Art Sim Kitchen @ Jalan Gajah, Tanjung Bungah

Great food exists almost every corner in Penang and sometimes an extra effort is needed to locate those hidden gems. One best example of such eatery is Art Sim Kitchen. It is easily missed out to locate this cafe at Jalan Gajah, a residential area in Tanjung Bungah, as the exterior of the cafe is no different compared to other houses. However, you will be shocked by the unique design inside the cafe.

Currently Art Sim Kitchen only opens till 12pm in the afternoon to cater for early lunch patrons but they are considering to extend their operation hours.

The extra miles we took to locate this cafe does not wash down to the drain as we were rewarded with some great food. Their home cooked nasi lemak (RM 9.90) is a must try here, with choices to have it along with ayam goreng berempah, ayam rendang or kapitan chicken. Fragrant blue flowered rice was used to substitute with the coconut rice, giving a healthy version of nasi lemak.

Ayam goreng berempah was deep fried to possess nice crispy skin and tender meat. The bowl of nasi lemak also comes with peanuts, anchovies, cucumber slices, hard boiled egg, and an unique sambal to impart a nice taste. The nasi lemak tends to finish early, so come early or give them a call to reserve first to prevent disappointment.

Another main dish available is Kerabu Bihun (RM 8.90). Strong torch finger flower (Bunga kantan) scent can be tasted, alongside with other spices such as onions and coriander leaves. Though the bihun itself has been mixed with a spicy and sour sauce, squeeze a few drops of lime to add some tanginess and further heighten the taste. Nevertheless, we feel RM 8.90 was slightly overpriced, considering it just come with ingredients such as bean sprouts and dried bean curds. 

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