Hotel: Macalister Mansion - Macalister Road, Georgetown (Top Pick)

MM location map

It’s rare these days that I find hotels to get too much excited about.  Most tend to be either corporate chain establishments with little to endear, increasingly popular boutique hotels, some of which manage to pull the concept off much better than others, or the ‘cheap as chips’ glorified guest houses.  All in all, a bit meh.  Once in a blue moon however you come across a truly outstanding establishment  which really impresses at every level.  One example is Macalister Mansion which, for ease of reference and conveniently, is located in Macalister Road, Georgetown, Penang.

I think it’s fair to say that the vast majority of visitors coming to Penang do not come for the beach experience.  While the option is there, with numerous hotels in the Batu Ferringhi area, its is clear that the ‘down-town’ experience is in hot demand with visitors in abundance at the numerous heritage sites and areas in Georgetown, soaking up the ambience, indulging in Penang’s famed street food, shopping in central Georgetown and the maze of ‘Komtar’ and wandering round the backstreets that make up Little India and the Chinese Quarter.  For many, this is what Penang is all about.  But where do you stay, or more pertinent to this article, where do you say if you want somewhere a cut above the rest, somewhere with some class and style?  And of course it’s not only visitors from afar who will at times wish to seek out the occasional gem of a hotel.  Local residents searching for somewhere to stay for that special occasion or celebration, a couple looking at a super-special place to host a wedding dinner and maybe even have a few special invited guests to stay a couple of days, or visitors from out-station just looking for somewhere special to spend a few days in the ‘Pearl of the Orient’.  So why is this hotel special, what makes it really stand out.  Read on…….

Reception

Macalister Mansion, or MM as it is known locally, is housed in a magnificent heritage building which is very befitting to its name.  Sweeping in from Macalister Road the driveway can swing you round right outside the front door with ample off-road parking for your car, a godsend in this part of town!  

As you enter the reception you will immediately be struck by its style which flows throughout the establishment (unlike many corporate boxes where the, ahem, ‘style’ comes to an abrupt halt once you go beyond reception), it exudes chic and elegance and yet is done in a very tasteful way which compliments the heritage exterior of the hotel.  Spacious, minimalist and tastefully lit, the reception area sets the scene well.  The staff are also worth a mention, friendly and welcoming with nothing too much trouble.

One of MMs superb rooms

Once checked in you will be shown to your room and I have to say that these are probably some of the most beautiful rooms I have ever seen in a hotel, far better, for instance, than some of the (so called) 5 star gilt-heavy glitz that you see in some chain hotels.  

An equally superb bathroom

Spacious, beautifully designed and furnished, with big comfortable beds, large flat screen TVs (some of which spin to allow you to watch the super-size screen in the bath!) and outstanding bathrooms.  The beds are superbly comfortable and the rooms quiet!!  No thumping discos and adjoining nightclubs here!  The rooms alone are enough to warrant a true 5* rating IMO but there is so much more to Macalaister Mansion too.

MM's restaurant

Without doubt, one of the finest restaurants in Penang is also located at Macalister Mansion.  Again, tastefully decorated and appointed, the restaurant is definitely a place to linger with a partner or with friends as you savour some of Penang’s finest cuisine.  

Exquisite fine dining at MM's renowned restaurant

Under the watchful eye of head chef Lance U’reen the kitchen team produce some truly inspiring dishes with more than a hint of classical French influence fused with a distinctly Asian twist that gives the restaurant its unique appeal.  

Each dish a feast for the eyes and palate!

Reasonably priced and with an excellent wine cellar (the restaurant also serves a superb wine-pairing menu) Macalister’s restaurant is a great place to dine, whether or not you are staying at the hotel.

The Living Room cafe

The hotel also houses its own café, 'The Living Room', decorated in a fresh and airy ‘garden’ style, the café is open all day until turned midnight and offers a superb range of very reasonably priced dishes, delicacies and cakes for a great mouth-watering lunch, high-tea or supper.  

Delicious Hokkien Mee at The Living Room

The café also serves something which I find increasingly difficult to get these days, good coffee, you know, coffee that TASTES like coffee!!!  The café is a superb place to chill, chat and relax as you take a break from exploring town.  

The Living Room's 'Gourmet Shop'

The newly opened 'Gourmet Shop' at the cafe stocks and sells a wide variety of delicacies and you can even pick up a loaf or two of your favourite freshly baked bread when visiting.  

Fashion show at MM

Occasionally MM also plays host to themed events such as fashion shows.  Such is the quality of the food and environment at the restaurant and café they will both be subject to their own dedicated reviews.

The Cellar

Speaking of chilling, also housed within MM is ‘The Cellar’ wine bar, a modern and luxuriously furnished wine bar with an extremely well stocked cellar, a wide range of whiskies and spirits and also specialist imported beers.  

Lounge at The Cellar

You can choose to sit at the bar, at one of the tables with high stools (one of which can easily accommodate 8-10 people) or at one of the very comfortable low tables with leather armchairs or sofas, there’s even a sofa in front of flame effect fire that is very cosy.  

Superb cheeseboard at The Cellar

While talking about ‘The Cellar’, it would be remiss not to mention the exceptional cheeseboard here, available in two sizes, the largest costs just RM 35 for a great selections of cheeses, biscuits and accompaniments, great with a glass of your favourite wine and, given the price of imported French cheeses in these parts, exceptionally good value.

The Cigar Lounge

Moving on again, the hotel also boasts a very chic ‘Cigar and Wine / Champagne’ lounge, The Den, nestled near to reception it’s a great place to indulge one of the many fine cigars stocked at MM which I suspect will have something to appeal to even the most hardened connoisseur.

MM's pool and pool bar

Finally, and moving outside the hotel, despite its very convenient central location, MM boasts a very nice pool area and poolside bar, great if you fancy a cooling dip or an afternoon / early evening (or morning for the ‘early risers’!) relax with a cocktail as the sun goes down, and of course to work up an appetite for the superb restaurant!

That then is MM, a real gem of hotel, a cut above the rest, with an unrivalled air of style and panache, and right in the heart of Georgetown.  Whether it’s to stay, eat dinner, doing lunch or chilling at ‘The Cellar’, MM IMHO offers a 10/10 experience and is most definitely worth a visit.  Understandably it qualifies with ease for a ‘Top Pick’!  You can visit the hotel's website here and their Facebook Page here.

Are you ready for the 'STORM'??

2013 Honda 'Airblade'

I watch motorbike releases in Malaysia quite closely, especially those in the somewhat ubiquitous 100-125cc range.  This one though slipped under my radar and I'm glad that my relatively frequent visits to the Boon Siew Honda site have picked it up.

The bike pictured above is the 2013 'Airblade'.  For those who don't know the Airblade has been a fantastically popular bike in Malaysia's neighbouring countries, especially Viet Nam and Thailand (where it is extremely popular with expats who, generally being somewhat taller and heavier than many Thai nationals, find some of the other popular bikes there too small).

The 2013 Airblade sports several technological innovations that really do make this bike stand out, including:

• 125cc engine
• Honda's famed PGM-FI (fuel injection)
• Integrated ACG system (smooth, friction reduced starting - more fuel efficient)
• Engine 'Idle Stop' (the excellent fuel saving innovation previously seen only on the top-range PCX)
• Combination braking (pulling just one brake level applies both front and back brakes in correct proportion)
• Remote key bike location (pressing this will sound the horn and flash the lights allowing you to quickly locate YOUR bike amongst what can often be hundreds of parked bikes)
• Side stand engine cut-off (engine only starts if side stand is up)
• Twin projector headlights

Honda's excellent PCX 150

I have always been a fan of Honda's top end scooter, the PCX (see here), and if my riding involved regular longer distances I would go for the PCX without doubt due to the great handling and greater long-distance comfort. One problem for me though is that I'm tall (6'03") and I do find that this pushes me quite a way back on the PCX's seat.  Being so far back from the handlebars in a slightly low, cruiser-style, riding position makes bikes a little less manoeuvrable FOR ME in the heavy traffic I often encounter where I ride in both Penang and Thailand.  Being a long-term bike rider, in such circumstances you will often use your hips and body weight to 'flip' the bike from side to side when manoeuvring between lanes in stationary traffic, easier to do if the riding position is more upright (e.g. you'd not get much success trying this on a Harley 'Fatboy').  No doubt though, I and many others consider the PCX to be the best scoot money can buy, especially if your riding includes longer distance commutes, and I'd recommend it without any hesitation whatsoever.

Honda Click 125i

However, for heavily congested town traffic and in light of my ride position concerns, I actually find in Thailand that I prefer Honda's equally superb new Click 125i and it's my small 'scoot' of choice for riding in busy town traffic there. The Click 125i is not available in Malaysia though (or at least not yet) and previously I held off getting a PCX for the reasons given above. The release of the new Airblade though changes all that AND also deals with three other 'issues' that I have with the Click.

Firstly, the Click has a 'floorboard' (traditional scooter) style configuration whereas the Airblade has the step-through 'underbone' layout.  The construction type does affect the weight distribution particularly in terms of the placement of the engine and fuel tank.  I have personally always preferred the latter in terms of handling and stability, possibly as a result of being a long-time 'big bike' rider, as a result of which I've become more familiar with the more traditional bike layout (step-through).  Secondly, the Click also has a single rear shock-absorber vs the Airblade's twin rear shocks which I personally favour more in terms of both durability and comfort for long term use.  With the size and weight of many Thai nationals, even two-up, the single shock on the Click is likely pose no problem at all, increase the weight though, either by way of rider/passenger and/or loads and I'd always go for twin shocks if at all possible.  Finally, tubeless tyres are 'standard fit' on the Airblade, this is a definite plus point as those used to frequent punctures on the small tyres fitted to scooters will vouch for.  As can be seen the Airblade addresses all of these concerns and for me would be the better prospect for purchase even if the Click was available in Malaysia.  The only thing I find slightly off-putting with the Airblade is the fuel-tank capacity which is just 4 litres.  Hopefully the bike will have good enough fuel economy to make visits to the gas station less frequent than one might expect (even the Click 125i has a 5.5 litre tank!).

Honda Airblade in 'Pearl Metalloid White'

Available in three striking colour schemes the 2013 Airblade is a great bike and at RM 7,700, given the bike's features and technological innovation, is competitively priced IMO and of course there is the comfort of knowing that the bike is a Honda. The Airblade is yet another very welcome addition to the bikes available in Malaysia and IMO one which will make the decision between a PCX or an Airblade a much tougher one. You can take a closer look at the Airblade and download the brochure here, or better still, visit your local authorised Honda dealer and see the bike for yourself!


NB: See here for more coverage of the Honda Airblade and an on the road review.

Posting Delays

Sincere apologies to my readers and followers for the lack of updates but at the moment I am on a 3 month intensive Thai Language Course in Thailand and intensive is an accurate description!  Very good course but what with daily lessons in speaking, reading and writing, a lot of course related home-work and the constant need to practice speaking and reading it's all very draining and it leaves little time for anything else except sleeping and eating.  

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible and as the language becomes more familiar, I hope to find time to put up some long overdue posts.

Ops Selamat 3 - Reduced Speed Limits

Just a quick note, as people start to gear up for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive season, to advise that a speed limit reduction is in now in force on federal roads, from 90 kph to 80kph, while on state roads it is reduced from 80 kph to 70 kph.

In addition, Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof has stated that all road repair work, including on that on tolled highways, will be suspended during Ops Selamat 3 for the comfort of motorists and to ease traffic flow.

The operation lasts until 18 August.

One of the press releases pertaining to this can be found here.

Event: Foam Party / Miss Hard Rock Penang - Hard Rock Hotel

Hard Rock Hotel will be hosting another of it's excellent foam parties this weekend on Saturday 1st June with the the lovely and talented DJ Vida from Thailand.  More details here.

In addition, registrations are now open (until 22 July) for Miss Hard Rock Penang, to be held at the hotel on 24 August 2013.  With a number of top sponsors and some great prizes Miss Hard Rock (Penang) 2013 promises to be a well contested event.  More details here.

Hennessy Artistry - Penang 2013

For many, THE Penang clubbing event in the calendar was held last night at SPICE (formerly PISA), in the shape of Hennessy Artistry 2013.

Pick of Penang was delighted to be invited to the event and, like last year, it was outstanding, the larger floorspace of the SPICE venue allowing Hennessy to pull out all the stops to create a super-clubbing experience with great performances from talented singers, musicians, DJs and dancers and a fabulous light show.







Partygoers got in the mood early as soon as the doors opened and, as ever, the event attracted a glamorous crowd, one of them here, my lovely chum Chrissy Yin.

The first act up was '24 Herbs' who delivered a superb and punchy hip-hop performance that really got the crowd in the mood.










Throughout, the artists and DJs were supported by a superb dance crew from KL, all provided co-ordinated by my good chums at RED Artist Management.

The next performance was a superb violin and vocal duo with a great take on some even better music.











Guests were well and truly in the mood by this time, here, another glamorous friend I actually met at last year's Artistry, Wei Wei Teoh (2nd from left) and chums.

Australian born DJ Andy Murphy was next to take the stage with some really great sounds......














......again, supported by the super-sexy dance crew.













One of the great things about Artistry is you get to meet new chums, in this case a charming visitor from KL, in Penang just for the event.

It's also a good opportunity to catch up with folks I sometimes don't get chance to see often enough.











The final performance of the night was from DJ Nicole Chen with a brilliant session of house music.......













.....and more chances to see and shoot the very talented dancers.













Finally, at 2am, that was it.  Sadly all over for another year, but all good things must come to an end.  However, there's still chance to catch Hennessy Artistry this year at the KL event, details of which are yet to be announced.  Details of this and all Hennessy events can be found here.  Some more photos can be found here.

Via Pre Restaurant: Weld Quay, Georgetown, Penang (Top Pick)

I finally got round to trying this restaurant, having heard about it from numerous people.  I'm quite fond of Italian food and, while I have found eateries in Penang that serve reasonable enough Italian fayre, I'd not found anywhere that really encompassed the Italian experience, great food, fresh ingredients, good prices and, above all, that great taverna atmosphere.  With Via Pre I think I might have.

Via Pre is in Georgetown and is situated on Pengkalan Weld.  There are numerous maps showing its location but it pays to be a bit sceptical of the accuracy of some of the mapping programs I find!  The best way to describe the location IMO is that Via Pre is almost directly opposite the entrance to the Church Street Pier, the pier on which the QEII bar and Chin's Stylish Restaurant are based.



The first thing that strikes you about Via Pre, both from outside and inside, is that they have got the ambience just right.  It just looks and feels like an up-market Italian taverna, spacious and tastefully appointed and decorated.  As soon as you walk in it sets the scene for an evening of relaxing and good food.



The menu is extensive with a wide range of classic Italian starters and main courses, including of course the ever popular pastas and pizzas, all of which seemed to evidence a Via Pre exclusive take on the dish.  There is also a good range of daily specials displayed within the menu and on the chalk boards.  For me the restaurant would benefit from having at least one soup on the menu, even the often d'rigeur Minestrone, but look as I might I couldn't see one.  The menu was very reasonably priced with many of the starters being around RM 12-15 and the mains (pastas and pizzas) around the RM 25-40.  Some of the specials get more pricey, often reflecting the more extravagant ingredients involved.  There is also a very good wine list.

One thing that did concern me was the slightly pushy approach of the waiter in trying to steer you towards the the more (if not most) expensive dishes of the day (lobster etc.).  This time I put it down as a 'one-off', if it happens again I will tell them in no uncertain terms that I consider it is for the customer to scan the menu and make selections, not for a tacky and somewhat pushy hard-sell of 'specials', not in a restaurant of this calibre.  I'm quite happy to have the specials pointed out but having the waiter turning menu pages and all but selecting the options for you, merely waiting for a 'yes' is pushing it too far.



That slight hiccough aside, on to the dishes we sampled.  We started with an excellent salad (simply titled Cinque) on the menu which combined lettuce, rocket, prosciutto and slithers of parmesan with a superb dressing.





This was accompanied by two bruschettas, the 'Classico' (with a blend of fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil and garlic) and.........







.......a new one on me, the 'Crostone Rustico', cured salmon topped with cheese.  Both were excellent and exuded freshness and flavour, the slight saltiness of the cured salmon blending perfectly with the strength and sharpness of the cheese.





On to the mains and we opted for a pork steak at RM 39 which was served with lemon and a good salad accompaniment and.....






.........the excellent suckling pig special, again served with a well-dressed salad and vegetables.  The most expensive of the two was the Braciola di Miale (suckling pig) at RM 62, but even this was reasonable IMO.

Although we struggled to find room for a dessert we battled through and opted for the Creme Brûlée (RM 12), which was a little on the sweet side for my taste, and the Apple and Walnut cake (RM 15) which was superb, moist and tasty and served with cream and a light chocolate sauce.

The meal was accompanied by a bottle of Chianti Cesari Principe at RM 149, bottled water (a little pricey at RM 19 but you can opt for the jug/filter iced water) and rounded off with an excellent cappuccino coffee at RM 8.  The whole bill came to around RM 400.  It would obviously be considerably less if sticking to the pasta/pizza mains and omitting the wine but, for what we had, I thought the price was reasonable.

Overall I was very impressed by Via Pre and will certainly visit more often.  I'm told they also do a very good lunch menu at RM 38 per person.  Via Pre has everything I would look for in a quality Italian restaurant and the food certainly delivers.  The only things I would look to change would be adding a soup to the menu and toning back on the hard sell of specials, it's tacky and cheap.  Those minor points aside Via Pre is definitely worth a vista IMO and gets a 'Top Pick' from me.  Their website is at the link above and you can also visit their Facebook Page.

Hennessy Artistry - Penang 2013

Just a few days away now and with a great line up.  Visit Hennessy Malaysia for more details and information about the last chances to get tickets.

Penang Nightlife (Bars / Pubs 1): Straits Quay

First announced in this post about the future direction for 'Pick of Penang', this is the first in a series of posts that will provide up to date and in depth coverage of the nightlife in Penang, specifically the pub, bar and club scene. The articles will provide an overview of some of the more popular night (and in some cases day) spots, grouping them, for ease under the following geographical locations:

• Straits Quay
• Precinct 10
• Batu Ferringhi
• Gurney Plaza / Paragon
• Upper Penang Road
• Other Areas

The articles will also be split into two broad groups, the bar / club posts, covering, generally, a cluster of bars in a respective area alongside separate articles giving a more in depth view of the main nightclubs in Penang.  A number of the bars themselves (e.g. 69 Mansion in Batu Ferringhi) actually take on a more nightclub feel as the night progresses, particularly at weekends, but in these cases they will still be clustered in the 'bar' posts, with reference made to their 'chameleon-like' nature.  I stress that not all bars will be covered, there are far too many, and they open and close down regularly.  Those that are, and importantly remain, popular will however be covered.  It is hoped the articles will be of interest to residents and visitors alike.

So, to kick-off, we start with Straits Quay.

One of the most popular bars in Straits Quay is 'The Library'.  In common with most of the bars The Library opens around lunch time daily and stays open until around 2am.  Aesthetically it is very pleasant indeed with very attractive outside seating areas (in fact the outside seating forms the larger part of the venue's floor area) which provides a very pleasant place to chill and relax both during the day and night.  The area is covered so rain is rarely a problem (unless driven by strong wind) but it is certainly more comfortable in cooler weather, especially when humidity is lower and when there is a slight breeze.  The outside seating comprises both high tables and stools, chairs and low tables, and very comfortable lounging sofas and again low tables.

The Library also serves food and has a fairly extensive menu, from which I generally select the bar-snack type food, and of course, a wide range of alcoholic and soft drinks and beverages.  It can often pay to ask what promotions are being run at any given time as these promotions can bring down the cost of drinks quite dramatically.  In common with other bars, the imported and 'designer' beers are often more expensive than the more readily available beers such as Carlsberg.

Inside, The Library also benefits from a pleasing design, themed as you might expect, on the bar's name, with numerous tables with high stools, some lounging arm-chairs and sofas and a VIP area that can be reserved or booked subject to T&C.

Live music is played at the bar from around 9pm to midnight most nights with a variety of live bands including performances from my good chum ChuenEu.  Previously the bar had Phillipino bands but it has now gone over almost exclusively to Chinese music, with contemporary music being piped throughout between performances.  At times the music can get a bit loud inside and if chatting with friends is your primary objective, an outside table may be of benefit.

Overall I really like The Library.  It has a nice look and feel, staff are pleasant, service is mostly good, and prices are reasonable, well, at least for Straits Quay!

Next up is Healy Macs, an Irish themed bar which is also very popular and seems to have an established crowd of regulars, both expats and locals alike, with more expats frequenting the bar than the other bars at Straits Quay IMO, albeit it is certainly not an expat enclave or reserve.

Like The Library, Healy's has a fairly extensive outside seating area and the same climate issues of course apply to it.  Healy's has a good menu with a wide variety of meals on offer, both local and Western style cuisine and I have to say that each time I have eaten there I have enjoyed it.  The menu here for me is perhaps the most attractive out of all the bars.  Prices are also very reasonable.

Inside, Healy's takes on a more traditional Western pub look with ample seating and a number of bar stools.  There is also a fairly good entertainment programme at Healy's with live music most nights from a variety of bands.  There are also frequent pub-style quizzes and other themed events.  Healy's also has a number of wide-screen TVs and will often run themed events and promotions when popular sports events are being run.  I need to get a couple of more shots of Healy's showing the inside better and will replace the place holder shots once I do.

Healy's clearly offers a more traditional Western pub style environment and certainly seems popluar with mooring yacht owners, locals and visitors alike.  It has a unique feel to it and of course, in keeping with the Irish theme, serves very good draught Guinness!!

Finally we have the Berlin's Bier Houz.  Sitauted next to The Library, Berlin seems quieter these days and I get the feeling it lost some trade once The Library opened up.  It too has a number of outside tables, again with both high tables and stools and also lower chairs and tables.  It also serves a range of food which is reasonably priced.





Inside, the bar has a somewhat more utilitarian, albeit still 'pubby' feel about it IMHO and is not quite so appealing has Healy's or the Library to linger.  It does however benefit from beeing somewhat quieter and less crowded and also has regular drink promotions which are good value.  The bar also has a pool table.

I like Berlin but for me it is more attractive at weekends when it has a larger crowd and more atmosphere.  On the quiet nights it can feel a bit lonely there but the same can be said of the other bars during the 'graveyard' shifts on Monday and Tuesday for instance.  Indeed, at these times, Berlin can often be an attractive option due to its frequent drink promotions.

Certain Penang bars have some great resident dancers,
DJ's and guest singers but you will need to look elsewhere
than Straits Quay.

So that's it really. The Straits Quay bars. Of course there are restaurants there where you can sit outside and drink after your meal but these really ARE restaurants with none of that bar feel that many will be after when seeking a night out with a more party environment. The bars there are all good in their own way and have the benefit of being quite close to Precinct 10 if you fancy continuing your night out in the slightly more 'clubby' environment that 'Cuvee' and 'Soho Gastro Pub' offer there after about 11pm, particularly 'happening' places at the weekend. This gives the Straits Quay bars a slight advantage, positionally, over the bars in Batu Ferringhi and Gurney/Paragon which are considerably removed from the nightclub scene (albeit Batu Ferringhi, as will be seen in a future article, to some extent overcomes this with 69 Mansion which gets more 'clubby' as the night goes on). The bars at Straits Quay are each different but for me offer a similar type of experience, primarily centred around chilling / relaxing and soaking up the environment of the Straits Quay Marina, with some form of entertainment inside if you wish. They offer a more laid-back night out but if your preference is for a more lively night out in a bar with a more 'get up and party' feel, perhaps with music more reminiscent of a club environment, and maybe singers and resident dancers, you will likely wish to head for the aforementioned Precinct 10 venues, or indeed the bars in and around Georgetown, in respect of which there is more to come :-)

Next up will be the increasingly popular, and 'new kid on the block', Precinct 10 and the first of the Penang nightclub features - Soju Room. These will be followed closely by the Upper Penang Road and Georgetown bars and the ever popular Mois and SS nightclubs. Watch this space!!