CRIZ BON APPETITE

It was another historic day for Texas Chicken Malaysia when it opened its door at 1st Avenue Mall, Penang, the first Northern region outside Klang Valley on 19 January 2017. Being the 34th outlet and with more expansion planning for Northern region in 2017, local franchisee, Envictus International Holdings Limited (Envictus Group – formerly known as Etika Holdings), Texas Chicken is ready to excite the taste palates of Penang residents with its signature menu items and bold flavors. Most popular are their Spicy Chicken which is double-marinated and hand-breaded to ensure spicy deliciousness in every bite and their scrumptiously delicious Honey-Butter Biscuits which are made from scratch and freshly baked all day long. Other customers’ favorites include the juicy crunchy Chicken Tenders, Mexicana Wrap, Tex Supreme Burger, Jalapeno Bombers, Strawberry Shortcake and more. The opening of Texas Chicken @ 1st Avenue Mall was officiated by franchise partner Envictus International Holdings Limited Chairman, Datuk Jaya JB Tan and Amarpal Sandhu, General Manager of Texas Chicken Asia-Pacific. The event ended with the directors handling over some donations, ang pows and gifts to the children from the House of Hope.

Of course the main attraction of Texas Chicken would be their Crunchy Chicken Pieces or Tender (Spicy or Original) and their signature Honey-Butter Biscuit, with the option to choose between BBQ and Honey Mustard Sauce. If you are unsure which option of the chicken suit you best, you could always try out their Tex Sampler (RM15.55+) which has a piece of chicken, a piece of tender, a piece of honey-butter biscuit, BBQ or honey mustard sauce, coleslaw and a glass of Coca-Cola.

I also managed to try out their Spicy Tex Supreme (RM8.90+). You would be surprise to find some added nachos for that extra crunch.

We also tried out their signature desserts such as Strawberry and Chocolate Shortcakes (RM5.90+ each) and Chocolate Volcano (RM7.90+). Definitely the Chocolate Volcano excelled amongst the 3 desserts.

Overall, I’m quite happy with the chicken products as they were indeed fresh and tasty. However, my favorite is still the Chocolate Volcano with a nice combination of hot and cold sensation.

Texas Chicken can be located at the LF Floor of 1st Avenue Mall.

Name: TEXAS CHICKEN @ 1ST AVENUE MALL
Address: LG-15, 16 &17, Lower Ground Floor, 1st Avenue Mall, 182, Jalan Magazine, 10300 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-370 5594
Business Hours: 10.00am-10.00pm
GPS: 5.413186, 100.331222

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

About Texas Chicken: Founded in San Antonio, Texas in 1952 by George W. Church, Church’s Chicken, along with its sister brand Texas Chicken outside of the Americas, is one of the largest quick service chicken restaurant chains in the world. The brands specialize in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips®, sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Church’s Chicken and Texas Chicken have more than 1,650 locations in 25 countries and global markets and system-wide sales of more than US $1 billion. For more information, visit www.texaschickenmalaysia.com.

About Envictus International Holdings Limited: On July 2012, the Group signed an exclusive 10-year International Multiple Unit Franchise Agreement with US-based Cajun Global LLC for exclusive rights to develop and operate Texas Chicken restaurants in Malaysia and Brunei from 2013 to 2022. This marked the Group’s Maiden foray into the fast food segment. These restaurants serve American-styled, big juicy full-flavored fried chicken, French fries, honey butter biscuits, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, burgers and sundaes to name a few. Since the opening of the first flagship store, Envictus has leveraged on the robust demand for the Texas Chicken restaurant concept by growing its presence at a good place to reach a total of 34 restaurants at present, mainly within Klang Valley area in Malaysia.

The Lemongrass Restaurant @ Hotel Neo+ Penang by Aston is currently having its Sajian Selera Nusantara Ramadan Buffet Dinner from 9 June 2016 until 3 July 2016 during the holy month. The promotion would be priced at RM55nett (adult) and RM32nett (child) from 7.00pm until 10.00pm. Diners would get to savor the many types of kampung-style cuisine with a twist of Indonesian cuisine. The highlight of the buffet dinner would be Chef Faizal’s well marinated roasted whole lamb.

The menus would be on daily rotation basis starting from the Salads and Appetizers Section with items such as Ulam-Ulam Melayu (Tomato,Timun, Petai, Ulam Raja, Daun Selom, Pucuk Paku, Kacang Botol, Terung, Bendi), Kerabu Pucuk Paku, Kerabu Manga Ala Thai, Acar Rampai, Telur Masin, Ikan Masin, Bergedil Ubi, Potato Salad, Sambal Belacan, Sambal Tempoyak, Sambal Budu, Cincaluk,Sambal Mangga, Sambal Kicap, Air Asam, Sambal Bawang. Chips, Pickles and Nuts were also available such as Keropok Ikan, Keropok Udang, Papadam, Keropok Sayur, Jeruk Mangga, Jeruk Papaya, Jeruk Kelubi, Asam Boi, Kerepek Ubi,Kerepek Pisang,Tempeyek Kacang,Kuih Siput,Maruku,Kacang Hijau Bersalut Tepung, Acar Limau and Jelatah.

As for Soup, they served Indonesia Soto Ayam with Condiments which was a unique combination with a tad of spiciness compared to the ones I’ve tried or even cooked before. The soup had some lemongrass and chili peppers added in which was notably quite Indonesian style.

As for the Main Dishes, we tried out their Nasi Putih, Nasi Goreng Thai, Mee Mamak, Nasi Arab, Gulai Ayam Ubi Kentang, Sotong Masak Kicap, Mutton Varuval, Udang Masak Lemak, Tofu In Egg Sauce, Sayur Goreng Istimewa, Opor Ayam and Sambal Goreng Kentang. Bubur Lambuk with Condiments was also served daily.

At the Action Counter, we had many kinds of grilled items such as Ikan Bakar (Pari, Kembung, Talapia, & Sardine Cicah Bersama Air Asam), Chicken and Beef Satay with Condiments, Otak-Otak Ala Johor plus Penang Laksa with Condiments.

On the other hand, the Carvery Station had Roasted Whole Lamb, served with black pepper and mint sauce.

For Desserts & Fruits, you could always try out their ABC (Ais Batu Campur) and Cendol with shaved ice and assorted syrup plus condiments, Bubur Kacang Hijau, Bubur Cha Cha, Kuih Keria, Lepat Ubi, Kuih Seri Muka, Kuih Ketayap, Kuih Lapis, Crème Brulee, Black Forest Cake, White Lady Cake, Dates, Jelly & Puddings (Honeydew, Mango & Coconut), Pisang Goreng, Keledek Goreng, Ice Cream (at least 3 types) and Assorted Sliced Fruits.

As for Beverages, they have Teh Tarik, Laici Asam Boi, Air Soya, Air Cincau, Air Chrysanthemum Tea and Coffee.

Here’s the menu of what was served on that day.

Overall, the dishes served here had a rather home cooked style with lovely traditional grills and condiments. Some of the dishes indeed had some different Indonesian flavors in them.

The Lemongrass Restaurant is located at Level 2 of the hotel. As you enter the hotel, walk towards the left side of the building and go a floor above and you can see the entrance to the restaurant.

Name: LEMONGRASS RESTAURANT @ HOTEL NEO+ PENANG BY ASTON
Address: 68 Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-255 1000 (Ext. 1103)
Business Hours: 7.00pm-10.00pm
GPS: 5.479097, 100.254663

RATING:
Ambience: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7.5/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

About Hotel NEO: Hotel NEO+ Penang features 196 guest rooms and suites decorated in a modern-contemporary style that befits the new trends in hotel design. With uncluttered open spaces, the atmosphere is at once stylish and relaxed, topped off with twenty-first century conveniences such as complimentary high-speed WiFi, LED TVs and home entertainment systems. The new NEO concept aims to open doors to a world of wellbeing and sensual satisfaction. Designed in a stylish and contemporary style befitting the latest trends in hotel design, NEO Hotels offer uncluttered open spaces for an atmosphere of relaxation and tranquility within these chic yet reasonably priced new-build hotels and resorts. The brand has been described as “hip and new,” with aesthetics reminiscent of cutting-edge fashion designs. Customer Focus Groups have credited Archipelago International for “bringing sexy back”, thus hailing NEO Hotels as a brand fit for savvy young travelers and Generation Y parents alike. Images of NEO Hotels can be found at www.neohotels.com

About Archipelago International: Archipelago International is Indonesia’s largest hotel management chain with a portfolio of over 110 hotels and 15,000 rooms. It also continues to have the fastest growing brands with over 100 properties in the pipeline across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Their 7 core brands include favehotel, NEO, Quest, Harper, Aston, Alana and Kamuela, ranging from ultra-luxurious villas to select-service, economy-class hotels to serviced apartment residences. You can view more at www.archipelagointernational.com

Sarkies @ E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) would be having its “Selera Kampung” Buffet Dinner in conjunction to the holy month of Ramadhan this year from 6 June 2016 until 5 July 2016 from 7.00pm until 10.30pm daily. It would be priced at RM133.30nett (adult) and RM60.95nett (child from 6-12 years old & those below 6 years old get to eat free). You would get to savor not only kampung style Malay cuisine but also get to experience some international and local fares as well, both indoor and outdoor.

Before even checking on the outdoor dishes, the dishes within the restaurant itself would already be enough to amaze anyone. From the salads and appetizer sections, Japanese dishes section, cold buffet section, hot kitchen section, action stalls until the main dishes section, there would always be something for everyone. Of course, you should not miss out some of their signature dishes such as the herbal soups, roasted duck, grilled meat, sushi, sashimi and more. There would be too many dishes to write in detail here as Sarkies had always been known as the grandest of all buffets. Let the photos speak for themselves below.

There were abundance of Western and local fruits and desserts available for everyone, ranging from an assortment of fruit cuts, Malay kuih, sweet soup to cakes and finger pastries.

Let’s start exploring the al fresco area now where a lots of mouth watering dishes await your arrival. You would find food counters for your quenching local beverages such as air bandung, teh tarik, dishes such as som tam, gulai kawah (bubur lambuk & flower crab curry), roti canai & murtabak with curries, grilled whole lamb with condiments and satay with ketupat served with spicy peanut sauce.

Overall, Sarkies @ E&O Hotel has always impressed me with their international spread of dishes. It’s great to see that they have improved a lot over the past year with more innovative dishes. Even their appetizer section had some different flavors with some Japanese touches compared to the last time I was there.

You can click to enlarge and check out the menu on a rotation basis as below:

Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang (next to Penang Bowl) is located along Lebuh Farquhar. If you are coming from Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah towards Weld Quay, keep to your left immediately after passing by CitiBank. When you see the Penang Bowl building on your left (UMW Toyota opposite), please slow down. Turn left immediately after the Penang Bowl entrance. The E&O Hotel car park is situated just inside the Victory Annexe building. Parking charges would be a maximum of RM6 (weekdays: Monday-Thursday) and RM12 (weekends: Friday- Sunday)

Name: SARKIES @ EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
GPS: 5.423624, 100.334988

RATING:
Ambience: 8.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

NOTE: Effective November 2016, the Weekend Roast would be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as shown in the poster below. Price and time would remain unchanged.

For those who love to consume lots of meat, here one great news for you as Farquhar’s Bar @ E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) would be having its Eat-All-You-Can Sunday Roast for only RM68nett/pax from 12.00 noon until 4.00pm on every Sundays until further notice. The place could be rather packed by lunch time, thus prior reservation should be made to avoid any disappointment.

Basically there would be 3 options of meat such as Roasted Beef, Roasted Stuffed (sage & onions) Chicken Breast and Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder, served with Yorkshire Puddings, Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes, various gravy and condiments.

As for side greens, you would have some seasonal vegetables, mashed potatoes and mushy peas.

If these are not enough, you would also have a salad corner with a variety of mixed greens plus various dressings. There would also be the Soup of the Day served with fresh bakes from their reputable in-house bakery.

Desserts would be rather simple as there would be some fruit cuts as well as the Dessert of the Day. What we had on that day was Spiced Bread & Butter Pudding, served with Vanilla Custard Sauce. This was super delicious and a great way to end a meaty meal.

On top of that, do check out of their Cocktail of the Month below:

Overall, I do love this Sunday Roast Promotion at Farquhar’s Bar @ E&O Hotel as it’s a simple and yet fulfilling meal with each bite. If you are a meat lover without any issue on consuming beef, lamb or chicken, this is the best deal you can ever find in Penang at the moment. However, it would be great if they could add in one more seafood dish or even some sausages for those who want to tag along with their friends and family but could neither consume beef nor lamb.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang (next to Penang Bowl) is located along Lebuh Farquhar. If you are coming from Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah towards Weld Quay, keep to your left immediately after passing by CitiBank. When you see the Penang Bowl building on your left (UMW Toyota opposite), please slow down. Turn left immediately after the Penang Bowl entrance. The E&O Hotel car park is situated just inside the Victory Annexe building. Parking charges would be a maximum of RM6 (weekdays: Monday-Thursday) and RM12 (weekends: Friday- Sunday). Farquhar’s Bar is located just beside the main lobby at the old wing.

Name: FARQUHAR’S BAR @ EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
GPS: 5.423354, 100.336294

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Dining Room @ Macalister Mansion has always been known for its delectable yet innovative gastronomy by utilizing high quality ingredients in their dishes all around the globe. Under the helm of its Head Chef, Chef Johnson Wong, 25 years old, whom had years of experiences overseas under Michelin starred restaurant and chef, Dining Room is on its way towards the next level of excellence. Currently, Dining Room is promoting its “from farm to table” 8-course tailor-made Chef’s Tasting Menu at RM268nett/pax, with the option to top up an additional RM160 for wine pairing. The menu would showcase the chef’s talented modern French cooking techniques by incorporating some Malaysia flavors into the dishes.

Even before the first dish was being served, we were already impressed on how those cute little warm bread rolls were being served with burned butter. With some mild yet aromatic coffee flavor within the rolls and boosted up further with some coffee beans in the serving tray, it was indeed one of the ingenious methods to stimulate the body with enthusiasm to be alert for more good food ahead.

The first dish of Garden of Macalister Mansion indeed showed the romantic side of the chef towards the local Malaysian produce. The organic green salad featured a variety of flowers, herbs and vegetables from the local farm. The greens were presented in different textures and colors with a combination of smoked salmon at the base to boost up further smoky flavor. The salad was well plated with some added cappuccino foam to give it that misty yet mysterious effect. It was too beautiful to eat but too irresistible not to consume the healthy salad. Well, everything was wiped out within seconds~ LOL~ 😛

We were then served with Carabineros, a heavy saline flavored Spanish red prawn, renowned for their jumbo size and striking bright red color. The carefully time-monitored seared prawn was stuffed with pineapple and peppercorn. It was served alongside with sweet Japanese Momotaro tomato, white balsamic vinegar and olive pesto, which gave some refreshing yet zesty touches to the dish. The prawn was presented in an almost sashimi-like texture but that was not the main point of consuming a Carabinero prawn. Crustacean enthusiasts would go for its head first as that’s where all the oozy goodness lies. Sucking a prawn head might be quite embarrassing in a fine dining restaurant such as Dinner Room but don’t get discourage as that’s what they would expect you to do to fully enjoy the intensely flavorful innards. Though I could be quite adventurous while trying out new food, but to consume this prawn, it might require an acquired taste bud for some diners.

I was truly impressed with the next dish which was the 62.5°C Slow Cooked Egg. The time-consuming process by the kitchen just to serve the Japanese inspired egg dish should be well complimented. The egg had gone through an hour of sous vide cooking temperature of 62.5°C, followed by crumbling it with kataifi phyllo and deep fried to golden perfection, before being served in a puddle of Leek and Matcha Emulsion, together with Hokkaido Scallop and Anchovy to enhance the neutral taste of the egg further. You have to try out this heavenly dish as the crunchiness from the shredded phyllo, combined with the ooziness from the egg yolk plus the freshness from the added seafood and earthliness of the added matcha, was one dish that caught the umami taste bud in my mouth. Ichiban!

The Foie Gras Cappuccino was another impressive dish that caught my attention, not only through its flavorful yet balanced taste but also on its presentation. The Foie Gras soup was presented in a cappuccino texture with classic Italian combinations such as Arugula and Aged Balsamic. Pomelo shreds were added to reduce the surfeit oiliness from the Foie Gras. I must admit that this was one of the better foie gras I’ve tasted so far. The kitchen would have imported such a quality piece of foie gras with such a balanced creaminess and fattiness. Combined with the perfectly flavorful aged balsamic, nutty flavored arugula and bitter sweet pomelo shred, it was a perfect dish for the evening.

For any fine dining experience, there would almost always be a Palate Cleanser in between courses. The cleanser was practically a quenelle spoonful of apple sorbet, garnished with a hazelnut, mint leaf and pennywort leaf (daun pegaga). It was something so refreshing that I would ask for more, if possible~ 😛

We continued with yet another remarkable dish which was the Blue Lobster, another signature dish from Chef Johnson. An upscale ingredient from Brittany, France, the blue lobster was very well prepared and served with a Satay peanut sauce like foamy sauce minus the pungent spiciness but with a distinctive roasted lobster shells flavors. It came with a mildly blanched stalk of kalian (the same family as kale) which has that earthly bitterness to balance off the overall flavors. The freshness of the blue lobster combined with the fusion Asian sauce was another perfect dish to my liking.

We had Grain Fed Chicken next which did not look like chicken at all as it was presented in two different styles. In one style, there were a few pieces of phyllo fried wraps filled with slow cooked chicken, blue mussel and basil. The other style consisted of mushroom cepes powder layered and compressed slow-roasted chicken mousse. The dish was served with dried chili Escabeche sauce and creamy ricotta puree to balance off the spiciness. The wraps were simply delicious with the flavors emitted from the added sweet basil leaf. However, the layered chicken piece was a bit too dry for my liking. Maybe it would be great if the kitchen could add in some finely chopped water chestnuts or jicama to make the bite juicier.

For pre-dessert, we had their self concocted Penang Native which consisted of local Penang flavors such as Lemon Granite, Candied Nutmeg and White Fungus. It was indeed a refreshing treat before a heavier dessert next. Personally, I would prefer if some lemongrass extracts were to be added into the lemon granite to further boost up the flavors. Moreover, it would be great too if grated nutmeg pickles were to be added in instead of the candied nutmegs as they were a bit over dehydrated for the bite.

Their dessert of Café Mocha was heavenly. The chef embedded the elements from Mocha and reconstructed them into a beautifully plated dessert. The dessert had a pate sablee frozen cookie base, architecturally constructed upwards with coffee mousse and chocolate crunches and served with coffee ice cream. It was a great combination of bitterness and sweetness (70% dark chocolate) with a twist of crunchiness plus the bonus of having the aromatic and earthly coffee flavors infused into the dessert.

Overall, I quite like the quality, creativity and taste of the dishes served here, especially those playfully concocted dishes that were beautiful to the eyes and flavorful with each bite. Chef Johnson has done a great job here for placing the culinary scenes in Penang to a higher level. If you enjoy a great dining experience without worrying about the bill, Dining Room @ Macalister Mansion would be the ideal place for you. After all, trying out the Chef’s Tasting Menu at below 50% off from the ala carte prices, is not something that you would get to indulge in always~ 🙂

Apart from the Chef’s tasting menu, Dining Room do also offer the 4 courses MM’s Discovery Menu which is another trademark of Macalister Mansion. The 4 courses MM’s Discovery Menu is priced at RM168nett per pax or guest could also opt for ala carte. For the coming promotion, you can also check out the Black Truffle Dinner experience on 29 April 2016 as below:

Since Macalister Mansion is situated along a one-way street, there are only two roads leading into Jalan Macalister – 2 different stretches of Jalan Perak. Either way, when you drive via Jalan Perak into Jalan Macalister, slow down and keep to your left or you might miss the entrance into Macalister Mansion. Macalister Mansion is located just immediately after the Loh Guan Lye Specialist Centre. There will be ample space within the compound for your parking need.

Name: DINING ROOM @ MACALISTER MANSION
Address: 228 Jalan Macalister, 10400 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-228 3888
Business Hours: 7.00pm-11.00pm (Closed Monday)
GPS: 5.418900, 100.318746

RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 9/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 9/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

About Macalister Mansion: Located along the historic Macalister Road, Macalister Mansion is a design boutique hotel honors Sir Norman Macalister. Being the first Malaysian member of design hotel, Macalister Mansion promises a quirky and sophisticated new lifestyle destination to relax and refresh. Within Macalister Mansion, each space within its food & beverage outlets together with the hotel is branded as distinct rooms found in a mansion. Designed around the idea of an old English mansion, Macalister Mansion aims to provide hospitality of an actual home to the hotel guest to unwind through its modern facilities and impeccable service standards. Facilities include The Lawn (swimming pool), Dining Room (restaurant), Living Room (café), The Cellar (wine lounge), The Den (whisky bar), Eight Rooms (hotel), guest lounge and weight room. For more information, please contact Macalister Mansion at +604 2283 888 or access to its website at http://www.macalistermansion.com

China House which has the full range of dining experiences in this region has been the highlights of many events such as performing arts, art galleries, talk shows and more for quite many years. In fact, it could be the longest restaurant in Malaysia with a buildup area of 400’ x 25’, comprising 2 heritage units facing Lebuh Pantai and a heritage unit facing Lebuh Victoria, linked by a beautiful decorated open air courtyard. With 14 spaces comprising shops, cafes, restaurants, galleries and multi-purpose performing art theatre, we managed to pay a visit to their BTB & Restaurant on one fine evening. The restaurant serves a fusion of Western mixed with Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, something that will thrill the appetite of those adventurous gourmet aficionados. All orders would be inclusive of 6% GST but you would still need to pay for the 10% service charge.

To start off the meal, we tried out some of their signature entrees. Firstly, we were served with their Mezze Vegetarian (RM28+), a platter filled with lots of small dishes and served as an appetizer. The dish consisted of the freshly made Harissa (a chili paste made from various hot peppers), Eggplant Ginger Bud Sambal, Green Relish (cucumber & green chili pickle), Corn & Parmesan Salsa, Red Pepper Chutney, Yoghurt, Pomegranate Dip, Dukkah (mixed herbs, nuts & spices), Lemon Rocket Salad and served with Pita and Focaccia. Well, those were quite a remarkable array of spreads and dips with some twists to infuse some local flavors as well. Everything was perfect except I wished I had some hummus in the platter for my pita bread~ 😛

Next we had the Pumpkin and Apple Soup (RM18+), garnished with Candied Pumpkin Seeds and served with Parmesan Biscotti. The mild sweetness of the pumpkin and the fresh sourness of green apple, combined with little crunchy bites from the added candied pumpkin seeds made this soup very appetizing indeed.

I’ve tried so many versions of Grilled Halloumi (RM38+) before and their version with added Parmesan Biscotti on Avocado, Sesame Seeds Candied Cashew Nuts, Grapes, Cranberries, Rocket Salad with Pomegranate Dressing was one of the best I’ve tried. The grilling on the semi-hard and unripened brined cheese (forgot to verify if they were made with goat, sheep or cow’s milk) was just perfectly textured for the bite. Combined with their perfectly concocted salad, it was heavenly for a salad lover like me.

The next salad which was the Deep Fried Tiny Prawns (RM38+) on Mango and Avocado Salad, garnished with Pistachio and served with Basil Dressing, was another great salad for me as it had that fruity creaminess with just the right crispiness and crunchiness from the battered fried shrimps and nuts.

Another unique salad was their Salt Egg Yolk Crispy Chicken Strips (RM34+) on Watercress, Peanuts, Corn, Cherry Tomato, Green Mango and Coriander Salad with Spicy Peanut Dip. No doubt it was a great concoction with the flavors that I like.

As for Main Courses, we started with the 200g of Seared Fillet of Beef (RM76+) served with Parsnip Skordalia and Mushrooms, Roasted Pumpkin and Duo Sauces of Spicy Peanut Sauce and Balsamic Sauce. The main highlight would be the wonderfully seared beef fillet which had the right medium rare texture to my liking. To my surprise, the kitchen used Parsnip Skordalia instead of mashed potatoes. I’ve known from the local market that parsnips are quite rare and they were not commercially grown since the presence of potatoes which are easier to manage. The nuttiness and sourness from the duo sauces combined real well with the beef.

The next main course which was the Rack of Lamb (RM76+) was another impressive dish. The nicely pan seared lamb rack was glazed with Chimichurri Pesto and served with Dukkah garnished Roasted Pumpkin, Eggplant Ginger Bud Sambal plus a Cauliflower Gratin on the Side. In my personal opinion, it was another great dish. Combined with the cheesiness from the fragrantly baked cauliflower gratin, I won’t mind having another serving.

The next dish which was the Asian Platter (RM62+) had my eyes opened widely as it had so many side dishes served with rice. It was like our local Malaysian Nasi Lemak served with various Asian countries’ specialty. It was indeed a different approach to my dining experience. The platter had Laotian Style Chicken & Pumpkin Curry, Malaysian Style Coconut Beef Rendang, Thai Style Sweet Basil Mango Salad, most likely Nyonya Style conceptualized Eggplant Ginger Bud Sambal, Caramelised Peanut Relish, Thai/Laotian Style Chicken Larb in Iceberg Cup, served with hot steaming Coconut Rice and Indonesian Melinjo Crackers (commonly known as emping).

We also tried out the 2 Main Courses from the Kopi C Casual Dining Menu. One of the more unique dishes was the Hokkien Spaghetti Bolognese (RM34+), a favorite dish amongst the diners. The dish had a bowl of al dente spaghetti tossed with some almost Laos style Minced Chicken with Shitake Mushrooms gravy and served with Cucumber Ribbons, Eggplant Ginger Bud Sambal, Caramelized Peanuts and an extra serving of the Minced Chicken with Shitake Mushrooms “Curry”. I quite like the fusion in this dish.

The second main we had was the Chicken & Mushroom Pie (RM38+) served with Baked Sweet Potato, Mashed Potato, Broccoli and Tomato Relish. I simply love the buttery crust of the pie with quite a generous amount of chicken and mushroom chunks within. How I wished they do have beef pies too.

For cakes lovers, Beach Street Bakery @ China House is the place for you to with all their mouth watering homemade cakes. In fact, you have a long table filled with heavenly goodies to soothe your sugar craving~ 😛

We did try out some of their recommended cakes and all of them were up to my expectation, especially the Tiramisu Cake. We tried out their Tiramisu (RM15.90+), Passion fruit Coconut Butter (RM10.60+), Chocoholic Chocolate (RM12.70+), Banana Mocha Frosting (RM12.70+), Carrot Walnut (RM10.60+) and Salted Caramel Cheesecake (RM15.90+).

As for beverages, they do have an extensive array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. We have decided to go for the non-alcoholic beverages such as Single Shot Café Latte (RM10.60+), Gula Melaka Shake with Homemade Ice Cream (RM18.30+), Peanut Butter & Jelly Milkshake with Homemade Ice Cream (RM18.30+), Freshly Made Crushed Mint & Lime Soda (RM10.60+), Ice Coffee Milo Dinosour with Cold Milk Foam (RM11.50+) and Strawberry Banana Granola Smoothie with Natural Yoghurt (RM16.30+).

Overall, I quite like the dishes served here at BTB & Restaurant especially all the uniquely concocted salads. Though some the pricing might be a bit steep for some diners, you can be assured that you would be getting the freshest ingredients from the kitchen. As for dessert lovers, it’s a must for you to drop over for some heavenly baked cakes over tea or coffee.

If you are coming from Pengkalan Weld (Weld Quay) towards Bayan Lepas/Penang Internatioanl Airport (PIA) in George Town area, slow down when you have reached the Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal. Upon the ending of the iron metal divider, keep right and turn right into the second junction which is Gat Lebuh Armernian. Drive onwards the cross junction (Gat Lebuh Armenian/Lebuh Victoria) until you have reach Lebuh Pantai (Beach Street). Turn right and you would see China House about 50m away on your right. Parking could be quite scare during peak hours of the day. To prevent yourself from getting lost or getting summon for illegal parking, I would advise you to find a parking at the open car park nearby. Instead of turning into the second right junction of Gat Lebuh Armenian, drive further to the third right junction which is Gat Lebuh Acheh. You can see an open car park at the corner of Pengkalan Weld/Gat Lebuh Acheh. Park your car and use the Lebuh Victoria exit, turn right and walk for another 160m and you can see the China House @ Lebuh Victoria Entrance on your left. You won’t miss it as the signage is quite prominent.

Name: CHINA HOUSE (唐人厝)
Address: 153, 155 Lebuh Pantai & 183B Lebuh Victoria, 10300 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-263 7299 (Reservations & Enquiry)
Business Hours:
Kopi C: 9.00am-6.00am (Breakfast), 12.00noon-6.00pm (Lunch), 6.00pm-11.00pm (Dinner)
BTB & Restaurant: 6.30pm-10.30pm
Beach St. Bakery, Vine & Single, 14 Chairs: 9.00am-12.00am
Courtyard Café & Burger Bar: 12.00noon-11.00pm
Canteen & Bar: 12.00noon-12.00am
GPS: 5.414866, 100.338768 (Beach Street Entrance), 5.413907, 100.339300 (Victoria Street Entrance)
Website: www.chinahouse.com.my

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 9/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

The concept behind Granny’s Country Kitchen (娘家傳統手工面) is simple. They just want you to relax and enjoy yourself with their home style dishes without the hassles of going into the kitchen to prep up dishes yourself. There are quite a variety of selections from their menus which may include some different set meal packages as well as handmade noodles.

The first set option would be one main dish, one bowl of rice, one soup of the day, 2 side dishes of your choice and a glass of herbal drink, all for RM10.90nett. There are 5 main dishes for you to choose such as Fried Chicken (香酥雞), Fried Garlic Pork (蒜香炸肉), Sesame Oil Chicken (麻油雞腿), Hakka Pork Leg (客家豬腳) and Secret Sauce Chicken (秘汁雞). Somehow, the Fried Garlic Pork could be quite addictive. The more you munch on the crispy pork slices, the more you yearn for them. Another dish that I quite like was their Hakka Pork Leg, braised until tender and yet filled with the flavors of yesteryears. Alternatively, you can go for their Sesame Oil Chicken which was mild enough for anyone.

The next set option would consist of one main dish, one bowl of rice, 1 side dish of your choice and free flow of Chinese tea, all for RM9.90nett. There are also 5 options in this set menu such as Sauteed Sliced Pork (姜葱炒肉片), Secret Sauce Chicken (秘汁雞), Pineapple Sweet & Sour Fish (鳳梨酸甜魚肉片), Salted Vegetables Tofu Soup (鹹菜豆腐豬雜湯) and Sour Plum Chicken Soup (梅子雞湯). One signature dish that’s available in both sets is actually the Secret Sauce Chicken. The dish has its own unique gingery sour flavors that’s unlike any ordinary oyster/mushroom sauce used. The highlight of the set would definitely go to the Sour Plum Chicken Soup. Somehow, the perfect combination of the salty and sourness indeed boost up my appetite.

For the set menus above, there are about 4 side dishes daily (upon availability) for you to choose from. There could be dishes such as stir fry bok choy, braised fried bean curd, stir fry spicy eggplants, stir fry pumpkin with dried shrimps, fried wanton, etc.

As for noodles, there are 3 set options all at RM7.90nett/bowl with an additional bowl of soup, namely Clear Soup Handmade Noodles (清湯手工面), Minced Pork Handmade Noodles (肉碎手工面) and Spicy Handmade Noodles (麻辣手工面). For spicy food lovers, you should try out their Spicy Handmade Noodles. Not only were the textures of the noodles having the al dente to my liking, the combination of the sauce was superb to my liking.

For drink wise, there are a few home brews, notably their Homemade Lime & Dried Plum Juice (RM4.00nett – also locally known as 932 in coffee shops).

You can also check out with them on other items that might be available for the day such as Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken Rice (RM8.00nett), Stir Fry Fish Fillet with Bean Paste (RM18.00nett), Traditional Loh Bak (RM5.00nett), Fried Wanton (RM6.00nett), Handmade Dumpling Soup (RM8.00nett), Spicy Century Eggs (RM6.00nett) and more.

Overall, I quite like their dishes here as the taste of some of the dishes could be quite similar to those you would have in China, especially on how they would prepare certain spicy condiments with various types of imported chilies to suit each dishes. Please be pre-warned that some of the dishes could be quite pungent for the palate of some diners.

As you come into Jalan Rangoon via Jalan Burma, just watch out for Granny’s Country Kitchen on your left just right after Tong Yan Travel & Tours almost towards the end of the road. Parking can be quite troublesome during certain peak hours throughout the day. If you can’t find a parking space, I would advise you to park opposite along Lebuh Nanning and walk over to the restaurant.

Name: GRANNY’S COUNTRY KITCHEN (娘家傳統手工面)
Address: 77 Jalan Rangoon, 10400 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-218 9592
Business Hours: 11.30am-3.00Pm, 6.00pm-10.00pm (Closed Sunday)
GPS: 5.416995, 100.324038

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

If you have yet to pay a visit to the newly revamped Wingers & Diners Café @ Merchant Hotel Penang, you should do it now as they do have some great daily offers that would be real cost saving. With ample car parks at the back of the hotel, you won’t even have to worry about paying exorbitantly at the nearby high-end car parks. Moreover, the specific daily deals are there to stay, regardless of public holidays. Now you know where to chill out this festive season when most of the cafes would be closed.

The first promotion would be on Lunch Deals (Monday until Friday – 12.00noon until 2.00pm only) as shown in the poster below. All meals would come with an appetizer, a soup and a salad.

For Monday & Wednesday, it would be BUY 1-FREE 1 Pasta Day. You could have an option of Beef Bolognese (RM15.90++), Turkey Ham & Mushroom Carbonara (RM15.90++) or Aglio Olio with Chili Padi & Chicken Wing (RM16.90++). All the pastas were quite nice especially the Aglio Olio with Chili Padi & Chicken Wing which had a mildly pungent spicy level and these little hot “devils” indeed boosted up the overall flavors. All meals would come with an appetizer, a soup and a salad.

For Tuesday & Thursday, it would be BUY 1-FREE 1 Cheesy Baked Rice Day. You have the option of Creole Chicken (RM16.90++), Beef Bolognese (RM15.90++) or Spicy Paprika Vegetarian (RM13.90++). I always love to have my baked cheesy rice to be creamy and the winner went to the Creole Chicken. The sensation of having the cheesiness on every grain of the rice was heavenly. All meals would come with an appetizer, a soup and a salad.

Friday would be the Burger Madness Day where all burgers would be at 30% off. You have the option to choose from Wannapull (RM18.90++ – beef), The Rocky (RM15.90++ – beef), Chugger (RM15.90++ – beef), Kimchi “Soul” Burger (RM15.90++ – free range chicken) and Not Just A Burger (RM15.90++ – free range chicken). All meals would come with an appetizer, a soup and a salad. All burgers had their own signature flavors and uniqueness. However, I fell in love with the Chugger as not only was I served with a juicy 100% quality beef patty, the burger had added beef bacon, turkey ham, caramelized onion, pickles and smoky BBQ sauce, the melted cheese indeed spiked up the overall flavors to the peak. Thumbs up!

The second and third promotions would be on Tea Time Deal (Monday until Friday – 3.00pm until 5.00pm only) and Daily Dinner Deal (Daily – 6.00pm until 10.30pm only – minimum order of 2 FOOD ONLY items) as shown in the poster below.

If you love to have some coffee or tea with some finger food, you should check out their Weekdays Tea Time Deal. Just purchase any beverage at RM5.00++ and you could order some add-ons at discounted price such as Garlic Bread (RM3.00++), Mushroom Bruschetta (RM4.00++), Slab Pizza (RM5.00++/pc – 3 flavors), Chicken Wings (RM5.00++ – 2pcs with 6 flavors), Bread Butter Pudding with Ice Cream (RM3.50++) and Fruit Skewer (RM3.50++). I was quite amazed with the Slab Pizza (mini pizza) as it came with 3 flavor options such as Hawaiian, Margarita and Smoked Salami. It was something so simple and yet pepped with flavors. On the other hand, you could also choose your flavor for your chicken wings. They do have 6 options such as Teriyaki, Honey Mustard, Cheese, BBQ, Bird’s Eye Chili and Sambal Asian. For dessert lovers, their Bread Butter Pudding with Ice Cream would be something you won’t want to miss especially on a humid day~ 🙂

The Daily Dinner Deal would suit many food enthusiasts as for any 2 food items ordered, you would get 50% off (excluding beverages). Some of the interesting food dishes might include Cajun Salad (RM10.50++), Chicken Wings (RM8.90++/3pcs or RM13.90++/5 pcs), Cheeky Chick (RM17.90++) and more. You order might also include dishes such as pastas, baked rice, burgers and desserts. The Cajun Salad was quite interesting as it had some crunchy deep fried turkey ham on it with light sprinkles of cajun spices and a squeeze of lemon juice. That would surely boost up your appetite for more meaty dishes.

As for Beverages and Desserts, there are quite a few options available such as Café Latte (RM8.50++), Hot Chocolate (RM9.50++), Hot Lavazza Coffee Float (RM7.50++), Root Beer Jelly Float (RM7.50++), Peachy Delight (RM6.50++), Sunset Cooler (RM6.50++) and more. What I loved most were their desserts. The Massacre (RM15.90++) which consisted of vanilla ice cream, meringue crumbles, peach slices, oreo cookies and oozy chocolate sauce was a killer. Another great dessert would be their Bread Butter Pudding (RM13.90++) with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Check out the full menu here (all prices stated are exclusive of 10% service tax and 6% GST):

Overall, I quite like the dishes served here as they were simple and yet tasty enough to fill you up. If I were you, I won’t want to miss out their burgers and desserts. It’s truly a great bargain to dine in here.

Wingers & Diners Café is located within the premises of Merchant Hotel, Penang. You can’t miss it as it’s at the junction of Jalan Penang and Jalan Muntri. There will be ample parking spaces behind the hotel and the good news is it’s free for guests and in-house diners.

Name: Wingers & Diners Café @ Merchant Hotel
Address: 55 Jalan Penang, 10000 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-263 2828
Business Hours: 12.00pm-2.00pm (lunch), 3.00pm-5.00pm (tea), 6.00pm until 10.30pm (dinner)
GPS: 5.421071, 100.333456

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

For those workers at the UNESCO Heritage Site of George Town, Penang, you are in luck as a new self-service Japanese fast food by the name of Sumo Sumo Fine & Fast Japanese Food Restaurant has recently opened an outlet along Lebuh Bishop, Penang, on 7 September 2015. The concept is real simple. You walk in, order your food from the menu at the back of the counter, pay for your food, collect a number and wait for your collection of your orders. You can even add on a cold or hot beverage with an additional RM1.50. The best part is… all items are NETT PRICE. There are also ample seats available for a quick meal.

For those who love to have rice (don), there are some impressive dishes on the Don Series. One of the most ordered items on this list would be their Sumo Chicken Don (RM9.90nett). The bowl of goodies had a base of steamed rice (a mix of Japanese & Thai rice grain) with a light drizzle of sweet gravy, topped with some slices of karaage chicken slices with some homemade salad dressing. It came served with a generous amount of fresh greens. Impressive! It had just the right amount of steamed rice to keep your tummy filled.

Another impressive to my liking would be their Teriyaki Salmon Don (RM13.90). It came with quite a large slab of grilled salmon topped with some teriyaki sauce and lots of fresh greens too. Slurpilicious!

For those who love to have some Japanese curry over your rice, their Tempura Curry Don (RM9.90) can be quite tasty. To my surprise, I thought they would just serve the rice with some vegetables tempura, but they did add in a tempura prawn too. However, I did find the curry base to be a bit too mushy due to the usage of too much blended potatoes. Moreover, it did lack a touch of fruity green apples to enhance the flavors and bost up the appetite. Overall, it was still a great dish to savor and real valued for your money.

I did also try out their Udon Noodles with Teriyaki Chicken (RM11.90). I was impressed with the quality of udon they were using. It was not the soft soggy type but one with the right al dente texture to please my taste bud. Moreover, the broth had just the right balance of flavors from the usage of fresh ingredients. I also liked how they served the teriyaki chicken on a separate dish as I could taste out the flavorful marinate on the nicely grilled chicken.

At the moment, they only have Karaage Chicken (RM4.50) as side dish. This was the dish that would normally be sold out quite fast, especially during lunch time and it was also the main item on their Sumo Chicken Don set. Overall, it was a nice side dish to add onto your order. However, it was a bit salty to consume by itself unlike with the Sumo Chicken Don set which would come with some rice and greens to balance up the total flavors. I would advise the kitchen to minimize the salt usage as the salad dressing itself would have been adequate to boost up the overall flavors.

Here’s a summary of the dishes you can order at Sumo Sumo Fine & Fast Japanese Food Restaurant (as at 14 September 2015):

DON (RICE) SERIES:
Katsudon (RM9.90)
Sumo Chicken Don (RM9.90)
Teriyaki Chicken Don (RM9.90)
Gyudon (RM10.90)
Teriyaki Salmon Don (RM13.90)

CURRY DON (RICE) SERIES:
Fried Fish (RM8.90)
Tempura (RM9.90)
Karaage (RM9.90)
Chicken Cutlet (RM9.90)
Grilled Salmon (RM13.90)

UDON NOODLES SERIES:
Plain (RM7.90)
Teriyaki Chicken (RM11.90)
Karaage (RM11.90)
Tempura (RM12.90)
Beef (RM13.90)

SIDE DISH:
Karaage Chicken (RM4.50)

ADDON:
Lemon Tea/Peach Tea/Green Tea/Orange/Hot Green Tea (RM1.50)

Overall, I do find the items served here to be simple and yet appetizing. For that reasonable price you are paying for a rather balanced diet, you can’t complain much right? The only setback is that they are still new and still need some rooms for improvements to get their kitchen stock right. Some items on the menu could be sold out even before the end of lunch time as they have quite an impressive amount of takeaways. I hope they rectify this issue soonest possible. On top of that, I hope they will have some desserts on their menu as well. Who won’t love some konnyaku jellies or some matcha ice cream with their meal?

It’s easy to locate the restaurant as it’s just next to the Acupaday Café (same row as Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) and opposite to Sentral College). Though finding parking spaces can be quite hard during lunch time, you can always call up to make your order and then drive up to the shop to self collect.

Name: SUMO SUMO FINE & FAST JAPANESE FOOD RESTAURANT
Address: 57, Lebuh Bishop, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +6018-408 5641 (Darren Lim)
Business Hours: 11.00am-3.00pm, 6.00pm-9.00pm (Closed Sunday)
GPS: 5.418686, 100.341365

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

If you are into authentic Japanese cuisine and love to have a healthy yet fuss-free spread of choices, you should pay Enoshima Japanese Restaurant @ Cititel Express, Penang a visit. Not only would you get to relax in their cozy yet relaxing ambience, you would get to savor their hot and fresh serving delicacies during lunch or dinner. Their menu could be quite extensive with options such as appetizers, salads, sushi, sashimi, hand rolls, western fusion, obanzai (native Kyoto traditional cuisine), kushiyaki (skewed items), grilled, deep fried, teppan (skillet fried), rice, noodles, nabe (hot pot dishes) and ala carte dishes. All orders would come with a 10% service charge.

While your meal is being prepared in the kitchen, you would be given some appetizing pickles to boost up your appetite. Basically, it was just some pickles of cucumber, carrot and daikon slices.

To start off, you can always try out their Mixed Vegetables Tempura (RM20+). I’m actually quite fussy when it comes to tempura items but I found the crispiness of the batter was just right to my palate. The tempura went well with their tentsuyu sauce.

As for main dish, the restaurant has quite a selection of choices. I ended up having their Salmon Teriyaki Sushi Set (RM42+). It was a fulfilling combination as I love salmon as well as sushi. The salmon was grilled just right with a light glaze of teriyaki sauce. Perfect! The 7 pieces of sushi were fresh with every bite. The set would also be served with salad, stir fried mixed vegetables, chawanmushi, miso soup and fresh fruit cuts of the day.

If you are rushing for time, you could always try out their Omu Rice (RM16+). Instead of having just plain fried rice in my egg wrap, I had requested for garlic fried rice. The kitchen replaced my rice without additional charges. What a great service. However, it was not of the standard I had expected. No doubt the seasoning and flavors of the garlic fried rice were perfect but it somehow lacked the “wok hei” aka “high heat cooking” I was expecting from a great plate of aromatic yet slightly burned taste of fried rice.

Overall, it was still a nice place to hang out with family members or friends over some simple yet fulfilling meals. I would love to head back to the restaurant some day to try out the rest of their cuisine.

Since Enoshima Japanese Restaurant is the sole eatery in Cititel Express Penang, they would also serve breakfast too but it’s just a hassle-free and simple breakfast for the hotel’s guests. Walk-in diners would be charged RM20+/pax.

The Enoshima Japanese Restaurant can be located at the lobby of Cititel Express Penang. As you enter the lobby of the hotel, turn left and walk up the stairs and you will see the restaurant on your right. If you are coming in via St Giles Wembley Penang, turn right upon entering the lobby and walk up to the lounge area. You would see a door on your left. Open the door and just follow the passage way and it would lead you up to another entrance of the restaurant.

Name: ENOSHIMA JAPANESE RESTAURANT (江の島) @ CITITEL EXPRESS PENANG
Address: 123, Lebuh Noordin, 10300 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-263 2263
Business Hours:
Breakfast: 6.30am-10.30am
Lunch: 12.00noon-2.00pm
Dinner: 6.00pm-10.30pm
GPS: 5.412614, 100.329733

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)