The Melbourne Cartel @ Straits Quay, Penang.

One of the latest additions to Straits Quay Penang is The Melbourne Cartel- where Australian vibes meet gourmet Waffles and Pancakes... inspired by Aussie culinary traditions and served in a creative twist. The cafe specializes in Waffles and Pancakes... but also offers an Aussie-influenced All Day Breakfast menu. The Coffee Beans are roasted and imported from Melbourne directly so you are literally getting a taste of the Down Under from Penang. If you must know- there are a couple of tables at the al-fresco area, especially suitable for pet owners.

[Year 2016] Food Hunting @ Hong Kong- Lady M Cake Boutique New York and Yat Lok Roast Goose (一乐烧鹅)

On our recent trip to South Korea (only one post thus far, more to come!), we flew with Cathay Pacific and intentionally picked a long transit so we could sneak out for some food (and shopping of course) in Hong Kong. The shopaholic in us convinced that we should go for shopping and thus, the food hunting time was compromised. We did not get to try a lot of food this trip (we only had 10 hours). Also, luck was not on our side, we wanted to try the Afternoon Tea by the One Michelin Starred restaurant- Seasons, Olivier E but was told that the bookings were full and they could no longer accommodate us. Nevertheless, we had Lady M New York and Yat Lok Roast Goose; the reviews are as follows:

1) Lady M Cake Boutique Mille Crepe New York 

Address: 2096A, 2nd Floor, International Finance Centre (IFC) Mall, Central, Hong Kong.

Business Hours: 10 am to 9 am on every Monday to Saturday; 10 am to 8 pm on Sundays.
Contact Number: +852 2295 3308

Service Tax: Yes 10%

Government Tax: No

Wifi Available

Direction: Take MTR to Central Station and Exit A. Cross the famous Central Bridge and walk for approximately 10 minutes walk to IFC Mall. Lady M is on the second floor (a stone's throw away from Starbucks and Apple Store).

[Revisit] The Twelve Cups @ The Whiteaways Arcade, Beach Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Back to The Twelve Cups, one of the oldest cafe establishments in town; was closed for a one-month renovation and has since, resumed its business operation. Not only that the cafe has enhanced its interior decor but introduced a newly revamped menu that furnishes a sprawling collection of shareable small and large Brunch, savory and sweet crepes as well as the regulars' all time favorites. The cafe is now more hipstery and brighter with younger vibe but seats are still limited, so for those coming in a big group, be sure to secure a table by making advance reservation. Ambiance-aside, we were impressed with the food quality and endless options. If you are seeking for a cafe that serves solid-promising food, give this place a try.

Sugar Honey @ Campbell Street, Georgetown, Penang.

I was introduced to this newly opened cafe not long ago, in which their soft opening falls on the middle of December. Sweet Time in Sugar Honey or known as Sugar Honey for short, is located right next to the very famous Moustache Houze at Campbell Street. As the name of the cafe would imply, the quaint little cafe serves mainly desserts, with a medley range of mains, savory desserts as well as some snacks/ nibbles.The cafe has lovely and cozy ambiance to spend some time with your loved ones; service was genuine but after considering all the factors as a whole, the cafe is worth for a second visit but probably more for novelty than absolute taste.

Brew Thirty Two Coffee House @ Green Hall, Penang.

Chanced upon this place during my previous visit to Kaffa Espresso Bar , situated at Green Hall, finding a place to park your car can be a real headache especially during office hours. As the name of the coffee house suggested, Brew Thirty Two Coffee House specializes in brewing coffee, as well as serving some cakes and pastries. On top of the usual cakes, they do serve some mains too, although the menu is not that extensive. However, the kitchen was down for renovation during my visit, it was a regret that I couldn't try some of their mains. I was told by one of my friends that the service was bad when she visited this place a couple weeks back (on a weekend) but it was perfectly okay during my visit. We didn't wait too long until our foods were served. The decor is a glam casualness; it's the harmonious yet cozy ambiance makes this a perfect place for gatherings and get-together. Prices are reasonable considering there are no taxes nor surcharges. 

Moustache Houze @ Campbell Street, Penang.

There are literally countless of heritage cafes sprouting out in the bustling roads of Georgetown recently and here comes another new one- Moustache Houze. Helmed by two pretty ladies, Moustache Houze has opened its door for less than 2 weeks and the place has been flooded with crowd since then. The iconic location of Moustache Houze makes it very easy to be found even by non-locals; it is situated towards the end of Campbell Street, Penang. This humble cafe has a very cozy and homely ambiance, with a twist of their own funky interior design as well as a mural paint painted on the wall of their cafe which has since then, became one of the landmarks of the cafe. The cafe serves cakes and beverages at the moment but they will be coming out with more and more to offer in the future, told by one of the partners. I don't find there's a need for further description on the place as the photos below will unveil the stories of the cafe. Also, I can tell that this place is going to be the next "hit" in Penang. 

Ochado @ Butterworth, Penang.

** Ochado Butterworth is no longer in business since then.**

It is never easy to find a cozy place to have a small gathering with a couple of friends, enjoying both tea and cakes but not costing a bomb. I was at Bagan Lalang having my seafood lunch at Ong Cheng Huat Seafood just before this, I was thinking to turn into Raja Uda to hunt for some other interesting stuff and coincidentally, I've bumped into this place...... Ochado. Originated from Japan, Ochado had its first brew in Singapore back in the year 2010 and ever since then, it has became one of the most well known brand in selling Taiwanese Bubble Tea. It would be such a shame if Ken were to blog about just Taiwanese Bubble Tea.... Hence, I would just focus mainly on the cakes offered. Ochado Butterworth is located right opposite to Chung Ling Butterworth and the road behind Raja Uda. It should not be hard to find as long as you can locate Chung Ling Butterworth accurately. Price-wise, was okay, slightly cheaper as compared to Chatime I reckon. I would personally recommend their Matcha-related beverage for drinks and here it goes for the cakes.....

The Twelve Cups @ Beach Street, Penang.

With the recent hype of the Mille Crepe cake which the word "Crepe" originated from French, meaning to stack few layers of the thin pancake and spread with flavored cream. I have been receiving plenty of complaints regarding Humble Beginnings due to its below-par quality, I have decided to hunt for another eatery/cafe which offers similar product and I have came across this place, The Twelve Cups. The Twelve Cups is a newly opened cafeteria which located at The Whiteaways Arcade, Beach Street (few door steps away from Standard Chartered Bank and opposite to Am Bank/ Maybank). Apart from the palatable Mille Crepe cakes, The Twelve Cups offers distinct and freshly brewed coffee. Price-wise, I'd say reasonable as the prices listed are nett and service was attentive. It has a very good and homely ambiance too, you can even find a couple of comfortable couches towards the end of the place. The only cons would be the parking, do avoid peak hours as the area is always packed with cars.

Nadeje Cafe @ Mahkota Parade, Malacca.

I suppose many will agree with me that Nadeje is one of the must-visit when it comes to Malacca, the Mille Crepe cakes found in Nadeje is so famous that every single foodie should at least heard of it. Nadeje was one of the first/pioneer when it comes to Mille Crepe Cake, established since the year 2006, Nadeje prides itself with their freshly hand made Mille Crepe. There are three outlets in total but due to its strategic location at Mahkota Parade (one of the largest shopping malls in Malacca), we've decided to pay them a visit here. The name- Mille Crepe cake has received its name from the French, meaning layering. It is not easy to make a Mille Crepe cake as one would have to spread cream layer over layer. I've actually tried Nadeje before few months back during my visit to Malacca, however, due to time constraint, we couldn't actually savor the cake in the restaurant and have opted to take away instead. The taste was a total disaster and differ from my experience this time. Hence, I would recommend my readers to dine in instead of take away as it affects the taste and the texture.

Humble Beginnings @ Straits Quay, Penang.

"Mille Crepe- Twenty layers of crepes with a delightful combination of fresh cream and vanilla custard between each layer. The topmost layer is caramelized to give it a nice smoky sugary flavor. Everything is hand-made and hand-layered: a true labor of love"    - Humble Beginnings.

I believe the Mille Crepe Cake fever has been here for quite long and finally, one of the pioneers (other than Nadeje) has finally landed Penang (with their own shop). Opened on last Sunday, Humble Beginnings has its first outlet in Penang opened in Straits Quay, right beside Fruuze Frozen Yogurt and Paparich Cafe. As they have just began their business few days ago, choices were rather limited and I was told that they will bring in more flavors in the near future. As for those who wish to order one whole cake, you may order online via their website (Citibank Card users may receive discounts up to 20%- terms and conditions applied). Prices are okay considering they are serving every single customer (dine-in) a cup of plain water (with some lemon juice), I would also like to advice my readers not to take-away and try to have it fresh by dine-in as it tends to affect the texture and smoothness of the cream. As choices and seats are limited, I would advice you to go as early as possible to avoid any disappointments.