Special thanks to Viva Victoria for extending this food review invitation.
Located along Victoria Street (Lebuh Victoria), Viva Victoria is within a stone’s throw from Kedai Makanan Dan Minuman CF. Combining a restaurant, a bistro and a bar, Viva Victoria serves a wide range of cuisines ranging from local Malaysian fare to home recipes of Europe and the Americas.
Stepping into the eatery, one is immediately mesmerized by its welcoming ambience. Dining tables are covered with dainty tablecloths, while potted plants hang gracefully from the ceiling. In addition, the soothing background music presents a rather laid-back atmosphere on this lazy Sunday afternoon.
Upon being seated, customers are served a basket of papadum to keep their appetites up. The Indian crackers have extremely light crispiness, making them addictive down to last morsel. Papadum goes well with raita, a cooling dipping sauce made from yogurt and mint.
The Truffle Mushroom Cappuccino (RM4.00) is highly recommended. Served in a demitasse cup, the emulsion is rich and satisfying indeed. The soup is made from actual mushrooms, reflecting the kitchen’s philosophy that good food should always be prepared from scratch.
Next, the serving of Garlic Mushrooms (RM10.00) consists of portobello mushrooms sautéed with butter and garlic. Besides the tantalizing aroma, the mushrooms’ savoriness is immensely gratifying. The dish comes with two pieces of toasted garlic bread.
Moving on to main dishes, Duck Confit (RM40.00) is inspired by the titular French dish of salt-cured duck. However in this case, the duck’s saltiness has been substantially toned down to suit the local palate. The crispy duck leg is topped with Dutch-style sour red cabbage (koolsla) and tangy star anise orange sauce. Homemade mashed potato and roasted vegetables are served on the side.
The Grilled Rack Of Lamb (RM69.00) is not something to be trifled with. The four Frenched lamb ribs are seared with nice grill marks on the surface. In spite of that, the flesh manages to remain delightfully tender and juicy. The lamb is flavored with paprika and Argentine chimichurri verde. The latter is a green sauce made from parsley, garlic and olive oil.
Beef Rendang (RM39.00) was originally a Minangkabau recipe, but this dish has entered the mainstream Malay cookbooks. Using premium sirloin, the beef is seasoned with a variety of spices and coconut milk. The mixture is slow-cooked for several hours until most of the liquid has boiled away. The result is a dish that is bursting with scrumptious savory flavors.
Viva Victoria has a modest range of drinks such as coffee, juice and beer and wine. For instance, the cup of Café Latte (RM12.00) is prepared from espresso and steamed milk. I appreciate the creamy consistency that the coffee imparts as it trickles through my lips.
Despite its simplicity, the Iced Lemon Tea is pretty appealing too. The fine balance between sweet and sour tastes does a great job in quenching thirst. In effort to minimize environmental impact, Viva Victoria uses paper straws instead of plastic ones.
According to the staff, other signature dishes here are 24-Hour Lamb Shank, Mee Jawa, Ukrainian Pierogis, Lamb Moussaka and Indian Pizza. Vegan options are available too. Viva Victoria does not serve pork. Meanwhile, the eatery has extra space upstairs for hosting private events.
Name: Viva Victoria
Address: 169, Lebuh Victoria, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-261-0000
Business hours: 12:00pm-12:00am
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Viva-Victoria-475240706204387
Coordinates: 5.41357 N, 100.33863 E
Directions: Viva Victoria is located at Victoria Street (Lebuh Victoria), between the intersections with Armenian Street Ghaut (Gat Lebuh Armenian) and Gat Lebuh Acheh. Street parking is available along the abovementioned roads.
