The Korean wave continues in Penang with more Korean food joints opening up. JINJU Korean Dining and Bar is one of the latest additions, the Korean restaurant is taking Penang by storm, attracting a big young crowd to visit the place. Its social media presence is equally strong, thanks to its aesthetically pleasing food presentation. JINJU offers a big Korean menu- from barbecue to seafood pot, noodles or even stew but do expect to pay a little more here. For those who prefer alcohols to go with their Korean dishes, JINJU has a fair selection as well.  Haemul Junggul "The Poseidon" (Rm ..read more

The Thai Cafe and Restaurant at Sri Bahari Road is a new place where you get to enjoy good Thai food in a comfortable cafe setting. Unlike any regular Thai restaurant, this new kid on the block offers a slightly different menu as compared to its competitors. The menu features mostly rice sets with a small variety of appetizers or sides; making it hard for bigger group of diners to share the food (good for smaller groups). The Thai has the standard cafe setting, fully air-conditioned and certainly comfortable. A nice place in town to have a quick, budget Thai fix. Crispy Garlic Chicken Rice ..read more

Adding more flavors to the latest lifestyle mall in Penang- Gurney Walk as the mall welcomes a new F&B tenant: Havana Kitchen which specializes in dishing out South Indian delights. Expect to see heavy-spices on the menu with regional delights from Kerala, Tamilnadu, Chettinad, Andhra and Karnataka etc. When it comes to South Indian cuisine, one should expect heavy spicy kick and bold chili heat; Havana Kitchen seeks to bring authentic South Indian flavors to Penang. There are many uncommon South Indian delights (to Penang) on the menu which fans of Indian food would not want to miss. It i ..read more

Thai food lovers should not be new to the name- Thailander, as the brand has a strong presence in Gurney Plaza food court. The proprietor is also related to the Thai food stall in Lotus E-Gate. With the strong support from the regulars, Thailander has finally opened a proper Thai restaurant in Vantage Desiran Tanjung Penang.  The menu is quite limited but more than good enough to satisfy anyone with Thai food cravings. The classics are there- from Maeng Kam, various Thai Salads, Tom Yum to Thai stir-fries or even desserts; Thailander has everything in the menu. Also, food items here are a ..read more

More like a family restaurant at Icon City, Macau Street Cha Chan Ting 澳门街茶餐厅 does not only dish out Macau or Hong Kong-inspired dishes; the Chinese restaurant also churns out local Malaysian delights. It has a big menu to offer making it suitable for all age range- from appetizers, to noodle/ rice dishes, stir fries or even desserts. The price points are affordable and importantly, the dishes commensurate with the prices. It is also worth mentioning that there are ample seatings available, and the restaurant is able to accommodate big groups of diners (the restaurant occupies 2 floors ..read more

Sharing the same space as ESH Landscaping and Big Ben near Botanical Garden, Dim Sum Cha Yun 点心茶园 is the latest addition to the place. Dim Sum Cha Yun started their business operations in late Dec 2022 but has since garnered an appreciate following... mainly family diners and park-goers. There are also ample parking lots available, which could be another reason why this place is popular. In terms of menu, the place does not offer plenty of Dim Sum choices as compared to some established Dim Sum joints in town, but they do have some Chinese stir-fry dishes which make up the numbers. Items ..read more

Sharing the same space as Juma Homestay at Sungai Ara, Cawan Kuey only opens in the late afternoons. The Muslim-friendly cafe brilliantly uses the space right in front of a residential house, before the sun sets, the place is a little warm and stuffy so do come prepared. It has a simple menu with a couple of mains and some snacks/cakes. But mind you, the casual, relaxed seating arrangement is not quite suitable for main (we struggled a bit with the Bihun Sup) but more for enjoying light snacks or even cakes over coffee. Interesting vibe with wallet-friendly sweet treats, worth a look if you ar ..read more

A cafe built in the middle of a Durian Orchard at Balik Pulau, 2 Acres Cafe gained its fame in a short period of time due to its unique location that offers exclusive ambiance second to none. The location is a little off the beaten track and would require another 15-20 minute of drive from Balik Pulau town. It's hard to miss the place, the entire park is properly built to cater for visitors... with ample parking, clean washroom, air-conditioned cafe with plenty of photo-shooting spots. There's also a durian stall right outside the cafe entrance if you must know. There is no entrance fee to thi ..read more

Renowned for its attention to details, Maple Palace Restaurant 美宝阁 has been offering authentic, lip-smacking Cantonese cuisine since its opening more than a decade ago. It is also the de facto go-to place and iconic spot for a refined, classic Cantonese meal in Penang. The restaurant prides itself in using premium and only the freshest ingredients. In recent years, the Cantonese restaurant steps up and introduces more dishes with an elegant, modern twist. Definitely a place where you will find quality, reliable Cantonese cuisine. Many Thanks to Maple Palace Restaurant for hosting us. S ..read more

Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside are some basic requirements to a good Bagel but Bagel's Dream, one of the bagel specialists in town is taking things seriously, taking their bagels a step further by introducing more and more innovative flavors and combinations. Bagel's Dream was previously housed in Kim Haus at Campbell Street but it has since moved out and they are now occupying the entire lot by themselves. The new location is right opposite to Kim Haus on the same street; offering a bigger, cozier, more comfortable space for diners. Food offering-wise, there are more on o ..read more