Penang, Malaysia
For a foodie traveller, there's nothing like splitting lunch up in two: 楽 (Le) = Happiness. Think BAK KWA or mentaiko sandwiches. *insert Malaysian accent* Complete with sinfully buttery, crispy toasted bread and stone-ground matcha latte some more! And ended with a Wholey Wonder-full vegan cleanse.
Le楽
- At a glance -
Ambience /
Small and narrow with very limited seating. Big groups have that one big table at the back. May get very noisy with the surrounding construction work.
Food / Vegetarian options are available.
Savoury sandwiches and local breakfast sets: kaya or peanut butter sandwiches with coffee and half-boiled eggs.
Drinks /
Your quality stone-ground matcha kind of matcha latte. They also had coffee options that we did not try.
Price / $$
The food and drinks cost approximately RM13.
Parking /
There is a parking lot beside it but with very limited parking. Other nearby parking options would be Hin Bus Depot, GAMA supermarket, Penang Times Square and Hotel NEO+.
Contact details & recent news/
- Interiors & Ambience -
Oooo~ cosy. They sell peanut butter! Let's sit below that skylight!
WOOWW I love their plants! AHHH bliss...
... to be shattered by terribly noisy drilling.
We were lucky, to snatch a parking spot just a block away. The small, narrow cafe offered a wonderful respite from the blistering noon sun.
The cafe was cosy - no music played and couples were speaking in hushed tones. We happily snagged a table at the back. It was quiet, with sunlight streaming in from the overhead skylight.
Unfortunately, our peace was short-lived. Within 30 minutes, the cafe was filled. The bar seats were taken, even the seats outside! Very hyped children were running about, the hard surfaces reflecting their excited shouts. On top of that, incredibly loud and disruptive drilling filled the tiny space.
*stares at computer* Um, let's just eat our lunch and go elsewhere to work, ya?
The cafe really is potentially very peaceful for the lone cafe-hopper to get work done on a quiet morning but that definitely did not happen for us.
Tip: To guarantee yourself a seat, come at noon to avoid the lunch crowd.
- Food & Drinks -
The perfect place for a quick and satisfying lunch.
Plus, it is not too filling. Rest assured you'll have some stomach space for
dessert or the other food options around Hin Bus Depot.
On the menu :
Mentaiko Crab Sandwich // RM 13
My favourite! The scrambled eggs were soft and thick but I couldn't really taste the corn and cheese. Surprisingly, the sandwich wasn't too rich. The crabmeat and cucumber really balanced out the creamy mayo.
Garlic Butter Shrooms (Limited Edition) // RM 12
For the more health-conscious (if you don't count the sinfully buttery toast). Juicy mushrooms were enveloped within thickly layered folds of egg, drenched in a tangy garlic butter sauce. YUMM. My only lament is that the taste of garlic could be a tad stronger.
Matcha Latte // RM 12
The same price as my lunch! But this is your quality matcha latte - the type generous with stone-ground matcha powder (no idea what that means but it's good!) instead of sugar. It was rich and thick with just the right amount of sweetness to balance the bitterness of the matcha. It was one impressive cuppa.
This is the full food menu. Oh, tough decisions were made on that lunch table.
I spotted two dessert options: burnt cheesecake and honey baked chiffon. I've heard raving reviews about it. Unfortunately, in our haste to escape the dreadful drilling and explore Hin Bus Depot, we decided to resume lunch elsewhere.
Wholey Wonder
... a Wholey Wonder-fully peaceful place too.
Bad joke? Ok, I'll stop. Sorry!
- At a glance -
Ambience /
Very quiet and peaceful. The whole place emanated a very calming, zen vibe- perfect for some peaceful reading.
Food / Vegan food
Japanese Maki: It was a very vegan sushi (DUH). Ok, it was like an upgraded gimbap, stuffed full with super healthy ingredients like nato, chayote, okra, tofu and avocado. It was very crunchy and had a slightly fermented taste to it. I thought it was nice, but was not crazy over it. But again, there were so many other things on the new menu like the amazing-looking salad bowls and pizza that we were, unfortunately too full to try!
Drinks / Smoothies, with coffee & tea options.
Sea Barley Gingerbread Latte:
Their own special, caffeine-free coffee blend with sea barley, Himalayan salt, and spices! It's kind of like a more malty, slightly saltier milo. It was pretty good actually! But remember to stir (which we did NOT) so when we got to the bottom of the cup, it was very thick and too salty for my liking.
Parking /
There is a parking lot beside it but with very limited parking. Other nearby parking options would be Hin Bus Depot, GAMA supermarket, Penang Times Square and Hotel NEO+.
Contact details & more info /
Confession time: we were actually going for ice cream at Creameal Handcrafted Ice Cream just next door but it was, unfortunately, closed. I guess my gut was yelling at me to not go overboard with the 'cheat day' and by some force of the universe landed us on a really healthy end to our lunch. I think Wholey Wonder was a Wholey wonderful discovery though - now I know where to bring my vegan friends to. And to our delight, it was connected to the art area of Hin Bus Depot and hence was the start of our artsy afternoon.
Which... you can read about here :) Including a short fantasy tale in it...
Oh dear, I've just realised many of my adventures begin with: "Now, which cafe shall I visit next?" But c'mon, I can't be the only one who sometimes plans trips around food, right???
Anyway, thank you for reading! Hope this helped!
-Sheryl