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Monday, 8 February 2016

Pony Tale De Cafe @ sPICE Canopy, Relau, Penang.

One would need to pay a little more attention when driving past the newly refurbished sPICE and the newly added shop houses in the vicinity- sPICE Canopy; located right next to the flashy and visually appealing sales gallery of SP Setia, Pony Tale De Cafe is potentially overshadowed and less-attractive to the eye. The aforementioned cafe is the second member to the F&B scene at sPICE Canopy... after Waffle Factory. As opposed from the seemingly-fantasizing name, the cafe offers a sturdy Western Menu with some personal touches. The setting is cool, though I'd prefer it to be a drinking place in lieu of a cafe; the tables were too small for group-dining and would be more comfortable for a casual drink. The two-floor cafe has a high-ceiling, wooden flooring and a huge pillar covered in timber... exuding a cozy, relaxing vibe. On the food... none of our orders really disappoint, though some would need some refinement.

One of their signature dishes- Seafood Pumpkin Pot (Rm 28.80) comes in a hefty price tag but a few diners could share the monstrous dish. Seafood Marinara Penne all stuffed in a baked Pumpkin, the dish can be extremely filling and a glut for one to eat it entirely on his/ her own. The pasta was carefully cooked with chewy-end but the Marinara sauce was a little flat and one-dimensional to our liking. The Pumpkin Squash on the other hand, was nicely baked to the right texture- not too soft nor too hard to the bite. The dish may be visually appealing but not quite the case (unfortunately) to the palate.

Seafood Aglio Olio Spaghetti (Rm 21.80)

Grilled Baharat Chicken (Rm 17.80) may sound like an ordinarily unexciting piece of Grilled Chicken that one would normally associate with but the outcome was surprisingly pleasing. Not only that the dish was beautifully presented but the Chicken was expertly done as well. It was carefully marinated with a sweet-savory sauce and perfectly charred; served atop of Spinach and fresh Shitake Mushrooms. The Chicken was toothsome, absolutely succulent and most tender; most importantly... very wallet-friendly.

Seafood Aglio Olio Spaghetti met our expectations: al-dente, well-spiced and reasonably seasoned to our liking. The Prawns were fresh and succulent, our only complaint was the portion... which we thought could be larger.

Save your tummy some space if you are a huge fan of sweet Crepes. We had their Applenana Cinnamon Crepe (Rm 12.80), glazed Cinnamon-infused Apple sandwiched in a paper thin Crepe, topped with fresh Mangoes and Strawberries; served with a big dollop of whipped Cream. There was also a half-melted scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. The Crepe was expertly done to the right thickness and the filling was toothsome (though a tad sweet) but we did not quite enjoy the sweet treat, thanks to the hefty whipped Cream. They should have served it aside instead of spreading it on top of the Crepe.

Ratings:

Taste: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Service: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Price: 7/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)

Ambiance: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Parking: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Pork-Free/ Alcohol-Free

Service Charge: Yes 10%

GST: No/ Prices shown are GST-inclusive

Additional Information:

Address: 108-B-01-11, sPICE Canopy, Jalan Tun Dr. Awang, 11900, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Business Hours: 10 am to 10 pm. Opens Daily.

Contact Number: 6012- 508 8238

Pony Tale De Cafe

Buri Sriphu Boutique Hotel @ Hatyai, Thailand.

Frequent travelers would understand the importance of a good hotel, that could provide absolute comfort to the trip as well as a place to recharge after a tiring day out. On our recent road trip to Hatyai, Thailand; we were fortunate to have Buri SriphuBoutique Hotel to host us. The hotel is centrally located at Hatyai yet without the bustling-noise that one would usually associate with; it is the most convenient if you are driving (the hotel has ample parking space for hotel guests) but if you are not, there are plenty of public transportation that you could opt for either. The service provided to us was top-notch but we did not expect less from the land of smiles....

Many Thanks to Buri Sriphu Boutique Hotel for hosting us during our trip.

Buri Sriphu Boutique Hotel is strategically located with only a short 5 minutes drive to Lee Garden Mall and a short 2 minutes drive to Green Way Night Market, best part of all, ASEAN Night Bazaar is only 3 minutes walk away from the hotel (less than a minute by car). A lot of tourist attractions (including Malaysians' favorite- Big C Supermarket) are within half an hour drive away and convenient shop (7-11 for instance) is just across the street or behind the hotel. If you must pay your pilgrimage visit to KFC and McDonald's in Thailand, they are all within the vicinity. If you do not have any transportation in Hatyai, you may of course, opt for Tuk Tuk; the drivers are ever-ready at the hotel main entrance.

Standard but well-cleaned Bathroom

Basic amenities- Tooth Brush and Tooth Paste, Soap, Shower Cap, Cotton Buds etc

Slippers/ Hangers/ Safety Box

In-Room Entertainment and Free Wifi

The rooms are pretty standard but good enough to recharge the tired shopping legs. Though not as sophisticated as we would have hoped, the hotel had everything (we need) covered; basic amenities like Shampoo and Body Wash were sufficiently provided. The in-room WiFi speed was fast either, ensuring the hotel guests are well-connected to the world. A night at their Superior Room would cost approximately RM 200 (subject to season and availability).

Eco-Green Garden View of the Old Wing

View from the Room

Swimming Pool

Hotel Lobby

Concierge

Buri Sriphu has two buildings, we had a short tour at the main building (where the restaurant and pool located). It adopts the eco-green concept where there are a lot of greens tucked within the building; not exactly a jungle-lounge for hotel guests to relax but creating a sense of nature and channels a calm and soothing vibe to the building. Checking in the hotel was swift and hassle-free, welcoming drinks were served to us while we were waiting for the verification process.

Chicken Herbal Soup

Freshly-made Scrambled Egg

Freshly-made Omelette

Toasts

Bacon and Ham (Pork)

Sunny Side Up

Condiments for Fried Rice

Breakfast menu was simple but satisfying; though not extensive but there were more than sufficient to call it a comforting breakfast. Quintessential breakfast choices like Omelette, Scrambled Egg, Bacon and Sausages were all available but if you have Asian palate, there were Chinese Herbal Soup, Fried Rice for you either. One particular item that managed to wow us was their Chinese Herbal Soup; the temperature was well-kept and was most comforting to kick start the day.

Tom Yum with Fresh Water Prawns (600 Baht)

Hatyai Deep Fried Chicken (300 Baht)

Good Tom Yum is a dime a dozen in the land of smiles- Thailand but Buri Sriphu's a class higher than others by using fresh Water Prawns... huge ones. It has a balanced medley of sweet, sour and spiciness; the Prawns were most juicy and succulent. There were plenty of roes found in the head, sweat-inducing yet extremely alluring. Another well-received item of the evening was their Deep Fried Chicken; we were glad that the Chicken was expertly cooked with crispy skin and tender meat. It was reasonably seasoned but we'd prefer to have some form of dipping sauce to go with it. It can be a tad dry to go with rice.

Deep Fried Seabass with Sweet and Sour Sauce (600 Baht)

Deep Fried Morning Glory Thai Salad (300 Baht)

Fried Fresh Water Shrimps with Tamarind Sauce (800 Baht)

Deep Fried Morning Glory can be dangerously addictive, a pity that the crunch did not last but the sweet, tangy Chili dip was able to complement the crunchy green and it certainly makes a great appetizer. Prawns with Tamarind Sauce was standard-average but the fact that they were deep fried to perfection makes them tastier than they look. It was not the ordinary Tamarind Sauce we can find here in Penang but it has stronger acidity but with weaker Tamarind flavor. The Seabass was an enjoyable dish, the pristine white flesh suggests its freshness and the size was too huge for the few of us. Sauce was sweet and sour but for that freshness, we'd probably prefer to have it steamed (with a more refreshing zesty Thai sauce).