Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Bouncy Food is a burger eatery at Bayan Baru, several houses away from 888 Hokkien Mee (888福建面). There is no air-conditioning here, but fortunately Bouncy Food is only open in the evenings.
Bouncy Food is the first burger joint in Penang to use two-step cooking processes for patties: smoking and grilling. Actually there are three processes if we include brief searing in between. The kitchen uses a grill instead of a griddle. This avoid oily deposits from accumulating, which can make the meat surfeiting.
My choice for dinner is the Ultimatum (RM18.00). The choice of meat is beef, pork or chicken; I chose the former. The beef is made from double-ground sirloin from Australia. The patty is seasoned with spices, which explains why it is reasonably succulent.
Another prominent ingredient is a whole portobello mushroom, lightly grilled to preserve its natural moisture. I must say that the enormous mushroom helps to accentuate the savoriness of beef. Also included in this gigantic burger are pork bacon, beef strips, sunny-side-up egg and cheddar cheese. Cheese sauce and balsamic vinaigrette are kept minimal to allow the beef patty to take the center stage.
The burger ingredients are sandwiched between two halves of a charcoal bun. Although most ingredients including meat patties are prepared in-house, charcoal buns are sourced from a local bakery instead.
For side orders, the Wild Mushroom Soup (RM6.00) is made from fresh mushrooms. This is evident from its “coarse” consistency. The soup has balanced flavor but I think it can use more salt. Meanwhile, the slice of garlic bread has nice aroma. However, I would have enjoyed it more if it were not as hard.
Truffle Fries (RM6.00) are fried twice, first with regular cooking oil and then with truffle oil. Truffle oil is expensive, so only a small amount is used. Although the aroma from truffle oil is welcoming, I think the fries lack flavor. Some kind of dipping sauce would be nice.
On the other hand, Paprika Fries (RM6.00) do not require condiments as they have been sprinkled with paprika powder and lime juice. Mild spiciness makes the fries quite addictive.
As for desserts, the Bouncy Mud Cake (RM6.00) is steam baked to maintain its moisture. Made from genuine dark chocolate, cocoa manifests itself as bitter aftertaste. Much to my delight, a small amount of mint produces cooling sensation afterwards. I think the coating of chocolate syrup is unnecessary as I prefer to enjoy the bold flavor of dark chocolate directly.
To cater the wider spectrum of customers, Bouncy Food also has Fish Head Noodles (鱼头米粉) on the menu. According to the proprietor, recommended soups for noodles are clear soup (清汤) and milky soup (牛奶汤).
I think Bouncy Food certainly knows its way around burgers. I am satisfied with its succulent burgers, especially in the presence of portobello mushroom. However, the pricing is quite high due to costly ingredients and lengthy cooking process. It remains to be seen whether the local dining crowd appreciates superior burgers and is willing to patronize this eatery regularly.
Address: 68, Jalan Mahsuri, 11950 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 019-548-4158
Business hours: 6:00pm-11:00pm, closed on Wednesdays
