Penang Restaurant – Cai Xiang Seafood (Crab Claypot Rice)
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As a newbie to an area, I would usually choose to patronize the restaurant that is recommended by word of mouth or through the blogs. This time around I chose the Cia Xiang Seafood Restaurant in Bukit Tambun for our family weekend makan outing. This restaurant is nearby the Bukit Tambun Interchange of the North South Highway and the area is dotted with a lot of seafood restaurants, with each close by.
Their signature dish is the Claypot Crab Rice. We were recommended to have two crabs for the claypot. We waited for around twenty minutes for our order.
When the lid was opened, you could smell the fragrance of the crab. The two big crabs were laid on top of the pot of rice garnished with chopped spring onions with myriad of ingredients, such as dried shrimps, mushroom and Chinese sausages.
The crabs were very fresh and were cooked to the right timing, with the flesh easily detachable from the shell. They were comparable to the other delicious baked crab that I had in Teluk Kumbar. The rice was puffy and flavorful with the burnt rice crust on the bottom of the claypot. The layer of crust is chewy and simply irresistible. For once, I love the rice more than the crab. This delicious pot of crab rice cost RM40 and the serving was enough for the three of us.
The other excellent seafood dish we ordered at Cai Xiang was the steamed fish with ‘hor fun’ and ‘chai pou’ @RM18. I had doubts that the chai pou might not go well with the fish. Surprisingly it turns out to be a very good combination in taste. The not too salty chai pou fried with lots of garlic and some chili padi gave a lot of flavour to this dish.
I find the hor fun much tastier if left in the gravy longer as it tends to absorb the gravy more. This dish is highly recommended.
Besides seafood, we had the Stew Pork Trotter with steam man tou. This is the first time I come across Pork Trotter stewed and served in a bag, quite unusual.
The well marinated pork trotter was stewed with mushroom, dates and Chinese chestnuts.
The final dish was the Guinness Stout Spare Ribs @RM8. The ribs were packed with lots of flavor and served on a bed of vegetable.
The sticky sweet gravy gives the spare ribs a delicious taste.
This is our first visit and definitely will be back for more of its delicious food. Thanks to my reader, Rebecca Lee for introducing this restaurant to me. For other review, do hop over to Ginna’s blog to have a look.
After existing the Bukit Tambun toll, drive on till you reach the roundabout, take the three o’clock turn and keep left (do not go up the flyover). Take the first turn on your left. Immediately after the turn into Jalan Paboi, you will see the restaurant on your right. Click here for the Map Location.
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Cia Xiang Seafood Restaurant
1663 Jalan Paboi
Pathau, Bukit Tambun
14100 Simpang Empat
S.P.S. Pulau Pinang
H/P No : 016 504 1815
GPS Coordinates : N05 16.441 E100 27.462