Thursday, February 29, 2024

29 February 2024 George Town: Leip Day!

 


Today is Leap Day, a bonus day, so an early start to see the sun rise over Penang to the east seemed appropriate.  We had a nice breakfast but saved room for our Michelin Starred lunch.  Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery is one of the two Michelin Star restaurants in all of Malaysia and it was our leap year treat to ourselves.  It was small but authentic and it had received a star in 2023 and in 2024.  The storefront fit the old time theme and the music was old 50's tunes.  Auntie Gaik Lean herself was sitting at one of the tables when we were seated.  She came over to take our order and give us some suggestions.  The menu was in Malay and English but the English was very sparse.  Unfortunately there were no pictures of the dishes, I like pictures when I am unfamiliar with the cuisine.  Leslie's first choice was out of season so Auntie suggested a few things.  Some suggestions would have been too spicy for Leslie so she declined the spicy ones. Auntie suggested the four angle bean dish so we ordered it.  I got a meat roll and the tamarind prawns.  The prawns were butterflied but still had the shells.  It was almost as if the prawns were softshell prawns.  I missed a few bits while peeling and they were surprisingly easy to chew.  Good meal and most reasonably priced.



Looking out to the mainland from the new park


Peaceful time for the fishermen


It will soon be very hot


Great Egret in the surf


Looking for his breakfast


Wading along


A small stream flows in at this end of the park


Time to head back


Is this a land snail or a sea snail dropped inland?


Noce flowers along the way


Tropical climate allows continuous flowering


A kind of hiciscus


We have arrived


This is certainly the place


Great screen at the front door


All lit up on an interior wall


The Professor and the Sasquach


Lots of blue and white murals on the walls


Here she is, Auntie Giak Lean


On the wall and in the flesh


Proudly displayed!


Mear in roll form as an appetizer


Prawns with Tamarind sauce


Fried chicken


A tasty rice dish


Four angled beans otherwise known as winged beans


I looked them up to see what they were.  Tasty but served in a spicy format so Leslie did not enjoy them


Even the tile outside the door was a sign for Auntie Giak Lean


The lunch pots in the window decorations




It has been 1 year and 269 days since we began our Migration