Monday, September 25, 2017

Areca Cafe @ Areca Hotel, Georgetown, Penang.

Tucked away from the bustling Penang Road and Burmah Road, Areca Hotel opened its doors to the public in late 2016. It was previously a row of old, heritage houses right smack in the heart of Georgetown but has since refurbished and turned into this beautiful, colonial-styled building. But incredible to think many are not aware on its existence, probably the one-way street of Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe is an unmarked and unexpected location to most Penangites. Snugged at one corner of Areca Hotel is its in-house cafe- Areca Cafe (not obvious from outside and could easily walk past without noticing it), a quaint dining space with simple but elegant setting. Apart from serving breakfast to its hotel guests, it offers a promising Western-Fusion menu to the public as well. The menu is small but generally covers everything you need, whether choice of Chicken, Fish, Beef etc (dinner menu is only available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). 



Swiss Garden Breakfast- Potato Rosti/ Beef Bacon/ Cheese (Rm 25)


Smoked Duck Breast Spaghetti (Rm 33)


Fish-Crab Cake (Rm 19)


Amuse Bouche [complimentary]

We started off with their Fish-Crab Cake served with pickled Papaya, Onions, Cucumber and Sriracha Mayo. The cake itself was beautifully cooked with crispy exterior and soft inside, but it was perhaps, a little too "mushy" on the texture. Fortunately, the crunchy pickled Papaya, Onions and Cucumber offered a refreshing-appetizing touch while the Sriracha Mayo imparted a gentle spicy punch; the contrast in texture was lovely either. Equally delicious was the All Day Breakfast item- Swiss Garden Breakfast, a hearty serving of Potato Rosti blanketed with a sheet of melted Cheese, sliced fresh Tomatoes, Sunny Side Up and some savory Beef Bacon. It was not the most authentic Potato Rosti I had but it certainly was one of the more delicious renditions. The melted Cheese went really well with the Potato Rosti while the Beef Bacon furnished the salinity and delightful smokiness to the concoction; just you thought it may be a little too hefty, the fresh Tomatoes were there to cut through the heaviness. 

Smoked Duck Breast Spaghetti was okay but not as magnificent as compared to the earlier dishes. The Pasta has got its bite but could be more al-dente; flavors were well-balanced but the depth was not quite there. It would be better if they could offer a meatier bite (ie: sliced Smoked Duck Breast) to the dish in lieu of having bits of it, the satisfaction was somehow discounted.  


Ratings:
Taste: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Service: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Price: 6.5/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)
Parking: 6/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Ambiance: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Halal
Service Charge: No
Government Tax: No

Additional Information:
Address: No. 27, Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe, 10050, Georgetown, Penang.
Business Hours: 8 am to 3 pm on Mondays to Thursdays; 8 am to 3 pm, 6 pm to 10 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: 604- 261 0173 

4 comments:

  1. Beef crab cake looks good, so much crab in it.

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  2. Never visited your blog for a while and you never seems to fail introducing great makan places from the pearl of the orient !! :)

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  3. I have bookmarked this place for my next visit to Penang. I love to laze inside the old houses and this Areca cafe has tastefully decorated the place.

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