Yella Fork @ Chow Thye Road, Penang

Yella!

Finally, an opportunity to check this place out with my fellow girl friends (and her spouse). Yella Fork is an Aussie-Asian fusion cafe set up by a fellow junior from school. He was in Melbourne, Australia for four year before settling in Penang and open up this forking place for fellow forkers in Penang. 

So, knowing the owner, this cafe attracted a lot of us from school. Classes from 1999, 2001, 2004 all came to show our support for Julian Ooi (the owner / the chef / the brain behind the menu / da boss) and his food! So, if you like fusion food as much as we do, why not drop by for lunch or dinner? The background music and song choices were good and without students, rest assured you can hear and speak without any problems. The level of noise is almost none. 

We visited Yella Fork yesterday and we came in 3 batches making us a group of 7. Located at Chow Thye Road (with an easier access from Tavoy Road or Service Road off Burmah Road, use Waze if you are unsure) and with neigbours like Monkeycup, Basement 6, That Little Wine Bar, Isaribi Tei, Jempul Tree etc, this area is packed with foodies especially during lunch hour in the weekdays and it is not as busy over the weekends. So, parking is a breeze if you drop by on Saturday afternoon. But, be sure to make a reservation before you go if you are coming in a group of more than 5 pax. 

The exterior and interior of Yella Fork

(L-R, clockwise from top) Presto soup, Roasted Crispy Pork Belly, Rasta Beefsta, BBQ Ribbing, Forking Kai, off the menu penne pasta with pesto, off the menu Rui Fang's spicy fix, nachos, rose latte and their signature dish right in the middle of the photo is Pie in the Sky!

The price of their meals are akin to those in Route 9 at Bishop Street whereby with an upgrade of RM7, you can get an appetizer of the day, soup of the day and a canned drink. If you wish to change the drinks, no problem. Just top up a few more ringgit for the drinks of your choice. So this was the flexible set meal whereby you can pick your own main course and just top it up with RM7 for a full 3 course meal. They have another set menu with fixed 4 main courses. At RM20, it comes with a soup of the day and a canned drink. With an extra RM3, you get your drink of your choice. So, this place is pocket and wallet friendly. The portion of food is huge and it is filling.

(L-R) Affogato Apple, Banana Fruuze, Poached Pear with ice cream and their dessert of the day menu

Their dessert is to die for especially the Affogato Apple. I am not a fan of coffee but I must say the warm cinnamon apple slices did compliment the coffee and ice cream very well. The coffee taste was just on the right dose and does not overkill the whole taste of the dessert. The chocolate chips in them did wonders too, giving it a bit of a crunch. A very nice ensemble of desserts and the poached pear is soft and not mushy. It was a clever idea to freeze the banana with some ice too! 

Overall dining experience with Yella Fork is good and we do look forward to their new menu in two weeks time. They have unique names for their food and the taste is different depending on how adventurous your taste palette is. Nonetheless it is the best rendezvous for schoolmate from CBW. I hope you guys will also have the same thoughts as us and have a friendly meal at Yella Fork.

Yella Fork
Address: 27A, Jalan Chow Thye, Georgetown Penang, Malaysia
Mobile: 011-1256 8528
Opening hours: 11:30 - 22:00 (with afternoon rest between the hours of 3pm to 5pm)
Facebook page
Parking: In front of the cafe or its surrounding. Limited. Be early to avoid disappointment.

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.

Jack & Co @ Icon City, Bukit Mertajam

HO! HO! HO! 

I haven't got the chance to visit the one at Jalan Dato' Kramat and here ye, here ye, it is now at Icon City, Bukit Tengah over on the mainland! It was opened only yesterday, on 12th December 2014. It had been relocated from its earlier premise and now this container inspired restaurant has settled in Icon City. 

It is the only restaurant at Icon City so far because it is really new and plenty of vacant shop lots around the restaurant. Nevertheless, I am very happy with the amount of parking spaces around here but if Icon City is to be the next Autocity, then this would be the next best thing that had ever happened on mainland Penang. 

Iced Lemon Tea / Latte

Mantou Chicken Burger @ RM12.90 

There are service tax of 10% in the bill and do come early as places are limited. Overall, a nice dining experience for late lunch today.

Jack & Co
Opening hours: 11.00am onwards
Directions: From Autocity Juru intersection, take the left into Jalan Kebun Nenas. Go straight and when you see Petron petrol station, take the left and turn right. Follow the road into the new shoplots and Jack & Co. is just on the right.

James Foo, Raja Uda

James Foo fans over mainland Penang are most delighted when a branch is opened at Jalan Ong Yi How's business district. With LPMTB and Chatime cafes as its neighbour, I bet this joint will also be popular with students and locals alike. This branch in Raja Uda is their fifth branch in Penang with its first at Fettes Park, followed by All Seasons, Farlim, Penang Times Square and Elit Avenue, Bayan Lepas.  

Reasonably price, and decent food portion with a good and extensive menu - highly recommended for lunch and dinner if you fancy western food. At least there are more chairs and tables here than Butterworth Cafe. 

Combo grill - Chicken & Pork - RM15.00

It is open everyday from 12 noon.

James Foo Raja Uda 
16, 18 Lorong Teras Jaya 2
Kawasan Perniagaan Teras Jaya
13400, Butterworth, Penang
Tel: 019-422 8266

Route 9, Bishop Street, Penang

Route 9 is not exactly a customer-oriented restaurant in my personal opinion because during my first visit weeks ago, I was turned away because the restaurant was full. There was no opportunity given to wait or at least to leave a phone number for a table. So, it was really an upsetting first impression which the restaurant gave me and I did vow not to dine here even though my family were of the opinion that the food and its price were decent. 

Luckily, I did break the vow and at the suggestion of my colleague, we decided to give Route 9 a shot. Boy, it wasn't that bad after all. Despite the rude encounter aside, the food was good. It wasn't great but with the price and the portion, it was reasonable and tasty. Especially, with an add on RM2 for drinks and dessert; or RM6 for an appetizer, drinks and dessert. We picked the latter. So, for our main, we picked spaghetti. 

The mushroom soup is comparative to Cheers. Unfortunately, Cheers is no longer in business.  

Spaghetti carbonara with ham and garlic bread

We had good ice cream for dessert and the drink was iced peach tea or iced lemon tea.


Route 9 
36，Lebuh Bishop，
10200 Georgetown，Penang.
04-2639899
Opening hours: 11am - 3pm ；6pm - 10pm

The Cruises Steak House, Aeon Jusco Alma

FINALLY! I don't have to cross the bridge to the island to dine here now that they have opened a branch on the mainland. 

Enough said. I am sure you guys have dined at The Cruises before, make it the one at The One or Light Street. Food's good and ambience is slightly dark. Love the blue mocktail shot served at the end of meal. 

Aeon Jusco Mall, Alma Bukit Mertajam

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

Just Food Foodcourt, Gurney Paragon

Gurney Paragon gives a posh ambience and welcoming feel once you enter its premise. The ground floor gives the impression that things ain't gonna be cheap in here. But, you are wrong. As you escalate further upwards of this mall, you will realise that there are many affordable brands to shop around. You can also dine inexpensively, too. 

No one would have thought that the food court is a good place to start with if you are undecided on where to eat. Well, try it out. It offers local, western and eastern cuisines and all under one roof. You can have some Lebanese food or Korean even Thai or local hawker food. 

You can have some kebab with chicken or some rice. 

Or an economy priced set lunch at RM10.90 at Bee Won, Korean food stall. 

with some Teochew Chendul from Penang Road just a stone's throw away. 

Best not to compare the price charged here than those you can get from outside. Besides, for the price, you get decent place to eat with some cooling air conditioning. It's canny!

Just Food @ Gurney Paragon 
(163D-L5-08 - 13 & 20 - 23),
10250 George Town,
Pulau Pinang,

Big Ben Breakfast

a tall glass of iced Milo for brunch. it's really delicious, rich and frothy. 

big breakfast! cutlery and sauces are self-service. 

be patient, for the waiting time is a good 45 minutes sometimes.

Big Ben Breakfast 英式早餐
Stall 1 Jalan Kebun Bunga,
10350 George Town,
Pulau Pinang

Opening times: Mon, Wed–Sun 8:00 AM–3:00 PM