NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 12:40:56 CDT Xref: alexander.INS.CWRU.Edu chi.eats:3928 We went to Penang last night and it was wonderful, as usual. We did make a slight error in ordering. A huge plate of a phenomenal looking dish covered with fried onions passed by as we were deciding on our main courses and after the waiter told us that it was an off the menu special of duck we could not resist. The duck was first fried then steamed and was quite tender with a sauce that was reminiscent of the type that is served with pressed duck in American/Cantonese restaurants. This type of sauce and fall off the bone steamed duck is not to my taste, though one of our group liked it. Our error in falling for a pretty plate was compounded by the fact that we ordered the duck instead of the Penang Ikan, fish wrapped in a banana leaf, which was skate last night. Just as we were commenting how ordinary, in a distinctly unordinary restaurant, the duck was the table next to us was served the skate wrapped in banana leaf. It looked fantastic and we could smell the aroma from our table. Lucky there is always a next time. I would say after a number of visits to Penang that my favorite dishes, at the moment, subject to change depending on my mood and what I had there last are; Kari Sotong, Asam Laska, Penang Char Kway Teow and the Ice Kang for dessert. I have yet to try the Cendol for dessert, they have never had it on hand when I have been there. Two dishes that we tried for the first time last night were outstanding. The Achat, Malaysian pickled vegetables in a spicy peanut sauce was excellent and an appetizer of Penang Lobak, deep-fried minced meat with bean curd, shrimp pancake and fried tofu was wonderful. The minced meat was wrapped in tofu skin and then fried and the contrasting textures really appealed to me On another note altogether, we have been to Thyme 4 or 5 times since mid-summer and when we dined in the outdoor garden area there were people smoking cigars. I doubt that cigar smoking is allowed in the inside dining room, but I am sure that they are allowed in the nightclub attached to Thyme (Sinibar) and fairly certain they are allowed in the bar area of the restaurant. I know that this does not help the poster of the cigar question at this moment, as it is a little cold to dine outdoors, but you can keep this in mind for next summer. Enjoy, Gary Penang 2201 S Wentworth Ave. Chicago, IL. 60616 312-326-6888 Thyme 464 N. Halsted St. Chicago 312-226-4300
Chicago, IL