Manila Place Gurney Plaza Penang

This meal was claimed with the discount voucher bought earlier. It came with a 3-course Italian meal with drink.

Read More

Our favorite coffee place - The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®

Our weekly chill out place.

Simply irresistible.

http://www.coffeebean.com.my

Check out some interesting info on the coffee:

Nutritional guide on Cold Drinks
Nutritional Guide for Hot Drinks
CBTL store finder.

Read More

Santorini Cafe Penang Burma Road 爱琴海 - more than just a dining place

This is an invited review by Foodtok.com to Santorini Cafe. Because of the name Santorini, I've always wanted to pay a visit to temporarily satisfy my desire of travelling to Greece... such a romantic name for a cafe. This was my first outing with the Penang top floggers (food bloggers)~ Super fun!! And this officiates Princess Cheryl as a member of Penang food blogger community. Yeah~~

We were amazed that with so many items we tried during the food tasting, there were still loads more in the menu to be explored. In brief, this is a place worth visiting if you would like to try different varieties of home-cook meal (no MSG). I like the relaxing ambiance where most of the walls are colored blue. I believe it is also a cozy spot for chit chats in the afternoon.

Read More

Kaffa Kafe in Penang - Promotion now: ONLY RM10.90 for 4 course meal

**schedule post**

Kaffa Kafe is another of our newly discovered good place to get something good to eat. They have a good mix of American (Tradisional), Breakfast, Sandwiches, Fast Food, Chinese, Burgers and more. Most importantly, the foods are moderately priced, with really good portion. The ambiance by is cozy, with comfortable seats. It's also a place that is suitable for coffee break, gathering, discussion besides just dining. It's a WIFI free area!




A fair variety of drinks and food to choose from.

Read More

Heritage Coffee at Hardwicke House

*Ceased operation.



Had a chance to drop by at this coffee place in an evening after dinner. It's right beside Northam Tower, can be easily seen on your right across the junction if you're coming from Gurney drive or Kelawai Road passing the Gurney Hotel building.

Read More

Boutique Bystroe - a boutique orientated cafe in Penang

*Ceased operation.

Where to for a place to chit chat with your darlings while sipping tea in the weekends or free time? A place where you can do boutique shopping too, but away from the hustle and bustle in a shopping mall. Mom told me that she was here to check out some evening wear before, and asked me to pay a visit when I have a chance. So I did, we did, but we were here for a light dinner instead of tea time. I found this place a really comfortable one, I always like warm lighting ambiance at night, it can easily take away all the tension at work with a little soft background music.

Read More

Full of Beans Straits Quay Penang - Handcrafted Specialty Coffee and Syphon Coffee

Ahem... what's new in Straits Quay? Charlie Brown Cafe? Yup. What else? There are plenty of places to try out coffee and to be lucky enough, I found another one which got my attention as soon as I came out from the car park yesterday. FULL OF BEANS, a cafe selling Handcrafted Specialty Coffee!

Full of Beans is a place for the coffee aficionados. Here you will find coffee beans, equipment and accessories for everything to do with coffee. They even supply handmade coffees and speciality cakes for you to sit and savour.




I think you know a bit about Syphon coffee （賽風咖啡） right? It's getting popular in Penang now, especially after Coffee Lane was opened. Now you have another place to enjoy syphon coffee in Penang.

A vacuum coffee maker brews coffee using two chambers where vapor pressure and vacuum produce coffee which is clean, crisp, rich, and smooth compared to other brewing methods. This type of coffee maker is also known as vac pot, siphon or syphon coffee maker, and was invented by Loeff of Berlin in the 1830s. These devices have since been used for more than a century in many parts of the world. Design and composition of the vacuum coffee maker varies. The chamber material is borosilicate glass (pyrex), metal, or plastic, and the filter can be either a glass rod or a screen made of metal, cloth, paper, or nylon.

Would you care to have a cup of coffee with me?




The menu. So many types of coffee to choose from. Yesterday was their first day of business, so the shop offered a promotional rate of RM18 nett per person coffee tasting, and you get to taste 3 types of coffee brewed from coffee beans from different continents:-
(1) Mocha from Ethiopia
(2) Mandheling from Indonesia
(3) Columbia from South America




Normal price is from RM8.50 per cup, but now you get to taste 3 types at only RM18!! If you happen to read my post before 2nd May 2011, you still have a few hours to enjoy 3 types of coffee at this rate because they offered only 3 days for this coffee tasting package (30Apr-2May). Do you like the feel of my collaged photos?




I approached one of the owners while enjoying the coffee with my family there, getting him to introduce more in depth story of their coffee. (First step towards professional journalism as I am going to start contributing to VisitPenang publications soon. Hurrah~)

Okay, some stories of Full of Beans to share here... Majority of the coffee beans are imported from Taiwan, they have francise there. The coffee beans are freshly ground, and the aroma... WHOA!!! I felt like in heaven for an hour throughout the tasting session. A little tipsy after trying out the 3 types of coffee actually. I think caffeine can make one drunk too... We got more than just the order, like 6... including cold sips offered by the boss.

What is the principle behind the syphon brewing method?

The principle of a vacuum coffee maker is to heat water in the lower vessel of the brewer until expansion forces the contents through a narrow tube into an upper vessel containing coffee grounds. When the lower vessel has more or less emptied itself and enough time has elapsed, the heat is removed and the resulting vacuum will draw the brewed coffee through a strainer back into the lower chamber from which it can be decanted. The device must usually be taken apart to pour out the coffee.

Syphon coffee apparatus. Similar to the apparatus used in science lab during our schooling time - Bunsen burner and glass flasks.




One of the specialty recommended - Iced Drip Coffee. The aroma and taste is very very strong. The top carafe is filled with ice cubes, and the total time of processing is about 8 hours, depending on how fast the ice cubes melt. Yes, definitely you need the long soak to get every bit of the best out, and I understand from some little research on cold drip coffee, it actually has less caffeine and less acidity. and the caffeine of ice drop coffee is 4x more than normal brew coffee for theirs, that's why it's so strong. (Thanks for the info Jeannie Lee.)




Macarons served together with coffee. Perfect blend of sweet and bitter.




The staffs busy preparing coffee. The seating is still very limited at the moment, I think the max person they can fit in is 20 at the moment, but the new coffee tables and chairs are coming soon. Now you can also choose to sit right in front of the counter and have very close look at how they brew the coffee. Live demonstration, it's interesting!




Great moments with family through the long weekend.




Syphon coffee tasting is a total different experience, unlike how you have your cup of coffee at Starbucks or Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. You need patience; and some leisure time. In order to get the most luxury of out of your taste buds when tasting 3 types of difference coffee beans in one visit itself, remember to take a few sips of water during the interval of servings. Else you mix up all the flavor, and spoil the taste.



We'll definitely be back. Despite the longer waiting time to get the coffee brewed, we are very much satisfied with the taste, and also the environment. Perfect even without sugar. We just lurve the original coffee as it is.




My Rank: 4/5 (improvement needed: more tables and chairs please)

Address:
3A-1-6,
Straits Quay Marina Mall,
Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang 3,
10470 Tanjong Bungah, Penang

Tel: 0164119066

Email: thebeanmerchant@hotmail.com

Business hours: 10am-10pm

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/FULL-of-BEAN/173396872705941

Read More

Carmel Bakery and Coffee Co. - High tea at Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel-by-the-sea is often called Carmel, and very easy to mistakenly be called Caramel. I love its name, so sweet and relaxing. Don't you think so?

Just use your senses to feel it, when I say, "Hey, I just come back from a vacation in Carmel." It sounds totally different from "Hey, I just come back from a vacation in New York.", isn't it?

Look at this.... I couldn't believe I was still in California!




Yes, the American flag had answered me. =P




Wünderbar! The colors~~~ Such a nice contrast.




The flowers!! This is Piccadilly Park. Very artistic buildings, looks like Hansel and Gratel's candy house huh?

Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history. In 1906, the San Francisco Call devoted a full page to the "artists, poets and writers of Carmel-by-the-Sea", and in 1910 it reported that 60 percent of Carmel's houses were built by citizens who were "devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts." Early City Councils were dominated by artists, and the town has had several mayors who were poets or actors, including Herbert Heron, founder of the Forest Theater, bohemian writer and actor Perry Newberry, and actor-director Clint Eastwood, who was mayor for one term, from 1986 to 1988.

Galleries everywhere. Would you understand how excited was I to be there!

The town is known for being dog-friendly, with numerous hotels, restaurants and retail establishments admitting guests with dogs.

Be-friend with the dogs in Carmel. They're so cute! They just got to know each other.

Carmel–by-the-Sea is an exceptionally dog-friendly city. Most hotels allow dogs to stay with guests. Almost all restaurants that offer outside dining allow dogs in those areas, with most of them also offering water. A few have special "doggie menus." Many retailers allow dogs to accompany their owners in their stores and many have treats available. Water bowls and dog biscuits can also be found in front of many stores.

Cookies made especially for the furry fellas. Dogs get to enjoy pastries too. Very colorful and attractive. I discovered this in the Carmel Bakery and Coffee Company, the cafe where we had high tea.




Who would not be attracted when passing by the shop?? From Scottish scones, English scones, Italian Biscotti, giant soft Bavarian pretzels to flaky pastries, muffins and turnovers with powdered sugar abound...




Too fancy a cafe... the displays are more like the exhibits in a gallery to me.




Tadaa~ Festive and well decorated. What's your choice?




Cookies for take-away or as souvenirs (lovely packed).




Guess which one did I pick? Quick, make the guess.



*
*
*

The GINGERBREAD MAN.



**mUnChInG...mUnChInG....**




For discerning coffee lovers, you get to enjoy coffee still, they serve Starbucks® Coffee too - varieties of freshly brewed coffee, Capuccinos, Lattes, Macchiattos, Espresso, Tazo Teas, etc...




Whoops.... I committed a crime there....




"I KILLED THE GINGERBREAD MAN!!! I KILLED THE GINGERBREAD MAN!!!" ~T__T~
But he's just too delicious... that's why...




Customers coming in non-stop... Mostly grab their goods and go. But we had a long chat and cozy afternoon sitting in the bakery. They had coffee while I enjoyed sipping some lemonade. =)




Soup and sandwiches are available for lunch. You can consider having a light meal here too before visiting the galleries.

Address:
Ocean Avenue & Lincoln Ln,
Carmel, CA 93923, United States

Tel:　+1 831-626-8885 ‎

Business hours:
Daily 7am-8pm

---

Some memories that I brought back from Carmel. A sketches collection map by Lisa's Studio, distributed for free! It's called Carmel-by-the-Sea Treasure Map. You can get a clearer look here.




Princess at Thomas Kinkade's Garden Gallery.

Read More

Charlie Brown Cafe Penang Straits Quay - Let's party with the Peanuts gang

I know that Charlie Brown Cafe （查里布朗咖啡馆）has become a hot topic in the town now. Located at Straits Quay, this outlet is the first of Charlie Brown Cafe in Malaysia. Surprisingly they open the first Peanuts theme cafe in Penang but not in KL. The other outlets that I know are location in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and China.




From the web and forums, I heard praises and grumbles from those who had visited.. but I swore to myself that I MUST publish a review on this cafe because I'm a big fan of Peanuts gang! I've been reading the comic strips of the Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz since 5 years old! Way too long huh... Dad bought me a cartoon video tape entitled "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" (the 80's babies watch video tapes in childhood days) and since that day on I was so in love with the Peanuts.




When I was in Charlie Brown Cafe, I actually heard quite some people asking their friends, "Who is Charlie Brown?" I bet almost everyone knows Snoopy, and perhaps now you know that Snoopy's owner is Charlie Brown, but aren't you interested to know more about the Peanuts gang? If you know them well, you'd probably forget on how long the queue would be. When you're visiting a theme cafe, you should be prepared for the queue especially it's only the first or second week after their opening. The price that worth it is the environment and the stories behind the characters.




My childhood favorite cartoon characters - Snoopy and Charlie Brown.




I decided to write a little longer for this post because I get excited when I start talking about my favorite stuffs, for instance, Snoopy of course! Well, let me do a concise summary on the Peanuts gang characters so that if you do not know them before this, and if you happen to read my post while looking for reviews on Charlie Brown Cafe before visiting, you'll thank me for telling you more about Charlie Brown and his friends as you'll be more overwhelmed by the environment while you're there. I wish you will 'heart' this article of mine.



The interior.




The queue. Almost at anytime.




So who is Charlie Brown?




Charlie Brown is an example of "the great American un-success story" in that he fails in almost everything he does, a total contrast with M. Schulz's work which is referred as "the great American success story". He is meek, nervous and lacks self-confidence, being unable to fly a kite, win a baseball game or kick a football. He is almost bald, with barely a little hair in front. He is Snoopy's owner but apparently Snoopy's intelligence is way much higher than him...




Snoopy, on the other hand, is known as "the world's most famous beagle". He does not look very much like a beagle, because beagle normally has tricolor (tan, black and white) but Snoopy has only black and white fur. Snoopy slept on top of his doghouse (doghouse in the below picture), rather than inside it. He seldom seen to venture inside his doghouse, except to retrieve something, or retrieve his recorder to play the national anthem of America every night before he goes to sleep (memories as recalled from the cartoon).

Snoopy's doghouse was something extraordinary. It defied physics, being dramatically larger on the inside than the outside, with a carpeted foyer, a den, a library, a guest room, a stairway, a basement, a television, a bed (although he sleeps on the roof), a pool table, and an original Van Gogh.

The doghouse also serves as a prop for Snoopy, often imagined as a World War I "Sopwith Camel" fighter plane in Snoopy's battles with the Red Baron. During these aerial fights, Snoopy's house often suffers from bullet holes and occasionally crashes. However, this seems to take place solely in Snoopy's imagination, as the house is in perfect shape later.

You will also find a yellow bird in the comic strips, sometimes a flock, but Woodstock is the only bird that attaches himself to Snoopy. The rest of the look alike's are Woodstock's friends. In the early 60s, many migrating birds started using Snoopy's doghouse for various purposes: a rest stop during migrations, a nesting site, or a place to play cards. They simply looked at Snoopy and he understood them. Woodstock was the only one that assumed the role of Snoopy's sidekick and assistant. He's Snoopy's best friend.




Linus, the best friend of Charlie Brown, also the younger brother of Lucy van Pelt and older brother of Rerun van Pelt. You might wonder why Linus always drag along a blue blanket whenever and wherever he appears, that's actually his "security blanket". He holds the blanket over his shoulder while sucking his thumb.

He suffered weakness and dizziness, for example, when Lucy took it from him only long enough to have it laundered, spontaneously recovering when it was restored to him. Lucy won a first prize in a school science contest when she took Linus blanket away and recorded his "withdrawal symptoms"-and as proof entered Linus and his blanket as a exhibit!

A common thing for Snoopy is to run up and quickly grab the blanket in his mouth and drag Linus along with it, then swing him and the blanket around many times before letting go and sending them both soaring off to who-knows-where.

Now Lucy. She is the main bully and the older sister of Linus and Rerun. A bossy, crabby and selfish eight-year old girl, Lucy often bullies the other characters in the strip, particularly her own brother Linus and Charlie Brown. But I always think Charlie Brown has some crush on her while Charlie Brown's younger sister Sally has love interest on Linus.




Charlie's younger sister, Sally Brown has blonde hair with a curly fringe. She wears pigtails, pink or blue polka dotted dresses with matching colored socks and she also wears white shoes with black laces. She can be stubborn at times, and is usually convinced she's right until someone proves her wrong, but she also has a good heart and a strong moral sense, just like her brother.




You won't believe how beautiful the ceilings are decorated. Peanuts gang on the move!!






The counter to place your order.








From outside of the shop through the window, you can see the long queue waiting for order. But I like the effect of the whole setting on the window. Now it seems like everyone is queuing together with the Peanuts gang at the bus stop.




Here's the menu~ Now you can have an idea of how much budget you need to allocate for a tea break. I didn't manage to find the price list for main meal. The kitchen had closed when we reached.








They also have Charlie Brown cookies for take away.




And plenty of cakes to choose from! All looks delicious.












Souvenir shop beside the kitchen area. Overlooking the marina. Luckily I manage to control my shopping desire.






Our seating area. We all like the partition so much!!! It's full of the very well-known strips. The fans know well. =)








The table. It's worth to pay for the coffee + environment. At least to us, we think so.




One of the seating area is showing the Peanuts cartoon. Oh I miss the stories.. I haven't been watching for such a long time... It's time to start searching and buy the cartoon specials collections.




While waiting for our orders to be served. Posers. Like criminals?? Hahahha...




The waiting cards are all different. Each number a picture or comic strip.




Finally our coffee were served. Caffe latte and Cappuccino. Both with Lucy's face on them. I thought I would get one with Charlie Brown...






So remember to make a visit soon!




My Rank: 4.5/5
(because of the combination of environment and quite nice caffe latte)

Address:
3A-1-17 & 3A-1-18,
Straits Quay Marina Mall,
Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang 3,
10470 Tanjong Bungah, Penang

Tel: 04-899 8602 ‎

Website: http://www.charliebrowncafe.com.my/

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/CharlieBrownCafeMY?sk=info#!/CharlieBrownCafeMY

Location:

Google map as originated by myself...

If you're interested to know more about the characters of Peanuts gang, just click on the links below.

• Snoopy: Charlie Brown's dog
• Linus van Pelt: Charlie Brown's best friend; Sally's love interest
• Lucy van Pelt: Linus' older sister
• Woodstock: Snoopy's best friend; a yellow bird
• Sally Brown: Charlie Brown's younger sister
• Schroeder: a young pianist; Lucy's love interest
• Patricia "Peppermint Patty" Reichardt: Marcie's bossy best friend; a tomboy who likes Charlie Brown
• Marcie: the bespectacled character; Peppermint Patty's best friend
• Franklin: the first African-American character
• Pig-Pen: the dirtiest character
• Frieda: the girl with "naturally curly hair"
• Rerun van Pelt: Lucy and Linus' younger brother
• Patty: an early character
• Shermy: an early character
• Violet Gray: Patty's friend; one of the "mean girls" who teases Charlie Brown
• Charlotte Braun: an early character

PEANUTS GANG FANS OUT THERE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DROP A MESSAGE HERE, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE A FANS GATHERING TOGETHER AT CHARLIE BROWN CAFE, IF WE COULD ORGANIZE ONE??

Read More