Special thanks to Lagenda Cafe for extending this food review invitation.
Lagenda House & Cafe is a hotel-cum-restaurant at Campbell Street (Lebuh Campbell). The boutique hotel occupies the upper floor of the building, while the restaurant downstairs, Lagenda Cafe, is open to the public. Lagenda Cafe serves Asian dishes with special emphasis on Malay and Indonesian cuisines.
The dining area is decorated with photos of the late P. Ramlee (1929-1973), one of most prominent Malaysian artists of all time. Born in Penang, P. Ramlee left a profound impact on the local filming and music industries. Oldies from the 1950s and 1960s fill the restaurant’s ambience with a nostalgic charm.
In conjunction with the upcoming Ramadan season, Lagenda Cafe is serving the Ramadan Special (RM75.90). The meal comprises of multiple food items, covering appetizers, main dishes and desserts. Given the large portion, the Ramadan Special is clearly meant for two persons.
Starting with ulam-ulaman, there are raw vegetables like cucumber, kacang botol (winged beans) and daun pudina (mint leaves). Condiments to go with ulam-ulaman are air asam (tamarind sauce), sambal oelek (spicy paste) and acar jelatah (pickled cucumber, carrots and shallots). In addition, light crackers help to keep the appetite up.
The meat platter is every carnivore’s dream. Barbecued items are daging bakar (grilled beef), kambing bakar (grilled lamb), ayam bakar (grilled chicken) and sate ayam (chicken satay). The kambing bakar is particularly tasty; I love the amazing marinade that makes the mutton so succulent. Telur masin (salted egg) and kuah kacang (peanut sauce) are included too.
Other food items are served on a congkak board. Masak lemak tempeh is a dish of creamy curry with fermented soybeans. Pengat pisang is a sweet dessert that contains bananas and sweet potatoes. Meanwhile, kerabu mangga is a salad composed of shredded unripe mango and onions.
Sup serai (lemongrass soup) is a popular type of soup in Malay cuisine. Next, ikan bilis sambal petai tantalizes the taste buds with spicy and savory flavors. As for something sweet, bread & butter pudding is best enjoyed with vanilla sauce.
Moving on to desserts, pandan panna cotta and cocoa jelly are interesting puddings that delight my palate. As for something spicy, kerabu tembikai presents a unique marriage between watermelon and cili padi (bird’s eye chili).
The Ramadan Special comes with two servings of rice: nasi kunyit and nasi kerabu. The rice dishes are dyed by turmeric and bunga telang (butterfly-pea flowers) respectively. Fried shallots on top serve to enhance the rice’s aroma.
Buah kurma (palm dates) are traditionally eaten first when breaking fast. This is because their sweetness gives one an immediate boost of energy. Other fruits provided are pitaya (dragon fruit), watermelon and pineapple.
After a satisfying meal, it is wise to have a refreshing drink in order to cleanse the palate. Shown here is a glass of Pineapple Mint Juice (RM12.00). Drinks are not included in the Ramadan Special.
Name: Lagenda Cafe
Address: 43, Lebuh Campbell, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-261-2293
Business hours: 11:00am-11:00pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/cafelagenda
Coordinates: 5.41724 N, 100.33499 E
Directions: Driving along the one-way Campbell Street (Lebuh Campbell), Lagenda Cafe is located on the right between the junctions with Rope Walk (Jalan Pintal Tali) and Carnarvon Street (Lebuh Carnarvon). Limited street parking is available along these roads.