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Feast
A Step Back In Time
No trip to Penang is complete without a visit to China
House, as
Esther Chew
discovers.
A
s
with most travellers,
the main intention of
my trip to Penang was
to enjoy the hawker
fare, but after indulg-
ing in multiple plates
of Penang
assam laksa
and
char kuey teow
, I was game for some-
thing different. Friends had given me rave
reviews of China House, so I decided to
head there on a weekday afternoon for
lunch in order to avoid the crowd, as
I heard that it can get crowded during
peak hours. China House is well-known
as one of the busiest dining and lifestyle
outlets within the UNESCO heritage zone
of George Town, where you would find
the famous wall murals that photography
enthusiasts flock to.
Occupying three refurbished colonial
shop houses while maintaining much
of its original architecture with facades
facing Beach Street and Victoria Street,
China House offers a great dining experi-
ence with its five different dining areas
besides the bakery, wine store, art spaces
and a venue for live shows. The outlet
serves all-day breakfasts, lunches and
dinners where diners can whet their
appetite at the formal dining room of
BTB Restaurant, a gorgeous outdoor
courtyard, the Canteen & Bar, a private
dining room and the casual café, Kopi C.
Espresso, where I had my lunch.
The first thing that caught my eyes
when I entered China House was the
array of rich cakes and pastries that were
displayed on a long table at their Beach
St. Bakery. The selection was a unique
one as well, featuring brownies, tortes,
cakes, biscuits, loaves and pies such as
Red Wine Pear Cake, Turtle Cheese Cake,
Chocolate Date Almond Torte, Sticky
Banana Pecan and Date Loaf, and many
more. I knew I would have a hard time
making a selection as they all looked so
good! I was told that there are over 30
types of cake displayed every day, and
that they are all freshly baked in the open
kitchen located by the courtyard (you’d
catch the delicious whiff of cakes baking
when you pass by!).
The interior of the café was whimsical,
a good blend of the old and the new with
its eclectic mix of furniture. With natural
lighting pouring in giving it a cosy feel,
this would be the perfect place to enjoy
your favourite book with a good cup of
coffee and a piece of cake. I took a seat
and pored over the menu, but as every-
thing sounded so tempting, I decided to
order a few dishes and sample a bit of
each. I went with the unusual sounding
Ginger Bud Pesto Spaghetti with Chicken
Breast, Parmesan Crumbled Chicken
Schnitzel and the Bento Box Special, plus
the Pineapple with Mint for my drink.
The drink and the Ginger Bud Pesto
Spaghetti with Chicken Breast came first,
and I would definitely say that this pasta
dish is a must-try when you pay a visit
to China House. A burst of exotic flavour
with eachmouthful, the vivacious flavour
of the ginger bud did wonders to the dish
and the aromatic tinges of spices mixing
well with each strand of al dente pasta.
The added local flavour of Ginger Bud
grinded as pesto was a unique choice
that made this fusion dish truly enjoy-
able. The chicken breast was marinated
and roasted to perfection, making it the
perfect accompaniment to the pasta. The
Pineapple withMint, pineapple fruit juice
with crushed mint and tea, was tangy
and refreshing – it complemented the
first dish well.
Next up was the Bento Box Special that
was served on a Japanese-style tray that is