Noor Bee Nasi Melayu is what locals bring their friends and overseas visitors to enjoy at Tanjung Tokong, Penang.
Fresh ulams, spicy sambal belacan, and hot, freshly cooked Curry Fish Heads are must-orders at this stall at Flat Uda.
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Friends Bring Friends Noor Bee Nasi Melayu
I am a creature of habit and always order the same things.
I chalk this up mainly to age and inability to read the menu well. Yes, I know.
One day, I told the waitstaff, “I can’t read the menu.” (Seriously, those are like 7pt squashed fonts.)
The comeback? “You poor thing. You didn’t go to school, did you?”
Grrr…
So, like the creature of habit, I circumvent the situation.
I go to places where reading the menu is optional.
It can be on the wall somewhere. No worries; as always, we just ordered off the top of our heads.
My Aussie friend declared wonderfully, “I just love the Malaysian buffets! You get to pick what you want to eat, pile it on a plate, and pay later.”
“Yes, yes, and yes. I will take you to eat something decent off the beaten track,” I said, feeling rather generous.
The owner gave a thumbs-up!
Noor Bee Nasi Melayu is Nowhere Fancy
So we went to my favorite Nasi Melayu spot. Nothing fancy.
It’s just your standard economy rice-style stall with plastic tables and chairs right in the heart of Tg. Tokong, hidden in the “village.”
Drive in through some narrow lanes, try to find a parking spot, and you’ll find it on the ground floor of Flat Uda.
It takes a little scouting, but it’s not too hard. And here’s my only word of advice:
Go early. Way before noon.
This advice comes from years of eating there since 1999 or so.
If you arrive after 12:30 pm, only about 60% of the dishes will be left, and most of the delicious gravy will have been scraped dry from the stainless steel containers.
Trust me on this.
If you go in a group, assuming you’re Malaysian or Asian and not squeamish about eating something with a “face,” you can order a freshly cooked Curry Fish Head.
Lots of Greens
Delicious
Nasi Melayu Dishes
What dished to order for Nasi Melayu?
Tambah Nasi (Add Hot Rice)
There are plenty of dishes to choose from, starting with hot rice.
You can ask the nice Makcik to “tambah nasi” (add more rice) or “kurang sikit” (reduce the serve) and get a glare and a tut for going on a diet. Again.
How to pick and not go overboard:
I do the “dance” or circle the stall. Almost everyone does this. We’re like eagles hovering high in the sky and diving in.
Again, remember the “eye bigger than stomach” rule. Try not to go overboard.
Start with some greens. Malay-style ‘ulams’ with sambal belacan, fried salted fish, and curry fish gravy over hot rice is to die for.
Seriously. I’d go for that, but since we’re looking to eat sensibly, we’ll have a balanced meal.
The rules of halves and quarters apply again: Fill half the plate with veggies, a quarter with rice, and the other with protein.
Easy.
But I broke the rule and took all the rice. Don’t make a diet face. Go with gusto!
First, I top my hot white rice with “Ayam Kicap,” smothered in a thick, gooey, black, sweet sauce that coats the chicken drumstick beautifully right into the bones!
Then, add one or two heaped spoons of awesome kerabu.
Kerabu Taugeh
Kerabu Taugeh is a salad made of blanched bean sprouts mixed with pounded, golden fried grated old coconut flesh (kerisik) for extra body, crunch, and sweetness, topped with spicy sambal.
Kerabu Kacang Botol
Spicy Winged Bean Salad features a generous topping of freshly chopped onions and bird’s eye chili for some heat, all tossed in calamansi juice, salt, and sugar.
The taste is a bit like Penang Laksa condiments minus the fishy gravy. This raw vegetable dish is light and refreshing and provides a raw crunch to balance the heavier curries.
I just had to have my all-time favorite!
Pajri Nanas
Pineapple’s sweet and sharp acidity shines through when cooked in a mild curry paste with coconut milk. This goes well with fried salted fish, hard-boiled salted eggs, and the ubiquitous sambal belacan.
Review: This is an excellent spot for a quick, economical, and satisfying meal.
To get there, if you’re driving up from George Town, go past Tesco Sri Pinang (on your right); follow the road, and take the first right at a small traffic light to enter the old Uda Flats.
You will reach the Penang Avatar Secret Garden if you continue.
P/S: Order the Teh Tarik or watermelon juice. Ask for ‘kurang manis’ (less sugar).
Noor Bee Nasi Melayu
Flat Uda, Gerai J-9,
Fasa 2, Jalan Tanjong Tokong,
10470 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Phone: 019-334 0511
Hours: 8:15 am – 3:00 pm
Google: https://g.co/kgs/5fRemLS
Specialty: Curry Fish Head
Cuisine: Malay
For visitors to Penang, Noor Bee Nasi Melayu closes during Ramadan, when Muslims worldwide fast for an entire lunar month.
