Special thanks to Winter Warmers for extending this food review invitation.

Winter Warmers Coffee & Tea House is a locally-owned chain of English-style tea house. There are currently 7 outlets in total, all located in shopping malls across Penang. The most recent branch is located at Straits Quay.Like all other outlets, the posh cottage-style ambience sets the tone for a relaxing dining experience. Winter Warmers also provides al fresco dining to allow diners to take advantage of the cool evening breeze while enjoying hot tea. In the spirit of upcoming holiday season, the restaurant is also decorated with various yuletide ornaments.Winter Warmers is founded in 2000 by a tea enthusiast, who has an obsession for tea set collections. Starting with the original store in Prangin Mall 15 years ago, the tea house has been pouring various types of teas including black, milk, fruit, herbal and green teas.As an English-style tea house, Winter Warmers has a decent menu of pastry to go with teas. Diners who want a quick bite also have sandwiches, waffles and pasta to choose from. Over the years, Winter Warmers has also introduced proper meals such as poultry, meats, burgers and rice.The people behind Winter Warmers must have an inexplicable fondness for English teas. In contrast to coffee, tea is typically prepared with warm water at around 70oC, not boiling water. As tea is best enjoyed warm, the glass teapots are heated using a candle below. Accompanying the teapots are teacups and saucers of various designs, each exerting a unique character on its own right.Mixed Fruit Cocktail (RM14.70) features sour-sweetness of cranberry, which is also responsible for the reddish hue of the tea. Also included are diced apples and bits of hibiscus flower. Meanwhile, Lemon Grass & Mint (RM14.70) combines the distinctive aroma of lemongrass with the cooling freshness of mint. No sugar is added, but honey is provided should guests prefer some degree of sweetness.

Rose Milk Tea (RM13.70) presents a unique drinking experience too. Unlike fruit or herbal teas, milk tea must be prepared with boiling water in order to extract the essence from tea leaves. Despite my reservation, its creaminess does not feel surfeiting. In fact, I enjoyed this tea very much. This is certainly my favorite cup of tea (pun intended).As Winter Warmers is primarily a tea house, only a handful of pastries are prepared in-house; croissants being one of the few. The Egg Croissant (RM13.70) is stuffed with well-mixed scrambled eggs that do not rely on dressing entirely. The pastry itself is delightfully fluffy. I think the overall taste is satisfying indeed.Winter Warmers offers afternoon tea sets from 12:00pm to 6:00pm every day. The Deluxcious Afternoon Tea (RM79.90) is meant for 3 or 4 persons. This set comprises of a 3-tier stand filled with various confectionary, bruschetta, canapé plus any 4 pots of black, green or lovely teas. Should a guest prefer something else, just top RM2.00 to enjoy any drink on the menu.Afternoon tea is meant to be enjoyed starting from the bottom layer. This is because the items are arranged such that saltier ones are at the bottom, while the easily-surfeiting sweet ones are placed towards the top.

The Tuna Bruschetta is made from baguette spread with garlic butter on one side. While the crust of bread is crispy, its center remains pleasantly soft. Freshly-made tomato salsa and minced tuna are served in separate bowls. In particular, I find the tomato salsa to be rather appetizing.Also served on a separate plate are Tuna Crunchy Crackers. These crackers are topped with tuna and cheese spread à la canapé style.At the bottom tray are pies and sandwiches. Mushroom & Chicken Pies are the main highlight here. I must say that the pastry for pie is nicely prepared. This gives pleasurable mouthfeel especially when eaten with the chicken and mushroom fillings inside. Indeed, I look forward to seeing meal-size meat pies on the future menu!Tarts, cookies and cake await at the intermediate layer. There are two types of tarts: savory and sweet versions. Savory tarts contain crab sticks with mayonnaise dressing, while sweet tarts are topped with mango and kiwi fruits. As for cookies, the flavors are rosemary, rose, mint-chocolate and lavender. As for the cake, one can choose a slice from any available ones at the chiller. Today, the choice is Lavender Cheese Cake. Made in-house, the creamy nature of the cheese cake is gratifying indeed.Taking residence at the top tray are scones and mousse desserts. The scones contain rose petal for a subtle sense of fragrance, plus intermittent pieces of raisins. In companionship are butter, whipped cream and a fun-size jar of rose jam. Meanwhile, each cup of mousse contains a layer of strawberry jelly on top. The top layer is too sweet for me, so it is better to scoop through the custard layer so that the overall sweetness is more agreeable.The afternoon tea set is quite worthwhile because each pot of tea costs around RM14.00 anyway. For smaller parties, there are also smaller tea sets for single diners and couples. Not many restaurants extend their offers to weekends, so Winter Warmers is really an uncommon exception.Winter Warmers serve breakfast in the morning till 11:00am. Priced from RM9.90, there are a handful of choices such as sandwiches, croissant and bagels. The meal includes free flow of coffee or tea. Once again, breakfast meals are also available on weekends, making Winter Warmers a great place to enjoy a lazy weekend morning.Although all outlets have merchandize on sale, the Straits Quay branch has the most elaborate one. Nearly all types of tea on the menu are also available for purchase. Although several types of black tea are packaged in tea bags, most tea come in loose form. To maintain quality and hygiene, fruit and black teas are typically sourced from Germany and Taiwan respectively.In addition, there are various tea pots and teacups on sale too, each boasting a unique, intricate design. Apart from personal use, these tea sets make good collectibles and gift ideas too. Of particular mention is bone china, where crushed animal bones are mixed with china to form much smoother surface. As a result, bone china does not become stained as easily as regular china.Frequent patrons to Winter Warmers should seriously consider its membership program. For a lifetime membership fee of RM60.00, the member is immediately reimbursed with a RM30.00 cash voucher. Members enjoy 20% and 10% discount on all food items including set meals, on weekdays and weekends respectively. Nearly once every week, members also enjoy steep discounts (up to 50%) on a specific food item.In celebration of Winter Warmers' 15 year anniversary, the restaurant is offering a commemorative mug for any spending of RM80.00 in a single bill. While stocks last, of course. Also for a limited time, all merchandize at the store is also marked 20% off. So grab this opportunity to supplement your tea supply and tea set collection!Name: Winter Warmers Coffee & Tea House

Address: 3A-G-17, Straits Quay, Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang, 10470 Tanjung Tokong, Pulau Pinang

Contact: 04-899-3848

Business hours: 8:30am-11:30pm (Sunday-Thursday), 8:30am-12:30am (Friday-Saturday)

Website: https://www.winterwarmers.net

Coordinates: 5.45757 N, 100.31339 E

Directions: Winter Warmers is located at the Ground Floor of Straits Quay, between Starbucks Coffee and Blue Reef Fish & Chips. The mall has two multi-level parking garages.

Special thanks to Yella Fork for extending this food review invitation.

Crikey! Is this an Australian restaurant? Assuming an unassuming spot along Chow Thye Road, Yella Fork has been serving Australian-inspired Asian cuisine for around one year now. Taking the helm at the kitchen is a pair of sibling chefs: Raymond with 8 years culinary experience in the local arena, and Julian who stumbled upon the kitchen and the toque while backpacking in Melbourne for 4 years.The dining section of Yella Fork is designed from scratch with little outside help. This includes the wooden tables, drinks counter, wall mural and even down to individual pillows. There are also several outdoor dining tables for customers who prefer the natural breeze outside.Yella Fork takes pride of its heavy Australian culture. Many dishes have quirky names that are only understood by those familiar with Aussie lingo. Over the months, regular customers have helped the kitchen to fine-tune its recipe. In acknowledgement, the names of several dishes pay homage to their "inventors". Indeed, it is Yella Fork's philosophy to connect with customers on a more personal level.To keep its culinary offering up-to-date, Yella Fork is rolling out a new menu starting January 2016. Many popular dishes still make the cut, but they will be joined with new ones that were popularized by regulars. Like before, all ingredients used in the kitchen are made fresh. For instance, sauces are made by simmering fresh vegetables. Absolutely no MSG and artificial preservatives are used.Our meal starts with a salad appetizer, Grilled Romaine With Pork (RM15.00). Lightly grilled romaine lettuce, chopped onions, cherry tomatoes, scallion and pork bacon are tossed in lemon pepper mayonnaise dressing. Of particular highlight are the lovely pieces of roasted pork belly, crispy and scrumptious to every bite. Taking inspiration from the local "sio bak" (烧肉), the homemade pork belly is the fastest-moving ingredient in the kitchen. How fast, you ask? Let's say it is not uncommon to deplete 7 kilograms of roasted pork belly in a single day!By far, the bestselling dish at Yella Fork is Fusion Sensation (RM11.00). Spaghetti is stir-fried à la al dente with Thai-inspired signature sauce. Perfected by Julian after months of rigorous experimentation, the sauce manifests itself as sweet-tangy sensation, with another layer of fiery spiciness which is not too intense to a degree that burns.This dish goes well with added roasted pork belly (RM6.00). This unique sauce was originally meant for Sawadee Melbourne, a fried rice dish using Australian striploin beef slices. However as many patrons do not consume beef, the Fusion Sensation has an unexpected sensation. I highly recommend this dish to any self-respecting foodie enthusiast.

Pie In The Sky (RM21.00) was the original signature dish when Yella Fork started, until it was surpassed by Fusion Sensation. Nevertheless, this two-crust meat pie is not something to be trifled with. This dish derives its name from a popular meat pie brand in Melbourne.The sensation of biting through the full puff pastry is gratifying indeed. As for the filling, the pie is loaded with diced chicken, fresh mushrooms and thyme in thick creamy gravy. Giving two cents of my opinion, I feel that some peas and carrots can provide more balanced taste.On the side is garden salad with honey balsamic sauce and a separate cup of tomato chutney.

Moving on to red meats, Lambo Racko (RM35.00) features a hearty rack of Australian-raised lamb. Grilled to medium, the pinkish meat retains most of its delectable jus. The rack of lamb is dressed with salsa verde, which contains coriander and mint for refreshing breath. I personally feel that it is better to cut back the amount of salt. Apart from this, I am highly satisfied with how the lamb was cooked.On the side of the lamb rack are grilled lettuce leaves, onions, cherry tomatoes and mashed potatoes. I think using baked potatoes in lieu of the latter can give an extra dimension of appeal. Even better, try baked sweet potatoes too! In any case, the portion of this dish is indeed Aussie portion, which is significantly larger than what locals used to have.The next dish, Jamaican Me Fish (RM23.00), is inspired by Indochinese spices. At the center stage is a piece of Australian jade perch, a freshwater fish with delightful natural sweetness. The fish is simmered in double-boiled tomato gravy which complements well with the fish.On the side is a heap of turmeric-flavored rice, topped with grilled bell peppers and carrot. I appreciate the use of vegetables to impart sweetness onto the rice. In addition, I think it is sensible to add some nuts or raisins to the rice, as the rice is somewhat lacking in mouthfeel.Moving on to desserts, Yella Panna Cotta (RM15.00) is served chilled in a small glass. The milk custard is covered by a layer of passion fruit jelly in order to seal in the moisture of custard. At the very top are grated oranges to impart the lovely citric scent. This dessert is reasonably pleasant but I prefer the consistency to be creamier. As this dessert takes over 30 minutes to prepare, it is highly advisable to place your order upfront.The Cinnamon Apple Affogato (RM15.00) features a shot of strong espresso, two scoops of vanilla ice cream and several slices of cinnamon apple. Personally, affogato is generally not my cup of tea. It is not that I dislike affogato; I just cannot see how ice cream and coffee complement each other.As for drinks, Yella Fork acknowledges the Australian passion for good coffee, but also takes creative license with several unorthodox ingredients. One example is the Malibu Mocha (RM14.00), which is made from cinnamon powder, orange and coconut milk. The beverage is smooth and pleasurable as it trickles down the throat. The presence of coconut milk certainly gives a different sensation from regular mocha.Frizzy Lemonade (RM11.00) is a carbonated drink with added Curaçao, a type of blue-colored liqueur. Lemonade provides subtle tanginess, but I think soda plays a bigger role in the overall taste. Although no sugar is used, I feel that a hint of honey can make this drink more agreeable.Moving on to Minty Cafe Latté (RM11.00), steamed milk takes the spotlight in this hot coffee beverage. Dried cranberries and mint leaves provide an added twist to this drink. In my opinion, I prefer mint to play a more prominent role. Going off a tangent, I really like the Aussie-style Flat White, so I am looking forward to trying this drink next time.During Christmas season, Yella Fork is rolling out its seasonal barbecue buffet in conjunction with its 1-year anniversary. There will be various grilled meats and vegetables to pacify the appetite of hungry mouths. According to Julian, there are various ingredients on, above and under the glowing charcoal. The staff takes care of the grills, so no need to worry about getting your fingers greasy. The buffet is nearly fully booked, so make a reservation upfront to avoid disappointment.Name: Yella Fork

Address: 27A, Jalan Chow Thye, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Contact: 04-228-8910

Business hours: 11:30am-3:30pm, 6:30pm-10:00pm (Tuesday-Thursday), 12:00pm-4:00pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm (Friday-Sunday), closed on Mondays

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Yella-Fork-1513703402212241

Coordinates: 5.42504 N, 100.32118 E

Directions: From Burmah Road (Jalan Burma), turn right to Service Road (Jalan Servis), then right again at Irrawaddy Road (Jalan Irrawaddi). At the next crossroad, turn right again to Chow Thye Road (Jalan Chow Thye). Yella Fork is one of the shops on the left. Street parking is available further down the road.

Special thanks to St Giles Wembley for extending this food review invitation.

Although St Giles Wembley is open for around a year, this is my first visit to its flagship Wembley Cafe. Located at Level 2 of the hotel, this 24-hour eatery serves buffet lunch and dinner every day.Each day of the week, Wembley Cafe features a different theme in its buffet lineup. One of the most popular menus is the Wembley Seafood on Saturdays. As the name implies, this buffet features a respectable number of seafood delicacies to satiate each guest's lustful appetite.The ice-chilled counter features several irresistible denizens of the ocean, including the superstar snow crabs. Other shellfish include oysters, mussels, scallops and shrimps.As the shellfish are served cold (but cooked), a bottle of fiery Tabasco sauce is necessary to spice things up.Meanwhile at the hot plate, a giant fillet of grilled butterfish awaits. Although its texture is acceptable, I think butterfish may not be the best choice of fish here, especially when no dressing or condiments are available. I think grouper and barramundi will prove to be more flavorful alternatives.Taking a detour to the poultry section, roast duck (烤鸭), duck feet (鸭掌), soy eggs (卤蛋) and soy bean curd (卤豆腐) are available. Like the grilled fish, I think it is better to leave these items somewhere more easily accessible, considering the fact that the station is not staffed anyway.Salmon With Buttered Leeks & Chilli Salsa is quite delectable indeed. I appreciate the juicy pink flesh, which until quite recently, I learnt that is not the natural color of farmed Atlantic salmon.The next dish is Kung-Po Mussels With Chinese Crullers. I am not sure whether there is a misnomer because I do not see any Chinese crullers.I think the Baked Scallop With Cheese Mayonnaise is slightly overcooked. I personally prefer the scallops detach from their shells more easily.Meanwhile, I find the Wok Fried Prawns With Coconut And Oats to be reasonably delectable, thanks to the crispy and aromatic batter coating.Seafood Thermidor is a lasagna-like dish served in small cups. My impression of "thermidor" is a dish of creamy seafood mixture stuffed into the shell of a shellfish, such as lobsters and shrimps.As for something greener, there is a dish of Braised Sea Cucumber, Mushroom And Greens. I am not sure whether sea cucumber was deliberately omitted, because as far as I can tell, I do not see any.The Fish Pie With Dill Mash Potato presents an interesting appeal. Firstly, I find the pastry puff to be delightfully flaky but not too doughy. As for the pie fillings, potatoes take a more prominent role than fish. This is a good call because too much fish in a pie can be surfeiting.Moving on to Spaghetti With Spicy Asian Prawn Bisque, I find the name to be peculiar as the pasta is very dry. Nevertheless, I enjoy the spicy-tangy seasoning which makes it reasonably appetizing.Moving back to land animals, there is a serving of Lamb Chop With Hickory BBQ Sauce. Tender cuts of mutton near the ribs are flavored with sweet, smoky hickory syrup.Towards the end of the buffet line, Rosemary & Honey Roasted Vegetables act as counterbalance to the meat-heavy dishes so far.For quick bites, there are a number of Asian-style delicacies such as chicken satay (skewer) in peanut sauce, chicken wings and money bag wontons.If cold cuts are your cup of tea, beef pepperoni, chicken pepperoni and smoked duck are available at your disposal. In addition, there are also Japanese-style pickled jellyfish (中華クラゲ) and baby octopus (中華イイダコ).I have a peculiar fondness for soft and hard cheese, which is why I am attracted to the cheese section like mice (although it has been scientifically shown that mice are not as fond of cheese as other foodstuff). Types of cheese available here are Blue Cheese, Cheddar, Camembert and Swiss.The soft-ripened Camembert is my favorite due to its rich, creamy flavor. Meanwhile, Blue Cheese sports the strongest flavor and is best enjoyed with some crackers à la canapé.

Sashimi lovers can indulge in chilled slices of raw salmon (サーモン), butterfish (白い鮪) and tuna (鮪).There are also a handful of sushi (寿司) varieties, mostly with seafood toppings like scallops (帆立) and octopus (蛸). Personally, the sushi section does not attract me as much as cooked seafood.Moving on to desserts, there is chocolate fondue with dips such as marshmallows, dried apricots and fresh strawberries.The British-style Bread & Butter Pudding is worth sampling in small quantities, but can be surfeiting in larger amounts due to the presence of nuts.Several types of tarts, cakes, local kuih and jellies also populate the dessert section.Personally, I feel that the dessert section is somewhat lackluster. What it really needs is a distinctive theme and a carefully-crafted menu. It is not necessary to have a wide variety of confectionary. Instead, I am looking forward to more exciting pastry items.After a heavy meal, it is prudent to wash away any lingering aftertaste with some fruits like watermelon, papaya, pitaya (dragonfruit), honeydew and orange.As for drinks, guests can help themselves with one of the espresso machines, literally with the press of a button. I feel that the latte is pretty good. Granted that coffee takes around 2 minutes to prepare, but its smoothness and pleasantly milky consistency are definitely worth the wait.Wembley Cafe's weekend buffet dinner is priced at RM95.00 per adult and RM48.00 per child. Senior citizens enjoy reduced price of RM66.00. Non-hotel guests can get their parking tickets validated for a flat rate of RM6.00 per entry.

Name: Wembley Cafe

Address: 183, Jalan Magazine, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Contact: 04-259-8123

Business hours: 24 hours

Website: http://www.stgiles.com/penang-hotels/the-wembley-hotel/dining-wembley-cafe

Coordinates: 5.41302 N, 100.33000 E

Directions: St Giles Wembley is located at Magazine Road (Jalan Magazine), just opposite of Hotel Jen. Wembley Cafe is located at Level 2 of the hotel. There is a multilevel parking garage at the hotel. Patrons to Wembley Cafe can get their parking tickets validated for a flat rate of RM6.00 per entry.

Special thanks to Hana Cafe for extending this food review invitation.

Hana Cafe (하나카페) has changed a lot since my last visit. The premise has now been converted to a guest house with 7 rooms in total. The front porch has also been extended so accommodate a larger indoor dining area.The indoor section doubles as a café and as common area for guests. Cozy chairs and air-conditioning present relaxing ambience for diners and guests alike.Outdoor seating is available for those who prefer natural air outside. Al fresco is more viable in the late evening after the sun has set.In the spirit of year-end holiday season, Hana Cafe's teddy bear mascot has donned a Christmas hat.In partnership with an ethnic Korean chef, Hana Cafe has recently introduced Korean Fried Chicken (양념치킨) to its menu. South Korea, colloquially known as the most Americanized country in Asia, has seen a surge of popularity with this dish, all thanks to the hit drama "My Love From The Star" (별에서온그대). Korean fried chicken is now a popular finger food in the country. Since this is a must-have snack at parties, there are thousands of shops that deliver this delicacy to homes and offices.Hana Cafe has two version of the Korean Fried Chicken. The Original Fried recipe uses non-spicy breading with light crisp. Although it appears similar to KFC's fried chicken, ethnic Koreans are able to distinguish the difference because Hana Cafe uses flour that is specially imported from Korea.The other version is Korean Chili Sauce, which is coated with gochujang (고추장) and is similar in appearance and taste to honey barbecue fried chicken. The key difference is the presence of Korean-style spiciness in addition to sweet-savory flavors. Between the two, this is my preferred version as it presents more exciting flavors to my palate.Hana Cafe's Korean Fried Chicken is priced at RM28.00 for 6 pieces (half chicken), and RM50.00 for 12 pieces (full chicken). A full chicken feeds 4 to 6 people.A meaty dish should be balanced with a bowl of Salad (샐러드, RM10.00). Made from red leaf and romaine lettuce, the salad is meant to be eaten on its own. I incorrectly thought that lettuce is used to wrap fried chicken, similar to barbecued meat like gogi (고기) and galbi (갈비).In response to popular demand, Hana Cafe also serves several types of Korean noodles. As strange as it sounds, many Koreans are willing to pay for noodles prepared from instant noodles, such as Shin Ramyun (신라면, RM10.00) from Nongshim (농심). I think the reason is because Hana Cafe uses the exact products that are sold in Korea, not the modified versions for export.Shin Ramyun is meant to be spicy, but it should be manageable by Malaysian standards. Korean instant noodles are known for large serving size and ingredients like dried vegetables. Only egg and seaweed are added to the cooked dish.A small serving of kimchi (김치) is also provided on the side.Bingsu (빙수) is a type of Korean dessert made from shaved ice. Interestingly, Hana Cafe uses a true snow flake machine to produce ice, as opposed to mechanical ice shavers as preferred by local Caffé Bene outlets.As a result, Hana Cafe is able to produce ice crystals that are significantly finer. This results in a unique texture that can be loosely described as "mushy" rather than "slushy". According to the proprietor of Hana Cafe, this is how bingsu is supposed to be prepared - at least in Korea itself.In terms of toppings for Bingsu, there are four types to choose from: Classic (RM9.00), Kiwi (RM12.00), Oreo (RM12.00) and Honey Nuts (RM12.00). The latter contains generous amount of cashew nuts, walnuts, peanuts and almonds. Honey serves to provide some sweetness to this dessert.The presence of unique dishes at Hana Cafe and the restaurant's serene setting make it a great place to enjoy a meal at Tanjung Bungah. I highly recommend the Korean Fried Chicken above all. Try it out and decide for yourselves whether you like this Korean delicacy.Name: Hana Cafe (하나카페)

Address: 11, Jalan Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang

Contact: 04-890-8810

Business hours: 1:00pm-11:00pm, closed on Sundays

Website: https://www.facebook.com/HanaCafePenang

Coordinates: 5.46582 N, 100.28963 E

Directions: Traveling westbound on Jalan Tanjung Bungah, Hana Cafe is located on the left, just opposite of Dalat International School. There are some parking spaces in front of the shop and more at the back. The latter can be reached from the next traffic light junction.

Special thanks to 43 Café for extending this food review invitation.

43 Café is a house-cum-eatery near the Sungai Dua entrance of USM. This award-winning eatery started as one of Penang's pioneers of pork burgers in 2013, but has since migrated to fusion cuisine. According to the founder, the restaurant strives to use natural ingredients in its food preparation. For example, no MSG is added to the food.The meal starts with Sesame Salad (RM8.50) as appetizer. Romaine lettuce, red cabbage and julienned carrots are dressed with roasted sesame dressing. Oat Krunch cracker crumbs are added to provide some crisp.Inspired by an egg recipe popularized by students of Chung Ling High School, the Egg Pecah Toast (RM3.50) takes advantage of the runny state of an egg, served over a slice of toasted bread. The egg is seasoned with chili paste and scallions.Nom Nom Nom is one of my favorite dishes tonight. Each skewer contains a lean cut of fresh pork, marinated with lemongrass sauce to give exceptionally succulent flavors. This dish is priced at RM1.20 per skewer and has minimum order of 5 skewers.Fork Pork Blanket (RM18.00) is the remnant of the original signature dish. A lovely slice of pork shoulder is dry-rubbed and slow-cooked for 8 hours to allow its flavors to develop fully. The patty is sandwiched by two halves of a sesame bun. Also included in the burger are bacon strips, cherry tomatoes, onion rings and lettuce leaves.Inspired by the Ohioan meat sauce for hot dogs and spaghetti, the Cincinnati Chili Pork Pasta (RM19.80) uses bell peppers in lieu of chili peppers to suit the local palate. Personally, I would have preferred chili peppers in line with the original American recipe. Having said so, the use of corkscrew-shaped fusilli allows seasoning to penetrate the pasta more thoroughly. A raw egg on top serves to form thick emulsion when mixed with pasta thoroughly.Next, Smoked Duck Pasta (RM24.80) uses a special infusion of ceps and balsamic vinaigrette to impart appetizing flavors to the pasta. Al dente spaghetti is further paired with gratifying slices of smoked duck and a raw egg yolk. This dish is noticeably drier than the previous one, but its delightful appeal allows it to stand in its own right.Moving on, Sous-Vide Chicken Deluxe (RM25.80) features an entire piece of chicken breast, cooked in an airtight plastic bag and immersed in a water bath of precisely 60oC. To compensate for significantly lower temperature often used to cook chicken, sous-vide method requires several hours of heating such that chicken tissues become cooked without disintegrating. As a result, the chicken retains most of its jus, which explains its "wetter" appearance when cut.The chicken is dressed with onion sauce of creamy consistency, which I think is on the saltier side but is necessary to season the inner sections of the chicken. Butterfly cut is not used so that the chicken breast keeps its moisture intact. A slice of cheese is placed on top, though I think I would have preferred without it. This dish is served with potato salad and garden greens on the side. Although the texture of chicken may alienate some, I think it is an interesting experience for a change.

The next delicacy is Dry-Aged Pork Steak (RM28.80). The pork steak is grilled to perfection, then served alongside homemade garlic sauce. Although the pork is extremely succulent, the creamy garlic sauce also deserves due recognition in the overall appeal. Meanwhile, potato salad and garden greens are served on the side.Dry-aging, also called hanging, is a process in which meat is hung in an environment of controlled temperature and humidity. During this process, lactic acid produced in the meat's anaerobic state breaks down protein in the muscle tissues, releasing amino acids which improve savoriness of the meat. During the process, the pork shrinks by 30% as it loses moisture to the atmosphere.

As for beverage, Tomato Plum Juice (RM5.00) is one of the recommended ones at 43 Café. Made from fresh tomatoes, the juice appears separated due to "cold breaking". Unlike commercially-canned tomato juice, slower cooking process allows enzymes to break down cellular walls, therefore separating the watery and thicker contents of the fruit. Apart from aesthetic differences, separated and homogenous tomato juice do not have noticeably different taste.Made from raw ginger, pandan juice and red dates, Ginger Tea (RM4.00) is a drink of extremes. On one hand, some people are immediately turned away by its intensely pungent aftertaste. On the other hand, others derive pleasure from the warming sensation on the palate. I think the iced version is a nice compromise as its icy state helps to negate some pungency.One of 43 Café's specialties is its Homemade Ice Scream. Made from milk, cream, sugar and eggs, the ice cream contains neither emulsifier nor coloring. The absence of emulsifier makes ice cream melt rather quickly, which is why it has to be refrozen in cups after scooping. As the overrun (air content) is only 20%-30%, the ice cream is very compact. 43 Café has tens of ice cream flavors after several months of experimentation, but not all flavors are available every evening due to limited shelf life. The Homemade Ice Scream can be ordered by the cup or by the tub. In addition, 43 Café also supplies its ice cream to other restaurants such as Kizuna.Today's flavors are Bailey's Irish Cream, Hazelnut Tea, Horlicks Maple Syrup, Organic Black Sesame, Purple Magic, Rich Chocolate and Coffee. It is recommended to consume the ice cream flavors in this order too. The restaurant suggests that after going through the sequence, it is advisable to redo the sequence with a pinch of salt (literally, no pun intended), then another round with light sprinkles of chili peppers. I believe the gastronomical appeal is similar to what I experienced at Salt & Straw in Portland. However, I feel that the American ice cream has creamier texture.All in all, 43 Café takes advantage of its chef's sound knowledge on molecular gastronomy to produce a number of delectable fusion dishes. As the cooking techniques differ from mainstream culinary styles, it remains to be seen whether the food here strikes a chord with the general palate. Its Homemade Ice Scream, though likeable without additional qualifiers, should be explored with a pinch of salt (pun intended).Name: 43 Café

Address: 43, Jalan Sungai Dua, 11700 Gelugor, Pulau Pinang

Contact: 016-430-7009

Business hours: 5:30pm-10:00pm

Website: https://www.facebook.com/43Cafe

Coordinates: 5.35315 N, 100.30391 E

Directions: From the Sungai Dua entrance of USM, turn left and immediately turn right. Turn left immediately and drive along the service road of Jalan Sungai Dua. 43 Café is the last unit of the first row of residential houses. Street parking is available along this service road.