Hameediyah Restaurant, Penang

Hameediyah Restaurant is a veritable Penang institution. Established in 1907, the restaurant has been around for more than a 100 years, so it must be doing something right!

Located in Campbell Street, you cannot miss its yellow and green facade. It is not a flash restaurant, but more of a hole-in-the-wall place. Looking at it from the outside, you might not be tempted to go in, but persevere and you will be rewarded.

Hameediyah is famed for its South Indian inspired cuisine. Among some of the favourites include that Penang specialty Nasi Kandar, or rice and curry, served with a variety of side dishes. The name comes from a time when street vendors would go around carrying the rice and side dishes in two buckets balanced ("kandar") at the end of a pole carried across the shoulder.

Alternatively instead of the white rice, you can also have briyani rice here. The beef rendang is especially recommended by most who come here.

But for me, the main reason to come here is for their signature Murtabak. Murtabak is basically a spicy meat indian style pancake which is eaten with curry and pickled red onions.

The Murtabak here in Hameediyah is certainly one of the best, if not THE best, that I have eaten anywhere in Malaysia. A visit to Penang for me is incomplete without eating the Murtabak in Hameediyah. Highly recommended.

The owner has opened a cleaner air-conditioned more modern looking outlet a couple of lots further down the road. You can order food from the original outlet and eat at the new shop.


Hameediyah Restaurant

Address: 164A Campbell Street, Penang
Tel: +(604) 2611095
Business Hours: 11am – 10.30pm
                          Closed on Friday

National Science Centre, Kuala Lumpur

The National Science Centre, or Pusat Sains Negara in Malay, was opened in 1996 with the goal to promote and excite visitors, especially school-children with learning about Science and Technology.

 

This is generally done with the use of interactive exhibits and fun programmes and activities.

 

 

There are various exhibition halls with different themes and exhibits.

 

 

There is even an overhead aquarium tank with 32 different species of freshwater fish swimming around.

 

 

 

Other exhibition halls include Wonderspark, Pathway to Science and Eureka. In the gardens outside, there is a small zoo and butterfly enclosure and an outdoor water park for children to plunge in.

 

 

There are usually some special exhibitions also on at various times of the year.

 

All in all, it can be an interesting time for kids to spend half-a-day at. It must be noted that the Science Centre is showing signs of its age, and some of the exhibits are under repair or not working.