Originating from Singapore and known for its award-winning Hunan fare, Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine has landed in Penang with its first outlet on the 6th floor of Gurney Plaza. The menu isn’t large but focuses on bold, classic flavors—think Suan Cai Fish, Dual Pepper Spicy Chicken with Antler Mushroom, and Stir-Fried Pork. Prices lean a little higher, but business is brisk, with a queue expected on weekends. Bonus: free snacks and soft serve are offered while you wait.
A proud local Penang brand that withstood the test of time- Winter Warmers is founded by a tea enthusiast back in Year 2000; the brand has strong presence in major shopping malls Northern states of Malaysia... with an aim to provide a comfortable-tranquil atmosphere for diners to enjoy their selection of English teas. Today, the tea house has expanded their food offering from the initial tea-snacks to a full-fledged menu, consists of a big selection of mains and delicious treats.
Many Thanks to Winter Warmers for hosting us.
Embark on a culinary journey to Poland at G Hotel Penang's special buffet- Spirit of Poland Buffet Dinner (in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic Poland in Kuala Lumpur), happening this month from 17th of May to 19th of May (only 3 days from Friday to Sunday). With an array of authentic Polish delights, this culinary experience is a delightful exploration of Eastern Europe cuisine. Helmed by guest Chefs- Chef Mariusz Olechno and Chef Marcin Budynek, guests can look forward to the traditional Polish favorites (such as Beef Tartare with Egg Yolk Emulsion, Roast Salmon with Asparagus Velouté, Beef Stroganoff with Drop Noodles, Seabass in Polish sauce, Pierogi with Cheese and many more) that Poland has to offer.
Many Thanks to G Hotel Penang for hosting us
A big name in the Kuala Lumpur cafe scene- popular Kiwi-Australian style cafe: Antipodean Cafe is finally in Penang now. The latest outlet can be found at Central @ Gurney (ground floor of G Hotel Gurney Drive). The Penang Antipodean Cafe brings along some of its signature dishes like the Big Breakfast, Egg Benedict etc, the price points are in the mid-high range (for a cafe standard). The cafe has a casual, relaxed al-fresco vibe; making it ideal for both casual meet ups over drinks or even a leisure brunch.
Indulge your senses in a culinary journey as Ăn Viet, a popular chain of Vietnamese restaurants... unveils its latest creation: the Soup-er Hot Stone A5 Japanese Wagyu Pho. Elevating the traditional Vietnamese Pho experience, this exquisite dish marries the rich beefy flavors of the A5-grade Japanese Wagyu beef. Having served the Pho using sizzling hot stone bowls, not only it is visually captivating; it ensures it maintains the ideal temperature for the Wagyu Beef and the rest of the ingredients to come to life. The Soup-er Hot Stone A5 Japanese Wagyu Pho is now available at Ăn Viet, all outlets nationwide.
Many Thanks to Ăn Viet for hosting us.
Thai food lovers would be very excited to learn that Para Thai, a Thai chain restaurant has finally opened up a branch up north in Penang. The latest branch can be found at the lower ground floor of Gurney Plaza Penang. The strategic location provides easy access to delicious Halal Thai food. The menu is somewhat extensive- from saliva-inducing starters to tummy-satisfying mains or even Thai sweet treats. The quality seems to be pretty consistent (its a chain restaurant anyway) but the price points are above average (example: the bill for the two of us came to be slightly more than RM160). Nevertheless, we do see that Para Thai is an option with easy access and for quality Halal Thai food.
Known as the best Ramen joint in Fukuoka, Japan; Kanada-Ya is a big Ramen brand that bagged many international awards. It is also voted as the No. 1 Ramen by Telegraph London and Top 20 Best Ramen in Singapore. With 18 outlets worldwide (including Japan, London, Hong Kong, Spain, Singapore and Taiwan), the ramen joint is officially open in Malaysia... with its first outlet at Central Gurney of G Hotel Penang. The brand specializes in Tonkotsu Ramen, to fully accentuate the flavors, the pork bone broth is first boiled for 18 hours then added with a secret sauce lending it a slight creaminess. For Truffle lovers, try their signature Truffle Ramen (limited to only 20 bowls a day) where you will get slurp some al-dente wheat noodles with Porcini Truffle paste and White Truffle Oil.
Opening Special: Enjoy 50% Discount on the Second bowl of Ramen. No minimum spend required, only available from 30 May to 4 June 2023.
Many thanks to Kanada-Ya for hosting us.
A popular hotpot brand started in Singapore, Beauty In The Pot 美滋锅 needs no further introduction as the brand is famed to all Malaysians and Singaporeans for its nourishing and wholesome broth, its signature Beauty Collagen Broth is the most sought-after hotpot broth amongst all. Hotpot fans would be glad to know that Beauty In The Pot is finally extending its business operations up north to Gurney Plaza Penang! The new outlet is the 4th outlet and the largest outlet in Malaysia and it is the first outside of Genting Highlands and Klang Valley.
Spanning over 10,000 square feet, the 292-seater outlet boasts of exquisite interior design that is different from the rest of its outlets. The pink princess theme is inspired by the beautiful cherry blossoms that come every early spring. The restaurant's walls and ceiling features pink wave design, with round shape mirror decor from the entrance to the private rooms. There are 3 VIP private rooms available to large group of diners and able to accommodate 12 to 24 diners. Beauty In The Pot Gurney Plaza is set to welcome diners on 18 April 2023!
Opening Promotion and Highlights:
Many Thanks to Beauty In The Pot for hosting us
One Dish One Taste Hot Pot 一碟一味重庆火锅 is the latest addition to the Penang hotpot scene, the brand specializes in Chong Qing-style Hot Pot, particularly the Ma-La Spicy broth but the brand has created a unique proposition by rolling out a Nine-Square dessert box as well as decorating the whole restaurant with purple Wisteria. Instead of focusing on the Hot Pot, many visitors are more excited to try on the Nine-Square desserts. As long as the guest agrees to pay an extra RM6 fee, he/she is entitled to unlimited servings of desserts (on top of the sauces and dips). As for the Hot Pot, the selection for broth types and Hot Pot raw ingredients is quite standard. A meal here does not come cheap, the bill for the 2 of us came to slightly more than RM240.
Right in the heart of Gurney Drive, the newly opened community lifestyle mall- Gurney Walk welcomes a new spate of tenants and amongst the new joiners, Cocoon + Kids Cafe is one of them. Unlike the first venture by the group- Cocoon Glamping (established in 2018) at Vantage Tanjong Tokong, Cocoon + Kids Cafe has a different approach. Cocoon Glamping is more like a space for kids to experience indoor picnic and it has smaller menu; Cocoon + Kids Cafe at Gurney Walk on the other hand, is more like a cafe with mini playground for the kids. The menu is bigger here with Asian-Western options; apart from having a leisure walk at the mall, the adults can also enjoy a peaceful meal and grab some quality time while the kids are safely occupied. This is particularly inline with Cocoon + Kids Cafe's tagline: "We Sell Time". The indoor play areas include a foam pit, mini picnic area, small reading corner, mini gym and slides.
It is noteworthy that Cocoon + Kids Cafe at Gurney Walk caters for private parties as well, a minimum spend of RM2,500 is required. Do check out their party packages at the bottom of this entry. Socks are mandatory (for both adults and children) for entry to the playland due to hygiene purposes. The cafe serves no Pork and reservation is highly encouraged (especially on weekends). For more information, check out their Facebook Page for the latest promotions. Cocoon + Kids Cafe can be found on the first floor of Gurney Walk, visitors can park their car at the multi-storey car park or the underground car park, with entrance from Ascott Gurney Hotel.
This post is brought to you by Gurney Walk Penang.
Another new venture by the Edo Ichi group (the same company that manages Edo Ichi, Sushi Zento, Azuma, Ichiban Izakaya etc)- Aburi Sushi places great focuses on Aburi items (like what suggested by its name) which refers to "partially grilled meat" in Japanese. The new Japanese restaurant can be found at the lower ground floor of Gurney Plaza. As expected, the menu features a big variety of Sushi items as well as the familiar Japanese delights. Items are affordably priced but they commensurate with serving portion, a place suitable for those who are looking for variety.
Filling empty bellies while out for shopping is a common practice but do not let the chain restaurants or fast food joints in the mall limiting your options. One of the fashion leading malls in Penang- Gurney Plaza has recently launched a new space- Gurney Food Hall, a 33,000 square feet food hall that can accommodate up to 600 diners at one go. It is arguably the largest upscale food court on Penang island. The brand new Gurney Food Hall has a fresh, modern and cozy interior; it gathers a wealth of food vendors not only limiting to Penang Street Food but a vast variety of international delights as well (all pork-free). The Gurney Food Hall houses 4 different zones... with each zone representing important landmarks around Penang- The Pier (highlighting the Penang Free Industrial Hub which revived the economy in the late 20th century), The Palm (natural wonders of Penang), The Pier (innovative design paired with interactive elements) and The Patio (a cozy sunshine corner that shies away from the crowd). There are a total 25 physical stalls housed in the food hall... which strive to provide a comfortable space to stretch your shopping legs or for a munch break.
Exclusive Gifts and Redemptions for Gurney Food Hall Grand Launch:
1. Gurney Food Hall Grand Opening Celebration: 25 Oct 2020 onwards at Extension Wing Atrium Ground Floor- spend RM150 and above (max 2 combined same day receipts) at any outlets in Gurney Plaza to stand a chance to Spin & Win exciting goodies or vouchers.
2. Early Birds Giveaway: 15 & 16 Oct 2020 onwards at Gurney Food Hall- Free Gurney Food Hall Foodie Voucher and exclusive merchandize for 1st 100 CapitaStar members in queue on 15 & 16 Oct.
3. Gurney Food Hall Limited Edition Non-Woven Bag Redemption: 16 Oct 2020 onwards at Information Counter- spend a min of RM100 (max 2 combined same day receipts and 1 receipt must be from Gurney Food Hall) to redeem a Gurney Food Hall non-woven bag.
4. Tapao-Where Redemption: 20 Nov 2020 onwards at Information Counter- spend a min of RM200 (max 2 combined same day receipts and 1 receipt must be from Gurney Food Hall) to redeem a food container.
5. Portable Cutlery Set Redemption: 01 Dec 2020 onwards at Information Counter- spend a min of RM200 (max 2 combined same day receipts and 1 receipt must be from Gurney Food Hall) to redeem one portable cutlery set.
6. Foldable Mask Holder Redemption: 15 Dec 2020 onwards at Information Counter- spend a min of RM30 in a single receipt during weekdays to redeem a Gurney Food Hall mask holder.
Many Thanks to Gurney Plaza for hosting us.
Ăn Viet, a popular Vietnamese food joint in Malaysia has recently introduced the Beefiest Pho (also has an outlet at Gurney Plaza)... an improvised version to their existing recipe, creating a beefier version of Pho broth. This is also in line with the brand's passion to constantly enhancing existing dishes to excite their regular patrons. The broth is cooked for hours to fully accentuate the deep,beefy flavors. The new edition of their signature and renowned Beefiest Pho comes in 3 different options- Vietnamese Beef Noodle Special, Vietnamese Raw Beef & Beef Brisket Noodle Soup and Vietnamese Raw Beef & Beef Ball Noodle Soup. From now till 15 September 2020, An Viet is offering for non-subscribers 10% discount for 1 Beefiest Pho ordered, 2 orders will enjoy 15% and 25% for 3 orders. Sign up as their subscribers and enjoy double the savings- 20% for 1 order, 30% of 2 orders and 50% of 3 orders on their Beefiest Pho (promotional voucher will be sent to subscribers via email/ flash it to the cashier to enjoy the discount).
Many Thanks to An Viet for hosting us.
