Dak Haan Yum Cha is a new dim sum spot housed in one of the shop lots at Avatel Hotel Jelutong. Run by the same team behind The Secret Tunnel, the eatery offers a range of homemade dim sum, covering most of the classics — from steamed to fried items — along with a small selection of stir-fried noodles. Prices are reasonable, making it a casual spot for a dim sum fix. However, those sensitive to heat may find it less comfortable due to the lack of air-conditioning.
Another spot to get your fix of hand-pulled noodles—Mee Tarik China Muslim has opened a branch at Ivory Plaza, Bukit Gambir. Like other Mee Tarik establishments in Penang, the menu centers around Lanzhou-style beef noodles, alongside a selection of Muslim-friendly Chinese dishes. The place is fairly small with limited indoor seating (air-conditioned) for about four tables, and a few more outdoor tables without air-conditioning. A decent halal option in the neighborhood, especially for those craving something warm and filling.
Located at E-Gate, Taipei 10 is a new addition offering an extensive Taiwanese-Chinese menu—from rice and noodles to stir-fried dishes. While the variety is impressive, we found the food quality rather average. Air-conditioned seats are limited, though there’s additional al-fresco seating available. Might work if you're after convenience and a quick fix, but don’t expect anything exceptional.
Located on the second floor of Ivory Plaza Gelugor, Chongqing Chinese Food 重庆美食 brings bold and authentic Chongqing flavours to Penang. Run by a Chongqing native, the eatery serves up a variety of noodle dishes like Liang Mian, Mi Xian, and Chongqing Noodles, alongside spice-laden grilled skewers. The place is not air-conditioned, but prices are wallet-friendly—great for a casual, flavour-packed meal that offers something a little different from the usual local fare.
Housed in the newly opened BreakX Hotel at Bukit Dumbar or Udini (next to Stallion Apartment), BreakX Cafe is the in-house cafe under the hotel and it shares the same floor as the hotel lobby or check in concierge at Level 9. The cafe occupies half of the floor and offers a minimalist-chic interior decor in shades of grey. It is also a co-working space at the same time. The cafe offers a rather big menu, featuring both Western and Oriental dining options. Great ambiance with reasonable prices; a decent spot to enjoy a meal. At the time of writing- BreakX Hotel offers free parking at its multi-storey car park.
Those who seek for affordable Thai quick fix at Sungai Dua area should check out Thai Tuk Tuk, a new Thai restaurant at Vanda Business Park (few shops away from Family Mart). The place is air-conditioned with simple but comfortable seating. Thai Tuk Tuk carries a fairly big Thai menu- whether you are seeking for personal meal or to share, the options are there.
Hai Bee Restaurant 海味饭店 at Pekaka has been around for quite a few years, the restaurant has garnered an appreciate following since its opening in 2019. The menu is simple but offering a lot of classic, homecooked-styled dishes at reasonable prices. What differentiates Hai Bee from its competitors- this restaurant is equipped with air-conditioning, offering a more comfortable dining experience. The place is often full on weekend evenings- a popular option for family dinner. Nothing fancy but a solid, no-frills Chinese stir-fry menu.
Xiang Yue 湘约 is a new spot near USM (University Science Malaysia) where you can get your spicy, Ma-La Hunan Cuisine cravings fixed. The newly opened Hunan Restaurant offers a big Chinese menu, featuring many Hunan highlights as well as a small Noodle list. While there are some spicy, Ma-La dishes, the menu features mostly China Chinese home-cooked dishes... suitable for all age range. The kitchen follows authentic recipes from China so the flavor-combo is as close as it gets. Items are reasonably priced with generous portion. The place is air-conditioned and offers a comfortable dining space for a casual, quick fix. This place is worth a look if you are in the vicinity.
Associated with the founder of the Penang White Curry Mee instant noodles, the Penang White Curry Corner at Sungai Dua has been around since 2016 but they have been pretty low-key in terms of marketing and not many people are aware about this place. The Penang White Curry Corner is located at the corner unit of Lintang Merak, a stone's throw distance away from the Sungai Dua Night Market. The menu is Curry Mee-focused, with some other rice and noodle options. Prices are reasonable and affordable, if you do enjoy a bowl of good Penang Curry Mee, do give this place a try.
An extended branch of Chiow Lin Hotpot (at Abu Siti Lane), it's hard to notice Shu Xiang Ge 蜀湘阁; the restaurant can be found at The Palazzia, a commercial space right next to Jalan Bukit Gambir (down the hill if coming from Jalan Yeap Chor Ee/ before USM). This particular restaurant focuses on Sze Chuan-style stir fry dishes instead of hotpot. The menu is fairly small and it has quite a handful of affordable options (to attract the China Chinese students from USM). But the classics are still available, like the Kou Shui Ji, Shui Zhu Yu or Hui Guo Rou etc. The place is less-accommodating for big groups and some of the items on the menu tend to be not available so if you have plans coming in a big group, do make early reservations.
It takes a while to locate Pipit Patisserie, the cafe is tucked away in the residential neighborhood of Gelugor. Use navigation system to assist if you are not familiar with the area, the streets can be confusing for someone who has never visited the place. Pipit Patisserie is housed in a mansion in that neighborhood. Manned by a Malay baker who was trained at the Le Cordon Bleu, the cafe is known for churning out quality, inexpensive cakes and desserts. The place does serve a main menu but the offering is weak. All the fresh bakes of the day are being displayed right next to the order counter so guests get to pick their favorites on the spot. Limited seating in the air-conditioned room but there are plenty of seats available at the al-fresco area (which can be quite frustrating for the heat-intolerant). If you do like cakes, this place is worth a try.
The Little House Kochabi 一家小店.古早味 is a newly opened and seemingly mysterious eatery along Jalan Yeap Chor Ee. The little light bulbs will be lit in the evenings and if you have been driving along the bustling street, chances of you noticing this place will be high. The Little House Kochabi offers a Taiwanese-influenced menu and its located on a slope (facing the junction to the shop houses at Island Glades). The menu is not big but some home-cooked Taiwanese meals- be it Rice or Noodles, along with some Taiwanese delights like Fried Chicken Chop, Fried Sweet Potato etc. Reasonable price points but the overall food offering is still quite weak and would need some fine-tuning.
It's not hard to notice that the Halal cafe scene in Penang is growing in recent years and one of the latest additions is Brwnsgr.Neighborhood. This is another outlet by The Table Penang (also the same group of people running Brown Sugar Eatery at Sungai Tiram). Brwnsgr.Neighorbood can be found at the residential neighborhood of Island Glades, right opposite to the junction turning to Genting Coffee Shop. The Muslim-friendly cafe offers a big beverage menu, along with some simple meals as well as sweet treats. There are only a few choices when it comes to food menu- All Day Brunch, Cheese Egg Bun and Kaya Toast; the rest are all sweet items. Environment is cozy, setting is comfortable, prices are affordable but the only downside is the parking.
With a name like KOGI (means "meat" in Korean"), it lures a horde of Korean BBQ lovers and the place is often packed and crowded on weekends. The casual Korean restaurant is relatively new but has already gained an appreciate following; apart from the BBQ meat platers, KOGI also churns out familiar Korean delights that any Malaysians can relate to... for example, the Korean Rice Cake, Bibimbap, Korean Pancakes etc. The pocket-friendly price tag is probably another reason why the place rose to be a popular spot at E-Gate. While we enjoy the hospitality and food at KOGI, we did not like the absence of BBQ exhaust hood... in which our clothes were tainted with the BBQ smoke stench. A piece of advice: if you are visiting in a big group, do make advance reservation.
Found right next to The Seven Restaurant and under the same management team, Mott 9 Restaurant 九號公館 is one of the latest additions to E-Gate. Though both restaurants are sitting next to each other, both offer different menu. The Seven offers a Hunan-inspired menu while Mott 9 has a slightly localized Chinese menu. It would be easier for Penangites to relate as most of the dishes are familiar and can be found in any established Chinese restaurants. The price points however, are slightly on the higher side; also, the tables are not as well-spaced as we would have hoped... so it feels like a little cramped dining over there.
A new venture by The Six group- The Seven Restaurant and Bar 七号笼门 at E-Gate Udini has a fresh new concept- marrying authentic Hunan and Cantonese dishes with local elements... making them friendlier to local palates. The newly opened restaurant can be found right next to Coffee Bean at E-Gate, with bold Chinese interior decor. The menu is big and offers a wide range of Chinese dishes... while retaining some of their previous signature dishes (such as Ramen). There were some hits and misses for the dishes but given the comfortable dining atmosphere, affordable price points and family-friendly menu, this place is still worth a try (especially for family eat out).
Established in 2015, Frank Laurent was one of the earliest boutique roasters in Penang; while they still remain as a key player and leading name when it comes to quality coffee, the brand has far expanded its business operations... offering more options to coffee lovers and cafe hoppers. With a base in Udini Square, Frank Laurent currently manages 4 more outlets in northern Malaysia. The Udini Square outlet has also expanded since then; while the minimalist cafe continues to offer the right laid back vibe, it is now more spacious and comfortable for coffee lovers to unwind and enjoy their cup of Joe. In line with their expansion plan, Frank Laurent also launched their All Day Food Menu in the month of September 2020. The newly rolled out All Day Food Menu features an array of hearty brunch staples like Toasts, Pasta and sweet treats; not very extensive but more than good enough to please picky eaters.
Many Thanks to Frank Laurent for hosting us that afternoon.
