The street food in Penang is out of this world, but if you want to eat and drink some unique cuisine then Penang has some good options. In Penang there are several places where you can get great things to eat and drink of fusion cuisines from all over the world.
Via Pre – 5 weld quay, Pengkalan Weld, Seksyen 23, Georgetown, 10300 Georgetown
Via Pre is a modern Italian bistro with an earthy, casual atmosphere so that you can enjoy the comforts of authentic Italian cuisine. There are a number of different dishes to choose from on the menu but my favorite was the Tre and the Catch of the Day.
The Tre is a salad that is made of fresh and juicy prawns that are locally caught and it is served with a spicy cream sauce that is drizzled over the prawns with slices of fresh and juicy marinated tomato slices. This is a great salad to start out your eating adventure.
For the main course you should order the Catch of the Day. Since Via Pre gets all of their fish fresh this is the best choice. Whatever fish they happen to catch that day is guaranteed fresh and you can have it either roasted or grilled to perfection.
Upstairs Via Pre has a bar called Jammin. After a great meal in the restaurant you can enjoy a great drink at the bar, whether it’s gourmet Italian beer, a cocktail or just a coffee. It is a cozy little bar with comfortable couches that has blue grey upholstery and reddish woods table top tables. You can also enjoy great music while you are there.
Tre Salad is one of my favorite at Via Pre
Beach Blanket Babylon – 32, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Georgetown
Beach Blanket Babylon is a great place if you want to enjoy a nice meal and drink with no noise except for the waves that you will hear from the seaside. There are several things on the menu at Beach Blanket Babylon but my favorites are the Chicken Satay and the 6 Spice BBQ Chicken, made from a secret recipe.
The Chicken Satay is a dish made of boneless and skinless chicken breasts that is cooked to a juicy perfection and it is served with a peanut and soy dipping sauce. My other favorite at Beach Blanket Babylon is the 6 Spice BBQ Chicken and it’s a dish that is made of boneless and skinless chicken breasts that is dusted with 6 spicy and earthy spices that soak into the chicken. Then it is cooked to tender and juicy perfection.
After a great meal in the restaurant move over to the sand side and enjoy a refreshing drink. While listening to the calming waves from the sea you can sip on the bar’s classic mojito. This drink will be the perfect end to a perfect meal.
6 Spices BBQ Chicken
Five27 – 357, Lebuh Chulia, Georgetown
The Five27 is a multicultural fusion restaurant that is brightly decorated with classic art. With the bright colors and the classic it makes for a fun and casual atmosphere. Along with the casual atmosphere, the Five27 is a melting pot when it comes to the cuisine.
Five27 has so much to choose from but my favorites from the menu was the Chicken Liver and the Nyonya Pie Tee. For main course try the traditional Laksa.
After you have finished get downstairs which is a bar. The bartender, Harry prepares some innovative cocktails and the must try are Pineapple Mojito and Harry Boy.
Chicken Liver at Five27
Three Sixty Revolving Restaurant – Bayview Hotel Georgetown
Out of all the restaurants on this list the Three Sixty Revolving Restaurant is the most unique. This restaurant has an open air bar and it revolves in a circle. Along with the uniqueness of the restaurant and bar they also have amazing food and drinks. It’s a buffet dinner and my favorite dishes on the menu was the Chicken Lor Bak and the 6 Spice BBQ Chicken.
A great way to start out your great eating adventure is by having Chicken Lor Bak. This is a great appetizer that has boneless and skinless chicken breasts that are grilled to tender perfection and is drizzled with a sweet and spicy sweet chili sauce. For the main course it does not get much better than the 6 Spice BBQ Chicken. It is boneless and skinless chicken breasts that is dusted with 6 spices that soaks deep into the chicken that is grilled to perfection. This chicken is really tender but be careful it will leave some heat in your mouth.
Once you are done with your meal you can walk to the open air bar, sit down and enjoy and naughty drink. Between the Sheets is a drink that has cognac, dark rum, orange liquer, fresh squeezed lemon, and sweet sugarcane. This is a great drink while you are enjoying the beautiful skyline of Georgetown and the great music.
Three Sixty Revolving Restaurant – One of the best places to dine and drink in Penang
El Faro Tapas Bar and Wine – 231, Jalan Burma, Georgetown, 10050 Georgetown
El Faro is a glam casual restaurant that sells small plates of food with small bites called Tapas. The food at El Faro is not cheap but the quality of the food and the atmosphere makes up for the price.
All of the tapas here are great but my favorites are the Boquerones and the Chicken Thigh Salad. Boquerones is a dish with white anchovies on top of juicy pieces of watermelon with a fresh sprig of mint on top of the anchovy. It is a great way to start your eating adventure. The other dish that is great on the menu was the Chicken Thigh Salad. This salad is made of fresh greens, tender chicken, San Simon Cheese, Grapes, with a Balsamic dressing drizzled on top. While you are enjoying your meal you can choose from the large selection of top quality wine that they have. This is also the place where I first had the black rice – rice cooked with squid ink.
Rice cooked in Squid Ink accompanied with scallop, octopus arm and clam
The next you decide to take a trip and want to enjoy a food and drink adventure you will never forget then go to Penang. It will be a trip that you will never forget and want to come back over and over again.
