Heaven Gate ~ Noah's Wine Dine Dinner Invited Review

After having had a prior review at Heaven Gate, we were invited again to sample their wine pairing dinner which was titled Noah Wine Dine Dinner which is priced at RM138++ that comes with 1 glass of house wine or RM188++ where you will get all 4 wine pairing.

This special menu is only available with bookings of 10 pax and is not available on a walk in basis as the restaurant wants to ensure that the ingredients are all freshly prepared and it will be too rush to prepare this impromptu. Well it would seem that 10 pax might be hard to come by but at least its a good option to have.

For a person like me who doesn't drink alot, 4 glasses of wine might sound alot but the fact is, this is a wine pairing dinner where the wine is match to the food and you don't really have to gulp down the whole glass. Just take some sips, swirl it in the mouth abit and have the food. The taste of the wine, whether its sweet, mellow, fruity or nutty helps to accentuate the taste of the food and this is what matters.

So hope you will read on to find out what I think about this Noah's Dinner menu and for those who had tried it, leave a message or comment too!

Do you know your cutleries? The forks and spoons on the dining table? Well, a simple rule of thumb, just use the cutlery furthest away from the plate and move inwards. Thats it, very simple right, but always be gentle and if a piece of meat is too tough to handle, just skip it rather than embarrassing yourself, or you can always ask the staff to help you with it ya!

 So to start the dinner, soup is served and its Cream of Pumpkin soup which helps to get the appetite going. Its serve with a slice of toasted garlic bread which goes very well with the slightly sweet and creamy soup

Vino Vino Bistro Review @ Bay Avenue, Penang

Located right outside of Queensbay Mall, where its know as Bay Avenue, there lies this place called Vino Vino Bistro. Before I got inside, my first impression was that this looks like a typical bistro that have a good variety of drinks until I looked up and saw that there was this big signboard which says Yakitori. Then thoughts started running through my mind on what exactly does this place serve?

So lets step inside to find out more I said. On this invited review, I wasn't really sure what to expect of the Japanese food from such a classy bistro but as always, try and see lah. Inside the bistro, you will be amazed at their selection of wine and liquor and I got to know its because their parent company is one of the sole importers and that this outlet is one of the smallest after their flagship in Sabah. But this place feels really cozy and one can choose to be in the airconditioned comfort or outside watching the cars go by. There is also an upper floor section which also have a live performances on every Wednesday and Thursdays after 8pm. Well do continue to read on especially on me finding what amazing Japanese food they serve here besides having a fully loaded drinks menu!

Here is their info : 

Address: 

Block H-10-1, Lorong Bayan Indah 2, Bay Avenue, 11900, Bayan Lepas, Penang, 11900, Malaysia

Phone:+60 4-645 9922

The exterior of the building with the outdoor seating area right in front

I can't wait to try out the Yakitori. Its made by Japanese chefs and also uses charcoal from Japan

Fooyo Fresh Fruity Dessert Review @ Prangin Mall Penang

Anyone been to Thailand and seen those stalls selling the instant "fried" frozen yogurts?

Well, Fooyo is now at Prangin Mall Penang, located at the ground floor next to the Teo Chew Cendol stall, this is the place you will here the clang clang while they fry the frozen dessert! At first, I did not know what to expect when told that I was going to review a yogurt/dessert place but decided to give it a try anyway.

The way to make your frozen dessert is to first select the base which they have their own plain yogurt or vanilla/chocolate ice cream. Then select a fruit and they will specially mix them together during the "frying" process and voila, you have your ice cool frozen dessert. Pretty neat if you ask me and worth a try.

Their exact location and contact as below : 

Address: FB-A/G3 Prangin Mall, Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, 10100 Penang. (Beside Teo Chew Cendol Stall) Contact: 010-395 9393 Biz Hour: 11am - 9pm FB: https://www.facebook.com/FooyoFruityDessert

The stall front

Their very simple menu

Herbs & Spices Flavors @ Eastin Hotel Penang for November 2013

For the month of November, Eastin Hotel Penang is having its Herbs & Spices theme for their buffet spread and they strive to bring dishes that has been infused with lots of these herbs and spices. These are flavor additive that has been used for centuries and since its also Deepavali month, there are of course some influence of Indian flavors as well.

This time round, we have Chef Buvanes and Khalil leading the menu and they try to bring a new twist to some tried and tested recipes. So do read on to see what I think of the menu for November. 

Its also good to note that the pricing is still the same as stated below. Best part is Maybank, Standard Chartered, OCBC, CIMB and Citibank credit card members are entitled to a 15% discount as well for the dinner menu! So check it out.

Lunch: Monday-Friday (12-2.30pm)

RM48++ Adult, RM24++ Child

Hi Tea: Saturday-Sunday (12-3.00pm)

RM55++ Adult, RM28++ Child

Semi Buffet Dinner: Sunday-Thursday (6.30pm-10.00pm)

From RM48++

So to start of, we have some Appetizers and Soup

First we have the Achari Paneer which is a homemade cheese which I initially thought was tofu. It has a very soft texture and really almost like tofu but just that the flavor has a more milky taste to it. The use of the spices to cook it makes this an interesting item on the menu. One thing I learnt was that compared to tofu, this cheese does not break down when cooked in a wok and thus it still retains its chunky form.

Next there is the Deep Fried Pakoras which to be is one of the best items of the day! The Pakoras were so crunchy and flavorful that you just had to have more of it. Topping it with fried curry leaves helps to give it the added oomph to the taste but again, try to control the intake of fried items :)

Heaven Gate ~ New Menu Review

Located along King's Street in the Heritage enclave of Penang, Heaven Gate is an up and coming fine dining restaurant that sits majestically among the row of shophouses, as apparently this one is 3 stories compared to its neighbours which are only 2 stories high. Its easily spotted with its arch walkway and ribbons inviting diners in.

The restaurant currently is operating both on the ground and 1st floor and the 1st floor has more varieties of sitting options, such as on a comfortable couch, private tables, and even long tables. Its also available for functions on the 1st floor which make it possible to hold private events here. 

I was fortunate to be able to join some other reviewers when we were invited to try some of their new menu, as well as some of their all time favorites. Thus this was a really good experience for myself as its not everyday we get to sample these delectable yummies! So without ado, do check out the below!

Standing tall and was amazing to have a bright blue sky!

Suffolk House Full Menu List

Hi all
As from my previous post of the Chef Tasting Menu, this post is abit more subdued and basically have more of the details of the menu itself. As one will notice, the dishes can vary as the adhere to serving only the best ingredients available on the day. Was told that the chef checks out the market frequently and thats always a good to know!
Thus have a look at the below and do head on over to try their items ya. Again, don't forget to mention this blogs name to be entitled to the promotions! Enjoy. Enter to view the embedded PDF's!

Suffolk House New Menu and Amazing Promotions

I believe most people would have heard of Suffolk House located at Penang and its really and amazing venue with its lush green lawn and majestic building. Suffolk House now have a thriving restaurant and its very popular with both tourist and locals. They offer some great value for money fine dining experience as well as their very nostalgic atmosphere. You are afterall dining in a mansion!

So Suffolk House has just recently onboarded their new Executive Chef, Mr Gordon Robertson who is a highly acclaimed chef whom was born in Scotland but grew up in Hong Kong and has traveled the world expanding his culinary skills. His has been head chef at the infamous Royal Albert Hall in London as well as leading various restaurants in his exciting career and now, he is in Penang's Suffolk House with the goal of bringing the culinary experience to the next level! For a moment, that introduction sounded like what you will find from an Iron Chef! Heheh

Anyway, for month of October and November 2013, they are having a special promotion where for any party of four people taking the set menu (lunch, dinner or the chefs tasting menu!!), Suffolk House will give them the cost of the cheapest set menu free (so effectively a 25% discount).  For those that prefer to dine à la carte, Suffolk House will offer them a 15% discount on their food bill for diners having two courses including a main course (not sharing).  And the most important aspect to get this promotion is to please mention this blog: TheLifeIsGood.com to them when ordering to be entitled!

So do check out the photos, and of course what I thought of it

The magnificent grounds of Suffolk House

Just love these kind of British Colonial window design

Homedec @ SPICE Penang 4-6 October 2013

Went to Homedec last weekend and its always an interesting place to visit. Not having any particular agenda, I just went around while trying to see if there are anything that stands out and my goal would be to add these to my blog.

So this time round, as I was pretty much free on that weekend, I went there on 2 occasions, and ended up buying an aircon cleaning kit. Was about to buy some LED lights but then figured I will do those next year. Anyway, do have a look at some of the displays which I found more interesting. Also only included those that actually allowed me to take photographs. I still can't understand some exhibitors who still do not allow photos. I mean come on, people already see what you have, yet thinking you can keep it a secret? Well, too bad then, I won't even mention about you then :p

Cheers!

Dreamponds had a very strategic location being right at the entrance! I found their instant pond pretty neat and the best part is that there is no filters where they use the undergravel to do all the cleaning work. Downside is the initial cost and also the yearly maintenance. Interesting as the package will sell you whatever they have on display, including the fish and potted plants. Great for those looking to try a pond out

Their demo featured a pair of terrapins, which is suppose to show how clean the water is, as it will usually stink discolor the water very quickly with these guys

Ninetology U9 Series Launch @ 1881 Chong Tian Hotel Penang

Ninetology I must say is currently aggressively marketing their products and now with their U9 series, its starting to really make an impact. Recently the company hosted their launch in Penang and I believe that they managed to have one heck of a venue by choosing 1881 Chong Tian Hotel! The hotel is a heritage reborn and probably Ninetology shares the same belief that they will be here to stay in the smart phone business.

Being a ASEAN product, they are targeting some primary areas of focus which is to have performance and usability at an affordable price.

It was a pretty exciting launching with all their latest models on display and all the media personnel were able to have some hands on time with it. Besides that, there were also games and quizzes with 3 lucky winners that day walking home with their new smart phones. Its really was a blast of a launch and hopefully I will be getting my hands on one of these phones for a review soon! For now, check out the pictures. Credits also to the hotel for hosting the event with some very good food for the night!

The venue, 1881 Chong Tian Hotel, Jalan Pintal Tali, Penang

 All ready for the launch

Review of New York Burger @ Irrawaddi Road, Penang

For those in the know, behind the busy road of Burma Road and all, there is an enclave of shops that is slowly becoming a haven for some good food. Today got the opportunity to try out New York Burger which is located along Jalan Irrawaddi and just a couple of shops away from Harvest Inn. Its not a very big place currently but I guess you don't need all nice big tables since the items which they serve is as their name suggest is mainly on Burgers as well as some Pizza and Pasta!

I kinda enjoyed the design and setup of the place. It reminds me of those diners which you see so often in Hollywood movies! Even the tables and lamp design, are so American. But anyway, this place is famous for the charcoal burgers, and surprise surprise, there was even a charcoal pizza! Yeap, I was skeptical but actually it was very well made and tasty. Thus, check out the pictures below and maybe give it a try.

Its Burger Time!

The shop has 2 stories but currently only the lower floor is used!