Island Penang Kitchen: Neighbourhood eatery serving authentic assam laksa, fried mi tak mak & chendol from $7
Island Penang Kitchen at 721 Clementi West Street 2 was an accidental discovery when I visited Island Cafe just a few months ago for my curry mee food guide. The eatery seemed popular, judging from the long line that had formed, so I made a mental note to visit them in the near future.
I also texted my relatives who live in the neighbourhood, and found out that not only is the food quite good, but Island Cafe also belongs to them. Silly old me, I should’ve known, judging from the word ‘Island’ in front.
Since it has been a while since I last had Penang food, I decided to pay them a visit at 11.30am before the lunch crowd arrived. True enough, it was relatively empty— hooray!
What I tried at Island Penang Kitchen
I started with one of my favourite appetisers, the Penang Rojak (Fruits & You Tiao) for S$7. I was more inclined on this although they had another variation that had you tiao only at the same price.
My first impression— the generous sprinkling of peanuts— a plus for someone like me who loves nuts in all forms (ahem… don’t let your imagination run wild).
As for the ingredients, there were pieces of Japanese cucumber, turnip, you tiao and pineapple. But wait, is pineapple the only fruit ? I was a little confused since the combination was similar to a typical local rendition, except for the missing tau pok. I was expecting fruits like jambu to appear.
Nonetheless, I decided to go for it. The pieces of you tiao were super crispy and, most importantly, not hard. The pineapple was sweet and the turnip and cucumber gave varying levels of texture and crunch.
The hei ko sauce was seasoned to perfection and coated the ingredients evenly. Overall, I was pretty satisfied. This was a good start!
Instead of getting the iconic Penang Fried Kway Teow (S$7), I decided to switch things up and ordered the Penang Fried Mi Tai Mak (S$7) instead. When the dish arrived, we were immediately captivated by its smoky fragrance.
The ‘rat tails’ were stir fried with slices of Chinese sausage, 2 peeled prawns, bean sprouts, fish cake slices and chives.
The noodles tasted as delicious as they smelled, each strand possessing a robust punch of wok hei smokiness. Although the chilli packed some heat, it still allowed me to taste the other components of the dish without numbing my tongue.
The prawns were decent and firm, while the strands of tau geh retained a satisfying crunch. We also found mini golden nuggets of pork lard, hiding like bats hibernating in a cave. My only gripe? They were inconsistent— some were crispy and delicious, while others were slightly chewy and soft.
My favourite component of the Penang Fried Mi Tai Mak was the red slices of lap cheong, which injected subtly sweet and savoury notes throughout the dish.
We then shifted our attention to the bowl of Penang Assam Laksa (S$6). The noodles were topped with bits of fish, sliced lettuce, mint leaves and chunks of pineapple.
The noodles used weren’t thick bee hoon but lai fun, which were slightly thicker and had a translucent appearance. It’s the same kind of noodles used in Penang, too— 100 points for authenticity!
The broth was gently tangy but I could hardly taste the umami-ness of the hei ko. Thankfully, we were given a bottle of shrimp paste sauce to enhance the flavour. I added about a full tablespoon of it, and that really helped to redeem the dish.
Initially, we debated whether the fish bits were ikan kembung (mackerel) or sardines, but we leaned towards the former due to its taste and texture. It added a depth of richness to the bowl of laksa.
The slices of pineapple gave the dish a mild sweetness while the mint leaves made things more herby and aromatic.
Since we always reserve a small compartment in our bellies for dessert, we shared a bowl of Penang Homemade Chendol (S$3.50). Instead of red beans, kidney beans were used alongside the quintessential pandan jelly strands.
After giving it a good mix, the gula melaka at the bottom gradually turned everything a light brown hue. The taste was decent and satisfying, but it was similar to any other chendol we had tried before— nothing to shout about.
Final thoughts
Overall, we were quite satisfied with the Penang dishes served at Island Penang Kitchen. Although there were some hits and misses, the positives outweigh the negatives.
With a decent menu, reasonable prices, and tasty dishes, I finally understood the appeal and popularity of this eatery, even though it’s tucked away in the back of the heartland neighbourhood where many might overlook it.
I guess from now on, if I’m craving Penang food, this place will be one of my top choices and recommendations.
Expected damage: S$6 – S$15 per pax
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