Special thanks to D’ Fat Mona Lisa Café for extending this food review invitation.
D’ Fat Mona Lisa Café is a restaurant-cum-café at Jalan Free School, just within a short driving distance from Penang Free School. Unlike most eateries, D’ Fat Mona Lisa provides ample of parking spaces within its compound.
As a family-oriented establishment, D’ Fat Mona Lisa presents a casual setting for people to dine and mingle. Thanks to its close proximity to several schools, the eatery is frequented by students and parents on weekdays. The menu is crafted to suit people from all walks of life; there are even vegetarian dishes on the menu.
Breakfast is served from 8:00am to 11:00am (11:30am on Sundays). There are 10 breakfast sets to choose from. Prices start as low as RM8.90 per meal. In addition, customers enjoy free flow of coffee and tea during breakfast.
Club Sandwich Monalisa (RM19.00) is one of the bestsellers during breakfast. The sandwich is filled with grilled chicken, chicken ham, fried egg and cheese. It is cut into halves and held together by cocktail sticks. Premium Shibuya bread is used for the sandwich. This explains why the bread remains firm and doughy even when it cools down. The sandwich comes with fries and salad on the side.
Char Siew Sauce Chicken (RM20.00) is another interesting choice. Savory pieces of barbecued chicken are served with multigrain bread, which is suitable for people with diabetes. Side items are jumbo cheese sausage, baked beans, hash browns, baked mushrooms, cooked tomatoes and garden salad.
Moving on to the main menu, Pan Grill Snapper Fillet Marinara (RM35.00) is recommended if you enjoy fish. The fillet is dressed with homemade marinara sauce. Sweet-tangy taste of the tomato-based sauce appeals to my palate. This dish also includes baby potatoes, bok choy, grilled corn, cooked tomatoes and assorted vegetables.
Pasta is one of D’ Fat Mona Lisa’s strongest forte. For instance, Vongole (RM27.00) is a classic Neapolitan dish of aglio olio spaghetti with fresh clams. Pasta is sautéed al dente with olive oil, garlic and black olives. I enjoy the lovely aroma of fresh basil too.
My personal favorite dish today is Chicken With Salted Egg Pasta (RM25.00). The spaghetti is infused salted duck eggs, which is prepared from scratch in the kitchen. This savory dish comes with crispy chicken tenders. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Meanwhile, diners who prefer a creamier pasta dish may opt for Smoked Duck Carbonara (RM27.00). The white sauce is creamy and very rich in taste. Succulent smoked duck and fresh mushrooms make the pasta dish tastier than it already is.
As for customers who prefer a lighter meal, Smoked Duck Pomegranate Salad (RM20.00) is a reasonable choice. Smoked duck, garden salad and black olives are brought together with sweet pomegranate dressing.
Turmeric Latte (RM13.00) is an interesting take on the classic Caffè Latte. The coffee is infused with turmeric, and then sprinkled with cinnamon powder on top. The aroma of spices is soothing indeed.
D’ Fat Mona Lisa uses premium ingredients for its dishes. The restaurant does not attempt to cut corners in food quality. In spite of that, food pricing here remains fairly affordable to most people. The restaurant’s comfortable ambience and free parking are huge advantages too.
In addition to being a restaurant, D’ Fat Mona Lisa is able to host private events from corporate seminars to birthday parties. The large premises can accommodate over 100 guests. Food can be served in a buffet setting.
Name: D’ Fat Mona Lisa Café
Address: 43, Jalan Free School, 11600 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-281-0797
Business hours: 8:00am-10:30pm, closed on Mondays
Website: https://www.dfatmonalisacafe.com
Coordinates: 5.40286 N, 100.30765 E
Directions: From Penang Free School, drive along Jalan Free School towards the round-about. D’ Fat Mona Lisa Café is about 100 meters before the round-about, just opposite the retirement home. There is ample parking space within the compound.
