Mono Haus @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

Mono Haus is a new café nestled in the quiet neighborhood of Sungai Ara. The space is bright, spacious, and cozy — perfect for casual hangouts or coffee sessions. The menu features a range of familiar café fare, from hearty mains to desserts and coffee, all at reasonable prices. While the food still has some room for improvement, the coffee and desserts make it a pleasant spot to unwind. 

Grower's Home @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

*Update: Grower's Home has no longer accept walk-in or dine-in. Their takeaway-business is still available.*

Hidden in the residential neighborhood of Sungai Ara, Grower's Home is housed in one of the bungalows at (Jalan Sungai Ara 5) Sungai Ara. The home bakery churns out daily fresh bakes but only open for dine-in 2 days in a week (every Wednesday and Saturday). The rest of the days will be on delivery or can be found at other locations. Expect to find some really quality bakes here including rustic loaves, homemade cakes and delicious pastries. The offering might not be too extensive but it will definitely excite any bread lovers. 

Noodle and Bread Tea House 麵包茶室 @ One Foresta, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Housed in Ideal One Foresta (Sungai Ara) Bayan Lepas, Noodle and Bread Tea House 麵包茶室 is like the community canteen for those living in the neighborhood, the inexpensive and tummy-satisfying options are ideal for a quick fix. The kitchen churns out some simple rice and noodle choices but the place is popular for its Hakka Mee. Fresh bakes like bread and pastries are also available. Not something that one should go all out for but if you happen to be in the neighborhood, this can be a decent option. 

Mea1 一顿 @ Golden Triangle 2, Relau, Penang.

Mea1 一顿  is the latest addition to Golden Triangle 2; from the outside- the place looks like a curious cafe in shades of wood but the menu says otherwise. It is in fact a restaurant offering a modern, playful Malaysian-fusion menu, featuring Nasi Lemak with a twist, Japanese Curry and some Chinese dishes. It also churns out some freshly baked French pastries like Croissants, Madeleines, Croffins etc. Expect to spend RM30 to RM40 per pax for a meal here.

Foo House Pandan Nasi Lemak @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

There is no best time to enjoy a plate of good Nasi Lemak and this can be seen from Foo House Pandan Nasi Lemak at Sungai Ara. The crowd gathers as early as 9 am and the queue will slowly build up This is one of the best best-kept secrets from the folks living in the neighborhood. Foo House started as a stall in one of the Coffee Shops in Sungai Ara, the business expanded and they have since moved to this proper lot facing the main road. With better resources, Foo House is able to introduce more dishes and toppings to their signature Pandan Nasi Lemak. Do not be taken aback by the queue, it does not take that long. Should you wish to avoid long queues, reach the place before noon as the place is most packed during lunch hours.

Dream Garden & Home Decor @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

Found in one corner of a plant nursery along Tingkat Kenari (Sungai Ara), Dream Garden Cafe occupies a lovely space surrounded by greens and offers a small dessert menu with cakes and pastries. The space is fully air-conditioned so cafe-goers can enjoy their treats comfortably. Seats are pretty limited and can be especially crowded on weekends, so do plan your trip accordingly. Nothing overly unique on the food menu but good enough for any casual catch ups; being surrounded by greenery aids in recharging after all.  

Khun Yuan Restaurant 坤园中泰餐馆 @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

The folks staying around the Sungai Ara neighborhood should not be new to the name- Khun Yuan Restaurant 坤园中泰餐馆. It has been there for quite some time, the same place was previously occupied as Hua Hee Restaurant. Unlike its predecessor, Khun Yuan offers a Thai-influenced menu featuring a wide variety of Thai delights. But the flavors are slightly toned down probably to suit the local palates. Prices are reasonably priced and given the vast options as well as comfortable dining atmosphere, the place is especially suitable for family get-together meals. 

Emperor Villa 帝来山庄 @ Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

A popular hiking trail amongst the Penang hikers, a hiking trail that leads to a place known as Emperor Villa 帝来山庄 (via Fig Tree Hill). The hiking trail has been there for quite some time but recently gained its popularity due to the quaint, attractive decor at Emperor Villa (around 45-minute walk from the entrance of the hiking trail). While the place is picturesque, the food is equally alluring. Imagine being rewarded a scrumptious meal after shedding off some sweat. The menu is pretty small- featuring the usual Hainanese Breakfast Toasts (with Soft Boiled Eggs and Coffee), some stir-fried noodles and some fried snacks. The prices are slightly higher than average but given that the place is quite remote, the price points are well-justified (and the food is delicious). To reach Emperor Villa, you will need to enter from Jalan Kenari- between Regency Heights Condominium and Sri Subramaniar Temple Sungai Ara.

The Business Cafe @ Setia Tri-angle, Sungai Ara, Penang.

Escape the chaos of the bustling streets in Georgetown and explore new ventures in other parts of the island. The Business Cafe, the only cafe at the moment at Setia Tri-angle, a newly developed project by SP Setia at Sungai Ara. The area is relatively quieter and far from the hustle-bustle of city. The air-conditioned cafe has a relaxed atmosphere and once you stepped in, the comfortable sofa is probably the first thing that strikes you. The interior setting is minimalist with modern-contemporary shades. Lovely ambiance aside, the menu appears to be slightly on the weaker side. Constant cafe-hoppers may be bored at the usual cafe-menu, the selection is limited and choices are less-inviting. 

Super Crab Aroma Seafood Restaurant (蟹王香海鲜饭店) @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

Navigation skills are important to locate Super Crab Aroma Seafood Restaurant (蟹王香海鲜饭店), a 2 year old restaurant branched from Petaling Jaya. The restaurant well-hidden at the residential neighborhood of Sungai Ara specializes in serving Crabs and Seafood dishes. Choices are aplenty here (Malaysian-Chinese chu char dishes) but some might not be available so it is best to call to make reservation in advance. For crabs, the restaurant offers more than 12 serving methods but the signature remains as the Malaysian classic Chili Crabs; subject to availability, the restaurant offers Super Crabs as well... with each crab weighs more than 900 grams. Price points are of upper-middle but the wide variety is set to please, the air-conditioned restaurant can be a good choice as a casual family dining spot. To find Super Crab Aroma Seafood Restaurant, turn into the junction right in front of Hope Children on Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim and go straight (via Persiaran Relau) until you almost hit another junction, the restaurant can be found on the left... tucked in a semi-detached corner unit (previously Cherry Blossom Thai Restaurant for those who are in the know).

Hua Hee Restaurant (欢喜中餐厅) @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

Opened in late 2016, Hua Hee Restaurant has quick become one of the favorite dining spots for the factory workers nearby and the nearby residents. The restaurant offers plethora of genuine home-styled Malaysian Chinese cuisine; staples are available but parents will be relieved to hear that there are plenty of kids-friendly options. While classics can be found here, expect to see some with a creative twist. Reasonable price points, sincere serving portions with flavorful dishes, the fully air-conditioned restaurant is suitable for any casual family meal, or a quick lunch to fuel your day. 

Waka Waka African Grilled Chicken @ Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

"Waka Waka, It's Time for Africa!" sounds exactly like the song title of a song by Shakira, while we are not sure if the food has any relationship with the continent but the interior decor does suggest so. Waka Waka is housed in one of the shop houses in the neighborhood of Sungai Ara and specializes in serving Grilled Chicken (African Grilled Chicken?). It does remind me of Nandos, the fast-food chain in some ways... Waka Waka has almost similar offering- Grilled Chicken with fiery hot home-made Chili sauce. The place is fully air-conditioned and has the standard restaurant setting suitable for all occasions.

Waka Waka has since ceased its business operations.

Nasi 7 Benua, Koo Boo Kafe @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

People are always attracted to colorful stuff and colors are definitely a very good way to market a product. Koo Boo Kafe marketed their Nasi Kandar well by introducing "Nasi 7 Benua", which literally representing the 7 continents of the world. Natural coloring and flavors are used, expect to see White Rice/ Nasi Putih, Fragrant Rice/ Nasi Lemak, Tomato Rice/ Nasi Tomato, Herbed Rice/ Nasi Lemuni, Peanut Rice/ Nasi Kacang, Buttered Rice/ Nasi Minyak and Spicy Buttered Rice/ Nasi Hujan Panas. The place was thronged by a massive crowd some time back but there was not a need to queue on my visit. The place has since refurbished and it is now a clean and comfortable place to dine in. Finding the place might be a little tricky for the uninitiated, drive along Jalan Dr. Tun Awang from Penang International Airport towards Bukit Jambul via sPICE, Koo Boo Kafe should be on your left, opposite to sPICE.

Ah Niu Wanton Mee (阿牛云吞面) @ Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

One of the new places for the folks at Sungai Ara to patronage would be Ah Niu Wanton Mee. Ah Niu is not new to the business, the business has been running for more than 3 years at a hawker center nearby but has since relocated to his very own shop at a new location. The newly opened Wanton Mee-specialist has been drawing a lot of attention lately, thanks to its wide variety of offerings (Chu Char/ Chinese Stir-Fry dishes are available for lunch and dinner). The place is clean but the absence of air-conditioners would frustrate the heat-intolerants. Not a bad place for a casual family lunch/ dinner nevertheless. Ah Niu Wanton Mee is right in front of the car park at Sungai Ara, next to Shell Petrol Station.

Assam Laksa Under the Tree @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

Penangites' all time favorite and proud- Assam Laksa, everyone has their own favorite places when it comes to Assam Laksa but the nearby residents of Sungai Ara would probably recommend this stall under the tree. Manned by a team of two (mother and daughter), the humble Assam Laksa stall has been there for quite sometime and since then, become the nearby residents' favorite. Despite the place may not have the perfect setting for the heat-intolerant but it offers unabashed authentic Assam Laksa and various types of snacks at very affordable prices. While the taste was not outstanding, we thought that this place may be ideal for you to grab an afternoon snack and to satiate your cravings for a bowl of Penang Assam Laksa. 

Cloud Dreaming Vegan Cake House @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

**Update: Cloud Dreaming Vegan Cake House has since ceased its business operation.**

Penang has a decent share of Vegetarian shops and eateries but now, there is a greater variety on offer- a Vegetarian Cafe. Under the same management as Sushi Kitchen, Cloud Dreaming Vegan Cake House is a newly opened yet unique cafe that defies convention. Vegetarians/ Vegans can now spend their afternoon and wind down at a cozy setting while enjoying their range of healthy vegetarian snacks and cakes. Their interior decoration may be simple but we love the little compartments to provide diners some privacy. Diners can now have some juicy gossips or catching ups with each others. Comfortable couches are available too. Despite prices are on the higher side, but we were pleased with the quality of the ingredients and the attentive yet friendly service. Cloud Dreaming Vegan Cake is tucked within an inconspicuous shop lot nearby the Sungai Ara wet market or below Sushi Kitchen at Sungai Ara. 

Goh Teo Kee Restaurant @ Sungai Ara, Penang.

Finding a Teo Chew Chinese Restaurant in Penang can be a really troublesome, especially when you are not familiar with Penang, Goh Teo Kee Restaurant is one of the famous restaurants in Penang that serves Teo Chew chinese food. There are actually two branches in total, which located at Taman Sri Nibong and Sungai Ara, and my main focus today will be the outlet at Sungai Ara. Aside from Teo Chew cuisine, the branch in Sungai Ara serves Thai food too, which you can't find in Taman Sri Nibong's branch. Finding this restaurant should not be too hard if you are familiar with the area, from Relau (PISA), drive approximately 3 minutes, pay attention to your left hand side, upon reaching a Malay school, you will notice a junction (on your left), turn left and turn left again, drive for another thirty seconds, you should be able to see Goh Teo Kee on your right hand side. Parking can be easy, ample parking spaces around the area, there are also some parking lots right in front of Goh Teo Kee for customers too. This place can be very crowded especially during weekends, do try to make reservation first to avoid disappointment. Prices are on the higher side, there will be 10% of service charge and peanuts/facial towel charges added to your bill too.

Sushi Kitchen Vegetarian Restaurant @ Sg. Ara

Went to this hidden restaurant located in Sg. Ara, the reason im saying that the restaurant is hidden is because the restaurant is situated on 1st floor of a shop lot where you actually need to take the narrow stairs up in order to reach the restaurant....Compliments were heard before from my frens and from some blogger, so i've decided to try it for myself. The restaurant serves vegetarian food only, fusing vegetarian food with japanese style of cooking. They even have this "creative cooking" column on their menu too. Below were some of our attempts....

Chuka Wakame (Seaweed, rm3.00), an appetizer. It looks unappealing and dull to me at 1st, but i was wrong after i tasted it, they definitely added something on the seaweed as if u had tried seaweed b4, u would now that the seaweed is rather tasteless and must be complemented with some other stuff like the japanese sweet octopus. But this seaweed is perfectly ok even though its supposed to go with the chopped cabbage below.

Fried Udon (rm7.80), the udon was fried with their specially made sauce (mainly soya sauce), the texture of the udon was actually kept to perfect, but the only thing bad was there wasnt much ingredients inside, mainly chopped vegetables and sprinkles of sesame seeds only. Taste was okay for this dish since its a restaurant promoting healthy concept, so i supposed no MGS was used.

Golden Miso Noodle (rm10.80), the soup base was miso soup, there were 3 mushroom tempuras served together with the udon as well. The texture and the taste of the mushrooms were perfect where it actually light up the whole dish and the natural sweetness of the mushroom can also be tasted according to my fren.

Miso Udon (rm7.80), its actually rather similar to the golden miso udon except that this miso udon doesnt have the mushroom tempuras. Its actually quite tasteless if you ask me, mainly due to there were only miso soup and udon inside, but we cant complain much since its a vegetarian outlet and its promoting healthy eating lifestyle.

Happiness Family sushi set (rm26.80), this set is meant to for 4 person as it has 4 servings per type of sushi which was just nice for the four of us. There were 4 types of sushi given as you can see from the photo.

I found that the best sushi out of all was this one. The texture was unbelievably same as the real seafood sushi except that this sushi roll doesnt have the natural sweetness from the seafood as it was fully made from vegetables. Other sushi rolls were decent too, they are best serve with soya sauce and a little bit of wasabi. I am every impressed with the sushi rolls as i thought they would be tasteless for using vegetables as ingredients, but once again, i was wrong.

You will need to take this narrow staircase that full of signatures in order to reach the restaurant...the signatures were signed by the visitors and customers that visited this restaurant before, mostly complimenting the restaurant about their quality food. Posters and newspaper cuttings regarding recycle, healthy lifestyle can also be seen along the staircase, it appears that the owner of the restaurant supports healthy lifestyle alot. Note that there will be 10% service charge added upon your bill. Its definitely worth of visiting if you happened to be a sushi lover and you do not mind to eat vegetarian stuff.

Blogger.com is giving me a hard time to upload the last photo, however, i've successfully uploaded the photo on facebook, pls click the following link to look at the main entrance of the restaurant. Restaurant's main entrance

Ratings:

Taste: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Price: 6/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)
Parking: 8.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Services: Good
Government Tax: No
Service Charge: Yes

Additional information:

Business hour: 11.30am- 2.30pm (lunch whereas last order at 2pm); 6pm-10pm (dinner whereas last order at 9.30pm) *close on tuesday*

Full address: 2A-1, Jln Sg. Ara, Desa Ara, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Website: Restaurant's website

Directions: Google Map