7 Village

If it's fried, oozing chocolate or just sinfully indulgent in any way, I'm usually the first to be a fan. But one of the few things I absolutely love, and is still relatively healthy, it's koay teow th'ng (literal translation: flat rice noodles in soup).

There are some pretty awesome places you can get this in Penang; my favourites being the one in Sg. Nibong in the daytime, and the one at the Pulau Tikus market if you're looking for dinner. 

But on one of my recent trips back, I discovered this place at Abu Siti Lane.:

Unlike my usual favourites, this isn't a hawker stall type of thing. But let's face it, sometimes you're just not in the mood for the hot, crowded coffee shops. Or it's raining cats and dogs outside, and you're still craving this (or are on a short trip to Penang and want to eat everything in sight for fear of not having tried something). For those times, I love the fact that places such as this now exist. 

Not sure what the food might look like? The huge posters on the wall will give you a pretty good idea.

I had my doubts at first. Didn't help that they have this really annoying bell that the person preparing drinks rings every time they're done with an order.

But when the food came, I was feeling waaay more forgiving. Side dishes/snacks above were all pretty delicious. My particular favourites were the lor bak and the curry fish balls. 

Also, I have to make a point to mention this...don't be fooled by my dish of cili padi in the picture. What's really awesome here is the chili sauce thing they have in a container on the tables with all the other condiments. I had no idea at first and scooped my usual helping of cili padi. But that was left long forgotten the moment I tried their chili sauce. I kind of think it reminds me a little of the Nando's peri-peri sauce, but it totally works! 

And the main event, the koay teow th'ng. 

There's quite a fair bit more on their menu, and I still have my doubts that all of it is good.
I've got a long-held belief that any makan place with too extensive and diverse a menu means only a handful of those dishes are awesome and the rest are usually quite awful (or perpetually not available, or as I've been told many a time by some waiters "out of stock". I kid you not.).

Whether that rule applies to this place...I'll have to go back for seconds to find out.