30/10/2026 - Lunch @ Zai San Bei Restaurant

The Light Waterfront Shoppes

The Light Waterfront Shoppes (TWS) had a soft opening on 29th October 2026 with a dozen or so restaurants for patrons to feast on. TWS was promoted as one of the largest malls in Penang. So, expect more new eating outlets to sprout up by year-end. TWS also has a serenely beautiful promenade by the sea with the iconic Penang Bridge as the backdrop. It will be a wonderful place to visit in the late evenings.

We decided to give the vibrant Zai San Bei a try on its second day of the opening. This huge restaurant is located on the Lower Ground, and it serves its guests from 10am till 3am!! And there is a lady musician who plays lovely Gu Cheng music to keep you entertained. Apparently, they have a live band playing at night too. Zai San Bei has two other branches, one at Upper Penang Road and another at Auto City on the mainland. They have another four branches outside of Penang.

We decided to order their dim sum dishes as it was too early for lunch. We tried the Golden Pearl Shrimp Siu Mai, Steamed Pork Ribs with Plum and Garlic, Mantis Shrimp Crystal Dumplings and Pork Xialongbao. We also ordered BBQ pork buns, Dry-tossed Fresh Prawn Wonton Noodles and the Steamed Chicken Feet with Chu Hou Sauce.

The verdict? All of us agreed that the dim sum dishes were rather delicious. Hot Pu Er Cha was on the house. Considering their obvious plush interiors, the bill was quite reasonable. 

Our main complaint was the chairs are too high to feel comfortable. Perhaps, it was meant to be high to cater for the night patrons who will come for the alcoholic beverages. All in, Zai San Bei is worth another try – got to try the non-dim sum dishes!

“Life Tastes Better With Good Food!” Cheers!

31/8/2026 Merdeka Lunch @ Wu Jia Restaurant, Taman Pekaka, Penang

Wu Jia has always been an Eating-Kakis favourite joint, as the food is reliably delicious and the pricing is fair.  Recently, the restaurant has been upgraded and given a new look. A better ambience for sure. 

We started our little food journey with a dose of deep-fried teow chew prawn rolls (hare choh). It was savoury with crispy minced meat and fresh prawns wrapped in beancurd skin. And the Wu Jia special sauce. Double thumbs up! 

Next came the Roasted Crispy Peking Duck. The entire bird cost RM168. It came with the usual condiments - strips of green scallions (for its pungent taste), thin sliced cucumber sticks, sweet bean sauce and of course, the steamed-thin “popiah skin” as wraps. Nicely done. However, they limited the “popiah skin” to only a dozen!  A disappointment as the cut slices numbered more!

The balanced shredded duck meat was cooked in Hong Kong-style Ee Fu noodles. The meat was tender enough and the noodles was well done. 

For vegetables, we ordered the steamed bayam - soft and tender. It must have been a fresh batch of young bayam. A good choice! 

Our final dish was the Sea Grouper Fillet in premium soy sauce and garnished with scallions. How I wish there were loads of aromatic ginger strips to add to the flavour!

 

For dessert, we had ice-cream cake from Baskin Robbins to celebrate David Cheah and Gim Ewe’s birthdays in August. Not forgetting celebrating our nation’s 69th Anniversary!

 

“A nation’s strength lies not in its military might, but in the unity and resilience of its people.”   Merdeka!  Merdeka!  Merdeka!

 

The Eating Kaki aka The Taste Testers.

 

The Eating Kaki aka The Taste Testers.

We are not food critics, culinary experts, or people with a business agenda. We simply enjoy discovering good food, appreciating the blend of ingredients, and sharing our honest experiences. Every dish tells a story — from its presentation to its flavours — and we savour each moment for our own enjoyment and reflection.

Our shared love for food has brought us closer together since 2020 and strengthened our friendship over the years. Through this blog, we documented our gatherings, archived our culinary adventures, and shared the joy of discovering delightful dishes.

We also believe that food should be admired before it is tasted — which is why we love capturing beautiful photographs that highlight the small and intricate details of each dish.

The Taste Tester is our little corner to celebrate food, friendship, and unforgettable dining moments.

Come along, follow us, and savour the journey with us. 

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