I am constantly on the lookout for new places and my recent discovery was this place- The Alley. Hidden in heart of Georgetown, The Alley sits next to the famous tourist hot spot- Godness of Mercy Temple or known as Guan Yin Teng to the locals. The obscure location and unappealing exterior making it hard for the public to realize and there are no parking lots available, it is recommended that you have your car parked at Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling or Chulia Lane. The modish and laid back ambiance of this cafe is ideal for a relaxing afternoon tea or a perfect place for a cup of coffee to start up the day. However, the seating of the cafe is rather limited and it is not advisable to visit in a big group, reservation is recommended if you plan to do so. Their menu is earnest and simple, offering a type or two of cakes, Churros, Cronuts and some Sandwiches as well as their array of Coffees.
It was my very first attempt on Cronut (Rm 8); the term "Cronut" is the contraction of "Croissant" and "Doughnut". Their made-to-order Cronut was served warm; the schmear of Salted Caramel adds a slick of sweetness to the Cronut, the addictive salty-sweet sauce was a perfect complement. I was worried that the thick schmear of sauce could be surfeit but I was wrong, it was well-balanced with the salty-sweet flavors. However, my only gripe was the Cronut lacked of flakiness, it was flaky but not as flaky as expected. Other options for the complementing toppings are Chocolate, Nutella, Caramel and Cinnamon Sugar.
Freshly out of the deep frying pan, their Churros (Rm 6 for small) were well-executed. It was crispy on the outside and fluffy inside; good on its own but even better with the addition of dipping sauce. We had opted for Cinnamon Sugar which was a mistake, no doubt it was equipped with the essential flavor to further enliven the Churros but it does not work as good as a dipping sauce. Never would I have thought they served the Cinnamon Sugar just as it is, nevertheless, I would still prefer my Churros to be served with a dipping sauce such as Chocolate.
On the other hand, their home-made Lemon Cheese Cake (Rm 10) was not up to my expectations. The addition of lemon zests does give a boost to the cake and it was moist and soft to my liking. However, the problem lies at the base of the cake. Have you ever tasted a salty version of Lemon Cheese Cake? Probably you should try it out at The Alley. I do understand the Chef was trying to balance up the flavors with a touch of saltiness but it was way too overpowering to our liking. We had to leave out the base when we were savoring the cake. Nevertheless, it was a good attempt by the Chef and hopefully he is able to make the right tune to his recipe.
Ratings:
Taste: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good) *Would rate 6/10 for the Cheese Cake though*
Price: 7.5/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)
Service: 8/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Parking: 5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Ambiance: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Service Charge: No
Government Tax: No
Additional Information:
Address: 5, Stewart Lane, 10200, Georgetown, Penang.
Business Hours: 12pm to 12am. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: 604- 261 3879
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