people has been telling me, Mizi serves the BEEEEEST mushrrom soup! the last time i had one decent one was from De Title (which the post has gone T_T). and the most recent one was the diluted starchy one from Pizza Hut *boo*. so when my friends suggested to have dinner there on my birthday, i hurriedly nodded YESH!it’s a pretty cosy bistro. and when we were there, it’s packed to the brim. luckily my friends were there earlier hence managed to secure a seat! phew!the menu is a tad worn out. this means that so many people have been patronising their restaurant! which is a good thing right? each of us ordered a set meal which comprises a drink, a soup of your choice, main course ranging from pasta, poultry, seafood, egg, sandwiches, vegetarian to salad (salad as main course?) plus eat-all-you-can ice cream as dessert! all these for RM 25! berry reasonable RIGHT. or you can choose your main course from meat, Chef’s specialties or smoked salmon with an additional RM 6 charges.everyone of us ordered tea as drink. some had peach tea (like me) while others ordered lemon tea.we JUST HAD TO order their mushroom soup | RM 9 (a la carte price). and YESH it’s thick and creamy. and you can actually feel that there’s REAL mushroom in it. CY said that THIS, is the real mushroom soup.complimentary bread with cube butters. the bread was okay. i would prefer soften butter though. cos the harden ones were so hard to be spread on the bread =.=Spaghetti al Cozze | RM 16 (a la carte price)
SF & bf shared this, the other three of us tasted it and thought it’s pretty decent with some spiciness. it’s something like Spaghetti All’ Aragosta E Gamberithat i had in Bella Marino (which i have yet to repost). except this time was mussels instead of slipper lobsters.

five of us ordered four set meals. SF and her bf shared one as they just had late lunchy not long ago at Prangin Mall.Chicken Piccatta | RM 16.80 (a la carte price)
CY and I ordered the same main. the piece of chicken was dipped in barter made of egg and cheese and fried to perfection. it was served with greens and pasta. CY and i find that the herb flavour (we didn’t know what it was) was a tad overpowering. and the chicken slice was errrr, weird. it must be the herb! when i went through the menu again while drafting this post, it’s rosemary. it’s overly scented. =.=SR’s steamed fish, MY Dream | RM 16 (a la carte price). what a name haha! two slices of fish were served on a bed of sautéed spinach drown in cream sauce. it was a bit bland. but the fish was fresh! though i don’t remember what fish it was =.=

i will certainly come back again to try other dishes on the menu!

after lunchy at Wong Kok, we adjourned to Meet Fresh which’s located right below.Meet Fresh is a dessert chain specialises in traditional Taiwanese desserts. it has two outlets in Penang, one at Gurney Plaza and the other one is at Gurney Paragon. Meet Fresh vows to serve their customers the best and healthiest desserts.

"Meet Fresh’s name came about because we want our customers to ‘meet’ the ‘fresh’ and healthy desserts we have to offer which are made all natural and fresh ingredients and prepared with love and care."the two cartoon figure on the signboard are Mr and Mrs Fu, siblings who’s the brains behind Meet Fresh. desserts shown here are the bestsellers.Meet Fresh Signature Herb Jelly (Hot) | RM 6.90
it’s a hot dessert with herb jelly being the base and taro balls, honey bean, pearl and peanut hidden beneath.Meet Fresh Signature Herb Jelly (Cold) | RM 6.90
this is the cold version of the dessert above. the only different is, the taro balls are studded atop and drizzled with cream.

i prefer cold version over the hot one. correction, i like the cold herb jelly more.Q Mochi | RM 8.90
original vs brown sugar mochi served with desiccated coconutboth are equally chewy but black sugar’s more fragrant!Little taro Balls in White Gourd Tea with Cream | RM 5.90
i love the size of mini taro balls, so addictive i keep digging them out instead of sipping. the size is similar to those pearls. but it’s in purple and orange instead of boring black. this would be my favourite only if they use fluffy whipped cream!

When it comes to Thai restaurant in Penang, the first one comes into mind might be Khunthai Restaurant which is located at Teluk Kumbar and Butterworth. but if you’re staying at George Town, and you don’t wanna travel too far to satiate your Thai food craving, head down to Wang Thai Restaurant!don’t be intimidated by its tinted glasses. you know how we normally perceive this kinda shop must be some 黑店 which will burn a HUGE hole in your wallet. i don’t know about others, but Wang Thai Restaurant is not one of them. glasses are tinted to shield the heat from the sun, ensuring the interior is comfortable and cosy.

Sawadee krup! and sawadee ka! which means Hallo in Thai!Lemongrass | RM 3
i ordered a glass of Lemongrass to quench my thirst and to ease the heat later.

it was my second time having this beverage. i would prefer Bangkok Wasabe‘s, they added a lemonglass stalk as stirrer which i thought is interesting.Gai Hor Bai Toey | RM 3 per piece
we had pandan leaves chicken as appetizer. surprisingly, unlike what i had in Khunthai, the chicken was crispy on the outside and tender and moist in the inside with a slight hint of fragrant from pandan leaves.Yum Woon Sen | RM 15.90
hot & spicy Thai glass noodle salad was the dish served next.

glass noodle laced with seafood, tomatoes, fish sauce, chilli flakes, and coriander leaves aka smelly grasses. i love how refreshing this dish is. it’s not that spicy, i kept helping myself with more servings of this salad.Gaeng Phet Moo | RM 12.90
red curry pork with long bean.

there’s a gai (chicken) version, just let the wait staff know when placing order.Kar Moo Tod | RM 27
deep fried pork leg.

i don’t fancy fatty bom bom, but i couldn’t resist to have a piece. this was the second time i actually consumed pork skin. it’s worth the calorie i must say! well-seasoned pork leg was deep fried to perfection! the skin was crispy and chewy. the meat was slightly tough though.Tom Yam Goong (Thick) | RM 24.90
Tom Yam is a obligatory dish at a Thai restauant! this traditionally prepared spicy Thai Tom Yam with huge prawns, its spiciness is quite intense. you can already feel the kick in one sip. some find it too spicy, but me, the hot and spicy ant (ahem), thought the spicier the merrier wtf!

there is also a clear version which is less spicy but more sour compared to this thick one, let the staff know your preference when ordering ya!

i haven’t had a good tom yam in a long while. this’s even better than the one i had in Hat Yai! oh yeah, for your information, the chef is a real Thai, and he’s really strict with the ingredients selection. so everything you have here is quality controlled!Pla Kra Pong Neung Manow | RM 38
steamed pla (fish) with lime juice and chili sauce served on a heating pot (?). you either choose Siakap (RM 38 -68) or Garoupa (RM 68-98), we had Siakap.

this is another favourite dish of the day! people who can’t handle too spicy food will love this! the spiciness is milder compared to Tom Yam, but it’s equally sour! a berry appetising dish! the fish was fresh and succulent too! the broth was addictive and it goes well with two plates of rice!

the lime juice is freshly squeezed daily! see, the sincerity of the chef can be seen in every dish!Hor Mok Talay | RM 23.90
this is a special dish which steamed seafood (fish and prawn) otak-otak flavoured with curry paste, fresh coconut milk and basil served in a coconut!

this’s the first i had a Thai otak-otak! excuse my bumpkiness! it’s different from our usual otak-otak where the meat is encased in banana leaf and grill prior served. this is more squishy but flavour wise, thumb up! but i still prefer Muar version . i grew up eating that!Khao Neow Mamuang | RM 9.90Tub Tim Krob | RM 4.50
we had these two classic Thai desserts to cool the tongue! Thai sweet sticky rice with mango studded with fried green bean & chilled water chesnut (those red rubies) with jackfruit and fresh coconut. those red rubies are cubes of water chestnut coated with tapioca flour, gives it a interesting texture contrary to jackfruit.

what a (not overly) sweet way to end a lovely lunchy!

few weeks ago, i saw a huge banner being hung up at the second floor of Queensbay Mall (QBM) saying that Tong Pak Fu (TPF) outlet will be coming soon. i jotted down mental note that i will come for it because i missed it during my Hong Kong trip two years back (time really flies wei!). i managed to try Hui Lau Shan last-minutely at Hong Kong International Airport though, but didn’t quite likey, thought it’s mediocre. anyway…

fast forward few weeks later, the boyfie was in town to celebrate new year eve together. we went to QBM for a quick lunchy and did some window shopping. only then i knew that TPF’s outlet had already open! we walked in instantly. or more like me towing him in XDit’s situated at second floor of the East Wing of QBM, on the same floor with Azuma Japanese Restaurant! not hard to locate it.the indoor interior is pretty small (but cosy), so if you come in a bunch,you might prefer seating at the spacious al-fresco area (although still indoor). since it’s only the boyfie and i, we chose indoor , because the décor is prettier in the insidestudents are entitled for 10% discount on weekdays! too bad it was a Saturday! couldn’t make use of my student card.Tracka Durian Snow Ice | RM 11.80 (Regular)
boyfie ordered this to satiate his durian’s craving since we didn’t have time for durian hunting at Balik Pulau, so yeah, this would do. boyfie enjoyed every bit of this finely shaved layered icy dessert! Apparently this is one of their best-seller! must bring daddy to TPF, i told boyfie!Mango Napoleon with Vanilla Ice-cream | RM 10.80
While I ordered this! Love the mixed texture of crisp waffle and mushy custard cream and generous soft mango slices.And this is why I lub my boyfie. He can cut perfectly. If I were to quarter it, it would be a mess on the plate, which is really unappealing to look at . he can be quite annoyingly meticulous some time I wanna strangle him.

i can’t think of a better way to spend your Saturday than having afternoon tea with your bff at a cosy yet classic-ly elegant environment, reveling in tête-à-tête over English tea and delicate scones and sweets.we were seated at a pretty table by the window. i secretly yay in my heart for natural sunlight. and you should yay too, for beautiful pictures you’re about to relish ( i kinda went overboard with the photo taking). that’s my bff, LeeChing, she’s no stranger on AntzWorLd as she appears quite often here. by the way, if you don’t remember, we had a fabulous staycation at this reputable hotel last month. read here to refresh your memory.

we reminded each other, today is a day we have to act all tai-tai, walk like a tai-tai, smile like a tai-tai, nibble like a tai-tai and of course whisper like a tai-tai too. LeeChing was talking berry softly on the phone to the point that her boyfie on the other end can hardly hear her Afternoon Tea at 1885, Eastern & Oriental Hotel is priced at RM 56++ per person and you’ll need to come in at least a pair. each of you can choose a pot of tea of your choice and the food portion served for two.

we were given a menu to choose our preferred tea. the choices although not really extensive, was varied and pretty interesting!LC's Earl Grey
an extravagantly tea with the intensive aroma Japanese wild berries.

while i had Morgentau.
a tea creation with delicate fruity flavours and petals.

Earl Grey was too overpowering for my liking, i like mine more. i have always loved fruity scent, in my tea and perfumes.dollops of dense yet light clotted cream.raisin and plain scones

i know i should start off with savory sandwiches first. but i couldn’t resist warm scones. i couldn’t resist the clotted cream more actually. so i had to have the scones first, sorry sandwiches.

scones were well made, not dry or doughy..same goes with the homemade jam. not sickly sweet as those commercial ones. even a non-jam person like LC spread it thickly on her scones.dainty array of finger sandwiches served in a two-tiered tray.

the top consists of

-Soft Cheddar Cheese, Ripe Tomato on Whole Wheat Bread
-Lemon Chicken Salad, Crunchy Celery in Puff Pastrywhile the bottom tray had

-Roasted Beef, Grain Mustard Mayonnaise on Village Bread
-Cucumber with Cream Cheese Dill on White Brown Bread
-Chicken Breast, Horseradish Cream on White Bread
-Scottish Smoked Salmon, Lemmon Butter on Poppy Seed Bread
-Egg Mayonnaise Voulevant, Chopped Shallots, Alfafa Sprouts

well, there’s really many breads for an afternoon tea. O.o

we had a hard time gulping them down nibbling them.. nonetheless there’s few that i really like and wish i could have second serving of.lastly, a vintage plate laden with sweet treats inclusive cheesecake, macaron, chocolate cake, white chocolate ball, meringue with coated strawberry.it’s hard to say which morsel i liked the most, as every one is tasty. even a non-dessert person like LC (she’s quite picky also heh) enjoyed all of them, especially the chocolate cake, it’s really chocolatey to her liking!don’t be intimidated by the environment, it’s actually quite relaxing in there. at night, the setting is transformed into somewhat poshy for fine dining.with such elegant setting and delightful afternoon tea offering, there’s no wonder why 1885 is awarded Malaysia’s Best Restaurants consecutively two years (2011 & 2012).

so to conclude, i would recommend Afternoon Tea at 1885, Eastern & Oriental Hotel if you’re looking somewhere nice to catch up with your girlfriends over dainty food in a light and relaxing environment. do remember, reservation is highly recommended!