One of the newest dining spots in George Town, Lucky Hole may have just started in Oct 2023, but is currently one of the most talked-about in town. The place exuded a cool vibe, more like a nightspot than a casual dining spot: dim lights, club music, hip servers conveying platters of comestibles from heavily-tattooed chefs.
The kitchens are headed by Waymann Cheong, once one of the talented trio (the other two being Beh Weng Chia and Jack Yeap) at Chin Chin’s stable of trendy eateries, most are now-defunct: El Faro, Cream, Quickie, Golden Shower, Beso Rosado, and the original Chin Chin in Pulau Tikus.
The Chin Chinesque fusion cooking style is there, with its catering-to-the-local-palate touches: big flavours, a flood of sauces, an unexpected stab of chili.
Our dinner this evening:
Hokkaido Uni, Parmesan Polenta, Nori-Sour Cream, Ikura - I’d always loved polenta, but don’t think this combination works.
Spanish Octopus, Aioli, Potato Croquettes, Pepper - beautifully done - perffectly-textured octopus. Creamy sauces were a bit too much for me, but locals love that.
Tuna Cheek , Char Siew Glazed , House Kimchi , Charred Lime - very well executed and the best dish we had. Very Nobu-ish.
Roasted Purple Cabbage, Coconut, Shallots, Basil - cooked perfectly, but the sauces were way too creamy.
Charred Cauliflower, Kombu, Miso, Nori, Pinenuts - ditto, perfectly grilled cauliflower, Lovely with pinenuts, but the deluge of creamy sauces simply didn’t work for me.
Dessert: Grilled Pineapple, Coconut Ice-cream and Passionfruit Tuille - simple and well-executed.
Interesting meal - it’s still fairly new, so should get better as it settles down.
Address
Lucky Hole
23-N, Beach Street, 10200 George Town, Penang
Tel: +6012-435 3134
Opening hours: 6pm to 1am Thu to Sat.
6pm to 11pm Sunday. Closed Mon to Wed.
