29 Febuary 2012 - A day stuck in Penang Gurney

Initially I plan to go Gurney Plaza to get myself a pair of boots for my travel next week. Been to Tokyo last year with my Bata, and got my own feet freezing cold. With my special member discount on my birthday month and extra RM5 vouchers, I can get a pair of good boots below RM100. 

Things doesn't went really smoothly when my car battery died in the car park, which can be considered lucky, that it didn't died in the middle of the road or highway. I got helped unfortunately the foreman only able to attend me after his dinner hour. 

So I've spend some time hanging around Gurney Plaza. Having some expensive dinner at favorite Paddington's Pancake House.

This one is a vegetarian friendly place. Withe the mushroom spaghetti above. It taste light, full of mushroom bites. However, I think this spaghetti is a bit expensive, but still satisfying.

 

This dessert is totally great! Although it is in dessert category, it is enough for a meal! Price? Totally worth it! It is below RM10! Although I understand the ingredient which makes the pancakes isn't expensive, the value it has, is the nice tasty fluffy pancakes they made!

The best chef's recommendation in the menu, their pancake burger is totally amazing! The portion is large! with 2 burger bun sized pancakes and an oversize pattie! Just look at the picture below! No photoshop effects added! The pattie is grilled till juicy shinny tasty!

You might have doubt, how am I going to finish up so much food ordered? Well, i ate alone, but it doesn't mean I ordered at the same time. The photos is from the same Paddington at Gurney Plaza. The first 2 photos above, I took them long time ago. I only ordered the burger on that day. Thus, I've visited this restaurant quite some times, and their performance is very constant. Good food, good service and worthy of re-visit. 

After having dinner, I went to the top floor of Gurney Plaza, and found this little place selling Macaron. I love macarons, but this one is just over priced. Good quality and perfectly shaped macarons sold in Pavilion KL only cost RM2.60 per piece, while this not so colorful, not so perfectly shaped, very rustic macaron sold at Gurney Plaza cost RM3.00 per piece!

So what happening at Gurney Plaza on this very special leap year day 29 Febuary 2012? Well, I wasn't a big fan of automobile, am just trying to see see look look view view.... I think the girls aren't look as good as in the photos with their thick make ups. They put those 'invisible silk stockings' which makes their legs looks very sexy and perfect on photos, but in real, it seems like a thick layer of powder on their legs. O_O""""" The next day I saw their photos by Gurney Plaza's official FB page, they all looks very very pretty. Have to salute the photographers, and the photoshopers.

Actually there's nothing much to see, as in Gurney Plaza, space is very limited.

我不知道自己在想什么。这天，被困在这个地方，仿佛就是在告诉我什么的。最近，我的运气还不错的。认识他，难道也是幸运的一件事？我所认识的他们，都选择离开上帝，离开基督，放下圣经。有者改信佛，有者堕落在烟酒世风尘界里。其实，我自己与还不是曾经在教会闹个哭哭啼啼过吗？选择了上帝的人，都拒绝了自己。还能坚信上帝，接受自己的人，是很难的一见的。我希望，他不会是一场骗局。

48HoChiak! Black Canyon Coffee (Jusco Seberang Prai City Mall)

Black Canyon Coffee
Location: Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
48HoChiak Level: 8/10
Cuisine: Thai Fusion
What's Best: Most of them are great!
Price Range：RM8++ Mid eco range

My favorite place of all time, their chef is good, nice manager and waiter (handsome and friendly from Bangladesh who can speak little Mandarin). The food on menu are all fusion Thai style, but you can make authentic Thai food orders. 

The bad thing about their food, is they use a lot of herbs. Those herbs might not be consumable. You might need to remove them. For example, their Tomyam Noodle Soup, they use a lot of blue ginger and lemongrass. However, you may tell the waiter that you want them to be removed, but i personally prefer them to be served, because they do give some great taste to the soup.

Today, I ordered the special Thai Fish Cake, the photo is not on the menu, but they are listed. This appetizer is actually quite expesive, RM12.90 for 5 pieces. Once you have a bite, you will realize how good it was!!! Succulent, juicy, fresh coriander and long beans adding in some crunchy texture, with a slightly chewy fish cake texture... totally awesome! Even I was already full after the Fried Seafood Fettuccine above, I still able to finish this up and wanting for more! It is so so so addictive! 

Black Canyon Coffee! Must try!

48HoChiak! Goku Raku Ramen (Gurney Paragon, Penang)

Friday, working at Penang and hiding myself from traffic jam at the bridge. I went to the other side to visit the new open to public high class resident at the Gurney area. Not much to see here, but there's some interesting foodie places.

Goku Raku Ramen
Location: Gurney Paragon, Penang.
48HoChiak Level: 7.5/10
Cuisine: Japanese
What's Best: Ramen!
Price Range：RM18++ Mid range

Overall, this place wasn't bad at all. Their green tea is refillable, open kitchen... luckily the kitchen hood is strong enough. 

I've tried their signature Goku Raku Ramen, small size. The bowl did came out small in shape, as you can see on photo, but wait, the bowl is actually tall in shape, thus, their small size is our daily regular size, and the large size, should be the Sumo size. RM18.90 for this 'small' bowl can be considered worth it. The soup is really great! Savory, thick and most importantly, even though its heavy, it won't make you feel thirsty! However, their garnishes are out of my expectation. The Char Siew is not tender enough, and the egg, supposed to be flavored but it's not. If you love plain and fresh garnishes, you might love it. I prefer the traditional way, tender meat and well flavored egg.

Overall, I'll be back! Too bad it's not Halal! This is not a vegan friendly place.

48HoChiak! Sushi Kitchen (Sg. Ara, Penang)

Today, we are celebrating one of my colleague's birthday at Sushi Kitchen. This is a very interesting place, a vegetarian sushi cafe, hidden at a quiet place, far away from mainstream attraction. Though, this place is pretty well known for the vegetarians. 

Location: Sungai Ara.
48HoChiak Level: 7.5/10
Cuisine: Japanese
What's Best: ???
Price Range：RM6++

The dining environment is very pleasant, with some soft romantic English songs and a bit messy old retro antique decorations. It is some strange combination. 

The food, they are light and served in right portion. The sushi taste a bit sweet and light. The pricing is quite expensive, twice higher than the regular sushi compare to Sushi King. Although they did some nice vegetarian combination, I don't think its worth that price tag due to some of the ingredients are readily bought, such as the sweet tofu pockets. They use all organic products in their cooking. 

For the other dishes, their noodle soup and friend rice does seems better. 

Japanese Udon with light miso soup and seaweed

Sweet Potatoe Noodles. Their soup is made of smashed sweet potato. It kind of reminds me of the Mee Jawa, where they boil the potato until it melts, creating the thick gravy soup. 

Spicy Fried Rice, they use brown rice.

Loving Vermicelli Soup. It is light sesame oil and wolfberry soup with some love shape carrots. 

Low Beauty Roll and the Family Sushi set. The "Low Beauty Roll" is actually fried taro roll. Overall, the food taste great, light and healthy.

I bought this Matcha Anko cake at the Bread History (Queensbay Mall). The cake taste nice, light and fluffy and not much 'girl's enemy', What's the girls's enemy' here, CREAM of course! I bet most of the girls dislike thick cream on their cake.

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Final CNY Holiday at KL + Klang

It's going to be the final CNY holiday. During this final hour, must collect the final amount of angpao as much as I can. That's why, this week, I've visited KL. 

There are the final Dragon & Lion Dance at Petaling Street. I really miss the Dragon Dance. They are not performed often during CNY. In fact, not many people able to hire a Dragon Dance, since it needs a team of people (more Angpao needed). This year, it's the year of Dragon, thus, Dragon Dance is more common.

Petaling Street is a beautiful place, and it's a great place to shop and food hunting. Recently, the merchants selling lots of fake birkins, and they are not cheap. The best I can get is about RM100 and the quality of the fake isn't good at all. Besides, Gucci is the one brand having most of the high quality fake bags here. All are not in my liking, I was looking for a trolley luggage with Mickey Mouse prints on it. Last time, I saw those a lot, but not this time. Somehow, the trend is changing.

Heading towards the KTM station around Pasar Seni, here's some of my favorite street food. Keropok Lekor nipis! They are expensive but really fresh and delicious! 5 pieces for RM1! The snack is made of fish and they are fried fresh!

Later having dinner at Klang, visiting one of the famous Bak Kut Teh restaurant in the town! I'm not going to rate this restaurant due to my short visit. However, there are some Bak Kut Teh tips I wish to share here. Fong Keow Bak Kut Teh at Taman Rashna, overall, not bad! 7/10!

There's lots of option in every Bak Kut Teh restaurant here. Normally, the best time to have Bak Kut Teh is during morning hours, where the soup is still clear and full of the Chinese herbal flavour. During the end of the day, the soup will have more meat flavour. Besides, you have lots of options to choose, single bowl of soup, or clay pot bowl. Soup or dry, with You Teow or intestines... etc... Just be sure of what you want and make your order clearly.

A day at Queensbay Mall

I personally love hanging around Queensbay Mall, regularly once in a week when I have time. Why? It's something related to a book store there... hehehe. 

Some new stuffs in Starbucks here. Their new cake looks ugly, and have some very bad review, thus, I didn't try that. Starbucks' muffins do have some good reviews. I especially love their Banana Chocolate Muffin. Today, I try out their new Espresso Caramel Muffin, they do taste great! Here's the tips for Starbucks visitors, choose the muffins only! All other food are junks! All the cakes and pastries by Starbucks are junks! ONLY MUFFINS ARE GREAT! Why? Their cakes are unattractively decorated, over priced, dry, lack of taste, and use artificial flavorings! Their pastry are stinky oily, and nothing special and overpriced! Only muffins worth its price tag!

After sitting and reading lots of "free books" in Starbucks, I bought this soy bean milk drink! The fragrance of the soy bean tempted me to buy it! It really taste great! I can see their machine full of soy bean pastes. It's the real thing! They did use the real soy beans to make the soy milk, better than ChaTime and all those other bubble milk tea which uses milk powder! (You might "pee diamond" if you drink too much milk powder from China!) Let's switch to all natural soy bean milk! :D Peace!

Austin Chase Queensbay Mall
Location: Queensbay Mall, Penang.
48HoChiak Level:   Coffee = 5/10  Tea = 1/10   Cakes = 8/10    Foods = 3/10
Cuisine: Fusion
What's Best: ???
Price Range：RM12++

Austin Chase is having discounts for their cakes! They previously taken in the Penang famous Humble Beginning Mille Crepe. However, their price tag is too high. They cost twice compare to those in Secret Recipe. I must say, their cakes have the quality, just that it's too expensive. Each of them RM12.90 in normal price. Yes, they taste good, better than secret recipe. They just lack of fancy decorations and priced too high. Now they have 50% discount on cakes. It's a great chance to get a piece of cake and try it for yourself! You'll hate Secret Recipe once you tried their cakes! 

Their tea is from Twining's, nothing special, very expensive, the worst of all! I can make a better and cheaper Twining's at home, just buy the tea bags from grocery and soak the tea bag myself! Their Coffee, isn't as good as Starbucks'. I ordered Caramel Macchiato, and the foam is not smooth! However, their caramel have some vanilla flavour in it, making it taste unique.

Their food? A disappointment! Please take note on their "Pictures are for illustration purpose only" fine prints on their beautifully photographed menu! The photo above is the real thing! While the photo in the menu showing that the sandwich comes with potato wedges and some green pesto sauces.

The taste, still acceptable! Overall, still expensive. Well, you may try this place if you want some cozy, fast internet connection. Try their cakes, they are great.

Doomed by Dome, but it's not bad afterall.

This is not some new fancy restaurant, it survived, means it has some reputation to keep on going. Today, we supposed to have a free lunch there, ended up we have to pay extra, since this is not a cheap place to eat. Before the food review, I just captured some photo of Queensbay Mall. The decorations really better than Gurney Plaza's.

Ok, back the Dome, we did feel that we are doomed when we read the price tag of each items. Overall, the food taste good enough. So it's considered worth its price.

Dome, Queensbay Mall, Penang
Location: Queensbay Mall, Bayan Lepas, Penang.
48HoChiak Level: 6.5/10
Cuisine: Fusion
What's Best: ???
Price Range：RM20++

 Potatoe Wedges with Thai Sauce and sour cream

 Catch of the Day

 Creamy Seafood Spaghetti, expensive but worth its price tag!

 Turmeric Chicken Rice

Egg Salad Focaccia

I forgot the name of this beverage. :P

Chicken Gourmet Pie.

Inside the Gourmet Pie, portion and presentation wise, according to my colleagues, it taste good!