Nagisa Tei Japanese Udon (渚亭) @ Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

Nagisa Tei is probably one of Penang's best-kept secrets, the secretive Japanese Udon parlor is housed in an ordinary-typical terrace house along Tanjung Bungah. It's not a one-trick pony, it churns out excellent Tempura dishes as well. The Japanese Chef (likely expats living in Penang) makes his own Udon noodles but the menu is small, it offers a small but carefully selected Udon choices. The dining area is at the end of the house and offers breath-taking sea view (the terrace house connects to the public beach); Nagisa Tei is probably the only Japanese Udon parlor in Penang that offers such an atmosphere. Though air-conditioner is not available, the sea breeze will keep any heat-intolerant cool. While we love the outdoorsy-beachy atmosphere, we thought the noodles were disappointingly average. If you are looking for a quiet place or to escape the mall-crowd, Nagisa Tei might be an option for you.

Direction: Turn right into Medan Tanjung Bungah (from the traffic light in front of Flamingo Hotel Penang) and go straight until you hit a junction. Turn left and you will find Nagisa Tei on your right shortly.

Korokke/ Japanese Croquette (Rm 6)

Assorted Vegetable Tempura (Rm 30)

Beef Udon (Rm 15)

Kitsune Udon (Rm 13)

Zaru Udon (Rm 10)

Gyoza (Rm 10)

The classic bowl of warm Udon comes in a light, clean-tasting Dashi broth but the texture of the Udon noodles left us underwhelmed. It lacked of the al-dente texture and comes with an unusual gummy quality. It was a simple but satisfying treat... if only the broth could be served warmer. The Zaru Udon on the contrary, was not served chilled. It was more like room-temperature and the dip was lightly flavored. They seem to be a little skimpy in providing condiments like Tempura flakes and Spring Onions; even if we asked from them, we were given in an ungenerous amount. 

The Korokke was however, unexpectedly delicious. It was nicely done with a thin-crispy layer of batter while the inner part was mushy-soft with Potato-bits; good on its own but even better with the sweet Korokke dip. Equally good was the Tempura, the batter was expertly crafted and the vegetables were carefully cooked. We love the texture but a pity that the Tempura dip was lightly flavored and slightly diluted to our liking. 

Ratings:

Taste: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Service: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Price: 7/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)

Parking: 6.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Ambiance: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Additional Information:

Address: 26, Medan Tanjung Bungah, 11200, Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

Business Hours: 11:30 am to 9 pm. Closed on Mondays.

Contact Number: 04- 890 4709