Sarkies Corner @ E&O Hotel : A Journey in Friendship

This was a birthday treat for a friend...

Wanted to do something different and special. So I picked her up from her place in the morning and told her that we were going to Penang.... was a surprise for her and she was surprised. 8)

I had actually wanted to take her to Amelie's Cafe in Armenian Street but after waiting till noon, we discovered that it was closed. So E&O became the next choice, partly also because neither of us had been there before.

The hotel was still undergoing some renovations. Parking was a breeze... and we didn't know that we didn't have to pay parking... we paid! Lunch was either ala carte or their international buffet. We decided to go for ala carte. As age catches up, our stomachs seem less able to take in huge amount of food. We decided to share our orders.

Had this for starters... I've forgotten what it was called but it was just nice for the two of us. A bunch of salad on bread and the sauces complimented everything very nicely.

This is their Grain Fed Australian beef steak, well done. Steak was tasty enough and even though it was well done, it was still nice. We should have it medium to well done. Would have probably been nicer. This is one of the better steaks I have taken for some time. The rocket salad complimented the steak very well. The potatoes were tasty. Divided into 2, the portions were just comfortable for the both of us.... As we hesitated in ordering because we weren't sure whether we could finish the food, the waiter kindly told us that they could divide our order into 2 servings. I thought it was nice of them.

We tried their mocktails too.... the Bora-Bora and Mango Mocktail. No photos though cos we were too busy having conversations. Dessert was yoghurt... again, the restaurant split them into two portions which I thought was really good.

The food was slightly better than average but the place is very nice. It still maintains that English classic charm. Other Half and I stayed here with our kids after it was first refurbished some years ago. I remembered being wowed by the classic look with tall ceilings and big white columns back then. It still impresses... very much.

Friend and I sat by the sea after lunch... It was a nice afternoon. The trees made sure the place remained comfortable. The compound was impeccable and immaculately maintained. We had a nice time talking in the warm afternoon. We'd have gone on and on if not for time constraint. I had to send her back so that her family could celebrate her birthday later.... but it was nice just to sit there.

As the demands of family (and work for some) increase with the passing years, for the women, their own friendships are often the first to be sacrificed. In these last few years, I've realised that we need our women friends cos they are our lifelines very often in this mad and hectic pace that many of us keep. Good friends keep us sane... kindred spirits divide our stress and add to our joy. Conversations with a good friend are good therapy... It does wonderful things to us. A good friend provides the support in a very positive way only someone who understands us will.... and I am very blessed to have that.

What was nice about this trip... well, for one, the company preceded everything else. However, the ambience enhanced the time we spent there... It's always nice to be in a place that has a character and E&O has that rich and charmed colonial history.... if only the walls could speak. There'd be lots of stories they would tell.

Lunch was nice... the birthday lunch reinforces what has been a most wonderful and busy end of the year hols. I shall miss much of the activities that we've done. I shall also miss the company of a familiar and comfortable presence at work. It has also been a couple weeks filled with an amazing journey of discovery into a wonderful friendship... I am blessed!

This one is dedicated to my friend.... for the patience, kindness, thoughtfulness, faithfulness and love shown to me all these years. I look forward to a lifetime of friendship...

Cafe La France

Jalan Irrawadi is a place right in the heart of Georgetown, where many of the post war houses there have been turned into dining places. It was lunch time when we got there but the weather was really nice, cloudy with a bit of sun. The big trees gave shade and made the place really nice. Many of the restaurants were closed when we got there. But this was our destination... Cafe La France.

This place is run by a couple, husband is French and wife is Chinese, it is supposed to serve French food. This was Other Half's order of Croissant Yoghurt Chicken. He says it's quite nice. The croissant is buttery and moist.

Our gal's Streaky Bacon Carbonara. It looks plain and simple. She was quite grumpy at first but after her first dig into it, she was enjoying every bit of it. She cleaned every bit of morsel or strand in her plate. I guess that was indication enough of pleasure in her food.

My Aglio Olio. Simple but fragrant with garlic and herbs. The slightly sourish tomatoes gave it a different taste, sort of like a burst of flavours whenever you bite into one. I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Crepe Compote (banana and apple) with cream and generous shakes of icing sugar (I think). This is another form of pancake. Crepes are popular in France. It's supposed to be considered a national dish. Originally buckwheat was used because people were poorer but was soon replaced with wheat as people became wealthier.

Another order or crepe... Crepe Suzette. Desserts with a sauce of caramelised sugar and butter. The ice cream goes really well. Warm crepe taken with ice cream tantalises the taste buds, I feel. Suffice to say, the last few pieces found their way to our gal's stomach.

Lunch and dinner have separate menus. Food is good and price is reasonable and the 'ambience' is nice. We sat outside as the weather was quite okay. Sitting there, it was quite nice to see people ambling past the restaurant. An occasional car and motorbike would go past too. It's actually fun, outside dining when the day is not too hot, with plenty of big trees around too.

Jalan Irrawadi, Jalan Burma... the names themselves imply the melting pot that Penang was and still is. Once upon a time, not too long ago, ships from all over used to stop by and along with them came nationalities of all sorts together with the cargo in their holds. Names of roads tell us our legacy too. When we remove those names, it is also an attempt to wipe out that legacy.... and at some point not too long ago, many old roads lost their names.

An Afternoon Tea in Suffolk House

An afternoon tea down the hallways of a building restored to its old glory self... and, with some imagination, will bring to mind, young men and ladies dancing away into the night to the music of the band, surrounded by a pepper plantation. One can almost imagine how it was like those days, back in the late 1700s and into the 1800s, this supposedly very happening place in Penang back then. It was a cosmopolitan city, with Armenian Jews, Burmese, Chinese, Europeans, Germans, Indians and the Malays.

It's the residence where Francis Light lived and made his fortune with the woman he loved and lived with, who was later betrayed by his lawyers of her inheritance. And Raffles had many meetings here too. Penang and Singapore share a common heritage. Both had been part of the Straits Settlement.

We wandered into this area by accident. Other Half saw a signboard with an arrow to Suffolk House. A friend of mine had told me of her visit there some time back and we decided to take a look of the place. The sight which greeted us was a magnificent building that has been beautifully restored. No photography is allowed and I decided to be good and follow the rule. So no shits of the rooms. 8)

It's a tranquil place. The Ayer Itam River runs in front of the restored mansion. Incidentally this is the only Anglo Indian mansion in Penang and the entire country! Entry is RM10 per adult. Our gal was charged RM8. The grounds are well kept. The building has been magnificently restored though I noticed that there seems to be some signs of roof leakage in one of the rooms. There were different rooms arranged and decorated with antique furniture to give it a feel of that era. I love the high ceiling and the balcony. Imagine sitting there, sipping tea with tall magnificent trees around.... looking into your own little domain. The weather must have been lovely compared to cold and dreary England.

The greens around, birds chirping... the trees really make the place cool. It's a nice place to read.I always think we're chopping down way too many trees and someday Mother Nature will make us pay for our greed.

Anyway, tea was what we had at Suffolk House. Just couldn't let the opportunity of not having tea with all that history surrounding us.

Of cakes and cookies... the apple juice is for our non-tea drinking gal. And butter and cream too with an assortment of interesting tasting jams.

English tea will not be complete without scones; these are what the jams, cream and butter were for. And sandwiches with pies too.

Sipping tea on a cool afternoon in a house where the rich and famous from an age past sat and ruled. If the grounds could talk....

You can't go wrong with Earl Grey. I've tasted better pies. The cakes were okay... but the place was nice. A group of ladies were yakking away when we walked in for our tea after our own self-guided tour around the mansion. They were still there when we left... it's a nice place to sit back and relax, quiet and away from the traffic congestion found in other places on the island. And as we were having tea, a group of young people came...

A group of them was sitting on the grounds, sketching the building as we were leaving the place....

This is a nice place.... and oh ya! When Other Half asked our girl who Francis Light was, her answer? The owner of Suffolk House. Lol! Well at least that's something....

Amelie's Cafe

Been inactive here. Blame it on the activity elsewhere. Am wishing for more hours again.... 8( But we took time for a short trip to Penang.

This is one of the street murals that is identified with Penang. Two (very happy) kids on a bicycle.... on Lebuh Gat Armenia or Armenien Street in Penang. The bicycle is real... the kids are drawn onto the wall. This mural draws lots of attention.... I think it's quite cool.

We were there for this - Amelie's Cafe. This was one of the places we wanted to try for a long time but never quite got around it. But on this particular trip, we were quite determined to try out the place. The plants have almost covered the entrance. During our last trip, the demarcations were clearer, from one plant to another.

Actually we would not have managed to eat here if not for a small series if mishap. As a result, we got to Leboh Armenia at 11.45 a.m., which was a good thing cos when we arrived, the door was still shut. Had we been earlier, we would have just looked for another place. Initially we thought the place might have closed down but after some probing through the plants, I noticed that the place was supposed to open at 12 noon. We soon noticed a group of 3 young people waiting outside.

Almost wanted to give up as the doors remained closed at 12. They were 10 minutes late in opening. We were walking towards Edelweiss when it opened. I realised the smallness of the place once we stepped into it. There were only 6 tables in the whole restaurant. And the menu was on the boards hanging all over the restaurant. Orders were soon taken as we were table number two. But by the time our orders were taken, all except one table had been taken.

This was daughter's Mushroom, Pork Sausage Meat with Gorgonzola Cheese. It's one of the nicer spaghetti that I've tried. The pork sausage was really nice. Yummy. The cheese went well with the mushroom. I think our gal enjoyed this though I think she must have probably wished that she could have more. 8)

I had this - Gnocchi with Mushroom in Truffle Oil. My first time having gnocchi. Not bad. Gnocchi is basically thick soft dumplings. Again the cheese complimented the mushroom. I really enjoy their mushrooms. By the way, their plates are a mix and match, odds and ends kind of combination. The furniture too. Quite quaint and charming.

Other Half says this is probably the best sandwich that he has had. Everything was just nice. The dash of mustard went very well with the salad. The vegetables were crunchy and fresh. There was a generous helping of bacon to go with the salad. Bread was soft and just right. Other Half is a sandwich fan. So this Bacon and Rocket Focaccia Sandwich with Salad must be as good as he says.

This is their Crispy Bacon Salad. Suffice to say, our gal took most of the bacon. The tomatoes were really nice, sweet. The salad was basically light, and you get to taste each vegetable in it. I've lately begun to appreciate the individual tastes of each food. In a well prepared dish, that's what one is supposed to taste.... the original taste and not the overwhelming sauce flavours, which makes the food artificially flavoured, distorting your taste buds.

Zabaglione - our dessert. I asked the proprietress to recommend the dessert. This wasn't too sweet. Very often desserts are overly sweet and you sort of get sick with the sweet feeling. This had a tinge of alcohol to its taste, just a teeny weeny bit of taste which makes it quite aromatic. Like the texture too.

There is no set menu. Dining is a surprise in this place. Food is according to the chef's whims. Walk in and the standard menu offers only drinks. I'd rate this a gem in Penang. Nice food with an interesting ambience. 8) And by the looks of it, there is no shortage of people who know of this place.

Oh ya! An interesting observation I made. I noticed that the proprietress is quite sharp in identifying those who come in for food and those who appear to want to have a drink. And I noticed too that Malaysians come short in the 'understanding' department. Despite being told again and again that they only accept guests who want to have lunch (as in have food) some actually say they want to be served drinks.... They do serve drinks only... but it's after 2, when the lunch crowd is done.

Lolipot Shabu Shabu Steamboat

This is an all gal makan outing... My gal and I had some time to kill and we were famished. Other Half had to go under the drill of the dentist. So both of us walked around looking for our lunch. For some reasons, our gal seems to have a penchant for shabu shabu. I supposed this has something to do with all kids liking to be able to play masak-masak. And this is better than the masak-masak play cos you get to eat your own masakan. I used to pretend to eat the food that I pretended I had cooked when I was around her age. And when we were actually older, my bros and I actually lighted our makeshift stove (usually some twigs and dried leaves between two bricks) and 'cooked'. 

The place was practically empty when we walked in. I was actually quite hesitant as our last few forays into everything shabu shabu hadn't been exactly nice or worth the money paid. And I almost walked out again after being told that it was RM36 per head. Not worth it for my lil one. But in the end I relented cos I could see that she really would like to have our lunch there....

And so we did... and it turned out to be a pretty good experience. There were plenty of choices. And they tasted okay. There were beef, mutton, pork and chicken. Beef, mutton and port don't come by on the conveyor belt. You have to ask the waiter to bring them for you separately... but you can ask for as many plates as you want. It's buffet after all. I really enjoyed the beef and mutton.

Daughter chose a clear soup base while I opted for tom yam. The meats really tasted good in the tom yam. Don't go for the clear soup, though, unless you cannot tahan spiciness. They had chunks of fish too and they were sweet. Mushrooms, different kinds of vegetables, seafood (no prawns though but they had mantis prawns), fruits swung by on the conveyor belt all the time in threes or fours. Am wondering whether patrons who seat at the end of the line will get to eat the more popular stuff. This is the first time I found myself thinking that perhaps I might go back to the same place for shabu shabu. The meal was nice cos it was a rainy day. Hot soup went down well with the weather... 8)

Lolipot is located at Bay Avenue, next to Queensbay Mall.

23 Takehana

This is my second visit to 23Takehana. We were on our way home and we stopped by Autocity in Juru for dinner.

The place was filling up with cars as we drove in. But Takehana was still quite empty. We were promptly served.

Other half ordered this. The Takehana Bento. It had all these mixed of sashimi, chicken stroganoff, unagi dofu and sushi. The set came with chawan mushi and a piece of jelly for dessert too.

If you aren't too hungry the set would be good for two. There are enough helpings to go around. Other Half said the tuna sashimi was buttery and nice.

I had this, the Teppanyaki Bento. It had everything... Fish, squids, prawns and shimeji mushroom in fried mixed vegetables. It wasn't spectacularly nice though. The mixed veg was rather peppery. Again this would do for 2 people. The reason I chose this was because everything in it is cooked! 8)

Our girl had the Wakayama Ramen. The meat was really tender. The order was an overkill. She should've just picked from our Bentos cos we really had to stuff ourselves.

Koi Japanese

Nah... this is not about fish, though there was a piece of salmon involved. This Japanese restaurant is located on the second floor of the New Wing of Gurney Plaza. And it's got a nice view of the eating alley between G Hotel and Gurney Plaza if you are seated beside its windows.

The place was empty when my kids and I walked in. It was still a little early for lunch. Decor was simple and nice.

Kids below 12 get to eat for free. They had a few sets to choose from. Daughter chose this for a simple reason - nuggets and gooey egg! She likes her eggs gooey.... with the yummyness of the yolk oozing out as you take a bite.

Son's Chicken Teppanyaki. For an extra RM4, you get rice, miso soup and dessert (which were 2 pieces of watermelon) thrown in. The teppanyaki was okay. I realized this. With Japanese food, the sauces make the food appetizing and brings out the flavours, especially when taken with warm rice.

My order of Seafood Teppanyaki. The vegetables were nicely fried. The salmon ended up in my gal's stomach. This was not too bad. I guess being rather hungry impaired my judgement somewhat. But I think I'd give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5. One plus point though, this restaurant gives one a vantage point from which to observe the comings and goings of the crowd in Gurney. You could sit and sip your tea, and enjoy the view.

Price wise, I found it to be reasonable.

Gurney Paragon Mall

Touted as The New Heart of Penang, this is the latest to join the list of hangout places in Penang. It's located just beside the G Hotel. Just further down is the Gurney Plaza and a little further away is the Esplanade Hawker Centre. It's in the happening zone...

Anyway, the Gurney Paragon is quite a ncie place. Built, incorporating the old building which used to house the Uplands International School, they've preserved the old building and wrap the new ones around it. Before it became grounds for the school it was known as St Joseph Novitiate, a place where the La Sallian brothers trained teachers for the mission schools (St Xavier, Convent Light Street) in the early 20th century. These schools were known for excellence, a tribute to the commitment of these missionaries. An Art Attack exhibition was on when we took our walk. Our gal enjoyed it very much.

The familiar big pillars, wide corridors and high ceilings which are hallmark architecture of its era can be seen as we walked through the restored building. Ever wondered why old houses built in the early to mid 20th century remain cool despite the hot weather. I think it's the high ceilings and thick walls which make them ever so comfortable in our hot weather. Houses built these days have lower ceilings and are constructed with cement bricks. The hot air does not have enough space above and the bricks absorb heat way too fast. And that's why our houses become heat traps.

The former school field which used to house tennis courts have now been turned into a courtyard-like area, with a lighted fountain as part of its decor. Anyway, this place is still spankingly new. The upper floors don't seem occuppied yet. The ground floor is a thriving eating place with names like TGIF, Italiannies, Morgansfield, Moo Cow and others. This former school field is a great place for activities now. There was a kindergarten sports cum performance thing going on while we were there, with music, dances, clown show, game stations.....

There is a schedule for the fountain shows. The place cooled down considerably when the fountain show started, I noticed. The evening's kiddy programme was just winding down by the time we finished our dinner. The security guards were having a hard time trying to keep the kids off the fountain area. Parents were oblivious as some were still busy lining up for snack freebies.

We went back to Italiannies for dinner... and to claim our free bread pudding. LOL! But it goes to show how much Other Half likes the pizza here. The bread pudding was nice and moist. Served with cream, the cinnamon and raisins make it quite delicious. But we find the pudding a bit heavy on our stomachs.

We also ordered their Sicilian Salad, with diced chicken breast, grapes, mangoes, tomatoes, romaine lettuce and walnuts. After dinner we went over to Cold Storage at Gurney to get our own mix of nuts and other stuff for our own salad experiments at home.

Turkey ham and mushroom pizza. Son didn't follow us this time around cos he is trying to hit a high at work before he leaves for his studies soon. Food was a tardy bit too much for the 3 of us as a result. He'd have enjoyed the food if he had been with us.

We took a walk down the Esplanade after dinner while waiting for rhe fountain show to begin. It was low tide. The haze is back. The skyline is now hazy and it feels rather humid. The API is getting worse it seems and with it health issues too. It's the time of the year where slash and burn in Indonesia contribute heavily to this condition. These days, like condo living, whatever our neighbours does impacts everyone. Other Half commented too that the air smelt like the market. And on closer observation, we noticed this.

Dead fish everywhere... These must have been left behind by the receding water. There were still some puddles of water and we could see fish struggling to survive there, waiting to be rescued by the next high tide. By the looks of it, many did not make it.

Everywhere I go in Penang these days, I see restoration works on the old buildings. Many of the old buildings have been restored to their former glory. Some like the former Uplands International School have been incorporated into the modern urban planning, the old and new existing side by side. I was driving past St Nicholas Convent (Alor Setar) which is being torn down at the moment. I understand that a new medical centre is being built on its site. Such a pity because that is part of our heritage. Sometimes it seems like we are trying our best to wipe clean a certain past of ours. Sometimes, it seems that our greed for profit knows no boundary...

But whatever it is, I think acknowledging our past is just as important as building our future. Who we become is also a result of our past. It's a journey of accumulating what is good, learning from our mistakes... buildings can remind us that too...

I came back with rashes all over.... viral.

Italiannies

Lately, Pizza Hut appeals less to me, partly because I find the crust to be rather oily. And service has deteriorated too. During a visit some time back, the table we were seated at was sticky and the cutlery didn't look too clean either. So, if we do Pizza Hut, it's mostly takeaways, which is not very often now.

These days I prefer the crust to not leave a layer of oil on my hand after holding them. And that has gotten us trying out different pizza joints.

Italiannies is located at the ground floor of Gurney Paragon Mall. It looks like a nice hang out place in the evenings with company. With Euro Cup on now, I guess it will be filled with people whenever there are crowd puller matches. Football has a way bringing people together and works fans to a frenzy... even though the matches don't involve our team.

Bread for starters and on the house. The waitress asked us if we wanted more after we finished these, which we declined. The stomachs can only take so much. I've never taken fresh bread wih olive oil mixed with herbs. But it was surprisingly good. The black dash is balsamic vinegar. It gives this added oomph to the flavours. But go easy on that. Vinegar is sour. The bread felt soft and tasted fresh.

For our first order, we had oven roasted stuffed mushroom with minced stuffed, cheese included, and a small dollop of paste on it. They are served on a layer of creamy sauce. The sauce was really good. We scooped it clean.

Free Kids Meal... spaghetti in Alfredo sauce. Daughter loves all these cheesy stuff. The portion was just nice for her. We pinched a little bit from her and found it to be creamy.

The main order - Pizza Enorme. And it was huge! All 16 inches of it. This is a thin crust pizza, and yup! Minus the oily feel. It's meant for 5-6 people, according to the menu. It's one pizza, 4 flavours; pepperoni, turkey ham, pineapple, shrimp and mushroom, and roasted garlic. Only I didn't mind the pineapple, shrimp and mushroom section. The rest didn't like it, I guess because of the 'sea' smell... I think mainly the shrimps. But I thought the natural flavour of the shrimp wasn't too bad. Had to force Son to finish the last piece (from the shrimp section) because we were so full.... BTW, this is one of their signature dishes.

This is a place we might go back again.... anyway for filling up their feedback form, they sent an SMS and offered us a bread pudding... on the house. Not bad!