Location: E-Gate, Penang Isle
My old friends from my university years planned for a reunion in E-Gate, but we were not really sure where to head to. We saw Madam Soon right beside Old Town Cafe, and just out of curiosity, we went right in into a world of turquoise and amber.
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| Although the joint is called Madam Soon, the nice sprawling on the blackboard still tells otherwise. |
The Spring
When I entered the joint, I find the deco very familiar, and the blackboard facing the entrance told me why. Even the sign at the entrance showed me why the joint looked exceptionally familiar to me. If you were a frequent visitor to E-Gate, then you may recall a cafe in the past known as The Spring. Madam Soon was, as was stated on the sign at the entrance, a new concept of The Spring, although how it was a new concept was beyond me.
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| Even under the amber lighting, the turquoise paint still match the amber light reflected off the wall well. I loved the way the lighting fixture were forged in a cage like lantern style; it provided some novelty from usual boring bulbs of light. |
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| A panoramic view of the interior of Madam Soon. |
The whole setting inside Madam Soon had not changed visibly from its time as The Spring. I may have only visited it once in the past, but I still recall vividly the amber reflected off the walls and the turquoise which form part of the joint. It does bring up nostalgia of my last visit with my ex-housemate, and definitely a perfect setting for old friends meeting back each other.
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| Part of the wall was decorated with brick layout, while the rest of them are just simple white. The amber light did well though in creating a soothing ambient for guests to relax and unwind. Paintings and artistic partitions did much in decorating the place as well. |
The Food
Most of us did not choose any drinks off the menu, since everybody was trying to save their spendings on other necessities (well, I know most probably those 'necessities' will be on clothes or such stuffs...), but fortunately we were each provided with a complimentary glass of plain water.
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| The Blueberry and Lime Crush (RM6.50) was quite sweet, but definitely a savior from the hot and humid weather. If you are not tolerant to sweet drinks, then sip off the soya milk (RM3.50), a healthy diet for a healthy lifestyle. |
The drinks off Madam Soon's menu are the usual variety you get off any other similar cafés, but I do note a few unusual ones. I asked for Blueberry and Lime Crush, which texture resembles ice blend a lot, and is quite sweet. The taste of blueberry is obvious but I did not get any taste of lime; still this is a cooling beverage to satisfy my sweet tooth. If you are not tolerant to sweet stuff, then you can always order something more healthy, like soya milk.
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| Instead of ordering a drink, why not get some nourishing soup? Here's a Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup (RM6.90), with all the goodies packed in a bowl. |
The more healthier of us asked for a nourishing bowl of Double-boiled Winter Melon Soup off its list of Chinese soups. It looks just like the one my mum boiled back at home, with goodies like chicken and Chinese herbs within, along with the winter melon which became its namesake.
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| True to its name, Peanut Paste (RM4.50) is a thick paste, thick enough to substitute peanut butter... It would be a lot nicer if it is less viscous... |
Desserts are up for order as well, and there are a variety of them in the menu, which mainly consists of Chinese desserts. My friends got themselves some Peanut Paste, and it really is a paste... The dessert is too thick and viscous, and resembles peanut butter more than dessert. Still, I guess maybe the owner feel that a less viscous version may give customers an image of Madam Soon watering down its dessert to cut cost, so I can't blame the owner for this. But that does not mean the paste is easy to finish up...
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| Fancy a Western dish? Here's one of them off the menu: Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara (RM12.90). |
The list of food off Madam Soon's menu include the Western and Oriental variant. One of my friends got herself a Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara, with the pasta soaked in the white cream.
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| Teriyaki Salmon with Rice (RM13.90) - a dish to satisfy your appetite for seafood in Madam Soon. |
If you are craving for Japanese food, then Madam Soon's menu catered for that as well. My friends got themselves Unagi (that's Japanese for eel, a delicacy in Japanese dish) and Teriyaki Salmon, both of which looks nice and delicious, with a generous cut of seafood tempting your hunger.
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| Unagi Rice (RM13.90) - a large piece of Unagi to satisfy your appetite for Japanese food. |
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| Braised Garlic Pork Ribs with Rice (RM10.90) - for a garlic lover like me, it could pack more punch, but I am not complaining about its taste though. |
I loved the Braised Garlic Pork Ribs which I ordered for myself. The taste of garlic was mild, but the dish was braised until the pork was soft and chewy, soaking up the sauce and retaining it within. The ribs came with lean and fat portions both, and I enjoyed both parts equally.
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| Crispy Black Pepper Pork Chop with Rice (RM10.90), nice and crunchy in a spicy sauce. |
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| Enjoying the pork chop, soya milk and winter melon soup. |
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| Braised Sesame Oil Chicken (RM10.90) - the irony is not lost on me that even though chicken dish is quite usual, only one of our gang ordered for chicken... |
Even though the name has changed to Madam Soon, in my mind I felt I was still seated within The Spring. The perception I obtained from the past The Spring had not changed; the environment is still soothing as ever. Even though I came with a different gang, the nostalgia of dining with my ex-housemate still overwhelmed me. The food may not be scoring any awards, but the atmosphere is definitely romantic and calming, a good choice for gathering of friends and families.
View Madam Soon - A New Concept of the Spring in a larger map
Suitable for: gathering with friends
Cost: Occasional; you could expect to satisfy your hunger within RM10-20
Contact: +604 - 656 2009
Address: 1-1-14, E-Gate, Lebuh Tunku Kudin, 11700 Gelugor, Penang.
Operating hours: Mon - Sun (11 a.m. - 11p.m.)
Parking: The parking fee in E-gate's parking lot does not come cheap. Most people opt for a free parking in Tesco Extra right across the road.
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