Story by Caleb Yeoh
Pix by Mark James
THESE days, if you were to throw a stone in any direction in Penang’s city center, it’s bound to hit not one, not two but at least three cafes. Not that its a bad thing, as Penangites like to be spoiled for choice, especially when it comes to our love language, food, but George Town does get a bit crowded on the weekends, after office hours and even from 9.30am till 11.00am (your average brunch time) on a daily basis.
So what if we told you, you could get your regular (if not better) cafe fix of a good cup of joe and a hearty western influenced meal while taking in the artsy interior deco of a cafe, without having to jam up with everyone else in George Town. Interested? Read on.
Nestled in the cozy suburb of Hillside, Tanjong Bungah lies a cozy cafe, endearingly named after the area of which it resides. The Hillside Cafe Bar & Restaurant provides your everyday cafe needs and a little bit more as it runs as a minor art gallery for local artists to display their works of art.
The interior boasts of a minimalist and earthy feel, with its homemade wooden tables and chairs which blend harmoniously well with its cement floors and hanging glass paneled lighting pieces gently illuminating the indoor dining area.
Catching up with director, Elaine Stewart Ng, a Londoner who’s made a family and spent most of her life here in Penang, we found out that Hillside was an honest-to-goodness family run-ed business. Its culinary team is headed by Elaine’s husband, a local Penangite and the initial idea for the cafe came from her oldest son, Josh and his wife Georgia who attended school locally here as well.
Walking into the cafe gave off a homey, relaxed environment, being greeted by friendly staff. Elaine said that this was what they wanted to achieve, a comfy eatery where you could come at any time of the day, dressed up for a dinner date, a quick bite after a morning run or just to catch up with some friends for drinks at night.
The only thing that was slightly better than the feel and the interior was its food. “We were in the restaurant business, located in the heart of London some time ago. When we got here, we wanted to bring a little of what we got back there, mixed with the traits of Penang as well,” Elaine said.
Its food is best described in one word. ‘Hearty’. With heavy influences from typical food from the UK like classic fish and chips, ‘The Healthy Start’, a breakfast item comprised of granola, raisins and yoghurt drizzled with some honey. Also, a must try and a personal favorite of ours would be, ‘The Works’, a typical big breakfast of eggs, homemade sausage, baked beans, a side salad, two strips of bacon (non-halal) and a slice of toast.
We also recommend trying their pastas off the dinner menu. Their Carbonara is exceptionally good. With too many not-a-Carbonara-Carbonaras all over Penang, it’s a pleasant surprise to actually get a plate of this classic pasta dish the way it was meant to be served. With a raw egg yolk sitting on top of the noodles, and not drowned in cream.
Hillside is open from Tuesdays till Sundays for breakfast (8.00am – 11.30am), lunch (11.30am – 3.00pm) and dinner (6.00pm – 10.00pm) and also welcomes furry patrons of the four-legged kind with its outdoor patio styled seating. For more information or to make reservations for private parties, follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thehillsidecafepenang or call them at 04 – 899 8071.