Kim Gary Restaurant at 1st Avenue

If you are in 1st Avenue for a movie and do not know where to go for your meal, try Kim Gary restaurant. Unlike the one at Gurney Plaza, this place is not so packed. So, it also translates into quicker serving time. 

Purplish theme at 1st Avenue's Kim Gary

The first Kim Gary in Penang was opened in Gurney Plaza many years ago. However, this is my first time at Kim Gary's because usually, we are too lazy to wait for our turn and jostle with the crowd at Gurney Plaza.

The cashier near the entrance

You should expect Hong Kong style Chinese food here. Therefore, rice and noodles are the staple food here.

Spanish seafood fried rice

Spanish seafood fried rice set (RM 19.90) (after topping up RM 3 for set) comes with a drink and soup. However, if you order the yoghurt drink, it is also served with a bowl of pudding.  The soup  chosen is corn cream soup. The verdict: the fried rice is a little too spicy and sticky although the amount of ham is very generous. Other than that, it is also served with prawns, squids, scallops and vegetables. In fact, it is a balanced meal.

Cream corn soup

This is the cream corn soup.The taste is quite good.

Yoghurt drink and pudding

The yoghurt drink and pudding are there to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Nissin noodle soup

Nissin noodle soup (RM 8.50) is served with Chinese dumplings, leafy mustard and clear soup. To our disappointment, it is tasteless. 

Another drink; bubble milk tea had been missed out in the order form. When we realised it, it was too late as we were going to catch a movie. 

There is a service charge of 10% of the total bill. In short, the service here is fast and there is lesser crowd. 

The details of the restaurant:

LG01 & LG02, 1st Avenue, 182 Jalan Magazine, 10300 Penang

Tel: 04-2613408

Nyonya, Chinese Food at Homes Chef Garden

Fancy authentic Nyonya food in Penang? Thinking of some home-cooked dishes that are only served during the festive seasons? Well, Homes Chef Garden restaurant is the place. Quality Nyonya and Chinese food ranging from jiu hoo char (stir-fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish), perut ikan (Nyonya pickled fish stomach curry), curry fish head, assam prawns (tamarind prawns) to too kar chor (black vinegar pork trotter), kiam chai ark (salted vegetable and duck soup)... Oh my, all these dishes really make me drool. At home, my mother only cooks these sumptuous dishes on special occasions or on special request. Here, at Homes Chef Garden, one can savour the dishes at anytime.

The place was decorated with antique lamps and collectibles 

As we entered the restaurant, we found that it was not very packed with customers. There were only a few tables occupied. 

Cute decor at the restaurant's restroom

We ordered their Nyonya fried rice, Too Ka Chor (vinegar pork trotter), Jiu Hoo Char (stir-fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish) and curry chicken.

First, their Nyonya fried rice (RM 8) is garnished with chopped spring onions, fried shallots, fried egg and cubed carrots. The best part is the rice is fried with four large juicy prawns. It is very aromatic and delicious. 

The Nyonya fried rice

Next, the Too Ka Chor (vinegar pork trotter) (RM 19) is equally appetising. The sweet and sour taste of the soup is mouthwatering. We had requested for leaner meat in the soup. So, they had duly obliged. The texture of the lean meat is a little hard. So, I guess the fatty meat would be a better choice. If you like this dish very much, then you should put aside your diet plan as eating fatty meat is real fattening but tasty.

The sweet and sour vinegar pork trotter

Another must try dish is their Jiu Hoo Char (stir-fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish) (RM 18). Although jicama or yambean and carrot are not cut very finely like in my mother used to but it is tasty. This dish is best eaten by using hands. It is usually served with fresh lettuce and sambal (ground chilli with belacan). So, just grab a leaf of lettuce and top with one spoon of Jiu Hoo Char on it. If you like it spicy, then put a little sambal on it, wrap it up like a tortilla and eat it.

Jiu Hoo Char (Fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish)

Curry chicken (RM 16) has been adopted as part of Chinese and also Nyonya food. The level of spiciness is just right (that is not too spicy for us) as the curry chicken is cooked with coconut milk. Therefore, the curry is rather thick and creamy.

Curry chicken with coconut milk

We had ordered two glasses of honey to cool ourselves in the hot weather; RM 3.50 for the cold honey drink and RM 3 for the hot honey drink.

Hot and cold honey drinks

The place has a very pleasing decor and ambience. If you are interested to view some old stuffs like an old sewing machine, it is on display as part of the decor. An old ice kacang machine (for grinding the ice), radio and a clay teapot are also being displayed on the manual sewing machine. 

An antique ice kacang machine, radio, clay teapot displayed on a manual sewing machine

Their service is quite fast because dishes like the Too Kar Chor, Jiu Hoo Char and curry chicken have been cooked earlier as they actually need a longer preparation and cooking time. Anyway, the dishes are served hot.

There is a service charge of 10% included in the bill which is quite common. The portion that we ordered is good to be eaten by three adults. That was why we were indeed very full after our dinner. 

In short, the food here is unforgettable and if you have an appetite for home-cooked Nyonya and Chinese food, this place is certainly worth a try.

Details of the restaurant:

Address          : 253G-1-06+07, Premier Center, Burmah Road, 10350 Penang

Telephone no.     : 04-2277881

Business Hour : 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Closed on Thursday)

Waterdrop Tea House

This was our quick lunch stop at Waterdrop Tea House, a vegetarian food restaurant, on a busy weekday. Although it is a restaurant, there is no one to greet you at the door. So, just walk right in and choose your table. That was what we did. This place has a relaxing ambience and the shop is quite spacious, therefore, this makes it ideal to hang out with friends here. 

Waterdrop Tea House, a vegetarian food restaurant

The restaurant has a skylight design

They have their house menu and a special menu every day. We ordered a Waterdrop rice set and dan dan noodle with an iced milk tea and a white coffee. We were recommended their signature fried pau and we ordered two of them. Order and payment were made at the counter. We needed to pay on the spot after we have ordered. So, it is more like a fast food restaurant.

The Waterdrop rice set is served with a bowl of herbal taupok (fried bean curd) soup and three different vegetarian dishes. The set costs RM 7. The dishes are all well-cooked. Initially, I thought the portion was little too small but I was quite full after my lunch. I would rate this set as satisfactory.

Waterdrop rice set at RM 7

The portion of the dan dan noodle is little. It is good for either breakfast or tea break but not lunch. It is tasty though. It is also RM 7.

Their dan dan noodle also at RM 7

Their signature dish, fried pau with vegetarian char siu filling (RM 2.50) is simply delicious and a must try dish here. It is fried so expect a little oily on the pau skin. The pau is very fragrant because it is covered with white sesame on top.

Their signature fried pau with vegetarian char siu filling 

This is my white coffee (RM 4.50). I love the layer of bubbles on top.

White coffee..I just love the bubbly feel

Try ordering their iced milk tea (RM 4.50) as we find it to be not too sweet and the tea tastes very fresh (this means that the tea is just brewed), based on the evaluation of a regular milk tea drinker and addict. :)

Iced milk tea is a thumbs up

In short, Waterdrop Tea House has a relaxing environment for us to enjoy our lunch. There is no service charge or government tax in their bill. I find that they know their patrons well. I guess they know we are not their regulars. So, they do make it a point to check on our feedback on their food. In fact, we were being asked twice about the quality of the food. (Or maybe because I was busy photographing the food and the place.) 

Tips:
Avoid the tables near the entrance as it can be a little hot here although it is air-conditioned. This is because the main door is always opened. 

The tables near the entrance

Details of the restaurant:
Address         : 16, Lebuh Pinang, 10200 Penang.
Telephone no.: 04-2636300
Business hours: Tue to Sun (8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.) (Closed on Mondays)

Teow Chew Meng Restaurant

A straw rabbit welcoming you at the door

Teow Chew Meng's menu

Mention Teow Chew Meng and many will think of their Mee Sua Kor. It has been around for some time. Despite that, this was our first time in Teow Chew Meng Restaurant at Lorong Selamat.

Night shot of Teow Chew Meng Restaurant

They are famous for their Mee Sua Kor  (RM 13.90). It is actually mee sua or rice noodle cooked with fresh fish fillet in a sticky soup and it goes well with vinegar. It is a must-try dish in this restaurant. Although it is tasty, I still shy away from ordering a bowl of Mee Sua Kor myself as I could not finish the whole bowl of sticky soup.

Mee Sua Kor with fish fillet and vinegar

Next, the next popular dish on their menu is their Prosperity Oyster Noodle (RM 10.90). Yes, I love this one. It is served in a claypot and the portion is just nice for one person. The noodle is fried with a generous amount of oysters as I could almost scoop out an oyster every time I dip in. Besides oysters, it is also fried with prawns, mushroom and curry leaves. Overall, the Prosperity Oyster  Noodle had a strong pepper taste. Yes, I would reorder it the next time I visit Teow Chew Meng!

Prosperity Oyster Noodle 

We also ordered side dish like a plate of stir-fried baby cabbage which was RM 8.00.

Stir-fried baby cabbage

For drinks, we ordered a glass of celery and apple juice (RM 5) and a cup of warm honey ginger (RM 4.50). The bill included a 5% service charge but no government tax.

Celery and apple juice

Warm honey ginger

The lighting in Teow Chew Meng are dimmer than other Chinese restaurants so this gives it a cosy feel. In order to keep their customers occupied while waiting for their food, there is a reading corner with reading materials. To give the place a homey feel, the restaurant is further decorated with cute decor such as a colourful stationery on each table and a straw rabbit welcoming you at the door.

A reading and leisure corner

A colourful stationery on each table

Details of the restaurant:
Address        : 6B Lorong Selamat, 10400 Georgetown.
Telephone no: 04-2281817

Tarbush Restaurant was "ambushed"

It was almost 12.30 p.m. and there were seven very hungry people hanging outside Tarbush waiting for them to open their door. We had knocked on their door and we got the reply that they were only opened at one p.m. Our organiser said it was supposed to be opened at 11 a.m. as said in their website. Oh... what a letdown and we were still waiting for our lunch organiser to show up. 

Outdoor seating area

So, instead of just standing at the walkway and basking in the hot sun, we decided to rest at their outdoor seating area. Well, as soon as we walked to that area, the waitress opened the door and told us they were ready and we could go in. What a relief! 

Cosy atmosphere in Tarbush

Our organiser and the rest finally showed up and on time for the opening of the restaurant. Then, we found ourselves a table for ten and had the view of the Batu Ferringhi sea. 

The menu

There were plenty of choices ranging from appetizers to main courses. It was somehow hard to choose. Well, some of us who had been here before recommended the Biryani chicken which was  Biryani rice served with half-baked chicken. The portion was supposed to be big so it was enough to be shared by two people. I found the chicken was a little dry but anyway, the sourish chilli (left , in the pic) and curry gravy helped. The biryani rice was a long grain rice and it topped with fried shallots. It was a good combination.

Biryani Chicken 

Some of us are bread lovers. Therefore, three plates of bread were being ordered. The rest of us had rice with chicken and bread. Arayes Lamb is made of grilled Lebanese bread stuffed with lamb meat. We also ordered Arayes Chicken which looked similar. Yes they were tasty.

Arayes Lamb 

We also tried Tabouleh which was a kind of salad made of chopped parsley, tomatoes and onions with some lemon juice and olive oil. It tasted to me like those TC Boy tuna spread but it was good.

Tabouleh (It is a salad?)

Most of us drank ice blended chocolate, mocha and cappucino. 

Ice-blended Mocha

Finally, one brave soul among us ordered their very strong and bitter Turkish coffee. It was a very small cup but with very strong caffeine indeed. 

Turkish coffee (Photo courtesy of Colleen Lean)

The restaurant had a lot of stained glass decors or decors made of tiles. I believe the place has the romantic ambience at night when all the stained glass lamps were lit up. 

In short, there were a lot of interesting and delicious food to try. So far, we were all satisfied with our lunch. We would be here again once we are in our adventurous mood for a new taste and food (which will be very soon.)

I wonder Who's Bryan at Coffee and Cuisine Restaurant

Who's Bryan Coffee and Cuisine's entrance

It was a New Year gathering lunch at Who's Bryan Coffee and Cuisine, a new branch in Farlim, Penang. Initially, we thought it was closed on New Year Day but it was only opened at 1.30 p.m. Better be early, otherwise, you need to wait for tables. 

The bar counter and a mini stage 

This was the first time for all of us. So, none of us had any idea of what to order. A not so good first impression was the waiter telling us this and that on the menu were not available. I was not sure for what reasons.

Classy cutlery

Most of the food were Western food. The local cuisine which was printed on the menu was not available that day. Below were some of the food we ate:

Pasta with grilled chicken

The grilled chicken was good as well as the pasta although it was a bit spicy for me. It was spicy because of the pepper on it.

Grilled chicken with cheese looks tempting

Grilled chicken too but with sausages also looks delicious

I have forgotten the exact name of those sets of grilled chicken. The presentation of the food was good. We tried the grilled chicken but we thought it had a funny taste which we did not like. It might not have been grilled enough. 

Mushroom soup with the sweet bread in it

The mushroom soup was bland to me. It lacked certain taste.

My pumpkin soup and a sweet bread but without the dunk dish inside (as seen in the menu) 

The pumpkin soup was a little too sweet. The pieces of dunk dish were not seen at all although they were featured in the menu but I was too lazy to ask.

Lime with lychee juice

Green tea latte

My green tea latte was the last one available. That was what the waiter told me. I was lucky I got to order it. 

Apart from the food, we loved the nice decor and the inviting ambiance of the place. A good thing was the tables here were not positioned too close to one another. So, this place was more spacious inside.

In my opinion, the food choices here are quite common like in most Western food restaurants in Penang except for the place which looks inviting to have a gathering. We ordered five main courses for five people, three drinks and two soup and the bill was about RM 150. If you like a cosy and comfortable place to hang out in a residential area like Farlim, it is worth a try.

Location of this restaurant:

It is located in Farlim, Penang at All Seasons Place complex.