Sweet music in the gardens

Sweet music in the gardens


Lovely afternoon: Joggers and visitors enjoying the performance by the Heng Ee High School Wind Orchestra at the Penang Botanic Gardens.

THE Penang Botanic Gardens came alive with the sound of music by the Heng Ee High School Wind Orchestra.

Smartly clad in milky white bla-zers, shining black slacks with black bow ties, the band’s 90-members, aged 14 to 17, entertained the crowd with well-known songs. The weather was also welcoming with a clear blue sky.

Some of the spectators sitting under the shady trees joined in the fun, and were clapping their hands to the popular melodies.

More than 10 songs were played in the one-hour show, ranging from fast beat to sentimental songs such as ‘We Are The World, Heal The World, Can’t Take My Eyes off You, Copacabana and Rong Shu Xia.’

The school band instructor Yeoh Chee Woi, 31, said this was the first time that the students had performed outdoors.

“It’s good for them to get ex-posure and experience, while they interact directly with the audience.

“The Penang Botanic Gardens is a nice location to hold a performance because it is spacious and surrounded by greenery,” he said during the event on Sunday.

He revealed that the band members took about a month to master a song.

In a wind orchestra, a variety of musical instruments are used as the number of band members are usually bigger, he said.

The event was organised by Penang Global Tourism, and it was aimed at promoting local culture and enhancing the state as a top tourist destination.

The concert is held every last Sunday of the month from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

It is participated by different musical groups. The next performance is on June 30.

~News courtesy of The Star~

George Town Festival 2013

http://georgetownfestival.com/

A buffet in the afternoon

A buffet in the afternoon

THE array of scrumptious Western and Asian delights served in G Hotel’s Saturday High Tea is ideal for laid-back weekend gatherings in the company of friends and family.

Whether it is a late lunch after a half day’s work, or a tummy-filler before dinner, the meal consisting of light and fresh bites sets the stage for convivial chatter.

The buffet, served between 1pm and 4pm at the hotel’s lobby level G Café, is reasonably priced at RM45++ per adult, and RM22.50++ per child aged six to 12. Kids below six eat free.

The lineup, crafted by hotel sous chef Hamizi Hamid and his team, starts with a variety of freshly tossed salads with choices of dressings, and local equivalents like rojak and pasembur.

There are also hearty soups to warm diners up.

The main dish section features a combination of staples like fried rice, cheese gratin, and grilled chicken, as well as finger foods like quiche, pizzas and spring rolls.

There are also action stations dishing up the popular local favourite, char koay teow, along with roti canai and murtabak, ala minute.

Alternatively, guests can help themselves to bite-sized dim sum or toss their own bowl of noodles.

Highlight of the buffet is the dedicated sandwich counter where guests can pick their own ingredients and watch chefs craft their unique combinations on the spot.

Bread options include soft rolls, sandwich loaf, rye bread or croissants, to be stuffed with tuna, egg, sardines, tomato and onion salsa, ham, salami, smoked salmon, smoked duck or beef bacon. The options are endless.

Remember to leave some space for dessert, as pastry chef Tan Kwee Lian’s irresistible sweet treats should not be missed.

Each week, the award-winning chef features eight unique cakes.

Possibilities include the Chocolate Banana Cake with Coconut Gianduja, and Chocolate Entrapment, among others.

One bite, and the exquisite flavours and combinations of these creations are apparent.

The buffet is completed with four flavours of Baskin Robbins ice- cream, and local drinks like teh tarik, chrysanthemum tea, sugarcane juice or air bandung.

On Sunday, enjoy a fun-filled gastronomic adventure with the whole family as the G Café serves the Sunday Funday Family Brunch from noon to 2.30pm.

It features a mini buffet and special play corner for the little ones, and is priced at RM78++ per person.

Kids between six and 12 enjoy a 50% discount, while those under six eat free.

For dinner, the hotel currently offers the Mongolian BBQ Buffet on Mondays, the Creole and Cajun Cuisine Buffet on Wednesdays, Seafood BBQ Buffet on Fridays and Surf and Turf Buffet on Saturdays, all priced at RM99++ per person.

On Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, there is the International Semi Buffet, priced between RM68++ and RM98++, depending on the main course selected.

Treat your parents to lavish spreads and fun activities with the upcoming Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Sunday Brunch on May 12 and June 16 respectively.

Both are priced at RM128++ per person including free flow of beer, or RM88++ per person and RM44++ per child, for food only.

For reservations, call 04-2380000 or email to food.beverage@ghotel.com.my.

～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~

Dining - A place where time stand still

A place where time stand still

TIME literally come to a stop when dining at the Tree Monkey in Teluk Bahang. The ambience is so tranquil and relaxed that one can simply leave all the stresses of the day behind and just enjoy the moment in the warm embrace of Mother Nature.

This open concept ‘gigantic treehouse’ restaurant is perched some 30 feet above sea level, evoking the feeling of being on top of the lush centuries old rain trees that provide a shady canopy.

Drawing inspiration from traditional Balinese aesthetics, the outlet is decked out with imported hardwood tables and chairs complemented by an attap-covered gazebo and lounge.

The rustic and laid back charm can be enjoyed throughout the day from 9am to 11pm. Feel a sense of total peacefulness as the rustling leaves above serenade while streaks of sunlight stream through the trees and the cool sea breeze gently caresses.

Do not be surprised to see Dusky Leaf monkeys, squirrels and even flying foxes roaming freely among the branches mere metres away on most evenings. Truly serenity at its best!

This is exactly the concept that owners Patt Khor and Wisakha Nomthangthum wanted to introduce to the world when they started Tree Monkey three years ago. The restaurant is all about providing a unique dining experience in the heart of nature.

And to complete this idyllic environment are authentic Thai cuisine and innovative beverages that a foreign diner aptly described on Trip Adviser as “never had before tasty treats.”

Emphasis is also placed on the Thai and Asian tapas, a wide variety of finger food that are ideal for sharing and for diners to sample many items at one shot. The tapas is also great as a starter and to go with a drink or two.

Among the Thai tapas selections are massaman samosa, sambal chicken, mussel salsa and Darling crab (stuffed with minced seafood) while the Asian tapas includes yum mamoung (Thai mango salad), satay, prawn tamarind and Son In Law egg (deep fried boiled egg topped with tamarind sauce).

Thai favourites consist of crispy kang kung, otak-otak (steamed curried seafood paste in banana leaf), namtok (beef salad with shallot, mint leaves, spring onion, grounded rice, dried chili powder and lime juice) and crispy herb snapper.

New creations are the sizzling dishes of Weeping Tiger (marinated beef with black pepper sauce), sweet & sour prawn (with onion, pineapple, capsicum and tomato sauce) and spice & herb seafood (with garlic, peppercorn, finger root and basil leaves).

There are also Western food such as fish and chips, calamari (golden fried squid and onion ring with tartar sauce), spaghetti pomodoro (with basil leaves and tomato sauce) and French fries.

Dessert comprise of Thai coconut ice cream, thub thim krob (water chestnut in coconut milk), fruit salad as well as mango and sticky rice.

For breakfast, diners can choose from light dishes including belacan fried rice, pineapple fried rice, phad Thai (fried noodle with prawns, egg, dried shrimp, shallots and bean sprout) and Thai laksa.

The dishes here are prepared with the freshest herbs and spices, with some of the ingredients grown in the adjacent Tropical Spice Garden. The menu also listed the benefits of the herbs used in the cooking so diners would know exactly what they are eating.

As for the invigorating concoctions, chill out with mocktails such as sabai tomyam (lemongrass, lime juice, chili and kaffir lime leaves), monkey juice (mango, banana, pineapple, orange and basil leaves) and virgin monkey (pineapple, lime juice, soda and basil).

The spice and herb cocktails like monkey mojito (white rum, lime juice, soda, lemongrass, chili and kaffir lime leaves), Malibu monkey (Malibu, pineapple juice, soda and basil) and tomyam martini are also must try.

For reservations, kindly contact 04-8813493/4 or log on to www.treemonkey.com.my

~News courtesy of The Star~

Botanic Gardens: Restored and blooming again

Restored and blooming again

The long-forgotten Sunken Garden in its former state has been restored and replaced with a beautiful tiered rock pool.

THE Penang Botanic Gardens’ long-forgotten Sunken Garden has been restored to its former glory.

In place of the thick undergrowth is now a beautiful tiered rock pool.

Work to clear, upgrade and beautify the area started last October and was completed in two months.

Located near the Formal Garden, the Sun-ken Garden is on lower ground — hence its name.

It was earlier reported that the Sunken Garden, conceived during the tenure of the Gardens’ first Malaysian curator Cheang Kok Choy, had been abandoned for some 40 years.

State Botanic Gardens department assistant director Salasiah Yusop said they were currently doing the landscaping and maintenance works.

“It’s done. The public can visit anytime.

“We’ve never closed the Sunken Garden but now when you visit, you can actually sit and relax there as the upgrading work has finished,” she said yesterday.

On the environmentally friendly bamboo appreciation centre that is being constructed at the nearby bambusetum, Salasiah said it would be ready by the end of this month.

Both the Sunken Garden and the nearby bamboo appreciation centre were awarded to local contractors and scheduled for completion last December.

“A termite problem and delay in the delivery of bamboos caused the completion date of the centre to drag on a little.

“The bamboos from Indonesia only arrived here last month,” she said.

The structure, perched on higher ground and overlooking the bambusetum, is built entirely out of bamboo and will also house a souvenir shop.

The cost of the projects is funded by the state government.

The bambusetum, featuring 36 bamboo species from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and China, is part of the Tourism Ministry’s RM7mil Botanic Gardens expansion project which also comprised a new visitors’ pavilion, facade and eco-stream walkway.

On the Historic Economic Crop Garden, originally slated for completion in November last year, Salasiah said there has been a slight delay.

The new attraction located between the Penang Rifle Club and Quarry Garden was cleared in early October, and planted with a myriad of some 100 commodity crops like coffee, rubber, cocoa, oil palm and coconut.

The objective is for the younger generation to see first hand the crops that contributed to the nation’s development.

“We’ve planted the trees but they are not growing as well as we had hoped because there are granite rocks underground.

“The rocks will be removed soon to make sure that the trees flourish,” she said, adding that work to convert the department’s cen-tury-old office inside the Botanic Gardens into a herbarium-cum-museum was underway.

“The department moved into the pavilion on Jan 23 and upgrading work on our former premises is being done.

“I would like to thank our new consultant curator Stewart James Henchie and Penang Botanic Gardens controlling officer Mohamed Akbar Mustapha who have been such a big help since they came on board three months ago,” she said.

Henchie is the former president of the Kew Guild – an organisation for past and present staff of London’s Kew Gardens.

An official launching ceremony for the bambusetum, Sunken Garden, Historic Economic Crop Garden and herbarium-cum-museum will be held sometime this year.

~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~