SAMBAL

Sambal serves modern cuisine inspired by both Oriental and European influences—with a twist. That said, I personally noticed more Oriental elements than European.

Overall, it’s a great place to visit, especially for a quick meal or when dining with a group of friends. Price-wise, it’s on the higher side, but you won’t regret it.

One downside is the location—it’s situated along one of the busy streets in Penang, such as Beach Street, so parking can be challenging. However, no worries—there’s a large paid parking compound directly opposite the restaurant, though the parking fee can be slightly pricey.

Now, let’s move on to the food.

We started with a few appetizers. The first was 3 Girls with a Dirty Guy—what a catchy name, right? I assume it refers to a combination of comfort food with a rich, savory (“dirty”) concept. This dish features fluffy steamed baos paired with grandma-style traditional salted fish pork patty, served in three ways: Original, Sambal Butter, and Char Siew Sauce.

On my next visit, I’d like to try their 3 Nuns with a Monk (a vegetarian starter).

Next was the Kerabu Glass Noodles with Prawns. It’s similar to Thai kerabu, but Sambal replaces the usual base with glass noodles. The dish is refreshing, though we felt it could have been spicier.

For the main dish, we ordered Udang Entangled. The soup is made from their house recipe broth, enhanced with fresh milk and Shaoxing cooking wine, and served with two large fresh prawns.

We also had their signature Lap Mei Fan, which was actually the main reason for my visit. This is a must-try entrée—don’t miss it!

 

Another dish we ordered was the Rempah Ribs with House Special Pickled Lotus Root. The pork prime ribs are marinated with house-blended local wild herbs and slow-roasted in fresh coconut water for up to six hours.

On top of that, we also tried the Char Siew Bip Rice—aromatic jasmine rice paired with caramelized BBQ pork belly (char siew), a free-range sunny-side-up egg, and chili padi.

Lastly, we had Teo Chew Nang before heading elsewhere for dessert. So what is Teo Chew Nang? It’s their handmade Teochew noodles served with bean sprouts, Chinese chives, dried shrimp, and crispy pork crackling. It was super delicious!

I will definitely be back to try their other signatures such as Sambal Udang, Grilled Rempah Chicken (which takes about 30 minutes to prepare—worth the wait!), Grilled Barramundi with Kerabu Mango Salsa, Japanese in Malaysia, and many more.

Address:
300, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Phone:
017-567 4778

1881 Chong Tian Cultural Hotel 中天樓

                 

人生有幾多個十年, 最重要活得痛快!

The above statement is something that ponder me always. How many of us could stay at the same work place for 30 long years? Well, I guess without your persistent, patient and courage, I believe no one could.

After 30 years of working, my manager will be retired from this hectic, stressful and “fun” work place and will be enjoying his retirement journey with his loved one. Due to his retirement, our boss gave him a luxury dinner which we never have the opportunity to try it, I guess when you work for the same company for 30 years. Thanks to him, we managed to enjoy the meal and it was a wonderful gathering among the staff.

We chose 1881 Chong Tian Cultural Hotel as the venue. First of all, it’s a heritage hotel, secondly, it’s newly open after a massive renovation to its original heritage design and it’s a place worth of visiting. The hotel has 11 suites, and the 11 suites designed or rather represent the 11 Chinese surnames that first landed in Penang, if am not mistaken as it consists of Khoo, Lee, Tan, Lim, Ooi, Ong, Chuah, Yeoh, Koay, Loh and of course the owner’s surname Seah which represent the largest suite in this Hotel. The owner of the hotel even bought those antique furniture and artifacts from many countries; the one that is more significant is the Emperor’s China brush (毛筆) which cost millions. The whole building is painted with heritage colour to make it look more authentic of olden days building.  Again… anyone knows what colour is that?

Before I proceed with the intro on those dishes… how many of us know about this building’s history. I was told, this building was once a brothel. The women were all kept in a special room before they were called to provide the service. All the ladies are kept in this special dedicated room with a rope tied to a bell. Whenever there’s customer visits, the owner will ring the bell, and the woman will come forward parading in line to the presence of the customer to pick their choice of lady.

After many years passed by, less and less people patronized the brothel, and it was converted to a residential building then. Before the building was sold to current owner, it was being left vacant for a long time. And after Penang was awarded the UNESCO title in year 2008, it has brought the entire Pearl of Orient a new life. Thus, 1881 Chong Tian was borne and established.

A man with strength, patient and persistent in his beliefs has contributed much to his service, his knowledge and passion into his job. To celebrate his retirement journey, we celebrated with these luxury food to indulge ourselves within the few hours!

 

First dish is the appetizer… which is highly recommended by the staff. That is fresh scallops with mushrooms, macadamia nuts and beans that was served in a nice champagne glass. That made the appetizer more delicacy, the chef added a prawn that is covered with almond slices, and a bacon that nicely wrapped with asparagus.

Next come the second dish which is Conch Meat Fish Maw Double Boiled Soup (花膠響螺燉老雞). The soup is tasty and it’s definitely good for health especially for us that is working under such intends stress environment. Why would I said so, well basically next year economy isn’t that promising especially many investors have predicted it would be a tough year ahead next year.

   

Typical Cantonese delicacy dish is Braised Goose Web and Abalone (鵝掌燜鮑魚).  Isn’t it indulging ourselves? I could taste the gravy was braised with specific ingredients like clove (丁香), and abalone sauce. If you’re not a fan of any creatures’ feet, you can opt for Lamb instead. A pan fried lamb also goes well with the abalone, it doesn’t have the smell that overcome the abalone.

Cantonese Steamed Pomfret (斗底魚), another indulging dish. An expensive pomfret that go as high up to RM90 per fish. In order to know the fish freshness, best is to go for steaming, especially Cantonese Style.

Last, Sambal Fried Four Heavenly King was the last dish served on the round table. The sambal was sourish and it was honestly appetizing, especially after a heavy meal. It does help in terms of digestion.

  

Nothing could end without a dessert. Peanut Paste Soup (花生糊), Honeydew Sago and a plate of Chinese Pancake (鍋餅) was the last dish of the dinner with a perfect mark and a respect to our dear manager that has been working for the past 30 years.

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Address & Contact

No. 38, 40 & 42

Jalan Pintal Tali

Georgetown Penang

Tel: +604-263 1881

Fax: +604-264 1881

URL: http://www.1881chongtian.com

Contact hotel for any enquiries
Lawrence Seng
Mobile: +6019-409 1881

Email: lawrence.seng@1881chongtian.com

Opening Hours

11am to 2pm

6pm to 10pm

Sri Malaya Heritage Restaurant

** Sri Malaya has stopped operation **

Lately Penang has a lot of those cafés popping up in town, especially in UNESCO area. It gives many of us and even the tourist the choice of food and also a place for relaxing our mind.

I’ve found a few in Penang, though time is always a problem to compromise, despite heavy work load. But am proud to see more and more this energetic young people came out to invent into this. Sri Malaya is one of them, a few good friends joint venture into this café business and decorated the entire place beautiful and pleasant. In fact, many of the furniture down there are basically old furniture but with their dedicated mind and finger, they turn each of these furniture into what it is now.

I would have to give them a big applause for their creativity and dedication. How many of us will have the heart and mind to safe whatever it’s still usable. Anything that is barely usable couldn’t survive in many people’s life now. Perhaps the technology world has change the entire generation and making more of these nowadays.

Well, technology and generation gap aside… what attracts me down here is the air well, the air well is where the place attracts the natural light and the it’s cooling. Looking up, you could see those sophisticated chandelier dangling crystal lamp, according to Sam, one of the partner, those are old chandelier, they refurbished it all.

They turned the old building that along Rope Walk Road into this stunning beautiful place for us to dine, good food, good environment, and good music. And some good interior design magazines to read too. Nothing could you ask for more from Sri Malaya. Oh yes, not to forget is reasonable price too.

Every dishes name sound boring and normal to many of us, but till you have the first bite, honestly it gives us a surprise after that bite. For example, this Pineapple Fried Rice (RM12-00). What would you think of this Pineapple Fried Rice, well, many would think that is pretty normal and it’s uses pineapple cubes to fry it. But what surprises us was, they also added in some lychee fruit in it that makes the rice some lychee and pineapple fragrant too. Food presentation is also another factor that could make the entire dish delicious. I was the one that couldn’t resist to keep having a few spoon.

Whenever I see Aglio Olio (RM15-00), I just can’t stop myself from getting one. Well, this time it isn’t any surprise for not having one for myself. Perhaps, it looks bland to many people’s eyes. But the olive chunks that fried together that makes a difference on this plate.

Fish & Chip (RM19-00) is honestly very ordinary to many people, well, when this was ordered, I was asking myself, why Fish & Chips of all the dishes in the menu. I just couldn’t comprehend when he has made up this mind. But when it serves, I was like… ok, that isn’t a bad choice. It looks beautiful from the outlook, but what would it tastes like when you have the bite. Ta daa… the first bite was full of unexpected surprises, it was fresh and juicy.

Teriyaki Chicken Burger (RM15-00) was another item that I kept eyeing on it when I first read the menu. This is something that I never come across; it should be something unique to attract me for the bite. And true enough, it was absolutely delicious with the caramelized teriyaki sauce. Looking at the burger nicely sitting on the French fries, it was really a beautiful picture to snap on.

Chocolate Brownie (RM9-00), needless to mention at all, especially when I first looking at it, I could smell the strong chocolate when it served right to me. Looking at the melted chocolate dripping down from the top, I just can’t stop biting it. It’s definitely lovely to have one.

Avocado Smoothie (RM8-00) with a pinch of coffee that make this Avocado Smoothie a kick. This smoothie is the star for Sri Malaya Heritage Restaurant.

Mango Smoothie (RM8-00), uses fresh mango and the sweetness of the mango need not use any sugar syrup to add on for this glass of smoothie.

Iced Black Brew (RM7-00), uses the fresh illy coffee bean and brew. The coffee aroma just make you wide awake when they make this glass of coffee.

Black Brew (RM6-00), isn’t any bad choice if you op for a hot coffee for the day. Definitely would if you know it brews from illy coffee bean.

Currently Sri Malaya is having promotion, if you order their main, pasta or Little Malaya’s dishes, a free fruit juice is serve.

Choices are Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Watermelon & Carrot. Customer can also op for mixed fruit like mixed apple, carrot and orange as well.

Apart from what I have written above, Sri Malaya also caters private function in their restaurant. A spacious in their living hall upstairs and also very breezy even on a hot weather.

Sri Malaya also have the outdoor environment that is specially cater for smokers. Cooling and nice place to hang out.




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Address & Contact Number
Sri Malaya Heritage Restaurant
No. 1 Rope Walk
10100 Georgetown
Penang
Tel: +604-261 3763

Business Hours:
12pm – 3pm
6pm – 11pm

Closed on Tuesday