Lung Tok Entreprise 茶馆民宿 | Penang, Malaysia | Hotel Review 🌟

Lung Tok Entreprise 茶馆民宿 Booking details: https://www.agoda.com/partners/partne... 👉 Star Category: ⭐⭐⭐ ================================= Hotel Address: 🗺️ 17 Lorong Tembikai 1, Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia, 14000 ================================= About Property: ================================= Welcome to Lung Tok Entreprise Cha Guan Min Su , where you can discover a tranquil escape. For easy booking and more information, just scan the QR code that you can find in the description below. Our hotel offers a unique experience, centered around an enchanting garden retreat.

This lush oasis is perfect for relaxing, with fragrant flowers and vibrant greenery that create a peaceful escape. Imagine sipping local tea or simply taking a leisurely stroll.

The garden also features charming seating areas, ideal for conversations or small gatherings. We prioritize your convenience. Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas, keeping you connected throughout your stay. We also have express check-in and parking available for your ease.

This is a value-packed option for travelers seeking a serene environment with thoughtful amenities. Whether you're here for relaxation or connection, Lung Tok Entreprise Cha Guan Min Su provides a memorable getaway. Don't forget to book your stay by scanning the QR code in the description.

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Decision on Airbnb next year, says Tourism D-G

Decision on Airbnb next year, says Tourism D-G



Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Musa Yusof said to address the problem, the committee would continue to discuss the issue to find suitable solution. -BERNAMA

The task force on short-term residential accommodation, Airbnb will announce its decision by early next year, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Musa Yusof said today.

He said the task force was set up to regulate Airbnb accommodations nationwide and would take note of examples from other countries such as France, Singapore and Japan.

“We will look into the issue. What we have implemented throu\gh the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and the agency under the Housing and Local Government Ministry, is that we already set up a task force to look at what other countries have implemented in terms of Airbnb-type rentals.

“We expect to announce the decision early next year and it needs to be regulated. For example, in some locations, Airbnb accommodations are allowed but not in the big cities where there are hotels available,” he told reporters after launching the Visit Malaysia (VMY) 2020 Kick Off conference here today.

He said this in response to complaints made by hoteliers who claimed of experiencing a decline in occupancy rate despite the high number of tourists arriving in the country as most of them were choosing Airbnb.

Musa said to address the problem, the committee would continue to discuss the issue to find suitable solution.

“The concept of Airbnb in Europe and the US are different than it is in Asia. The Airbnb accommodations that I used to stay at, either in Europe or in the US, the guests stayed with the hosts, and we already have this concept here for the past 30 years and we call it homestay.

Homestay is more for the experiences while Airbnb is more of an accommodation. Only in Malaysia, the visitors are not staying with the owner and this will be regulated,” he said.

He said the matter would be looked at as a whole as there were several joint management bodies had disallowed Airbnb to operate in the condominium building as it was viewed as disruption.

Meanwhile, commenting on the conference, he said it was launched to further promote the promotional activities of the VMY 2020 campaign in the northern states. -- Bernama

Penang Hill's century-old bungalow to be turned into family lodge, campsite

Penang Hill's century-old bungalow to be turned into family lodge, campsite

Eco-holiday goers will have another reason to immerse themselves in the 130 million-year-old rainforest in Penang Hill once the Hillside Bungalow is refurbished into a family lodge and campsite.

Hillside Bungalow and Tulip House are being renovated under the Hillside Retreat Penang project to tap the eco-tourism potential of Penang Hill.

Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Cheok Lay Leng said Hillside Bungalow and Tulip House, the oldest bungalows on Penang Hill, are nestled comfortably within the surrounding rainforest.

"Under this project, Hillside Bungalow along upper tunnel road will have four boutique rooms, four bunk rooms plus an open area that can accommodate up to 16, four-person-tents for camping.

"Tulip House, located just below the main Summit Road near the Bee Gallery, will have two rooms. The maximum capacity for this project is about 80 persons," he told a press conference here today.

He said Hillside Retreat Penang is expected to be ready by end of October 2019 and the official launch date will be announced soon.

Cheok said besides a design that blends well with the environment, the refurbished properties will have living and dining areas, toilets and shower rooms, refuse and recyclable material storage, rain harvesting system and many other eco-friendly features.

"Campers will get a chance to indulge themselves under a blanket of stars, inhaling the cool fresh air while casting their eyes over the Milky Way. This is a chance to enjoy a timeless moment of tranquility and intimacy with loved ones in peace and quiet," he said.

Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the project would provide more opportunities for tourists to explore such hidden gems at different parts of Penang Hill with the extended time spent on the hill.

"It also reflects the endeavours of the Penang state government to promote eco-tourism and allowing families to spend quality time together by enjoying the natural beauty of Penang Hill throughout the day," he said.

Built in the early 1900s, Hillside Bungalow is one of the oldest bungalows on Penang Hill and is classified as a Category II heritage building in the Penang Hill Local Plan 1998 and Penang Hill Special Area Plan 2016.

The bungalow was once used as a rest house for British government officers. It was turned into a rest house for public servants after Independence and left vacant.

Tulip House was built by the British in the 1920s for workers at that time, and the place was used as a government quarters after Independence. It was then handed over to PHC after 2011 and was renovated in 2016.

-- BERNAMA

RM10 tourism tax to be maintained

RM10 tourism tax to be maintained

THE flat rate of RM10 per room per night on foreign tourists will be maintained, says Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi.

“Under the new government, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has reviewed implementation of the tourism tax.

“From the review, the implementation of the tax by countries such as the United States, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore and Thailand, proved that the tax has brought positive growth to the tourism sector in the long term,” he said in a written reply to Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah (PH-Port Dickson).

Mohamaddin noted that Japan and Saudi Arabia had recently implemented the tourism tax.

He said the tax is expected to bring positive impact to the tourism industry through the financing of infrastructure, arts and culture. It is only applicable to foreign tourists.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Tourism Tax

DPM: Tourism tax will be imposed

DPM: Tourism tax will be imposed

The Government is going ahead with its tourism tax to be imposed from July 1.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who disclosed this yesterday, said more funds were needed to support tourism promotion activities.

“At present, some states receive little (funds), some get more,” he said. Under the new tax, hotel guests will be charged between RM2.50 and RM20 for every night’s stay, depending on the classification of the hotel.

Dr Ahmad Zahid disclosed that the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday directed that the tourism tax spat involving Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and the Sarawak and Sabah governments be put to an end.

“The Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet meeting and I have personally met with the Chief Ministers of Sarawak and Sabah.

“So the chapter is closed,’’ he told reporters after closing an Islamic education workshop here yesterday.

Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had called on the Government to defer the implementation of the tourism tax in Sarawak and Sabah. This invited criticism from Nazri.

Dr Ahmad Zahid also said RM10mil will be given to the Advisory Board for the Coordination of Islamic Education for the enhancement of Islamic educational institutions.

The workshop approved several resolutions, including one on a special mechanism to strengthen Federal-state cooperation in Islamic educational development.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Matta supports tourism tax

Matta supports tourism tax, but ...



The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (Matta) is urging the Government to delay the rollout of the impending Tourism Tax (TTx), or at least parts of it.

While saying the association is behind the tax, its president Datuk Hamzah Rahmat said the Aug 1 implementation date may not be an ideal time.

The TTx will not only affect domestic tourists, but also Malaysians who have to travel for other purposes such as studies, medical treatments or family obligations.

"Those people who have to travel will have to travel, and they will be forced to pay for it. It doesn’t just affect tourists," he said on Wednesday.

Hamzah suggests the TTx be imposed on 4-star and 5-star hotels first, but be deferred on lower-rated hotels, hostels and accommodation premises to a later date.

“I’m not saying that this tax shouldn't be imposed at all, but now is not the time for it,” he said.

Hamzah added that domestic travel is currently picking up due to the high cost of overseas travel, and he was concerned that an additional tax would deter Malaysians from travelling domestically.

The Penang, Langkawi and Malacca state governments are already charging RM2 to RM9 depending on the type of hotel the guest is staying in.

Passed as part of the Tourism Tax Bill 2017, TTx will see local and international tourists paying a levy to the operators of accommodation premises.

The tax rate is fixed and charged on a per-room, per-night basis.

The rates are RM20 for five-star accommodations, RM10 for four-star accommodations, RM5 for one- to three-star accommodations, and RM2.50 for non-rated accommodations, including budget hotels.

Engineer Lim Chze Hong, 33, who travels twice a month for work, said the TTx would be an unnecessary burden for Malaysians and should only be imposed on foreign tourists.

"It is an extra burden on top of the funds we need to spend to travel outstation for work, regardless if the rooms are paid for by the company or not.

“If this is a ‘tourism tax’, then they should not impose the tax on anyone who books a room using their MyKad,” he said.

Meanwhile, 41-year-old writer Vivan Chong said that she wouldn't mind paying the tax if the revenue was used to develop the local tourism industry.

She however asked if there are solid plans in place regarding the funding.

"The rates are not a burden money-wise, but I think the real question is, who is this supposed to benefit in the first place and why are we being taxed for already contributing to the economy by travelling locally," she added.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had said that the tax revenue would be spent mainly on tourism and infrastructure development throughout the country.

He said the tax was necessary because the Government needed to mitigate uncertainties in the oil-and-gas industry, adding that the Government was expected to collect about RM800mil annually through the new tax.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Hotel Jen Penang - Rebranded for new ‘Jeneration’

Rebranded for new ‘Jeneration’

THE former Traders Hotel Penang has gone through a rebranding exercise and is now known as Hotel Jen Penang.

Hotel Jen Penang is inspired by Traders’ virtual persona — a professional lover of life, travel and discovery.

Hotel Jen Penang is the fifth of Traders’ property to adopt the new brand.

The hotel caters to a new “Jeneration” businessmen and leisure travellers.

Hotel Jen Penang general manager Gavin Weightman said the rebranding would create new standards to cater for the varying demands by its patrons.

“It is revolutionary and all about changing our approach, starting with our employees.

“Some of our staff have been with us for 28 years.”

“Hotel Jen Penang offers the best of services to our guests but with a more intuitive service. It will also be more relaxed and friendly.”

The hotel feted more than 150 guests at its house party by its poolside earlier this month.

Colourful balloons were released during the launching ceremony.

Guests were also entertained with lucky draws, dance and live band performances. There was also a buffet spread for guests.

The rebranding exercise will be carried out globally including in Manila, Maldives, Beijing, Shenyang and Johor Baru until March.


Hotel Jen Penang looking grand.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Glamourous camping adventure awaits

Glamourous camping adventure awaits

LOVE the idea of camping but not really a fan of roughing it out in the jungle?

Or are you looking for a quick romantic escape to Nature far away from technology?

Then look no further than Penang’s upcoming new attraction — a “glamping” resort.

Glamping, or “glamorous camping”, is the first of its kind concept to be introduced in the country.

Taking its name from the surroundings, the resort to be called Boulder Valley Glamping Resort by Amazing Discovery, is set to be built on a 8.9ha valley in Teluk Bahang.

The eco-resort would be designed to maintain the environmental characteristics of the site, including the biological and geological settings of the place.

The structure of the resort would be built on stilts to minimise disturbances to the natural habitat, vegetation, waterways and ground.

The project by Treasure Orchard Bhd is expected to be completed within two years and cost about RM7 million.

Project executive director Lee Woon Poo said the project would be undertaken with an environment-sensitive design approach, combining unique experiences for guests.

“Our main objective is to create an authentic eco-resort that maintains the environmental characteristics of the site, including the biological and geological factors of the place.

“Guests can enjoy unique experiences and basic amenities, a 1km buggy truck, tree-top restaurants, 100m long suspended bridge, bird-watching decks and tailored services,” she said.


The resort will be built among the natural setting of the valley with minimal impact on the flora and fauna.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Visitors undaunted by RM3 levy

Visitors undaunted by RM3 levy

A NEWLY-introduced levy on hotel rooms in Penang aimed at improving the state's collection from the tourism industry has drawn a mixed reaction from domestic and foreign tourists.

Many hotel guests checking out were unaware of the levy, which become effective on June 1, on their hotel stays.

"There is a levy? I just booked four rooms from a booking website. The front office staff at the hotel reception did not tell me anything about it," said a hotel guest who wanted to be known only as Chong.

Chong, who arrived at the hotel in Gurney Drive from Puchong, Selangor, together with 12 family members, said she did not notice the sign put up by the hotel.

"I think RM3 levy a night is okay. However, since I booked four rooms, it is going to be a bit expensive for three nights," she said.

Mariam Abdullah Abbas, 28, said she was aware of the levy, but felt that the middle-income groups would most feel the pinch.

"It is costly to go for a vacation overseas but now travelling locally is expensive too," said the legal adviser from Ipoh.

For David Mclaurin, 36, the amount was small and he did not mind paying it for a good cause.

"RM3 is not much, it is a small price for us to pay," said the Australian. The levy is imposed on some 200 rated hotels in the state by the Penang Island Municipal Council, as announced in the state budget earlier this year.

One to three-star hotel rooms, including budget hotels, guest houses, hostels and dormitories are charged RM2 per room per night, while those rated four star and above are charged RM3 per room per night.

The council sent out circulars earlier this year warning that hotels that did not obey the rule risk having their operating licences revoked under Section 107(1) of the Local Government Act 1976.

Under the act, a local authority in the granting of any licence may set a fee for any trade, occupation or premises in respect of which the licence is granted.

Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang chapter chairman Dr Mary Ann Harris said the levy collection had gone on smoothly for its member hotels.

"There has been no issue so far. Most websites, especially those under MAH and individual hotels, have put up a notice to inform about the levy and included it in the price list," she said.

Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa communication director Suleiman Tunku Abdul Rahman said there had been no complaints on the levy.

"It is business as usual and there have been no complaints from guests," he said.

With Visit Malaysia Year 2014 in full swing, travel agents, tourist guides and hotels had expressed concern that the levy might discourage visitors.

The levy, originally suggested to be from RM1 to RM5, was supposed to have started in March, as announced in the State Legislative Assembly in November last year. It was postponed to this month due to objections from hotels. Currently, Penang has 72 star-rated hotels and 100 non-rated lodgings with about 14,700 rooms.


Star-rated hotels in Penang have put up notices to inform guests of the levy imposed.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

From medical hall to heritage inn

From medical hall to heritage inn

A TRADITIONAL Chinese medical hall turned heritage inn in the heart of George Town in Penang provides guests with a rare glimpse into the old-world charm of the building.

The newly restored Ren i Tang, located in 82-A, Penang Street, used to be the Yin Oi Tong Chinese Medical Hall which occupied three shoplots for 124 years.

The shoplots, which are pre-war houses belonging to the Cheah Kongsi, are now managed by Green Buildings Sdn Bhd.

As explained on its website, the name ‘Ren i Tang’ is the phonetic spelling of Yin Oi Tong in Mandarin, which is ‘The Hall of Benevolence’ when translated.

Opened for business in April this year after a two-year restoration, the inn is strategically located in the Unesco World Heritage site and just a walking distance to popular tourist spots and other heritage buildings in inner George Town.

The inn’s proprietor Eu Yeok Siew said the restoration cost more than RM2mil.

She said the objective was not only to restore the building but also to encourage people to see how they can recycle the things that they have.

“This is a recycling and conservation project. Eighty percent of the wood in the building is made of recycled timber.

“The wooden furniture in the hotel is made from the wood that was left in the building or those found in scrapyards.

“We also reused the old items left behind such as old bottles and newspapers and turned them into quirky decorations,” she said yesterday at the building.

Eu, who is also Green Buildings director, added that the ground floor was retained as a ‘trading area’ with Bistro Tang serving breakfast for guests and is open to the public for lunch and dinner.

“The second and third floors have been converted into 17 guest rooms,” she said.

She added that with its air well, the premises are filled with natural lighting and good ventilation.

She said a museum showing items and herbs left behind by Yin Oi Tong was in progress, and is expected to be open in August.

“We have invited Yin Oi Tong Medical Hall to take up a unit on the ground floor.

“They are now operating in Paya Terubong but they would like to come back here as they have a lot of loyal customers,” she said.

It was previously reported that Yin Oi Tong was forced to move out of the three shoplots as it could not sustain the business.

The medical hall, which was set up by Chinese immigrants who came to Malaya, was initially based in Pitt Street before it moved to Penang Street.

In 2009, several non-governmental organisations such as the Cultural Heritage Advisory Team and Penang Heritage Trust, as well as heritage researcher Tan Yeow Wooi, had joined hands to try to preserve the building’s traditional usage as a medical hall.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Boutique hotels - Authentic and classy

Authentic and classy

BOUTIQUE heritage hotels in Penang are expected to see occupancy rates of around 70% this year, compared to approximately 66% a year ago, riding on overseas arrivals.

Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang Chapter vice-chairman Andy Fong said that this would be the best year for occupancy rates in boutique heritage hotels, since the trend of providing high-end lodging in prime heritage properties located in George Town took off five years ago.

“Since 2008, the occupancy rate has increased gradually from 50% yearly,” he said.

Fong said an increase could be expected as more mid- to high-end travellers worldwide are now more aware of George Town’s World Heritage Site status (WHS) awarded by Unesco in 2008.

The increase in more direct flights to Penang from the Asean and the Asia Pacific regions also helps to boost the tourist arrivals for the boutique heritage hotels business in George Town, Fong added.

There are presently about 17 boutique heritage hotels, with fewer than 50 rooms, priced from RM400 per night to RM2,000 per night, in George Town.

Fong, who is also the general manager of 23 Love Lane, a boutique heritage hotel, said the guests are predominantly from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia the UK, the US, and France.

“Overseas visitors comprise 70% of guests in boutique heritage hotels, while the remainder are domestic travellers,” he said.

Fong said what attracts foreign visitors to boutique heritage hotels in inner George Town is the way the projects are being restored for adaptive commercial use.

“The intricacies of restoration work and the antique furniture used determine the pricing of the rooms per night.

“Our guests are interested in the details of the restoration and do not mind the rates, which are still very competitive compared to a similar range of hotels in the region.

“The furniture for 23 Lovelane, Penang, for example, comes from the 19th century Straits Settlement period,” he said.

The hotel, comprising 10 rooms with built-up areas of 500sq ft to 3,000sq ft, sells its rooms from RM500 per night to RM2,800 per night.

The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in South-East Asia, established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, which came under direct British control as a crown colony on April 1, 1867.

The colony was dissolved in 1946 as part of the British reorganisation of its South-East Asian dependencies following the end of the Second World War.

The Straits Settlements consisted of the four individual settlements of Malacca, Dinding, Penang and Singapore.

Penang Global Tourism director Ooi Geok Lin said the total number of tourists who spent at least a night in Penang in 2012 totalled about 6.09 million, a slight increase of 1.22% from 6.02 million in 2011, according to Tourism Malaysia statistics.

“The figure is expected to rise by 5% this year.

“About 2.99 million of the arrivals for last year’s figure comprised domestic visitors, while the remaining 3.096 million were foreign visitors,” Ooi said.

Hotel Penaga in Hutton Lane, which is owned by Pelindung Dahan Sdn Bhd, is also experiencing higher occupancy rates since the beginning of this year.

Pelindung Dahan director Angela Hijjas said that so far this year, the monthly occupancy rate of the 45-room boutique heritage hotel had doubled, compared to the same period a year ago.

“Some 30% of our guests are local visitors.

“To enable our guests to enjoy and understand more about the unique local culture, we run an artist residency programme for artists to socialise with hotel guests in the studio a few evenings a week, for which the hotel provides refreshments.

“Original artwork from the region is hung in all the rooms and public spaces, as well as a collection of Chinese embroideries, carvings, maps and paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We find many of our guests are interested to meet artists who work in Penang, to share experiences and gain insight into the city,” she said.

Hijjas said about RM10mil was spent to renovate the 15 heritage property into a boutique heritage hotel.

That the local boutique heritage hotel industry is gaining international recognition and attention is evident in Macalister Mansion winning the coveted gold award for best luxury hotel design given by the Annual Hospitality, Design, Furniture Luxurious Projects Asia Summit & Awards 2013.

“We won the award recently in March for the hotel’s unique location and specially commissioned artwork.

“It will certainly help boost Macalister Mansion’s reputation in Asia, especially among high-end travellers who are looking to experience authentic heritage ambience and first-class boutique hotel services,” said a Macalister Mansion spokesman.

The Macalister Mansion (formerly the Choong Lye Hock Mansion) sits on a 48,943sq ft site in Macalister Road. Its eight rooms are priced from RM800 and onwards a night.

Since it started business last November, it has received good response from visitors from the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It is also popular with Malaysian travellers.

The Hospitality, Design, Furniture Luxurious Projects Asia Summit & Awards was created in 2012 to foster links and harness synergies between hospitality, design and furniture industries as well as promoting design excellence and trends in Asia’s luxury development project.

China Tiger Studio Apartments proprietor Rebecca Wilkinson said boutique heritage hotels have more to offer than just history.

“We leverage not just on the restoration works that have gone into the heritage property, but also on the uniqueness of inner George Town, which has other tangibles and intangibles.

“The tangibles are the heritage property, while the intangibles are the people involved in the traditional trades and crafts living in the inner city.

“Besides Florence in Italy, there are only a handful of cities worldwide with the size of George Town that have the WHS status,” she said.

Wilkinson runs two studio apartments with built-up areas of 1,300sq ft each in China Street, which has proven popular with visitors from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Scandinavia and Europe.

“We rent out to families in the mid- to high-income range for long- and short-term stays at rates of RM500 per night,” she added.

Wilkinson said that the renovations for China Tiger provide the comfort of modern living, while simultaneously retaining much of what is original in the interior.

“This is what we understand by restoring heritage property for modern-day commercial use,” she said.

Real estate in Penang is still cheap, compared to other countries in the region, according to Wilkinson.

“This is why foreigners are interested to invest in heritage properties in inner George Town, taking advantage of the WHS status,” she said.

The cost to restore a heritage building for adaptive commercial use is around RM300 to RM400 per sq ft, depending on the quality of finishings used.

Meanwhile, budget hotels in George Town are finding it difficult to maintain the same occupancy rates as a year ago.

The Malaysian Budget Hotel Association Penang Chapter) secretary Arthur Chin said, last year, the budget hotels in George Town registered occupancy rates of about 66% .

“This year it will be difficult to maintain, due to more hotel rooms being made available in the market among all categories of hotels.

“The occupancy rate for this year may also drop,” he said.

There are 85 budget hotels providing 3,000 rooms in Penang.

Chin said, although tourist arrivals have risen, the number is still not sufficient to sustain the budget hotel segment, which sells rooms at less than RM200 per night.

Super 8 Hotel chief executive officer Alex Loo also said the first quarter of this year was slower than the corresponding period the previous year.

The Super 8 is a 50-room budget hotel located in Tye Sin Street, priced from RM88 to RM148 per night.

“The occupancy for last year was around 70% for Super 8, but we expect the occupancy to drop this year, due to more competition.

“To increase our market share, we have invested about RM9mil for another budget hotel in Bayan Baru, which is now becoming a popular area for business travellers to stay, as it is a stone’s throw away from the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone,” he said.

Loo said the group’s 8 Boutique by the Sea @ Tanjung Tokong had just opened for business.

“We are pricing the rooms around RM100 to RM150 until the end of next month. After that, the room rates will be from RM200 per night onwards,” he said.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Old-world Hainanese favourites

Old-world Hainanese favourites

RELISH the old-time ambience at the charming Yeng Keng Café Bar nestled in the heart of George Town, Penang.

Part of the acclaimed Yeng Keng Hotel, a boutique heritage establishment along Chulia Street, the outlet has been garnering rave reviews and a good following for authentic Hainanese-styled cuisine.

Executive chef Tan Jee Yong was born in Hainan, China, before emigrating to Malaya as a child with his father after the war years.

Upon finishing school, he took up work in a kitchen, learnt his trade from a Hainanese master chef, and has been a proponent of his native cuisine ever since.

“Real Hainanese cuisine can be hard to find nowadays, thus I hope my dishes can give guests an authentic taste. If they leave happy and keep returning, I’m proud,” said Tan, now in his late 60s.

Favourites here include the Ark Or (yam duck), which is a flavourful, stew infused with bean paste, ginger, yam and waterfowl, slowly boiled for over an hour.

The signature Spinach Lamb Roll has shoulder meat stuffed with cartoon character Popeye’s favourite vegetable and garlic, then slow-cooked for over two hours, resulting in succulent meat.

But his Choon Piah (spring rolls), packed with shredded crabmeat, mushroom, prawns, chicken, mengkuang and carrots, is the undoubted best seller.

Guests who try it usually order additional servings, Tan pointed out.

Also acclaimed are his Hainan Mee, Chicken Pie, Yeng Keng Chicken Chop, Macaroni Pie, and Hainanese Chicken Rice, which comes as whole chicken, to lock in meat juices.

Hotel manager Jacky Chung pointed out that Penang’s Hainanese cuisine invariably bears some English influences because the Hainan folk who came over to Penang usually ended up working in colonial kitchens.

Hence there are offerings like the delicious Crab Mornay which has chunky crabmeat, mushrooms, cream and cheese baked till golden brown in hollowed out crustacean shells.

The Bomb Alaska, another house specialty rarely found nowadays, is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the sweet tooth. The butter cake, ice cream and mixed fruits covered with beaten egg whites are quite a spectacle when flambéed with brandy tableside.

The café also offers Traditional Hainanese Course Dinners, priced at RM530++ onwards per table of 10. Guests can customise their dish choices from a preset menu.

Private events can also be hosted at the well-equipped function room upstairs, with capacity for 40 pax.

The pork-free café is open from 7am to midnight daily, and also serves breakfast. Last call for the kitchen is at 9.30pm. After meals, adjourn to the hotel’s spacious courtyard for a few rounds of drinks.

Yeng Keng Hotel, built circa 1850s, is among the oldest surviving buildings in the area, and was once a private residence that later became a gentleman’s club, and then a budget hotel.

Bought over in 2009, and extensively refurbished to its former glory by mid-2010, it is now a 20-room boutique establishment.

It has also garnered an impressive list of accolades, coming first in the small hotels category for Malaysia, in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2013.

For more details, visit www.yengkenghotel.com. Call 04-263 3177 for café reservations.

~News courtesy of The Star~