Whenever it comes to recommendations, I often get asked by my dearest readers, friends and family the golden question of them all -

"Jess, what's the best place to have a fancy, classy dinner ah?"



To be honest, the list I can come up with, would be an endless one. (Malaysia is awesome like that!)

But if you narrow it down to Asian cuisines in Penang, only ONE will always remain on the top of my list.

Before I begin, let me share a little bit of trivia to those who thirst for its background story.enlightened

CHIN’S first opened in London back in 1987 by a Malaysian entrepreneur, Mr. Dave Chin. This classy Asian eatery took England’s Food & Beverage scene by storm, winning two highly coveted and prestigious awards – ‘Best Restaurant of The Year’ by What’s On in London Magazine and ‘The Best Chinese Restaurant in UK’ by Stores Magazine, USA.

On this blazing trail of collective accolades, CHIN’S Restaurant was recognized as “Best of the Best” by Good life Magazine, UK.

Upon setting foot into CHIN'S, the first thing that greets its patrons is a large and rather unique, psychedelic framed modern art mounted onto the indigo wall. This is something you don't see very often - especially in Chinese restaurants!

Then again, CHIN'S never fails to surprise, does it?

The modern art depicting artistric portraiture of iconic figures placed behind traditional Chinese furniture

of solid wood and gold trimmings make a delightful and cosy patio for guests to sit before or after meals

Walking past the patio, I entered the main dining venue of CHIN'S.

I was taken aback at how elaborately stunning the interior was! surprise It was not only extremely classy, but it came with a modern twist as well. Apart from being well-lit with chandeliers, various forms of contemporary art hung from the walls and ceilings.


Thanks to CHIN'S, I was fortunate enough to be reserved a table directly adjacent to the sea and night sky, despite it being in full capacity. They seem to know my fondness towards picturesque views while dining. smiley

Even the spotlights were specially adjusted for me (to take nice photos)! How thoughtful.

I began to realize that every table had intricate settings - which included a hand-painted ceramic plate each too.

Paying attention to the fine artwork by hand-painted artisans, I could decipher that each artwork had an emotion within and a story to tell. Below is a compilation of some of my favorites!

Decor and interior aside, I know you are dying to know how good the food at CHIN'S are.

They knew I didn't exactly fancy anything too sweet and especially nothing too spicy, so they hand-picked a menu that would suit my taste best.

I am usually not a picky eater, but who doesn't like having their preferences catered to?

They made me feel so welcome with their simple, thoughtful gestures and friendly demanour, and I could see how every customer in the restaurant was attentively paid attention to.

This makes CHIN'S stand out even more, with their impeccable customer service.

Fairy Blossom tea (comes with free refills!)

This delightful herbal tea was served piping hot, was smoky and had a light floral aftertaste to it.

You gotta admit – it looks pretty too! This is a perfect alternative to some of the more commercial types of teabags/teapots/tea leaves that we see in repetition everywhere.

Four Seasons Appetizer

This platter was served with four mini dishes.

From L-R: Gele Mountain Chicken, Citrus Winter Melon, Prawn on Toast and Spinach with Pinenut & Mustard.



Gele Mountain Chicken

This came in chicken chunks with peanuts.

The chicken was tender, flavourful and presented in an (edible) miniature crispy basket.



Citrus Winter Melon

As I wasn't a fan of winter melons, I was rather hesistant. But to my surprise, I loved it surprise

The winter melon came in tiny cubes and each mouthful was burst of citrus wonder.

This dish is served cold and it tastes just like sweet tangerines!



Prawn on Toast

This crispy toasted pastry is laden with sesame seeds and shredded prawn meat.

It is also a tad spicy from the prawn paste and XO Sauce. I loved its smoked, burnt after-taste!



Spinach with Pinenut & Mustard.

I liked how the spinach leaves were presented so adorably. devil

It was neatly stacked up in a tiny pile with the pinenuts!

This dish was slightly sourish and spicy to open one's appetite for the next meal; serving the purpose of an appetizer altogether.

Golden Needle Mushroom



This was one of my strong favorites. Deep-fried to crispy goodness, these little ones were irresistable to ever stop digging in for more. I liked how it was tassled with thinly sliced onions and spring onions too. yes

Comfort food, I must say The kind that you wish would come was bottomless (much like Nachos!) with your beer.

Szechuan Flame Codfish Soup


This dish made a grand entrance towards my table.

THIS. BOWL. IS. ON. FIRE!! It was was accompanied with flaming charcoals encircling the bowl.

The soup was hot and had a spicy as well as a slight sourish tang to it. Inside, lay tiny bits of winter melon, chilli slices, pickled chilli and of course, codfish fillets.

I liked how this instantaneously warms up my tummy and cleared my nasals with its hearty, warm piquancy.

Aromatic Crispy Duck
The taste was mind-blowing! yes The flavour of the crisp, yet tender shredded duck slices was bold and the accompaniment of the duck sauce, cucumber and spring onion complemented this dish so well.

Red Lantern Chinese Cabbage

Just like the Garlic Cucumber, this was also a very simple looking dish that exceeded my expectations.

These slices of cabbage were cooked until soft, warm and had this unique twang of sweet and spicyness, as this dish was cooked with chilies and whole garlic cloves. This is arguably one of my favorite dishes here!

Double Flavored Freshwater Fish

There's an obvious reason why this dish was given its name.

It comes in two very contrasting parts of flavour and garnishing.

Left : Hot & Spicy side | Right : Pickled and Garlic side

This recipe originated from the Hunan province!

This dish was comes in the variant of a very popular freshwater fish, the Patin Fish or also known as the Iridescent Shark Catfish.

Despite having two very opposing tastes, both flavours jive together very well with my palate. The juicy fish broth taste was distinct in both sides of the fish, and this dish is usually best eaten along with steamed rice.

The two flavours were very strong contenders in being my favorite, but if I had to choose between them, I liked the left one best!

Beef Tenderloin in Mustard and Garlic

I've always had an eye for aesthetics so I've gotta say, this one takes the cake for the most beautiful food presentation, hands down!

This medium well chunky beef cubes were mighty succulent, bursting with flavour and tender-soft, unlike plenty of beef I've eaten elsewhere where you'd bothersomely chew and chew to no end but just refuses to disintegrate. -___-"

Sesame Black Bean with Crispy Pudding



We have finally come to the desserts. Sweet tooths, rejoice! devil

I would say that this savory dessert is most apt for those who dislike anythin too sweet. The pudding, although deep fried, was not oily but crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; flowing with custard the moment you sink your teeth into it. yesVery carefully made, CHIN'S!

The sesame black bean ice-cream is also self-made by them, mind you. It had a vanilla base but a recognizable sesame after-taste.

Maltose Toffee Apple Banana Fruits

As if one dessert wasn't already enough, CHIN'S pampered me with one more epic, gravity-defying dessert! heart

This dessert had to be eaten with extra care, for each fruit is coated with extremely hot toffee at boiling point. You would be writing a deathwish if you put one directly into your mouth immediately after this dish arrives! surprise

Which, is why CHIN'S practices caution and had a waitress conduct the very interesting cool-down method for me.
This dessert is leaning towards the sweeter side but hey, after the scrumptious feast, I could go for something sweet to wrap up my evening.

Once you get past the hard, crunchy toffee bite, your tastebuds are treated to a warm, fruity taste of apple or banana (depending which one you ate!) An excellent alternative to how you would usually eat fruits!

Changkat Bukit Bintang is an enclave all-too familiar to KL city-dwellers, tourists and food afficionados alike.

Though more commonly recognized and famed as an upbeat bar street where nightlife sees no daylight, Changkat has also carved a name for its exquisite dining outlets and fine choices of international cuisines.

When we sat down, the waiter opened a bottle of mineral water and poured it into our glasses, before gently placing a napkin onto our laps very courteously.

He soon returned with a basket of The Steakhouse KL's own complimentary house bread and butter.
It was very soft, fluffy with a light, herb aftertaste. yes Lovely, but I would have prefered it to be served warm!

The dining lounge area boasted a very rustic atmosphere enhanced by soft, sombre luminaires. The arches were reminiscent of a traditional European tavern. Dimly lit, a chandelier hung from above and wall lighting which resembled street lamps flanked each column. It also had a fair share of traditional bare brick-walls, exposed beams as well as ornaments of classic, whiskey pin-ups and dark walnut wood surfaces complemented by a similar dark, leather upholstery.

The al-fresco dining area utilized wooden wicker chairs and bare tables for a more casual, outdoor feel.

Our meals arrived before we knew it; leaving no room for us to be kept waiting.

Escargot

As a dish known for its acquired taste and indulgence, these baked snails with garlic herb butter was a sure winner in my books.
The escargots came in a hot plate and were presented still in their shells. Caution: Hot!
I loved its charred and smoky flavor, enhanced by the sharpness of the cheese and the piquancy of the herbs.
I know making snails edible require lots of work. Toxins have to be purged, shells are to be cleaned thoroughly
The Steakhouse KL did a marvellous job! Thumbs up.


French Onion Soup

This soup, I swear, is unlike, I repeat: UNLIKE the French Onion soups I've ever tasted in my life!
Nevermind French Onions, it is unlike ANY OTHER soup. It doesn't even look like soup, but pot pie sans its crust.
This was the first French Onion soup I've had that stuck close to its 18th century French roots, as it was traditionally topped with baked cheese and croutons. yes This "soup", baked with two different types of Swiss cheese – gruyere and emmental cheese – was thick, decadent and extremely flavourful.

Some may find it too cheesy, too thick and chunky. I may not disagree, but then again,
I'm certainly not going to slam the merits of its fine originality and the uniqueness of the soup in itself!

This bowl contained explosive flavours of sweet and tangy french onion, tantalizing each and everyone of your tastebuds the moment you indulge in so much as a mere spoonful. yes
Mining through it was like a treasure hunt, for I found caramalized onions aplenty hidden at the bottom and as you can see, this soup was laden with croutons as well.
This soup was undeniably filling too, and those tasty croutons soaked in the flavours of this soup? No crouton was left untouched wink

Mains: Grilled Black Cod Fish

It was well-presented, with good colour combination and, despite the flowing juices, boasted a clean arrangement.
The black cod was grilled and lightly charred around its sides and skin.
The fish was very tender and warm inside, bordering it was a yummy, crispy skin.
It was served with sides of baby spuds, mushrooms, baby tomatos, chili flakes (underneath) and garnished with parsley. The creamy wasabi pesto sauce gave this fillet of perfection an extra zest too! yes
Cooked to the most accurate time and temperature, the flesh of this black cod was tender and gently came apart section by section.

24oz./750gm T-Bone Steak – cooked medium rare

For all of their Chilled Australian Grain Fed beef, the steaks are served with a side of grilled vegetables, a choice of sauce and a choice of potato.
Sauces: black pepper, red wine, mushroom, BBQ or Béarnaise sauce.
Potatoes: french fries, mashed potato or sauteed potato.
When asked for our preference, we opted for the latter for both choices.
The steak was divine! It was huge slab of Australian T-bone; very tender and juicy, still pinkish towards the middle and almost bloody right in the centre – the perfect embodiment of a medium rare steak. yes
It was firm on the outer surface, with its sides well-browned and the top and bottom part of the steak charred to crisp, dark brown.
The steaks at The Steakhouse KL are all charcoal grilled on the open fire! ye
Though I usually prefer my steaks medium well to well done (not quite the fan of blue, raw cuts and anything close to it), this steak got my date whirring with culinary delight. smiley
Still, I had a quarter of it and loved it nonetheless!

Andreas Special – A Dream in Chocolate

This fantastic dessert comes in an excellent combination of tastes and sweetness.yes
It consisted of white chocolate ice cream, milky chocolate mousse, chocolate syrup, banana in passion fruit, and pear in red wine.
Carefully arranged layer by layer and presented in a glass, Andreas Special tasts just as good as it looks.

Classic Italian Tiramisu

Its presentation intrigued me. Not only did it not come presented still in glassware, as do most tiramisus I've had, this one came neither in a cube form but in a shape of sphere.

This piquant coffee-flavoured dessert came garnished with strawberries and drizzled with mango sauce, and tasted molto buono! The Italians would be proud yes?

I had a brilliant dining experience at The Steakhouse KL that Tuesday night. heart

Shall be back to try their Deluxe Chilled Seafood Mountain, BBQ Short Ribs, Shanks and
Roulades some time soon, as I was not able to stomach anymore that night!

I’ve always been a fan of fine dining – come to think of it, isn’t everybody? Hmm I’m pretty sure if we all had enough moolah to throw around, everyone would be flocking to those fine dining spots and posh eateries already.

Chef Jerome, the Executive Chef
cooks up a storm!
In this new menu presentation, we were served with fine portions and a good combination of foie gras, mussel soup, cod fishes, roasted beef and caramel custards.

Le Bouchon isn’t like an outlet like any other set in the row of the thriving F&B square of Changkat Bukit Bintang. It’s one of the premier ones which for your info, is an 8-time award holder of the Malaysian Tatler’s Best Restaurants.
scuba diving
Lemme take you around for a lil visual tour, shall we?

Upon entering, you will be greeted to the likes of many wine bottles all arranged by indexes and organized in order. Also, a wooden coffee table for two for those wine-lovers out there to chill.

After walking down a few flights of steps, you’ll come to an intersection where a door on your left leads you to the kitchen. You obviously do not go in there… however, you can peer at those hardworking chefs preparing your meals via the glass pane just like I did!
There will also be a little fishpond at the corner laced with more wine bottles.
Authentic interior decor
There are a few different sections for you to choose from though – the mainroom, the private room and the couple room. Plenty of room for different occasions!

Okay, time to vanquish those gastric juices already! To kick-start the whole session, we were served with some bite-sized cookies and warm house bread. Following which was the Appetizer itself, Terrine de Foie Gras maison.

Next up on the line is the Soupe de moules noires au safran et legumes aromatiques. Nevermind the extremely long dish name. It’s basically black mussels and saffron soup with aromatique veggies. Good things come in small portions, I couldn’t get enough of this! Every last drop was worth a voyage into wonder.

Let’s take a closer look at those springy yet tender mussels.

Man, they were succulent
As we moved on to the main courses, I could not help but to rub my hands together with glee.. especially when I knew there was gonna be some fish on the plate. Long-time readers of benjicajessdotcom will already know that I’m a lover of all things fishy. (Pun unintended)

Served with asparagus, this roasted codfish was to die for.
I’d give them brownie points for the beetroot sauce too!
Get ready for the name of this dish in French. It’s called *deep breath* Filet de morue roti au sirop d’erable et piment, asperges vertes a l’ail, beurre blanc de betterave. Woots! Try saying that in one breath LOL

As cosy as it is, there were immaculate sculptures with fine carvings as well. Check out this statue of a medieval angel atop a mantelpiece of the makeshift fireplace.

Back to where I left off, we had Roasted Beef Tenderloin. I instantly took a liking to it as was glazed with Bordeaux wine sauce and it was perfectly done. Not anything close to overdone toughness yet not undercooked with those bloody traces of flesh.

It came with ratatouille veggies and sauteed potatoes
with smoked duck bacon

Heavenly. This is a winner for all you carnivorous meat-swashbuckling lovers out there. According to Chef Jerome, the cattle imported over are all grass fed. Unlike those grain-fed ones. Anyway, more beef pictures for you?

The steak made us full to the brim.. with absolute goodness! Ahyes.. I’m pretty sure I wont be touching another slab of meat for the next couple of days. Heh. Don’t wanna overkill, yo! <
span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">But make no mistake, that Roasted Beef is one to get your teeth sinkin’ into.
Dessert came to wrap up our dinner session with sugary sweetness of a caramel custard. It was Creme Brulee with raspberries – known in French as Creme Brulee aux framboises.

Loved the texture.
My tastebuds sang in unison upon tasting it
The upper crust layer was hard and sweet, but once you scoop it up with your spoon a smooth milky taste of custard follows through. As I hit rock bottom, the raspberries ended my experience with a sourish-sweet spring of fruity delight.

It was not often that cousins reunite after moving off to a distant place. In this case, Madelene and I never saw each other for almost half a decade. Except bumping into each other at a nearby coffeeshop back in Penang. And now, a cosy Italian Restaurant.

Two gurls, a camera and a pizza place
This is one place I must recommend. Cipolla Ristorante Pizzeria is the name, and fabulous Italian food is their game. It’s located in Bangsar, KL.

The ambience is one to marvel at. Dim lighting and rustic atmosphere really sets the mood going. Don’t plant notti images in your own head just yet but honestly, it is a really romantic get-up.

The food here is absolutely mouth-watering. Its portions are enough to feed the whole of Africa! Okay well, I’m exaggerating here but yeah, you catch my drift. It sure as hell made me full even before I finished!

We started off with the appetizers and soup.

My fave being the Pumpkin Soup.
(which reminds me of bestie Joyce too)
I was pretty fascinated with the way they sprinkle those condiments on my soup. It’s a glow in the dark shaker!

The snacks served with olive oil – on the house!
And proceeded to the main courses.

Anyways, you guys should check out this place! We gurls dig it. Lovely place for some dining and soothing music.
FYI, prices range from RM30 and above per main course

Eccucino, the central coffee house and restaurant of Prince Hotel & Residencies. I was stoked upon seeing all their Christmas decors and the wholesome Christmas menu! Totally reminds me of the real Christmas spirit!

I see snow!

The first thing which got me heading towards was of course, the carving station. Loved almost everything there! On the sides were Bread Stuffing and Cornbread Stuffing with thyme, dried fruits, sausages, bell peppers, beef bacon, apple and more. That really tasted swell!

Roasted Turkey with Giblet Gravy was the main attraction of that station but they also had various sauces for us to choose from - I chose one of each, just to have the best of both worlds! Or this this case, best of 5 worlds

My pick would definitely be the either the Chipotle Cranberry sauce
or the Cranberry-Orange Compote

Other fabulous dishes on the buffet table was the Chick Pea Salad with Smoked Chicken Breast and Grilled Zucchini. A healthy yet delicious alternative though! Those chicken strips are just right and tender to my tastebuds

Miss those signature Italian meatballs with that heavenly yum of a gravy? Gulp it all down this Christmas – and you don’t have to head all the way down to Ikea to get your hands on those!

In this Christmas Menu, the New England Clam Chowder was made in abundance too. Bet mom will love that heaps! But one of my fave soups of all time would definitely the Pumpkin Soup.

At each and every food review or even casual foodie outings,
the Pumpkin Soup would be my choice of starter soups.

Some lovely French Pastries to to add to that perhaps?

Comes in all shapes and sizes!

It was dessert time after that gastronomic haul of more food such as Barbequed Duck Breast, Creamy Potato Salad, Steamed Salmon, Minced Lamb Salad, Roasted Sirloin, Sauteed Prawns, Stewed Lamb Shank and too many that I won’t be able to list them all down before the cows come home.
So let’s take a look at those desserts instead!

The Yule Log
with little santas atop! Whee ain’t they cute?

The very popular Dresdner Stollen!
Aww look at lonely Santa

Fairytales of the Gingerbread Man and the Gingerbread House takes me a loooong way back when I was just a child of 5 spending Christmas with my folks back home. Check out their Gingerbread house with lotsa snow and ornaments!

The legendary chocolate fondue!
Dip them with Marshmellows and you’ll never go wrong

At the other end of the table, there was an ice sculpture of a Christmas Tree. Edward Scizzorhands much?

With this, I’m glad that you won’t go devoid of ideas of where to eat your Christmas Dinner! Amayzeeeng with a capital A. So, head down to Prince H0tel & Residence with an empty stomach and you’ll be sure you’ll leave bursting your buttons! Such an amazing job well done by their team of chefs lead by Chef Donald Pezar!