Bakery (Penang): Soon Hiang Tau Sar Pneah(Tambun Biscuit)

If you have been to Penang, Malaysia, you would probably be familiar with their famous Tau Sar Pneah (Hokkien for Mung Bean biscuit). These are circular balls made of layers of thin puff pastry stuffed with Mung Bean filling, a mix of dried mung beans fried together with shallots in lard oil. Some shops have substituted the lard with vegetable oil to cater to the health conscious, which kind of dumbs down the taste. The most famous brands are Him Heang and Ghee Hiang. 
In a trip to Penang last year, while surfing for more information in my hotel room, I came across this website which described a small shop that does things the traditional way and I decided to take a chance and check out this place. 
Located along a row of 2 storey shophouses. We were met at the door by a matronly auntie who spoke in Hokkien and spoke with great pride about her products. She even gave samples of the biscuit to try. Fresh from the oven, the fragrance of the shallots and lard oil was permeating the air with a wonderful aroma. Needless to say we bought a few boxes from her.  
Fast forward to this year, my friend from Penang came back with a box of her mung bean biscuit and a bag of Beh Teh Soh so we could relive the experience.
Tau Sar Pneah

	Taste Verdict: Layers of soft pastry encase the sweet and salty Mung Bean Filling which retains the distinct flavour of the shallots and lard oil. Yum! However I do find the filling a little too sweet.

Beh Teh Soh
This was supposed to be the sideline but for me, it stole the show from the Tau Sar Pneah. Beh Teh Soh is a bigger, UFO shaped biscuit with layers of crumbly pastry and with a thin layer of sweet molasses at the bottom.

	Taste Verdict: The pastry is nice and crumbly. The molasses filling is soft and sticky and you can taste a slight onion taste. Heavenly! This is unlike most of the ones we have in Singapore which have an extremely hard filling. Note to self is to try to sample the best Beh Teh Sohs from Malacca which are quite famous too.

So next time you are in Penang, you might want to drop by this home run business to try some. Just a tip that since that time last year, its popularity has grown and my friend's advice is to call up a few days in advance if you want to buy more than 1 box from them.

Where: 36 Jalan Kuantan 10150 Penang. 
Tel No: 04-229 5799


Directions: From KOMTAR shopping complex, drive along Jalan Datuk Keramat past Gama Supermarket (which should be on your left). After Gama, keep an eye out for Jalan Kuantan on your left. It is a small lane just off the main road. Turn into the lane and look for no. 36 (the house/shop should also be on your left) 

Restaurants: Villa Di Parma

Formerly the restaurant known as Ristorante de Parma, Villa Di Parma serves Italian Home-style cuisine. About a month ago, my wife brought me here for dinner on my birthday. Excuse the grainy photos, the place is quite dimly lit and posed a challenge to my trusty Samsung Galaxy S2 phone camera.
Foccacia

The complimentary Foccacia and Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar was a pleasant combination. The bread was nice and crisp and paired nicely with the dip.  

Deep Fried Calamari Rings

We decided on what we thought was a safe starter. The version cooked up here is one which comes lightly battered and accompanied by a tomato based sauce. It isn't the extremely crispy version that most of us expect but the freshness of the Calamari and its slightly chewy texture makes you want to have more.      
Smoked Salmon Pizza
From what my wife read up on forums and reviews, this is one of the recommended signature dishes. 

Don't be alarmed if you think they forgot to heat it up for you. We did ask the waitress just to be sure so you can be spared the blushes. They make the dough fresh and bake it on the spot. Then they actually leave the crust to cool before adding the Smoked Salmon and creamy sauce that keeps the Salmon on the thin crispy crust and top it off with onions and olives. Think of it as smoked salmon on a biscuit. Found it rather refreshing and quite tasty.

Seafood pasta

I can't remember the actual name of the dish (one year older and one year closer to Dementia) but I believe it is a variant of Seafood Marinara served with Linguine. The sauce is slightly spicy and comes with servings of scallops, prawns, mussels and squid. Not bad but not mind blowing though.
Tiramisu
Most people have high expectations whenever it comes to this dessert. While  the version served here doesn't disappoint, it also doesn't dazzle either. A overall decent attempt to round off the meal.

Verdict: Nice, cosy ambience where one can have a hearty italian meal with wine and good conversation. For Food, budget about S$50 per pax (more depending on what wine you decide to have)

Where: VILLA DI PARMA

14B KENSINGTON PARK ROAD, SERANGOON GARDENS.
TEL: 6281 3380, 6280 1096. 
CLOSED ON WED, EXCEPT ON THE EVE OF A PUBLIC HOLIDAY.


Check out their website: Villa Di Parma