The CHINAHOUSE @ All Day Dining & Lifestyle Entertainment In The Heart Of The UNESCO Georgetown Penang

BTB; Beach Street Bakery; Kopi C; Canteen; Vine & Single Bar; reading Room; Bon Ton The Shop; 179 The House, 14 Chairs, VICS, Upstairs In Art Gallery and the list goes on......From food & drinks, art & theatre and shopping, with all the life & style that you like to have all under one roof, The CHINAHOUSE marks the longest café spanning the whole block by adding new live and charm to the historical and heritage old town in the Pearl of The Orient, Penang Island, mylifestylenews can’t agree more……

The China House comprises of 14 F&B outlets and spaces including shops, cafes, restaurants, galleries, live music, multi-purpose performance theatre and bakery in varying styles, all under the same roof in a traditional compound of three heritage buildings, linked by and open air courtyard. As we were eating the local food from lunch to late evening, we breakfasted at China House each day and we were bowled over by the quality and variety of offerings. 

This creative arts platform and exciting lifestyle & dining emporium running from Beach street to Victoria street spanning 400ft/122 metres in length, right in the heart of the UNESCO heritage listed Georgetown. Over the course of our stay we tried almost everything on the breakfast menu and the quality of food and presentation more than met our expectations. Get read and be inspired!

At KOPI C Espresso Café & Bar is a place for food lover, this Australian style all day dining café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with freshly roasted coffee including the new blends: Nylon, Tobys and Papas and they take their coffee seriously as the coffee is roasted weekly.  An eye for detail and invention is the key to this success, so when you see a lemon and mint frappe, or a pineapple, ginger and lime juice, all freshly made, you get the sense you are in for a treat. Do ask for their signature milkshakes too!

 Cakes lovers, here is the deal, at the BEACH STREET BAKERY, the extended long cake table spreads up to  more than 40 freshly baked cakes daily as well as brownies, tortes, slices, biscuits, breads and pies to suit any craving. And YES, they are all homemade by 10 talented bakers. To be honest, they would put some famous European cake shops to shame, as the selection is more than amazing.

 The traditional carrot and walnut cake packed a punch of flavor and moist texture; as did the chocolate cake which is so rich in flavour. We were also dying to try the passion fruit cake and we reserved that for the afternoon tea. Do not miss out the house’s best seller – Tiramisu Cake, more than 1894 slices were sold and enjoyed in June 2013 alone, words just can’t describe how delicious it is until you have at least one bite in your mouth. Chocolate French toast with jam also tasted delectable and we could go on, but you need to sample the menu for yourself and most importantly, find out the passion behind the team’s effort.

Next to the KOPI C Espresso Café & Bar, BTB Restaurant offers a more fine dining concept. A western food with local spice and Malay influenced menu featuring signature dishes from its sister restaurant in Bon Ton Langkawi. Local ingredients are used, blending the refine way of the very own Bon Ton's style of culinary skill, they have a proven track record of offering top notch hospitality experiences in the F&B and hospitality dining scene in decades.

The signature dishes includes the <Prawns in a Light Broth with Tom Yam Spices and Pickled Papaya & Coconut>, <Seared Seabass with Laksa Sauce, Coriander and Mind Salad on Mash Potato with Chili Jam>, <Rack of Lamb with Roasted Cumin Crust, Smoked Eggplants Puree, Eggplant Gingerbud Sambal, Balsamic Reduction with Mirin, Roasted Pumpkin, Mint Sauce and Lime Dressed Coleslaw> & <Ayam Perchik - Chicken in Langkawi Style with Green Mango and Salad, Pineapple Sambal and Kerabu Rice>

 Take the steep staircase upstairs, Bon Ton The Shop selected some rare fine books from BORDERS and a selection of homeware, jewelries, earth heir, basile, apparels for a unique shopping experience.

When you proceed further in the long heritage house, on your left, there is 14 Chairs, a chic decorated private dining room inspired by a wonderful 12-foot long marble table which dominates the room and an antique wooden screen from China.

The Vine & single warm whiskey and wine bar offers distinctive imported wines and we were told that the lychee and espresso martini are the most ordered from the bar. The Reading Room houses more than 40 people at one time for you and your pals, grab the books and latest magazine from the shelves or play a game or doodle on the blackboard.

The Courtyard Cafe tranquil, shades from the lucky trees and a all day poolside dining, have a swim if you wish and don’t forget to put on your bather while enjoying the Penang’s summer breeze as well as the free smells from the bakery through the next building.

Before you walk into The Canteen, VIC’S - a stylish living room and a venue space incorporating a large lounge and antique snooker table just right upstairs of The Canteen serve dinner and cocktails during the evening. Renown music producer Kein Lim co-ordinate all the Canteen music shows in this inviting artistry cum warehouse vibe with live music from Thursday to Sunday evening.

“Like bees to the honeypot”, so too are foodies to Penang! The island is big, but manageable, as everything is really no more than a half-day trip, leaving you ample time to sample all of the fabulous food and architecture surrounding you in Georgetown and beyond. What can be overlooked sometimes is the ever growing list of unique boutique cafes and restaurants that have sprung up in recent years.

When you plan to visit Penang next, while visiting the heritage UNESCO Georgetown, stop over at The CHINAHOUSE to enjoy this quintessential F&B experience that is linked to the charm of this historic area.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 5/5

Ambience: 4.5/5

Design & Decor: 4.5/5
Food & Beverage: 4/5

Service: 3/5

Highlights :

Selection of Cakes
BTB A la Carte Menu
Interior Design

Flaws:

Service

CHINA HOUSE

153 Lebuh Pantai
Georgetown Pulau Pinang 
Malaysia

Tel: +6 04 263 7299