𝗚𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗮 on Soo Hong Lane is George Town’s latest restaurant opening, and it promises to be an exciting one - a collaboration between contemporary art gallery owner, Leong Kwong Yee @ KY, together with one of Kuala Lumpur’s most exciting chefs, Ahmad Suffian Salim, and property owner, Dickson Lim.
The restaurant looks like a rusty corrugated iron-cladded warehouse on the outside, but is a bright, airy, ultra-modern space inside.
Natural sunlight bathed the cool dining area, dominated by Mumbai-born contemporary artist, Jitish Kallat’s 𝙇𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙨, where Indian flatbread or 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘴 were used to symbolise the phases of the moon as it orbits around the Earth.
Well-regarded in Kuala Lumpur, Ahmad Suffian Salim made his debut in George Town last year when, as a consultant, he conceptualised the groundbreaking menu of newly-opened 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲, and trained the first batch of chefs there.
This time, Ahmad, together with his wife, the very personable Aim who’s also the restaurant manager, have decided to settle down in Penang permanently.
Our lunch today:
Caramelised onion mousse with sourdough toast.
Tomato medley, lychees, pickled jalapenos, mung beans, wasabina leaves, dressed with soy vinaigrette.
Wild rice, sweet potato, leafy greens, cranberries, pecans, cucumber.
Charred cabbage, cashew cream, caper-sultana butter, walnuts.
Grilled seabass, beurre monté, peas, butter beans, makrut oil.
Angus sirloin steak (200g), burnt onion jus, rosti, labneh, beef fat vinaigrette.
Dessert: Pumpkin pudding, mascarpone, pecans.
Coffee and caneles.
Address
Gilda
81 Soo Hong Lane, 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Opening hours: Mon, Thu to Sun 11am to 10pm. Closed Tue & Wed.
