Hard Rock Cafe, Penang

It was the opening day of the Hard Rock Hotel, also Hari Raya Eve. Went to Hard Rock Cafe to check it out for the first time and am loving the life band. Hard Rock Cafe caters more to upmarket, that explains the over priced beverages.. MYR 60 per jug of beer, MYR 60 for a Margarita! One of my colleague went with her Japanese customer and ordered a bottle of Bacardi and a bottle of vodka, cost her around MYR800! One thing I like about this place is it’s not that packed.. they won’t just simply allow patrons in if there is no seats available… so you might see a long queue outside.

I happened to meet an ex colleague, Kevin who is already in there, so I got to go in direct… muahahaha…. a lot of tourist I would say and they were indeed very fun people.. dancing around to the music and songs played by the band. There’s one grandma at one of the tables with her family.. haha… one of the white tourist went to her and asked for high five, and she gave the high five back.. so cute… hahahaha… Went there again on 3rd day of Raya, on Tuesday to try out the food!

So again with photos photos photos… haha… coming up! I made full use of my camera okie.. :P

This was the scene of the first night I went… pretty happening.. and guess what… If you count from right hand side, the stripe shirt guy, the white shirt guy and the third, black shirt guy… he is actually the Hong Kong TVB actor… I don’t know his name actually… but hm… he’s Dr.J, Ray’s manager in King of Snooker (one of the latest TVB drama series)

Full house… and we got the table directly in front of the stage.. wahahaha… good place!

The same lighting as the hotel’s entrance, smaller version…. above the stage..

Save cost kot.. they uses hotel’s napkin….

Menu was okay, selections not bad… they serve food like Friday’s and Chilis concept… bottle water cost at MYR6.00 per bottle, MYR8 after 10:30pm. Same goes with the lemonade, soft drinks, iced lemon tead, cannot recall, around MYR8.00 each, an extra MYR2.00 to MYR 4.00 after 10:30pm. I had the fizzy lemonade..

Starters up… Jumbo Combo MYR 48.00, quoting the menu, a delectable array of our most popular starters that’s big enough to share. Includes Santa Fe Spring Rolls, Hickory-Smoked Chicken Wings, Onion Rings, Potato Skins and Tupelo Chicken Tenders. Served with four different sauces for mixing and matching

The onion rings was crispy, chicken wings was nice, potato skin was okay, spring roll was urm…not enough filling, got salad outside to make it up though and chicken tenders was okay too… overall, not great, but just okay… enough for4 person… ideally 3…

The choice of main was Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Que Combo, comes with either Duo Combo MYR55.00 and Trio Combo MYR62.00. Quoting the menu again, Your choice of Bar-B-Que Beef ribs, Bar-B-Que Chicken or Bar-B-Que Beef Brisket. Served with seasoned fries, ranch beans, and fresh coleslaw. Duo means two of the 3 choices, or trio, all three of them. Beef brisket wasn’t available, so we had to go for the Duo Combo, chicken and ribs. This is not nad too.. both chicken and beef were tender and evenly seasoned. Portion is actually quite big.. I think it’s a quarter chicken and just 2 pieces of beef ribs. Enough for 2, or a big eater can finish everything up alone. Haha…

This order though was a mistake.. it’s actually the same dish in Jumbo combo… in bigger serving with celery sticks with dressing. My friend did not notice it… Tupelo Chicken Tenders MYR18.00, quoting the menu, boneless seasoned and breaded chicken tenders, served with Honey Mustard and Hickory Bar-B-Que sauce on the side or tossed in our classic rock, Heavy Metal or Tangy Bar-B-Que sauces with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing. I’m not sure what sauce it came with but it did not taste exactly like the one in the combo platter though… sauce was too sourish, flavour was too strong I had to swallow it and down it with my drink… I prefer Friday’s… they have a dish something similar…

Fresh Apple Cobbler, MYR 20, is says in the menu, A country favourite, served warm with vanilla ice cream, topped with walnuts and caramel sauce, is good and sweet tooth people will surely like it… problem is, it was served together with the main… so what do I eat first? Main first and let the ice cream melt beyond recognition, or just end the meal with my dessert and put the main aside? Aih… next time must tell them, desserts last, when I ask for it ok? I thought they would know, cos the crew didn’t ask if I would like my desserts serve early or later. But I don think I’ve eaten any walnut lo…

Overall meal was okay… and definitely priced for the up market. I saw the next table lady had 10 oz burger… gosh… the burger patty is really huge, fat and juicy… perhaps next time… must share though…

Finished our meal and while waiting for the band to start at 10:30pm, take photos first la.. :D

The life band is good, I like them a lot… there are a few numbers that I personally like , Dancing Queen, American Boy, Hatin’ at the Club and a few others… vocals are good… makes me wanna just stand up and dance.. muahaha… My friend told me they are available every night at 10:30pm except for Mondays…

Hard Rock Cafe Penang is actually not that big, it has got dining area, the bar and upstairs seatings over looking the bad and pool tables.. not as hebat as the ones in LA or San Fran though, my sis says got car revolving at the ceiling inside the cafe… Worth going for the band though…

Rock shop is available in the cafe itself too, selling Hard Rock Cafe merchandise only, and another Rock Shop, walking distance from the Cafe and Hotel, a small bungalow selling both hotel and cafe’s merchandise… Shop can be seen from the main road..