Cake Time Penang & Butterworth

Penangites love inventive ideas especially when it comes to food and beverages. Food trucks are not unusual overseas as it is widely accepted and in fact the most convenient way of getting food. You don't have to worry about making reservations or even not having any seats. 

So, when homemade cakes are sold in food trucks, Penangites went bonkers. I heard so many good reviews about Cake Time Penang and now they have crossed over to mainland Penang, Cake Time Butterworth, we now get to eat cakes at designated time and place almost everyday on each side of Penang. The cakes are not available on Mondays so do follow Cake Time Penang or Butterworth Facebook page to get their latest updates on their business location all over Penang. They are always on the move everyday. 

On their inaugural first day on mainland Penang, they parked and sold their homemade cakes beside new Chaw Choon Dim Sum Restaurant along Jalan Ong Yi How. I was very excited to be one of the first few early birds to "pong chan" them. It was not even 10am.

 A variety of cakes, spoilt for choices. However, they are famous for their cotton cheesecake which didn't cross my mind at that point.  

 Cakes of the day - opera (left) and dark brownie (right). Dark Brownie was salty to my liking so I didn't enjoy it very much. Opera, on the other hand, was very nice. Cake is very soft to touch and not sweet at all. The coffee taste is strong in this cake. 

I should have taken photo of the other side of the card. LOL. Anyway, each truck has numbers and each truck has different contact numbers to the person in charge. So, on the mainland side, 2 trucks numbered 3 and 4 are based in mainland and will rotate in locations. Each truck serves and sells different flavours of cake from one another. Well only different in a few flavours of the day.

Few weeks after my first visit to the truck at Butterworth, today I finally get to try more cakes at their location in Taman Sri Rambai in Bukit Mertajam. Apparently they stationed here every Wednesday mornings. To celebrate the durian season, they have durian cheese cake for a limited period of time. Trust me, it is worth the purchase but you must bear durian breath for a good few hours.  

Flavours of the day. Savoury and sweet. You name it. 

You will be surprised to know that chicken floss and cake do work very well. Highly recommended.  

I'll try the Parmesan Cheese Cake next time. 

Their Japanese Cotton Cheesecake is really light and subtle to taste.  

 Durian Cheese Cake. Tasted exactly like durian dodol. I am serious. 

Favourite.  Chicken Floss cake. 

And, a very unique and cake, Vanilla Milky Cranberry. 

Best part of all, it is only RM10 a tub. You can purchase as many as you like or even pre-order them if you know their location in advance so that you need not queue to buy cakes when you arrive. 

You can also read more about Cake Time Penang in Chinese here. 

Marlons+Co. Cafe @ Raja Uda, Butterworth

It reminded me of Jack & Co. The colour choice, the design - all sleek, rustic and modern (with a container door on one wall). The coffee bar is elevated and encourage patrons to have their drinks at the bar. Not all cafes do that these days. It is encouraging consumers to be aware of how their drinks are made and also to chit chat with the barista at the same time. 

Self-service order and you will be given a number. We ordered yogurt cheese cake and pork chorizo sausage. The cafe is relatively new so everything including the service is "new". So, be patient as great things take time. 

 It did hit some of us hard especially during tough times. Thanks for the thought. 

When I asked the barista what is their signature drink, he said there isn't any as their signature is the coffee beans. Rhapsody. It sounded sophisticated and we bought the idea. My mother ordered their toffee nut rhapsody coffee and just the smell of it, captured my senses immediately. It was unlike those in Starbucks and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, this pungent coffee smell was unlike any other. For a non-cafe drinker, I found the smell really good and packed a punch! 

 My chocolate was not bad either. Rich and strong. I wonder if all these chocolate drinks came from the same vendor like all other cafe I've been. 

Don't ask why a spoon for sausage. The boss, Alan Khor, is a good chap and he came to explain to us (via Instagram too). He was nice and friendly, checking on each table to make sure our experience are alright. Sure enough, my mother went back to the cafe again just a couple of days ago, with my sister this time.  

To Alan, I was just pulling your leg and I hope you get your set of knives already from the supplier! All the best to your business! 

My favourite from Marlons+Co is this yogurt cheesecake! 

A nice location, very near to Coffee Venture and plenty of parking as it is located at the new shop office premises at the top of Jalan Raja Uda. So, don't accelerate the moment you enter this road otherwise you'll make a lot of u-turns. 

Facebook page here. 

Arnold Cycling Cafe / LPMTB @ Jalan Ong Yi How, Butterworth

An ideal afternoon tea with friends or family surrounded by wooden furnitures and 90s music

Watermelon and strawberry cake - innovative! 

Most coffee lovers from Butterworth would agree with me that the coffee here is the best in town. I found their hot chocolate to be comforting and rich. The cafe got uplifted from its dark and bicycle image of LPMTB to now Arnold Cycling Cafe where it is brighter, vibrant and lively. They have an open space area for smokers as well with an access from the back carpark. It is definitely popular and full with people from all ages. 

Arnold Cycling Cafe

20 Lorong Teras Jaya 2,
Kawasan Perindustrian Ringan Teras Jaya,
13400 Butterworth, Malaysia
Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 10:00–00:00

Email: arnoldcyclingcafe@gmail.com 

Facebook page here. 

Griffiths @ Kampung Bharu, Bukit Mertajam

Kampung Bharu hosted a lot of f&b outlets and some of them managed to sustain themselves in business for the longest time even though the rapid change in Penangites' demand in quality and quantifiable food and drinks in Penang. Such as Shunka, Kim Castle, Kuo Fu Chen Steamboat etc.

Griffiths is not new to the locals in that area but to me it is. It is a bit like Route 9 at Bishop Street whereby with a top up of 4 ringgit, you can pimped up your main course with a free tea and soup. However, just a selected few main courses and it is different every day.

I ordered a turkey, ham and cheese sandwich and was disappointed with it came without a side salad. I wasn't sure why a piece of lettuce leaf was placed next to the sandwiches though. Did they forget to put in the side salad? Anyway for RM8.90, I couldn't ask for more.

My sister ordered carbonara and the portion is decent and the price is cheap. Amongst all the cafes and restaurants we have dined in, the prices of pasta dishes sold here is the cheapest and by cheap it means you can get it as low as 8.90 a plate for aglio olio. Of course, different people have different taste palette but judging from the number of patrons in this restaurant, it is popular.

The restaurant is open everyday between 10am to 10pm. If you know where Old Town Kampung Bharu is, it is just on the opposite side situated between another cafe and a fashion boutique. Drive slow after Shunka on the left and CIMB on the right.

No service or government tax, correct as of 19th January 2015.

Clock's Cafe, Penang

When I googled this cafe, there are not much search results other than their Facebook page. I guess it is still relatively new and on the mainland, it didn't capture much cafe surfers to this part of town yet.

But, the location is strategic as it is at Sunway Perdana which is the newest part of Sunway Business Centre in Seberang Jaya where it hosted Sunway Carnival Mall. To assist fellow readers, if you know where Kim Hee or Hock Moon Restaurants are, Sunway Perdana is just opposite them. There are five blocks of new triple storey shop offices and the Clock's Cafe is on the third block together with Nasi Kandar Al-Nur, Madam Wong's Steamboat, PTPTN and Prudential offices. 

I went there for lunch as my office is just a block away and didn't get to take much photos due to the one hour lunch limit. My colleague and I ordered the set lunch of Clock's Chicken Chop and it was decent. The chicken chop were crispy enough and the gravy was served separately. So, you won't get to devour a plate of mushy soaked chicken. That is very considerate of them and not all cafes do that; not even restaurants.

Price wise mid range and they have some props from a local movie, 同学会 or the Gathering. So, this cafe is popular with students. It is also friendly to customers who are alone and it is peaceful during off peak hours. It also caters to gatherings and birthdays too. Just call to book! 

Clock's Cafe

No. 51 Jalan Todak 6,
Kompleks Sunway Perdana
13700 Prai, Pulau Pinang
Phone 04-383 8498
Email info.fncmarketing@gmail.com

Opening times: Daily between 10:00 - 00:00

Maozcafe, Butterworth

 coffee with caramelised almonds crepe cake

 chicken pie, latte and cappucino. decent coffee art there.. 

hot chocolate with an indescribable art 

Quaint cafes are also popping up in Butterworth following it's other half on the island. So, this cafe is not the first but nonetheless it is the first in its area, Butterworth Business Centre off Jalan Raja Uda. There are both outdoor and indoor sittings in this cafe and I highly recommend you to sit outside. The noise is unbearable inside where the cashier, coffee, cake and pastry counter is. It's like a market. In its Facebook page, this place is also described as a "food and grocery" cafe. Grocery? I didn't get the chance to waltz into the cafe as I had to "jom" a table whilst my mom and brother went in to order. 

Anyway, I am a non-coffee drinker so I usually opt for hot chocolate, juices or teas. The hot chocolate here is not the best as I still think the best one is at Coffee at the Table, Beach Street. Nonetheless, the coffee crepe cake and the chicken pie are good. Ya, I don't take coffee but I eat coffee flavoured cakes. :P 

Price wise, definitely cheaper than those on the island noting that there is coffee art on their hot drinks. If you like to explore quaint cafes around the mainland, do give this place a try. Every place deserves a chance.

To give you an idea where the cafe is, it is located at the Autocity of Raja Uda (at the top of Jalan Raja Uda where it intersects with Jalan Telaga Air and Jalan Siram) where you can find The Library, Aroma Hotel, Yes Yogurt and Shunka Japanese Restaurant.  

Maozcafe 

No.18, Butterworth Business City Centre,
Jalan Raja Uda,
12000 Butterworth, Penang

Dolce Dessert Cafe

For a taste of fine desserts and cakes, drop by here. I love the pastries base and in particular their cheese mousse! 

Address:
No. 18, Jalan Kek Chuan,
10400 Georgetown, Penang.
Business Hours: 3pm to 11pm.
Opens daily.