Khim said the magic words, “Pak Tam Mee Udang, for lunch?
Dory: Always hungry, always ready to eat!
I was more than intrigued.
On the island, while the Chinese community had their Hokkien Mee, the Malay community is famous for their Mee Udang (Malay Prawn Noodle).
Mee Udang has all the components of a dish I love most: fresh sea prawns, local yellow noodles, and the delicious taste of tangy tomato gravy.
For me, this is the piece de resistance I can whip up at home and serve to friends – even if the taste isn’t the same and falls out of expectations 😀
In 2013, I made a 10 Whole Prawns Mee Udang and captioned it,
“Eat with caution – May induce a food coma.”
Mee Ketam and Udang!
My simple Mee Udang recipe.
- Simple ingredients: Prawns leave in the shell but remove the vein.
- Garnish boiled potato, eggs, sawi, fried tau kwa, sliced tomatoes, onion rings, cilantro, red chilis, and fried shallots.
- Soup base: prawn shells and Kimball tomato soup, salt, pepper, and chili boh to taste.
- Method: Blanch yellow noodles.
- Cook individual portions of prawns with soup stock and pour over yellow noodles. Garnish and serve.
A statifying meal of Mee Udang Biasa and Cucur
Contents
Where is Pak Tam Mee Udang?
Pak Tam Mee Udang is a popular Mee Udang stall in Teluk Bayu.
Dine under coconut trees with the sea breeze.
Teluk Bayu Beach In Teluk Kumbar
Teluk Bayu Beach is a beautiful stretch in Sungai Batu, Teluk Kumbar.
Teluk Kumbar is on the southern coast of Penang Island, where fishing is the main activity.
The breezy beach of Teluk Bayu ends at a rocky promontory on the western end.
Visitors often visit Batu Ferringhi, Monkey Beach, and Tanjung Bungah on the northeast side of Penang Island.
If you’re looking for a beautiful spot to relax where the ambiance is cool and breezy, you should also try Teluk Bayu Beach!
To get there, you drive through local Malay kampung (village) before arriving at the white sandy beach!
The most popular and sought-after Malay food in Teluk Kumbar is the Mee Udang, made with prawns, crabs, and squids fresh from the sea!
Most importantly, you sit on the beach under the shade of towering trees and enjoy the ocean breeze while you eat your noodles!
Mee Sotong, with fresh from the sea squids
Pak Tam Mee Udang Menu
The Mee Udang stall has an exciting menu with noodles dishes.
There’s Mee Goreng and Mee Kuah.
You can order Noodles cooked with Kuah (soup-based) or Goreng (stir-fried).
If you ask for Mee Udang, it is usually the Soup-based type.
Do check when you place the order.
- Mee Seafood RM25
- Mee Udang RM12
- Mee Ketam RM12
- Mee Goreng Sotong RM12
- Kepak Masak Sos RM12
- Cucur Udang RM7
The noodles available are Mee (Yellow Noodles), Maggi Noodles, Bihun, and Koay Teow.
The Cucur Udang comes with a hard-boiled egg and boiled Chicken Sausage served with a Peanut Dipping Sauce.
Pak Tam Mee Udang gives you about five big fresh prawns for RM12 a plate.
Most importantly, you sit on the beach under the shade of towering trees and enjoy the ocean breeze while you eat your noodles!
What’s available on Pak Tam Mee Udang Menu
How To Get To Pak Tam Mee Udang?
You cannot find Teluk Bayu Beach’s location on Waze, and you can type ‘Teluk Bayu Penang’ on Google Maps and use the directions.
Alternatively, we recommend keying in the GPS Coordinate: 5.27893, 100.2413 to get to the exact location.
Turn off the main road on a gravel road of Malay Kampung.
The narrow gravel road typically allows only one car to go through.
You may need to reverse when necessary to allow a passing vehicle to drive through.
Always be polite.
After a while, you need to drive across a small, concrete bridge.
You reach a wide area at the end of the road after going through the Malay Kampung.
To the left is the green emerald Tasik Teluk Bayu, an artificial lake, and in front of you is the beach.
Note: Please drive your vehicle slowly as children play in the village.
Free Parking At Pak Tam Mee Udang
Parking is free, and there are plenty of spaces at Teluk Bayu Beach.
Watch out for muddy spots.
You may want to avoid parking in areas that are too secluded.
Most importantly, don’t obstruct traffic flow; keep your belongings hidden or take them with you.
Best Time To Eat At Pak Tam Mee Udang
The perfect time to visit Teluk Bayu is during sunset when the weather is cooler.
Here, you will find families gathering for picnics and an evening swim.
As more people discover the quiet, gentle beach, many people will wait to see the sunset.
When we left at 6 pm, many more cars arrived, heading for the beach.
Sunset at Teluk Bayu
Aside from eating Pak Tam Mee Udang, there are many things to do at Teluk Bayu Beach.
1. Have A Picnic (someone, please bring the ants!)
Enjoy relaxing activities with a little picnic by the beach.
You can have some Nasi Lemak or sandwiches and enjoy a fun time with friends and family.
Or have a cheap date walking on the beach and looking for seashells.
2. Swim In The Sea
The waves aren’t that rough, and the water is pretty shallow.
You can swim in areas without rocks.
If unsure, observe or speak to the locals about the best swimming spots.
Please stay away from huge stones as they can be sharp!
3. Take Photos of Mee Udang for the Gram.
The environment is a perfect backdrop for your photos.
If you feel inclined to turn up in your “Boria” outfits – Teluk Bayu Beach is picturesque in every direction!
Pose with the sea, rock, and trees as your backdrop.
The day we visited, we saw couples take photos for their wedding.
Beware of the sharp rocks if you intend to climb on top.
Go as slow and keep your shoes on.
It is not a pleasant experience to cut your feet on the rocks!
4. Stroll Along The Beach
Need to destress and wind down?
Take a stroll on the beach to ground yourself while you do some people-watching.
The soft white sand is comfortable and easy on your feet.
Teluk Bayu Beach is not as popular as other beaches in Penang, but it is more famous among the locals!
5. Other beaches nearby
If you have visited most beaches in Penang, try checking out Sungai Batu Beach, which is close to Teluk Bayu Beach.
6. Have a delicious meal at Pak Tam Mee Udang
After all your swimming, playing ball, and strolling on the beach, taste the famous Mee Udang in Teluk Bayu.
If not, you can unpack your meals and picnic under the trees on the beach!
The quiet breezy Teluk Bayu
Have some extra time in Penang to do something different?
Why not visit The Penang Hill Railway – a one-section funicular railway that climbs Penang Hill from Air Itam?
Conclusion
Among the Malay-style prawn noodles we’ve tasted, Pak Tam Mee Udang is our favorite.
The prawns, squid, and crabs are fresher than in the wet markets, as Pak Tam gets their seafood directly from the nearby Sungai Batu fishers.
You get the best eats – without ridiculous tourist pricing.
We gladly drive here to enjoy our savory and spicy seafood noodles.
The timing is perfect when cooked as the prawns retain that delicious, tender, and succulent texture.
The crabs are so fresh that when you pull the flesh from the legs, it slides out effortlessly in one perfect piece!
The environment is unmatched, with an unobstructed view of the Malacca Straits.
Listening to the sound of the lapping waves crashing on the beach is a slice of paradise in Penang.
What to order at Pak Tam Mee Udang?
Try both Mee Kuah and Mee Goreng.
There’s Kueh Teow, too, if you order rice noodles.
We recommend a Mee Kuah Seafood at RM25 and Mee Udang Goreng at RM12.
Both are tasty, with the one with gravy having a spicy kick.
The fried version tastes slightly sweet; they are equally delicious.
In conclusion, Pak Tam Mee Udang is one of the best places to eat in Penang.
The eatery comes with complete recommendations.
Pak Tam Mee Udang
Pantai Teluk Bayu, Teluk Kumbar, Penang
12 pm – 7 pm, closed on Thursdays
Blog Disclosure: This is a NOT sponsored blog post. All opinions are mine. The writer and friends paid for their meal.
