Sri Malaya Heritage Restaurant – New Facade in Penang
Did you like this article? Share it with your friends!
***The place has since closed down
* This article was also published in the New Straits Times on 16th June 2010.
Take a step into the past at Sri Malaya, an oasis of retro charm!
Tucked right in the heart of George Town, housed in a pre-World War II heritage building is the newly opened Sri Malaya Heritage Restaurant. This restaurant, conveniently located on Rope Walk, is near to the entrance from Chulia Street.
Sri Malaya, with an attractive yellow facade, has a few tables on the walkway. Inside is a great dining place with an inviting warm ambience. All the tables made of teak, an all time favorite wood, combined with different retro chairs and the old style lamps of the 60s and 70s, added charm to this restaurant.
What makes this place unique is the air well! It allows natural light to come through, filling the dining area with natural light! Adjoining the dining hall is a bar counter with shelves displaying wines.
A part of the dining area with the natural-brick decor
The menu at Sri Malaya offers a range of local and also Western delicacies of pasta and tapas. The drinks menu on the other hand, has a reasonable selection of wines, fresh juices, hot beverages and smoothies. White and red wine from Australia, New Zealand and Chile are available by glass and bottle to pair with the food.
My two choices of beverages on the day were the creamy Avocado and the Mango smoothie. There was certainly creativeness in the Avocado smoothie with the slight presence of espresso in it.
The two smoothies were simply inviting!
The first dish to arrive was the Mixed Fresh Vegetable Salad with Chargrilled Chicken @ RM 12. The crunchy salad rich in freshness came with balsamic vinegar. The chicken was properly done, with the charredness adding flavor to the salad. Served in a good size portion, it is worth the price and is large enough to make a meal for a small eater.
There are several mains and the Ocean Seafood Platter @ RM38 was one of them. The platter has four selection of fresh seafood, with large prawns, mussels, fish and squid. The taste was scrumptious! It was even well complemented when coupled with the potatoes, carrot, broccoli and cauliflower. All the four selection was cooked just right, moist and tender.
Besides the seafood platter, the menu also offers many other meaty dishes of Lamb Chop, Sirloin Steak and Braised Lamb Shank.
Next up was the bowl of Mixed Seafood Curry Laksa Noodle! It was surprisingly a delight, as the thick curry soup with hints of fresh spices was deliciously spicy. Two juicy big prawns, mussels, taufupok, long beans, squid and hardboiled egg topped of the noodle.
After the meal, I took a brief visit to the private dining hall upstairs. The design of the place was creative, and can be described as travelling back to time! The dining hall along with its sitting lounge is decorated with furniture, seats, accessories and lamps from the 60s and 70s too.
It is really groovy!
Gorgeous dining set
The place fits about 10 to 12 people ideally, which in turn make it ideal for mini parties or gatherings. The lounge itself is a great place to relax in before and after the meal. Fully air conditioned as well, it is suitable for those who would like a bit more privacy!
The meal concluded with a well-brewed cup of Illy Coffee, accompanied by a slice of cake. I totally enjoyed the dining experience at Sri Malaya, and I reckon it is the combination of place, ambience, choices of space and the food!
There are several seating options. Besides the indoor air-conditioned dining hall, there is also a choice of outdoor seating. It is pleasant dining in the garden especially on a cool day, with the greens providing shade while you dine surrounded by natural plants. What a feeling!
Diners can enjoy the outdoor space in Sri Malaya
The owners kept the 60s and 70s alive in this restaurant, which makes it an ideal place for those who are interested in retro furniture. Click here for the Map Location. This restaurant with its bright yellow exterior also offers free wireless Internet access for the customers.
Sri Malaya Heritage Restaurant
No. 1 Rope Walk
10100 George Town
Pulau Pinang
Tel : 04 2613763
Business Hour : 12pm – 3pm & 6pm – 11pm
Closed on Tuesdays and public holidays
GPS Coordinates : N05°25.109′ E100°20.117′
***Updates – Effective 1 July 2012, the restaurant is open only for dinner, from 6pm to 12 am.