Mews Café is a small quaint and relaxing café located in Lebuh Muntri, Penang. Serving a touch of Asian and international cuisine, this café is part of a boutique hotel known as Muntri Mews. The café is resting at the entrance of what use to be a mew, with the air-conditioned café opening up to the luscious green gardens. There is also an outdoor dining area for diners who prefer to indulge in Penang’s hot weather.

The menu is designed by the owner of Muntri Mews, Christopher Ong. The presentation of the food with his very own style sets Mews Cafe apart from the rest. Every dish is plated on unique mix-and-match porcelain from his private antiques collection!

Mews Café offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served with zest and wholesomeness, with the list being kept straightforward and simple. There are sandwiches, croissant, toast, muesli, fruit platter and egg prepared in several variants. I thoroughly enjoyed the croissant filled with slices of ham, tomato and vegetables. There is also an uplifting beverage menu with freshly squeezed juices, fruit frappes, tea and freshly ground coffee.

On the other hand, the lunch menu at Mews Café is much more extensive. I visited the restaurant on a separate day for lunch, and the air conditioned environment is a perfect shield from the vicious afternoon sun. The meal started with Mixed Mesclun & Rocket Salad, a mix of greens with thick pieces of nicely charred smoked duck.

Next up is the classic Beer Batter Garoupa Fish And Chips. Coated with a layer of crispy and light batter, the garoupa fillets are deep fried just right, maintaining the texture of the fresh fish. As always, it is best complemented with a dip of tartar sauce and a bowl of thick cut crispy fries.

The owner is very proud of Penang’s heritage and culture, thus he has included several local favorite in the menu as well. The Helen’s Curry Mee is an excellent choice, especially for those who enjoy the rich coconut milk based soup with aromatic spices. The soup is boiled with a balanced amount of ingredients to ensure the equal tones of spiciness, sweetness and creaminess. The bowl of noodles is topped with chicken meat, fish balls, whole prawns, crispy beancurd skin as well as mint leaves.

Beside this, another local favorite dish is the Nyonya Laksa Lemak. The soup is prepared with a thick flavorful coconut based fish and prawn stock and it draws special flavors from the chopped kantan flower (Ginger flower), pungent hae kor (prawn paste) and droplets of lime juice.

Moving on to the desserts, Mews Café serves up an excellent concoction of Cheng Thng. It is essentially a clear soup dessert, which is flavoured by the variety of ingredients including longan, winter melon, red dates and sea coconut.

Christopher likes to tweak and experiment with the gastronomic senses. He embodies a truly Asian culture in his menu by serving the famous Thai dessert, which is fresh mango and sweet glutinous rice. However, he tweaks it by replacing the coconut milk with coconut ice cream instead! The other must try is the sago pudding with rich thick coconut milk and gula Melaka.

After the satisfying and wholesome lunch, I took a tour around the residences. Located at the heart of the UNESCO heritage zone in George Town, this beautifully refurbished boutique hotel is housed in a converted row of 19th-century carriage houses. The place is beautifully restored, infused with Malay, Chinese and European influences. Antique, artwork and retro furniture plays its part in setting the theme for the entire hotel.

Muntri Mews

77 Lebuh Muntri 10050 Georgetown Penang, Malaysia

Tel : 04 263 5125

Email : info@muntrimews.com