[Year 2017] Food Hunting- of Cafes/ Must-Eats @ Taiping (太平), Perak (霹雳).

Approximately one-hour drive away from Penang, the quiet and wet town- Taiping (Perak) is known for its range of recreational activities suitable for a short family-getaway (Taiping Zoo, Taiping Lake and Museums etc) but its local food scene shall not be forsaken as well. The cafe is scene is getting exciting with a few new introduction of cafes; coupled with its classic Taiping delicacies, the place is worth-stopping by especially when you are travelling South (or North). It's always fun to plan for a half-day food tour around the city but do make preventive measures for the rain fall, which can come anytime... anywhere (for the uninitiated, Taiping town is one of the places with the highest rainfall recorded in Malaysia). 

1) Kakak's Koay Teow Th'ng (家家粿条汤)

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: 111, Jalan Pasar, 34000, Taiping, Perak.

Business Hours: 6 am to 1:30 pm. Closed on Mondays.

Contact Number: 012- 515 7859

Roots Dessert Bar @ The Museum Hotel, Georgetown, Penang.

New kid on the block- Roots Dessert Bar, joins the plenitude of dessert cafes in Penang but the newly opened dessert bar sure has something up its sleeves- the menu comprises of an array of uncommon desserts has certainly come to merit the title... as a 'dessert bar'. Do not expect to find some conventional cakes here but instead, artisan desserts and pastries that would please any stubborn diners. Taste is not the only thing that they are focusing on, the presentation counts. Inspired to serve plated desserts, Roots pays great attention to its food presentation. Combination and flavors are meticulously paired and thought through; though Roots offers light snacks (jaffles) too but the desserts are probably their core competencies. So go ahead and order their desserts first. Roots Dessert Bar is a few doors away from The Little Journeyman Cafe at The Museum Hotel, off Transfer Road. 

MQL Steamed Hotpot (冞麒麟蒸汽火锅) @ Icon City, Bukit Mertajam.

With the concerns over healthy lifestyle, hotpot devotees have found their way out and now, steamed hotpot seems to be the rage. The idea was started in China- heating the distilled water produces heat to cook the food, there will be a dish at the bottom of the pot to collect the water vapor and essence of the steamed food. MQL Steamed Hotpot is first of its kind at Icon City, Bukit Mertajam. The idea is to serve the food in its unadulterated best, without adding additional seasonings or flavors to the food. Foods are steamed dish by dish on the table, with a fixed sequence (with induction stove fit seamlessly onto the table). The trained servers will advise the sequence as well as the cooking time. Seasonings and marination are minimal so diners get to enjoy the natural flavors of the ingredients. Guests can choose from different set menus but each set combo is carefully paired with balanced elements; the fully air-conditioned restaurant is most suitable for family dinners. MQL can be found on the 2nd floor, right above St. Espresso at Icon City, Bukit Mertajam.

Many Thanks to MQL Steamed Hotpot for hosting us that evening.

Wawasan Cafe & Rest House (宏愿乡味之家-家乡走地鸡) @ Lebuh Sandilands, Georgetown, Penang.

A classic Zhu Char place that stays away from the commercially raised farm Chickens, Wawasan Cafe & Rest House at Lebuh Sandilands (a stone's throw distance away from Lebuh Cecil Wet Market) offers Village Free Range Chicken dishes. The Chickens are locally raised and sourced from the restaurateur's own farm in Perlis (reared in Perlis and delivered over to Penang). The humble Zhu Char place offers a menu dedicated to Chicken dishes, alongside with some Cantonese-inspired Stir Fry dishes. The setup is simple and straight-forward, a decent place for a quick, casual family meal. 

Hotel Equatorial Penang hosts Business Appreciation Dinner (2017) for its Stakeholders

Hotel Equatorial Penang honored supports from its stakeholders- corporate clients, travel agents and airline representatives at the annual Business Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday, March 7 at the Grand Ballroom. The dinner themed 'Le Chapeau Couture' (French-inspired evening with Hats and Headpieces) saw the attendance of 150 guests; they were then treated to an eclectic journey of entertainment- ballet, cabaret and live band performance. The dinner reached its climax during the lucky draw session; prizes such as return air tickets to Hong Kong, Bangkok and New Delhi were given out, along with other exceptional goodies.

Many Thanks to Hotel Equatorial Penang for hosting us.

Sin Seh Kai Artisan Bakery @ New World Park, Georgetown, Penang.

The Baking Garage (at Lembah Permai) is not new, in fact, we have been wondering if they would move their business operations nearer to central Georgetown... and we are glad they did! Not only running as a bakery, the new branch at New World Park (known as Sin Seh Kai Artisan Bakery) actually offers a seemingly impressive brunch menu. The kitchen closes at 2:30 pm and by then, only light snacks shall be served (no heavy menu), so plan your time accordingly. It's easy to find Sin Seh Kai, the place is covered in transparent glasses with an open-kitchen, while the other side of the cafe is dedicated for diners dining-in the cafe. The setup is simple and straight-forward but the real pull factor is the wide range of home-made Pastries and artisan bread.

Hwajing Travel & Tours (华京旅游) offers Royal Afternoon Tea to Travelers on Star Cruise Libra

Cruise holidays can be a definition of luxury- be surrounded by sparkling waters, hugged by the warm sunlight and offered the chance to explore new port-cities everyday; the experience of ocean cruise can be an extremely memorable one. For a short and luxurious getaway with the family, do consider taking a 4 Day 3 Night cruise from Penang to Krabi and Phuket (Thailand). There are many ways to make your money spent worth-while; explore the in-cruise activities such as Karaoke, Gym, Movie Theater, Massage Pool, Swimming Pool, Bar, Restaurants and even mini Golf Center. Regardless of your age, there are something suitable for you. The 10-storey high Star Cruises Libra houses 718 rooms and could accommodate up to 1,436 passengers. Passengers will also be pampered to unlimited-refillable buffet treat in its in-cruise restaurants... with one operating 24 hours a day! 

The on-board price for per passenger starts from Rm 1,200 onwards (excluding taxes and applicable charges). Exclusively for Hwajing Travel & Tours' customers, any booking (on Star Cruises Libra's 4 Day 3 Night Cruise to Krabi-Phuket) with the travel agency shall entitle to a Royal Afternoon Tea treat on Star Cruises Libra.

Many Thanks to Hwajing Travel & Tours and Star Cruises for hosting us. 

Nyonya Willow @ Taman Tunas Damai, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Update: Nyonya Willow has relocated to Arena Curve (72-1-3), opposite to Arang Cafe

Nyonya Willow is definitely one of the most secretive cafes/ restaurants, not only that it does not have any signage, it is nestled in a terrace house... within the secluded neighborhood of Taman Tunas Damai (Bayan Lepas). As the name might have hinted, Nyonya Willow runs like a private kitchen, in a residential. The menu changes regularly- depending on what they could source for the day, the dishes vary. It offers some Nyonya delights as well as some favorite Malaysian delicacy such as Nasi Lemak. All ingredients are prepared in house. The setting is homey as well and might not be too accommodating for larger groups. Prices are however, veering towards the higher side but given the fact that they cook in a small scale and every dish is home-cooked, the price is justifiable. Taman Tunas Damai is near to the newly operated SMK Heng Ee Bayan Lepas branch or where Honda Car Service center is located. 

[Travel/ Food Guide] Itinerary to Langkawi (兰卡威), Kedah (吉打).

One of the famous and most visited islands in Kedah- Langkawi, is known for its tourism and duty-free status. Alcohols, Cigarettes and Chocolates are typically tax-free in Langkawi (there are more of course), making it one of the most attractive reasons to visit the tropical island. Langkawi is also a melting pot for culture- not only the Malaysian culture but the international dining scene is getting more and more exciting here. There are quite a handful of good cafes to hunt for apart from getting your alcohol/ chocolate supplies and outdoor activities. Getting to Langkawi from Penang can be quite easy and convenient, travelers may opt to take the speed boat from Swettenham Pier Penang directly to the Jetty Point at Kuah Town or fly in from Penang to Langkawi International Airport

Red Box Karaoke- A Place for Eager and Hungry Singers

With over 15 years of experience in the industry and more than 9 outlets in Malaysia, the name Red Box and Green Box should not be new amongst karaoke goers. Red Box Karaoke has 2 outlets in the Northern Region- Penang, one at Gurney Plaza and the other one at 1st Avenue Mall Penang. In conjunction with its annual Media Appreciation Night, fellow members of the media were invited to a sing-it-out-loud night at their outlet in 1st Avenue Mall. The Karaoke specialist at 1st Avenue Mall houses 44 karaoke rooms, with the largest room could accommodate up to 40 people. Unlike other unreliable small establishments, Red Box offers a genre of 40,000 to 50,000 (English, Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korea and other dialects) songs and are constantly updated. All songs are artfully presented through the latest motion videos paired with professional audios. The rooms are clean and well-designed, perfectly suitable for any casual occasions as well as work-bonding sessions. Additional tools like rock microphones are available in certain rooms for the rock star wannabes, do enquire within. 

Many Thanks to Red Box for hosting us that evening.

Yisu Vegetarian Steamboat House @ Arena Curve, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

What happens when a vegetarian feels like eating steamboat? Not an issue right now with the opening of Yisu Vegetarian Steamboat House. The vegetarian restaurant at Arena Curve (those shop houses right next to Olive Tree Hotel) has a menu entirely dedicated for vegetarians; if you are in a rush or steamboat is not your kind of thing, there are some simple, staple Malaysian (vegetarian) delights as well (namely Nasi Lemak, Koay Teow Th'ng, Chee Cheong Fun and some rice dishes). Their signature dish however, is their personalized vegetarian Steamboat. Budget watchers will be glad to know that all dishes are reasonably priced here and suitably designed for the office/ factory workers nearby. But do not expect the place to have fancy or elegant setup, rather, a simple space for a casual meal. 

Fine Dining by the Beach- Jala Restaurant @ The Andaman Resort, Langkawi, Kedah.

Perched along the long-crescent Datai Bay (also recognized as the 9th best beach in the world by National Geographic) at the Northwest tip of Langkawi Island and well-hidden in the tropical rain forest, The Andaman is one of the best luxurious resorts in Langkawi, most ideal for a quiet getaway or quick escape from the hectic city life. Unlike the tourist-district at Pantai Cenang, the Datai Bay is far from town center and is usually visited by hotel guests only. The strategic location and what the nature could offer (to The Andaman) are the sine qua non of the resort winning multiple International awards (not forgetting its extraordinary effort in preserving the nature as well). While the various facilities in the resort are applaudable, The Andaman Resort houses 4 in-house restaurants that strive to offer exquisite dining experience for the guests/ visitors (open to public). 

Many Thanks to The Andaman Resort for hosting us that evening.

Thai Shop @ Kimberley Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Ever wondered why you can always find happy diners feasting on an array of Thai-influenced dishes at one small alley along Kimberley Street? Tucked right next to a curious, unappealing shop named "Thai Shop", the alley next to it is associated with "Thai Shop"... with a few stalls selling Thai delicacies displayed outside. The action scene can be found at the end of the alley- stir frying of dishes, grilling of the Thai Pork Skewers, shaving of ice for Tub Tim Krob; all stalls are manned by Thai. For a moment, we thought we were dining in an alley at Hatyai, Thailand. The Pork-based menu is small and non-rice eaters will not find a space here. Most dishes are served with rice. We aimlessly walked into "Thai Shop", thinking that someone would attend to us but we were wrong. Diners who wish to dine in must place their orders at the alley first before finding a seat inside the shop; dine-in at the tables by the alley otherwise. Definitely a place not to be missed by Thai food devotees.

Red Courtyard (红庭院) @ King Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Red Courtyard is a relatively new eatery in the banking district has a stylish and eye-catching color... the facade is painted in red hue with some sharp contrast of black. We understand from the restaurateur that red represents "China" and this indirectly, explains that Red Courtyard serves China-Chinese food. This new kid on the block serves a range of Hunan (湖南) classics such as Spicy Beef Noodles, braised Duck with Beer and Beef Steamboat. The Chef herself comes from Hunan and she uses recipes passed to her from previous generations; that reaffirms the authenticity. As far as the heat-intolerant is concerned, the fully air-conditioned restaurant provides a comfortable dining atmosphere. Private rooms are also available to accommodate larger groups. The Lunch crowd will be pleased to know that Red Courtyard offers set lunch from Rm 8.90 nett (promotion valid until further notice). Red Courtyard is the new tenant over Das Rad Cafe's previous location, at King Street.

Many Thanks to Red Courtyard for hosting us that afternoon.

Yi Bing Qing Fish Head Steamboat (意槟情鱼头炉) @ Nagore Road, Georgetown, Penang.

Yi Bing Qing is a big name when it comes to steamboat restaurant in Penang, the well-established steamboat restaurant is known to serve some of the best Teo Chew styled Fish Head Hot Pot in town. The signature Fish Head Hot Pot would consist Deep Fried Fish Head and meat in milky broth, Yam, Cabbage and Pork Balls, additional items can be ordered at additional costs. The restaurant is fully air-conditioned but in the event the place is fully occupied, diners may be required to be seated outside (if they are willing to). Advance reservation needs to be made early to avoid disappointment, walk-in as early as possible otherwise.