KEN HUNTS FOOD: Coffee Smith (咖啡史密斯) @ Maritime Piazza, Karpal Singh Drive, Georgetown, Penang.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Coffee Smith (咖啡史密斯) @ Maritime Piazza, Karpal Singh Drive, Georgetown, Penang.

Opened for just a few days, the place has already proven to be another popular cafe cum restaurant for hipsters. Coffee Smith had fans licking their lips in anticipation, evidently seen from the long queues and the crowd that thronged the place over the past few days. It is also the first restaurant opened for business in the new commercial building- Maritime Piazza at Karpal Singh Drive/ Jelutong Promenade. Coffee Smith is a franchise restaurant from Taiwan and currently, the only one here in Malaysia. The first thing that amazes you after you have stepped in the restaurant would probably be their contemporary design (exposed pipes and floating light-bulbs) and their fun-lively furniture. Coffee Smith specializes in serving Western-Italian food, though prices might be on the higher side but they commensurate with the quality of the ingredients. However, service was a little lackluster and slow probably they are still new. Nevertheless, this restaurant is definitely going to be the "talk of the town", make your reservation fast if you are planning on a visit soon!

Their brunch menu- Tuscany Baked Egg and Hamburger Steak (托斯卡尼杂烩烘蛋佐手工汉堡排/ Rm 26 for ala-carte) is definitely interesting. There are various items available- Mini Beef Hamburger Steak, home-made Fries, Salad, two slices of Sourdough and a piping hot Tuscany Baked Egg/ Omelette. We did enjoy the toasted Sourdough but we thought they were slightly over-toasted and the texture was not as fluffy as I would have expected. Their Fries were great, Fries lovers will find it tough to stop at one, though inevitably greasy, they were a great complement to the dish. It was a pity that the dainty mini Hamburgers were slightly over-cooked even though the flavor was somewhat impressive. Their Omelette was not impressive either, we thought it was nothing out of the ordinary as though it lacked of the "X" factor. Any order of their Breakfast/ Brunch menu comes with a complimentary Fruit Juice and Black Coffee.

Corn Chowder and Fresh Green Salad

Cordial Fruit Drink

Latte

Mango Cheese Cake

Add-On(s):
Option A (+ Rm 8)- Salad and Black Coffee
Option B (+ Rm 12)- Salad, Soup, Latte and Dessert of the Day

Option C (+ Rm 16)- Salad, Soup, Artisan Coffee and Dessert of the Day

Add-ons are available for any orders of mains. While their Salad was simple and straight-forward, we enjoyed the Corn Chowder which was thick and very creamy. The real draw was the fresh Corn Kernels which added a crunchy juicy bite to the creamy Chowder. The Mango Cheese Cake, on the other hand, was decent, though not mind-blowing, it did not disappoint us with its creamy, light and cheesy texture. It would be even better if they could replace the artificial flavoring/ syrup of Mango with fresh Mangoes.

One of their best-sellers, Scallop and Mentaiko Cream Linguine (北海道明太子干贝奶油宽面/ Rm 22 for ala-carte) was ethereal. The briny pops of Mentaiko carry the heavy flavors from the fish roe's natural seafood-sweetness, dovetailing perfectly with the buttery-creamy sauce; the Japanese Seaweed, on the other hand, added another layer of texture and flavor to the dish. Despite of the creamy sauce, the al-dentely cooked Linguine appeared to be tame and easy on the palate while the carefully-seared voluptuous Scallops added another dimension to the dish. I would not mind dropping by again and have another plate of this. Recommended.

It is not common to find Porcini Mushrooms on the menu in any restaurants here in Penang and we were certainly delighted to see it here at Coffee Smith. Sauteed Fillet Steak with Porcini Mushroom Risotto (嫩煎菲力佐牛肝菌菇炖饭/ Rm 32 for ala-carte) comes in a hearty portion. The Risotto was beautifully cooked with an in-depth and remarkable flavor of the Porcini Mushroom while the Long Beans added another crunchy texture to the creamy Risotto. The thick slab of juicy Fillet Steak, on the other hand, was lip-smacking. It was perfectly cooked to the right done-ness, it was juicy and so tender as though it melts in our mouth instantly! It was not needy for any seasonings, perfectly good on its own and even better to go with the Risotto. Absolutely lovely, recommended.