Monday, April 30, 2018

Pilipala by Woodmanz @ Udini Square, Gelugor, Penang.

The health food fad that originates from Hawaii, a Poke Bowl is a concoction of rice, fresh vegetables, fruits, seasoning and most importantly, marinated raw fish. The Hawaiian delicacy is said to be nutritiously healthy yet delicious and has since received positive responses from many Asian countries. There are plenty of Poke-joints in central Malaysia but not the case for Penang. Though there are a couple of cafes serving Poke bowls already, none are as specialized as compared to the newly opened Pilipala by Woodmanz. Apart from serving the Hawaiian classic, the cafe serves good sweet treats too; outside the place is an area with inflated-balloon igloo... where diners can opt to dine-in the private space (if you don't mind the heat). Interesting menu and still pretty new, the place is worth checking out if you are a fan of Poke-bowls and desserts. Find Pilipala at the lower ground floor of Udini Square, below Goku-Sen Japanese Restaurant.



Sriracha Salmon Poke Bowl (Rm 18)


Matcha Pili Toast (Rm 17)

We had Pilipala's Sriracha Salmon Poke Bowl, a concoction of fresh Japanese Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Pineapples, Lettuce, Japanese Seaweed and marinated Salmon. The spiciness was rather muted, we could not taste even a hint of heat; the Salmon was heavily doused in creamy sauce and thus, affecting the overall texture and flavor (go for Shoyu if you would prefer to taste the Salmon). The use of ordinary Rice in lieu of Japanese Rice left us underwhelmed either. All in all, it was alright but could use some small improvements or perhaps, let diners to have some choice over the toppings would be great (personal wish list- Ebiko, Avocado, Edamame). 

Matcha Pili Toast outshined the Sriracha Salmon Poke Bowl, the toast was spread with Green Tea spread and topped with a generous scoop of Matcha Ice Cream. We tried the Toast on its own but found that it was a tad too dry to our liking but when enjoyed together with the Ice Cream, it was most delicious. The dangerously addictive vegetal-earthy flavor of Green Tea stood out and for a Matcha fan like me, I did feel that the Matcha Toast live up to its name and theme. If we were to nitpick, it would be the Toast (could be thicker and more pillowy).


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)
Ambiance: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Parking: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Pork-Free
Service Charge: No
Government Tax: No

Additional Information:
Address: B1-07, Udini Square, Lebuh Tunku Kudin 3, 11700, Gelugor, Penang.
Business Hours: 11 am to 10:30 pm on every Sunday to Thursday, 11 am to 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: 6016- 443 0303

3 comments:

  1. I wouldn't mind trying the cakes.

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  2. I think only Matcha enthusiast like you and me would appreciate that toast, Match spread + Matcha ice cream LOL

    ReplyDelete