Special thanks to Gartien for extending this product review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Gartien (小田佳园) is a local Penang brand of pineapple products. Its flagship shop is located at Penang Road (Jalan Penang) next to Kek Seng (格成). Both shops are merely separated by a small pedestrian alley.
The signature delicacy at Gartien is its lovely Pineapple Cake (手工凤梨酥), which is made from fresh pineapples cultivated in a plantation of Juru. Speaking of “Made in Penang”, Gartien is a brand which adheres to this slogan.
This shop at Penang Road doubles as Gartien’s retail store as well as its bakery. Unfortunately, the bakery is not operating on weekends, so I was not able to catch a glimpse of how the Pineapple Cake is prepared.
Gartien’s Pineapple Cake is sold a box of 10 pieces, each piece is approximately 50 grams in mass. The Pineapple Cake is wrapped individually to maintain freshness. The retail price of each box is RM45.00.
According to the staff, fresh pineapples are first cut by hand, then boiled for 12 hours until the pineapple jam attains the desired texture. The outer crust of the cake is made from butter, which serves to retain the moisture of pineapple jam during baking.
In terms of sweetness, the pineapple filling uses the right amount of sugar and honey. In addition, I enjoy the fibrous texture of the jam itself. As for the pastry crust, I am mesmerized by the nice crumble within each bite.
Gartien’s Pineapple Cake is presented in a decorative box, making it ideal to be used as a gift. Since Chinese New Year is approaching, Gartien uses a limited-edition box with festive theme. It also comes with a presentable tote bag.
Just very recently, Gartien introduced the Natural Pineapple Jam (手工水晶凤梨果酱) which is sold for RM16.80. Natural Pineapple Jam is only available for purchase with Pineapple Cake.
Gartien’s Natural Pineapple Jam is made from “crystal pineapples” (水晶凤梨), which is only harvested seasonally. Therefore, this product may not be available at all times. Since each jar is vacuum sealed, the jam retains the freshness of boiled pineapples.
Gartien’s products are meat-free with the exception of butter and eggs. Therefore they are suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians. Due to the fact that no artificial preservatives are used, Gartien’s products have shelf life of several months only.
However, many tourists are unfazed by the perishability of Gartien’s Pineapple Cake. It is not uncommon to see many tourists purchasing boxes of this pastry at the conclusion of their visit to Penang. In recognition for its high quality products and role in promoting tourism, Gartien won an award in the 2014 PIE Awards, under the “Emerging Class Tourism-Souvenir” category.
Although the bakery is closed on weekends, the retail shop is open from 9:00am to 6:00pm. Gartien has only one retail outlet in existence, but online ordering is also available through its website.
Although many customers simply park their cars on the side of Penang Road, this is actually illegal. To give customers a safe and legal alternative, Gartien provides free parking at Lorong Bertam, which is just within short walking distance from the shop.
Name: Gartien (小田佳园)
Address: 380, Jalan Penang, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-229-0068
Business hours: 9:00am-6:00pm, closed on Mondays
Website: http://gartien.com
Coordinates: 5.41645 N, 100.32936 E
Directions: From Jalan Dato Keramat, Macalister Road (Jalan Macalister) or Magazine Road (Jalan Magazine), turn to this one-way section of Penang Road. Gartien is located approximately 200 meters ahead on the left. As for parking, turn left into Lorong Bertam just before the traffic lights. There is an open-air parking compound on the right. Remember to bring your parking ticket to Gartien for validation.