BY CK LAM

The district of Teluk Bahang, in the north-western tip of Penang Island, is a perfect paradise for relaxation. With fewer hotels around the vicinity, it gives an open sight of the roaring Andaman Sea and a stretch of beach that seems to run endlessly. The sunset is spectacular, especially when the sun begins to set.

The village still retains most of its rustic and tranquil charm. The makeshift and uneven wooden jetties that extend from the shore outwards into the sea exemplify the beauty of this village.

There are plenty of seafood restaurants within walking distance of each other. Though these restaurants lack the decor and services compared with those at Batu Ferringhi, but they do not lose out in terms of the quality of the dishes. One such restaurant is Fishing Village Restaurant. The decor is simple with folding tables and plastic chairs.

I had been to this restaurant several times and normally end up having oysters. The regular ones are quite affordable, at only RM3.50 each whereas the larger ones cost RM5.00. The raw oysters were delicious with their natural salty flavour with a dash of lemon juice.

I love their cheese baked oysters too. Underneath the layer of baked cheese is a flavourful thick creamy mushroom sauce. The whole combination was simply delicious! I tried the steamed oysters with black bean sauce, garlic and chilli. It was an interesting new taste but did not make an impression compared to those baked in cheese.

In addition to oysters, there were dishes of stir-fried lala and bamboo clam. The lala came in a slightly thick sauce, with the right amount of tang and sweetness of onions and ginger. The bamboo clams (RM14) was done the usual way, with ginger and spring onion. Simple and fresh!

The Inche Kabin was tender and juicy but lacked the taste of the Nyonya version. Each drumstick costs RM6, and it complemented the seafood.

Another popular dish was the black pepper fried crispy squids with curry leaves (RM12). The squid pieces can look rather deceiving, but on sampling just one piece of it will get your tempo going and chances are you will not lay down your fork! The sticky thick sauce was rich, and had a slightly charred aroma from the strong heat of the wok. It covered the smooth, tender squid, giving it a scrumptious peppery flavour.

The dishes of stir-fried vegetable are a welcome sight and a good break in between the heavyweights. The yau mak fried with fermented beancurd was fresh and savoury. The chef added the right amount of fermented beancurd for a subtle taste. Ginger strips added a pungent aroma. The dish of spicy stir-fried kangkung (RM8), added a touch of spiciness to the meal.

Crabs (RM72) are the signature dish at the Fishing Village Restaurant. There is nothing better than having them baked. The fresh crabs were infused with the charred aroma, while the firm flesh remained juicy. Meat crab costs RM45 a kilo.

The seafood dinner was rounded up with fried beehoon Tomyam style (RM6). The noodle with light spicy and tangy Tomyam sauce was an excellent choice.

There will be more visits to this restaurant for its many dishes. Plenty of convenient parking spaces are available nearby. Do check out the Map Location of this restaurant

Beside the beaches and the seafood restaurants in Teluk Bahang, other attractions include the privately owned Teluk Bahang Butterfly Farm, Teluk Bahang Penang National Park and Tropical Spice Garden.

Fishing Village Restaurant
765 MK 2 Teluk Bahang
(Jalan Teluk Awak)
11050 Penang

Tel: 04 8852084

Business Hour: 5pm till 11pm (Daily)

GPS Coordinates: N05°27′34.9″   E100°12′50.4″

Written by CK Lam, food review writer and editor of http://www.what2seeonline.com ; featuring the Best of Penang Food. She constantly combs Penang for the best gastronomical delights and loves promoting Penang Cuisines, Culture and Heritage.