Special thanks to Yang Yang Cuisine for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Yang Yang Cuisine (洋洋小食馆) started as a hawker stall near Convent Dato Keramat, but this Chinese stir-frying (煮炒) family business has moved to an air-conditioned premises at Nagore Road (Jalan Nagor).
The dining area of the restaurant assumes a homely, modest atmosphere. Colorful paper ornaments decorate the side walls, while photographs of various dishes provide visual representation of the restaurant’s signature recipes.
The menu at Yang Yang Cuisine covers a wide variety of stir-fried dishes. The chef has worked in several Chinese restaurants before, such as Foong Wei Heong (风味小食馆) at Jalan Sri Bahari. This explains why some of these dishes here resemble restaurant-style cooking. Under his father’s apprenticeship, the chef has also inherited many family recipes, such as the signature Claypot Fish Head (沙煲红烧石斑鱼头).
Specifically, the most iconic dish here is the Thai Style Curry Fish Head (泰式咖哩石斑鱼头, RM25.00), which uses the head of grouper (石斑鱼) to enhance the savory flavor of the stew. Despite not having any coconut milk, the curry carries many facets of flavor: sweet, sour, salty and spicy. This makes the curry so delectable that it can be enjoyed with merely plain rice.
Another highly recommended dish at Yang Yang Cuisine is Asian Style Pork Spare Ribs (火焰排骨, RM18.00). Lovely chunks of marinated pork ribs are first stir-fried in a wok, then wrapped inside an envelope of aluminium foil. The exterior of the envelope is coated with some alcohol to allow the flame to burn on for several seconds when the food is served.
In terms of flavor, the pork ribs are an excellent showcase of “wok hei” (镬气) or fiery aroma, which is essential in Chinese stir-frying (煮炒) techniques. While the tangy sauce enhances flavor of pork, due credit should be given to the fact that the ribs have perfect mixture of lean meat and ligaments. The result is an appetizing treat beyond regular measure.
Moving on to poultry, Deep Fried Chicken With Belacan (峇拉煎鸡, RM13.00) uses specially formulated batter to provide a nice layer of crispy coating when cooked. The chicken is well-marinated and is compatible with the spicy batter. However, I personally feel that the chicken is slightly overcooked to a point where it is drier than ideal.
Meanwhile, Stewed Beancurd With XO Sauce (招牌XO酱豆腐, RM13.00) is another commendable dish. The bean curd is made fresh in-house, which explains its extremely smooth texture that scores points off the bat. Meanwhile, the bean curd is flavored with savory XO sauce, a closely-guarded family recipe for several decades. This dish is highly recommended.
As for vegetables, Sautéed Cabbage With Dried Shrimp (清香包菜, RM13.00) is the choice today. While most restaurants use small shrimps to keep the cost low, Yang Yang Cuisine uses remarkably large ones to impart better aroma and flavor. Meanwhile, the cabbage is littered chopped bird’s eye chili (cili padi) to provide some fiery appeal. Nevertheless, I advise against biting the chili directly as it is extremely spicy on its own.
A hearty meal today rings up to less than RM100.00 but still feeds 3 diners to indisputable satisfaction. Considering the fact that Yang Yang Cuisine is located at a strategic location and has proper air-conditioning, the pricing is actually very affordable – similar to what you can expect to pay at a typical road-side stall.
According to the menu, other highlighted dishes at Yang Yang Cuisine are Thai Style Tom Yam Prawn (泰式东炎明虾), Deep Fried Pork Chop With Noum Yue (南乳肉), Double Boiled Pork Hand With Black Bean And Chinese Herb (黑豆猪手药材炖汤) and Sautéed Asparagus With Sambal (芦笋炒叁拜) just to name a few.
For quick meals, there are also rice and noodles set meals priced from RM8.80. During lunch hours, the meal includes a choice of homemade drink for dine-in customers. This offer is available even on weekends.
Name: Yang Yang Cuisine (洋洋小食馆)
Address: 83, Jalan Nagor, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-226-0106
Business hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:00pm-10:00pm, closed on Tuesdays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/yangyangcuisine
Coordinates: 5.42076 N, 100.32587 E
Directions: Driving along Burmah Road (Jalan Burma) from New World Park, turn right to Nagore Road (Jalan Nagor). Yang Yang Cuisine is one of the shops on the right before the crossroad. Street parking is available along Nagore Road but it is rather scarce. Alternatively, turn right at the said crossroad and use the open-air parking lot on the right. The parking ticket can be validated at Yang Yang Cuisine.