SAMBAL 三佰 @ Beach Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Penang welcomes a spate of restaurants serving modern fusion cuisines lately but it is fun to see restaurateurs putting in effort to reinvent existing dishes and blend in other elements. SAMBAL 三佰 is one of the new restaurants with such concept, the restaurant at Beach Street serves a fusion menu that blends Oriental flavors into Western dishes. The mains are quite limited on the menu but the flavor-combos are unique. The price points are of restaurant-standard; the interior is in shades of grey and fully conditioned- a place where you can enjoy some unique dishes with a sip of alcohol (watch out their Cocktail menu as well). 

Ah Ji Old Kopitiam 阿吉老茶室 @ Melaka Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Penang Hokkien Mee, one of Penangites' most beloved hawker food receives an upgrade here at Ah Ji Old Kopitiam 阿吉老茶室; while the old-school classic version is still available, the Mantis Prawn and Tok Tok Shrimp Ball are two popular variants. This place is fairly new and has been gaining some attention on social media platforms, mainly due to its various uncommon toppings. The dining area is fully air-conditioned, diners who would prefer more variety can also try the Steamed Buns, served with Sambal Hae Bee and Kaya/ Butter (or Half Boiled Eggs). If you do like a bowl of Penang Hokkien Mee with bold Prawn flavors, this place is worth a look. 

Unknown Café & Bistro @ Pahang Road, Georgetown, Penang.

Found at Pahang Road and occupying one of the shop lots along that road, Unknown Café & Bistro is one of the latest cafes that sprung up at this corner of Georgetown. Stepping inside, the cafe has a minimalist interior; on the food offering- mains, light bites and desserts are available... with the Brunch menu occupying a big portion. Price points are standard-average but the place is definitely spacious and comfortable enough to enjoy a brunch. Parking might be limited on Pahang Road but there's a public parking space at Siam Road which allows visitors to enter the cafe via the back entrance. 

Shu Da Xia Hotpot 蜀大侠火锅 @ Karpal Singh Drive, Jelutong, Penang.

With its wide variety of ingredients and steaming soup bases, Shu Da Xia Hotpot 蜀大侠火锅 is one of the alternatives to big Hotpot chains like Hai Di Lao and Xiao Long Kan. The new Hotpot restaurant is perched at the top floor of Karpal Singh Drive's Automall, offering a nice sea view to diners. The menu is pretty much China Chinese-inspired, offering a wide variety of meat (and organ meats) as well as other popular Hotpot ingredients. Likewise, the layout is also quite "Chinese"; step in the place and you will be instantly transported to ancient China- with traditional Chinese knick-knacks and in shades of red. Service is top-notch but expect to pay a premium to dine-in here. 

Ren Qin Wei 人情味 @ Jalan Kulim, Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Don't be surprised to find a queue into Ren Qin Wei 人情味 (especially on weekends), the new Dim Sum restaurant at the shop houses a stone's throw distance away from St. Anne's Church lures in crowd as early as 7 am. Besides churning out familiar Dim Sum dishes (at affordable prices), the brand also aces in services and table settings. The place is fully air-conditioned and the tables are well-spaced allowing dining groups to enjoy their meals comfortably. There are no Dim Sum carts being pushed around but instead, diners need to walk to the counter and pick their Dim Sum dishes (in which the orders will be recorded using a card). The price points are very affordable and wallet-friendly; given the ease of finding a parking space, attentive services and comfortable dining atmosphere... this place is worth a look.  For your benchmarking- the total bill was a little less than Rm 60 for the 3 of us (including Pu Er Tea of Rm 1.20 per pax).

Noviss Cafe @ Lebuh Cannon, Georgetown, Penang.

Noviss Cafe is only a stone's throw distance away from the clan house of Khoo Kongsi and Armenian Street's popular wall mural. The cafe occupies a spot in one of the heritage houses along Cannon Street; the proprietor continues the quaint-factor and minimal restoration works are done to the place... creating a space with old-fashioned elements but with modern touches as well. Except some light Toasts, there are no tummy-fillers in Noviss Cafe (no main menu) but more like a space for casual hangout over snacks, desserts and drinks. Nothing too unique on the menu but the items are carefully priced. 

Koji @ Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

It's easy to miss Koji in a tucked-away position at T Place (Bukit Mertajam) but if you do like a Japanese-inspired menu, this place is worth checking out. The place is accessible via a small wooden entrance next to the signage- step in the place and you will notice the open kitchen with bar seating followed by a spiral staircase which leads to the upper floor, a space with proper dining setting. On the food offering- the regular menu offers an interesting range of Japanese-Fusion dishes while the Seasonal menu takes diners to a gastronomic journey on the seasonal highlights. We sampled their 4-course Spring menu (Seasonal menu) priced at Rm 109 per diner. 

Many Thanks to Koji for hosting us that evening.

TEMU Coffee @ Malay Street, Georgetown, Penang.

TEMU which literally translates as "Meet Up" from Malay, is one of the latest hang out spots in Penang. The place received great attention since its opening due to its minimalist and quaint setting, the big reflective art piece right in front of the entrance is a nice futuristic touch (a popular spot for Instagram feed). But TEMU is not all about the interior decor and setting, the place churns out delicious sweet treats as well- from their Waffle series to Cakes. While the choices may not be aplenty, the quality is pretty consistent so far. A nice spot to hangout over desserts and Coffee (not so friendly when it comes to finding a parking space though). 

Vegeteh Vegetarian Restaurant @ Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Known for their Vegetarian Pan Mee, Vegeteh Restaurant is not new in mainland- it has strong presence in Butterworth and now, expanding to Bukit Mertajam. The branch at Bukit Mertajam just got started last October and has been serving the vegetarian community in town. The menu is casual and friendly- with many options suitable for all age range. Not only noodles but the place serves Western choices, classic stir fry meat-free dishes at unbeatable prices. Apart from the excellent food quality, we also found ourselves enjoying the food at a comfortable, air-conditioned space. You should definitely check out this place whether you are practicing plant-based diet. 

Koshien Yakitori Bar 甲子園 @ Noordin Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Well-hidden in one of the upper floor shop lots at Noordin Street, Koshien Yakitori Bar 甲子園 is one of the latest places for regular drinkers to quench their thirst while enjoying some Japanese Izakaya-style nibbles or dishes. The flight of stairs up to the restaurant is decorated with vintage Izakaya wallpapers and step in the place, you will be instantly transported to a place with retro Japanese Izakaya background. The menu features a list of barbecue items and some Udon dishes as well as some Oden choices near the counter as well. If drinks are of your concern, there's a dedicated fridge for Japanese alcohols as well. It is however, not exactly cheap to dine in here, expect to pay a little more than Rm 40 per pax if you wish to walk home with your tummy filled (without alcohols). 

Yè Yàn Private Dining & Bar 夜宴 @ Abu Siti Lane, Georgetown, Penang.

The concept of Private Dining has been all the rage in Penang in recent months- the novelty experience and excitement waiting for the Chef to dish out their expertly crafted dishes. Yè Yàn Private Dining & Bar 夜宴 is one of the latest spots where you can enjoy your Private Dining experience in town. The menu is constantly changing and there is no fixed theme, the Chef brings out the best he could on the day (depending on the supply sources). There are 2 different types of pricing- the RM108 is a 3-course meal for walk-in diners whilst the RM128 is a 5-course menu with possible add-ons; the premium add-ons has a wide range and could cost up to RM688 (expect to see Iberico Steak, Wagyu Beef, Atlantic Cod etc), a minimum 3 days booking in advance is required. On top of the Private Dining menu, Yè Yàn offers a big Cocktail menu too.

Many Thanks to Yè Yàn for hosting us that evening. 

Blue Bellvine Nyonya Cuisine @ Noordin Street, Georgetown, Penang.

One of the latest places to get a Nyonya meal is Blue Bellvine Nyonya Cuisine, a new Nyonya restaurant right smack in town at Noordin Street, central Georgetown. The restaurant is fairly new and boasts full-fledged Nyonya menu, from Appetizers to Main Meat dishes as well as Desserts... though the options for each category are rather limited. The restaurant has a very nice and elegant setting; you could tell from how the things are organized here- from color combinations and the choice of eating utensils. Definitely a place where you would want to spend time enjoying the dishes here (do spare some extra time as the serving time might take a little longer than usual). Prices are on the higher side though... given the small serving portion. 

Crème De La Crème @ Hutton Lane, Georgetown, Penang.

Looking for a sweet treat to beat the melting tropical heat? Look no further than Crème De La Crème, an Ice Cream parlor that has recently opened up a new branch in Penang. The brand was originally from central Malaysia and has since expanded its business operations up north. The place received an overwhelming responses over the the first few opening weeks. Popular for artisanal Ice Cream and creative-imaginary flavors, Crème De La Crème is definitely a place for Ice Cream lovers to check out. The Penang branch can be found at Hutton Lane, next to Secawan Hutton.