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Invited: Bora Bora by Sunset @ Batu Ferringhi, Penang.

The bistro equipped with greenery, thatching, dim lights, DJ platform, Shisha bar, pool table, beers, antique and vintage decorations to give it a lively Bali nightlife-like ambiance.

Xuan Xin Steamboat @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Lok Lok does not make any hygienic sense? Well, this should not be an issue with the introduction of air-conditioned Lok Lok-oriented restaurant, Xuan Xin Steamboat.

I Mum Mum Restaurant @ Pengkalan Weld, Penang.

My visit ended up in disappointment as i had high expectations on the restaurant after going through a few reviews but they were written two years ago.

Strawberry Forever @ Sungai Pinang, Penang.

Strawberry Forever is actually a strawberry-themed dessert cafe which is based in Hong Kong but has now extended their business by opening their 3rd outlet at Penang's shoreline.

Brunch Buffet at Spice Market Cafe @ Rasa Sayang Resort.

The diversity in food offered reflects the cultural diversity in this multiracial country. The buffet theme is changed once a week.

Cheese Fondue at De Title Dining Cabin @ Lorong Selamat.

The cheese was mouth-watering with a mix of sweetness, sourness and saltiness as well as rich creaminess, strong tanginess but it was full of a strong trace of Mayonnaise.

Hot Bowl Nyonya Delights @ Abu Siti Lane, Penang.

Just because of White Curry Mee, the owner of Hot Bowl not only appeared in numerous local newspapers but was also featured in 8TV Ho Chak programme.

Face to Face Noodles House @ Penang Times Square, Penang.

Great news for noodle lovers: Now you can enjoy bowl of hot noodles in a cool hygienic air conditioned surrounding. Face to Face Noodles House has officially opened their 16th outlet.

Revisiting Delicious Cafe @ Straits Quay, Penang.

You see, large crowds and long waiting list are normal, even on weekdays. In this particular review, i am squeezing in my past three revisitings which all ended up happy and satisfied.

Invited: Grand Opening of Dragon9ine @ Belissa Row, Penang.

Dragon9ine (traditional Chinese: 九龍餐廳) is one of the latest modern Chinese-based restaurant that hits the town. I, along with the other bloggers were treated to an exquisite fine dining experience.

Oh Sushi @ Straits Quay, Penang.

I found the restaurant exterior design less attractive because the side facing the car park has nothing but a white wall and a main door which is made of glass and wood planks.

Kok Beng Chicken Rice @ Taiping, Perak.

4 years ago, Guang Ming Daily in association with NTV7 aired a TV show in which top 10 Malaysian Hainanese Chicken Rice are being picked and honourably Kok Beng's was one of them.

Amelie Cafe @ Armenian Street, Penang.

Amelie Cafe which is situated on this old road right next to Cheah Kongsi was once a very hot topic as a result of its uniquity and of course, has caught eyes of numerous bloggers.

Invited Review: D'Dapor Express @ Lebuh Union, Penang.

D'Dapor Express is a spacious modern Halal air-conditioned WiFi-available restaurant with classic style interior in which photographs of old Penang streets and buildings filled up the walls.

New Mizi Bistro @ Tesco Tanjung Pinang, Penang.

Mizi Bistro made its name with its very first outlet at New World Park. The first outlet might be small but in my experience, it is congested every time i walk pass it.

PappaRich @ Straits Quay, Penang.

PappaRich is a franchised Hainanese kopitiam-styled cafe which was initially established in 2005. The cafe concept is similar with Old Town Cafe, serving a multitude of local delicacies, beverages and bread.

Invited: Dinner With Chef Chen Hong @ Golden Thai.

It was a real honour to have dinner with Chef Chen Hong, to have such close contact with him and to share his food experience from all parts of the Earth. He is so friendly and he is irreplaceable.

Invited Review : De Title Dining Cabin @ Lorong Selamat.

Somewhere in the middle of the road, there is a heritage building which is painted in very distinctive lilac colour. You name it and they will make it.

Lao Sher Tea House @ Burma Road, Penang.

The tea house is situated opposite of the Public Specialist Centre and it is a member of Penang Heritage Trust. Judging from the exterior design, you will only expect it is nothing else but a tea house.

Blue Reef @ Straits Quay, Penang.

Blue Reef first made its name at Casa Permai 2, Tanjung Bungah before sealing a move to the latest seaside complex mall, Straits Quay. Two days ago, i have finally stepped into this restaurant along with my other half.

Caffe Strada @ Krystal Point, Penang.

Strada Caffe or Caffe Strada has been on my hunting list for a long while due to its strategic location and its attractive exterior. It is situated at Krystal Point, neighbouring La Mei Zi, Domino's Pizza, Korea Palace etc.

Charlie Brown Cafe Soft Opening @ Straits Quay, Penang.

Charlie Brown with his troop of friends invaded Penang island. The first Charlie Brown Cafe in Malaysia has officially opened and i was there during the opening.

Revisiting Charlie Brown Cafe @ Straits Quay, Penang.

The soft opening of Charlie Brown Cafe was not a smooth and they promised will continue to improve. Due to a good feedback from my friend, i have decided to visit the cafe once more and made a revaluation.

Chicago Rib House 1st Anniv Promo @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Chicago Rib House was originally located at Autocity for a year plus before eventually moving to Gurney Plaza. Time flies and now, they are celebrating its one year old birthday by launching a promotion.

Delicious Cafe @ Straits Quay, Penang.

Overall, every extra penny deserves its value. I found the prices quite reasonable for such truly scrumptious homemade food in such lovely dining environment.

Swez Brasserie Semi Buffet Dinner @ Eastin Hotel Penang.

It was my other half's 19th birthday and i brought her to Swez Brasserie which is located on level 1 of Eastin Hotel Penang after a deep survey.

Xuan Xin Restaurant @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

The place is normally crowded during weekends as it serves as a perfect spot for a harmony family dining.The square foot of the restaurant is believed to be 10 times larger than that of its sister outlet.

Sushi Feasta at Sakae Sushi @ Queensbay Mall, Penang.

For your information, Sakae Sushi has launched their Red Fiesta Week, they are offering a free red plate sushi for each red plate sushi that you have purchased.I have grabbed six of them, how about you?

James Foo Western Food @ Fettes Park, Penang.

The family started their business humbly, from sub stall to otheir own outlet. Their success is seen and proven by the official opening of their brand new outlet.

Sweet-i Tong Sui House @ Sungai Dua, Penang.

Five years ago, they started their Tong Sui stall business by the roadside. They finally managed to move into a terraced house from a humble make-shift stall.

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt @ Bayan Bay, Penang.

Now, Penangites don't have to travel all the way to Island Plaza for the Froyo. Tutti Frutti has officially opened a new outlet at Bayan Bay, just opposite of Queensbay Mall.

5-Course Lunch at Santorini Cafe @ Burma Road, Penang.

I never know the existence of this cafe as it is shadowed by Chew Tian Yang Aquarium twenty four seven. Totally out of my expectation, the food was very distinct in its own way.

April Grill Catch @ Manhattan Fish Market, Queensbay Mall.

How long have you queued for this? The temporary price tag made the Fish N' Chips super worth trying but the taste is not worth for standing there, waiting for an hour.

Xuan Xin Ramen Kitchen @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

I have been here a few times and all those visits resulted in super satisfaction, excluding the recent one, the one i am writing about it now.

Darren Invades Kampar!

My family and i traveled all way down from Penang to KL, we dropped by at Kampar to have our lunch. With my brother's previous 2 years living experience in Kampar, we managed to try out the finest local food there.

Mizi Bistro @ New World Park, Penang.

I have tasted the Classic Three Combo and the famous Seafood Kebab. Kindly click on the title above to read the full review.

Plus 2 Restaurant @ Sungai Dua, Penang.

This was my second visit to this restaurant which is famous for its Marmite Chicken. Of course, the reputed dish was served on my table. Kindly click the title above to take a look at this delicious thingy!

Fried Rice at Goodall Cafe @ Gottlieb Road, Penang.

The fried rice there may be famous among Ping Hwa students. It is well known for its very yummy green sambal which copes well the fried rice. No more nonsenses, click on the title above to take a look at it!

Roti Bakar Kopitiam @ Ivory Plaza, Penang.

Reviews regarding deep fried crab meat rolls, seafood ginger milk bee hoon and rice. Kindly click on the title above to read the full review.

Ceri Food and Beverage Outlet @ Dato Keramat, Penang.

Roti Canai, topped with spicy curry, is slotted into my mouth. Kindly click on the title above to read the full review.

Wah Meng Cafe @ Ayer Itam Market, Penang.

One of the best claypot noodles in Penang. Roti Tissue is another must dish. Kindly click on the title above to get the full review.

Mee Goreng and Mee Rebus @ Sungai Pinang, Penang.

My all-time favourite mee goreng. Guess what? The stall does have a history of at least 40 years. Click on the title above to check it out.

Zim Sum Restaurant @ Anson Road, Penang.

I just had a wonderful yum cha time along with my family. Hong Kong Chee Cheung Fun and Dim Sum were some gread add-ons. Kindly hit the title above to read the full review.

Seven Bistro @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

A friend's belated birthday treat. Have tried out the infamous Spanish Grilled Chicken and Spicy Clams Spaghetti. Kindly hit the title above to read the full review..

Xuan Xin Ramen Kitchen @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Reviews regarding deep fried eel, soup Ramen and fried seafood Ramen. Kindly click on the title above to read the full review.

Bar-B-Q Plaza @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

Reviews on peculiar Mongolian and Japanese style barbecue. Kindly click on the title above to read the full review.

Chicago Rib House @ Gurney Plaza, Penang.

I wrote about bacon and chicken burger, grilled blackened catch and Brownie Ice Cream. Kindly hit the title above to read the full review.

Tao-Cuisine @ Autocity, Juru.

I had Japanese Ala-Carte Buffet on my birthday. Kindly hit the title above to read the full review.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Invited: Grand Opening of Dragon9ine @ Belissa Row, Penang.


Dragon9ine (traditional Chinese: 九龍餐廳) is one of the latest modern Chinese-based restaurant that hits the town.
Unlike those ubiquitous Chinese restaurants such as Xuan Xin Restaurant, Dragon9ine chefs add a twist in some of their food by blending in foreign elements notably western.
Other than that, the restaurant interior design is colourful and alive with Chinese retro embellishments like opera masks, potteries and vintage posters.
The ground floor is warmer and is definitely ideal for family dining where as the upper floor which is made darker, colder suits those who is looking for a chillful drinking time with their mates better.
I could not agree more that the lighting along with the cool surrounding on the upper floor made me want to Karaoke.
Besides that, you could always use the private room but make sure you enquire them before doing so.
















Four days ago, i had the privilege to attend as well as witness the grand opening of Dragon9ine which was started in January 2011.
Dragon9ine is now not only more well-organized but also completely ready to serve its clients proficiently and professionally with a brand new cooking style, menu and chef - Chef Pele Khor.
Since Dragon9ine is a Chinese-based restaurant, it definitely fits the restaurant theme when a lion dance team was hired in order to boost luck for better business.
Two red flamboyant lions eventually danced their way from the entrance to the kitchen before 'eating' the mandarin oranges, piecing the remainings together into a Chinese word, '旺' which means prosperity.
In addition to the great lion dance show, there was a spread of several dishes opened for public.










I, along with the other bloggers were treated to an exquisite fine dining experience which was launched not long ago.
The set dinner which consists of 4 entrées, 4 main courses, 1 dessert and 2 beverages has a price tag of RM69.90+ (subject to 10% service tax) and is only available with a minimum order of two sets.
All the 4 entrées shared a square white ceramic plate while the first to catch my eye was the Golden Sand Soft Shell Crab which had a rich flavour.
The crab was fried to a light crisp and was prepared using red hot chili flakes, garlic flakes together with sesame seeds.
Who knew that such ordinary ingredients could produce such wonderful starter? The chef did!


Only a few of us enjoyed the Fresh Oyster in Bloody Mary Cocktail as some they found the strong gummy ocean taste of the big raw oysters eewwyy.
However, the oysters tasted much better with the so-called world's most complex cocktail, Bloody Marie which bathed the oysters.
With accordance to Chef Pele Khor, the cocktail was a mix of tomato juice, vodka and flavourings like Tabasco sauce, lemon juice and black pepper.
The spiciness was purposely made mild so that we could taste the cocktail without losing the trace of oyster.


Next, it was the Ginger & Shallot Fried with Chicken which was fine.
The ginger and shallot were sliced before being fried along with the chicken.
The combination was simply awesome.


Last but not least, the Mango Prawn Spring Roll emerged as the hot favourite that night.
A golden Tempura crisp enveloped the fresh ground prawn paste paired with the sweet starchy mango sauce.
The whole thing turned out to be spectacular with a simultaneous taste of the mango sauce as well as the paste.

We were presented the main course one at a time.
The first one was the Smoked Duck Breast Meat with Mongolian Sauce which came with 4 fine slices of smoked duck breast meat, crepes, fresh onions and fresh thinly sliced cucumber plus mild-flavoured Mongolian sauce.
To get a little taste of heaven in every bite, we basically wrapped everything up with a piece of crepe before intoxicating ourselves with the flavourful combination.
The Mongolian Sauce's mild flavour means it won't overpower the other ingredients especially the smoked duck meat.



Tofu is something you can't miss when you are having Chinese Cuisine.
In this case, one of the main courses was the Stir-fried Tofu and Prawns with XO Sauce.
The spicy XO sauce which was made from dried scallops and dried shrimp, cooked in red chili and spices, garlic and oil undoubtedly enhanced the flavour of Tofu, with the aid of minced prawns, capsicum, snow peas and snap peas.
Anyhow, the lack of egg resulted in a lower texture quality and they must consider what our elder bloggers have pointed out - peel off the strings.


The following main course was the Crispy Sea Bass with Butter Orange Sauce & Tempura Greens.
Before sending for grilling, the fish fillet was well-marinated and in the end, it was served together with capsicum, asparagus, young corns, onions, tomatoes, herbs and the chef's special butter orange sauce.
The chef's intention to grill the sea bass fillet for a perfect two-sided crisp resulted in failure as it was over grilled, the texture was a bit hard and it was a salty.
Still, this dish turned out to be appetizing with the strong butter orange sauce covering the aftertaste of the fish.


We all were glad to hear that the Stir-fried Seafood Yee Mee Noodle with Grandma Sauce was the last main course as we were very full after rounds of continuous dining.
The chef named his secret sauce Grandma Sauce because the phrase grandmother gives a warmer feeling if compared to grandfather.
From the aspect of taste, this main course was more and less like Aglio Olio but it was more flavoursome with the fried chili and sprinkles of sesame seeds.


Sweetened Red Beans is one of the most common dessert dishes in the Chinese world and the chef's production was just top-class.
The red beans were blended pretty well before being sweetened with sugar or honey.
Surprisingly, the amount of sweetness was perfectly right to me and i believe also to the others.
Besides, a black sesame sweet dumpling (tang yuan) was included.



For your information, this set dinner does include a glass of red wine and Provence Lavender Black Tea but they might replace that particular tea with another type of tea.
That was what we have encountered.




Address:
368-1-5 & 6, Belissa Row, Pulau Tikus, 11350 Penang.
[google map]

Operation Hours:
11am - 3am

Contact no.:
04 - 2294099

Website:
[click here]

Facebook:
[click here]




Thursday, July 21, 2011

Oh Sushi @ Straits Quay, Penang.


The rise in Penangites' standard of living could be seen if you take a walk at Straits Quay on a Saturday or Sunday night.
I did that before on a calm Saturday night and what i have observed was that most of the high-end restaurants were crowded with customers.
They were Delicious Cafe, Blue Reef as well as Oh Sushi.
On the same night, i intended to try out the newly opened Oh Sushi but was told that i would have to wait approximately 20 minutes for a table.
It was a positive sign as that clearly proved that the food there is worth a try, "good things come to those who wait".
However, i postponed the visit until i came back from Kuala Lumpur which was exactly two days ago.


I found the restaurant exterior design less attractive because the side facing the car park has nothing but a white wall and a main door which is made of glass and wood planks.
The restaurant interior was artsy with a series of Small Seal Script characters and colourful Sushi plates beautifying the plain white wall, not to forget the Japanese bowls, teapots and wine bottles which are being displayed there.












You see, a vast array of food offered ranging from Sushi, Don, Bento, Set and Dessert got me seeing stars.
Do take note that both plain water and wet towel are free of charge while green tea is charged at RM1 each, i am not sure whether it is bottomless or not.
There is a number 5 printed on the wet towel plastic package and with the statement from the staff, i am now more confident to tell you that the 5 simply means the 5th outlet.




Every Set comes with a salad, Chawanmushi and Miso soup, so did my selection - Beef Ganghas Khan Set (RM23).
I have to say that the main course was very special as i was the chef, i was given a mini gas stove with a shallow pot of green vegetables, been sprouts, sliced garlic, beef slices and a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin on top of it.
It looked and tasted exactly like the Sukiyaki i had at Jogoya, Kuala Lumpur except the eating method.
At Jogoya, i dipped the cooked beef slices in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs before shoveling them into my mouth.
You know what? This set was overpriced as there was only a total of 6 fine beef slices.
Anyhow, i got to admit that the soft tender beef slices were so aromatic after being fully cooked.
The gravy which was fairly sweet with a mild simultaneous hint of saltiness from soy sauce coped perfectly well with the everything especially the beef.








My other half's chosen one was the Salmon Teriyaki Bento (RM19.80) which consisted of a piece of Salmon, a few deep fried chicken cubes and a bowl of garlic fried rice.
With extra RM3, you will get a Chawanmushi and a Miso soup.
According to the service crew, this bento is one of the restaurant's top sellers along with two other bento which share the same price tag.
The garlic fried rice had a savory aroma and was flawless no matter from the aspect of texture or flavour.
After all, the quantity of fried rice looked huge but it wasn't so, the rice bowl was shallow.
The Salmon which was well done with a tender, moist inside formed an awesome combination with the sweet-salty Teriyaki sauce.
Last but not least, the chicken cubes did not have any crispy texture as a result of being soaked in an unknown sauce.
Japanese mayonnaise together with the sauce enriched the flavour which had sweet, salty and sour elements.




The prices stated above are subject to 6% government tax and 10% service tax.
If i am to choose between Oh Sushi and Sakae Sushi, my vote will go to Sakae.
Why? Both the food qualities are more and less the same but Sakae is cheaper for certain dishes.
In the end of the day, my other half and i ended up at Tan Jetty fulfilling our stomachs with Thai Laksa and prawn fritters.


Address:
3E-G-5, Block E, Ground Floor, Straits Quay,
10470 Tanjung Tokong, Penang

Operation hours:
11.30am onward

Contact no.:
04 - 8990109

Fax no.:
04 - 8990109




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