[Penang, Malaysia] Southern breakfast at 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘁

We decided to have an American Southern breakfast for a change last weekend. Let’s Meat is run by Alabaman transplant to Penang, Diana Foster, together with her husband, Benjamin Ho (who studied in Texas) and their business partner, Joyce Ooi, who’d lived for a decade in Kentucky. The restaurant came about, apparently, because Diana missed food from home, and decided to open a restaurant which has all her favorite dishes, and more.

Located on a quiet street in a largely residential area in Tanjung Bungah, Let’s Meat seems busiest on Saturday mornings (it’s closed on Sundays) when the weekend crowd comes for breakfast.

Our breakfast spread:
1) Triple stack pancakes with maple syrup and butter, and bacon - beautiful-looking pancakes, and we ordered the ones with chopped bacon worked into the batter. A tad dry - we asked for extra maple syrup.
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2) Buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy - I enjoyed everything about this simple dish: the crumbly texture and the deliciously creamy sage-scented sausage gravy. I could eat this every day.

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3) Pulled pork omelette with queso, green and red salsa - always love Tex-Mex flavors, and this was no exception.
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4) Biscuit with bacon & eggs
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It was a welcome change from the typical Chinese, Malay or Indian breakfast options we usually have - sometimes, you do want a break from even the “good things”.

Address
Let’s Meat
18, Lebuh Lembah Permai 4, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +6016-215 4234
Opening hours: 8.30am to 8pm Mon to Sat. Closed on Sundays.

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Nice.

There’s a cafe I can walk to in the next village that does a good “Full English” breakfast but also does very tasty American style pancakes (with or without the crispy streaky bacon)

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John, I really miss a “Full English” fry-up here.

Bel & Nev in Kensal Green, London, sets the benchmark where I’m concerned. Consuming one of these was like reverse-liposuction: :grin:

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Damn , that does look very good.

In the London area, I do like the place at Borough Market (Maria’s ?). But the fullest of Full English that I’ve had is the Bridge Cafe near Kew Gardens. Very much what I’d describe as a “workman’s cafe” - they are not going to be fussed if a customer comes in wearing dirty overalls. I stay nearby when I’m visiting the National Archives. Their “Full Monty” comprises bacon, black pudding & white pudding, a sausage, beans, mushrooms, tomato, fried bread, fried egg, bubble & squeak, toast and coffee. And all decent quality. I don’t usually need lunch after one of those.

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Sounds like a dream. :yum::+1:

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Although this blog closed a few years back, it’s still a decent reference point for breakfasts in the London area. Check out the punning names of the review writers. And much of the writing is fun.

http://londonreviewofbreakfasts.blogspot.com/

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I remember this blog!! I was reading it when it first got started - just 4 or 5 entries only at the time! Didn’t realise it went on for a good ten years and had such a huge list by the end of it!

Oh yes, the various nom de plume they used were a hoot. :joy:

Speaking of names,

We recently discovered the old Australian TV show Strange Calls.

In the first two episodes a chicken restaurant named Frequent Fryer served as the scene of the crime.

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Aussies love puns!
Reminds me of an old joke I heard during my school days in Perth, Western Australia, back in the 80s - it’s about this church that was in dire need of funds and decided to start a fish-and-chips business. Their business boomed, and church’s fish-and-chips gained wide acclaim.

One evening, a priest went to receive a late caller at the door.
The visitor asked, “Are you the fish friar?
The priest replied, “No, I’m the chip monk.

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Punning names are quite common with British fish & chips shops and hairdressers.

I think my favourite F & C name is in London - the Rock & Sole Plaice.

Good name. Awful F & C.

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I remember Rock & Sole Plaice - perpetually crowded with tourists, visitors and the theatre crowd. Pictures from my 2011 visit, when it was still safe for us to breathe each other’s air:

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2008 when I was there, Peter. But I see you also had one of the issues I had - overly pale, underfried chips.

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This blog looks amazing.

I’ve always been partial to this East London breakfast spot:

https://g.page/pelliccicafe?share

“Cockney” bfast???

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Pellicci’s crops up on TV here, whenever someone wants to feature an East End caff. They must have good marketing.

But, yes, the inclusion of the bubble & squeak makes it a London breakfast. You won’t generally see that anywhere else in the UK. On the other hand, you will find hash browns right across the country - they are a very recent addition to the Full English, replacing the traditional fried bread. It’s probably safe to date the rise in its popularity to when Britons started holidaying in Florida, from the late 1980s, and ate them there.

By the by, I thought the sausages looked cheap and nasty - the classic “catering sausage”.

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Back to the original post – good biscuits and gravy is hard to find in SE Asia. We have plenty of places in Chiang Mai offering American breakfasts and full English ones, but there is only one place that does a great version of biscuits and gravy. Unfortunately they only offer it twice a month. I do almost plan my schedule around that.

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I remember going to Rock and Sole Plaice back on my first trip to London. I think it was listed in Lonely Planet, which is what drew us there. And all of the other tourists. I remember loving it but I was a wide-eyed 20-something, in love with London.

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Back at Let’s Meat last Saturday - this time to try its Tex-Mex Migas - crisp-fried tortilla strips, eggs, onions, chiles, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, potatoes, scallions & sour cream.

Loved the migas, which had the requisite flavours. The other item we tried - the Bananas Foster Pancakes - triple stack pancakes (with bananas, butter, caramel sauce and whipped cream) were a tad heavier and drier than we’d have liked.

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I really should explore the other restaurants in the same neighbourhood as Let’s Meat: I’d heard good things about Javu, two doors away, which serves good Moroccan tagine with cous cous. There is also an interesting Chinese spot, My Home Style, which seems to be attracting a large clientele.

But for now, we were back at Let’s Meat for lunch today as we wanted to explore the lunch options from its menu.

Jalapeño poppers - peppers stuffed with herbed cheese, breaded and deep-fried, served with ranch dressing
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Burrito, stuffed with scrambled eggs, sausages, black beans, onions, green peppers and cheese, then topped with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, queso and green onions. Served with skillet potatoes

Blackened fish, served with rice, beans and corn salsa
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The place really gets busy at lunch-time, but service was efficient and friendly as always. We waited for a bit for our food, but all’s good.

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Let’s Meat has shortened its hours of operation due to manpower shortage.
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