Artichoke Cafe, Raja Uda @ Butterworth

My favourite brunch, lunch and dinner (maybe!) cafe in Butterworth to date! After all the hawker food stalls of course.

It is wonderful to know that the cafe scene in Butterworth is expanding and a lot of cafes open up along Jalan Raja Uda and at the heart of Raja Uda where Jalan Ong Yi How is. There is a question of sustainability and often, the restaurant that you've just dined months ago, will be replaced with some other joints already. But, I am glad to know that Artichoke Cafe did really well since its opening last year and I did not regret my visit to this cafe in particular for brunch.

Brunch starts from 930am until 1130am only. After that, they have the lunch menu which I haven't got the chance to try yet. I'll probably do that some other time as I've been having my Saturday brunch with this cafe for the past 2 weeks.

Their crockery are dainty. My friend ordered latte and I had the rose apple tea. Due to its colouring, it wasn't my cup of tea that day. LOL..  

Spinach and mushroom egg benedict. 

Oh, you could also get a bottle of water with as many glasses as you want for free. It is refillable, too.  

This has got to be the best dish ever! Egg Cocotte. 

After having this, I made my own version of it as lunch at work.

The Full Works. 

If you are feeling extremely hungry, this full breakfast is for you!  

Spanish Omelette

Love the chorizo sausage inside! And rocket leaves salad!  

Best of all, you can bring your own card game and play for as long as you want while catching up with your friends. 

Artichoke Cafe
Opening hours: 9am onwards, daily
Facebook page is 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. 

Paprika Cuisine @ Raja Uda, Butterworth

 Chicken Burger

Grilled chicken

Paprika Cuisine used to be Station One. Located at the junction between Jalan Dahlia and Jalan Raja Uda, and in the centre of the Raja Uda business hub, this restaurant is often missed by many. The presentation and taste of the food is not bad and yet the restaurant is empty. It was affordable too. There is a live band performance at night on weekends. Across from this is Just Something cafe. 

Unlike its name, I don't find any dishes related to paprika. Nonetheless, another western fusion option for meals in Butterworth that is worth checking it out. 

Paprika Cuisine

210, Jalan Raja Uda, 12300 Butterworth, Pulau Pinang
Tel: 04-3235042
Mon - Tues: 12:00–00:00
Wed: 12:00–01:00
Thurs: 12:00–00:00
Fri - Sat: 12:00–01:00
Sun: 12:00–00:00

Facebook page

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 

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