Category Archives: Eats

Eats, gardens, George Town, Homes, Photography, Sea, Stays, Style, Wellness

Breakfast /Lunch/Tea/Dinner/Party with a view

1 Comment
Enjoy any meal or event by-the-sea

The sea-fronting colonial mansions along Penang’s Millionaire’s Row (Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah) have never failed to impress visitors and locals with their distinct architecture and stories of the well-heeled, their lawn parties and a time where social etiquette and classy ways ruled the day.

The Ng Mansion has morphed into Lava Mansion and is today a space for events, a clothing atelier and food & beverage outlet

If there is one thing which stands out with all properties along this stretch (which include homes, a university, palace, condominium, a private club, restaurants, corporate buildings and a hotel and school) is the amazing views they offer from their sea-fronting addresses.

Sunset from the Lava Mansion
Good morning from the Lava Mansion

Lava Mansion is the newest kid on the block and functions as a multi-usage space. A boutique hotel is expected to make its debut on the grounds of the two-acre grounds by year-end, and there are also talks of a wellness space in the works.

The four-storey property with an adjoining British-inspired two-level mews (comprising servants’ quarters with garages below) boasts beautiful and expansive lawns and a sea-fronting pavillion (which will soon be featured as a bar), was the stately home of an illustrious Penang family. The clever use of space (with a forward-thinking elevator installed by its owners) tells a tale of a family home in the true sense of the word, where generations enjoyed the fresh breezes, stunning sunrises and sunsets and most likely even fun rounds of mahjong with family and friends.

The mansion’s custodian and business operator, Daniel Chee, is obviously a foodie who takes his menus seriously and is not afraid to get his chefs to experiment in the kitchen.

His designer wife Vivian is looking forward to welcoming her patrons to her atelier on the first floor, which commands a grand view of Kedah Peak and the fishing boats bobbing around the northern shore.

A great way to start one’s morning with-a-view is with breakfast (served from 8am) at the mansion.

Attention is given to the littlest of details like the salt sprinkles on the butter
Fresh croissants and pastries are among the breakfast offerings
Lava Mansion is located at 46A Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in George Town
Eats, George Town, Homes, Photography, Style

Nailing a good sugee cake

Leave a comment

It is not a place one associates with great sugee (semolina) cake, but this is Penang, and you just never know what lies behind a door, the side of a backlane or even a monsoon drain here!

In this case, it’s a grand mansion by-the-sea, known simply as 32 Mansion. I always admire businesses with simple names coined from their addresses or postcodes. (the street address being 32 Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah).

A visit to this 1920s sea-fronting Italian villa, is a history lesson in itself …

(Extracted from the business operator’s website)

BUILT FOR LEONG YIN KEAN, THE SON OF TIN MAGNATE LEONG FEE, WHO HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH ITALY WHILST A STUDENT AT CAMBRIDGE, THIS ELEGANT ITALIANATE VILLA ON GEORGE TOWN’S NORTH BEACH LOOKS OUT OVER GARDENS ONTO THE SEA.
IT WAS DESIGNED BY CHARLES MILLER (OF STARK & MCNEILL) AND IS LOCATED ON “MILLIONAIRE’S ROW” (NORTHAM ROAD BUT NOW RENAMED JALAN SULTAN AHMAD SHAH).

THE MANSION WAS BUILT IN 1926 AND MODELED AFTER THE OPULENT VILLAS IN LONDON’S REGENT’S PARK. SADLY, LIKE MANY OF PENANG’S MANSIONS, IT FELL INTO A STATE OF DISREPAIR AND HAD BEEN USED AS A MOTOR-BIKE CENTRE CALLED BIKER’S PARADISE AND HAD AS MANY AS 30 TENANTS LIVING IN PARTITIONED BLOCKS ALONG ITS ONCE ELEGANT ROOMS.


RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY IN 2000 BY ESCOY HOLDINGS IT IS A MODEL OF HERITAGE CONSERVATION BY ADAPTIVE RE-USE AND IT NOW HOUSES THIRTY-TWO AT THE MANSION AND BEACH BLANKET BABYLON.

Back to their sugee cake … it can be found on Beach Blanket Babylon, or BBB’s dessert menu or pre-ordered as a fresh and buttery takeaway (it’s advisable to order the full-sized sugee cake at least 3 days ahead).

While BBB is better known for its crab laksa, the humble sugee cake has received equal praise from those who appreciate this baked goodness, for which many Eurasian, Peranakan, Chinese and Indian aunties (and uncles) guard the recipes fiercely.

Step into the home so cosily and welcoming created by Kah Hock, for either a slice of his sugee cake or the rest of the great spread offered.

Walk away with not only a satisfied meal, but endless shots of this great home and (it’s grounds) for your countless Instagram and other social media posts!

Eats, George Town, Heritage, Pork-Free

Ciao, Bella Italia

1 Comment

The unpretentious cottage-like cafe in George Town’s Pulau Tikus, has been serving our favourite Italian dishes for 26 years.

It’s now time to bid ‘ciao’ to Restorante Bella Italia Pizzeria, a neighbourhood landmark.

Among others, rising costs with everything has been one reason given for its impending closure. This can be easily understood, given the eatery’s reputation for being consistent with the quality of food served over two decades.

No closing date has been given except that it will be “soon.”

Pop in for a last hurrah and be sure to get the ever-smiling and warm Isaac to keep you posted on future developments (if any).

Grazie per i ricordi (thanks for the memories)!

Eats, Festivals, George Town, Heritage, Music

Fiesta with the Eurasians

Leave a comment

What better way to celebrate Merdeka 🇲🇾month and shed state polls fatigue, than by coming together as family, friends, Penang residents and visitors for samplings of great Serani fare found usually in Eurasian homes and kitchens.

Bravo Penang Eurasian Association for organising the fiesta and to the La Salle Brothers for remaining gracious hosts in allowing the event to be held in Southeast Asia’s oldest Lasallian school. #eurasianfiesta2023 #stxaviersinstitution #penang #serani #sugeecake #pibeapplejamtarts #saltedfishpickle #devilcurry #PEA

Eats, George Town, Travel

Breakfast of (local) Champions

Leave a comment

They are usually up at the crack of dawn to prepare the batter of rice flour, eggs and sugar for their ‘apom manis’, which is known to locals as apam, apom lenggang and local crepes or pancakes.

Ravi (above) and his wife Devi (below) greet all customers with warm smiles and have no problems with remembering orders or the sequence they are placed.

Bone and I had a lovely time today watching them deftly prepare our special order and place them expertly in plastic containers with their signature banana leaf for styling purposes.

The humble push cart located outside the New Cathay coffee shop in Pulau Tikus, George Town is frequented by locals and tourists from 7.30am till around 11am from Mondays till Saturdays. Takeaways have and continue to be enjoyed by local and foreign royalty, and other dignitaries.

A pack of 5 apom manis is priced at RM4 and no accompaniments are needed as they melt in your mouth. A “premium” or more “atas” version is also available with an egg on top.

Thank you Devi and Ravi for opening earlier than your usual operating hours today, just so that our special visitors to Penang could enjoy your delicious apom manis for breakfast🙏🏼

Christmas, Eats, George Town, Halal, Sea, Stays, Travel

By-the-Beach

Leave a comment

The view from the parking lot at sunset is a warm enough welcome to Penang’s latest accommodation-by-the-sea, Hompton By The Beach.

Dottie and Steph are very blessed to be taking in such beauty when they step into work each day was my first impression when taking in this sunset.

The hotel and its staff are unpretentious , judging from the warm hospitality, genuine smiles and good food served earlier.

The fresh salmon and tuna won me over and were such a welcome from the usual frozen variety found in other establishments.

The festive-themed buffet dinner was all about freshness and good taste and it did not have the taste of the usually mass-produced food found in hotel buffet lines.

Even the Christmas desserts – like the fruit cake and panna cotta – had a home-made touch and taste to it.

The Seafood Galore Buffet Dinner on Saturdays and Sundays from 7pm-10pm is priced at RM108 nett for adults with free flow of beer and red and white wines (senior citizens are charged RM88 nett). The buffet only option costs RM78 nett per person (senior citizens aged 55 and above pay RM58 nett) Kids aged 12 and below dine for free. And the best part is that it is served in the hotel’s sea-fronting Spice Garden outlet on Level 11.

A special promotion currently has buy 3, pay for 2, buy 5 pay for 3 and buy 7 pay for 4 deals respectively.

Call 04-3733233 to book your tasty dinner with an awesome view!

Art, Eats, Festivals, George Town, Media, nautical, Photography, Style, Travel

Fay & Food

Leave a comment

My first “sighting” of this lovely and funny soul was at The Star Penang newsroom in 1993, when I joined as a reporter and she was the paper’s freelance writer/stringer.

Once she got behind the computer she would remain focussed and quiet as she went about putting together her famous food reviews.

The sub-editors usually found themselves needing to consult the dictionary when clearing her copies (Aiyo Fay, why are you using such big words, you think our readers can understand, meh? was usually conveyed to Fay by Anna Cheah our then chief sub-editor) Fay would simply smile and give some funny retort and everyone would laugh.

Her love for food was legendary. Some of us would join her for quick hawker meals close to the office when she stepped in to meet her deadlines. As most people know, this foodie was just as adept in appreciating fine food and made no bones when any dish did not meet her exacting standards.

When she moved on to other interests, especially in publishing, I used to pick up her nifty card sets with watercolour images of all things Malaysiana and even tried her ‘Miss Khoo’s Asian Deli’ gourmet products at the time, as I heard they had found their way to the shelves of Harvey Nichols in the United Kingdom.

The writer, TV and radio host, publisher, lover of all things nautical and much-loved daughter, always had a kind word for everyone and we missed her laughter and teasing when she left The Star to pursue other projects and adventures.

It was shocking and painful to many of us to hear that Fay, who was then 48, had left us after a brief illness in April, 2017.

Bettina Chua Abdullah and I had a mutual friend in Fay and our stories and friendship with this fun-loving soul are different and yet, the same. Fay shared different friendships with different people and made her mark which can never be erased.

Which now brings us to the third edition of the Fay Khoo Award for Food and Drink Writing which Bettina organised and has been directing to honour Fay’s legacy.

The call for entries has been made and details found below. The 2019 winners will be announced at this year’s George Town Literary Festival which takes place in Penang from Nov 21-24 (please mark your calendars)

Thank you Bettina, for your dedication in keeping Fay’s memory and our friendships alive!

(In addition to written narrative entries for the award, comics and graphic stories are also open to authors and illustrators wishing to submit illustrated narratives)

CALL FOR ENTRIES 2019

The aim of The Fay Khoo Award for Food+Drink Writing is to recognise new and talented voices, and to encourage and develop excellence in food and drink narratives. We believe that there is a space and a need for well-researched and impactful food journalism, because it is through such writing that we can shine a light on people, culture, health, economics and the environment of culinary delight.

This year we hope to present awards to the three best entries, regardless of category. Please read the conditions of entry and submission guidelines carefully, as these have changed from previous years.

The CONDITIONS OF ENTRY are as follows:

• All writing must fall into the categories of personal narrative, reportage or creative non-fiction.

• Entries should not exceed 2000 words.

• Entries must be submitted in English, and must be the sole work of the entrant.

• Entries must never have been published, self-published, broadcast or uploaded on any

website, blog or online forum.

• Anyone over the age of 16 years at the time of the closing date, who is a citizen or resident

of ASEAN countries, may submit up to three (3) entries.

• A fee of RM 20 per submission will be levied to cover administrative costs.

Processing of fees is made by Hikayat Lebuh Pantai, which manages The Fay Khoo Award, upon submission of entry/entries.

Bank details are as follows:

Maybank | Hikayat Lebuh Pantai Sdn Bhd | 557018565194

Please reference your payment with FKA and your WhatsApp number: eg FKA 012-345-6789

If you do not have a mobile phone, please use a landline number.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Entries must be saved in Microsoft Word format, and emailed to

thefaykhooaward@hikayat.asia

• Entries need to be double-spaced and the word-count noted at top of the first page.

• Entries must include a WhatsApp or landline number, so that you can be sent a confirmation

that your entry has been received, and we can link submission fees to your entry.

• To protect the integrity of the judging process, entries must not include your name or email address. We will contact you via the WhatsApp or landline number you have provided, for your name and other necessary information.

• Amendments or revised versions will not be accepted.

• Entries will be accepted from July 15, 2019 and must be received by September 15, 2019.

• A fee of RM 20 per submission will be levied to cover administrative costs.

• Entrants who have not turned 18 by November 1, 2019 must provide a parent/legal guardian’s name and contact details.

NOTES ON JUDGING

• There will be three (3) judges for the Fay Khoo Award. The judges’ decision is final.

• The judges will not comment on individual entries.

• The Fay Khoo Award reserves the right to change the panel of judges without notice.

• A Longlist of up to 15 entries will be announced by October 10, 2019, and writers notified by WhatsApp and email.

• A Shortlist of 6 entries will be announced by October 28, 2019, and writers notified by

WhatsApp and email.

PRIZE-GIVING

• The winning entries will be announced at the George Town Literary Festival between

November 21-24, 2019. Accommodation will be provided for the day of the prize-giving.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• Worldwide copyright of each entry remains with the author, but by virtue of submitting an entry, participants are assigning unrestricted right to publish the winning entry, shortlisted entries and long-listed entries in any format. This right is granted to the managers of The Fay Khoo Award, Hikayat Lebuh Pantai Sdn Bhd and its associates in perpetuity, upon submission of the entry for consideration.

• The Fay Khoo Award will retain fully all income generated by publication of the winning entries, shortlisted entries and long-listed entries, while the author will retain all income generated by their publication separate to this.

• In cases where the author of a winning, shortlisted or longlisted entry independently publishes said submission, the author will mention that the piece was a winner or shortlisted or longlisted entry in The Fay Khoo Award for Food+Drink Writing.

PRIZES:

• Each of the three winners receives a cash award of MYR1500, and a book voucher for MYR500

• Shortlisted entries may also receive other supplementary prizes, at the discretion of the organisers.

AMENDMENTS:

• The organisers of the Fay Khoo Award reserve the right to amend these conditions of entry

if deemed necessary. Any changes will be posted on the award’s Facebook page.

• For further information, please email thefaykhooaward@hikayat.asia

(Images courtesy from the FKAward Facebook and Fay’s)

Eats, George Town, Heritage, Shop, Travel

Breakfast @PulauTikusMarket

Leave a comment

This market is one which is known for its slightly higher prices since it supposedly caters to the affluent community of Pulau Tikus.

The goods available never fail to thrill and amaze, ranging from the usual wet market offerings to even stalls selling organic products. Factory over run (branded) clothing items can be picked up for a song and over festive seasons, one can even find Spode and Royal Doulton (more factory overruns) tableware.

Meenaka had to come all the way from Singapore to introduce me to the soya sauce shop found in the market and I am now a regular shopper.

Here are some on-the-go breakfast options found on a weekday …

Eats, George Town, Halal, Shop, Style, Travel

Athene the Spice Girl

Leave a comment

I met this purveyor of artisan spices two years ago at her “spice laboratory” in Relau on the island.

The warmth and bubbly personality matched her colourful and aromatic spices as did her passion for cooking and sharing food and recipes.

Faten Rafie (or Athene to family and close friends) is the force behind the ‘Athene Spices’ brand of artisan spice blends and rubs, which are designed and created for home cooks to make easy, yet exciting dishes.

They are all natural, free of artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and MSG-free.

Just staring at the colourful contents of her bottled spices is enough to inspire the foodie in all of us and here’s why:

Her recipes are so easy to follow and end up looking like one has slaved for hours in the kitchen!

Befitting its premium tag, Athene Spices products are targeted at those with greater purchasing power and exposed to international cuisines, and also the health conscious, who do not want oil or sodium in the food they prepare and consume.

For this Ramadhan season, Faten has kindly shared some recipes below which include her famous spices which have found their way into Malaysian kitchens and restaurants at home and abroad.

Together with her businessman husband Azizi Hassan, Faten sources her spices like nutmeg pepper locally, and mix them into their distinct products with labels like Hot Chick Spicy Salt, Lemon Lime Pepper Salt, Mandy Spice Mix, Lebanese Za’atar, Moroccan Ras el Hanout and Hyderabad Biryani… to name a few, for retail and wholesale.

Check out her online spice shop at http://www.athenespices.com

If you are in Penang, her spices at stocked at both the Tropical Spice Garden’s gift shop at Teluk Bahang or The Tropical Spice Garden In the City store in George Town.

They make great gifts for Hari Raya open houses or to pop into a festive hamper.

(Images courtesy of Faten Rafie and NST)

Error
This video doesn’t exist

Eats, Festivals, George Town, Heritage, Shop, Travel

On the fringes of the rainforest

Leave a comment

Mr Crazy and Creative, Joe Sidek, returns to Borneo for the second edition of the Rainforest Fringe (RFF) in Kuching from 6 to 15 July this year.

“After a successful inaugural festival in 2017, this year’s RFF will showcase a wide range of cultural, contemporary, and traditional events representative of Sarawak’s exciting, complex and many-layered identity,” said Sidek, who has been synonymous with the George Town Festival for close to a decade.

The 10-day festival is set feature both local and international artists,performers, designers, photographers, and speakers.

“Sarawak has so much to offer. Apart from ecotourism, it is also renowned for its diverse cultural identities and traditions. The Rainforest Fringe Festival is all about Sarawak and is for everyone.

“It will be an exciting time for all to come together and be immersed in art, nature, history, tradition, culture and fun,” promises Sidek.

“This year’s RFF will be an all-inclusive and a complete sensorial experience,” he adds, saying that the programme includes:

• SARAWAK: The Indigenous Showcase – Opening the festival, Sarawak’s own creation presents a tapestry of Sarawak’s indigenous groups through dance, songs,

sounds and chants. The performance layers the traditional with the contemporary, featuring New York-based dancer and choreographer Raziman Sarbini.

Also performing will be the celebrated Kuching-born soprano Dewi Liana Seriestha, the first Malaysian to win the Miss World Talent title in 2014, and recently selected as icon and keynote speaker for International Dayak Culture Day in Indonesia.

• A performance of the Paiwan Tribe from Taiwan will add an international element to the evening. The Paiwan Tribe performance, one of Taiwan’s most interesting indigenous showcases, stars Hao-Hsiang Hsu, internationally famous actor (Life of Pi) and theatre director, and Paiwan ancient singer Seredaw Tariyaljan, who performed at the Pre-Grammy Party at the 55thGrammy Awards.

This performance combines cocoon, percussion instruments and aboriginal folk songs to present a pure aboriginal musical performance celebrating the beauty of the aboriginal culture of Taiwan.

• FIRST PEOPLE Party – Introducing the term orang asal, the “first people”; RFF celebrates indigenous Sarawakians with a party hosted at the Black Box, Borneo744. The night is a performance from the electrifying soul band Electric Fields, fresh from WOMADelaide and the Australian Performing Arts Market, alongside Sarawak’s own At Adau and Pete Kallang.

• BAMBOO THAT BINDS & WOOD – This interactive series of programmes, curated by Sarawakian Wendy Teo, aims to encourage innovative use of bamboo and wood:

• The “INSTRUMENT” – A Bamboo Musical Installation. A public interactive installation of bamboo in the shape of the angklung, with musical performances.

Wendy Teo will be working with Indonesian musicians Karinding Attack to create this site-specific music sphere.

• The CREATIVE FORUM welcomes international speakers: Filipino designer to the stars, Kenneth Cobonpue; Malaysian furniture designer Shahril Faisal, whose designs “evoke emotions, provoke thoughts and stimulate the senses”; Taiwanese artist Cheng-Tsung Feng, a designer who explores the contemporary potential in traditional utensils and materials; Indian bamboo textile designer Madhu Jain, a craft revivalist recently honoured by the President of India for her services in design; and Australian architect Jed Long, co-founder of Cave Urban, a collective formed to investigate vernacular lightweight structures and their relevance to contemporary design.

* The WORKSHOP – Redesigning Bornean Crafts. 20 days, six designers/craftsmen, three countries. Bringing together three designers from Thailand, three designers from Taiwan and local craftsmen to showcase what happens when international design embraces local craftsmanship. The design teams will combine their skills to create innovative new items over a three-week workshop in June and July, after which they will display their pieces at the festival.

• The MARKET – Borneo 744 plays host to the best of Sarawakian artisanal products: wood and bamboo designs and crafts, antiques, exotic plants, books, fashion, food, and more. For the first time, Big Bad Wolf comes to East Malaysia with their enormously popular book fair at the Market.

• The RAINFOREST STORIES – A set of screenings of films and documentaries that pay homage to Sarawakian culture. A highlight is the intriguing Lost Films series, films that have been lost into the archives, featuring Cinta Gadis Rhimba (director Datuk L. Krishnan), and introducing the Search for the Long House – a project to locate and screen The Long House (directed by Phani Majumdar).

“Making RFF a true sensorial experience, food will feature in our programme, and we look forward to announcing partnerships with local food establishments and putting indigenous and contemporary Sarawakian cuisine on an international stage,” said Sidek.

The Rainforest Fringe Festival (RFF) began in 2017 and is an annual 10-day celebration of the spirit and energy of Sarawak. Hosted in the heart of Kuching, the festival honours Sarawak’s eclectic culture and vibrancy of the land and the people through music, art, craft, film, photography, and design.

#rff #rainforestfringe #kuching #2018

(all but one image courtesy of RFF)