Maple Gold Restaurant

Penang is famous for its street foods so much so that most tourists come here all the way from all over the world to get a taste of the wonderful various delicacies that are only available here. However, Penang also has its own higher end cuisine which is less known by most people. It has many fine dining restaurants that offer high quality cuisine in luxurious setting.

One such place is the Maple Gold Restaurant at Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. Although it is a private club with sporting facilities, karaoke and slot machines only available to its members; the restaurant is however open to the public. It is a Chinese restaurant with modern chic interiors and wedding dinners are held regularly here.

Some of the dishes that you have to try are as follow:

1) Peking Duck

Peking Duck

Egg Flour Wrap

My number one pick as you don't get to eat it everyday. And you don't have to go to China to savour this wonderful dish, have it here in Penang! The skin is so crispy and juicy. Some people like to follow the tradition and eat it together with the egg flour wrap that comes together with it, but I for one just like to eat the skin all by itself. 

2) Stir Fried Duck Meat with Dry Chilli

Dry Chilli Duck Meat

If you are not familiar with Chinese cuisine you must be wondering where do all the duck flesh go if we just eat its skin. Nothing is wasted when comes to Chinese cooking, all the flesh is stir fried together with dry chilli.

3) Fish Steamboat

Fish Steamboat

Steamboat is a great way to gather people together surrounding this warm dish that strengthen the bond of family and friends. A bit far fetched but is quite true most of the time. 

4) Special Bean Curd Stuffed with Minced Prawn and Shark's Fin

Special Tofu with Prawn & Shark's Fin

You have surely eaten Shark's Fin Soup before but have you try shark's fin which is stuffed inside bean curd (tofu)? Real special dish, must try.

5) Crispy Skin Chicken

Crispy Skin Chicken

Another fabulous dish and I'm sure most people will first go for the drumstick, thigh and wing parts as these are the most succulent juicy portion of the chicken. All the breast portion will be left behind most of the time.

6) Deep Fried Cod Fish

Deep fried Cod Fish with crispy skin in light soya sauce.

7) Green Dragon Vegetables

Green Dragon Vegetables

A meal will not be complete without vegetables right because we must have a balance diet after all. The name itself makes you feel like an Emperor having a feast. Try the Green Dragon Vegetable, a really rare dish to find in Penang.

Maple Gold always has a special place in my heart because we used to go there on every 5th Day of Chinese New Year to attend our neighbour's birthday celebration. It was the time when everyone in the neighbourhood would come together socializing while being pampered by delicious feast. Our neighbour's uncle would never fail nominated himself and went up the stage half drunk to sing a song or two. Everyone would dress to kill and enjoyed the evening. It reminds me of the atmosphere of Chinese New Year every time I visited Maple Gold.