Gold Choice Barista Cafe @ Raja Uda, Butterworth

This franchise was opened by an acquaintance (though not publicly announced) but with social media, this cafe gained popularity not just because of its coffee but also because of their waffles and puff pastry pizzas. 

A colleague of mine frequented this cafe almost every night on weekdays and sometimes even over the weekends just for their chocolate waffles. It was a shame that the chocolate waffles were sold out the night I visited. So, for an optimum experience and enjoyment of the menu, do drop by on weekdays or nights. Biasness aside, the environment is really warm and the tables were designed for 2 or 4 patrons each. There are few comfortable seatings for bigger groups at the front or the back of the cafe so, timing is really important or perhaps just delegation of attendance. 

Anyway, unlike other cafes I've been in Raja Uda (Arnold Cycling Cafe aside), it is packed. Really. Even though they've opened for some time now since the Chinese New Year yet the response they get is overwhelming even until today. I took my colleague's word for it. So, this is a throwback post as it has been a month ago since I've visited Gold Choice. The same day since I've visited Coffee Venture, too. So, Gold Choice is located near Aroma Hotel and the Library. So, if you are familiar of this location, you should also know that Maoz Cafe, Armor Cafe and Shunka Japanese Restaurant are also near this establishment. Parking could be a pain but if you don't mind walking, you can walk nearer to the karaoke joint or at the empty shoplot units opposite Gold Choice. 

Italian cuisine inspired menu. Their take of pizza or pasteleria is a lighter version of even New York Crust Pizza. You get less crust and more ingredients in a mouthful. Belgian waffles are brilliant as it comes in few flavours - original, chocolate and coffee. 

 The emblem of the barista cafe is of a rosetta, one of the basic latte art in coffees around the world. 

 Many well wishes and congratulatory bouquets at the counter. 

Hawaiian Pasteleria 

  Coffee flavoured Belgian waffles with bananas and chocolate ice cream. 

Awesome comfort food on any day! 

I do understand why my colleague love this place so much, not just because they served waffles but because they have the atmosphere that most cafe don't. It is not as posh as Macallum Connoisseur or Marlons+Co and yet not as shabby as old-school kopitiam so it came right in between these two high and low ends of coffee drinking rendezvous. It is not intimidating and yet you felt welcomed. It fitted the image of Butterworth very well so that's why the place is packed all the time. Warm and welcoming. As a support to this anonymous acquiantance of mine whom I could see almost every morning or any time of day at home, good luck and all the best! 

Gold Choice Barista Cafe  

No. 3, Butterworth Business City Centre,
Jalan Raja Uda,
12300 Butterworth, Penang
Tel: 04-313 7658
Opening hours: 
Monday-Thursday : 10.30am-12am
Friday-Sunday : 10.30am-1am
Homepage 

Coffee Venture @ Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth

Sleepy town of Raja Uda in Butterworth is getting wake up call from the recent blooming of artisan coffee and cafes especially at the top of Jalan Raja Uda where there is a newly CCC obtained shop offices on the left side (if coming from Jalan Telaga Air or Taman Bagan) of the main road. 

Coffee Venture is a big cafe, occupying two units of the ground floor shop offices and it is visible from the main road. You will not missed it after the Khian Guan biscuit factory heading north towards 7-Village Noodle House or Kwang Hwa Primary School. Parking spaces are plenty as Coffee Venture is the only establishment there. As it is new, so it is crowded especially on weekends during coffee breaks and after-8 at night. 

As most of my friends and family members know, coffee is not my first option and it never will be unless I have no choice or if the cafe is really famous because of its coffee (hint: starbucks or coffee beans or costa coffee). I have a low tolerance for caffeine in coffees that I could not sleep a wink at night as it will make me tense and agitated. Ok, you guys get it right? But, I like teas and I could have them at any time of day and I could still sleep at night, comfortably regardless of how strong it is. Hence, I may not be a coffee connoisseur so do pardon my comments on non-coffee drinks instead. However, I enjoy #cafesurfing and #cafehopping in Penang as there are so many of them. It's like a new cafe open each week in Penang at this rate that the trend is going. 

The internal furnishings of the cafe is geography inspired where you get to know where does coffee beans come from. As you can see from the map, it all came from countries that is below the equator line, notably South America, Africa and some parts of South East Asia. The price in the menu is mid range (between RM8 to RM20).  

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon, where most people will be indoors at home napping but not for us and these guests. 

Free wifi? Do check with the cashier. 

I guess it is commendable of all cafes to offer complimentary water counter such as this. It goes really well with milk based drinks and quench your thirst even more. So, lemon water was really thoughtful for the customers. 

I fell in love with Kaffa's Chocolate Macchiato (with salted caramel laced on top) and when I saw that Coffee Venture has salted caramel milk (top pic, bottom), I ordered it right away. Tasted like popcorn in a mug with milk! Fragrant and smooth to taste. It will do justice to the drink even more to at least drizzle some caramel on top crisscross fashion and laced the drink with sea salt at the rim of the cup. That'll do my good cuppa at any day. 

Croissant with tuna and side salad. 

It is overbaked but nonetheless, smells good of butter. 

Chicken bolognaise

French toast! Good! It's appealing and fluffy. 

As the cafe is big, so it is a good place for big group gatherings over drinks and cakes. Yet to try the cakes for now.

Coffee Venture
23 & 25, Jalan Raja Uda,
Pusat Perniagaan Raja Uda,
12300 Butterworth, Penang
Tel: 013-582 3388
Facebook page 

G&L in Dubai 2015 - Day 4

Sorry for the long hiatus! I just got back from UK after visiting my brother with my family. Europe was mean to us by giving us horrid rainy weather during the first week. Fortunately, it was better when we flew back to London. 

Anyway, the last post for Dubai before I prepare for the upcoming posts for Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, London, Newcastle and Sunderland, UK. 

Day 4 Itinerary
Abra to Textile Souk
Hard Rock Cafe Dubai
Lunch opposite Traders Hotel by Shangri-La
Home

It was free and easy day and we have like less than 6 hours before our flight home. We decided to get our souvenirs and some pashimina shawls/scarfs for our friends and family. So, where else to go for them other than at the souk (market). Across old Dubai city, there are plenty of markets to visit - notably Gold Souk, Textile Souk and even Spice Souk. We only went to the first two.

 The flowers were glorious and vibrant looking every day. Did the local council change them every day? My friend in Doha then informed me that they received plenty of water each day, at least twice. 

You can only find air-conditioned bus stops here.  

 Making use of the underground pedestrian walk way to get to the other side of the road and hiding away from the sun. It was a nice day. 

 Deira Old Souq Station to catch the abra. It costed only 1 dirham for the boat ride, one way. So, don't get fooled with 10 dirham for one way because 10 dirham is for the river cruise. 

 To get to textile souk or Meena Bazaar, you get out from Abra's first stop at Bur Dubai Station. 

 Just less than 2 minutes walk from the abra station, on the right is the Meena Bazaar's entrance. I could spend the whole day there. So many things to see and buy. 

I could not described the photos in detail because the photos did the talking already. But what I can point out are: -

1) Always haggle. If you are lucky, you only need to pay just a few dirhams more than the cost price instead of its retail price. So, you are talking about for a 100% cashmere/pashimina shawl you can negotiate or haggle the price from 20 dirhams to only 13 dirhams. Of course, the more you buy, the cheaper it gets. We should have bought 50 shawls that day.
2) If you are not interested, detour and go further away from the shop and not let the shopkeeper or shop assistant pull you into the shop.
3) Don't waste the shop assistant time by checking their prices and haggling with them if at the end of the day, you are not buying anything.
4) Dress decently, with shoulders and knees covered. The market is manned by men and not women. You don't get to see female sales assistant anywhere in any markets in Dubai.

Next stop, on a tight schedule, Keavie and I took a taxi from Bur Dubai Station to Hard Rock Cafe Dubai at Festival Mall.

By far, the Rock Shop's shirt is the cheapest and has the most friendliest staffs ever! Safe to say, after visiting the shops in Vienna, Budapest, Prague and London, I still rate Dubai's Rock Shop staffs to be friendliest. Is it because they are Filipinas? :) 

We got back to the hotel and freshened up quickly before checking out from the hotel. We still had time and we decided to have lunch before departing for the airport. We had Chinese food and in Dubai. Haha.. 

 21 dirhams for this plate of fried tilapia fish and it came with complimentary rice and drink

Goodbye Traders and see you, Dubai!