Monday, June 29, 2015

Ssambap Korean Restaurant @ Krystal Point, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Penang has seen many openings of Korean restaurants after more and more Penangites professed their love for Korean food. One of the newest players would be Ssambap at Krystal Point, Bayan Lepas. The Korean restaurant proffers the standard Korean fare, at quite reasonable prices. Service was fast on our visit and we need not to cook the meat ourselves; though owing to limitation in language, the foreign workers did not seem to quite understand our needs and thus, could not accede to our demands. Orders were wrongly recorded, meat was overcooked by untrained server... are definitely some areas for improvements. Ssambap Korean Restaurant is right next to La Mei Zi Steamboat at the same commercial building- Krystal Point. 

Friday, June 26, 2015

Garden Paradis @ Waterfall Road, Botanical Garden, Penang.

Enjoy a relaxed dining experience amidst the tranquil environment at Botanical Garden; a new establishment that proffers Japanese-Fusion menu has opened its doors to the public recently. It has the typical cafe setting as well as an outdoorsy dining area, overlooking the small river in the vicinity (be cautious of the aggressive, ravenous mosquitoes though). Garden Paradis starts to serve brunch menu as early as 8 am to cater for the morning park walkers. To find the place, locate Botanical Garden Horticulture Centre (where the famous Big Ben Breakfast place is located). You should be able to find the eye-catching facade of Garden Paradis from there. 

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Buka Puasa Buffet Dinner @ Sarkies, Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang.

Explosion of buffet places opening up in Penang but Sarkies (of E&O Hotel) remains as one of the well-favored places for buffet. To commemorate the one-month long holy month of fasting, the restaurant debuts a special Buka Puasa Buffet for the month. 

Jamuan Berbuka Puasa: (available from 18 June to 16 July 2015)
6: 30 pm to 10: 30 pm, Monday to Sunday.
RM 128.30 nett (Adult), Rm 55.95 nett (Children)

Many Thanks to Eastern & Oriental Hotel for hosting us that evening.


Teh Tarik


Roti Canai


Roasted Whole Lamb

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Teh Tarik Place @ Sunway Perdana, Seberang Jaya, Penang.

An upscale Mamak establishment, Teh Tarik Place is a franchised brand that has recently stepped foot in Butterworth, Penang. The cafe has a menu almost similar to most Mamak places except... the items are priced higher but in a reasonable manner. It has a young, vibrant interior decor but the staff was not well-trained. I did try to ask for some recommendations but to no avail. My orders were messed up either. When asked about my order... I was told that they have scrapped away the receipt. Teh Tarik Place occupies a lot at Sunway Perdana, the new shop lots behind Sunway Carnival Mall, Butterworth. 


Monday, June 22, 2015

Little Nap Coffee Bar @ Time Capsule Hotel, Georgetown, Penang.

Housed in Time Capsule Hotel, the largest Capsule Hotel in Penang is one of the latest additions to the Penang cafe scene- Little Nap Coffee Bar. The cafe occupies a corner of the hotel's lobby; not entirely spacious but good enough to fit four small tables with seating capacity of 15 to 20 pax. The place was not fully launched yet on our visit, thus, we did not get to try their brunch or main menu. Little Nap Coffee Bar offers the usual-standard cafe fare at average prices. The contemporary design of the cafe may be one of the reasons for cafe hoppers to try their luck here. Time Capsule Hotel can be found at Chulia Street, a stone's throw distance away from Subway near Penang Road. 

Friday, June 19, 2015

Lemon Koay Teow Th'ng @ Bagan Lallang, Butterworth, Penang.

At a secluded corner/ end of a village at Bagan Lallang is a stall selling Koay Teow Th'ng; the humble set up right in front of the owner's house draws a huge crowd on weekends. The regulars who patronized the place know where to find a bowl of good and affordable Koay Teow Th'ng; not just ordinary Koay Teow Th'ng but with a zingy twist- Lemon. Unlike the one we had at Kafe Kam 88, theirs does not come with a slice of Lemon. The Lemon Juice will be added to the soup before dishing out to diners. It is not advisable to dine in here if you would prefer your dining hall clinically clean as the floor gets a little muddy on rainy days. Not too shabby for a change but not entirely the place that I would drive all the way there for a bowl of Koay Teow Th'ng. *Direction to find the place can be found at the bottom of this blog post.*

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Jamu Selera Ramadhan Buffet Dinner @ Spoon Cafe, G Hotel Kelawai Penang.

The new iconic building at Kelawai, a chic and elegant edifice- G Hotel Kelawai is taking on Ramadhan with panache, offering Ramadhan Buffet with a unique-distinctive flair. Unlike traditional-conventional Ramadhan Buffet, Spoon Cafe's comes with an Indonesian touch. The serving style is somewhat different in Spoon Cafe either- expect no manic portion in the buffet line up as freshness is what they concerned. Servings maybe smaller than usual but rest-assured, they are committed to replenish the dishes fast. 

Jamu Selera Ramadhan Buffet Dinner:
18 June to 16 July 2015.
6:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Rm 115 nett per adult.

Riang Raya Buffet Lunch:
17 July and 18 July 2015.
11:30 pm to 2:30 pm.
Rm 92 nett per adult.

Riang Raya Buffet Dinner:
17 July and 18 July 2015.
6:30 pm to 10:30 pm.
Rm 115 nett per adult. 

Many Thanks to G Hotel for hosting us that evening.


Kerabu Taugeh

Monday, June 15, 2015

Junk Cafe @ Chulia Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Junk Cafe, as the name might have suggested, the place gathers "junk"; junk as in not ordinary junk but sell-able ones. I did not expect them to serve healthy food as that would be kinda irony- a huge contrast to the name of the place. They have a small menu, specializing in serving Gourmet Burgers. The snug, narrow little space does not have comfortable seating but a couple of small tables with plenty of knick-knacks hanging around the place. The absence of air-conditioners would frustrate the heat-intolerant as well. 

Friday, June 12, 2015

Ardor Bar & Coffee and 90's Yummy Station @ Nagore Square, Georgetown, Penang.

The vacant land at Nagore Square was brought back to life by the management, transforming the area into an inaugural al-fresco dining and drinking area. A new spate of tenants moved in, including Bars, Cafes, stalls selling ornaments. The place is quiet in the day time but it attracts lively crowd in the evening, where you can see hipsters thronging the area. Not only bar snacks and alcohols are available but you may find some interesting local delicacies as well, for instances, Yong Tau Foo and Eggette. If you are in need to get a quick fix for dinner, Ardor Bar & Coffee and Sang by TCG do offer a small Western menu. The place does have a very nice and romantic setting in the evening, with small light bulbs hanging in the air, soft music as background and just watch the world goes by. The lack of air conditioners can be a little frustrating for the heat intolerant if the weather gets a little warm and humid. Nevertheless, the place makes a good spot for gathering. 

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Juice Me @ Melaka Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Quench your thirst at Juice Me by having a bottle of their freshly juiced Cold Pressed Juice. The health conscious might be interested to pick up a couple of these, the juice bar has more than 12 types of fruit juices for you to choose from. Now... you might be wondering: What exactly is Cold Pressed Juice? Unlike centrifugal/ ordinary juicers, cold pressed juicers use pressure to grind and extract the juices. They do not generate heat and thus, retains the nutrients and minerals in the juices (but they are all fruit juices anyway). The cons... it takes more time to juice and users need to slice the fruits/ vegetables into smaller sizes before juicing them. Juice Me asserts that no sugar, preservatives and coloring are used in their juices and they are made freshly on a daily basis. They do free delivery service either, subject to availability.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The One Noodles Restaurant (传一面) @ Elit Avenue, Bayan Baru, Penang.

Despite the roaring restaurant scene at food hub near the free trade zone- Elit Avenue, Bayan Baru; one still finds it hard to find a simple, straight-forward and comforting Chinese food with solid basics. The One Noodles Restaurant (传一面) cuts through all the novelties, offering their one and only specialty- Milky Fish Head Noodles. It has the standard setting of any ordinary Chinese restaurant would have; though the place is clean and fully air-conditioned, the place can be quite crampy. While we are good with the menu (simple with an array of side dishes but we reckon that there is a need to increase their serving speed. We were there on a Friday noon and it took them more than an hour to serve a few bowls of noodles to us. 

Monday, June 8, 2015

Three Kingdom Koay Teow Th'ng @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

Nestled amidst the serene neighborhood of Sungai Ara, Three Kingdom Koay Teow Th'ng proves to be one of the favorites by the locals. Business is brisk even on usual days but the place will be thronged with crowd especially on weekends as they served Herbal Duck Mee Sua. While we did not think the Koay Teow Th'ng here is especially outstanding or out-of-the-world good, we thought that it might be good idea to share out this simple, casual place to find a bowl of pleasing, heart-warming Koay Teow Th'ng. To find Three Kingdom Koay Teow Th'ng, turn in Jalan Sungai Ara 1 from Jalan Tengah, you should be able to find Ah Niu Wanton Mee on your right. On the first junction, turn right again to Jalan Sungai Ara 2. Three Kingdom Koay Teow Th'ng should appear on your right shortly. 

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Eastin Ku, Kampung Ku Ramadhan Buffet @ Swez Brasserie, Eastin Hotel Penang.

Break fast at Eastin Hotel Penang in this year's holy month of Ramadhan as the hotel rolls out its annual Ramadhan-themed buffet- Eastin Ku, Kampung Ku. Be spoilt for choices at Swez Brasserie's amazing variety, continuing from previous years' success, Eastin Hotel Penang has more to offer this year (claimed). Some of the notable highlights are Ulam-Ulaman, Kerabus, Sambals, Serundings, Nasi Lemak Kukus, Bubur Lambuk, Shawarma, Sup Gearbox, Roasted Whole Lamb etc. Eastin Ku, Kampung Ku Ramadhan Buffet Dinner is made available from 18 June to 18 July 2015.

Eastin Ku, Kampung Ku Ramadhan Buffet Dinner:
Available from 18 June 2015 to 18 July 2015
7 pm - 10 pm
Rm 104 (adult); Rm 52 (child).
50% discount of Senior Citizen, aged 60 and above.
15% discount for AEON members.

Early Bird Promotion: Ramadhan Voucher for Rm 80 nett each.
Citibank: Rm 88 nett for Ramadhan Buffet Dinner.

Many Thanks to Eastin Hotel Penang for hosting us that evening. 


Roasted Whole Lamb 


Sup Gearbox 


Chicken Shawarma 


Spiced Pilau Rice


Nasi Lemak Kukus with Condiments

Friday, June 5, 2015

Coffee Venture @ Raja Uda, Butterworth, Penang.

Raja Uda has seen heaps of interesting cafe openings, almost catching up with the roaring cafe scene in the heart of Georgetown. Opened for more than three months, Coffee Venture is proven to be one of the popular brunch places, for the folks at Butterworth. It is hard to miss Coffee Venture, drive along Jalan Raja Uda, somewhere opposite to Curry Noodles House, the cafe occupies two shop lots with a bright facade and huge signage. No, not that they proffer an outstanding menu but we thought their interior decor was somewhat impressive- homey and comfy setting, in shades of wooden beam. If you are lucky, you might get to sit on the comfortable couches, enjoying your plate of hearty brunch and sipping on their freshly brewed cup of Joe.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Tea Spa House (森林茶坊) @ Cherok Tokun Hill, Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Enjoy quality Chinese Tea amidst of serene greenery at the foot of Cherok Tokun Hill, Bukit Mertajam. The Tea Spa House was initially set up to provide a rest stop for hikers but it was popularized by the locals for its simple, healthy and inexpensive light snacks. No fanciful interior decor, unnecessary frills, embellishments... just a few simple rattan chairs and wooden tables. All you can hear is the chirping sound from birds, erratic sound from bugs, wind whistles through the leaves. This is definitely one of the few places worth checking out- as close to the nature as you can get. To find Tea Spa House, drive along Jalan Kulim until you reach the entrance to the foot of Cherok Tokun Hill, Bukit Mertajam. Keep driving up until the second car park, Tea Spa House should be few minute-walk away and to the right of the car park. 


Herbal Eggs (Rm 1.40/ each)


Sweet Potatoes (Rm 2.20)


Green Tea Kuaci (Rm 3.50)

Monday, June 1, 2015

Han Sang Korean Well-Being Food @ Prima Tanjung, Tanjung Tokong, Penang.

**Update: Han Sang Korean Well-Being Food has since relocated to Vantage Desiran Tanjung (Lot B-1-1)**

An explosion of Korean restaurants opened in Pulau Tikus/ Tanjung Bungah area lately. A continuation from my quest to check out all these new Korean food outlets, Han Sang Korean Well-Being Food is a hidden gem that awaits to be unearthed. Unlike the conventional sit-down Korean restaurants, Han Sang skews towards the semi fast-food version instead. The restaurateur operates the mini Korean market next door as well; it has a small kitchen and that justifies the limited variety on their menu. It specializes in serving Bibimbap and a couple variants of Toppoki. Prices are generally more affordable than the upscale Korean establishments and we were also given advises on how we should eat the Korean delicacies (though I am quite well-acquainted, I can't say no to the hospitable host can I?). Han Sang's location is rather obscure, well-hidden on the first floor of Prima Tanjung, on top of Korean E Mart; facing the same side as K Pot Korean Food.