The place that I am introducing this round is called Simply Nutritious. It is hidden from the main road. If you are driving from Jalan Dato Keramat, look for the signboard to turn into Lebuh Melaka and keep driving for about 100 meters. Look on your left and you will find a small shop with a banner called Simply Nutritious.

The shop is not very spacious and it can only cater for about 10 tables. However, this restaurant provides a very homey and cozy atmosphere.

Simply Nutritious serves not only nutritious food but even the drinks are also nutritious. Below are some of the famous drinks:

• Cucumber Sour Drink – RM3.80
• Grapefruit Juice – RM3.80

Cucumber sour drink is made of blended cucumber with sour plum. This drink was very refreshing and appetizing as cucumber can cool down your body temperature while sour plum makes the drink apppetizing.

Besides the cucumber sour drink, there is also another famous drink here which is the grape fruit juice. However, the taste of it is very depending on the fruit itself. Sometimes the grape fruit could be very sourish or at other times you could get very sweet grapes.

Fresh Pumpkin Soup – RM5.80, the fresh pumpkin was blended and cooked with dried squids then sprinkled with spring onion.

The soup was full of pumpkin flavour. The aroma of the dried squid also made this soup very tasty. Moreover, the soup was served in a beautiful bowl which made the soup even more pleasant looking.

Mushroom Cream Soup – RM5.80, the soup was full of chopped mushrooms and topped with spring onions.

The taste of the soup was very thick and creamy. For those that love mushroom soup this is a must try.

Mixed Salad Balsamic and Olive Oil – RM4.80. The salad was made up of romaine lettuce, cucumber and bean sprouts. It was served with some vinegar, seasoning and olive oil as dressing.

Sour, slightly salty and full of fresh garden flavor. It was a very delightful dish for veggie lovers.

Mushroom and Cheese with Spinach Chicken with Mushroom and Wolf Berries Spaghetti - RM12.50. Do not be confused by its long name. It is actually a combination dish. The chicken was covered in sauteed mushroom and spring onion and gratinated with mozzarella cheese. As for the spaghetti, it was pan fried with slices of mushroom, wolf berries and spinach.

You may choose what you would like with the spaghetti. For those that love mushroom the above combination will be very good as both the spaghetti and chicken contained an abundance of mushrooms. It was very delicious.

Parmigiano Fish with Tomato Concasse Spaghetti - RM13.80. The fish fillet was topped with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and then gratinated to perfection. As for the spaghetti, it was cooked with red pasta sauce and topped with cheese powder and spring onion.

The fish was coated with a layer of melted cheese and the spaghetti which was cooked in red sauce and sprinkled with cheese powder was appetizing and rich at the same time. This is a perfect selection for cheese lovers.

Overall, this place serves great Italian spaghetti which are also reasonably priced. It is also a place where you could find a selection of healthy drinks. However, there are a few drawbacks as this place is not easy to be located and there are limited parking space and tables in the restaurant.

Editor’s Review (5 Stars Rank):

Taste
Price
Food Presentation
Service
Overall

Quick Facts:

Family Friendly
Parking
Pork Free
Alcohol
Credit Card
Smoking
Reservation
Private Room
WIFI Available

Operation hours: 6pm – 10.30pm (Open from Wednesday to Sunday)
Contact: 016-425 8959
Address:129 Lebuh Melaka, 10050 Georgetown, Penang
GPS: 5° 41′ 42.56″ N, 100° 32′ 18.38″ E

Soul Kitchen is the name of an Italian restaurant located downtown near to Upper Penang Road, the actual road name is Jalan Muntri.

It is not difficult to locate this place. If you are coming from Komtar via Penang Road, Cititel is on your left.  On your right (in front of Cititel) there is a road which is Jalan Muntri. Drive for another few meters you will see Modern Hotel on your right hand and Soul Kitchen is just infront of the junction.

It is not hard to spot this cafe as the whole cafe is mostly painted in green color, which gives a very natural feeling.

The name Kafe Soul Kitchen is the place.

This place is always packed with not just local but also Westerners. If you could see the notice on the wall, they have free Wifi available at this modest little cafe.

Every thing in this place is simple and easy. The drinks menu is scribbled on pieces of papers.

Whereas menu for the day will be scribbled on the black board.

The flowerish wallpaper with the candle-style wall light make this place looks very warm and cosy.

The coffee grinding machine.

Every order of their coffee is freshly brewed.

For coffee lovers this place serves one of the best coffees in town. Moreover, the price for the coffee here is reasonable.

• Cappuccino - RM5.00
• Cafe Latte – RM6.00
• Espresso – RM3.00

Cafe latte, the aroma of the coffee spreaded throughout the cafe. The taste of the latte was very thick and it really kicked off my day.

The cappuccino is also strong in aroma and tastes stronger in caffeine.

Banana and Orange Smoothie – RM7.oo. If you are not a coffee drinker, you can opt for their fruit smoothies. The banana and orange smoothie has the sourness plus sweetness of the orange with the starchiness and sweetness of the banana. It is a very refreshing drink.

Soul Kitchen is owned by both Michele and Tonio, Michele is a Malaysian while Tonio is a German. Surprisingly both of them make good Italian food. For dog lovers there is a cute and friendly dog by the name of “Forest” who will always accompany you.

Soul Kitchen is the only place in town that serves non-halal Italian food. One of their famous dishes is Pizza Salami – RM9.00. Below pictures show the process of making the pizza - spreading tomato puree on to the pizza dough.

Topped the pizza with cheese and salami.

Then bake it in the oven.

Tada…..the pizza  is done. The taste is superb as the thin crust was so crunchy and rich with cheese and salami.

Spaghetti Bolognese – RM19.00. The old-time favourite for pasta lovers. I have requested to change the pasta to penne. The specialty of this dish is the use of minced pork which makes it tastier.

Over the Friday and Weekend, this place serves the best homemade tiramisu cake – RM10.00 in town. The taste of the tiramisu cake is excellent with the slightly sweet wine flavor and the creamy mascarpone cheese with ladyfingers. It really melts in your mouth. Instead of getting each pasta and tiramisu cake separately, you can even order as a set - any pasta + tiramisu cake – RM25.00

English Breakfast – RM9.00. The set is complete with scrambled eggs, baked beans, 2 x bacon slices, 2 slices of toasts and butter in herbs.

This is a very complete breakfast set. Perhaps due to the use of bacon the price of this set is slightly on the high side.

Yoghurt Muesli on Papaya (RM9). Chunks of muesli mixed with plain sourish yoghurt on a half-cut papaya.

It is a refreshing and delightful breakfast for anyone looking for a healthy diet.

Overall, the ambience here is very cozy. The coffee here and the food here are very nice. There is even free wifi available. Besides that, there are plenty of carpark available along the side of the road. However, the price of the food at this cafe is slightly on the high side.

Editor’s Review (5 Stars Rank):

Taste
Price
Food Presentation
Service
Overall

Quick Facts:

Family Friendly
Parking
Pork Free
Alcohol
Credit Card
Smoking
Reservation
Private Room
WIFI Available

Although the dinner started on Saturday, 6pm, it was still very hot and sunny out there just like in the noon and many floggers (food bloggers) were busy taking photos on the surrounding.

Strada Caffe serves not only beer and liquor for the people who come to watch football matches…

…they also serve coffee of all ranges for the people who come to this cosy place as a gathering and reunion.

Before the review session began, the owner of Strada had re-emphasized that this place is not meant for fine dining or very delicious food. Instead, this place is more for people to relax, having a cuppa and also some light food.

After the speech, followed by a solo unplugged guitar performance by one of the shareholders.

Besides the usual coffee bean range, Strada Caffe also provides the precious Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee. Civet coffee, is a coffee made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract. A civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. In its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids.

Green Garden Salad – RM8.90, the dish was mixed with lettuce, capsicums, onions, croutons, sun flower seeds, eggs and smoked chicken. Finished with house salad dressing. The taste of this green salad was very green indeed and was an acceptable starter.

Seafood Chowder in Bread Bowl – RM15.90. Chunks of seafood were simmered with potatoes, onions, celery, real heavy cream and a touch of butter and served in bread bowl. This dish was very special, but I feel that the price is slightly on the high side.

Kung Pao Chicken – RM9.90. Stir fried with kung pao sauce, served with cashew nuts, sunny side up egg, prawn crackers and rice. It tasted spicy and sourish.

Kam Heong Seafood Combo – RM8.90. Stir fried with kam heong sauce, served with prawn crackers, sunny side up egg and rice. This dish was more spicy compared to Kung Pao.

Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice – RM8.90. Served with prawn crackers, sunny side up egg and chicken wing. The salted fish fried rice was tasty.

Bao Zhiang Mien – RM11.90. Noodle in house-blended gravy, with minced chicken and 3-colored vegetables. The mixture of the gravy and the cold vegetable didn’t really blend well. In fact, after mixing the ingredients together the taste became cold compared to warm. It is not my cup of tea.

Tomyam Seafood – RM8.90. A choice of bee hoon or instant noodles. The taste was more spicy than sour. This is not my cup of tea either.

The Barista was preparing the brew of latte.

A nice decorative cup of latte.

Different types of decoration on the coffee.

Besides coffee there are many types soda and cocktails available.

Strawberry Kiss Frappes – RM8.90. A very standard strawberry milk shake.

• Fluffy Hot Chocolate – RM6.90, the chocolate flavor is not strong enough. It would be better if the chocolate taste is stronger.
• Choco Banana Frappes – RM8.90, acceptable drink for chocolate + banana milkshake.
• Chocolate Chips Frappes – RM8.90. Rich and nice chocolate chip milkshake.

Upon entering the restaurant, you will get a slight feel of like entering a small European souvenir shop. The interior decoration theme is all Italian. The masks and photos are brought from Italy. Thanks to Penang Tua Pui for organizing this food-tasting invitation and also the owner of  Bravo Italiana Mr. Lim who gave us the chance to feedback on the new menu to be launched.

The first dish that we had was soup of the day - Mixed Bean Soup (RM6). The soup is cooked with baked beans, chick peas and also pasta. The soup was full of beans and the portion was very generous. The soup of the day is by rotation and the preparation depends on the ingredients, for more information please call to the restaurant to find out.

The starter soup was then followed by another starter called Bruschetta (RM8.80). On top of the toast is covered with thick layer of cheese and juicy tomato cubes which was very appetising.

Spaghetti Carbonara (RM24), pasta spaghetti sauteed with mushroom, beef salami, egg yolk, parmesan cheese, white wine and cream. The taste of the pasta was excellent and but again the portion was very big. For those who plan to have lunch, please prepare your stomach for more spaces.

Baked Oyster Vesuvio (RM28 for ½ dozen) is a filling dish with baked oyster topped with fresh marinated tomatoes, sweet pepper and melted cheese.

Scallops Glatine (RM28 for ½ dozen) is another baked shell-seafood. Each scallop is topped with mushroom, cream and Mozarella cheese. The display is very exclusive and indulging. The taste is rich and creamy with the scent of freshly baked Mozarella cheese. In my opinion, I prefer scallop than oyster as the baked scallop tasted fresher.

Italiano’s combination (RM39.80), Mozzarella Australian steak & seafood with fresh Italian herbs and extra virgin olive oil. The prawn was fresh and big in portion ad the fish was nice as well. However, there is still room for improvement for the steak. The meat was too well done and it has lost the tenderness and juiciness. Perhaps I am too choosy when it comes to steak.

Salmon Simone (RM28.00), marinated fresh salmon fillet with orange basil sauce. Salmon has always been my favorite when it comes to fish. I love the freshness of the salmon and although the sauce was a bit sweet it actually blended well with the salmon.

Lamb Shank alla Milanese (RM32.00), braised NZ lamb shank with fresh Italian herbs, garlic, tomato, mushroom and red wine. Due to the lamb is cooked with red wine for long hours, the texture of the lamb has become soft and juicy. In fact there is no smell of “goat”. For those who loves lamb but afraid of the smell, this is a must-try.

Pizza Rustica (RM33.00), The pizza is covered with Anchovies, capers and classic pomodoro sauce. However, our response on this dish is not that good therefore the owner has planned to take it off from the menu.

Pollo alla Cacciatora (RM22.00), whole leg chicken with basic ingredients – extra virgin olive oil, green pepper and wine. Another dish that is not really appreciated by most of us. It might be out from the menu too.

Caffé Romano (RM14.00), this drink has a great combination of vodka and coffee as the base and vanilla ice cream and orange juice topped the drink. You will need to stir the drink to have an even combination. It is a drink that will wake you up and knock you down at the same time.

Tequila Key Lime Pie (RM8.90), the taste of the lime is really refreshing while the tequila on top of the cream makes the taste stronger. Is a good dessert to be ordered if you feel there is room for more food in your stomach.

Tiramisu (RM12.80), for some people they love to taste the cream more compared to the ladyfingers. As for me, I love the bite of the ladyfingers which have been soaked with coffee liquor. Overall, the tiramisu is just nice for me.

Chocolate mousse (RM8.90), the soft and creamy chocolate mousse is one of the signature dishes in this restaurant. The taste is not too rich on the chocolate and the mousses just melts in your mouth.

Strawberry panna cotta (RM8.90). Last but not least, one of the most satisfying dessert I have ever had. Normally, when it comes to panna cotta “pudding” I will feel a bit resistant as it always gives me the feeling of too rich and heavy. However, my perception totally changed when I had the first scoop. This was then followed by one after another that I just couldn’t stop myself. No wonder the owner told us that dessert is always the final weapon of the whole course meal as when the customer tasted good dessert they will be fast to forget the bad things that they initially found on the main course.

Overall, the taste of the food is irresistably good and is large in portion. We have suggested to the owner to reduce the portion of the course to suit Asian appetites else the leftovers will be a waste.

Most of the nice pictures on this post are prepared by Albert Yap from CamoStudio the expert in photography, videography and editing.

Editor’s Review (5 Stars Rank):

Taste
Price
Food Presentation
Service
Overall

Quick Facts:

Family Friendly
Pork Free
Alcohol
Corkage Charge
Credit Card
Reservation

Operation hours: 11:30am – 3:00pm; 6:00pm – 10:00pm (Close on Sunday)
Contact: 016-486 6399 (Limmie) / 012-590 4239 (PS Ng)
Address: 01-01-11, Complex I-Avenue, Medan Kampung Relau 1, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang.

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