Special thanks to Tavern for extending this food review invitation.
Tavern at Auto-City is a popular hangout spot not only for night owls, but also appeals to corporate clientele and small families. This eatery is managed by the same team as Hat Trickz in Icon City.
The central section of Tavern appeals to its core customers: the drinking crowd. Dim lighting and cozy couches provide a welcoming setting for people to enjoy alcoholic beverages and to mingle around. This section is air-conditioned to keep the ambience cooling and relaxing.
On both sides of the central section are places that provide al fresco dining. One side faces the bar and is equipped with a large television that plays live games. The other side has wooden picnic tables and chairs set on artificial turf, but is unusable when it rains.
Every evening, there is live music performance which starts around 10:00pm. Musical bands typically consist of duos and trios. A different band is set to perform every night.
During the daytime, Tavern is also open because there is a substantial lunch-seeking crowd from neighboring commercial and industrial areas. To provide decent meals at affordable prices, there is a set lunch menu with prices starting from RM8.90. This menu is available daily from 11:00am till 3:00pm, except on Sundays.
According to the staff, Spaghetti With Dory Fish (RM11.90) is among the fast-moving choices from the lunch menu. There are two versions for the sauce – spicy or garlic; I opted for the former.
Spaghetti used in this dish is noticeably thinner than usual ones. Nevertheless, the pasta still maintains al dente texture, much to my relief. The main attraction, however, is the crispy fish fillets on top. Battered and fried to scrumptious crispiness, the fillets are quite addictive piece after piece.
As for poultry, Grilled Chicken Chop (RM12.90) appeals to most people’s palate. Chicken is thoroughly seasoned with rosemary, causing it to feel immensely salty in the first mouth. This sensation subsides afterwards as the taste buds become attuned to the effects of rosemary.
A coating of brown sauce provides additional flavors to chicken. There are also fries and garden salad on the side. The salad is doused with balsamic vinaigrette to provide some degree of appealing sourness.
Name: Tavern
Address: 1688-G8, Jalan Perusahaan, 13600 Juru, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-502-2692
Business hours: 11:00am-3:00am
Website: https://www.facebook.com/TheTavern.MY
Coordinates: 5.33758 N, 100.43159 E
Directions: From the North-South Expressway, take the Bukit Mertajam exit and head west. Turn left at the end of the road, then take the next left turn. Tavern is located at the middle of this block of buildings. There are parking spaces around the block.