KEN HUNTS FOOD: Grand Opening of The BAR°N @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Grand Opening of The BAR°N @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

The BAR°N is not an ostentatious bar- it's a restaurant and a bar, the name with an apostrophe suggests the place is more than just a bar (ie: BAR°N more). It somehow portraits a more upscale-bar kind of image and aims to be one of the best wine-drinking places in town. After months of anticipation, the BAR°N has finally swung its doors open to the public. The flagship outlet at Gurney Plaza is the first outlet outside of KL and first in Penang, the BAR°N is also welcoming the third branch at Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur this July. Step in the bar cum restaurant, you will notice the Bar-counter is nicely tucked aside with a few Beer taps; to the left, there's a corner where they display all the Wine labels available. Walk straight into the non-smoking zone and you will the family-friendly dining space where comfortable couches are set aside for you to chill and enjoy the food. There will be a few selected brands of Beers available, as well as some premium labels for Wines; and in more exciting news, the kitchen has an array of Porkilicious menu to offer (and other plenty of meat options to offer). For the party-goers, Ladies Nite falls on Wednesdays while Gents Nite falls on Thursdays, and of course, there will be plenty of enjoyments to be rolled out to customers as well.

Many Thanks to The BAR°N for hosting us that evening.

Crispy Pork Belly (Rm 29)

Caramelized Roasted Pork Belly (Rm 29)

Pork Satay with Asian Condiments (Rm 29)

The BAR°N Mini Open-Faced Sandwiches (Rm 19)

Pigs in Blanket (Rm 19)

Tapas Combo Platter (Rm 68)

We started with The BAR°N's signature Crispy Pork Belly... gloriously tempting beauties elegantly presented on a plate, served with their home-made tangy-garlicky Chili sauce. The crackling skin of the Pork Belly left us with a deep impression. All were carefully cut and delicately seasoned; good on its own but even better to go with their special Chili dip, which contains enough acid to cut through the cornucopia of creamy fats. Equally tasty would be their Caramelized Roasted Pork Belly which comes with an Asian twist. The Pork was braised till fork tender but still remain intact when lifted. The jelly-like texture was utmost alluring. The Chef played a nice touch by introducing a sleek of spiciness by adding Bird's Eye Chilies into the dish. Both appetizers make perfect combination with a glass of icy-cold Beer. Also worth-trying would be The BAR°N Mini Open-Faced Sandwiches, crunchy-soft Baguette spread with creamed-Mushroom topped with Fried Quail Egg and Asparagus, served with Hollandaise sauce. The magical combination of all elements was delish, the earthiness of the Mushroom stood out while the protein sigh of Quail Egg provides the distinctive eggy-aroma to the dish.

Irish Pulled Pork Burger (Rm 29)

BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs (Rm 59)

Our appetite was whetted, following with a few glasses of Red. Next, more porkilicious mains were then introduced to us. Many diners went gaga after seeing the server in action- torching the BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs. The aroma became more apparent and we were caught in a whiff of smoky-sweet Barbecue flavor. The BBQ sauce was smoky-sweet but some of us were in the opinion that the meat could go tender. The dish comes with some sides of Roasted Zucchini, Pumpkin, Baby Potatoes, Aubergines and Coleslaw.

Those with big appetite could go for their Irish Pulled Pork Burger, which comes in a gigantic portion. The Pulled Pork was reasonably seasoned with an apparent sweetness (but not saccharine sweet) but a pity that the meat was in a big lump and thus, affecting the overall texture. There are some rooms for improvements for this dish.