As a practical joke from this God person, people are made in such a way that food always tastes better when we have to travel long distance to obtain them. Something that you can get right next door is never as satisfying as the one you have to spend an hour’s journey getting there.

Hence, the place to go for seafood when you’re in Penang is not located on the island, it is this little fishing village called Tambun on peninsular side of the stat. The place is anything from 40 min to 1.5 hours away from the island, depending on the mercy of traffic.

tambun seafood, gee seng restaurant
Jon, Jun, and Wai Meng, check out the big fat mantis prawns swimming!

And since we were in Penang over the long weekends, it took us well over an hour to get from the little motel at Tanjung Tokong to Gee Seng Seafood Restaurant at Tambun. The road from Penang bridge onwards was alright, it was getting to the bridge that took the longest time ever.

Lesson Learned: never try to drive anywhere far within Penang over any long weekends.

deep fried squid, prawn with nestum, fried noodle, crab with salted egg
fried squid, prawn with Nestum, fried noodle, crab with salted egg

This was actually my first time at Gee Seng seafood restaurant, and it was almost a couple years since I last went to Tambun. We somehow found a parking space deep inside the village and made our way to the restaurant.

For the five of us, we ordered deep fried squid, prawn with Nestum, crab with salted egg, giant mantis prawn, noodle, and a plate of vegetable for some sense of balance.

mantis prawn, elfie and KY
love the giant mantis prawns, says Elfie

Despite the crowd, our dishes didn’t take long start arriving at the table. They were fresh and really tasty, despite having scored almost negative when it comes to presentation. I particularly like the giant mantis prawns (RM 60 for the 3 we had), very succulent and sweet, did you know that these creatures have polarized vision?

Nestum prawns (RM 23) and deep fried squid (RM 18)  too were top notch, but I thought the crab with salted egg (RM 47) was kinda average, would have been better if they were bigger.

map to tambun seafood

Together with the vegetable, noodle, and tea, the bill came to RM 155.50, which translate to only RM 31 per person for the 5 of us for some rather satisfying food. Everyone agreed that it was worth the drive, but perhaps next time we should try somewhere closer? emm

Address:
Restoran Makanan Laut Gee Seng
860, Bagan Bukit Tambun,
14100 Simpang Ampat, Penang
GPS: 5.271221, 100.443385
Tel: 04-588 7200

Seafood on stilts, Gee Seng, Tambun Penang
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28 thoughts on “Seafood on stilts, Gee Seng, Tambun Penang

  • December 10, 2009 at 7:54 am
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    Haha, finally you got your coordinates for drawing? I know there are quite a number of seafood restaurant at this area. Been to one where can overlook the river/sea (I forgotten whether it’s a river/sea), but it’s great and cheap food. Looking at the pictures, hmm….seemed familiar to the time I went.

    Reply
  • December 10, 2009 at 9:14 am
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    JD,
    HEhehe yah, i think the coordinates are correct (or not too far off). It is by the river. 😉

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  • December 10, 2009 at 9:23 am
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    Usually we went to the one next to this. Jetty or something.
    Cheap and fresh indeed, but sometimes lazy to do a detour all the way.

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  • December 10, 2009 at 9:30 am
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    J2Kfm,
    I think they’re all pretty competitive and similar in quality. 😉

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  • December 10, 2009 at 10:45 am
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    yohooo…seafood..

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  • December 10, 2009 at 10:58 am
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    Tey Cindy,
    Hehehehe, holiday maa got holidaysss!

    nikel,
    Yums!

    Reply
  • December 10, 2009 at 11:27 am
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    wah the mantis prawns are gigantic! I want the nestum prawns too!!!

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  • December 10, 2009 at 12:30 pm
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    Johny Tim,
    Yesss very nice!

    eiling,
    They are yummehhh!

    Reply
  • December 10, 2009 at 3:25 pm
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    taufulou,
    Awesomesauce!

    Reply
  • December 10, 2009 at 5:02 pm
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    one day must come here for some cheap and nice seafood…hope their lobster is as cheap in krabi one…kekeke

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  • December 10, 2009 at 5:28 pm
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    vialentino,
    Make it happen!

    Reply
  • December 10, 2009 at 7:50 pm
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    Tambun, Tambun. Just noted it down, my destination when I am back! AIyooo…i so miss mantis prawns!!

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  • December 10, 2009 at 8:23 pm
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    Yeah, I’m loving the mantis prawns over here too. Absolutely awesome stuff! 🙂

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  • December 10, 2009 at 9:22 pm
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    mantis prawn is udang lipan rite?

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  • December 11, 2009 at 1:28 am
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    Preous Pea,
    Do it, make it happen!

    Huai Bin,
    Yah, it was good wasn’t it?

    blogresipi.com,
    You’re right. 😉

    Reply
  • December 11, 2009 at 11:52 am
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    lb,
    HAHAHAHAH teruk! LOL

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  • December 11, 2009 at 12:38 pm
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    make me feel hungry nw lor..

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  • December 11, 2009 at 4:28 pm
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    unless they serve Sri Lankan crabs dude or else all we will get is the small creature . .3 – 4 per kg. . . .siao

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  • December 11, 2009 at 4:51 pm
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    nikel,
    eat eat eat!

    foodcrazee,
    Yahh, over in Penang usually the crab’s smaller lorr

    Reply
  • December 12, 2009 at 1:29 am
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    sure sure…wait till my baby grow up till 1 yrs old…then easy to bring him travel and makan along…

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  • December 12, 2009 at 9:57 am
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    not only in Penag KY . . . .most places in Msia serves smaller crabs . . .all the big ones exported

    Reply
  • December 12, 2009 at 9:15 pm
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    Indulge Cafe = http://bestcafeindulge.com/. Give a try for this new opening cafe at Kuchai Lama KL with top selling MILLE CREPE. They sincerly serving delicious food

    Reply
  • December 13, 2009 at 8:35 am
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    i see food in here. xD
    LOL~ i’m so hungry now.

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  • December 14, 2009 at 9:28 am
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    vialentino,
    Hahah yah, good luck. 😀

    foodcrazee,
    There’re expensive restaurants in KL serving huge crabs tho 😛

    Mcfadden,
    ok thanks

    Renise,
    Hahaha eat!

    Reply

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