KEN HUNTS FOOD: INCH @ Muntri Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

INCH @ Muntri Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Alcohol devotees can have a drink at this newly opened Tapas Bar, tucked in one of the rustic heritage houses along Muntri Street. The three-week old Bar has a sister restaurant in front, named Plates, which will open its door to the public in early March 2015. Inch, an abbreviation of Indo China, gives a hint that it serves a wonderful assortment South East Asian light meals. The management wishes to preserve the heritage building and to add a splash of their creativity; the bar's retro vibes are then boosted by the colored wooden furniture and hanging light bulbs. The bar has quite an extensive list of alcoholic drinks, ranging from the commonly found Beers to Inch's very own creations, carefully curated to complement the nibbles and light dishes. Inch can be found at Muntri Street, opposite to Purrfect Cafe and a stone's throw distance away from Mish Mash.

Many Thanks to Inch for hosting us that evening.

Neua Satey (Rm 16/ 3 sticks)- Beef Skewers marinated in Coconut Milk, Curry Powder and Coriander Roots, charcoal-grilled and served with home-made Peanut Sauce.

Kai Yang (Rm 16/ 3 sticks)- Chicken Thigh skewers marinated in Garlic, Pepper Coriander Roots, charcoal-grilled and served with Jim Jaew.

Carnivores will be delighted to know that Inch serves good meat skewers. Neua Satey/ Beef Skewers were a little rough on the texture but their home-made Peanut sauce was good, at least a notch better than those we can find elsewhere. Kai Yang, the Chicken Skewers, on the other hand, were toothsome. Jim Jaew, the quintessential Thai dipping sauce for grilled meat was served but it lacked of a tinge of acidic tilt. The Chicken Thigh was perfectly grilled to the right texture, tender and succulent. Perfect complement to Inch's wide range of alcoholic drinks.

Kung Chae Nam Pla (Rm 12)- raw Prawns with sliced Garlic, Mint, Coriander in Ginger and Lime dressing, the key to this dish was the freshness of the Prawns. Inch passed the test, the raw Garlic was able to bring out the seafood-sweetness of the crustacean; not really my favorite but could be otherwise for raw fish lovers.

For nibbles, try their Yum Peanut (Rm 4)- toasted Peanut snack with diced Lime, Ginger, Scallions and Bird's Eye Chilies, a slightly different variation than the conventional way of enjoying peanuts. Also not to be missed will be Yum Kung Heang (Rm 6)- dried Shrimp snack with diced Lime, Ginger, Mint, Coriander, Shallots, Bird's Eye Chilies; both seem similar yet different in its own way.

Salmon Chae Nam Pla (Rm 16)- raw Salmon with sliced Garlic, Mint, Coriander in Ginger and Lime dressing; unadulterated thickly sliced Salmon with a touch of their tangy piquant dressing; not outstanding but definitely a solid attempt.

Larb Kai (Rm 14)- chopped Chicken Salad with Shallots, Mint, Coriander, Thai Herbs, Smoked Rice Powder and Lime fresh sauce; provides a refreshing yet satisfying bite. It was a little salty on its own but works perfectly with alcohol. Steamed Rice is available for those who prefer to have it as dinner.

Our evening ended with a sweet note, Pandan Creme Brulee (Rm 10) was inevitably sweet but we were glad that the Pandan flavor stood out, beautifully complementing the dessert. However, we would prefer the dessert to be slightly more caramelized, for a stronger yet distinctive burnt aroma.

A simple but delectable Thai dessert, Sang-Khaya Fuak Tong (Rm 14)- steamed Pumpkin and Duck Egg with Palm Sugar Custard, Chef Eddie did a great job here by adding his personal touch- sweet Egg slices. Sweetness of Sang Khaya was pallid but it possessed the quintessential egg-custard aroma, it was smooth and melt-in-the-mouth soft. The painstakingly made Egg slices added a touch of sweetness to the dessert, the ratio of Sugar to Egg must be meticulous and accurately measured to get the right texture and sweetness.