U-Village 又一村香港茶餐厅 @ Sentral Jaya, Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

A popular Hong Kong food chain from central region- U Village 又一村香港茶餐厅 opened its first northern branch at Sentral Jaya, Bukit Mertajam... offering the foodies in the neighborhood a wide range of Hong Kong delights and Cantonese dishes. The menu is big and has a plethora of Hong Kong-inspired dishes- from the common thick Toast to Dim Sum dishes, Wan Ton Noodles, roasted meat and stir fries dishes; oddly, there is no sign of Hong Kong Egg Tarts and Eggettes though. Price points are of average but given that the slew of options, this place is suitable for any casual family eat outs. 

Song Izakaya @ Acheen Street Ghaut, Georgetown, Penang.

Previously known as Dalala Bistro and under the same management as Monsieur Bar Restaurant, the Song Izakaya occupies the prominent corner spot at the junction of Acheen Street Ghaut and Victoria Street. It's easy to notice this place... thanks to the hanging Japanese lanterns and tall bar chairs, suggesting the place as a Japanese-inspired bar. Oddly, the alcohol selection is weaker than expected though... with some Sake (Japanese Rice Wine) choices. The food menu on the other hand, is larger... offering a wide selection of rice rolls, Japanese Don, Agemono and various set meals. The price tags however, can be quite hefty judging from the serving portion (though the set menu offers better values). For the price points, we expected to receive more in return (both quality and serving portion).

Sin Bee Beans And Food Cafe @ Ong Yi How, Butterworth, Penang.

One of the latest dining spots at Butterworth is Sin Bee Beans And Food Cafe, a Western-styled cafe that offers a big Western menu (except the name... which is quite "Chinese"). It can be found at Lorong Seri Tanjung, the commercial shop lots adjacent to Chung Ling Butterworth. It occupies the prominent corner lot and offers a spacious, cozy dining space. There 3 different dining tables available- the usual ones, low dining table with couches and long communal dining tables at the end. The menu offers a wide range of brunch items, pasta dishes, grills and snacks... with surprisingly wallet-friendly prices. Suitable for any occasions... whether casual dining or social gathering over food. 

Tankoya Yakiniku 炭烤日式烧烤炉 @ Fettes Road, Tanjung Tokong, Penang.

Meat lovers are definitely aware of Tankoya Yakiniku 炭烤日式烧烤炉, a well-established Japanese BBQ restaurant at Tanjung Tokong. As the name indicates, Tankoya specializes in offering Yakiniku, a Japanese-styled barbecue with Korean influences. This is also reflected on the menu, which offers diners a great variety of barbecue meats, Japanese and Korean dishes. The place has a typical barbecue restaurant setting... with indoor exhaust pipe hanging around and an open kitchen that allows diners to see the Chef in action. There's also a corner for Japanese floor seating towards the end; though the ventilation works, it is inevitable that the place is filled with charcoal-smokiness. While we are amazed with the superiority of the cuts of meat, we must say that the prices are very steep. For your benchmarking, the 5 of us spent around RM 500 on Shabu-Shabu and Yakiniku (with some sides and no alcohol) that evening.

[Travel/ Food Guide] Itinerary to Jeju, South Korea (济州，韩国) 2020

One of the best travel destinations of South Korea is of course the south island of Korea peninsular- Jeju island. The place is practically designed for tourism- visa waiver programs, countless of resorts and hotels, plethora of museums and point of interests for tourists. As for Malaysians, Air Asia X offers direct flight from KLIA2 to Jeju and the whole journey takes approximately 6 hours. While Jeju International Airport is only a 15 minute drive away from Jeju city, the island's transportation is not as friendly. The common mode of transportation is to travel either by Bus or Taxi but if you are travelling with family members (especially elderly or infants), the best way to explore the island is to rent a car. 

Renting A Car on Jeju Island:

There are plenty of car rental companies on the island but it is best to have reservations before hitting the island and it may be a little complicated since most of them cannot communicate well in English. We used The Sixt  and whole process was quite smooth except the slightly long wait at Jeju International Aiport (car rental lounge right outside the airport). The petrol price at Jeju (or South Korea) is definitely higher than Malaysia but for a Hyundai Sonata up to 3/4 tank, it costs a little over 50,000 KRW. There are no tolls around the island but a lot of traffic lights and speed cameras. While the speed limit is generally very slow on the island, the fact that South Korea practices left-hand driving (totally opposite to Malaysia), it is generally quite different and would take some time for Malaysians to get used to (note: obtaining an international driving license is a must before travelling to South Korea if you wish to rent a car). GPS is available in most cars; though it is a common practice for drivers to key in phone number of the destination for navigation.

Chern Ka By Lei Ya Thaiboat @ 4th Street Club, Georgetown, Penang.

For a casual Thai dining that will not blow your budget, head to Chern Ka... a new dining spot in the heart of Georgetown (4th Street Club along Lebuh Tye Sin) that would put an end to your Thai food cravings. It was previously occupied as Tu Go Liang Steamboat but has since replaced with this new Thai restaurant. Chern Ka offers a rather big Thai menu... featuring an array of familiar Thai delights. The price points are budget-friendly and the dining atmosphere is homey and relaxed. 

Wu Jia Chinese Restaurant 吾家大酒楼 @ Pekaka Square, Lip Sin, Penang.

The successor to Sea Palace at Pekaka Square is Wu Jia Chinese Restaurant 吾家大酒楼, a Chinese food operator previously running its businesses opposite Pekaka Square but has since taken over the spot. Minor upgrade was done to give the place a fresher look. Like most Chinese restaurants, Wu Jia offers a big Chinese menu... featuring all sorts of stir fry dishes, stews etc. There is not anything special about the menu but the fully air-conditioned restaurant has a very spacious setting, making it ideal for family eat outs or any form of gathering over classic Chinese food. However, the price points are of restaurant-standard so don't expect to get a budget meal out of here. 

Sun Kee Oyster Mee 汕记蚝面 @ C.Y. Choy, Georgetown, Penang.

At the junction of C.Y. Choy and Cecil Street is a seemingly normal, old-school local coffee house but the place has been dishing out delicious Penang-styled Hokkien dishes since late 2019. One of the main highlights of this place is its signature Oyster Noodles, a traditional local delicacy that is loved by many. But not many places offer this and some of them could not get it right. Sun Kee boasts over its freshly shucked wild oysters (and usually come in smaller sizes than farmed ones). The menu is quite limited, with a few simple, no-frills Hokkien stir fry dishes. Prices may be slightly higher than ordinary hawker places but Sun Kee offers a clean, comfortable space for a quick fix.

Arakawa Japanese Gastro & Bar @ Gurney Paragon Mall, Penang.

Conveniently located at Gurney Paragon Mall's al-fresco dining area (ground floor, facing Gurney Drive), Arakawa Japanese Gastro Bar is a new addition to the mall. The restaurant takes up the prominent spot right next to Starbucks, offering both indoor and outdoor seats to diners... though indoor is mostly for dining while the outdoor seating is meant for drinking. The food menu is of course Japanese style... offering some common Japanese delights like Sushi, Donburi, Udon, Curry Rice... as well as a few Japanese-influenced Pasta dishes. The price points are of middle range but the food quality is worth a try. A good choice if you are looking for a dining spot in the mall.

Yaki Beef Curry Rice (Rm 19.90) + Hamburg Steak (Rm 14.90)

Mentai Carbonara (Rm 14.90)

Unagi Roll (Rm 19.90)

Arakawa's Yaki Beef Curry Rice was served in a hot pot with baked, melted Cheese topped. There were slivers of sliced Beef well hidden in the Rice but they were not a lot. They could also be more generous with the serving of Japanese Curry, the proportion of Rice to Curry was somewhat inappropriate (all dried up towards the end). While the Japanese Curry flavor was apparent, we thought it was flat and could be monotonous for one to finish entirely. It lacked the refreshing elements like Carrot, Potatoes or perhaps, some Apple in it. Fortunately, we topped the Beef Curry Rice with an additional add on of Hamburg Steak. While the texture might be a little overly dry, we enjoyed the rich meaty flavor and thought it went well with the Japanese Curry Rice.

The Mentai Carbonara was a delightful surprise though; it seemed bland and flat at the beginning but we must concur that the creaminess was spot on and the Mentai flavor was beyond amazing... a dish best shared with others. We also had a serving of the Unagi Roll... nothing too overly exciting, pretty decent.

Ratings:

Taste: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Service: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Price: 7/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)

Parking: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Ambiance: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Non-Halal

Service Charge: Yes 10%

Government Tax: No

Additional Information:

Address: 163-D-31, Persiaran Gurney, Gurney Paragon Mall, 10250, Georgetown, Penang.

Business Hours: 11 am to 11 pm. Opens Daily.

Contact Number: 604- 293 7418

Arakawa Japanese Gastro Bar Facebook Page

Miodis Cafe @ Abu Siti Lane, Georgetown, Penang.

Both a florist and a cafe, Miodis Cafe boasts over its floral-homey interior decor... step in the place and you will be welcomed with a colorful, bright entrance with a whiff of floral scents. The ordering counter is right next to the florist, a corner dedicated to selling bouquets of fresh flowers. Seats are arranged in a comfortable spacing, allowing good privacy next to each other... there are also a couple of couches for those who prefer a more relaxed seating arrangement. On the menu, the cafe offers Western choices along with a couple of Chinese noodle options (though not available on our visit). Not exactly a big menu and the dishes do not come cheap but the quality for the mains are not too shabby (not for the case of their Waffles). Miodis Cafe can be found along Abu Siti Lane, facing 7 Village Noodle House.

Restaurant ZQY 周记扁肉·饺子·拌面 @ CY Choy, Georgetown, Penang.

Previously selling in the proprietor's own house along Lebuh Tye Sin, Restaurant ZQY 周记扁肉 has been around for quite a few years. The uniqueness of the dish has garnered an appreciate following, as well as made known to the folks living/ working in the neighborhood. It has since relocated to CY Choy, to operate in a proper, air-conditioned restaurant. The menu has expanded as well- from only Dry and Soup Noodles to a new noodle dish (Zha Jiang Mian)  as well as more side dishes to go with the noodles. With better dining atmosphere, it comes with higher price tags; fortunately, the quality remains. 

Hutton 133 Butchery Restaurant @ Hutton Lane, Georgetown, Penang.

A new place for carnivores to explore and enjoy some premium cuts- Hutton 133 Butchery seeks to offer something unusual- a no menu restaurant that only offers fine produce over the display fridge... premium cuts sourced from different countries and priced according to weight. The products vary from steak, Pork (steak to be sous-vided), Seafood, sausages and cheeses. Right next to the order counter is a wine cellar that houses quite a big variety of premium Wines (options are limited for those on tighter budgets). Not exactly a cheap place to dine in but this is one of the few places that steak stalwarts will find good cuts in relaxed pub environment.

Five Stars Restaurant 五星冷气餐厅 @ Batu Lanchang, Penang.

Five Stars Restaurant 五星冷气餐厅 is probably around for more than 20 years... it has been there since I was still studying primary school. It was one of the cool Chu-Char places due to its comfortable dining environment (fully air-conditioned) which was not common a couple decades ago. Fast-forward today, the place is still welcoming a steady crowd of regular patrons returning for their homey Chinese stir fry dishes. The wide variety of choices and inexpensive price points are some of the reasons why this place is still doing good today. But don't expect the place to have flashy interior decor or bewitching setting... just a casual-local family restaurant that offers dishes that are familiar to us.