KEN HUNTS FOOD: White Smoke Grill & Bar @ Campbell Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Monday, September 9, 2019

White Smoke Grill & Bar @ Campbell Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Replacing Vkusno Dom at Campbell Street is White Smoke Grill and Bar... a seemingly quiet and curious restaurant. The white and black toned facade barely speaks anything for the restaurant but once you stepped in the restaurant, you will find yourself in a warm, relaxed dining space. Towards the end of the restaurant, there is an open-spaced kitchen that allows diners to witness the actions happening in the kitchen. They seem to specialize in grills but the menu offers some creative east meets west dishes as well; from the menu, one could tell that they are trying to reinvent and replicate local flavors in playful combinations. While there are ala-carte menu, the 8-course Chef Tasting Menu at Rm 78 is the best way to experience what this place could potentially offer.

Pie Tee (Rm 4/ each for ala-carte)

Benggali Roti (Rm 16/ for ala-carte)

Cured Fish (Rm 24/ for ala-carte)

Deep Fried Silver Sillago with Mangosteen Salad (Not available for ala-carte)

Grilled Prawns (Rm 20/ for ala-carte)

Grilled Fish served with Capers and sugared Walnuts (Not available for ala-carte)

Pork Collar (Rm 32/ for ala-carte)

Roast Chicken (Rm 36/ for ala-carte)

Cendol Deconstructed (Rm 18/ for ala-carte)

Drop My Ice Cream (Rm 18/ for ala-carte)

We did not know what we should order and so we decided to leave it to the hands of the Chef and gone for the 8-Course tasting menu at Rm 78. The tasting menu rotates from time to time so its best to ask (they don't seem to have the flexibility to change some of the dishes, always wise to check with them first in case you have your own dietary preferences). The first course started with Pie Tee, a seemingly common light snack but White Smoke's rendition was to add Roasted Pork with Spicy Mayo... a new combo for Pie Tee and definitely a tangy start. Benggali Roti was something we less-enjoyed... toasted Benggali Roti served with whipped Lard and Seaweed Butter; it may be haven for Lard-lovers but not for us, we also thought the Seaweed Butter can be better seasoned and the dish could do better with light, fluffier bread in lieu of dry, crisp Benggali Toast.

The following course- Cured Fish was interesting... it was not too salty and carried a firm texture; with the home-made Pickles and Ginger Cream, it was refreshing and definitely an appetite whetter (though it can be an acquired taste for some). The dish certainly reminded me of the Herring I had back in Amsterdam. Deep Fried Silver Sillago with Mangosteen Salad was not anything too special for me... while the Fish was expertly cooked, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Grilled Prawns on the other hand, were delicious. The Prawns were definitely fresh and carefully grilled to perfection. The smokiness from the charcoal definitely added marks to the dish. The Seaweed Oil was a nice touch either. The next dish was equally good- Grilled Fish served with Capers and sugared Walnuts... fresh and tender fish served with cleverly played sweet, sour and savory combination... refreshing yet delicious on the palate.

On mains, we seemed to enjoy the signature Pork Collar more than Roast Chicken... the former dish tasted a little Char Siew, except that it was the melt-in-the-mouth tender. The meat was sous-vided before grilling, so you can sort of relate that soft-tender texture. The Roast Chicken on the other hand, was a little rough to our liking. The meat felt less-juicy and the Tomato paste had not done much in its aid... Balsamic reduction would be better in this case. For meal-ender, both sweet treats were great and unique in their own ways. The Coconut Ice Cream in the Cendol Deconstructed was rich and flavorful though the whole dessert did not quite fit the theme, the Pandan Jelly did not quite fit in to replace the Cendol or perhaps, the Gula Melaka factor was compromised. It was a good dessert nevertheless. Drop My Ice Cream was quite the opposite, it was the refreshing type... served with Sorbet and Yogurt, it was quite the palate reliever.