Island Problems, Penang

If you want to know what was the hype in Penang back then, this was the hype. A close friend of mine suggested this place to me as she's been here on multiple different occasions and I've only heard good things ever since.

Now, if you would like to be seated in front their open-concept kitchen, please WhatsApp them to make a booking. If you don't make a booking beforehand and walk in during busy hours you might end up being seated on the second floor, where the vibe feels different. I recommend you make a booking to have seats at the bar because watching the chefs cook and prepare our food was intriguing.

Trio Roe Pasta (RM 39)

If you love cream and roe, you will love this! I am a cream lover so this was just nice for me. It is not overwhelming in flavours, it's simple and filling. Seafood was cooked perfectly and they are voluptuous! Love that they used squid ink pasta which added to its seafood-y flavour. I've had better roe pasta for a cheaper price so I would probably order something else from the menu if I ever come back, that is different and unique.

          Steak & Butter Rice (RM 49)

Again, I have a fear of ordering steak or any red meat in general. Maybe its the smell? Maybe its the gamey taste. Probably speaking from bad experience but I'm so glad to say that this was so BOMB! I actually requested for it to be cooked well-done but the waiter persuaded and convinced me to have it medium-rare. He was friendly and persistent so I said yes, trusting his judgment. I was also not sure how the egg yolk would effect the taste of this dish as I'm not a fan of anything raw or uncooked. But oh mama..... this was probably the best steak dish I've had in awhile. The egg yolk just makes ever bite richer paired with their fragrant and buttery rice that just melts in your mouth although, they might not have been fully prepared for service as my onion jam wasn't present in my dish. This dish was very delicious but I was albeit taken back by the portion size considering the amount I'm paying for. If I had not ordered another dish and had this by myself, I would still be hungry. 

The chef on duty had good time management skills in terms of when to cook what and if there are 2-3 orders of the same dish at a time. He was super calm in his environment and judging from his work, he's probably a very experienced chef. My only wish was, since we were seated right in-front of the chef, that he could have said hi or interacted more with guests.

Their kitchen was kept neat and tidy before, and throughout service. The team of two kept cleaning as they went and they were wearing gloves the whole time which was nice to see during these times. I think their crew are super friendly but I wish they were a little more attentive. Our table top was cleared after having our mains and we proceeded to blow a surprise birthday cake (which was kept in their chiller) and sang a song, yet for a few minutes none of the crew noticed, so we had to ask them for plates (which obviously meant cutlery as well) but only plates arrived. Don't get me wrong, they are super friendly staff but I think they could be better.

Comment below your thoughts on Island Problems! 

RATINGS

Food : 8/10

Price : 5/10

Service : 7/10

Parking : 6/10

Ambiance : 8/10 (First floor/bar)