KEN HUNTS FOOD: Rain Garden Bar, Cafe and Restaurant @ Pulau Tikus, Penang.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Rain Garden Bar, Cafe and Restaurant @ Pulau Tikus, Penang.

Hidden behind a row of shop houses at Burmah Road (right next to Bangkok Lane) is a large compound with contemporary decors and design. It has three different parts- a quaint Cafe near to the main entrance, a retro Bar in the middle followed by a bright and airy restaurant towards the end. It is apparent that they have put in some efforts to make the place looks great; massive choices available so don't be overwhelmed by the selection (there are a few alternatives for a good cut of steak!) and they are best at knocking out grilled meats. Rain Garden bets heavily on the weather: there are no air-conditioners and the pull factor would be their al-fresco garden surrounded by greens, the view is further accompanied by the urbanized high-rise building in the vicinity... the view surely does not disappoint. This however, may be frustrating for the heat-intolerant if the weather goes stuffy. While the place is ideal for a beer & chill-session, we thought there could be some minimal house music to keep the atmosphere more relaxed.

Chicken Caesar Salad (Rm 20.90)

Fish Concasse (Rm 28.90)

Veggie lovers' favorite- Caesar Salad, Rain Garden pairs it with Grilled Chicken. The meat was unbelievably tender and succulent, worked perfectly well with the crunchy greens. The sauce may be a little creamy for some but it was perfectly fine to go along with the meat and greens. Fish Concarsee on the other hand, did not stand out. It was grilled Dory Fillet, served with tangy Tomato-based sauce. Taste-wise... it was alright but the portion could be larger and the dish was not a hit amongst us. I'd probably go for something else for that price tag.

It excites us like a child when we get to see the sizzling pan in action, it was covered in foil... in the shape of a minimum Volcano. The Volcano Beef Sizzling (Rm 35.90) drenched in Hot and Spicy Sze Chuan-influenced sauce was delicious, it was expertly seasoned to the right dot (not overly salted) with a hint of spiciness. In fact, we thought it can be a great dish to go with Rice. Though we have asked for Medium Rare but the moment it was served to us, they were fully cooked. Despite of that, the meat was still pleasingly tender and soft to the bite. As much as we love the dish, we'd prefer them to serve the entire steak as a whole... instead of serving them in pieces.