George Town has many nostalgic shophouses, vintage shops and old streets that are so hard to come by in big cities these days. Among these old streets, boutique niche cafes are also springing out. While each cafe is special in their own ways, many of them has a rustic charm that attracted a good pool of cafe goers.

During my 3 days in Penang, I have planned a whole list of cafes I wish to visit. I am so glad that I manage to cover 6 of them, with every cafe reminded me to slow down my pace in life. We spent our time talking about anything and everything under the sun, relax by reading a book while sipping coffee, leisurely surfing the net — life can be so simple.

Here’s a quote for you from Rachel Dillon: ”We spend too much time making a living and too little time living and making.“

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CAFE 55  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Out of the many cafes I visited in Penang, Cafe 55 is my top favourite. It is a part of Coffee Atelier which also houses the Gehrig Art Gallery, 47 & 49 Residence and Coffee Museum (which used to be Kim Guan Coffee Factory). The building is a beautifully-restored early 20th century shophouse and the name hopes to celebrate the memory of this artisanal trade from a bygone era.

A must try here is their 3D coffee art because Cafe 55 is the only cafe in Penang that does 3D coffee art. While many come in for their coffee (I love my double shot latte), the cafe also serves excellent Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. We had the Grilled Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce (RM22) which goes very well with their homemade french baguette (RM8 for 6 pcs). I love their Beef Tenderloin with Roasting Jus (RM32) and Beef Cheeks which was braised for 72 hours (RM42). Their service staffs are all super friendly and helpful. We went on the first day and on our last day, we were nearby with our heavy luggage, looking for other cafes. I popped by and asked if we can just leave our luggage with them for a while and they agreed.

Cafe 55
Address: 47-55 Lorong Stewart, George Town
Tel: +604 261 2261
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm daily
Website: http://www.coffeeatelier.com
Wifi in the cafe? Yes.

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MOONTREE 47 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Housed in a traditional Malaysian shophouse built in the 1920s, MoonTree 47 is a homestay + cafe in Muntri Street. The cafe is furnished simply with rustic decor. There are many recycled items in the cafe, with tables and chairs that are purposely mismatched. What catches my eyes is the whole row of old school clocks on the wall.

I went to the cafe twice. First time, I reached at 5.45pm and they told me they were closed for the day (I remembered they wrote on their FB that they closed at 7pm). So the second time, I went in the afternoon. We had a cup of illy’s Cappuccino (RM10) and a plate of Cocona Pancake (RM13). Nothing good to shout about their food. But their service staffs are people with attitude and character because they never smile, they get impatient when we were deciding what to eat, and they stared at us when we were taking photos. What to do, they probably have one of the cafe with the nicest vintage decor.

MoonTree 47
Address: 47 Muntri Street, George Town
Tel: +604 264 4021
Opening hours: Mon to Tue 9am – 7pm; Thu to Sun 9am – 7pm
Wifi in the cafe? No.

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ARMENIAN HOUSE _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Situated on the ever popular heritage street of Lebuh Armenian, Armenian House is a renovated old shop house and offers wallet-friendly accommodation and food. All the old sewing machines are converted into a little tables for us to sit back, relax and enjoy.

We had the Armenian House set meal which consist of a plate of seafood spaghetti, cheeesecake and lime juice for RM25. I enjoyed its homemade cheese cake which is not too rich or cloying. What I enjoyed most is the conversation with the owner, Chimino, who has so kindly shared with us some lovely places to visit in George Town.

Armenian House
Address: 35 Lebuh Armenian, George Town
Tel: +6016 486 8309
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm daily
Wifi in the cafe? Yes.

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KWONG SANG HOUSE _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A tailor shop transformed into a café, Kwong Sang House (廣生洋服) still keeps the originality in this shop. When we walked into the shop, we felt like we were here to tailor make our dresses. There’s a range of vintage collection all over the shop. From a television, a fan, shelves of books to a chess set, a typewriter, a sewing machine, which depicts the rustic charm of Penang’s past.

The cafe serves a good variety of western dishes and the waiter recommended us to try their pizzas. Unfortunately, we were too full so we only had a plate of Prawn Aglio Olio (RM16.90) which has al dente pasta spiked with chilli and garlic. That bit of heat really lifts the olive oil and garlic pasta dish, and we love the big prawns. Be sure to walk up to level 2 which is a mini library and a collection of vintage items.

Kwong Sang House (廣生洋服)
Address: 36 Leith Street, George Town
Tel: +6012-556 5509
Opening Hours: Mon to Wed 12pm – 2:30 pm, 6pm – 11pm; Fri to Sun 12pm – 2:30pm, 6pm – 11pm. Closed on Thursdays
Wifi in the cafe? Yes.

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CHINA HOUSE
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We initially wanted to visit Cozy in the Rocket, but unfortunately they are closed on Monday. So we went to China House instead, which is a recommendation from FM93.3 DJ Xie Jia Fa. It was the best decision ever, I LOVE IT SO MUCH! It is a traditional compound of 3 heritage buildings linked by an open air courtyard. Now converted into 14 existing spaces with shops, cafés, restaurants, galleries and theatre.

Dessert lovers will love their long table of home made desserts. Every piece looked utterly delectable, every piece inviting, begging to be savor. A piece of cake, a cup of coffee or a glass of red wine, what else could I ask for. China House serves one of the best tiramisu I ever had, with unexpected potent hit of coffee liqueur, with layers of bittersweet alcohol, coffee and moist chocolate mousse. I was pleasantly surprised and reached out for a second spoonful, a third spoonful… and finished the whole cake with satisfaction.

China House
Address: 153 & 155, Lebuh Pantai, George Town
Tel: +604 263 7299
Opening times: 11am – 11pm daily
Website: http://www.straitscollection.com.my/ChinaHouse.htm
Wifi in the cafe? Yes.

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BEHIND 50 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Most of the cafes in George Town closes by 6pm. But Behind 50 is one of the very few cafes that opens after 6pm. If you’re wondering, Behind 50 is named as such because it is located behind a building called ‘50’. This quaint little place used to be a bicycle repair shop back in the days. Its old school decors and memorabilia has attracted quite a crowd. We chose to sit on their high chair looking over the roadside.

Love the nostalgic, rustic ambience, and generally reminiscent of old-school Penang. There are scribbles on the walls, and there is also a vintage gramophone! The menu came in these old stamp books which is quite a novel idea. There are also specials of the day on the blackboard made up of western poultry dishes. We had a plate of Hawaii Chicken (RM18.90) where the grilled chicken is so tender and juicy. To go along with it, we ordered a peanut butter shake (RM8.90). Behind 50 has adopted the ‘suspended coffee’ programme where donations given by the patrons go towards providing a hot beverage for the underprivileged and the homeless.

Behind 50
Address: 50 Lorong Love, George Town
Tel: +6012 493 9230
Opening hours: Mon to Wed 6pm – 1am; Fri to Sun 6pm – 1am
Wifi in the cafe? No.

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Hope you like my cafe guide! This is definitely not the most extensive list but I hope it helps you a little when you are planning your trip to Penang. I have spent A LOT of time planning for the cafe feature. It is a pity some cafes are closed on the day of our visit. Here are some other cafes which I wanted to visit but didn’t have the chance. That said, I will be back to Penang soon!

Chai Diam Ma Restaurant
Address: 15, Lebuh Queen, 10200 Georgetown
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 12pm – 9pm, Fri and Sat 12pm – 11pm, Closed on Tue
Website: http://www.chaidiamma.com

Cozy in the Rocket
Address: 262 & 264, Lebuh Pantai, George Town
Tel: +6012 496 7838
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 10am – 5pm (including public holiday); Closed on Mon

Edelweiss Cafe
Address: 38, Lebuh Armenian, George Town
Tel: +604 261 8935
Opening hours: Tue to Fri 12pm – 3pm & 6pm – 10pm; Sat 11am – 10pm; Sun 11am – 6pm; Closed on Mon
Website: http://www.edelweisscafe.com

Ete Cafe
Address: 79, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town
Tel: +6017 4350922
Opening Hours: 11am – 6:30 pm daily
Website: https://www.facebook.com/etecafe

Moustache Houze
Address: 24, Campbell Street, George Town
Contact Number: +604 262 2228
Opening Hours: 4:30pm – 10pm daily
Website: https://www.facebook.com/MoustacheHouze

The Lithuanian-born artist took a temporary residence in Penang and left his mark with beautiful wall painting all over Georgetown. The artworks are funny, fascinating, and very much open to everyone’s interpretations. We walked around George Town to discover as many wall paintings as possible, resting at different cafes in between. If you visit any of the cafes in my “Guide to Cafes in Geroge Town, Penang“, I am sure you will be able to find some wall paintings nearby. Just open your eyes bigger and look around.

Kungfu Girl @ Jalan Muntri

The Awaiting Trishaw Paddler @ Penang Road

Little Children on a Bicycle @ Armenian Street

Boy on a Bike @ Ah Quee Street

Reaching Up @ Cannon Street

Besides the street art by Ernest Zacharevic, there are also metal sculptures around Geroge Town which describe the prevailing colloquial demeanor of the early settlement days.

ONE LEG KICKS ALL @ Lebuh Muntri
The “black and white” Amahs were Cantonese domestic servants from Guangdong who did all kinds of household chores and would refer to themselves with wry humor as “Yat Keok Tet” (One Leg Kicks All).

WIN WIN SITUATION @ Lebuh Muntri
MuntriStreet was named after The “Orang Kaya Menteri” of Larut, Perak, Ngah Ibrahim

BECA @ Lebuh Chulia
Next…here, here and here! Locally known as ‘beca’. Most of the trishaw paddlers also doubled as tourist guides.

KANDAR @ Lebuh Ah Quee
Nasi Kandar originated from Tamil Muslim hawking home-cooked curry dishes and rice from containers slung on both ends of a kandar (a wooden stick)

CANNON HOLE @ Lebuh Cannon
A cannon shot fired during the 1867 Penang Riots made a large hole in this area, hence the name.

PROCESSION @ Lebuh Armenian
The Tua Pek Kong Hneoh Grand Float Procession is held in the Year of the Tiger to wash away bad luck and bring great wealth and health.

SPY @ Lebuh Cintra
In the early 20th century, the slightly risque reputation of this area was further enhanced by the presense of Japanese camera shops which were suspected of covert spying activities.

THREE GENERATIONS @ Lebuh Kimberley
Kimberley Street is famous for its hawkers food. Some stalls have been here for over 3 generations.

TOO NARROW @ Lorong Soo Hong
The hand-pulled rickshaw was the most popular form of transportation in early Penang.

AH QUEE? @ Ah Quee Street
Ah Quee? Ah Kwee? Ah Kooi? Ah Kui? AhLo! The street is named after Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee who generously donated his house to the Municipality for vehicular access, ensuring that his name lives on for posterity.

If you are heading to Penang soon, this “Street Art of George Town, Penang” map is helpful: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=m&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=206983907087560792960.0004c3e782fdd713fd759

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Other Penang blog posts:

• Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang
• Pulau Tikus Market
• Guide to Cafes in George Town, Penang
• 41 Living Story

I love Penang, for many reasons. Yes, food is one of them. And more so for their beautiful cafes and lifestyle shops. I am always deeply inspired by people who take a very passionate role in life and pouring their souls into something that inspires them. Here in Penang, I take my time to slow down and take a stroll around the streets to slowly discover its beauty. Sometimes, I am so happy that we were lost along the way, because that is exactly the fun of travelling, right?

So while we were trying to find some cafe in our list, we passed by 41 Living Story and was attracted by it. Situated along quiet Love Lane, 41 Living Story is a charming bric-a-brac shop in a refurbished shop house that used to be a goldsmith business. As you enter the shop, you will be many interesting souvenirs such as posters, cards, toys and dainty knick knacks that will charm you.

As we explored further in, we were greeted by the various goldsmith’s antique equipment that are preserved and exhibited in the courtyard area, along with its history written on panels hung on the walls. Apparently, the equipments here belonged to a goldsmith from China who lived in Penang during the 1950s.

As we climb up the steps, I felt like I was brought back to my childhood where we still listen to cassette tapes. The very kind sales girl allowed us to take a look upstairs even though there was no one to take care of the stuffs.

Every month, they have exhibition going on to promote the art in Penang. On the second floor which looks like a cottage, some photos were displayed on the wall. As I entered to a living room look alike room, there are many vintage souvenirs such as bags, candies, clothes etc up on sale. Very pretty, isn’t it?

41 Living Story
Address: 41, Lorong Love, George Town, Penang
Tel: +604 263 6103
Website: https://www.facebook.com/41livingstory

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Other Penang blog posts:

• Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang
• Pulau Tikus Market
• Guide to Cafes in George Town, Penang
• Street Art in Penang

Hello world, happy Saturday! Today, I am back to sharing my Penang food post! Sorry ah, I took such a long break because I have been trying to write a humongous blog post on my Penang hawker food experience but there are soooooo many stalls worth visiting, I type until my hands pain also haven’t finish. LOL! So I decided I am going to share with you Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine first.

Penang is one of the birthplaces of the Peranakan culture. Recommended by a local, we visited Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine which is tucked away in a pre-war converted house located at Chow Thye Road (Off Jalan Burma). The cosy restaurant is run by a husband and wife team Mr Tan and Ms Ivy. It has simple decor and basic dining layout, with its name on a banner hanging outside the restaurant. It serves pork-free home-cooked dishes, authentic Penang nyonya cuisines, a variety of set meals, steamboat dinner, seafood dinner and fish head curry.

It’s my first time eating Joo Hoo Ban Kuang Char (RM25/40/55) which is traditional Nyonya mixed vegetables served with fresh lettuce. It resembles the complicated noodles I had at Greyhound Cafe in Thailand where you just have to wrap the ingredients in lettuce and add the super powerful chilli sauce.

Of course, Joo Hoo Ban Kuang Char takes much more effort the preparation is rather tedious. You have to shred turnips lah, shred carrots lah, and cut many other ingredients. Ivy’s version is very tasty and turnips are braised till very soft. Specially love the belachan which is super spicy but shiok. And thankfully, they have the Homemade Soya Bean (RM3) to tone it down.

When owner Mr Tan brings out his Beef Rendang (RM18), he proudly said that this is one of the restaurant’s signature. Indeed, the beef rendang has the right rempah – rich, thick, spicy and coconut-y enough. The meat is fork-tender, I gladly ordered a bowl of rice to pair with this.

King Prawns in Homemade Chilli Paste (RM8-10/pc, minimum 4 pcs) has a slight citrus flavour which added depth to this dish. It has a balance of spicy, savoury, sour with a tint of sweetness from the fresh prawns.

Black Glutinous Rice Bee Koh Moi (RM3/bowl) is thick and creamy. The addition of pandan leaves gives Bee Koh Moy a refreshing aroma.

I recommend you to have the set meals (RM55 for 2, RM72 for 3, RM 96 for 4-5pax) because you get to eat a much more bigger variety of dishes at an affordable price. We had lotsa hawker food before our dinner here so we decided to order ala carte. It was a wrong move totally. Nevertheless, we had a great meal at Ivy’s and will certainly return next time we are in Penang.

Ivy’s Nyonya Cuisine
Address: 58, Jalan Chow Thye, George Town
Tel: +6016 433 7130
Opening hours: 12pm to 3pm, 6pm -9pm. Closed on Mondays

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Other Penang blog posts:

• Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang
• Pulau Tikus Market
• Guide to Cafes in George Town, Penang
• Street Art in Penang
• 41 Living Story

Penang is truly a food paradise. It has a good mix of traditional Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan dishes and many of them can be found in hawker stalls throughout George Town. Throughout my 4 days in Penang, I had seen and ate as much as I could.

My mission: to enjoy as many of Penang’s famed dishes as possible in four days.

I have engaged a local tour guide to drive us around for a day. Just like what I did for Bangkok, I gave this tour guide a difficult task. That is, to bring me to places which sells good Penang food. Stomach space is very precious. I am obsessed with what I will have for my next meal and I researched as much as I can. I know I am definitely going to put on weight after my trip to Penang, so I want to make it worthwhile.

And here I am, happy to share with you what I have discovered. We combed about 20 hawker stalls and picked my favourite 10 out of them. I really love the fact that the hawker food culture is still going strong in Penang. Everywhere in the town, you can see many roadside hawker stalls whipping up dishes which they have been cooking for years. We practically walked with a heavy tummy in Penang every single day because there are just so much to eat. We gorge ourselves silly on char kway teow, prawn noodle soup, curry mee, assam laksa and so on. The hawker buzz is incredible. I don’t think you can see this anywhere else.

I am writing this as a perspective of a tourist. I understand that there are many many amazing hawker stalls and my 4 days stay in Penang is totally not enough to cover all the gems in the foodie town. But I hope to just serve as a guide for those of you who are visiting Penang for the first time.

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Mee Goreng @ Bangkok Lane

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Just the mention of Mee Goreng and most locals will direct you to the Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng. The mee goreng business has been passed down over several generations and does super tasty mee goreng. It is definitely entertaining to watch the owner / his worker fry mee goreng – one hand tossing and frying the noodles, while the other hand constantly turning the wok in a circular manner!

When served, just squeeze some lime, mix it and you are ready to savour. Even for someone like me who seldom eats Mee Goreng, I can’t help but to finish the whole plate of mee goreng. The noodles was moist and so fragrant, with some decent wok hei. The prawn stock and mashed potatoes gives it a balance of sweet, sour and spicy. And the mee goreng also have cuttlefish which makes it stand out from other mee goreng stalls. One fun fact, the owner knows Hokkien ok. Don’t play play!

Address: 270 Jalan Burma, Lorong Bangkok
Opening Hours: 8am – 6.30pm. Closed on Mondays

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Fish Ball Koay Teow Soup @ Carnavon Street

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This is not an usual bowl of fish ball soup. Because the fish balls here are MADE FROM EEL. Yes, the eel that we usually eat in Japanese restaurant. Instead of using the usual Batang fish to make their fishballs, the owner has creatively used eel to make into fish ball. Batang fish gives a more firm texture, but eel fish balls taste so much softer.

We ordered a bowl of dried noodles and fish ball soup to share. They uses a higher grade of dark soy sauce which makes the noodles super shiok. Unlike other fish ball noodles stall which usually adds in bak chor (minced meat), this stall uses handmade pork fillet which is unique. Their soup is boiled with duck and pork bones for many hours, hence giving it natural sweetness.

Address: 183 Carnarvon Street
Opening Hours: 9am – 4.30pm. Closed on Sun & Mon

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Asam Laksa @ Air Itam

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Situated next to Air Itam market, this stall is hugely popular for its authentic assam laksa. With only RM4, each bowl is packed with thick rice noodles, vegetables, spicy mackerel based soup and a generous amount of shrimp paste. Its main distinguishing feature is the asam which gives the soup a sour taste. The fish is poached and then flaked. There are other ingredients like lemongrass, mint, onion etc.

The soup base is very flavorful and filled with generous amount of flaked mackerels. The prawn pastes gives more depth to the laksa. And it is refreshing with the mint and onion. Don’t think this is the best bowl of Assam Laksa in Penang but it is pretty decent.

Address: 11500 Air Itam, Jalan Pasar
Open daily: 11:30am – 10pm

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Lor Bak @ Kheng Pin Cafe

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This Lor Bak stall at Kheng Pin Kafe located in the junction of Penang Road and Sri Bahari Road is another up and coming Lor Bak stall in Penang. Lor bak is usually served as an appetizer which consists of marinated five spiced pork wrap in bean curd skin. I think freshness is important in making Lor Bak.

The Lor Bak here has the perfect marinated meat, which makes it tender and delicately flavoured. The skin is also not as thick as it is only wrapped with one layer. So when it is being fried, you can see the golden brown crispy exterior. The lor bak here is not too oily, and only prepared upon order only to ensure freshness. The Lor Bak is eaten with a dipping of chili sauce and homemade thick starchy lor sauce with beaten egg swirls.

Address: Kheng Pin Café, 80 Penang Road
Opening hours: 7am – 3pm. Closed on Mondays.

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Penang Road Famous Teochew Cendol @ Lebuh Keng Kwee

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Cendol is one of Malaysia’s favourite desserts. But nowhere is the competition more keen than on Lebuh Keng Kwee, off Penang Road, where two families have been operating their stalls for decades. One is called “Penang Road Famous Cendol” run by the Loh family, while the other is called “Penang Road Famous Teochew Cendol” run by the Tan family.

We chose the Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul from Mr Tan, as recommended by our tour guide. They have been in this trade close to 40 years. Armed with a five-decade old recipe, the family roll up their sleeves everyday to prepare bowls of refreshing cendol and ais kacang for their customers. Even Gurmit Singh and Lim Guan Eng patronise his stall!

In a bowl of RM2 chendol, there is aromatic gula Melaka and fragrant coconut milk, certainly a perfect remedy for the blistering heat of Penang. You can have the cendol beside the stall, at the comfort of air con. Another nice thing about the shoplot is that you can get a delicious, hot bowl of assam laksa from the stall right in front of the door.

Address: Lebuh Keng Kwee, off Penang Road
Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 10.30am – 7pm; Sat & Sun 10am – 7.30pm

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Kim Leng Loh Mee @ Perak Lane

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Loh Mee is one of the top 10 hawker food in Penang. Off Jalan Perak, there is this loh mee stall called “Kim Leng Loh Mee” that serves very good loh mee. Being a loh mee fan back in Singapore, I have my own expectations when it comes to a good bowl of loh mee. The most important part is definitely the gravy, which must be tasty, not like some brown coloured glue.

Kim Leng Loh Mee serves a good bowl of loh mee with thick, dark-coloured gravy cooked with pork rib stock, five-spiced powder and starched with egg white. It is then served with yellow noodle and bee hoon together with chicken feet, egg, bean sprouts and slices of barbecue pork. What’s more, they also serve CHICKEN FEET in the loh mee. The Loh Mee is priced from RM3 (Small), RM3.50 (Medium) and RM5 (Big).

Address: 336-G1 Lintang Slim, off Jalan Perak
Opening Hours: 7am – 4pm. Closed on Thursdays.

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Tua Pui Curry Mee @ Lebuh Kimerley

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We were dejected because by the last day of our trip, we still couldn’t find a good bowl of curry mee. But I never give up till the very end. On our way to airport, I was googling and found Tua Pui Curry Mee. It was already late afternoon and many stalls may have been closed. But the kind driver offered to drive us to the location to check it out. And…LAST BOWL OF CURRY MEE FOR THE DAY BELONGS TO US! YAY!

Tua Pui curry mee serves a generous bowl of curry noodles which includes ingredients such as taupok, coagulated blood, blood cockles, cuttle fish and more. The soup is enhanced with several types of curry, giving it a little more complexity. Not to forget their home made chili, which completes the entire dish but do not overpower the coconut in the soup. Their curry mee overall is as good as any.

Address : 23, Lebuh Kimerley
Opening Hours: 9am to 5.30pm. Closed on Wednesdays.

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Seafood Popiah @ Gerai Gerai Padang Brown

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Seafood Popiah at Gerai Gerai Padang Brown is one of the oldest in Penang with over 60 years of history. It is probably also one of the few stalls that had extravagant crab meat in its popiah. The ingredients here are simpler with only shredded egg pieces, ‘bangkuang char’, crab meat and fried shallots.

After the popiah has been wrapped, it will be drowned in stir fried turnip gravy. When I first saw my plate of wet popiah, I wasn’t able to accept. But after tasting it, I love it very much. The popiah becomes sweeter absorbing the gravy.

There are also other good food in Gerai Gerai Padang Brown, such as lok lok, ice kachang, char koay teow, yong tau fu and more.

Address: Stall 17, Gerai Gerai Padang Brown
Opening hours: 2pm – 7pm. Closed on Thursdays.

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Char Kway Teow @ Lorong Selamat

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I am sure many of you are familiar with this Char Kway Teow stall. Yes, this is the stall where the lady owner is recognized by her red hat and she sometimes wear goggle too. She is also, unfortuntately, the target of a Facebook boycott campaign after allegedly insulting a customer who complained about the price.

But, who cares? She really fries a very good plate of char kway teow! With RM9, you get a nice charcoal fried kway teow with large prawns and fresh cockles. She probably serves the most expensive char kway teow in Penang, but there are still local crowds constantly streaming in just to get their char kway teow craving satisfied.

Ok, I haven’t eaten all the famous Char Kway Teow stalls to have a conclusion but her char kway teow has a good wok hei with all the flavours perfectly balanced, which is often missing in Singapore. Her wok is charcoal fired, with a small fan at the bottom blowing to keep the flames hot. It was very smooth and infused with the umami flavour of the prawns.

Address: 108, Lorong Selamat
Opening Hours: 11am – 6pm. Closed on every Tuesdays.

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Hokkien Mee @ Jelutong Night Market

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Because we went during the period of Nine Emperor Gods Festival, many stalls were not opened. But thankfully we managed to complete our hunt for Hokkien Mee at Jelutong night market. This is really a hidden gem because they sell a very good bowl of Hokkien Mee for the locals but not as well known to the tourists as compared to some other stalls.

Slices of prawns and well balanced stock are the key ingredient to the Hokkien Mee, with the chili paste providing the wow factor. The soup is bursting with prawn flavour, while our noodles are cooked just right. What’s the best thing, you don’t have to wait for long before the Hokkien Mee arrived!

Address: Jalan Penaga, Jelutong
Opening hours: 7pm – 12am

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I hope this gives you a good list on where to eat in Penang. I leave Penang with some regrets because I didn’t manage to try some of the hawker dishes which were in our plan. One of which is the famous Lim Sisters’ Curry Mee at air itam market. The 80 over year-old elderly sisters crouched around their cauldron of curry, ladling out bowl of their curry noodles. Sock Peng, a fellow food blogger whom I met during the trip, specially recommended it. We took a cab there but unfortunately they were closed during the period of Nine Emperor Gods Festival. They are usually opened daily from 8am to 1pm daily.

Not forgetting the Penang Super Hokkien Mee behind Penang Plaza which needs to queue at 7am in the morning. We never wake up early enough to grab a bowl of it. And Batu Lanchang Nyonya Kuih Stall which only opens at 3pm but closed on Sunday, which happens to be the day of our visit. But this gives me a reason to go back Penang again to conquer another round of hawker food. I WILL BE BACK!

Read about my other Penang posts:
Guide to Cafes in George Town // Street Art in Penang // 41 Living Story // Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa // Pulau Tikus Market.

How do you define a perfect hotel stay? Is it the food that matters? Or the service? Or the room? I am honored to experience a wonderful stay at Grand Hyatt Singapore, a five-star luxury hotel, located right in the heart of Orchard. The hotel group has recently launched new amenities and services as a result of its effort to listen more to guests and provide an experience tailored to their individual preferences. Let’s see what’s in for me!

Grand Hyatt Singapore has many many restaurants. From contemporary western and Asian cuisine at mezza9, popular local delights at StraitsKitchen to the poolside Oasis to hearty Italian fare at Pete’s Place, you can also enjoy cocktails at 10 SCOTTS, or treat yourselves at the glass-enclosed martini bar, and party all night long at BRIX nightclub on Orchard Road.

I haven’t been to all and if you have had read my blog for a long time, you should know I always visit Mezza9. Because it has NINE different dining experiences to savour from all the show kitchens around: deli, yakitori grill, sushi-sashimi bar, the grill, steam basket, the patisserie and the martini bar. Even though I go for lunch quite often with my makan buddy Josh, I still cannot finish trying all the dishes in the menu.

So anyway, our staycation began in Mezza9 attending a cooking workshop by the handsome Chef Martin. He strives to introduce more tastes, styles and flavours to the diverse tastebuds of diners. We learnt how to prepare Spinach Egg with Truffle Veloutee, Hokkaido Scallop Pops with Romesco Sauce and Wood Fired Barramundi with Pumpkin, Potatoes, Chestnut and Crustacean Jus. And all these are what we have for our lunch!

Spinach Egg with Truffle Veloutee

Hokkaido Scallop Pops with Romesco Sauce

Wood Fired Barramundi with Pumpkin, Potatoes, Chestnut and Crustacean Jus

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Then we checked in to Grand Club room which is SUPER HUGE AND GORGEOUS! There is this lovely fragrance when we entered the room and both of us didn’t want to leave our room! Haha! Next time my new house I also want this kind of fragrance. In the Grand Club room, there is an extended workstation which is ideal for their business needs. Bath products are of high quality. Grand Hyatt Singapore uses exclusive June Jacobs bathroom amenities.

Not forgetting the 37-inch flat screen television with personal audio/video connection where we can just lie on our bed to watch some entertainment on TV. Look how relaxed Aunty is, she is now a social media addict like me, taking photos and uploading them on instagram! LOL

If you stay in Grand Club room, you can enjoy a host of additional benefits and privileges including June Jacobs amenities, complimentary Internet, and the use and access to their Grand Club Lounge, which serves complimentary Continental breakfast, evening cocktails and all day beverages.

In every room, there is a new “Missing Must-Haves” card, a service providing frequently forgotten items such as baby shampoo, make up remover, mouthwash, sanitary products etc. If you forgot your computer/phone charge, curling iron, power adaptor, yoga mat and more, you can also borrow or buy it from the hotel.

I always get very stressful when I am packing my bag for staycation or travel because I am so worried that I forgot to bring something I need. There was once I forgot to take make up remover, another time I forgot my camera charger. Luckily now I am done with my dental implants, if not one day I may even forget to wear my dentures. LOL! So with this “Missing Must-Haves” card, that makes my hotel stay super convenient!

Thank you for the Grand Hyatt marcomms team for this lovely surprise. When we entered our room, we saw this lovely chocolate cake prepared for us.

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If there is one thing I remembered most about Grand Hyatt Singapore, it is Damai Spa. This is one of my favourite spa location in Singapore. I have been here for many times to celebrate special occasions with the boy and we would always book the couple room which is super chio. But since Aunty was with me today, so we had individual room for an hour body massage.

Damai means “Peace” in Malay and Indonesian language which clearly reflects a harmony of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European found in Singapore. The spa offerings here are based on a set of four cultural healing philosophies: balancing (traditional chinese medicine); healing (malay jamu philosophy); purifying (indian ayurveda); renewing (european spa therapy). A very relaxed massage and we get to use the steam, sauna and whirlpool baths!

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After a relaxing massage, we had our BBQ dinner at Oasis restaurant, situated among lush greenery in tranquil alfresco surroundings. On weekdays, this all-day dining poolside restaurant presents an a la carte selection of homely and hearty options.

From Sunday to Thursday, you can sit back and relax as your selections are plated and served direct to the table fresh from the grill. On Fridays and Saturday, we enjoyed the full buffet dinner spread at $88++ with all you can eat appetizers, main course and desserts with free flow of wine, beer, juices and soft drinks.

A restaurant with good setting, we enjoy the evening breeze while eating the BBQ items like grilled beef steak, grilled chicken, lamb chops, sausages, salad and desserts. My favourite is their BBQ lamb chops which is rich and tasty. By the way, they are having New Year’s Eve Buffet Dinner in Oasis @ $238++ with free-flowing champagne, red and white wines, soft drinks and selected juices.

The location of Grand Hyatt Singapore is perfect because it is in Orchard Road and just right beside Far East! So after dinner, we just went shopping in Far East, CK Tangs, Cineleisure and even went for supper nearby! SHIOKNESS.

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The bed is really comfortable that we nearly cannot wake up on time for breakfast! Because we stayed in grand club room, so we can enjoy a quiet breakfast at the club lounge. Good thing is, there is some privacy and we won’t be faced with a nosy crowd early in the morning. However, the variety here is not that wide lah. There is cold cuts, bread, cheese, sausages tomatoes and alot of different types of drinks. Also, there is eggs cooked ala minute and we ordered a plate of scrambled egg.

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That marked the end of our staycation at Grand Hyatt Singapore, and it was defnitely a memorable one! Thank you Grand Hyatt team Indrani, Sandee and Nicole for being a great host! If you are planning for a staycation soon, Grand Hyatt Singapore is definitely a good choice! Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la la ~

Grand Hyatt Singapore
Address: 10 Scotts Road
Tel: +65 6738 1234
Visit Grand Hyatt’s website, or follow them on Instagram (@grandhyattsing)

Hello world, HAPPY SATURDAY! I am finally done with my Channel U filming and I can finally sit down to do proper blog posts for my Hong Kong trip. This is my 5th time to Hong Kong but I never get bored because there are still so many places yet to discover.

On our first day, we stayed at Langham Place in Mongkok. It is a great location because it is surrounded by shopping malls and famous street markets such as Ladies’ Market, Temple Street Market and Jade Market. Plus, the hotel itself has luxury Chuan Spa, outstanding and fitness studio, innovative restaurants and bars, including the Michelin Star Ming Court!

This is our room which is considered relatively big. It has a glass partition between bed and a marble bathroom with designer glass fittings, a rain shower, oversized bath and backlit mood lighting. I went into the bathroom and got a shock. MIRRORS ALL AROUND! I was like a clown moving around the bathroom, hiding here and there because I don’t want to see myself in the shots but it is impossible to escape. The mirrors make the bathroom so bright and big. I want my future bathroom to be something similar!

Considering the average human spends 2,100 days dreaming, a good night sleep is not something to be taken lightly. With this in mind, Langham Place has created and implemented ‘Dream Big’, a programme designed specifically to entice guests into sweet slumber.

Dream Big comprises of a series of surprise gifts, messages and information all designed to encourage sleep. We can choose the different types of pillows available, it comes with different stuffings. Got rose lah, japanese tea lah, lavender lah. Then when we came back at night, we were pleasantly surprised with the little gifts around our room. There are a petite ‘milk carton’ filled with milk cookies, lavender bath salts, a relaxation massager and even a little note stuck to the bathroom mirror. VERY THOUGTHFUL!

The hip five-star Langham Place hotel is also offering all guests free culture and market tours everyday where we will take a walking tour with a tour guide to explore Mongkok’s hidden gems. The free Culture Tour unveils the cultural and historical facets of the bustling destination. As for the nightly market tours, the tour guide will bring us to the famous markets surrounding the hotel. This is very good for tourist who is visiting Hong Kong for the first time.

Both tours are free to in-house guests, departing at 11am for the Culture Tour (Monday – Saturday excluding public holidays) and at 6pm for the Mongkok Market Tour. Reservations are essential and may be made when booking a room or upon check-in at the hotel.

Langham Place holds one of the world’s largest collections of contemporary Chinese art with more than 1,500 pieces belonging to the hotel. The collection includes pieces by numerous legendary Chinese artists including Wang Guangyi, Yue Minjun and Jiang Shuo. Each level of the hotel carries a different theme! I went on a iPod tour to understand more of the contemporary Chinese art within the hotel.

We visited Hong Kong in end of November and the weather was turning cold. We thought going for a swim was impossible but when we were told that THE POOL WAS HEATED, we were so happy and spent our next morning doing some swimming. Okay lah, I don’t really know how to swim but it was lovely to plunge into the outdoor pool during winter and still feeling proud of it. lolol. And hor, there was soothing music underwater ok! SO HIGH TECH ONE!

Oh, if you want some massage, Langham Place has Chuan Spa which is inspired by the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

We were given access to Club Lounge which is opened 24 hours a day and has panoramic views of Hong Kong. The Club L privileges include personalized check-in and check-out at Club L, 2pm late check out, unlimited wireless/broadband internet access in the room, enjoy nacks, afternoon tea and evening cocktails and canapés and more!

So we enjoyed our simple breakfast at ClubL. Not much variety, but I like the exclusivity and view.

Other F&B outlets within the hotel include Portal — Work & Play which is a fashionable bar with live entertainment and a chilled seafood bar.

We were honoured to have our lunch at Ming Court, a Two-Michelin star restaurant. It is the most impressive and memorable meal I had in Hong Kong and stay tune for my blog post soon!

And there is also Tokoro Robatayaki & Whisky Bar, creating Japanese food with flair in an energetic atmosphere (the waitress is energetic). The whiskey bar offers a bird’s eye view of Mongkok’s city lights.

Buffet lovers will like The Place which offers a sumptuous buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or enjoy a la carte of eastern and western delicacies, often with a deliciously unexpected creative twist.

After dinner, you can also chill out at The Backyard under sweet-scented mango trees, lounging in the latest in European outdoor furniture and enjoy free flow of champagne and gourmet pizzas.

It was a short stay in Langham and a pity that I couldn’t explore other F&B outlets besides Ming Court. But it was definitely a memorable one with excellent service. I will be back!

Langham Place Hotel
Address: 555 Shanghai Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3552 3388
Website: http://hongkong.langhamplacehotels.com
Facebook here / Twitter here

Located on the sixth floor of Langham Place Hotel in Mongkok, Ming Court is an oasis of class and modern Chinese luxury. Being one of only 13 restaurants in Hong Kong to be awarded two stars, the restaurant serves up Cantonese dishes with culinary innovation.

Heralding over 40 years of experience, Executive Chef Mango Tsang Chiu Lit joined Ming Court this year March. First dish and I was already impressed by its presentation. Just a few stacks of Homemade Chilled Tofu (HK $68/pax), so silky and soft. Just adding abit of Italian black truffle and gold leaf and I was swoon over!

We tried two dishes from their dim sum menu and this includes Shanghainese Pork Dumpling with Alaskan King Crab Meat (HK $25/pc) and Steamed Drunken Shrimp Dumpling (HK $25/pc). The addition of crab meat makes for a rich but equally traditional xiao long bao. And the har gao has an aromatic hint of alcohol with bamboo shoots.

Presented in a Japanese style, Tea Pot Chicken Consomme (HK $128/pax) came in a transparent tea pot. Can’t really taste the Matsutake Mushroom, perhaps the bamboo pith was much stronger. But sipping my chicken soup from a tea cup kinda reminded me to slow down my pace and enjoy the goodness from the soup.

Ming Court has won multiple awards since 2003 at the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Best of the Best Culinary Awards, and continuously strives for delicious, innovative and artistic delivery of its quality dishes. In 2009, the chef created this Giant Garoupa enrobed in Minced Shrimp (HK $438/8pcs) and was awarded silver! When you bite into this unique dish, you get the wonderful mix of freshness and succulence. The fish is fried till perfection and the meat is really firm and meaty.

Shao Xing Wine-Scented Fried Rice Sizzler with Silkie and Crispy Conpoy (HK $268) turned out to be my favourite dish, surprisingly. It was awarded gold for Hong Kong Tourism Board Best of the Best Culinary Awards 2011. I thought it would just be a typical bowl of carbs but I was totally wrong!

The key to the aromatic fried rice lies in the Shao Xing wine, used to marinate the silky chicken and fried rice. Encased in a hot casserole, the dish accentuates the enticing aroma of Shao Xing wine and is sure to be an attention-draw when served in our dining room. Silkie, an ingredient which my family used only for cooking herbal silkie soup, is now used to stir fried with fried rice and it tasted sooooo good.

And a plate of Sweet Wonderland (HK $196) to end the meal. I love the cheese tart and osmanthus jelly!

At Ming Court, they take their wine very seriously. Cellaring over 450 noteworthy labels including French, Italian, Portuguese and South African top producers, as well as new, up and coming rising stars on the wine scene, Ming Cellar offers wine experiences through its appreciation tastings and pairing dinners for guests.

Ming Court has definitely lived up to expectations as a Michelin 2-star restaurant. A meal here is luxuriant and sophisticated. I appreciate the precise preparation, quality flavours and creative presentation that Cantonese fine dining is famous for.

Recently, the restaurant has launched a new Wellness Menu, featuring nourishing and healthy delicacies using premium Chinese herbs and fine ingredients. ‘Wu Xing’ has been one of the most important pillars of the concept of TCM. Each of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) affects different parts of our body. By incorporating the concept of ‘Wu Xing’ to Cantonese cuisine, each guest will be taken on an exclusive and nutritious gourmet journey.

Ming Court
Address: 6th Floor, Langham Place Hotel,
555 Shanghai Street
Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong (旺角上海街555號朗豪酒店6樓)
Tel: +852-3552-3300

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 11am ‒ 2:30pm (Mondays to Saturdays)
11am ‒ 3pm (Sundays and Public Holidays)
Dinner: 6pm ‒ 10:30pm

Website: www.hotelclub.com/Langham-Place-Hotel-Hong-Kong

Sha Tin is an amazing town in New Territories, Hong Kong. I have been to the country many times but this is my first time stepping into this new town. Friends warned me not to come here, because I will get bored as there’s nothing much to shop. But after spending a good 3 days in Sha Tin, I think I love this town more than the busy shopping districts.

Welcome to my room at Hyatt Regency Sha Tin! This is the biggest room I ever had in Hong Kong. Located right beside University MTR station, the hotel even offers specially equipped rooms for physically challenged guests. Employees at the hotel are trained to assist guests with special needs, enabling all visitors, regardless of ability, to enjoy a pleasant and safe stay.

We stayed in a CLUB ROOM which is super spacious with a king bed, work desk and bath with separate tub and rain shower. There is even a Nespresso machine for me to enjoy a cup of coffee every morning. Best thing? Complimentary in-room broadband Internet and and exclusive check-in and checkout service at the private reception desk!

This hotel is famous for two dishes – Peking duck (which you will read about it later) and APPLE PIE! We saw a poster about its apple pie in the lift and then decided to try it! The “Sha Tin Apple Pie” is baked in its original tin with natural honey from a local apiary near the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery.

Seriously, it is soooooooooooooooo good! Its thick yet soft crust holding soft slices of sweet apple. A sprinkling of cinnamon relieves the dish of monotony without overpowering it. You can get it at Patisserie at ground floor which offers OTHER freshly baked breads and pies

Privilege of staying in club room is, you get free access to Regency Club Lounge where you can enjoy complimentary breakfast, evening cocktails and canapés, all-day self-served coffee and tea. So on our second day, we decided to just nua in Club Lounge, enjoy the simple breakfast while surfing the net. Perfect holiday, I just let loose and relax!

But, if you want a wider variety of the buffet spread, you can head down to the Cafe at ground floor. It is a stylish all-day dining restaurant with show kitchens featuring international cuisine and local favourites. I went on the third day and enjoyed the scrumptious spread. Got dim sum lah, noodles lah, bread lah and many hot items.

If you ever come to Sha Tin, you MUST come to their Sha Tin 18 restaurant and try their PEKING DUCK because it is freaking good! When I tell all my HK friends that I am staying here, their first reaction is definitely, “OH, YOU MUST TRY THEIR PEKING DUCK!” And so I did.

Its Peking roast duck is as good as any good specialised Peking duck restaurant. The breast was expectedly lean, but some slices of duck were laced with a thin layer of aromatic fat that made them moist and delicious. Pair the crispy skin with sugar and the meat with delectable Hoisin sauce. IMPRESSIVE! Ok, that’s all. I will share more about my experience of Shatin 18 in my next blog post!

Because we spent a good amount of time meeting different friends and they brought us to different places to eat, enjoying a massage at Melo Spa is a good way to end my trip. Embracing local elements known for their natural healing abilities, like Sha Tin Pomelo, honey and minerals, Melo Spa treatments are customised to meet your individual needs. After walking for so many hours, it is time to reconnect with nature and enjoy a luxurious spa.

I wake up to this view every morning. Amazing! This is the part of Hong Kong that I have not seen. I really really love its tranquility and it makes me feel like I am really here for a holiday! During my stay here, we met up with my secondary school friend and he was telling us that Sha Tin is a great place for cycling and trekking. The boy even made a pact with him to come back here again just to trek. If you are looking for shopping, you can just take a few stations down to Sha Tin station where there is a big shopping mall. But it is all the usual brands lah. But I prefer to stay in my room and take a walk around the area and enjoy the greenery. Thank you Hyatt Regency Sha Tin for such a wonderful stay!

Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin
Address: 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin, New Territories Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3723 1234
Email: hongkong.shatin@hyatt.com

Located at the Hyatt Regency by University station in Sha Tin, Sha Tin 18 Chinese restaurant is not the easiest to get to. But it is worth it once you do arrive. Named after the hotel’s street address number “18″ which also means good fortune in terms of Feng Shui, the restaurant serves authentic Dongguan and northern Chinese cuisine in a lively show kitchen environment. You can take a close look at chefs at work and the large windows let you enjoy the gorgeous view of the mountain.

Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I would always stuff myself with lots of dim sum. So at Sha Tin 18, I also stuff myself with their Steamed shrimp, pork and crab roe dumplings (HK$56). Very juicy with plump prawns! Pan-fried cod fish and black truffle rolls (HK$68) is crispy and an interesting twist to our usual spring roll.

Chilled avocado with Chinese basil, black vinegar and garlic (HK$138) is a thoughtfully crafted and tantalising appetizer. It has a pleasantly sour flavour, while avocado is an excellent source of fibre. Marinated cabbage, onion and coriander in spicy sesame paste (HK$98) is another refreshing salad.

Double boiled minced pork and hairy crab soup is a signature pick from Shanghai. Originating from Sui Dynasty more than a thousang years ago, the large meat ball is made with minced pork and further enhanced by the hairy crab roe and flavour from the double boiled soup.

Sha Tin 18’s most famous dish is the Peking duck (HK$538 whole, HK$328 half). A signature dish enjoyed by emperors in the olden days, the hotel has specially invited 2 chefs from Beijing to be at the restaurant permanently to prepare Peking duck. The dish is prized for the thin, crisp skin, serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of us by the chef. The skin was unlike any Peking duck we’ve had – it was so delicate it melted in the mouth. It is served in three stages:

1. First, the skin is served dipped in sugar.

2. The leg meat is then served with steamed pancakes, spring onions, cucumber sticks and garlic sauce. Place all the ingredients on the pancake, wrap it and eat it by hand.

3. The remaining duck breast meat may be made into a broth or fried with noodles. But in this case, because the meat is so tender, we just eat it on its own with sweet bean sauce.

Steamed scallop and okra in preserved shrimp paste (HK$328) is as delicious to the palate as to the eye as okra matches perfectly with the freshness of seafood.

Located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan is famous for freshwater catches. One example is the Braised garoupa belly cooked with ginger and spring onion in preserved clam paste (HK$268).

I didn’t think much about Tossed mustard greens with beancurd sheet and shallots (HK$138) but after trying it, it is surprisingly good. The vegetables are crisp-tender, the slightly chewy bean curd skin absorbed the flavourful sauce and the shallots are sweet.

And last but not least, a plate of Dougguan wok-fried rice vermicelli with prawns and shredded pork (HK$155) to end off the savoury part.

Putting a sweet ending to our gastronomic lunch is the red date jasmine cake that excudes the natural tea aroma; and the smooth and creamy Chinese preserved plum and meringue cheese roulade.

Sha Tin 18
AddressL 4/F Hyatt Regency Sha Tin, 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin
Tel: +852 2723 1234
Opening hours: 11.30am-3pm; 5.30pm-10.30pm

Di Tanjong Katong, airnya biru~ HELLO, WE ARE AT KATONG! To be exact, we went for a staycation at the new Village Hotel Katong – the flagship Village hotel, reflects the strong Peranakan heritage of the surrounding Joo Chiat and Katong district in Singapore!

To be frank, I was really excited about this staycation because there are just so many interesting places in Katong yet to be discovered. And having a staycation here allows me to explore the area a little. Plus the hotel is new so I expected it to be super nice!

Big thanks to Far East Hospitality, we stayed in Deluxe Katong room which is specially designed with a warm fuschia Peranakan colour on a backdrop of grey motifs. It didn’t disappoint. We looked out of the balcony (yes we have a balcony in the room!) and it has an excellent view of Marine Parade, East Coast and culturally rich Katong district.

The room has an accessible balcony and the bathroom is equipped with a standing rain shower. The room also comes equipped with a full range of amenities tailored to suit the savvy business traveller, complete with complimentary wired Internet and Wi-Fi access and 46-inch LED TVs with in-built port access to portable electronic devices.

We took a walk around the hotel and reached the outdoor swimming pool which is an ideal spot to unwind. Oh just beside the swimming pool, there is a small gym which has some basic equipment. However the sun was too strong for a swim so we decided to take a afternoon nap in the room.

Usually when the boy and I go for staycation, we would probably spend our afternoons walking around nearby shopping malls or catch a movie. But Village Hotel being such a new and pretty hotel, it is really difficult to leave the hotel room. Especially with the comfortable bed and the air con…

So we really took an afternoon nap. Slept for a good 2 hours before waking up for dinner at Katong Kitchen. Located on level 4 within the hotel, Katong Kitchen is a new international concept restaurant featuring Nonya, Macanese, Asian, Local Chinese to Western fare.

The boy is a very hands-on person so when he saw a DIY section, he would offer to make a plate of rojak for me. I guess this is the only time he can imagine himself as a chef HAHA! So he started the ball rolling with a huge plate of rojak. And he always boosts about his rojak and says it tastes good because of the proportion of black prawn sauce and sugar he mixes.

For me, I started slow and steady with a bowl of prawn mee which has a decent broth.

The grill section, unfortunately, didn’t leave an impression. The selection was limited and the lamb we had was too chewy for our liking.

But I particularly love their hot dishes with a good variety of dishes such as beef stew, confit of potatoes, crayfish, chicken rendang, teriyaki fish, kapitan mutton nonya, broccoli with king abalone mushrooms etc.

The best dish is the peranakan crayfish which is also the first dish that goes the fastest. Since it is buffet, we get unlimited servings of fresh crayfish of a good size. All yield tender meat, just cooked. It is easy to overcook shellfish, and the chef here has done a great job with crayfish. What’s even better is the aromatic chilli sauce, with a trace of sweetness. Another of my favourite is the beef stew with perfectly browned beef cubes. A dish that warms the belly.

Although there wasn’t a very extensive selection of desserts, the asian delights really caught my eyes. Probably because we are living in Katong, so I was very tempted to pick up some nonya kueh and kueh lapis. Whenever I see nine layers kueh (九层糕), it makes me an happy lady because this is my favourite since a kid. I love peeling layers and layers from the kueh and place it carefully in my mouth. I have been wanting to do this recipe for the longest time. Will try to do it after CNY, maybe?

Katong Kitchen Buffet Pricing:

Daily International Buffet Lunch
Adult $38++
Child (6 to 12 years old) $19++

Weekday – International Buffet Dinner
Adult $48++
Child (6 to 12 years old) $24++

Weekends & Public Holidays – International Buffet Dinner
Adult $58++
Child (6 to 12 years old) $29++

Special Promotion – Dine 3 Pay 2 Weekday Buffet* from now till 31 March 2014. For Seniors (60 years old and above), 50% OFF Buffet Price for Lunch and Dinner Buffet till 15 April 2014. Minimum 2 paying Adults to enjoy the promotion. Please call 6551 2141 for reservations.

Village Hotel Katong Opening Promotion

Village Hotel Katong is also one of the few hotels located in the eastern region of Singapore. The best thing about having a staycation here? We get to explore the beautiful Katong at night with many supper choices. Plus there are two shopping malls nearby – I12 Katong and Parkway Parade Shopping Mall. They are having a opening promotion at $208++ (weekday) and $178++ (weekend). Package includes: complimentary buffet breakfast for 2, complimentary Wi-Fi access and one round of mini bar refreshments.

Village Hotel Katong
Address: 25 Marine Parade
Tel: +65 6496 7699
Email: reseasy@fareast.com.sg

After our last makan trip to JB, I miss it so much and wanted to do it again. Once in a while, I will look at the roti prata I had in JB, drool over the the red glutinous rice wine mee sua, or crave for the penang rojak… So last December, I called all my makan kakis to do it again. The hungrycow was supposed to join us too but he had forgotten that his passport expired. So please check your passport before making any plans!

There is just this charm in Malaysian street food. Perhaps it is the quality of the food, or maybe because the hawkers are very friendly. I am just attracted to this simple rustic charm. We took a slower pace this trip. The previous one, I think we ate like 10 different stalls. This time, I think we did 11 or something. But I am only picking 8 worthy ones to share it here.

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TAMAN TASEK GUO TIAU ZI (南滨园粿条仔)

Our first stop in the morning is hot and soupy Kway Teow Kia (粿条仔) at Taman Tesek. Just like our kway chap, the bowl of kway teow is paired with different braised dishes for your choice such as pig’s intestines, pig’s skin, braised eggs, preserved vegetables etc. It’s easy to fall into temptation of over-ordering so remember to spend your calories wisely.

The pork intestines were thoroughly cleaned and beautifully braised till it is absolutely velverty. The braised pig’s skin was soft and smooth. The kway teow is in a clear and tasty herbal broth with fried shallots and spring onion. It has a nice balance of subtly salty and sweet.

Address: Taman Tasek, Johor Bahru (near the Maybank branch)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/gJGe
GPS: 1.485385,103.722567
Opens from 7am until 2pm

DA JIA FA DUCK (八里半大家发鸭肉)

Eating braised duck under a giant tree, surrounded by housing estates and with the main flow of traffic few streets away… romantic anot! I like the laid-back atmosphere and tranquility at Ba Li Ban Da Jia Fa Duck Rice (大家发鸭肉). Owner Qua took over his father’s business and has been running the shop for more than 20 years. His braised duck is really good, and that’s why it has been featured in a lot of media.

The owner believes that a good plate of braised duck involves many factors. One, the duck must not weigh less than 3kg. Second, it is important to control the fire when braising the herbal soup. The owner adds in ingredients like star anise, cinnamon, ding xiang etc to braise for about 6 hours. Third, the size of the duck slices matters because it will affect the taste and texture of the meat.

Address: Jalan Kilang Nenas (Jalan Skudai Batu 8½ near Lee Pineapple Factory and SJK Kuo Kuang school)
Map: http://g.co/maps/r4qqu
GPS: 1.523723, 103.6724
Opening hours: 8:30am-4pm

RESTORAN G. CHEONG FUN (金宝手工猪肠粉)

In Singapore, we usually eat chee cheong fun with dark sweet sauce. In some dim sum restaurants, chee cheong fun is paired with prawns or char siew, drizzled with HK style soy sauce. But at Restaurant G. Cheong Fun, their chee cheong fun goes with curry and it tastes really good!

At the stall front, the helpers make the chee cheong fun on the spot with a small mee hoon kueh machine. Every strand of the cheong fun is very smooth and thinner than the usual, which makes it look more like hor fun. Drowned with their curry sauce, I find myself slurping almost the whole plate of cheong fun.

We also had pig skin with curry. The curry was a perfect accompaniment and it was served with some chopped long beans for some extra crunch. The makan kakis love the cockles rendang very much. The sweetness of the cockles married perfectly with the spicy nature of the sambal gravy. Remember to order their milk tea with gula melaka. The addition of brown sugar makes it super shiok!

Address: 176, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://g.co/maps/74j47
GPS: 1.521331,103.663409
Hours: 6:30am to 1:00pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

RESTORAN CHIN CHIN (晶晶云吞面)

Moving on, we went to Restoran Chin Chin which offers a good bowl handmade wanton mee. Started since 1988, the egg noodles are made in house and it is very springy and QQ. It feels softer than the usual noodles. I would call it fat mee sua.

The noodles may be pale looking but when mixed with their homemade chilli sauce, there is a burst in the flavours. It is cooked al dente and you will like the spicy version if you are spicy lover. Nothing fantastic about the char siew, but the wantons have generous minced pork fillings.

Address: Junction of Jalan Lawang and Jalan Kaloi, Skudai (next to MPJBT)
Map: http://g.co/maps/p7wmw
GPS: 1.538014,103.660721
Hours: 730am to 4pm. Closed on Thursdays

KEDAI BAK KUT TEH HIN HOCK (兴福肉骨茶)

My favourite during this food trail is Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock. They started selling bak kut teh 30 over years ago but they are more famous for their garlic fish rather than bak kut the! LOL! They have just moved to their new venue which is spacious. The owner, Ah Hock, has been running Hin Hock bak kut teh for over thirty years with his wife and is now assisted by his handsome son.

I highly recommend the garlic fish which is a MUST TRY! Customers get to pick and choose the fresh fish they want like it is in a fish market. Our tilapia is first poached in soup before piling up with huge heaps of fried garlic, homemade special sauce and chopped spring onion. Fish can be paired with their special dip which has garlic, shallot, onion, chili padi and soy sauce. But the fish itself is flavourful enough for me to finish a bowl of rice. Fish is sweet and tender!

Not forgetting their bak kut the which is more herbal style. We also had stir fried sweet potato leaves with minced garlic as well as tofu smother with in a blanket of garlic and minced meat. All the dishes are freshly cooked and quick to serve. Ingredients are very simple but it brings out the ultimate flavours.

Address: 74, Jalan Dato Toh Ah Boon, 81200 Tampoi, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E29uq
GPS: 1.496813,103.702429
Hours: 08:30am to 4:30pm (Mondays off)

RESTORAN SAM KONG (三江饭店)

Curry mee at Restoran Sam Kong is one of the famous and oldest laksa in Johor. Mr Yong is the third generation owner and his grandfather started selling curry mee since 1930s before Japanese Occupation. His grandfather learnt the trade from a gentleman from Guangxi, China.

Love his chilli pasta which he fries garlic, shallots, lemongrass, belacan and other ingredients. End result is an aromatic paste which is even good on its own. The laksa broth is very smooth and lemak. Not very spicy nor overpowering. I think I can drink up the whole broth. We tried the bee hoon version because they take an effort to air dry their cooked bee hoon before blanching them with laksa broth.

What leaves me a deep impression is the fried fish ball. They make their own fish balls using fresh ikan parang everyday. It is chewy and tastes more like fried sotong ball. They also sell their fish balls separately.

Address: 8-H, Jalan Ungku Mohsin, Kampung Ungku Mohsin, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/N8BmU
GPS: 1.514005,103.740173
Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm (Monday closed)

NINIQ BISTRO & BAKERY

The name Niniq comes from the word ninik, the endearing Indonesian term for “little girl”. Its bakery offers homemade hot-off-the oven breads, pastries, cakes and confectionery.

Niniq’s top selling cake is their unique CCTV cake. It really looked like CCTV, isn’t it? But it actually got a better name lah! Called Chocolate Decadence, the cake has rich chocolate mousse on a spongy chocolate base.

Another must try at Niniq is the durian strudel made using the owner’s mum’s recipe. It is made with fresh D24 durians with no preservatives. Very creamy durian paste with flaky crust! Nice place to chill out with cakes and coffee. They offer free wifi!

Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il
GPS: 1.545787,103.713547
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday)

MOSHI MOSHI

Moshi Moshi is known for their hand made ice creams and they have recently launched some small bites to cater to more dessert lovers. One unique dish is the black sesame glutinous rice ball with gula Melaka filling inside. It is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

I LOVE THEIR MOSHI WAFFLE! Omg, I think that is the best invention ever. Why didn’t any dessert shop in Singapore think of this! It has the chewy texture like mochi, yet it is a waffle! I like it sooo much even though I have eaten so much in the morning!

Not forgetting their superb ice cream and sorbet. I like their coconut ice cream which is made with both young and old coconuts. Juice comes from young coconut while the meat is from old coconut.

Address: 19, Jalan Mutiara Emas 10/19, Taman Mount Austin, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/qIHvc
GPS: 1.551693,103.785181
Hours: 11:30am to 11:30pm

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I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and it helps you to plan your trip to JB. THANK YOU Tony from Johor Kaki for showing us around JB! Till next time!

Hi! I am back to update about my Hong Kong trip. Sorry lah, I did my updates halfway, then CNY came and I was busy with all the reunion dinner blogposts. Now I finally have time to continue from where I stop.

So I went Hong Kong a few months back. It was really a leisure trip because we have been to HK countless of times, eaten at those touristy places many times and this time, we just wanted to take a break and enjoy each other’s company.

If you have read my previous posts on Hyatt Regency Sha Tin, you should know that we spend many days exploring the more rural part of Hong Kong, which is Sha Tin. To be frank, the boy and I were against the idea of staying in Sha Tin initially because it is quite a distance from the main HK island (about 45 mins train ride) and we don’t know if there is anything there.

But many of our HK friends say Sha Tin is nice and it is “different”, so we decided to give it a try. And true enough, it is really different. Because we can see mountains in Sha Tin! We can ride bicycle and do some trekking. We can enjoy a much cooler weather. Now this feels more like a holiday!

So we met up with some of my friends in HK. One of them is Weibo. We have been in the same secondary school for 3 years. He is a high flyer and his company relocate him to Hong Kong. We went to a few makan places in Sha Tin, and the most memorable one is Ya Po Bean Curd (亚婆豆腐花).

I don’t think people in Hong Kong call them bean curd, they usually say tofu pudding or soy bean pudding. But nevermind, as long as you understand it’s tau hway can already. Hidden in the midst of Dapo’s street market in Sha Tin, Ya Po Bean Curd has been around for a long time making soy products from scratch.

It is pretty easy to locate this place because you will usually see people crowding outside the shop enjoying their beancurd. Each of us ordered a bowl of warm beancurd (HK$7) and what’s the verdict? Well, we ordered the second bowl after finishing the first!

Damn, it was sooooo silky smooth and I don’t think I had tasted such sweet delicious tau hway. They make it in a big pot, serve it in a bowl, scoop a few spoonful of tau hway and sprinkle some orange sugar on it. The sugar melted immediately with the liquid of the beancurd, creating an orange syrup.

So if you happen to be in Sha Tin doing hiking, don’t forget to drop by Ya Po Bean Curd. Very memorable!

Ya Po Bean Curd (亚婆豆腐花)
Address: 大埔大光里2A地舖
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/pMwpe
GPS: 22.4466143, 114.1670949

No trip to Hong Kong is complete without trying their street food. There are lots of good food in Hong Kong so for this trip, we wanted to hunt down as many DAI PAI DONG as possible. I don’t really have an idea what dai pai dong is like before I came to Hong Kong. The only thing I recalled was reading on newspaper about dai pai dong as an dying trade so I wanted to try.

I see dai pai dong like our typical cze char stall in Singapore. Untidy atmosphere, no air conditioning and a variety of low priced great-wok hei dishes. Unfortunately, dai pai dong stalls are very rare in Hong Kong already, with less than 30 stalls nationwide.

Located at Municipal Services Building, Tung Po（东宝小馆） is one of the very famous dai pai dong. They serve a wide range of dishes and even has pasta! This is one of the better dai pai dong stalls because it is air conditioned. Bad thing is, it is the ONLY dai pai dong stall that charges 5% GST. Wahbiang, imagine we have to pay GST to eat cze char!

Because there was only two of us, it was pretty difficult to order. They have so many good recommendations here, hence we can’t decide what to pick. We kept changing our orders. Should we order the wind sand chicken instead? Oh the squid ink pasta is unique! How about pork belly?

Aiya, it took us super long before we settle on these three dishes. One of them is the Fried Salted Egg Yolk “Golden” Shrimp. The shells were coated in salted egg yolk and it was super crunchy, with tender flesh. Yes, you can eat the whole shrimp including the shells!

My favourite was the Deep Fried Pork Knuckle (HK$88) which was crispy on the skin yet chewy and thick. The meat was served with a tasty salted paste. Eat in moderation ok, don’t forget to visit the gym!

We never expect our Fried Rice with Duck Sauce in Lotus Leaf (HK$90) in big wooden steamer to be so huge that our jaws dropped when it arrived at our table. The boy loves it but I thought the duck sauce was abit too bland for my liking.

One interesting thing here is, their beer is served in chilled porcelain bowls. Feel like the olden days when they also drink using bowls. If I were to come back again, I wanna try their squid ink spaghetti with cuttlefish and cheesecake! Weird to see these western dishes in a dai pai tong stall in HK right? Well this is Tung Po!

It is eating what the locals eat that makes travelling to these places a truly remarkable experience. Remember to book ahead (reservations 2.30pm to 5.30pm) or if you want to avoid the crowd, go before 7pm.

Tung Po Kitchen（东宝小馆）
Address: 2/F Java Road Municipal Services Building, 99 Java Road, North Point
北角渣華道99號渣華道市政大廈2樓
Tel +852 2880 9399

Shatin is famous for roasted pigeon (烧乳鸽) and chicken porridge. Located at Fo Tan Cooked Food Market (火炭熟食市场) in Sha Tin, Tai Yuen Dai Pai Dong (泰源大排檔) is one of the stalls you should go to for the two dishes.

It is located at a bus depot and only opened for dinner and supper. After midnight, you will get to see many bus drivers enjoying their supper here with some beer. We were seated under a makeshift tent and it was pretty crowded even though it was a weekday.

Roasted pigeons is Hong Kong’s version of Peking duck. The boss uses younger pigeon to roast hence it is smaller in size as compared to other restaurants. However, skin is cripy yet not oily. It is almost good on its own so we actually skipped the dipping salt.

Another specialty of the place is razor clams which you can choose the cooking style. This razor clams is served with a marriage of ingredients that gives it a unique taste of black beans, garlic, subtle chillies, aromatic garlic .They were really good, I must say and pairs well with rice.

Tai Yuen is also famous for its frog leg congee and it was sooooo smooth that it felt like I was drinking soup.

Boss gave us a free plate of fried spicy garlic tofu!

So the boss recommended us to try his fish done two ways – one braised with tofu, and another stir fried with bean sprouts. If you think we had a whole table of friends eating with us, you are wrong. There was only 3 of us and this dinner is really overkill. The boss kept introducing us to more and more dishes (he thinks we are 菜头 — 砍菜头) and my Hong Kong friend, WingK, just obliged willingly. So in the end, he paid a lot and we can’t finish the food.

Here’s a shot of WingK and me. We still went to have dessert after such a heavy meal.

The food here is not bad lah, but the atmosphere also plays a part. We enjoy more of being in a group eating and drinking in dai pai dong stalls, speaking and laughing out loud.

Tai Yuen Dai Pai Dong
Address: Fo Tan East Food Market, Hong Kong
Phone:+852 2697 3656
Opening hours: 6pm to 3am

HELLO! I am sorry for the late of updates because the 3G here is really expensive and the wifi in my hotel isn’t working very well till now.

It was my last night in Daylesford as I was typing this blogpost. Snuggling in bed after packing my close-to-bursting luggage, staring at the three crawling millipedes right above my bed, I decided to write something so as to keep an eye on where they were heading to.

The food photography masterclass had been truly a fun and enriching experience. Turning the clock back to about a month ago, I was feeling unmotivated in blogging and I felt kinda stuck in what I was doing. There was no sense of achievement and my photos do not appear appetizing to me anymore. Plus, I was asked to do lotsa food styling when I was still working for a catering company. But the lack of experience makes things very difficult.

So when I looking for inspiration for my food styling project, I came to know that Billy Law and Ewen Bell were organizing this Food Photography Masterclass. Immediately, I dropped them an email, checked my bank account, booked air ticket and accommodation, and here I am, lying in the bed of a farmhouse in Daylesford, the beautiful countryside of Melbourne.

The farm house is so pretty. And best thing is, there is totally no reception in the house! If I wish to use internet, I either visit the town, of climb up the hill to get limited reception. But having no reception isn’t a bad thing, as I spend more time doing photoshoot and truly enjoying myself in a countryside holiday.

Billy is Australia’s prolific food blogger who also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. He cooks well, style well and shoot well. Ewen is editor at large for Digital Photography magazine in Australia and he is really good with cameras. So it has been a privilege to learn from them. Rule of thumb when it comes to styling, keep adding things to the shoot. Do not afraid to make it messy. We spent a lot of our time shooting, editing the photos in our laptop and printing our works in A3 size.

We also visited Jonah’s pig farm nearby to shoot the pigs! Jonah has two dogs and well, I don’t go very well with dogs. They think that I was playing with them when I was running around screaming like a mad woman. Haiz. But it is definitely lovely to shoot the pigs. Rule of thumb is to go slow and go low, so as to get some nice shots.

Coming to Australia has always been my dream. When I was younger, my Mum would always tell me “Next year, let’s go Australia”. Unfortunately, my next year never happens and it has always been my dream to visit this country. But I had failed to put any sort of plan in place to make this happen. I only had a lofty dream, not steps laid out to get me from where I was standing to where I wanted to be.

Resolutions, whether they’re made on the first of January or any day of the year, are refreshing. It’s a chance to start again—the closest you can get to a “redo” of the past. Sometimes, all we need is the courage to take the first step. I don’t want to be thinking about all the what-ifs. After all, the panic appeared to be the fear of not achieving the resolution. For me, that hope and possibility was enough to take the leap of faith and go forward.

I AM GLAD I MAKE THE TRIP HERE. THIS IS THE BEST TRIP IN MY LIFE SO FAR!

On my last day in Daylesford, we visited a Japanese restaurant called “Kazuki”. I didn’t have the intention to write about it initially. But I was told that this is probably one of the best restaurants in the area. So we made a U-turn back to the house to grab my camera. The restaurant lighting isn’t the best, this is the most grainy set of photos I ever took omg. But still, I just wanna blog about it!

Born in Akita, Japan, owner-chef Kazuki Tsuya arrived in Daylesford in 2007. He started this restaurant in 2011, which was Daylesford first Japanese restaurant back then. Kazuki and his wife Saori envisioned their restaurant as a place for people to enjoy gourmet food in a casual and relaxed environment.

Upon entering, we were greeted by the modern decor and artworks with splashes of traditional Japan. Many sake bottles can be found, artfully arranged around the rooms. What makes the food here stand out is the blend of Japanese flavours with local Australian produce and western techniques. You can either enjoy 2 course menu at $60, 3 course menu at $80, 4 course menu at $100, traditional tasting menu $115 or vegetarian tasting menu $105.

We started our dinner with their warm homemade bread with seaweed butter, very creative. Beef Tataki is a wonderful Japanese method of preparing fillet beef where the meat is lightly seared, marinated, sliced thinly similar to sashimi. Kazuki’s version is paired with beef tataki with anchovy, radish, potato and yuzu. The savoury flavours of the seared beef in Kazuki make this a refreshing starter.

The waitress specifically recommended Yasai no moraiwase, which is a seasonal salad with more than 20 different vegetables, leaves and flowers from their garden. Pretty presentation and well executed.
My main course – duck done two ways – is execellent. Tender duck breast with paired withfoie gras, spiced pumpkin and rolls of braised leg. The natural duck flavours definitely shine through.

Desserts at Kazuki has a mixture of both modern and traditional recipes. One popular choice was lemon verbena creme brulee with cardamom and genji. Or you can go for their sticky black rice with gyuhi, ice cream and mango.

Perhaps because I was told that this is one of the best restaurants in town, my expectation of Kazuki was raised high up and my dinner, unfortunately, didn’t meet my expectations. I welcome the idea of combining French culinary with Japanese flavours, but I thought the flavours can be done better. On a positive note, serves here is good and we had an enjoyable night.

Kazuki
Address: 1 Camp Street Daylesford Victoria, Australia
Tel: (+61) 3 5348 1218
Lunch from Friday to Monday 12 noon; Dinner from Thursday to Monday 6 pm. Tuesday & Wednesday Closed

HAPPY MONDAY! I am home and back to reality. Still not used to the hot weather here and I am feeling so tired everyday. Perhaps because I woke up at 6am in Australia everyday and now I need to pay my sleep debt.

So anyway, I booked a day tour to Great Ocean Road during my vacation and got a chance enjoy the stunning coastal views and beautiful blue sky! The Great Ocean Road started as a project to create work for WWI returned servicemen. 241km in length, it drops to the coast to give access to beaches and climbs the cliffs to give views over the Great Southern Ocean and Bass Strait.

We passed through coastal towns of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, as well as stopped in the forest to look for koalas and native birds in the wild! Most memorable sight was the iconic Cape Otway Lighthouse, mainland Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouse. It is so windy there, the sky is so blue and the scones are so yummy!

We also witnessed the rugged splendour of the famous 12 Apostles, magnificent rock stacks that rise up from the Southern Ocean on Victoria’s dramatic coastline. Not forgetting Loch Ard Gorge, and took a stroll along the shipwreck coast.

Here’s sharing some of the pictures I have taken during this tour. Hope you love the photos as much as I do. Let me take a rest for one more day and I will do a proper post from tomorrow onwards. Ending this post with a quote “Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you have decided to look beyond the imperfections.” Cheers!

Jimmy Grants, is masterchef judge George Calombaris’s modern interpretation of a Greek souvlaki bar off Smith Street in Melbourne. The name of the restaurant comes from the Australian rhyming slang for immigrants and this is further emphasized when street artist Dan Wenn captured a DC-3 aircraft and The Patris on two of the walls.

This is where you can either enjoy a Greek beer, or have pretty good souvlaki food in the restaurant or takeaway. Souvlaki is a popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat. They are traditionally wrapped in pita bread and then topped with a variety of condiments – lettuce, tomato, onion, and of course, the famed tzatziki sauce.

There are historical and cultural references in the names of the souvlakis here. The Patris ($9.50) – a souvlaki comprising prawns, attiki honey, mayonnaise, cucumber, mint and coriander – is named after the migrant ship which carried migrants from Europe to Australia. There’s also a selection of salads and dips on offer along with the essential garlic oil chips ($6) with feta and oregano, all available to order at the counter.

The 200g slow roasted lamb shoulder ($17) is slow cooked for 12 hours and beautifully caramelised. Squeeze abit of lemon and wrapped in thick, puffy pita with tzatziki, this is my recommendation for you. If lamb doesn’t suit your palette, there is also free range chicken from the split ($16) marinated in oregano and olive oil. I prefer the lamb as it is more flavourful. Chicken is a tad dry.

Jimmy Grants
Address: 113 Saint David Street, Fitzroy
Opening hours: 11am-10pm daily

Melbourne is famous for it’s café culture scene. The city streets are abuzz with endless cafes and restaurants. Walk into any cafe and you will be greeted with serious barista working magic on their coffee. For this trip, I am very blessed to have many friends in Melbourne bringing me to the best cafes in the city. My highest record is to visit 4 cafes in a day and tried 4 cups of cappuccino. Don’t worry, I slept very well and early that night. So here I present to you 15 must visit cafes in Melbourne, this is not the most comprehensive list but I hope it serves as a beginner’s guide for first time travelers like me. Now I really wish to move to Melbourne!

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1. Dead Man Espresso
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My first coffee in Melbourne is Dead Man Espresso. Ewen picked me up from the airport and we drove there immediately. Located in a quiet corner in South Melbourne, Dead Man Espresso is a sleek cafe run by industry pros. They use a special Dead Man Espresso blend specially made for them by Seven Seeds.

The menu is seasonal and feature herbs and veggies grown in their rooftop garden. I had the Rosti with poached egg avocado and salmon. I let the yolk run through the sandwich and it made for a tasty breakfast sandwich. Cappuccino here is so smooth and silky. Grab a spot in their balcony and watch the world goes by.

Address: 35 Market St, South Melbourne, VIC 3205
Tel: +61 (03) 9686 2255
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 4pm; Sat to Sun 8am – 4pm
Website: www.deadmanespresso.com.au

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2. Auction Room
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Housed in the old WB Ellis auction house along Errol Street in North Melbourne, Auction Room is a coffee roastery and cafe. They proudly use Small Batch Roasting Co Specialty Coffee and has a fanciful brunch menu.

Address: 103-107 Errol Street, North Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9326 7749
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 5pm; Sat to Sun 7:30am – 5pm
Website: www.auctionroomscafe.com.au

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3. St Ali
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Trip to St Ali is a memorable one. First, I took the wrong side of the tram. Then, it was raining that day and I didn’t bring my brolly. After alighting at the tram stop 28 mins later, I was walking in the rain for a good 10 mins before I reached the café. Romantic hurhur. Hidden down a laneway in South Melboure, the warehouse styled café is named after Ali ibn Uma al-Shadili, a 14th century mystic who apparently gave birth to coffee passion.

The coffee here is great, and it serves better food than many other cafes, in my opinion. They have changed their menu recently and I tried a plate of gluten-free vegetarian Koo Coo Ca Choo. Crispy potato & buckwheat hash is served with mushroom duxelle, poached eggs, flat mushrooms, aged cheddar & truffle vinaigrette, complex flavours but goes very well altogether. They also have another cafe “St Ali North” with a different menu located at 815 Nicholson St, Carlton North.

Address: 12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9686 2990
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7am – 6pm
Website: www.stali.com.au

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4. Brother Baba Budan
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It is always difficult to find good coffee in Melbourne CBD. Many of the good coffee places are located at the suburban. Brother Baba Budan is probably one of the cafe that serves the best coffee in CBD. Operated by the Seven Seeds team, expect to see a crowd in the morning as people take away their coffee for work. There is limited quantity of pastries in the cafe from Brioche by Philip . You can probably skip those if you are not hungry and just go for the coffee. My cappuccino here is creamy and sensational. Not a lot of space here as most people pack and go, but you can definitely sit around the communcal table, read newspaper and enjoy a coffee or two. Don’t forget to look up and take a look at the ceiling as they use chairs as a decor.

Address: 359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9606 0449
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Website: www.sevenseeds.com.au

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5. Two Birds One Stone
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Very beautiful and huge interior. They use coffee beans from Five Senses and the coffee menu is divided into white and black, which includes drip coffee, aeropress, syphons, pour overs etc. Menu is down to earth and dishes that caught my eyes include Roasted filed mushrooms with meredith fetal (brunch) and Black Angus steak sandwich with bacon and beetroot chutney (dinner). They make their own smoked salmon and ham, and even make their own cakes.

Address: 12 Claremont Street, South Yarra
Tel: +61 (03) 9827 1228
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 4pm; Sat to Sun 8am – 4pm
Website: www.twobirdsonestonecafe.com.au

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6. Top Paddock
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Beautiful cafe with lots of natural lighting and greenery. Top Paddock comes from the same brains behind Three Bags Full, Two Birds One Stone et al – so the food and coffee is of the same high standard. The cafe uses Five Senses coffee, as well as using green beans and an in-house roaster to create signature blends to match the food.

What’s special here is the soft-shell mud crab in brioche bun which was served with a fennel, dill and lime mayo. If you love fish, can try the kingfish with avocado, fried egg and purple soft tortilla. Health conscious? Try their muesli, salad or oat porridge! P/S there are quite a few eye candies in the cafe!

Address: 658 Church St, Richmond 3121
Tel: +61 (03) 9429 4332
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Website: www.toppaddockcafe.com

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7. Manchester Press
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Housed in a former gallery and named after the former printing press business, Manchester Press is a really spacious café. The barista here is really talented in latte art and makes good coffee, another good coffee spot in Melbourne. Their specialty is bagel with many options. As I missed Asian food, I ordered a 14 hour slow roasted Vietnames Pull Pork with asian slaw. It feels comfortable to be enjoying my breakfast and reading newspaper here.

Address: 8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9600 4054
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 5pm; Sat 9am – 5pm
Website: www.facebook.com/manchesterpress

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8. Chez Dre
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After my masterclass ended in Daylesford, Billy drove us to Chez Dre which is located in an alley off South Melbourne market. It is opened by patisserie chef Andrea Reiss, so it means they are very good for cakes! The pastry cabinet has lots of tarts, madeleines, gateaux and macarons that have been made in-house in the open kitchen.

I love their caramel eclair with a crisp choux pastry and a salted caramel cream on top and smooth caramel custard inside. I also love the dome shaped coconut dacquoise with raspberry jelly and lychee mousse. We shared a plate of Glazed Pork Belly with jalepeno and corn polenta cake.

Address: Rear of 285-287 Coventry St, South Melbourne
Tel: +61 3 9690 2688
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Website: www.chezdre.com.au

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9. Three Bags Full
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One of the favourite brunch places, their new menu is very exciting such as sweet potato and carrot fritters served with a fried egg, goats curd, grilled haloumi, witlof, pomegranate, apple and herb salad. Their coffee uses Five Senses coffee and they also make amazing milkshakes.

Address: 56 Nicholson Street, Abbotsford
Tel: +61 (03) 94212732
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 5pm; Sat to Sun 8am – 5pm
Website: www.threebagsfullcafe.com

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10. Hardware Societe
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An electrical fire broke out in a neighbouring business late last year and the café was forced to shut its doors for a few months and undergo a revamp. Now the new Hardware Societe is bright and cherry with pastry cabinet full of macarons, biscuits and corissants.

If you wanna drop by Hardware Societe, my suggestion to you is come early. We reached punctually on their opening time and there was already 2 to 3 tables filled. After finishing our breakfast, the café is full! The counter is a visual feast with many amazing French treats such as tarts and macarons. Love its Baked Egg served in French pan with chunks of chorizo and cheese, it warms the stomach instantly! Coffee here is great and it comes with a cute little donut ball.

Address: 120 Hardware Street, Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9078 5992
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7:30 am – 3pm; Sat 8:30 am – 2pm

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11. Silo by Joost
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Recommended by Ewen, Silo is opened by passionate eco-entrepreneur and sustainable design champion, Joost Bakker. The cafe practises low-waste, sustainable food preparation. Sit in the cafe and you can watch the chef baking bread or making yoghurt from scratch. They don’t have a rubbish bin in the cafe. All food scraps and paper napkins goes to a food waste dehydrator in the backlane where they’re transformed into nutritious fertilizer and delivered back to the farmer.

Address: 123 Hardware Street, Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9600 0588
Opening hours: Mon to Wed 6:30 am – 3:30 pm; Thu to Sat 6:30 am – 10:30 pm
Website: www.byjoost.com

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12. Krimper
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Krimper cafe is located in a converted warehouse space, very near to where I stay. The cafe was named after revered furniture maker Schulim Krimper, who is the owner’s idol. The cafe feels cosy and inviting. Recommended by Jacob, I was only here for their coffee as lunch service is over. Coffee comes from Proud Mary.

Its menu offers Japanese, French and American-style cooking. If I were to come back, I would like to try orange blossom-infused waffle with berries, ricotta and maple syrup, or Wagyu burger is cooked over a traditional Japanese charcoal grill. I hope they open for dinner soon.

Address: 20–24 Guildford Lane, Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9043 8844
Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 7am–5pm
Website: www.krimper.com.au

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13. Balderdash
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Serving one of the best coffee in Port Melbourne, it was crowded at 10am in the morning. They offer some nice brunch such as poached egg and relish-topped corn and caramelised onion fritters, or vanilla and cinnamon French toast with Chantilly cream, but go for their coffee really. They have blended their own signature Five Senses brew which blends well with the milk. They serve pretty good homemade muffin too!

Address: 295 Bay Street, Port Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9077 3813
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 4pm; Sat to Sun 8am – 4pm
Website: www.balderdashcafe.com

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14. Proud Mary
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Very busy cafe but that’s obviously because it is a coffee heaven! It is always very packed, especially during weekends. While enjoying your cup of coffee, you can try some dishes on their menu such as Potato Hash with Charred kale, double smoked bacon and an organic poached egg. I am more interested in the Frank and Beans with House pork and fennel sausage, saffron beans, poached egg, garlic fried sourdough.

Address: 172 Oxford Street, Collingwood
Tel: +61 (03) 9417 5930
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 4pm; Sat to Sun 8am – 4pm
Website: www.proudmarycoffee.com.au

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15. Pardon
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The fellows behind Cup of Truth @ Degraves Street have emerged from the underground to set up a new cafe in the backstreets of Prahran. They of course serves excellent coffee with a selection of sandwichs and Matt Forbes’ pastries. I was recommended to try Salted Caramel & Cardamom “Oreo” Cookie which was highly addictive. A delicious combination of salted caramel and aromatic cardamom sandwiched between extra dark chocolate cookies. While I was choosing my cakes, one of the customer talked to me and said they serve excellent chai!

Address: Shop 4, 155 Greville Street (entry via Izett Street), Prahran
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 7:30am – 4pm
Website: www.pardoncoffee.com.au

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Other cafes which you can check it out:
- Sensory Lab: 297 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Seven Seeds: 114 Berkley St, Carlton, Victoria 3053
- Cup of Truth: 12 Campbell Arcade, Degraves Street Subway, Melbourne CBD

Special thanks to Billy Law // Ewen Bell // IronChefShellie // Cheryl Wee // Jacob // Chloe // Valissa for recommending some of these cafes.