A quick, casual lunch today at the 6-month-old Relish Cafe on Phuah Hin Leong Road.
The nifty cafรฉ features pastries by young Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia graduate and China House alumnus, Junnie Lee, whoโs assisted by her partner, ex-Le Venue chef Kenny Lee, who takes charge of the savory options on the menu.
Phuah Hin Leong Road used to be lined with good eateries but, sadly, most of them have shuttered - casualties of the harsh COVID pandemic lockdowns.
We started off with two very good soups: Smoked pumpkin and Cream of mushroom. Both were thick, rich and freshly-prepared.
Itโs a pet-friendly cafรฉ, and this dog from the next table was very inquisitive.
Our mains consisted of:
Smoked Duck Wellington, described in the menu as a puff pastry-wrapped boneless smoked duck, with caramelized onions, Japanese shimeji mushrooms, baby spinach and mozzarella cheese, served with mixed green and raspberry sauce.
Itโs about the size of a Cornish pasty, and was packed full of flavors.
The Spaghetti carbonara with smoked bacon was the better of the two mains we ordered. Catering to the local Penangitesโ preference for โsofterโ noodles, the pasta was cooked way past the al dente stage. Too bad but, taste-wise, it was good. I could do without the sage component, though.
Together with my lunch companion, we shared all the dishes, so each of us could have a taste of everything that was ordered.
Dessert was a giant choux puff filled with whipped cream and chopped fresh mango. Also had some good, strong lattes to finish off the meal.
Address
Relish Cafe
28, Phuah Hin Leong Road, 10050 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +60 4-688 5961
Opening hours: 12 noon to 9pm, Mon, Wed to Sun. Closed Tuesdays.
