Special thanks to Cha Yen for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Cha Yen (ชาเย็น) is one of the few, if not the only, Thai-style cafés in Penang. The shop is located at i-Avenue, a commercial area near Kompleks Bukit Jambul. Cha Yen has moved 2 shops over since my last visit, but most people including myself did not realize this subtle change.
The new café’s new décor is more apparent once inside the eatery. The spacious dining area has many wooden tables as well as a drinks counter at one side. In addition, Cha Yen’s beverage menu is now drawn on the wall.
Since Cha Yen’s inception, Thai-style drinks have been its forte. The eponymous Cha Yen (ชาเย็น, RM6.90), or iced milk tea, is the most popular refreshment in Thailand. Meanwhile, Cha Keao Coco (โกโก้ชาเขียวเย็น, RM11.90) is a combination of green tea and chocolate. Last but not least, Blue Lemon Soda (RM6.90) is soda water mixed with fruit syrup.
Like its Vietnamese counterpart, Thai coffee has a rather strong flavor as it is brewed from dark roast beans. Cha Yen’s coffee can be served hot or iced, which are called Kafae Ron (กาแฟร้อน, RM9.30) and Kafae Yen (กาแฟเย็น, RM9.90) respectively.
As for customers who would like to order some food, Cha Yen has introduced croissants to the menu. Charcoal Croissant (RM18.90) contains succulent slices of smoked duck and scrambled egg. Meanwhile, Salted Egg Croissant (RM7.90) is filled with savory salted egg paste. Each croissant comes with vegetables on the side.
Cha Yen serves Set Lunch from 11:00am to 2:30pm every day. Customers can choose from a menu of 4 dishes. Priced at RM9.90 each, the meal comes with a glass of Lemongrass Tea (น้ำตะไคร้).
One of the Set Lunch choices is Sour Spicy Fish Fillets (RM9.90). The dish comes with rice, fried egg and cucumber slices. Thai chili sauce is provided separately. You can either dip fish fillets into the sauce, or pour sauce into the rice bowl.
If you prefer poultry, go for Sweet & Sour Chicken (RM9.90) instead. Like the previous dish, Sweet & Sour Chicken is served with rice, fried egg and cucumber slices. The meal is reasonably filling for a quick lunch.
Moving on to desserts, Cha Yen has several flavors of homemade ice cream to select from. An alternative choice is Chao Guay (เฉาก๊วย, RM5.90), a sweet iced dessert that contains refreshing cubes of grass jelly. A slice of lemon imparts tangy sensation on the tongue. Overall, this dessert is an excellent thirst quencher.
Cha Yen sources most ingredients like coffee beans and tea leaves from Thailand. Unlike many similar shops, the café prepares all food and drinks upon ordering. In spite of this, Cha Yen is able to sustain surprisingly affordable prices. It is also interesting to note that Cha Yen does not serve pork.
Name: Cha Yen (ชาเย็น)
Address: 1-1-51, Medan Kampung Relau 1, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-419-6565
Business hours: 10:00am-10:00pm
Website: https://www.chayen.my
Coordinates: 5.33333 N, 100.29361 E
Directions: Cha Yen is located at i-Avenue, just several shops away from Mr & Mrs Fruit. Street parking is available in front of the shop.
