Coffee and Friends Penang joins the list of George Town’s hipster-style cafes.
This little café jostles for a spot on the eating row on Penang’s Kimberley Street.
“Which end of Kimberley Street?” We asked over the phone.
“Just opposite the bitter herbal tea stall,” said Jason.
Give that direction to a true blue Penangite and watch her mind click. It’s faster than Google Maps.
We know exactly where! Yayyyyy!!!
A new place to nom nom nom with good coffee brews.
Coffee and Friends Penang is a perfect pit stop to fuel up your caffeine. Barista Jason and Chef Michelle helm this café.
Hence the bright, excellent air-conditioned café is a brilliant idea to escape the heat.
Chill over a cuppa, and brunch is always a good idea!
I sometimes stumble over the menu with new cafes, wondering what to order.
Just ask Jason. He’s an eloquent and friendly chap and makes good recommendations.
We settled for a BIGGY set, a French Omelet, and a Chicken Salad Sandwich.
Chef Michelle from Coffee and Friends
The chef runs a spanking clean kitchen.
This is the only open kitchen I’ve been to where you could photograph the chef’s cooking.
The chef cooks everything to order. I noticed that the chef uses a pair of chopsticks.
She beats the eggs for the omelets. Most chefs use a fork or a whisk.
“Why chopsticks?”
“It helps to break up the egg whites and incorporate whites and the yolks together faster.”
The result is a fluffy omelet.
Generally, the chef is inclined to make light, healthy food, leaning toward Western-influence staples.
I got to watch Chef Michelle cook our BIGGY! She pan-roasts the cherry tomatoes to caramelize them for added depth of flavor.
Big Breakfast. Photo: Doris Lim
Coffee and Friends has a Panini Press
The perfect brunch item on the menu is the Panini sandwich.
Served hot, it’s crispy, crusty, and crunchy on the outside and warm and melty on the insides.
I checked out the super-hot grille and secretly laughed, recalling a cafe using a clothes iron with aluminum foil to press the sandwiches!
Chef Michelle cautioned me not to lean on the kitchen close to the Panini press! Yup, warned and checked.
It’s that hot!
It’s the heat that makes the big difference between grilling or just heating up your bread meal.
The Panini maker presses, grills, and marks attractive grilled lines on the surfaces of the bread.
I could live on this chicken salad and mozzarella panini sandwich that was washed down with black coffee.
That’s a teatime treat worth at least 450 calories. And so worth it.
Panini sandwich is one of the specialties at Coffee and Friends.
There are a few interesting filling choices that you could pick.
A Panini press gourmet sandwich is that good.
A Panini Sandwich. Photo: Doris Lim
Chocolate Chip Cookie tastes best with coffee.
Coffee and Friends Penang is an excellent place to get a caffeine fix and a great sandwich. Dishes are reasonably priced. The next time you’re in George Town, check out this café.
Coffee and Friends Penang | 221, Lebuh Kimberley, George Town, Penang
Telephone: +604-262 8830 | Business Hours: 8.30 am – 6.00 pm
Travel Tip: There are many places to check out in the inner city and around Penang’s Chinatown area. If you’re early, browse the Pasar Chowrasta wet market and have a noodle by the wayside, then chill in a cafe to continue Facebooking and posting your awesome photos!
