Wheeler's, Love Lane, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

While exploring George Town we were also in Love Lane and stopped for a break at Wheeler’s Coffee. Penang is famous for excellent cuisine and good coffee.

The shop is quaint and easily identifiable because the entrance is decorated with bikes and there is a mural of a gentleman and his unicycle from a long bygone area, when bicycles were still in their infancy, plus a rabbit on a bicycle sporting a blue and red stripped balloons.

The bicycle theme continues throughout the café.

There were a lot of fresh cakes and sandwiches on display and a large board showed the drink menu.

The orders were taken at the counter, but brought to the table by the staff.

The different flavored teas, coffees and chocolates were mind boggling and fabulous.

For him it was easier, but I had difficulties deciding which drink to take.

He took the Nutella Hot Chocolate, while I had the Rose Latte. We chose two orange juices and two tiramisu cakes as well. All was delicious and fresh.

We paid 63.60 MYR (ca. 13 Euro or 14.50 USD).

Other customers were locals and Wheeler’s was very full, but quiet.

We would return next time if we are in Love Lane again.


©2015 

Marco Pierre White's Steakhouse and Grill Dublin, Ireland - Revisited

Having liked our experience at Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse & Grill earlier (Please see also review.) we decided to book a table for  lunch in late September after our visit to the Gallery of Photography at Meeting House Sqare, Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland.

We were recognized immediately, greeted warmly and brought to a corner table, which was already set.

There was no time frame given we had to vacate the table.

We decided to have the value lunch menu again. It had changed to reflect the season.

One starter was still the same. I had it during our previous visit and it had been delicious, so we both chose the Caprese Salad. The quality was the same, but the mix of the tomatoes was slightly different. It was very fresh, light, healthy and tasty at the same time.

He followed with a roasted half chicken and beurre blanc. It came with fries. They had a lemony flavor. The chicken was moist and delicious.

My main course was gnocchi with mushrooms, peas and truffle oil. It was a very satisfying, earthy and moreish dish and well balanced. A good seasonal dish. 

We shared a dessert, the lemon raspberry posset. It was served more like a hot beverage on a dainty saucer with flower print. To our surprise it was lighter then usual, but extremely tasty. 

We shared a large bottle of still water, Fior Uisce, True Water and he had a glass of Joly’s sweet wine with our dessert. The wine was very refreshing and complimented the posset perfectly. 

Staff was attentive and friendly. It seemed there were no walk in guests and the staff/diner ratio was just right. The atmosphere was pleasant and felt upscale.

We paid exactly the same as on our first time at 58.65 Euros or 66 USD. Good value all around.

Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse and Grill has turned out to be one of our favorite restaurants in Dublin. We will be back for more.

©2015 

Engagement

This is a story about Frieda's sister Bobby and how she met her future husband.

The ring burned in Juan Migallon's pocket. He was nervous and thought everyone could read his mind. Of course only his mother Yadra knew what he was up to. She had helped him choose the ring.

It wasn't easy to convince Bobby, short for Roberta Eduarda Leandra Pianas, to leave her family behind and have dinner on St. Stephen's Day. They had been invited by Bobby's oldest sister Frieda and her husband Fin to celebrate Christmas in Seattle. Bobby and her three sisters were very close, but Bobby didn't see too much of them, because they had dispersed to different corners in the world, so it was difficult to separate them when they met.

Finally Bobby agreed.

Juan had booked a table at the Space Needle’s revolving restaurant.

The views were beautiful and the steaks delicious. Juan was a bit absent minded, because he felt even jitterier than before. Bobby was displeased about it and asked him outright if something was wrong. If she went out for dinner with Juan she expected total attention. Otherwise it was a waste of time in her opinion. She rarely did anything half measured, had high expectations on herself and others and was difficult to please.

Juan had met Bobby the first time, when he started working for her father Roberto. His own father Zymon thought it was better Juan left the family business, because Juan and his older brother Aaden constantly clashed about decisions. Since Aaden was going to overtake the company and disputes weren’t good to conduct business, Juan had to go. It hadn’t been easy for Zymon. He wanted the best for his younger son, so when he heard through the grapevine that his old friend Roberto Pianas was looking for a left hand man, he suggested Juan. Roberto met Juan and thought he would be a perfect fit to Bobby’s temperament and supportive when she took the helm.

At first Juan had his doubts Bobby would be suitable as a leader. Bobby was small and petite. She had short black hair and green eyes. It didn’t take him long to understand Bobby liked to wear the trousers – figuratively and literally. She had charisma, was hardworking and tough. She wasn’t very feminine, but she was warm and generous. There was immediately good chemistry between Juan and Bobby. He couldn’t put his fingers on it, but he found the whole package attractive. Bobby felt the same. They had some things in common, like their Colombian background and having three siblings. They shared the same taste in music, films and cuisine. They disliked mushrooms and shrimps. At work Juan and Bobby had the same goals. It didn’t matter for Juan that Bobby was his boss. She did listen to what he had to say and generally took on his advice. Bobby was a bit hot headed and impatient, while Juan thought before talking and didn’t mind to bide his time. They complemented each other and that made them a strong couple on and off the job.

Juan could hardly wait to settle the bill. The butterflies in his stomach had increased. It was crunch time. Dining at the restaurant included also free access to observation deck.

When they arrived at the top it was already dark and the lights of Seattle were twinkling below them. It was romantic. Bobby went to one of the windows immediately to stare out. Juan retrieved the box from his jacket. Bobby was still concentrating on the views. Juan cleared his throat. “Um, Roberta, we have been now together more than two and a half years and I really love you.” He sank to his knees, took Bobby’s left hand and asked: “Will you marry me?” Due to his nerves Juan was a bit clumsy and had problems opening the box. Finally he managed to pry it open. Bobby took the box from him and checked out the trilogy diamond ring. It must have cost a fortune. She still hadn’t given an answer or shown any emotion. “I chose it, because it reflects our past, present and future and its 24 karat gold.” “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” “So, will you marry me?” “Of course I will, dummy! It was about time. I thought you were never going to ask.” Bobby tried the ring on. It fit like a glove. Juan laughed. Part of it was relieve, because Bobby had said yes and the other part was amusement about Bobby being totally unromantic. Well, at least one of them was. Having expected more or less such a reaction, Juan wasn’t disappointed and thought Roberta appreciated his efforts. Later she told him she had enjoyed the evening and it had been very well planned and executed.

Bobby wore her ring with pride and got oos and ahhs when she showed it to her sisters and mother. Vanessa, who was a designer and working in Paris, immediately said she would create Bobby’s wedding dress and help her with the planning if Bobby wanted. Bobby was gracious and said she would happily accept any help she could get, because she wanted a traditional wedding with lots of guests. She wanted all members of his and her family present as well as their friends.

A year later the wedding took place in New York City.

©2015 

The Silk Road Cafe and The 6th Indian Film Festival of Ireland at the Chester Beatty Library

From the 25th of September to the 27th of September the 6th Indian Film Festival of Ireland took place and we decided to see  Umrao Jaan at the Chester Beatty Library.

Entrance was 5 Euro per person, ca. 5.62 USD.

Before the screening we went to have lunch at the Silk Road Café at the museum.

It serves Middle Eastern cuisine and is self-service.

There were a wide choice of vegetarian salads including Greek, chickpeas, tomato and cucumber and beetroot and watermelon to name just a few.

Hot dishes included filo pastry filled with cheese, stuffed aubergines or chicken. We chose the chicken dish. It was roasted chicken with vegetables and came with rice and two salads of our choice.

We also had a Synergchi Orange and Lemon Kambucha to drink and for at home a bar of Seed & Bean chocolate. Both companies are artisanal producers using organic ingredients where possible.

The restaurant spills out into the atrium of the museum. It has classical oriental features.

When we were there the Silk Road Café was humming. Originally we thought we would easily find a seat, but by the time we had paid 29 Euro (ca. 32.60 USD) all tables were occupied.

We were lucky another patron left after searching and waiting for a while.

While waiting we asked a member of staff if we could use the closed off section, but it had been prepared for a function and we weren’t allowed inside.

It would be better if more seating space would be offered or maybe that customers can only order when a space is available.

Anyhow next time around one of us will look out for a table while the other one is queuing and we will arrive earlier, so that we can enjoy and appreciate the food better before an event.

The meal was delicious and the Kombucha nicely tart. Unfortunately we had to rush a bit in order arrive on time for the film.

At first there was an introduction what the Indian Film Festival and the movie were about. The director Muzzafar Ali was also present. After the show there was a short Q&A with him.

We liked Umrao Jaan. It’s a classic with opulent costume designs and backdrops of Lucknow, where Muzzafar Ali grew up. The film is based on a novel. It’s romantic, tragic and sometimes funny. We would recommend Umrao Jaan, because it’s beautiful, timeless, about a strong female and invites to think and ponder about how life can be sometimes cruel and what would happen if….

The Chester Beatty Library is one of our favorite museums in Dublin. It houses a large collection of religious and artistic works from around the world. There are regularly lunch time lectures during the week, guided tours in English, Japanese and Arabic, changing exhibitions and free events, like music, Qi Gong at the rooftop garden, children’s movies and workshops.

The Chester Beatty Library is located on the grounds of Dublin Castle and has a Celtic Garden and one part that remembers all the police officers fallen while on duty. Sometimes there are also events at the adjacent Coach House.

We visit regularly and look forward to the next event.

©2015

Farquhar's Bar @ The Eastern & Oriental George Town, Penang, Malaysia

One evening during our stay in George Town, Penang, Malaysia we had dinner and drinks at Farquhar’s Bar at the Eastern & Oriental.

Please see also the reviews for the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, The Ferringhi Grill at Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, the Blue Mansion – A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy and Sarkies Corner at the E&O.

The bar is small, intimate and has a cozy atmosphere.

We arrived just in time for Happy Hour – there’s a list of liquors and a daily changing cocktail, in our case the Blue Lagoon -, but there was nothing we really fancied, so we had a look at the a la carte menu instead.

We chose a cocktail, Acqua Panna, hot chocolate and a Kahlua. We also had tapas, some of them were a chicken quesadilla and bangers and mash. The food was tasty and kept up with overall Colonial style of the Bar and the famous E&O Hotel.

Our bar tender had to check if the still water was available due to the large wedding party I mentioned in the Sarkies Corner review. We were lucky.

The meal was delicious and the service and value was good, while the setting is memorable.

We would return for a drink and snack should we return to George Town.

©2015

Sarkies Corner @ The Eastern & Oriental George Town, Penang, Malaysia

The Eastern & Oriental had been on our list of hotels we considered to book, but we decided the Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy, was better suitable for this occasion, wanting to stay at a boutique hotel. Please see also our review.

The only disadvantage for us was the Cheong Fatt Tze Restaurant at our hotel. It served Cantonese/Chinese cuisine, which we don't like particularly, so we had to find another place to eat our meals beside breakfast.

The E&O was just a few minutes walking distance away, so it was ideal for our purposes.

Besides exploring the first hotel of the Sarkies brothers of the Raffles Singapore fame, we had one lunch and one dinner at Sarkies Corner. We also visited the Farquhar Bar at the property. A review of this will follow.

Sarkies Corner is the all-day dining restaurant.

The dining room was very large and kept in colonial style with tiles and dark wooden furniture. It was understated, but airy thanks to panorama windows along the whole side facing the seafront.

The menu included local and international dishes.

The staff was friendly and attentive, but working on island time. It added to the charm and transported us back, when life was slower.

Unfortunately ordering juice wasn't that easy. Once it wasn't available - it might had to do with a large wedding group, which was staying at the hotel - the other time we could order our carrot and orange juices without problems.

We tried the chicken wrap with fries, the Malaysian chicken satay with traditional condiments and the Chicken Kapitan Curry, which was the highlight of all the dishes we had and enjoyed.

Our dinner for example came in at 179.60 MYR (ca. 37.55 Euro or ca. 41.75 USD) including two juices, a bottle of Acqua Panna, a Drumbuie, a Kahlua, a hot chocolate and two main courses.

Should we find us again in George Town we will stop again at Sarkies Corner and at some stage even stay at the Eastern & Oriental, which is overall very charming, authentic and beautiful place to be when visiting the island of Penang.

©2015

The Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy, George Town, Penang Malasya

When researching our stay in Penang we decided we wanted to stay at a boutique hotel in the Heritage Zone of George Town for two nights.

We were immediately attracted to the Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy By Samadhi and UNESCO World Heritage Site with its indigo blue facade
and lavish decoration.

An added bonus was that the hotel belongs to Samadhi Retreats. We have already stayed at the Villa Samadhi in Kuala Lumpur - please see also review - and loved it, so we thought we would enjoy staying at the Blue Mansion too.

There are four different room types bookable. Some categories have more rooms, like the Liang (entrance category) and Han (highest), while the 50's room and the Tan Room are especially unique, because there is only one each available.

After much debate we decided to book the Tan Room. It is located in the former kitchen of the mansion and is also known as the Old Kitchen Room.

The original stove is used as minibar.

Since we like to cook and eat, we thought it was just the room type for us.

Besides being a hotel with a Cantonese and modern Chinese Restaurant, named after the original owner, it is also a museum.

Guests can join tours for free daily at 11.00 hours, 14.00 hours and 15.30 hours. Otherwise it costs 16 MYR or ca. 3.30 Euro / ca. 3.75 USD per person.

The Blue Mansion houses a library and lounge, where films made at the Blue Mansion (Indochine) or Penang (Anna and the King), are regularly shown.

Guests can have drinks and aperitifs on the balcony of Cheong Fatt Tze's bedroom daily from 18.00 hours.

We took a taxi from the Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Batu Ferringhi to the Blue Mansion. The journey took ca. forty minutes and was as picturesque as the journey to the Rasa Sayang. Please see also this and the Feringgi Grill review.

There were a gate and security guard. The guard asked if we were guests. When we confirmed we were staying guests heinvited us to go inside. Another couple, not staying at the Blue Mansion, was a bit surprised we could enter the hotel, even so there wasn't a guided tour available at the time. It seems many people aren't aware the Blue Mansion is more than just a museum.

We were welcomed warmly by the Resident Manager James Lim and other staff.  We received refreshing towels, welcome drinks and bookmarks with the password for the free Wifi access attached. Checking in felt more like signing a rent agreement. The Blue Mansion was used as a lodging establishment for a while, so this harks back to those times. Our arrival was around an hour before check in and our room wasn't ready as expected since there are only eighteen rooms. Our luggage was stored until our return later in the afternoon. To our surprise we didn't receive the room we booked, but the equivalent to it - the 50's room. At first we were a bit disappointed, but it turned into a delight.

The room was very large with extremely high ceilings and large windows.

The bed was king sized and comfortable.

There was also a large writing desk, a credenza containing the minibar, a TV, a seating area, vanity table and a wardrobe.

All the furniture was from the 50's and accordingly smaller than contemporary ones would be. It was ideal for me, because I normally have issues hanging or reaching things.

The furniture was mint green, but it was suitable and in mint vintage condition. The floor was tiled with honeycomb shaped terracotta tiles. The air condition and fan made sure the room was always cool.

The TV channels were limited, but we were happy with the Asian Food Channel and BBC World.

The mini bar was stocked with Belvoir lemonades and ginger beer, Samadhi water and Carlsberg beer; snacks included vegetable chips, cashew and pistachio nuts, Kit Kat, Snickers and other knickknacks. The water cost 8 MYR (ca. 1.65 Euro or ca. 1.90 USD), the lemonades were 15 MYR (ca. 3.10 Euro / ca. 3.50 USD) and the beer 13 MYR (ca. 2.70 Euro or ca. 3 USD). The snacks started from 7 MYR (ca. 1.45 Euro or 1.65 USD).

Artwork was a collage of Malaysian stars from the 50's.

The bathroom was large with a Jacuzzi, separate shower, sink, toilet and towel rack.

It was black and white tiled and the bathroom amenities were locally produced and came in porcelain dispensers.

Two small side tables could be used for your own beauty products and held also some amenities like mouth wash, cotton wool and a shower cap.

The Jacuzzi is heated in the early evenings, but if you ask nicely it can be done earlier or later like in our case, because we were mostly out and about exploring George Town.

Water pressure and temperature were always good.

The bathroom door and bolts were a bit own minded. If not locking the door with one of the bolts on either side it would fall open. When one of us was locking him or her into the bathroom, the bets were on if the bolt was going to work or not. Somehow we always managed to release it and open the door. It was quirky and didn't disturb us.

Every evening turn down was provided with a "sweet dreams message".

Our red water flask was daily refilled free of charge and there were personal notes on real leaves left by Mr. James. One read for example "Dear Ms.... + Mr. ..., sleep is the best meditation, sleep well! Resident Manager James." There were also white and dark chocolates left for us.

If we had wanted to we could have sat outside in the courtyard. Every room had its own - not private, though - coffee table and two chairs. There were also large day beds in the public areas.

Reading material in the room was the Penang International Magazine, there was a also a guide to the Blue Mansion and our "50's Room".

We loved our room and felt right at home. Spending time there was a glimpse into a more recent history.

We used the laundry service. It was done quicker than expected, same day. The garments were folded perfectly and sealed in a plastic bag, creating a pillow. The cost was reasonable too.

Other services provided are walking tours, Tai Chi classes, Trishaw rides and free bicycle rental.

During our stay we were also advised that there was some renovation work going on in the right wing of the building, but we never heard anything. In the future there will be a spa, swimming pool and a Chinese garden.

In regards to noise a warning for light sleepers: While the room is peaceful during the day, it can be noisy at night due to the nightclubs and bars surrounding the hotel. Music and people talking woke me once each night, but I could settle down within a few minutes again.

We had breakfast every morning at the main courtyard, which is only used for this purpose. Breakfast is available all day a la carte whenever guests wish to partake.

There was a small buffet with a variety of bread, cereals, jams, butter, cold cuts, fruits and much more. All hot items and a wide range of juices and smoothies could be ordered a la carte. We enjoyed the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, pancakes, the Malaysian egg set and Morning Detox juice among other things.  If you have the chance try the Kaya - it's out of this world.

On our full day we took the guided tour of the Blue Mansion after breakfast. The group was large with around thirty people from around the world. We had a chat with an Australian. Our tour started punctual. The guide gave us a biography of Cheong Fatt Tze. Originally he was very poor and came from Guandong Province in China, moving to Indonesia to have better chances in life. Cheong Fatt Tze built his empire with rubber, tea and coffee. Later his investments were far reaching including banking and railways. The Blue Mansion was his favorite house amongst the many he owned throughout Asia. He also had eight wives and number five and seven were his favorites.

Photographs of them can be seen, where breakfast is served in the courtyard.

The mansion was built according to Feng Shui teachings. The highest energy point can be found in the main courtyard. Our guide pointed it out. There was also a Chinese wedding bed. We learned more about Chinese traditions and where the different materials came from, like Scottish cast iron columns, the Szechuan screens and the Staffordshire floor tiles or the porcelain cut and paste shard works, called Teochew "chien nien". It was highly interesting and brought us our "home" nearer.

On another occasion we explored areas not accessible for non-guests. One of the courtyards was especially peaceful with three koi ponds.

One morning we met the true master of the house, a very demanding cat.

She ignored us successfully and headed straight to the back of house. We heard her meowing, but didn't see her.

The location allowed us to walk everywhere we wanted to go, including the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, the Love Lane, Church of the Assumption, St. George's Church, Fort Cornwallis and the Jubilee Clock Tower to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

We loved the Blue Mansion, because of the great heritage, the unique rooms, the atmosphere, the tour, location and the attentive and friendly staff.

Should our travels take us to Penang in the future, we would stay at the Blue Mansion - A Cheong Fatt Tze Legacy by Samadhi for our second time. This was our second Samadhi Retreats property and yes, we would look forward to stay with the Samadhi Retreats Group again in our future.

©2015