Had a flat white with the blend of Colombia San Marcos,El Savador, & Indonesia Wahana and it was chocolate-y and had 🍏 acidity

and the single origin Ethiopia Duromina for the cold brew which had peach notes and pleasant with ice for the hot weather!

They switch the beans pretty often but most of the time is the local roaster Artisan.

据某Youtube视频报导，槟华乐乐起始人为方汉雄，卖乐乐已有四十多年。小时候帮人卖乐乐，之后就开始自己卖乐乐。从前是在槟华学校前面卖的，所以就取名为“槟华乐乐”。“槟华乐乐”的蘸酱有分东炎、酸辣、辣椒、甜酱、蒜头、虾米和叻沙口味等的。如今，我所知道的，在Pulau Tikus和Air Itam都可吃到“槟华乐乐”。有说Air Itam那方由方汉雄的孩子经营。特爱吃“槟华乐乐”，主要是它的乐乐都很大一串，好吃价钱也公道，蘸酱味道也是恰到好处。今晚用餐就吃了一串串的炸云吞、水云吞、猪肉片卷金针菇、鱼丸、蛤、海螺、蟹肉和腐竹。用料味道货真价实，赞！

Monkey Cup cafe is located at Chow Thye Road, the location is quite easy to be seen. There are some other shoplots nearby. It is same row with one of the violin centre under Mr Woon Wen Kin. The atmosphere and environment is nice and comfortable. The decoration is simple but nice. The decoration near toilet which is outside from the cafe is special too. The oreo cheese cake tasted OK and in a glass bottle form. The glass bottle has imprinted monkey cup cafe wording on it which made it more attractive and symbolic. For the matcha latte, it tasted concentrated with some tiny solid form feeling in your mouth at the moment you drink it. However, it is still good for me though. It is not too sweet. The waiter is friendly too, he recommended favourite drinks for us patiently. And, the most important thing I found out through this visit is, Monkey Cup cafe is a pork-free cafe, Halal and you can definitely see the certs hanging beside the menu. It lights up my day because I have malay friend joining for the gathering. It is a nice cafe after all=)

兰亭小厨，一家藏身于热闹乔治市中，某条不起眼的小巷内
然而摆放该餐馆的当晚，晚餐时刻时顾客却源源不绝

问及老板Raymond的餐馆和一般的中餐馆有何不同之处呢？
他谦虚地说在于秉着合理价格和诚意美味的料理，自然可以锁定顾客的味蕾
然而我觉得，因为老板本身是一位15岁踏入厨房开始其厨师生涯，经过十余个年头的历练
不但让自己的厨艺一直往上挑战而且也从而学习到管理餐厅和厨房营运
让他在经营一家餐馆时不但可以监控整家餐厅的运作，也可以控制食物品质，从而给与顾客最好的

而且其餐厅服务素质也很好，服务员快速和殷勤的态度绝对是在无形中让顾客加分的地方
主攻粤菜的Raymond也集合了各式大排档煮炒的元素融合在其菜单内
他说数星期后就会就会启用新的菜单，因为要留住顾客，除了要保持一贯的水准也要不停的创新

新的菜单除了会保留热门的佳肴也会推出一系列新的菜式镇江香骨【RM12.80】
镇江香骨是江苏菜式，源于无锡、镇江一带，当然少不了使用闻名的镇江香醋入菜
然而这道料理流传和变化极广，台湾的高升排骨和一般餐厅吃到的糖醋排骨就是变化之一
这道料理的味道基本为甜源自冰糖、咸源自酱油和酸源自镇江香醋
入口时酸中带甜，细细品之，骨香在口中久久徘徊
当中少不了还有中菜常用的秘密武器 - 绍兴酒除掉排骨原有的腥味并把当中的肉味提升
还有八角的香气和甜酸咸味在口腔内结合一起，让每一口排骨都可以沉溺在美味中许久

药膳沙煲鸡【RM24.80】
中菜中最令人钦佩的地方就是药膳食疗，食疗在中医角度有医学概念
所谓“医食同疗”，以日常饮食作滋补强身、维持健康正是食疗最大功效，预防好过治疗
而药膳沙煲鸡就是食疗的一种，鸡只中塞入了7种药材包括当归、北芪等
整只鸡只色泽金黄透亮，皮红、肉白分明，食时肉嫩，骨嚼之酥脆，味香清雅而不腻
而且从看似浓郁的汤汁吃起来一点都不会过腻感觉，味道绝对是恰到好吃
尤其配白饭一同吃，不但开胃还有饱足感

鲍鱼仔豆腐扒时蔬【RM24.80】
肉质细嫩，鲜而不腻的鲍鱼是欧洲人称为“餐桌上的软黄金”
中医更认为鲍鱼是是一种补而不燥的海产，可平肝潜阳，解热明目，止渴通淋
如果鲍鱼也非天价之海珍品，鲍鱼仔就是价格大众化的货色
而当珍贵的鲍鱼遇上平价的豆腐会产生怎么样的化学效应呢？
至少我满意两者的搭档，犹如千金爱上穷小子，依然可以拥有美丽的爱情般
毕竟鲍鱼尤其营养价值和珍贵之处，而这里的豆腐一口咬下去时有着满满的蛋香味，实在让人惊喜
而且外层看似坚挺的豆腐，内层却是非常滑嫩，搭配鲍鱼仔和酱汁，依然是送饭的绝佳菜肴

由于兰亭小厨晚餐时间多数为家庭式顾客、午餐时间则为上班族居多
午餐时段针对上班族推出了RM7.80的超值套餐，除了有现炒现煮的个人套餐（附送一杯饮料）
如果和一班同事前往单点的话还享有15%折扣（只限星期一至五，1130am-230pm时段）

一碗咖喱面可以让您想到什么？
咖喱面嘛，只不过咖喱汤头淋入装载黄面的碗公内
黄面上还有加入一些佐料比如猪红、屎蛤、豆卜等，甚至咖喱鸡、鱿鱼、叉烧、长豆，不同小贩提供不同风味

然而位于Air Itam巴刹，每天风雨不改，鲜少休业而且一卖就卖了六十余年的咖喱面
这里的咖喱面虽然加入了大同小异的佐料可是却加入不一样的人情味和古早味
很多人前来尝试他们的咖喱面，看着他们已经斑驳的面容和双手，不少人为之怜悯和感动
可是我从她们身上却看到一份坚守数十年来不变的味道，一份现代人难以体验的坚定


林桂香和林桂來这对已经梳起不嫁的姐妹，当年每天都是挑着扁担售卖咖喱面
扁担上都是放着非常沉重的汤头、面条、碗公等，从家里挑来这里绝对是十分吃力的任务

不过随着逐渐年迈的她们，如今托友人把材料载至桥头售卖但依然坚持放在篮子和扁担上售卖
随着时代变迁，每天都坐着小凳子售卖的她们，仿佛有时光停留在5-60年代的错觉
两姐妹过去数十年来不接受任何改变，她们说不懂得如何使用煤气炉更别说电炉
所以每天售卖的咖喱面的汤头、佐料还有炒米粉都是使用火炭烹调



姐妹咖喱面 【RM3.50（小）；RM4（大）】
其实我们不懂咖喱面价钱如何，因为从其他部落格看到好像是RM4一碗
但当天我们叫了一碗大一碗小的，一共RM7.50，所以推测是小的RM3.50，大的RM4吧

吃面不放辣椒是我一贯的作风可是听闻这里的辣椒特别而且加入咖喱汤汁会提升味道所以破例加了辣椒
先浅尝辣椒酱，颜色鲜红油亮，不会太辣而且是阿嫲每天一早起来炒的
还未搅拌咖喱酱前先浅尝一口咖喱汤汁，味道不会太浓郁，有轻轻的椰浆融合咖喱味
把辣椒酱放入汤汁搅拌，不会太辣但多了刺激感和咸香味，椰浆也不会太明显，正是我最爱的咖喱汤汁味道

咖喱面佐料有豆芽、辣椒炒鱿鱼、猪红和豆卜，虽然很一般的配料
可是鱿鱼在配料中显然突出许多，不但嫩Q而且还有小辛辣
整体来说是一碗我能接受的咖喱面，虽然不是吃过最好吃的但是加入的“坚持”和“人情味”，已经是无可匹敌的咖喱面

Gala House Restaurant and Cafe serves western and Penang heritage fusion cuisine which based on spices and herbs (This was told by a friendly staff). Gala means happiness. The same concept goes to the interior design of this restaurant. The front of the restaurant building gives us heritage feeling whereas the interior design more on a mix of Western and heritage concept, with quite lovely, romantic and vintage ambiance. Flower and plant pot are one of the decorative items on the table.Wala-wala asparagus, green curry pasta with prawn and kimchi salmon spaghetti are their signature pasta dishes. Other than pasta, lemon grass chicken skewers, lamb osso bucco and the gala steak are the others signature main dishes. In addition to pasta and main dish, they also serves salad, soup, sandwiches and burgers, as well as asian delights such as rendang chicken, curry chicken and Thai curry.

Wala-wala asparagus (RM 18.00)
This is a spaghetti stir fried with clams and asparagus. The amount of clams are quite generous. The clams are fresh, slight salty with hint of spices, therefore matches quite well with the spaghetti which is quite plain and milder in taste (with only garlic and olive oil). The asparagus is fresh and crunchy. This spaghetti in overall, not too oily and more mild flavoured but we enjoyed it. Herb-roasted chicken (RM 28.90)
Roasted half chicken served with baby potatoes and mushroom sauce. This roasted chicken is golden brown in colour and not over-roasted. The meat is surprisingly quite moist and not tough in texture with mild herb flavour. The mushroom gravy is special and delicious, with mild sweetness and it goes very well with the roasted chicken. A succulent meal.For beverages, they serves quite a few special coffee drinks and some with hint of liquor. For example, orang kaya coffee (chocolate brandy affogato), gala's coffee (ice-blended coffee liquor with coconut flavour), a-lo-ha (kahlua coconut latte), bailey's caramel (mixture of bailey's and rich coffee), etc. However, coffee is too heavy for us and so we ordered only a cup of hot Camomile tea.

Chamomile tea (RM 5.90)
This is a herbal tea and contains no caffeine. It is quite smooth and not too bitter. A good tea to calm an upset stomach.We had a pleasant dining experience at Gala House. The foods presentation is good.

Another thing which worth to mention is their superb service and the staff is really friendly. They came to us and asked our comment on the spaghetti. They even suggested and offered a new plate of wala-wala asparagus which is more strong in taste or slight salty, when we commented the spaghetti is mild in flavour. Thumbs up for their excellent service.

Mid of this month we had a monthly labmates outing again! together we barbeque-ed, visited Ernest Zacharevic’s murals and cycled around George Town!

This time we visited this fairly new (then) cafe at Bishop Street!GohKaki is ‘kaki lima’ / five feet way / corridor in Hokkien where people passes by or play badminton or park their bikes.

GohKaki Cafe is situated along the same street as The Cruise Steak House. it’s not that hard to locate the facade. however parking space is limited on weekday. it’s a busy street with many banks in vicinity. we went on a Sunday, the street was clear. #WIN.sight from the entrancePenang Ideology | RM 8.90
GohKaki Ice Nutmeg Milk.

we thought the milk is overpowering. it almost tasted like milk than nutmeg.Still Black | RM 5.90
GohKaki DIY KopiSay No | RM 5.90
Chocolate Coffee

Wait staff told us the meaning behind this beverage. The choco wrapped in cold wrapper symbolizes coins which is ‘lui’ in Hokkien. And the drink is choc kopi. Say No to Kopi Lui. Get it?Sambal Xia Mi Kaki Ku | RM 8.90
Cute right the turtle miku!This’s the right way of eating it, spread the sambal in between the miku. My the other labmate who ordered the same dish had it ala steak style, cut the bun into small pieces and dipped in sambal. Lol. Eh if it’s me, I prolly will do the same too :/.Wedding Field | RM 12.90
Belacan Rice, Chicken Meat with Sauce, Green Apple, Cucumber, Onion, Chilli & Dried Shrimp

This was what I had. So many thing going on the plate. I have a spoon of rice followed by strips of green apple alternated with cucumber. Pretty refreshing yet tasty dish I reckon.Cheese Tic Tac Toe | RM 7.90

I must say the proprietor is creative with the dishes plating and name.

My dining partners were pretty fail in drawing cross and circle :/the food ain’t its main attraction, the ambiance is. so i reckon it’s a place where you can have a tête a-tête with your besties over cuppa teas or coffee! if you’re there during weekend, you can even have some games which people used to play at GohKaki

i haven’t been to New York Pizza since ages. so it’s a nice revisiting when they invited a bunch of bloggers for a food review on their new item on the menu, which is the Charcoal Burger! you can either opt for a chicken or the beef patty. oh they do delivery too! call +604 6584640 to enquire and order!i flipped through my old archives, and this was exactly how i described the interior of New York Pizza.

‘..kinda rustic, unpolished, simple and errr bold…’

i still felt the same…this time there’s more posters on the wall.the preparation desk. that chap clad in red and white at the back is the louban!Chicken Charcoal Burger | RM 10 (set)
the set comes with a glass of soft drink and fries. chicken breast meat, a slice of cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato slices are sandwiched between two charcoal bun. the patty was flavourful and juicy. and the black buns tasted exactly like normal white buns but somewhat more fragrant and sweet (?). the charcoal buns are made in house!

posted this photo on facebook and my friends thought it looked scary wtf. black is the it colour what do they know.

this introductory promotion is valid till 31st of March! so be quick ya!Beef Charcoal Burger | RM 10 (set)
comes with soft drink & fries

if you prefer red meat, there’s beef patty for you!
equally tender and juicy.

we were also served some of the other items on the menu!Fried Platter | RM 19.60
assorted fried stuff with a mayo dip which has nothing to shout about.Cheesy Garlic Bread | RM 8.00
thin and crispy garlic bread. i was so used to thick garlic bread so i didn’t aware that this was actually bread when it’s served =.=BBQ Wings | RM 5.60 (S) RM 10.50 (R)Baked Macaroni Carbonara | RM 12.80

creamy macaroni covered with cheese, ham and mushroom.Beef Pepperoni | RM 21 (R)
chicken/beef pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, BBQ sauce on a thin crust.BBQ Chicken | RM 21 (R)
chicken chunks, onion, pineapple, mozzarella cheese, BBQ sauce on a thin crust.

all the sauces are made from scratch as well. kudos to them for their efforts!Tuna Delight | RM 23 (R)
tuna, green pepper, onion, pineapple, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese on original crust.

it was a public holiday Tuesday and unfortunately, I had to go to lab, you know the OTs before flying away (to Shanghai!). so to make working on a public holiday sounded pleasant, I ajak-ed Chuah for a brekkie (breakfast in my lingo) date, before heading to lab together.they don’t have a signage in front of the shop, but you know it’s the right café when you see colorful bikes parking neatly in front. Roti Bean is a quaint café manned by Andy and friends who are all berry friendly and chatty blokes!I was quite taken aback how small and cozy Roti Bean is. their main seating is located at 1st floor. there’s only like 5 tables, if I’m not mistaken.it didn’t took us long to decide what to order as their menu is pretty limited. not muchy variant available.

one feature that I didn’t like in the café is, the steep stairs. not elderly-friendly at all. I was wearing socks that day, so it’s kinda slippery and I had to hold the side wall for support, in order not to 仆街 wtf. oh girls in mini skirt might have to be extra careful too ya.quirky bikes for rent! they have couple bikes, trio bikes and even a pseudo trishaw which you can place the baby at the yellow compartment LOL.Soya Milk | RM 3; Signature Soya Milk | RM 4 {recommended}
soya milk is the only beverage you’ll find on Roti Bean’s menu, no coffee no chocolate no milo whatsoever. this can be a disadvantage since many needs their coffee fix every morning.

anyway,

soya milk is made house daily. certified fresh! I like Signature Soya Milk more, addition of Horlick makes it thicker and more fragrant. the sweetness is just right, to my liking! I cannot tolerate cloying beverage/dessert.Egg Benedict with Smoked Salmon | RM 11 {recommended}
halved toasted bun topped with smoked salmon, poached egg, drizzled with Hollandaise sauce and sprinkled with dried herbs.

the salmon is nicely smoldered, according to Chuah! I had a bite and seconded the statement. Hollandaise sauce is a lil’ too sourish which I didn’t expect. okay it’s my first time tasted this yellowish sauce *facepalm*. I know I know how could I huh? told you, brekkie place in Penang is meagre!

and then I excitedly commanded Chuah to slice across the yolk, I was all ready to get yolk-gasm.. manatau..YOLK Y U NO RUNNY

kinda disappointed with the overcooked yolk .Egg Benedict with Smoked Turkey Bacon | RM 10 {recommended}
mine! similar to Chuah, I had an open-sandwich. lettuce, two pieces of smoked turkey bacon, poached egg layered on one another on a white bread slathered with butter. it was okay-ish. i wish they serve some sides though as the portion is kinda small. no runny yolk as well, but overall I enjoyed it.

it has been awhile since I had a proper brekkie liddis! usually I’ll just have a, cuppa oat before heading to lab. so yeah, I enjoyed the food and the company. oh also, the hospitable staffs. I loved how Andy greeted us GOOD MORNING! cheerfully upon entering the premise. that woke me up instantly!

and so we left with satisfying smiles on our faces.

Roti Bean serves decent brekkie at proper breakfast hours. do take note that although Roti Bean opens from time 0900 – 1700, the kitchen closes after 1400. so be early ya!

Nasi lemak is one of the Malaysian popular breakfast dish. Located at Lebuh Pantai and right in front of Sri Weld Food Court, Ali Nasi Lemak is one of the famous nasi lemak in Penang.There are six different types of nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaf for you to choose from: anchovies + egg, fish, prawn, cuttlefish, chicken and salted fish + egg. Each pack of nasi lemak costs only RM 1.50.During our visit, we were amazed by the speed of how are they preparing and packing the nasi lemak. Fast and steady.Each pack of nasi lemak is prepared fresh right there. Steaming fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk was scooped onto the banana leaves, topped with fish/prawn/cuttlefish/etc followed by the red chilli-spiked gravy, then folded and packed into a conical-shaped packet. Fish Nasi Lemak in banana leaf (RM1.50)
The moment we unwrapping the nasi lemak, we can smell the fragrance of rice with a little hint of spiciness. The rice was moist, soft (unlike the dry version of other nasi lemak) and not sticky. We love every bite of it. The fish was deep-fried, the skin was slight crispy but the meat was soft and juicy. The red chilli-spiked gravy on the other hand, spicy but very aromatic. This nasi lemak overall in combination, is definitely an enjoyable and flavourful breakfast to kick start your day. A small pack of nasi lemak like this can bring great satisfaction.Highly recommended for people who likes nasi lemak.

Goku Raku Ramen which located at Gurney Paragon serves really awesome ramen delights with rich and flavourful soup. Speaking of the restaurant interior design and environment, it has a very simple decoration (just like any other Japanese restaurants) with wooden chairs and tables, but cozy enough for you to dine in to fix your ramen crave.For your information, Goku Raku Ramen serves two different types of soup base, namely Tonkotsu and Tokyo. Tonkotsu soup is a pork flavour soup whereas Tokyo is chicken flavour. Then for each of this soup base, you can choose your favourite from original soup, miso or shoyu soup. Both the soup is finely cooked for long hours over high heat and carefully stirred to enrich the broth aroma.

Super Char Siew Tonkotsu (original/miso/shoyu); Price: RM22.90(S), R26.90 (M), RM27.90 (L)
During our visit, we opted for super char siew tonkotsu and we chosen miso tonkotsu soup instead of original tonkotsu or shoyu tonkotsu soup. It is a ramen topped with homemade char siew, spring onion, bamboo shoot and lava egg. We ordered a small one for the price of RM22.90. The portion is okay only for a small bowl of ramen, so you should order at least the medium or large bowl of ramen if you are a big eater.

The miso tonkotsu soup is really thick, creamy and flavourful. The best ramen soup we ever had. The homemade char siew is not sweet like other char siew you have outside. It is with mild saltiness, so tender that it can melt in your mouth the moment it touches your tongue. The same goes to the lava egg. The egg white is solid and the egg yolk is soft and runny. It is so delicious. Your ramen is incomplete without this lava egg. As for the ramen (the noodles), thick and slightly springy. Ebi Gyoza; Price: RM 10.90 (5pcs), RM15.90 (8 pcs)
It is a pan-fried shrimp, pork lard and chives dumpling. A rather unique combination, not too oily and a bit similar to Taiwanese guo tie. It is served together with a special sauce and salt & pepper. For the sauce, it tastes like sweet soy sauce. On the other hand, for the salt & pepper, it is slightly salty. To our surprise, it tastes really good when you eat the dumpling together with it rather than with the sweet soy sauce. As for the filling of dumpling, we expected more filling but in overall it is still acceptable. The prawn is fresh.
This restaurant is highly recommended for all ramen lovers.

those who have been to Hong Kong must have known that “char chan teng” is one of the HK’s very own culture. when i was in HK, i had almost every meal at char chan teng, the place to get cheap AND nice food while people watching. one thing that i notice about Hongkee is, they are BRUTALRUDE. the way they talk, the way they serve customers. maybe that’s their culture too.

why am i talking about Hong Kong? because i’m going to introduce a restaurant serving Hong Kong style food! or it doesn’t need any introduction? why of course, it has more than 22 branches where you can easily locate them at Klang Valley, Melaka, Johor, Ipoh, Penang and even Singapore! i always patronise the Sunway Giza Outlet together with Kaiye & Kaima.Located at the fairly new hangout place, Gurney Paragon is this Wong Kok Char Chan Teng. it’s hidden behind the escalator on the first floor, right above Meet Fresh. this is the only outlet in Penang so far. nope, the one at Queensbay was a fake wannabe one (that’s why it’s no longer in business now?).

this Wong Kok CCT, one of the pioneer at Gurney Paragon, has been in business for almost a year now, manned by a few partners.

quote from their website:

Since 2003, Wong Kok Char Chan Teng has brought in a new trademark of Hong Kong great cuisine into Malaysia. As a joint for all sorts of Hong Kong famous food and treats,Wong Kok Char Chan Teng is well accepted by residents here and it has emerged as a new trend of great cuisine. It definitely a satisfaction act:”To Taste Hong Kong, Taste in Wong Kok.”
and why Wong Kok?

Wong Kok District (旺角區), one of the districts of Hong Kong, covering the areas of Wong Kok and Tai Kok Tsui in Kowloon. With one of the highest population density in the world, the name “Wong Kok” in Chinese means “flourishing/busy corner”.there is a small al fresco area outside, beside of this main dining area.their menu is EXTENSIVE with 200+ items! we had a hard time making up our mind.

there’s also value set meals available, definitely more value for money. comparing the price between Wong Kok and Kim Gary (another Hong Kong food joint), Wong Kok fairs better. their Value Set Lunch is priced from RM 9.90 – RM 12.90 which includes a main of your choice, a soup, a beverage and a dessert. on weekday, at 1515 – 1800, you get to enjoy certain items at 30% (Tea Time Delights). Set brekkie is also available at 1100 – 1200, at as low as RM 3.99++!Fried Rice with Five Spice Pork | RM 11.30
this plate of fragrant fried rice was the first dish being served. it caught our attention immediately, rice was fluffy not sticky, not oily, and the portion was huge, definitely suitable for carbo lover.

Kaiye adores their Yung Chow Fried Rice berry muchy! he says there’s enough “wok hei (锅气)”.Hot & Spicy Miso Ramen | RM 14.90
if you’re a soupy person, ramen might be a better choice for you. i always prefer soupy dish on a cold day. don’t be intimidated by its huge bowl, the portion is actually just nice for one person. ramen was served in thick and slightly spicy broth with some crunchy black fungus.

udon noodle is also available if ramen is not your thang, served in the same broth and for the thick slab of meat atop, you can either choose pork, chicken or even seafood.Cheese Baked Rice with Chicken Chop | RM 16.20
gooey cheese resting atop of fried rice, served on a bamboo basket. this dish do look lustre right? highly recommended for cheesy person!

you also get to customize your chessy dish! there’s five sauces to choose from: Sweet Corn White Sauce, Italian Red Sauce, Portuguese Sauce, Neapolittan Sauce and Mushroom Sauce. Mr Ong mentioned that Mushroom Sauce is the famous sauce but we all preferred Portuguese Sauce which tasted like thick curry sauce.

besides, there’s also few variants of this dish: 1. Yin Yong which you’ll have both rice and spaghetti, 2. Portuguese sauce based cheese baked rice or spahetti and 3. baked rice with prawn roe sauce. i’m sure you’ll find something you like here.Baked Dragon Boat | RM 10.20
we also had this side dish. generous amount of filling made up of fish, mushroom and prawn and scallion encased in a crisp potato skin. i have a question, do you actually eat the potato skin? i usually don’t cos i thought it’s dirty :/Original Ice Milk Tea in H.K. Style | RM 5.20
a Hong Kong style meal can not do without a cup of nai cha (milk tea)! ice is served in a bowl surrounding the cup instead of just adding into the cup, so that the ice will not affect the concentration and taste of the milk tea. such a thoughtful thought.Double Delight Corn Ice | RM 6.90
this beverage is a mixture of jelly coconut, corn & black sesame. pretty interesting and refreshing after a scrumptious meal.Mango Honeydew with Sago | RM 8.90
for dessert, we had this mango based sprinkles with sago and honeydew cubes. luckily it’s not too sweet, to my liking!

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!

my friend & i chanced upon this dessert place, Sweet Hut while we were on our way home after berbuka puasa at Starz Diner Hard Rock Hotel. we had a dessert each and we actually thought Sweet Hut fairs better than some of the dessert chain out there. one friendly lady, Zenny, approached us, gave a brief introduction on the shop and some of the desserts. Sweet Hut was a really new addition at Precint 10 then. and she extended the invitation to the grand opening of Sweet Hut to us once she found out we are bloggers.

so on the auspicious day, POP! Sweet Hut officially joined the food scene in Penang! it’s the first outlet here, but i learnt that there’s 13 other outlets in Klang Valley and Malacca.Papaya Milk Snow Ice | RM 9.90

papaya is a rare flavour for shaved ice i would say as i don’t see other dessert shops serve this! Papaya Milk Snow Ice is new on the menu! and yesh, Durian Snow Ice is available too, of course!

i guess this Snow Milk will be the best dessert on hot day! and look, fresh papaya cubes on the side {Penang} Desserts @ Sweet Hut, Precint 10Steam Aloe Vera with Egg White and Papaya (cold) | RM 12.80
one of the dessert that i like to diy at home is 雪耳木瓜糖水 for youknowhat purpose. but so far i don’t see any positive effect =.=.

anyway, Sweet Hut made a twist on the classic tong sui! whole halved papaya is steamed together with egg white and aloe vera cubes. super nourishing dessert i would say. though i wish they use almond pudding instead of egg white. Zenny later explained egg white is used because not all like the taste of almond. but i thought they can add an almond option on the menu, for almond lovers like me!

translucent aloe vera cubes add additional sweetness to the dessert. however, the papaya itself is already sweet enough, so you might find this dessert slightly too sweet for your liking. the sweetness is just nice to me though.

fyi, all of the dessert at Sweet House DO NOT contain artificial sugar or flavouring!Mango & Durian Pancakes (2 pcs) | RM 9.90
rich cream and fruit encased in a thin pancakes!

i absolutely adored the Durian Pancake! Sweet Hut is really generous with the durian filling as you can see! unlike some other shops which has more cream than durian in it :/

daddy will LOVE it for sure! gonna bring him to try it in Malacca!Coconut Pudding with Caramel Pudding | RM 12.80

this is one of my favourite dessert at Sweet Hut! the caramel pudding and coconut pudding (sink at the bottom) and coconut milk just complement each other berry well. both puddings are smooth and soft! you can also have your coconut pudding with ice cream!

if you notice, Sweet Hut actually adds fresh-cut fruits in every dessert dish! a way to make you eat REAL fruit!Baked Marquis Chocolate Pudding with Cookies Ice-Cream | RM 12.80
you’ve got to wait 15-20 mins for preparation. the wait is totally worth it i assure you, if you are a chocolate person la! warm dark chocolate lava oozes out the second you cut it open. the pudding was moist and the texture was just right, best paired with the ice cream! and the fruits at the side, dip them with the choco lava and eat it ala fondue style {Penang} Desserts @ Sweet Hut, Precint 10

this dessert is 心太软 in Chinese which reminds me of Richie Ren, 心太软 was the first ever song i sang in Karaoke! #facepalm. it’s a hit that time okie!

ooh la la!

no wonder it’s in the Top 10 Chart!Milk Almond Pudding and Mango Sago Pomelo Soup | RM 8.90
{thing that makes me smile} the heart jelly {Penang} Desserts @ Sweet Hut, Precint 10

i love that it’s not overly sweet at all. and almond actually goes well with mango too! sago bits and pomelo pulps added different texture into the dessert! this is on their Top 10 list too!Steam Red Dates White Fungi Papaya Coconut Soup (hot) | RM 9.80
i love everything with sea coconut! but too bad, it’s too sweet for my liking.

yesterday while the boyfie and i was doing our daily before-bed ritual – boil porridge (煲电话粥), he was telling there’s influx of some new blood in the office. one of them is this lass from Penang. and she told the boyfie that, eating “plant” is a hit now in Penang which amused the boyfie. he thought i have never heard of it. oh please, he must have forgotten what i do part-timely. *roll eyes*

in fact i have actually visited the dessert shop. and yesh that pot of plant is yummy. to be exact, the soil is yummy.

hereby attached the visual evidence.it was HuiKee’s big day so we together with SeakFen had dinner at Who’s Bryan before adjoining to Fa Guo San for dessert! both located at All Seasons Place, Air Itam.

it was my first time there, and i’m surprised at how happening All Seasons Place is! beside Who’s Bryan & Fa Guo San, there’s also Chatime, Fruuze Frozen Yogurt, Pappa Rich, James Foo Western Food, Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks, and Winter Warmers, just to name a few. you can view all the food and beverages available at All Seasons Place here!Lotus Flower + Rose Flower Scented Tea | RM 14.90

after a heavy dinner, all we wanted to drink is tea! to wash down the greasiness and guiltiness :/. we ordered a pot of Lotus Flower + Rose Flower Scented Tea which is said to strengthen one’s body immune system and improve complexion.

the tea itself is fragrant but tasteless, you may wanna add in some honey for a little sweetness. hot water is refillable to our delight! we shamelessly refilled at least 5 rounds {Penang} Fa Guo San 花果山 @ All Seasons Place, Air Itam until we felt embarrassed to keep excuse me-ing the servant :/Passion Fruit Crumble Cheese Cup | RM 11.90
this is the lil’ flower pot that everyone else are raving about! so creative kan the presentation! the sole edible part of this dessert is the soil! yesh that black crumbles thing!

we were glad that we ordered passion fruit cos it’s light and refreshing! this crumble cheese cup was made up of cream cheese and berry soft and moist sponge cake, and right amount of sourness! which neutralized the heavy dinner we just had!

i highly recommended this dessert! it’s suitable even for people who doesn’t have a sweet tooth!

you may also opt for other flavours like apple, blueberry, choc mix nut & orange mix nut (for more texture), banana, cranberry and vanilla white choc!Mango Honey Toast | RM 17.90

we were all O.O when it’s served! holy cow how come so HUGE one!
toast box filled with toast stick topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, mango cubes, studded with berries and drizzled with mango sauce!

wait staff helped to slice open one side of the toast box..

so that we could easily take out the toast stick. how thoughtful of them! the toast sticks tasted like roti kok (neh those harden sweeten roti), but this is more buttery fragrant and slightly sweeter. we actually had a hard time finishing the toasts. but we managed to, gradually, over a loooong gossiping tête-à-tête session. that explains why we refilled our tea that many times.

http://constance-ant.com/2013/06/penang-fa-guo-san-%e8%8a%b1%e6%9e%9c%e5%b1%b1-all-seasons-place-air-itam/