Brunch In Melbourne

Initially planned to have Japanese food on Tuesday but the restaurant was closed for Covid cleaning. So we walked further down the row to the Malaysian restaurant only to find out that they too were closed for Covid cleaning. It seems that's the new normal to have regular cleaning in order for their business to stay open.

Have no choice but to walk further down to the last shop in that row of shops and was delighted that it's opened!

This is the first time we have ever been to this place and surprisingly it has very nice ambience inside.

Mocha

Chai Latte. Someone told me that their Beetroot Latte is also nice, will try next time.

Big Breakfast

Fish & Chips

原本计划在周二去我家附近的日本料理用餐，但餐厅却因Covid清理而当天关闭。因此，我们往下走到另一间马来西亚餐馆，发现他们也因相同原因进行清洁工作而没营业。定期进行清洁以确保业务如常运作似乎已成了新常态。

别无选择之下，我们唯有继续走到那排商店的最后一家商店希望它有开。很高兴它当天有开！

这是我们第一次来到这个地方，出乎意料的是它的室内气氛非常好。

Chuan Bee Kopitiam

There are over 12,000 prewar buildings within the historic enclave of George Town which was the heart of this UNESCO Heritage City. If you are not local you may not be able to locate some of the best coffee houses (or more commonly known as kopitiam in local Hokkien dialect) that are hidden and scattered around the maze like street network of this heritage town. 

There is one such place located along China Street (Lebuh Cina), it is the road right across and run perpendicularly to the famous Kuan Yin Temple  (觀音亭). 

The appearance of this modest little shop doesn't look very impressive at first. In fact it may even put off many potential customers who wish to be in newer and presentable premises. This is where you always need the locals to bring you to places like these that never appear in your Lonely Planet travel brochure.

Kopitiam in Penang Hokkien means coffee house. However it is unlike Starbucks or Coffee Bean which specializes on variety of coffee. The name derives from the fact that the locals always enjoy their local Penang coffee in places like these where they can also dine in and chit chat with their friends. The local coffee served here is particularly good and I never fail to order a cup. The mixture of bitterness and sweetness is just right in my view.

Pomfret Fish Curry

Stir Fried Bitter Gourd with Egg

Like many other Kopitiam in Penang, you can find the standard Chu Char (煮炒) menu here like fish curry, stir fried vegetables, fried Hokkien Mee etc. But one dish that you MUST order when you are there is their 金香雞 (pronounced as Kam Hiong Kai in Cantonese) where the chicken is deep fried into golden brown color in their secret recipe spices. I've been trying to find out what are the spices that they use but I was not successful so far.

 金香雞

Rose Tea Of Winter Warmers

We can basically categorize people into 2 main groups; the tea and coffee group. Very seldom that you will crave for both, you either love one or the other. Personal preferences aside, there are tons of research and debate on which is a better drink in terms of its ‘kick’ effect as well as its health consequences.

Many believe tea is better health wise, but it is only the antioxidants found in green tea that has been tested to be effective in reactivating our white blood cell which in turn boosting our immune system. And there are people who believe that coffee will give them more energy to have a great start in the morning but research on people who drink decaf coffee produces the same result since it is our mind that associates coffee with the ability to give us a boost and not so much the effect from caffeine.

At the end of the day, no one can really tell you for certain which is better. To save us time and trouble, let’s just forget about all those scientific review and simply follow our heart as to which we I like best. I for one am a coffee person who must have at a cup per day. However, ever since I’ve tasted the tea at Winter Warmers; I no longer so sure that I’ll stick to coffee alone!

There are many Winter Warmers outlets in Penang such as at Queensbay Mall, Juru Autocity and Sunway Carnival. The one that I went to is at Gurney Plaza; located on the ground floor facing G Hotel. The interior is decorated with English countryside theme with lots of rose patterns on wallpaper, tea cups, teapots and table cloth. Yes it does feel a bit feminine but soothing at the same time. The settings provide a serene atmosphere for people to lay back and enjoy their English teas.

The only thing I ordered there is their Rose Tea. The rose infused tea smell so nice that its fragrance lingered on in my mind long after I left the place. It is this combination of smell and taste that makes this drink so special. I can never have enough of it every time I go there.   

Of course Rose Tea is my biased recommendation for Winter Warmers but there is actually a wide range of selection for you if you prefer others. They also have Herbal Tea, Hot Milk Tea and Iced Fruit Tea. The tea comes in fine loose leaves form in a pot.

If you seriously are not a tea person and will not try other thing besides coffee, they also have heaps of choices for you. They serve Midnight Kiss Iced Coffee, Milan Iced Coffee, Night Shadow Iced Coffee, Rose Iced Latte, Green Tea Coffee, Rose Coffee, Lavender Coffee, Chocolate Mint Coffee and the more common Espresso and Cappuccino. Food wise, they have sandwiches, scones, cakes, dessert and fresh fruits.