Friday, September 14, 2018

M'atural @ Lorong Carnavon[Penang]

A person who loves gardening or in some plant air stuff will be delighted to find this newly added hidden gem in Penang. 
Secretly opened at one of the quietest streets located at the heart of George Town, M'atural is a place for people who love bonsai art and also for those who are looking for a cozy place to chill for a relaxing afternoon.
The moment you arrive at M'atural's doorstep, you can see yourself surrounded by greens! There are so many plants in almost every corner of the cafe and it feels rather relaxing to be in there, not forget to mention every corner is also perfect for photos. 



There are many of their own creations displayed around the cafe. Some are for sale and some for display only, you can always check it out from the cafe to ask for the best price or you can also create your own by participating in their workshops! 

A relaxing corner, perfect for picture opportunity too.


We had this Kiwi Yoghurt drink and it was rather thick and creamy that you can tell there was a generous amount of Yoghurt added to the drink. It was refreshing yet feeling so healthy at the same time. M'atural has a very limited menu but you can tell that all the dishes available are quite interesting.


We have tried the Cheese & Potato Quiche which was surprisingly good! Though the dish wasn't very quiche looking and tasting, but I must say that the combination of all ingredients including the refreshing salad on the side was really good. It has a freshly baked crispy puff together with cheesy potato that cooked with bacon slices, every bite is a sin!
 

We also ordered a Pear Pie from the pie menu. They focus on using fresh fruits for their pies so we got a perfectly poached pear sandwiched with puff pastry and cornflakes side. The pear was quite soft and comforting, we love the nicely poached texture and the juicy pear flesh. I can say that the food here are really creative yet so delicious.

M'atural is a Bonsai theme cafe where gardeners can meet up for chit chat and catch up while enjoying their beautiful creations. You may find the preparation time for food may take a bit longer compare to other cafes but trust me, they worth your wait.

M'atural
Address: 
72, Lorong Carnavon, 10300, Georgetown, Penang.
Business Hours: 
11:00am - 7:00pm(Weekdays), & 11:00am to 9:00pm(Sat & Sun)
Closed on Wednesdays.
Contact no: 
6014-909 2163
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/maturalpenang/

GPS
5.4138209,100.3358822

Map


Google Street View

Monday, September 10, 2018

Rare Red Mushroom

It's always good to spend some time with your family over the weekend with meals and shopping. You can always do it when you are out at Gurney Paragon and visit one of the best rated Michelin restaurants in Singapore.
My last visit to Putien was very satisfying and since then I visit with my family once in a while and they never really disappoint me. Now we are back for another round of food review to feature more of their signature and delicious dishes to all Penangites. 

精美四小拼 Starters Platter (RM27.90/ regular serving)
If you are not sure which appetizers to go with, perhaps you can try this platter that is good for sharing among 2-3persons and you still get to taste 4 different starters that they are serving at Putien. The 4 signature dishes consist of their signature seaweed, braised homemade beancurd, cold pork trotters jelly and braised pork intestine.

How can we call it Chinese cuisine without a proper soup dish? And this time we tried the 藥膳竹筒蝦 Bamboo Herbal Prawn (RM12.90 per serving) which was served in a bamboo bowl. The soup was rather flavourful and it was slightly saltish sweet from the prawns. 

芋香鸭 Deep Fried Duck with Yam (RM27.90 / regular serving) was one of my favourite dishes of the night. I am not a fan of yam but when it comes to soft yam it is always irresistible to me. This was pretty crispy and the duck was nicely covered in a layer of yam, simply delicious.

番薯粉條 Stewed Sweet Potato Noodles (RM20.90 per serving)
If you are not into rice then you can try something special from Putien. The sweet potato noodles are something like 面粉糕 Chinese rice cake and it was smooth and starchy. It is a type of heart-warming food that makes you feel like having it whenever you miss home. 

PUTIEN “Ca Fen” 农家擦粉 (RM20.90)
Another selection would be there Ca Fen that tasted like mee sua, this was something that you would crave for when you enter a restaurant with powerful aircond or during rainy days. The warm and starchy noodle. This kind of food will always remind us of our family especially when it comes to special celebrations.

自制滑豆腐 Homemade Bean Curd(RM12.90 per serving)
If you are a vegetarian, there are several dishes which can be prepared in vegetarian style. Their homemade tofu was really soft and smooth, you can just slide it into your mouth if it is not too hot.

One of my favourite dishes of the night was this 風味松鼠魚 Deep Fried Squirrel Fish (93.90 whole fish) topped with sour & sour sauce. The fish was fried to perfection and it was deboned so I kinda like it. Every bite was so crispy and together with the sauce, it made this dish so appetizing and delicious.

It was another great meal we had at Putien and this will definitely not be the last.
Ever since Putien opened in Gurney Paragon, I've visited a few times with my friends and family and we kinda like it. Give it a try to this Michelin starred restaurant and indulge in good Chinese food sometimes.

So what's new in Putien?
They imported some great stuff from China! The rare red mushroom is only available seasonally in Putien as it is very rare and rely solely on natural growth.
Rare red mushroom are not able to reproduce by any technology until today and only can be found in the jungle. The red colour is the natural colour from the mushroom and now in Penang, Putien is the only restaurant that is serving this dish.
Rare red mushroom is rich in nutrients, good for digestions and also helps in lower down your body cholesterol and detox your body. Grab it while it is still available, limited stocks only!

Love some of the dishes that Putien serves? You can also buy some of their merchandises and learn how to cook yourself!