Firstly, I’d like to apologise for my lapse in updating this blog when I’ve been quite consistent in updating this blog regularly. It’s out fifth wedding anniversary and I had taken time off (from work and from blogging) to spend more time with my Personal Chef/ The Food Critic and Mr Picky.
It is amazing to think that I’ve been together with my Personal Chef for a decade, half of it getting to know each other and another half as husband and wife. We’ve been through a birth of a child, two deaths, heart-stopping moments, terrible illnesses, through bad and good and hopefully, we will continue to be together till we are both doddering around toothless, wrinkly and taking ‘revenge’ on our children by spoiling their children. ;D
Alright, let’s get to the food post. I’ve been meaning to blog about this little known wonderful restaurant based in a tiny island off our main Penang island. Yes, we need to take a short boat ride to get there but it is really worth the effort.
For the longest time ever, I’ve heard about the really good Mee Udang (shrimp noodles) over at Pulau Aman but we never did get around to trying it out until recently. So, on a weekday when we both are able to coordinate days off together, we took a boat ride over to Pulau Aman together with some relatives.
Here's the banner welcoming us at the new jetty where we took a boat to Pulau Aman
It looks like they have a homestay programme for tourists but we have no intention of staying. We just want to go there for the food!
Anyway, the jetty is so new that the road leading to it is not on Google Maps so, sorry, I couldn’t give you the exact directions to it. However, you can call the number on the banner to get directions. Since we ended up making a few wrong turns before finally finding the jetty in Batu Kawan, I’d better not give you directions here or else, you may end up somewhere else. Lol.
However, here’s as close a direction as I can give you. Get to this roundabout and then follow the signboards to Pulau Aman jetty. You won’t go wrong. It is a winding road going past a quarry and hilly land so don’t worry, you are on the right path. It is at the end and you’d see the jetty after passing the quarry on your left and after a hill rise.
This is the boat we took to go to Pulau Aman
The boat ride costs us RM6 per person. It is only a 15 minutes ride to Pulau Aman.
Here's a look at the Batu Kawan jetty from the boat as we head to Pulau Aman
Our first glimpse of Pulau Aman as the boat approaches the tiny island which is mainly a fishing village
I’ve stayed in Penang for the whole of my life and though I’ve heard of Pulau Aman, I’ve never been there! So, I didn’t know what to expect as we slowly approach the tiny island off our coast.
This is the Pulau Aman floating restaurant with the super-delicious Mee Udang
Here's a closer look at the restaurant
They only have three types of dishes to order: Mee Udang, Mee Goreng and Nasi Goreng. (Shrimp Noodles, Fried Noodles and Fried Rice) Since it is operated by Muslims, it is a halal restaurant. The one common thing about its dishes is that all of it comes with large fresh prawns!
Here's the two main chefs preparing the food in the open plan kitchen
The scenery in this sleepy little fishing village is so beautiful
Okay, okay, I know you’re impatiently waiting for the food! Here they are…
Mee Udang
Just look at the size of the prawns and eating this with such beautiful scenery around us
I can't help it, the noodles are so good, I need to put up another shot of it
This is by far the best Mee Udang I’ve tasted EVER. Seriously. Not because of the sea air or the boat ride or the anticipation. In fact, I went with such high expectations, I thought I’d probably end up getting disappointed. Instead I was wowed by the exceptional taste.
Instead of tasting like they slop together some ketchup and chilli sauce to make it, this tastes like it is lovingly prepared (although the two ladies who cooked this pure bit of heaven have sour expressions the whole time). It has just the right amount of tomato-flavour with a mixture of salty, sourness, spicyness and sweetness all combined. The prawns, obviously fresh from the sea, are large and added more sweetness and a taste of the sea to the dish to make it truly exceptional!
Fried rice with prawns for Mr Picky who MUST have his rice
Since I was wowed by the Mee Udang, I didn’t expect much from the fried rice and once again, I was pleasantly surprised. Mr Picky ate almost the whole plate of rice which is something considering he always spit out rice that is not cooked to his liking. He’s a Food Critic in the making, I tell you. Like father, like son.
Fried noodles (Mee Goreng) with prawns
I love mee goreng. More than I like char koay teow. I’ve tried quite a lot of mee goreng everywhere and I can tell you, this is one of the best mee goreng I’ve tasted. Of course, the prawns do give it an added flavour!
Now, right before walking into the restaurant, we saw a sort of a station outside where the fishermen drop off their fresh fishes, crabs and prawns.
Here's the fishermen coming in with the fresh catch of the day
Here's the small station handled by the fishermen where they also sell some of their fresh catch to people who passes by before they bring the catch to sell it off to the middleman.
Being a through and through greedy foodie, we learnt that we could buy from this station and then get the restaurant to cook the seafood for us! So, we bought these…
Sea crabs and mantis prawns
The restaurant steamed it for us. For three sea crabs and two mantis prawns, it costs us around RM70. Remember, these are fresh and still alive when we chose them.
This is the size of the mantis prawn
The restaurant even supplied us with 'equipment' to deal with the shells
I’ll have to say that with such fresh seafood, steaming it is probably the best way to eat it! It is SO sweet and tasty, I think I’d never eat another sea crab that’s not freshly caught from the sea.
At the end of our meal, we noticed this huge bee buzzing around and then grabbing our leftovers straight from the discarded shells!
So, my final verdict: This place is a MUST TRY. The boat ride is worth it. The drive to the jetty is worth it. The half day trip there is worth it. Oh, by the way, each plate of noodles or rice comes with 5 large prawns!
Rating: 9/10
Price: $$ (RM5 per plate of noodles / fried rice)
Here’s the details of the restaurant:
Restoran Terapung Pulau Aman
120, Pulau Aman,
Simpang Ampat,
SPS.
Tel: 016-4955125 / 019-4766125
Opening hours (daily): 11am – 9pm
After that splendid meal, we took a walk around the tiny island and find it peaceful and quiet. A great place for some relaxing stroll by the beach.
A relaxing retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city
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it really does look good!
QuaChee’s last blog post..Port Dickson
What a gem of a place! Great find, well worth the journey just to be able to look at the size of those prawns! Oh and congratulations on your wedding anniversary! May you have many more happy years to come!!
550ml jar of faith’s last blog post..Breakfast at Petaling Street Wet Market & 7 Random Things
RM5 only…cheap uh!
cariso’s last blog post..Dinner @ The Sire Museum
Wah looks like a super relak type of resort. The food looks yummy as well .. like the picture of the udang mee!
OMG, I’ve never even heard of a mantis prawn! Those things are huge! Wow. There’s nothing like fresh seafood like that.
Once again, fabulous post. You make me want to come visit! (And happy anniversary to you both!)
+Jessie
a.k.a. The Hungry Mouse
Jessie’s last blog post..See You On Monday!
wow the mantis prawn is huge-r than HUGE. i have no idea how to skin a mantis prawn nicely though. and ahhhhh gimme fresh seafood!
QuaChee: Yep, it is so good we are planning another trip there pretty soon!
550ml: One bite into those prawns and everything is forgotten.
cariso: I guess they have to charge at this price since we have to spend RM6 per person for the boat ride there.
Jessie: Those mantis prawns tastes like a mix between crabs and prawns and if it is fresh, it is even sweeter.
xin: heheh…I don’t know how to skin the mantis prawn too. I got someone else to do it for me.
This is my moms n my father restaurant at pulau aman,… thanks to u all for promote my moms mee udang..VISIT PULAU AMAN 2009. RESTORAN TERAPUNG PULAU AMAN.