Monkey Legend- Aligot Mashed Potato with Cheese @ Greenlane, Penang.

Tam Sui Old Taste Cake at Greenlane welcomes a new neighbor... Monkey Legend, a small kiosk that offers Potato goodies. Aligot, the French Potato dish... known for strings of gooey, cheesy physical appearance has finally made its first debut in Penang with the opening of Monkey Legend. The new kid on the block rolls out a small but creative Potato-centric menu. Similar to Rice Bowls, Monkey Legend's Mashed Potatoes are served with crunchy greens and meaty toppings. Diners can have the option to go for classic Mashed Potatoes or "Aligot"... with Cheese and Cream blended in. It does require some patience though... as the Aligot must be made on the spot upon receipt of orders. While take-aways are popular but if you insist to dine-in, there are a couple of tables and some chairs behind the place for you. 

Javu @ Lembah Permai, Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

Javu, a quiet, unpretentious but relatively new cafe in the neighborhood of Lembah Permai has been receiving positive remarks from the nearby residents. It recently expanded its business from one shop lot to 2 shop lots... to accommodate more diners. They have been revising and improving on the menu; at present, it offers a variety of Western-influenced dishes with a local twist. Notable dishes include Hainanese Chicken Chop, Poke Bowl, Roti Babi etc. The price range can be big- with affordable choices and premium options but generally, the price points are on the higher side. On the dining atmosphere... one side is rather hipstery with a modern cafe setting while the other side offers an ordinary but comfortable dining space.

Cream By Chin Chin and Tiente Patisserie @ Pintal Tali, Georgetown, Penang.

Whether you like to play it safe with Roast Chicken or go a little crazy with other dishes, you will find great Western-Fusion choices at the new joint- Cream by Chin Chin. Located at Pintal Tali, Cream by Chin Chin and Tiente Patisserie has taken over the space previously occupied by Metisser Patisserie. Managed by the same management team from Chin Chin, the restaurant brings in air of sophistication. The interior decor is minimalist but without compromising on its elegance. The includes modern Western dishes... suitable for budget-watchers or those with deeper pockets. When you are there... look out for the display fridge to the left side of the entrance, it offers a great variety of sweet treats. 

Stylish Minimalist Backpack From Sweden- Gaston Luga

While functionalities are must when choosing a backpack, the design is equally important these days. Gaston Luga, a Swedish brand that has taken social media by storm due to its minimalist and stylish design. The Swedish backpack retailer is located in the heart of Stockholm, Sweden. The 3 collections- Clässic, Clässy and Pråper collections are specially designed to fit any setting and occasion... whether you are heading to work or having a short vacation on an island; the chic Scandinavian design (with a mix of colorful leather and cotton)  adds on an elegant touch to your outfit. There are many colors to choose from as well as designs cater for both genders. 

Check out Gaston Luga's website at https://www.gastonluga.com/ and enjoy 20% Tax Rebate plus 15% discounts by using "Kenhuntsfood" as discount code, as well as free shipping (DHL Express or Fed-ex).

This post is brought to you by Gaston Luga.

Ages Ago (很久之前) @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Managed by the same management as Souper Tang, Ages Ago specializes in offering Sesame Oil Noodles. The brand is well-established in southern Malaysia but it is the first outlet in Penang. Ages Ago at Gurney Plaza occupies a small space at the lower ground floor of the mall, offering a small menu featuring their Sesame Oil Rice and Noodle, alongside with some sides. The seating space is however, very limited; dining there is not as comfortable as expected... probably the place is designed to cater for takeaways. While the serving portion is not very big, the price point is pretty reasonable and wallet-friendly. Not too shabby for a quick meal but definitely not the place to go especially on occasions or family dining.

& Dolce @ Solaria Square, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Solaria Square is one of the latest commercial-residential developments at Bayan Lepas... a short 2 min drive away from Penang International Airport. The retail shops (of Solaria Square) facing the busy Jalan Tun Dr. Awang has recently welcome a spate of new cafes and restaurants. An extended branch of Dolce Dessert- And Dolce is one of the newly opened cafes at Solaria Square, like its sister cafe, it offers a range of eye-pleasing sweet treats with some French-inspired pastries. It does not offer any mains... more like a space for after-meal gatherings or meet-ups over desserts.

The Lengkuas Cafe @ Argyll Road, Georgetown, Penang.

Conveniently tucked away from the bustling Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, The Lengkuas Cafe is a great option for Muslim diners; the newly opened cafe is manned by a local Malay family. Safe in the knowledge that their offering is Halal and Muslim-friendly. The place offers a Malay-influenced menu, featuring an array of local Malay delights. Expect to see some Nasi dishes, Assam Laksa and some Noodles but the real draw is the sweet treats... available in the form of traditional Malay desserts or Western cakes. Nothing to shout over for the interior decor... basically pretty standard cafe setting but it's noteworthy that the prices are pretty wallet-friendly, considering the portion and such comfortable, fully air-conditioned environment. Find The Lengkuas Cafe at Argyll Road, adjacent to Livingstone Tower.

Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival With Hotel Jen Penang's Mooncakes

Mooncakes constitute an essential part of Mid-Autumn Festival... traditionally and widely celebrated by Chinese during the 15th day of the 8th Lunar Month. It is one of the highlights of the Chinese Calendar and for this year, it falls on 24 September 2018. Albeit more than a month away from now, the preparation for the moon-gazing event is on-going. If you are obsessed with this round, sweet pastry only available this festival season; check out Hotel Jen Penang's Mooncakes. The hotel rolls out an array of Mooncakes available in both classic-traditional and new-exciting flavors (8 flavors in total) to cater to all age-groups. One of the main pulling points for their Mooncakes is the charmingly designed Jen Mooncake Gift Box.... beautifully decorated with elegant floral outline in modern, striking colors.... making it a great choice for either family, friends or even business associates. The Mooncakes are available from 1 July 2018 to 24 September 2018. 

Many Thanks to Hotel Jen Penang for sharing the festive joy with Ken Hunts Food.

Han Sik Ga- True Korean Dining @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Forget Korean Barbecue meat, it's all about stews, noodles and Bibimbap at the newly opened Han Sik Ga on 7th floor of Gurney Plaza. With its truly Korean dining atmosphere, an army of servers and a great variety of authentic Korean fare, the restaurant seeks to offer diners great Korean dining experience. With a menu full of Stews and Noodle choices, the place is suitable for family eat-outs whether lunch or dinner. We could tell that the restaurant pays great attention to details... from the serving utensils to the way they presented the food. What surprised us was the affordability, we expected the meal to cost a bomb but it turned out to be pretty wallet-friendly (considering the generous serving portion)... basically a Rm 60 would score 2 diners a meal at Han Sik Ga, with refillable Ban Chan to feed everyone. 

Tang Ren Guan (唐人馆) @ Raja Uda, Butterworth, Penang.

One of the latest dining spots at Raja Uda is Tang Ren Guan (唐人馆), a place with heavy, bold Chinese elements. Enter the place and you will spot plenty of Chinese Tanglungs and Umbrellas... turning the place in a red hue. It's not a standalone restaurant/ cafe, in fact, it's a space gathering few eateries... forming some sort of upscale food court. Save for the beverage stall, there are 3 food stalls in operation right now- Tong Gei Siu Lap (唐记烧腊), Hakka Canteen (客家食堂) and Mr. Q Taiwanese Minced Pork Rice (Mr. Q 台湾卤肉饭). It adopts self-service... place your order with the respective stall and collect your order on the spot. Though the place is air-conditioned, it gets pretty warm in sultry hot afternoons. Playful setting but the lack of variety dissuades us from revisiting. 

Home Cafe @ Alora Hotel, Bukit Jambul, Penang.

Folks staying at Parit Buntar should not be new to the name- Home Cafe... a cafe setup by a retired air-stewardess. The cafe has been receiving positive responses from netizens and now, it has finally opened a branch in Penang. Housed in Alora Hotel, the cafe occupies a prominent corner lot of the building. Push the door open and you will notice that there's a kid's corner with toys on the left... move further and you will see the modern cafe setting with a touch of industrial vibe. The cafe is pretty spacious and the ordering system is well-organized. On the menu, it has a lot to offer... ranging from local delights to Western-Oriental dishes or Thai-influenced snacks/ desserts. The prices however, are pretty high considering the common, ubiquitous dishes; a simple family meal here may put a dent on your wallet.

Texas Chicken Malaysia Rolls Out Crunchy Deals at RM 5.50

Running low on budget while planning for your year end getaway? You can now maximize your RM 5.50 with some serious value at Texas Chicken as the Fried Chicken specialist rolls out its delicious and affordable Crunchy Deals available now at nationwide Texas Chicken branches (except for KLCC, KLIA2 and Genting Sky Avenue). The latest Crunchy Deals by Texas Chicken is a panoply of the brand's best creations, expect to see incredibly affordable entrees like Texas Chicken's signature big, juicy, crunchy Fried Chicken, Classic Burger, Tender Wrap and warm, comforting Porridge with tender Chicken chunks. Every possible entree under the RM 5.50 Crunchy Deals can be purchased as ala-carte (different rates) but if you order the combo, a beverage is included. Check the deals out at Texas Chicken and get the most bang for your Ringgit! 

This Post is brought to you by Texas Chicken Malaysia.

[Travel/ Food Guide] Itinerary to Phuket (普吉岛), Thailand (泰国) 2018.

One of the famous destinations for beaches is Thailand's largest island- Phuket. Facing the Andaman Sea, the strategic location offers visitors a breath-taking sea view and fine sandy beaches. Not only that the place is known for the beaches, it is also a melting pot of cultures (partly due to the great influx of Western tourists). There are plenty of things to see, eat and play on Phuket Island. Travelling to Phuket has never been easier for Penangites as Air Asia rolls out new route from Penang directly to Phuket (1 hour travel time). 

As Phuket is fairly large, it would be challenging to move around without cars. While e-hailing is an option, the fare is not too wallet-friendly... especially if you are moving from one area to another area (say Phuket old town to Patong beach). It's perfectly fine if you decided to chill at one specific location but if you are on a planned itinerary to move around the island, the best way is to rent a car. We used Hertz on our trip and for 2 full days, it costs around 2,000 THB; the fuel on the other hand, was a little more than what we paid for in Malaysia (600 THB for the trip). 

1) Patong Beach and Patong Night Walk

Anachak Lanna Thai Cuisine @ Jalan Kampung Gajah, Butterworth, Penang.

This small neighborhood community spot is a gem amongst the dozens of Thai restaurants lining at mainland Penang. Just opened for weeks, Anachak Lanna Thai Cuisine has managed to garner an appreciate following, foodies rave about the authenticity and wallet-friendly prices of this place. It does not offer a large menu but some simple Thai-influenced dishes (mainly Rice or Noodle dishes). Do not expect heavy Thai delights here but rather simple, home-cooked dishes. A tummy-filling dish here starts from Rm 6.90; while its extremely affordable, do not expect the place in sophisticated-elegant setting.... more like a place to drop by for a casual meal. Anachak Lanna Thai Cuisine can be found at the shop lots next to Shell Petrol Station along the same road.

Home Cafe @ Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

Sharing the same space as Sunflower Bakery at Tanjung Bungah (a Layer Cake specialist if you don't already know), Home Cafe occupies a corner of the compound (while the seating area is at the other side of the compound)... offering a small Western menu. On the side, there is a grab and go window for the time-starved customers as well. The al-fresco seating area is a cozy spot for you to have a sip on the drinks while enjoying the soothing sea breeze blowing from behind (the beach is just walking distance away). Also note-worthy is the kitchen opening hours... certain mains are only available until 2 pm. We were slightly late the other day but we did enjoy the open-air seating corner (not too much on the food if you must know).

Spicy Hot Pot Restaurant (重庆香辣煲) @ CY Choy, Georgetown, Penang.

Not to be confused with other Chong Qing Hot Pot restaurants, Spicy Hot Pot Restaurant (重庆香辣煲) is a true blue Ipoh brand that recently opened up a new branch in Georgetown. As the name suggests, the restaurant specializes in offering Chong Qing-inspired Hot Pot items. But unlike any of its competitors, this particular restaurant offers Hot Pots in smaller scale. You need not gather a group of friends in order to enjoy the Hot Pot, at Spicy Hot Pot Restaurant, there are portions meant for individuals. It has a good variety ranging from Chicken, Fish, Prawns, Pork to Lamb.... cooked in Sze Chuan-inspired sauce. Finish the meat and broth will then be added to make it into Hot Pot; diners can now head to the display fridge for additional Hot Pot items (categorized and priced according to the color of the plates). While we did not think the food quality is more superior here, we thought the place offers great flexibility especially to accommodate smaller dining groups or individuals.

Hana Bi Japanese Restaurant @ Elit Avenue, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Easily noticeable from far, Hana Bi carries a huge signage with a 3D Fish model and some Japanese characters; the new kid on the block offers a casual dining spot with a Japanese-influenced menu. The setting is simple and non-flamboyant, but the heat-intolerant would be glad to know that the place is fully air-conditioned. The menu features a wide range of Japanese delights, ranging from Sushi Rolls, Sashimi, Udon, Ramen, Salad, Rice dishes and Bento Sets. Though the food quality may not be as superior as those established brands in town, it does make a competitive choice (as far as price is concerned).

Kungfu Kitchen @ Anson Road, Georgetown, Penang.

Muslim diners can now enjoy authentic China-Chinese Muslim cuisine in Georgetown with the opening of Kungfu Kitchen at Anson Road. The Chef originates from Xi Bei (North West of China), a place most populated by Chinese Muslim. Expect to see a range of heavily-spiced Chinese dishes and uncommonly appetizers. Kungfu Kitchen is now occupying the previous showroom of Eco World along Anson Road; the interior decor maintains the posh touch... with comfortable, modern setting. In spite of the up-class setting, items are competitively priced that most would find them reasonable. Not bad for a change though personally I don't see it as a place that I would regularly return to.