away, they took matters into their own hands and decided to run a business. Hats off to them!

We quickly perused the menu and ordered the Set A which consisted of the Siakap Tiga Rasa (Tri-Flavoured Sea Bass), an Omelette, two plates of white rice and two glasses of Iced Tea. Since Brendan stays away from seafood he ordered the Tom Yam Chicken with rice.

Turned out all that driving made Brendan hungry so he later ordered a plate of Padprik Chicken with rice as well. We enjoyed our dinner immensely, and were quite astaounded to learn that the seafood (and chicken) feast came up to a paltry RM43 or approximately USD10 or EUR9.

Value for money restaurant, and contender for the crown of the everyday food for the everyday man!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Ridwan Cafe & Seafood - https://goo.gl/maps/Pf9umvEadCtABmzx6

ARENA Boutique Hotel Kuala Terengganu

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 1!

Growing up in Kuala Terengganu Hotel Seri Hoover (simply known as Hoover to the locals) had always been a prominent landmark in town. According to my father this hotel had been around since the 1960s (or possibly even earlier) and was among the venues that his band performed. Yes, long before I played the guitar my father was the guitarist in the family and keeping with tradition my son has also picked it up.

With time the hotel naturally fell into decay and was a shadow of its former self. Entering the new millennium Hoover was such bad shape that a review described it as a hotel that was "only as a last resort. Never going back there unless we absolutely have no other choice. The corridor to our room was straight out of a horror movie - it was old, badly lit, and everything echoed loudly (and you can hear it in the room). TV reception was so poor as to become unwatchable, and the sofa looked so dingy that I preferred to sit on the (tiled) floor. Our room had a missing light fitting - just some wires hanging out of the wall fitting…"

That was until it was completely renovated and refurbished and re-opened its doors as Arena Boutique Hotel in 2019. My parents had the pleasure of staying here some time ago and had nothing but good things to, so this time it’s our turn.

We have to agree with my parents, that from the ashes of Seri Hoover rose the Phoenix that is now ARENA Boutique Hotel Kuala Terengganu! We were upgraded from a Deluxe King to a Premium King Room for free, while Brendan was very happy with his Superior Single Room. We initially booked four nights, and extended for one more night with Brendan getting bumped up from his Superior Single Room to a Premium King Room for the last night, so that we could be on the same floor.

We had absolutely no complaints with the rooms, and absolutely loved the location. The two rooms for five nights came to RM998 (approximately USD238/EUR212) which in our minds is a real steal. We definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who's looking to stay in well comfortable and well appointed rooms located smack dab in the heart of Kuala Terengganu!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

ARENA Boutique Hotel Kuala Terengganu - https://g.page/ARENABoutiqueHotel?share

CHUAN KEE Chicken Rice

Kuala Terengganu Trip Day 1!

When Cat and I first got married in 1998 we stayed with my parents, just several hundred meters away from Restoran Chuan Kee. It was our default destination every Friday (Terengganu’s weekend) after Mass.

As is the case the moment we arrive in Kuala Terengganu Restoran Chuan Kee will be our first port of call. Nothing much has changed, and the proprietor greeted us with his usual warm smile as though we never left Kuala Terengganu. His wife was excited to see us after all these years, so she took some time to chat and catch up with Cat.

We ordered the usual platter of roasted chicken (serving for three persons), and the proprietor remembered our preferences and threw in plenty of extra chicken skin and gizzard to boot.

The verdict? After 11 long years the Hainanese Chicken Rice served here remains as excellent as ever, and it is still THE best chicken rice shop in Kuala Terengganu, bar none! And the damage? Together with a round of Iced Chinese Tea for everyone and a good strong cuppa for me the total came to an astonishing RM22.70 (approximately USD6/EUR5) which is why Chuan Kee is the very definition of the everyday food for the everyday man. We just wished it weren’t 450 kilometres away.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Restoran Chuan Kee 全記茶餐室 - https://goo.gl/maps/6aYw3y6Li8zqwSkM7

Sunday, 14 November 2021

SUNGEI WANG Plaza Stroll

Happy NRP Phase 4 Kuala Lumpur!

Hardly a day after our walkabout at Sunway Putra Mall we found ourselves on another stroll along the alleyways and walkways of Sungei Wang Plaza.

First off, we got breakfast out of the way at Kopi Club. Brendan then headed up to the first floor where he had an appointment with his hair stylist, while we ambled along making our way to the ground floor. Cat had an old pair of spectacles frame that need new lenses, and we only had Jimmy of Eye Smart Vision in mind for the job.

Jimmy said it should take an hour, so we resumed our stroll.

Established in 1977, the iconic Sungei Wang Plaza was the second shopping centre to be built in Kuala Lumpur after Ampang Park and is remembered fondly by many of the older generation as one of their favourite places to visit. Sungei Wang Plaza was built on the site of the former Shaw Brothers’ BB Plaza, a well-loved amusement centre where Taiwanese singer Teresa Tang once performed when she was ten years old.

Sungei Wang Plaza in the late 70s and 80s was synonymous with fashion, food, and beauty products, and was the epicentre of ‘La La Culture’. It was also an entertainment paradise with an Olympic-size ice skating rink, bumper cars, game arcade, discotheque hall and Malaysia’s first indoor cinema which could accommodate 1,700 people. Sungei Wang Plaza was THE venue for fashion shows, beauty contests, the annual ‘Campus King and Queen’ and ‘Lantern Parade,’ ‘Meet-and-Greet’ artiste concerts, and festive countdowns. A Chinese Opera theatre stage would be set up on its rooftop during important Chinese festivals.

“If you have not been to Sungei Wang Plaza, you have not been to Kuala Lumpur.”

— A popular phrase in the 1980s

Within the promised hour we headed back to Eye Smart Vision and found Jimmy already waiting for us with Cat's old new spectacles. We then made our way to Alfie at the basement car park of Sungei Wang Plaza and headed to the nearest Petronas Petrol Station.

With all our errands completed we were bereft of ideas for lunch and opted for Syed Bistro, just a stone’s throw away from our home. With that we ended our video, and this blog.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Kopi Club Sungei Wang Plaza - https://goo.gl/maps/aLuwUUrXFFmevNTy9

AJ SENSE SALON - https://g.page/AJSENSE-my?share

Eye Smart Vision Enterprise - https://goo.gl/maps/mEvdnzbV13ohwRMQ8

Sungei Wang Plaza - https://g.page/sungeiwangplaza?share

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

SYED Bistro (Dang Wangi)

Happy NRP Phase 4 Kuala Lumpur!

Settling all our errands at Sungei Wang Plaza, plus filling Alfie's tank full of petrol we then thought about having lunch. With nothing particular in mind, we decided to play it safe and settled on something close to our home.

For as long as we have been living in the area, we have always come to Syed Bistro, least of all for the fluffiest Roti Canai this side of the Klang Valley, believe you me. The Roti Canai is freshly prepared and not pre-made, unlike most Mamak shops thus ensuring its fluffiness. Also, it is not as oily as most others.

However, this time we came for lunch, and I opted for the Mutton Briyani while Cat had the Nasi Kandar with Curry Ikan Tenggiri (Mackerel) while Brendan stuck to his customary Nasi Kandar with Curry Chicken. Our lunch, with beverages came to RM55.25 or approximately USD14/EUR12 which was a little on the high side but made sense since the Briyani itself cost almost half the bill (RM23 or approximately USD6/EUR5).

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Syed Bistro - https://goo.gl/maps/CD54vrwjDuoQG4t96

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

EYE SMART VISION Enterprise

Happy NRP Phase 4 Kuala Lumpur!

After breakfast at Kopi Club the Millennial set off for AJ Sense Salon for his hair appointment, and we took a stroll up to the ground floor for the next errand on our list: Eye Smart Vision.

Cat had an old pair of spectacles frame that she found wonderfully comfortable and that it would be handy to have a spare pair, just in case. For just this purpose of repurposing an old pair of glasses we paid Jimmy a visit at Eye Smart Vision.

We have been patronising this optician for perhaps 5 years now and are mightily impressed with the way Jimmy goes about his business attending to the needs of his customers.

Jimmy said that he could pop in a new pair of lenses for only RM100 (approximately USD24 or EUR21) and told us to come back in an hour. We continued our stroll around Sungei Wang Plaza and as promised, Jimmy presented Cat with her new (old) glasses within the hour.

If you are in the neighbourhood looking to replace your glasses, we do recommend giving Jimmy and Eye Smart Vision a try!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Eye Smart Vision Enterprise - https://goo.gl/maps/mEvdnzbV13ohwRMQ8

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

KOPI CLUB Sungei Wang Plaza

Happy NRP Phase 4 Kuala Lumpur!

Sunday morning saw us back in Sungei Wang Plaza to run even more errands. The millennial had an appointment with his hair stylist at 11am so we thought we'd have a quick breakfast, or brunch as some would call it, at Kopi Club.

Located at the Lower Ground (or Concourse Level) Sungei Wang Plaza's website touts it as "A delicious home cooked food which reminds us of our childhood days - our very own local delicacies. Kopi Club serves good coffee and delicious food that you'll craved for more." We do agree that Kopi Club exudes an old 'kopitiam' or traditional coffee shop ambience, which we found soothing.

Our very Malaysian breakfast came up to RM28.80 or approximately USD7/EUR6. We thought that it was a teensy bit pricey by our standards but did not mind paying extra given the location and the 'ambience' the cafe provided.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Kopi Club Sungei Wang Plaza - https://goo.gl/maps/aLuwUUrXFFmevNTy9

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.

Saturday, 13 November 2021

Sunway Putra Walkabout

Happy NRP Phase 4 Kuala Lumpur!

As usual we had a few errands to run this Saturday morning and headed out to Sunway Putra Mall, a shopping centre steeped in history that for some reason is intertwined with mine. We were looking to pay the MAX store here a visit, as well as have us some Korean cuisine for lunch.

The millennial spent the entire night gaming into the morning with his UNIMAS friends, so we decided to let him sleep in.

We touched on this mall some time ago. So to recap, I first came to Kuala Lumpur as a teenager in 1986 and at about the same time a shopping complex, known as "The Mall", was opened. At the time, "The Mall" was the largest shopping centre in Malaysia and housed Malaysia's first Yaohan store which operated from the mall's opening in 1987 until 1997 before its bankruptcy in Japan.

This mall brings back memories since it is situated across the street from the Putra World Trade Centre and the Seri Pacific Hotel, as well as the Hentian Duta bus terminal that used to serve express buses heading to the East Coast (including my hometown of Kuala Terengganu). Anyone travelling to or from the East Coast would have at one time or another been to "The Mall".

In March 2011, "The Mall" was acquired by Sunway in a public auction and soon embarked on a refurbishment exercise in May 2013. After two long years (during which time all its tenants had to move out) it was reopened as "Sunway Putra Mall" in May 2015.

We had lunch at Myeongdong Topokki and headed down to meet our good friend Shah at the lobby of the mall. We will soon be on our trip to my hometown of Kuala Terengganu in a few days’ time, so please stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Sunway Putra Mall - https://goo.gl/maps/tbbeTaJabXtvsHrDA

Selera Street Food Court - https://goo.gl/maps/pGezMYwjEkRQrrMy6

MyeongDong Topokki Sunway Putra Mall

- https://goo.gl/maps/38YMc7cWqC1axkkFA

We do what we can to support local businesses, and it's always good to know that everyone here observes all related SOPs, it helps make us feel safer and reassured.