[Penang, Malaysia] Malay-style Prawn Noodles at Citarasa Dadi Dada Cafe

[klyeoh (Peter)]

We opted for a Malay lunch yesterday at Citarasa Dadi Dada Cafe yesterday.

Co-owner and chef, Farahin Khan, offers Malay-style prawn noodles or “mee udang”, and more at her cafe on Clarke Street. Her partner is sister, Diayana Khan, who takes care of the front of the house. Farahin & Diayana’s father, Yahya bin Ahmad, ran a popular “mee udang” stall for over 3 decades - first at Transfer Road, and then at the City Stadium. Now, Farahin pays tribute to her father’s offerings in her charming little retro cafe on Clarke Street, with nostalgic old Malay songs wafting through the air.

We ordered:
Mee Udang - the version here has a beefy stock as the base, but tomatoey all the same. 6 large, very fresh prawns adorn the noodles, garnished with chopped Chinese lettuce leaves, crisp-fried shallots, fried tofu, green chili and a halved, hard-boiled egg. Calamansi lime was provided, to be squeezed over the noodles.

Nasi dengan Ikan Bawal Goreng - crisp-fried whole white pomfret, served with steamed rice, a sour-spicy curry sauce, two kinds of dips: dark soy sauce spiked with raw onions and chopped birds’ eye chilis, and a red minced chili/sambal one. Raw herbs and leaves are provided on the side.

Telur Dadar - Malay-style egg omelette with chili and onions.

Ikan Cencaru Sumbat - hard-tail scad stuffed with chilis and shallow-fried - also served with ulam (Malay-style salad).

Asam Boi - these are iced drinks of Chinese dried plums, sprinkled with tamarind powder on top.

Well-known local cartoonist, Azmi Hussin’s murals adorn the walls of the restaurant.

Address
Citarasa Dadi Dada Cafe
8, Lebuh Clarke (Clarke Street), 10050 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +6011-1444 5224
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm Tue -Fri, 11.30am to 11pm Sat-Sun. Closed on Mondays.

[Presunto (--> Eating yoghurt in Athens .......... [Fleeced Taxpayer :@)) :@)) ])]

Your companion was trying to get the same shot of the noodles being lifted with chopsticks

Nice meal. I like crispy fried fish.
There are onions and chillies in the omelette? I see some on top but they are probably also in the beaten egg mix.

[klyeoh (Peter)]

@Presunto

Your companion was trying to get the same shot of the noodles being lifted with chopsticks

Yes, foodies here are incorrigible - can never resist pointing our camera phones on anything on the table that looked Instagrammable.

[Presunto (--> Eating yoghurt in Athens .......... [Fleeced Taxpayer :@)) :@)) ])]

Look at the guy on the right

It’s very normal in Korea. Nobody bats an eye.

[klyeoh (Peter)]

Probably thinking - “This is the last time I’m coming out with this bunch”.

I usually try to be the first in a restaurant, preferably before any other guests have arrived, if I am to take food photos. And I’ll do it only if I’m dining with a fellow food-writer, or food blogger.
On other occasions when I am having a meal with family or friends, I simply had to resist the urge to whip out my phone-camera.