Seafood by the Sea at Baywatch Restaurant

Baywatch Seafood Restaurant was the one I tried on my visit/day trip to the coastal town of Tanjung Sepat (in my last post here).

Reputed to be one of the more popular ones in town, this seemed to be the restaurant that many have been to during their visit to this town.

Perhaps it is their sea view facing location that attracts many to come for their seafood meal, or maybe it is their opening hours; operating throughout lunch and dinner.






The other reason could be the popularization by local food commentary and host, Axian, who had paid his visit and recommended the restaurant.




Lunch was a simple affair, and most of the dishes were supposedly their signature or recommended ones.

These are not the only things we had at the seafood restaurant, of course, but they are the starters to the meal.



Crabs with salted egg yolk




Lala/Clams in Herbal Soup




Deep Fried Mantis Prawns with Dried Chilies (Kung Pow Style)




Spare ribs in BBQ Sauce



Prawns wrapped in Lotus leaf



Steamed White Pomfret with soy sauce



Claypot Beancurd with assorted Seafood



Stir Fried Kale with Salted Fish 



I have not much to comment on the food; just on the average for most of them, hence the photo essay theme for this post where I let the photos do the talking.
As I was also on a guided tour (where everything is arranged by the company and paid for), I am not aware of the prices for the dishes above.
I would say that I still stick to my regular favorites for my own list of seafood restaurants :-)

The view is however quite something for one to enjoy while having their meal here, and I think the main attraction of the restaurant, or at least, it is for city dwellers who do not get to enjoy this on a daily basis.





Maybe I could do a comparison when I get to try another restaurant on my next visit.

Enjoying (non) lobster meal at Red Lobster (Chandler)

One of the interesting news I have heard since last year is the upcoming closure of Red Lobster restaurant, an American chain specializing in the crustacean sector, obviously mentioned in the naming of the restaurant itself.



It brought back to mind my very own experience at Red Lobster, a year or so ago in the Chandler outlet. I was there for a simple lunch while on a short trip to that part of the country.
Red Lobster, named after the core business as the crustacean specialist, has more than 700 outlets all over the world, originating from Orlando, Florida.

Originally started by two entrepreneurs, Bill Darden and Charley Woodsby, in 1968, the restaurant became one of the local names offering seafood in its casual-themed dining environment and quickly grew in its operations, shortly after garnering the attention and interests of the locals in the 1980s.

Late last year (2014), there were rumors spreading around that Red Lobster is on its way to cease operations which was quickly clarified to be false as Red Lobster was merely acquired by the Golden Gate Capital, taking over from the Darden Restaurants in July.

Indeed it was good news to hear that this seafood-themed restaurant is not closing down, and the fact that they have even extended their outlets to my part of the country (which I have yet to try for myself).

My love for seafood is well-satisfied by the menu offering in Red Lobster and it is definitely one of personal favorites to fulfill that seafood persona in me.




The aromatic and buttery soft crusted bun served straight from the oven was the right start to give off an impression for diners, tempting the palates and there is no way to resist this as its fragrant aroma just seduces your senses and turn away as you might, you just might give in to take that little bite.




Enjoyed a lovely Peach Smoothie to chill myself against the hot weather of Arizona
I have always loved peaches, and the flavor of this exquisite fruit just soothe and comforts my soul, and I loved that there is that little strawberry sticking beside my drink along with a slice of lemon, all making up an awesome combination of a drink!

Oven-broiled Wild Caught Flounder with broccoli and wild rice pilaf as sides.
I simply had to have fish, especially when it's claimed to be fresh catch, no offense to the lobsters and this convinced that I still made the right choice.



Averagely sliced and the freshness from the oven maintained the tender juicy fillet of the fish and the broccoli was lightly broiled where the crunch of the florets are just right to my liking.
Wild rice pilaf is an interesting addition, and has that unique taste of a combination of flavors to complement the fish.

Fish Tacos, I can't remember the actual name of the dish anymore was a generous serving which can serve two definitely!



Caesar's Salad was quite simple, nothing much to rave about as we just wanted some greens for our meal.




The star of the meal is definitely this Sweet Chili Shrimps, which was wickedly appetizing with its sweet sauce enveloping the scrumptious and crunchy fresh and hand-battered shrimps.
This is a generous serving as well, and while it is meant to be a starter, we loved it so much that we took our time to relish every bite, or shrimp.
It is really, finger-licking good and the zesty taste of the sauce was not just great company to the shrimps but also the neatly shredded lettuce leaves forming the bed for the shrimps to rest upon.





I have fallen for the ravishing beauty and flavorful tastes of these shrimps that I could even relive the tastes as though it is still nestled against my taste buds as I stare at these photos.
Yes, that is how obsessed I am with this dish and it just officially instigated my interest and craving for shrimps suddenly!

While lobsters may be the theme of the restaurant and I did not try any on my visit, I am looking forward to return, especially when they have clarified that they are not closing down anyway.
I will wait patiently to return to their original outlets in their home country, but at the same time, I heard that they are already operating in my country.

It is definitely time to pay my own local outlets of this American casual dining chain in Malaysia, like, really soon?

A Seafood Lunch at Pier Market

A visit to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 is not complete without enjoying a seafood meal in an area where fishermen and the fishing trade dwell; hauling in the abundant fresh catch from the sea every single day.

Voted as the "Best Seafood in San Francisco" by the KRON 4 TV Best of the Bay as proudly publicized on their homepage, Pier Market boasts of their fresh seafood served in their very own distinguished styles guaranteed to leave that memorable tastes in their guests' minds (and mouths, of course).





Be welcomed by the warm ambiance as one steps into the restaurant's dining area, where live seafood swim in the tanks at the front of the restaurant which is decked in wooden furnishing.
The casual-dining environment with a light note of elegance in the concept of their interior sends that very message intended by the Simmons family; the founder and developer of Pier 39 and also of this place, and Pier Market Seafood Restaurant has been in operation for more than three decades; managed by the 3rd generation of the family.



One can also choose to enjoy the cool breezy environment in their open concept of alfresco dining; where tables and chairs are laid out under the signature blue shades from the awning, allowing the friendly rays of the sun to shine through amidst the cheerful colors of the garden flowers dancing gaily in the weather. Besides enjoying the food, one can take in the atmosphere of Pier 39 and of the visitors taking a stroll down the wood board floors of the marina.



We chose to dine inside as the breeze was a little too chilly for us tropical climate dwellers, and we made ourselves comfortable as we enjoyed the view from the observation deck which provided scenes of the overall Pier 39 and the famous islands.

Started the meal with their fresh Sourdough Garlic Bread



The term fresh was definitely apt to describe this soft pillowy texture of the bread lined with the crackling crisp outer layer. The firm yet brittle bite of the crust was a perfect complement to the chewy and spongy white bed, and is good enough to enjoy on its own.
Garlic butter is provided as well, as with most bread baskets to start the meal.



One of their house specialties and definitely a unique option to start the meal is their
Crab Cakes ($12.95)



Served with Cajun Remoulade, the well-battered moulds stuffed to the brim with the moist minced crab paste was rather the distinct offering compared to those usually found in the Thai cuisine.
The generously sized crab cakes were mixed with their home recipe, providing that luscious taste of the crab paste which melts in one's mouth against the flaky crumbs adorning the outer skin will definitely leave one with that memorable longing for a second bite.
Try it with a squeeze of lemon and with that special cajun remoulade, and you will be hooked.



Pier Market Mixed Grill $23.95 was a modest platter combining the grill of fresh Salmon, fresh swordfish and shrimp skewer, served along with cole slaw and rice.
(One can opt to have this in Cajun Style, Teriyaki or BBQ Glazed and to serve with either rice or garlic buttered new potatoes).



Slightly left a little longer on the grill which gave it that slight overcooked tastes, the platter is still a good option for one who would like a little more variety of the seafood in one single serving.
I definitely enjoyed not having to choose between salmon and their fresh swordfish and even shrimps, and the serving left us satisfied, though the grill could be improved with a lighter touch.

We were treated to this cookie at the end of the meal; complimentary from the restaurant to polish our overall meal.



We found the shop selling this a few doors away from the restaurant :-)



With the many seafood restaurants around Pier 39 to storm you dizzy with choices for meals, one can easily stumble upon any restaurant and for us, I must say that my lucky stars helped me to decide on Pier Market which turned out to be a good one to add that finishing touch to my experience on Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf and definitely of San Francisco too.

After all, more than 30 years of operation definitely says something about Pier Market, doesn't it?
Looking forward to visiting again on my next trip :-)

Taiwan Travelogue: Traditional Sour Dough Bread in Shilin

There is always a reason for a crowd, and more over so if there is a long queue.
It is a concept embedded in our minds for as long as we can remember, and it does not matter if you are a local or a traveler, the same rule applies. We are taught to be inquisitive (but not to an annoying extent to pry into personal business), but generally, we do have that desire to-know and that helped us to get to many places; or moving to that next level in life as we learn along the way when we asked the why, how, when, what, who and where in many stages of our lives.
It is just a way of life, and though curiosity does kills the cat, there are times when curiosity could help to lead to the discovery of something new; a lesson learnt.
This was how we came to discover an interesting shop facing the streets near Shilin Night Market.

As we were heading home after our adventure in Shilin Night Market, we passed by brightly lit shophouses located in the vicinity of the area and we spotted a long queue forming before a shop.
Curious, we took a closer look to check out the reason behind the hype.
(Everything is interesting when you're a tourist, and if there is a queue somewhere, there must be something good, or the opposite).



In the midst of my excitement, I may have overlooked to check the name of the shop, but I think I did capture a small sign on the left hand side (though partially blocked by the person standing there), that there is a mere mention of Old Zhang (translated from the Chinese characters there).
At closer look, this is a shop selling sourdough bread; Old Zhang Sourdough Bread, perhaps?

The menu displayed at the top corner of the shop


The interesting part about this shop is not just in the obvious retro form it seem to be in but also, the whole process of the making of the sourdough bread is performed before everyone in a very traditional way. It seems to me that this is a family-run business, as everyone sloughed and toiled, rushing to make batch after batch of sourdough bread to cater to the hungry demands of the customers waiting in line.







I loved scenes like these; and to see for myself the art of making traditional food.
The keyword here being traditional; as these are priceless these days, with the rapid process of modernization and development where we are getting lost in the needs of technology and constant improvement that we have probably lost touch with what was probably part of the early history/days bringing us today.
It can be a rather nostalgic journey but it is still a comforting thought that there are still many, though rare, who are still doing things the old way despite the existence of machinery and improvised technology which could speed up the processing time. I guess it is not the same, and that some things just need to be done the old way; especially when it comes to traditional food like these.
Yes, some things can be replaced but there is just something about that classic taste in the tender process of the making (especially when it comes to food) where that personal touch, passion, and emotions, not to mention the varying pressure from the hands from different individuals which simply cannot be programmed or taught to a machine. It is just as simple as that, and while the trade of manual labor may be slowly taking a back seat, there are still many who are looking out to relive that old tastes from yesterday, and that alone, is more than enough motivation for the experts to continue the trade for as long as they could.

Just like this shop; Old Zhang, where the folks can be seen hard at work, grueling at each of their own task; be it pounding the dough, setting the stove, rotating the trays for baking, all under the watchful and admiring eyes of the eager customers waiting in line.











A glimpse of the sourdough breads; freshly baked and running out fast with the amount of orders from the crowd.
Most of the customers actually order in numbers of tens and above, and if you wanted certain flavors despite it running out, you would need to wait for another 20-30 minutes for the next batch to be ready.


Red Bean was really popular; and they have already run out by the time it was our turn and we had already waited for almost half an hour, so we just grabbed whatever they have.

Their signature flavor; or rather the original, was the Sourdough Green Onion Bread.
There was another version, in the little cakes, but we got the bread version.






The Pepper Pork Sourdough Bread






Hopefully we still get to see old trades like these everywhere in the world; as these are really makes the whole exploration really memorable and meaningful.

Keep it up, Old Zhang (or Lao Zhang in Chinese), this is a priceless and precious trade and should be sustained for generations to come, and I am sure many agree with me~
Finding this shop adds to the enriching part of my trip, despite the fact that I waited in a long line along the corridors for these sourdoughs, still the concept of the shop provides that little window into their process and that itself, kept the customers in check to wait patiently for their rewards.

Suddenly, it seems that it's worth the wait :-)