Kitchen Twenty Three

Once a backwater, Batu Maung has becoming one of the booming townships on Penang Island. There are a handful of eateries here, such as Kitchen Twenty Three which is my destination for lunch today.

The friendly, relaxing atmosphere is a great place for casual lunch or dinner with the family. Light music also helps to lighten the ambience. However on weekdays, this restaurant is packed with customers from the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone.

The food menu at Kitchen Twenty Three is designed with value-for-money in mind. Set lunch (RM16.50) is available from 11:30am to 3:00pm, while set dinner (RM15.00) is served between 6:00pm and 10:00pm. The menu is different every day of the week, so regular customers can expect to enjoy a wide variety of food.

The Jawa Timur Indo's Spaghetti is included in the Saturday's set lunch menu. The curry-like gravy is creamy like carbonara, but is also infused with Oriental spices. Fortunately, spiciness is kept to a moderate level, so it should be fine for most people. Its unique flavor makes this a highly recommended dish whenever it is offered.

Ingredients used in this pasta dish are shrimps, squid and fish cake. Before serving, the spaghetti is garnished with grated cheese, chopped thyme and parsley. The portion is quite large; it is certainly worth the price tag.

Besides the set meal menu, there is also a reasonably long à la carte menu. One of the signature dishes at this eatery is Cordon Bleu (RM15.50), which includes mashed potato and boiled mixed vegetables on the side.

Kitchen Twenty Three's interpretation of cordon bleu comprises of chicken thigh fillet, chicken ham, cheese and a coating of breadcrumbs. The breaded roll is deep-fried, then baked. Double cooking allows juicy goodness to be sealed within the crispy breading. Additional cheese is also added to make this dish ideal for cheese-lovers.

The roll inside remains tender and juicy, as opposed to being too dry or oily. This means that the chicken is cooked just right. Although the center appears reddish, the chicken is not uncooked. The red color is due to seasoning.

The mashed potato is acceptable, but I feel that some seasoning with pepper can make it much better. As for the mixed vegetables, they are not as soft as usually prepared. According to the restaurant, the partially-cooked state is deliberate as this is preferred by local residents.

As for the Mushroom Soup, it is made fresh every day. Suspended in the emulsion are small chunks of shiitake and oyster mushrooms. The soup is not as viscous as I expected; it turns out that the locals also prefer mushroom soup to be more watery.

One of the recommended drinks is Organic Chocolate (RM9.50), especially the hot version. The chocolate used to prepare this drink is imported from New Zealand. Unlike other brands, this chocolate has higher proportion of cocoa powder. This makes the drink so rich and bold in flavor. If chocolate is not your cup of tea, the restaurant also has gourmet coffee on its drinks menu.

According to Kitchen Twenty Three, other popular à la carte choices are All Day Breakfast, Great Healthy Salad, Quarter Rosemary Chicken, Twin Sausage and Marinated Lamb Chop - just to name a few. Overall, the food quality and portion make Kitchen Twenty Three an attractive place for a good meal.

Name: Kitchen Twenty Three
Address: 9-1, Lintang Batu Maung 1, 11960 Batu Maung, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-638-6156
Business hours: 9:00am-10:00pm, closed on Sundays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kitchen-Twenty-Three/828498433859358
Coordinates: 5.28794 N, 100.28204 E
Directions: Drive to the southern terminus of Bayan Lepas Expressway, then turn right at the crossroad. Continue for 700 meters (going straight at a traffic light junction), then turn left as you see the first row of shops of your left. Kitchen Twenty Three is the located at this row, between Restoran Nasi Kandar Dinas and Nasi Kandar Makbul. There are plenty of parking spaces at the front and back of the restaurant.