Red Chopsticks, I-Avenue

Red Chopsticks (19 June 2016)


Red Chopstick (GPS: 5.33245, 100.29395) is a restaurant at i-Avenue in Sungai Nibong, Penang. It is opened by Miss Tee Peck Siang, who happens to be a former colleague of mine some ten years ago. Having great passion for local cooking, she took lessons from Penang's famous cooking teacher, Datuk Lim Bian Yam, who was honoured by the Penang Heritage Trust as our Living Heritage Treasure.

Red Chopstick specializes in local cuisine. In a way, it is a love letter to tasty food which Peck Siang learned from Datuk Lim. Entering the food business without any experience whatsoever, she learned the trade "on the job", so to speak. She told me that when she first decided to open her restaurant, she faced huge resistance from her parents who have wanted her to hang on to her day job and salary. But she could not let go of her passion, and exactly ten years ago, Red Chopstick was born.

My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Peck Siang at her restaurant just two days shy of its 10th Anniversary. It has been so long since I met Peck Siang, and I could hardly remember her, but she remembered me all right. And when my recollection return, I couldn't help but feel so proud of her achievement - so many restaurants fold before they could even make it to their 5th anniversary. Then Peck Siang served us the food she learned to cook from Datuk Lim, and when we taste the food, we see the reason.

Peck Siang is only the second person I know who has been taught by Dato' Lim. The first is Pearly Kee. Both of them have taken what they learned and have gone in two different directions - Peck Siang by opening a restaurant to serve good food to people, while Pearly by holding cooking classes to hand down the knowledge.

Meeting Datuk Lim Bian Yam

We were greatly privileged to meet Peck Siang's mentor Datuk Lim Bian Yam, during our visit to Red Chopsticks on 19 June, 2016. Sadly Datuk Lim passed away a year later on 5 July, 2017. We had Datuk Lim autograph a copy of his book for us.

Datuk Lim Bian Yam autographed a copy of his cookbook for us (19 June 2016)


Inside Red Chopsticks (19 June 2016)

Address

Restoran Red Chopstick
1-1-5 Ideal Avenue,
Jalan Tun Dr Awang,
11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang.
Phone: 016 440 3938
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redchopsticks.my/
Business Hours: 12:00 noon to 9:30 pm daily.

Red Chopstick is on the Map of I-Avenue, Penang

Our visits to Red Chopsticks

Some of the dishes at Red Chopsticks

According to Peck Siang, she plans to introduce new items to the Red Chopsticks menu every now and then. Here's a selection of what is available at Red Chopsticks at the time of my visit in March 2016.


Banana Leaf Curry Fish King, Red Chopsticks
© Red Chopsticks

Fried Oyster King, Red Chopsticks
© Red Chopsticks

Tomato Rice King, Red Chopsticks
© Red Chopsticks

Nasi Biru King, Red Chopsticks
© Red Chopsticks

Nasi Kunyit King, Red Chopsticks
© Red Chopsticks

Thai Clear Tomyam Chicken, Red Chopsticks
© Red Chopsticks

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice, Red Chopsticks
© Red Chopsticks

My wife and I with Peck Siang, her young son and her husband at Red Chopstick (17 March 2016)

Red Chopstick on Google Street View

List of Restaurants in Penang and Restaurants in Malaysia