Driving along the main road of Batu Ferringhi, it is impossible to overlook the imposing ship between Tarbush and Golden Thai. Measuring nearly 50 meters from bow to stern, this life-size replica of a full-rigged ship was constructed from wood! Well, this is the home of a famous steakhouse simply called The Ship.
The Ship has been operating for more than 30 years. Besides its succulent steaks, the restaurant is also renowned for its seafood and wines. On weekends, it is not unusual to see a long line of customers queuing up at the entrance.
The Ship was originally built with two decks of dining space. However, only the lower floor is used nowadays. In spite of that, this ship-themed restaurant is so large that the dining area can easily accommodate up to 300 diners!
While each outlet of The Ship is designed to resemble the cabin of a wooden vessel, this Batu Ferringhi branch elevates the theme to an entirely new level. At its “helm” is a mock ship’s wheel and a chadburn. I noticed that the wheel faces the wrong direction with respect to the ship’s bow.
Since I had steak during my previous visit, it makes perfect sense to opt for seafood today. Besides the à la carte menu, there is also a new set dinner menu every month. For this month, the meal’s theme is Thanksgiving. Priced at RM72.90++, the course meal consists of an appetizer, soup, main course and dessert.
The appetizer, Escargots Bourguignonne, is often served as an hors d’oeuvre in French cuisine. Baked in Chablis garlic sauce, the snails are presented in their original shells. The escargots are fresh and juicy, and go too well with the creamy sauce. Special tongs and fork are provided to savor this exquisite delicacy.
Today’s soup is Italian Minestrone, a thick vegetable soup that is blessed with tangy tomatoes. I am also delighted by the presence of conchiglie, a type of shell-shaped pasta.
Moving on to the main course, Grilled Tiger Prawns & Norwegian Salmon Steak are served with French fries, tartar sauce, corn on the cob and mini salad. The shrimps are expertly grilled with white wine, butter and paprika. This results in a lovely crunchiness that delights my palate. Meanwhile, the salmon remains fairly juicy and goes well with aromatic parsley butter.
It is interesting to note that The Ship’s has its own label of chili sauce. This condiment is notably spicier than generic brands. It serves as the perfect companion for French fries.
As for the dessert, the Cheese Cake has a reasonably strong taste of cheese. It would be nice to have some strawberry sauce on the side.
Meanwhile for beverages, the Fruit Punch (RM12.90) is concocted from a mixture of fruit juices. The iced drink is served in a Hurricane glass with a watermelon wedge and orange slice on the rim.
The seafood at The Ship is indisputably fresh and satisfying. It is amazing that a restaurant that has stood the test of time still remains at the top of its game. As for customers who find Batu Ferringhi too far away, The Ship has another outlet at Jalan Sri Bahari in George Town.
Name: The Ship
Address: 69-B, Jalan Batu Ferringhi, 11100 Batu Ferringhi, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-881-2142
Business hours: 12:00pm-12:00am (Sunday-Friday), 12:00pm-1:00am (Saturday)
Website: https://www.theship.com.my
Coordinates: 5.47390 N, 100.24753 E
Directions: The Ship is located on the main road at Batu Ferringhi, sandwiched between Tarbush and Golden Thai. There are parking spaces around the restaurant.