Meqrizq By Rizq Bistro @ Bayan Baru, Penang.

An extended branch of Rizq Bistro, one of the famous and well-established Western-Arabic restaurants at Nibong Tebal area; Meqrizq By Rizq Bistro offers some of the best sellers from Meqrizq which comprises of an enviable blend of locals' favorites and Arabic-influenced delights. The restaurant boasts over its unique cooking method, in which some recipes are brought over from Yemen... with some tweaking to suit the local palates. With most Malaysians open to the Middle-Eastern flavors, the proprietor hopes to introduce more Arabic flavors at wallet-friendly prices. Some of the signature dishes of Meqrizq include stringy Cheese Naan, Middle-Eastern spiced Basmati Rice and roasted Chicken etc. Meqrizq can be found at Quartermile, Bayan Baru (next to One Precinct).  

Many Thanks to Meqrizq for hosting us.

Dandy Modern Food @ Queensbay Mall, Penang.

Middle Eastern cuisine is widely accepted and welcomed in Malaysia- healthy, bold and irresistible flavors but it is often too grueling to the wallet to indulge. Dandy Modern Food seizes this opportunity and brings flavors from the Mediterranean to Penang by offering delicious Mediterranean delights in an affordable price range. While some are authentically Mediterranean dishes, certain dishes have been modified to suit the local palate (esp on the heavy usage of Herbs). Having received great support from Penangites, the brand expanded its business operation and opened up a new branch at Queensbay Mall earlier this year. The same open-kitchen concept is used to impart a casual and comfortable dining atmosphere, allowing diners to witness the entire food preparation process. Both restaurants in Queensbay Mall and Arena Curve are Halal-certified; private functions and events can also be arranged at both locations.

Many Thanks to Dandy Modern Food for hosting us.

Dandy Modern Food @ Arena Curve, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Western and Fusion food are commonly found in the Penang cafe scene but Middle Eastern cuisine has not gotten the same attention and limelight. Dandy Modern Food is making a breakthrough here... a new kid on the block at Arena Curve that offers Mediterranean fare with a Fusion touch in a comfortable-cozy cafe atmosphere. The cafe uses an open-kitchen concept and allows diners to have visual access to the Shawarma meat-carving process or reassuring the hygiene conditions of the cafe. The menu covers an interesting array Middle Eastern food and some Western dishes; price points are standard-average but the entire package, including the service level and quality is somewhat spectacular. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary cafe fare in the vicinity, Dandy Modern Food might be a good option.

Tarbush Restaurant @ Batu Feringghi, Penang.

If you are finding something exquisite enough to suit your taste buds, you should at least give this restaurant a try. Finding Arabic and Lebanese cuisine has never been easy in Penang, one of the more well-known ones is being Tarbush Restaurant. Tarbush Restaurant has four branches in Malaysia in total, being Penang's branch situated at Batu Feringghi (right beside The Ship Western Food). Tarbush Restaurant has a lot to offer its customers, namely salads, main course (seafood, beef, chicken or even lamb), soups, and a variety of desserts/ beverages. Quoted from Tarbush Restaurant's website:

" TARBUSH's dedication to using only the freshest and finest ingredients and incessant passion of a man's love for authentic and fine Middle Eastern cuisine has undoubtedly rendered TARBUSH's incredible success and growth for all these years. "

Overall verdict: The foods were actually okay to my liking but they lacked of the authenticity. The heavily use of spices and herbs is essential in Lebanese cuisine, but unfortunately, we don't taste the strong aroma of those herbs. Price-wise, expensive for most dishes, despite of their big portion for most dishes, I still find most of them over-priced, especially with the additional 10% service charge and 6% government tax. There is a need for improvements on their services too, with many of the waiters/waitresses do not understand English, the process of ordering/ acquiring information was very troublesome for us (thank GOD the manager was kind and understands English). As for parking, one can simply park its car right in front of the restaurant, there were ample parking spaces available, but do beware of the night market happening every night there, make sure you do not reach the restaurant too late, else, you might face problems finding the parking.