The Sire: Museum Restaurant

My Ratings: 4 Stars

Cuisine: International

Location: 4 King Street, Georgetown, Penang

(Oppsite Esplanade by the Great Eastern Building)

Halal

RM50-60 per person

I wanted to take Amanda for a romantic dinner...somewhere that serves good food with warm ambience...a place which is unforgetable, especially that night it's pre Valentine (13th February). There is a restaurant that have been catching my attention ever since I am driving to work everyday passing through the new Penang High Court. It looks kinda boutique-like restaurant. You can see it from the road as you are heading towards the jetty. I did not want to go to any hotel restaurants. I have been to all hotel restaurants that I wanted to go except The Spice Market at Rasa Sayang (next time when I have a big bonus).

So I decide to put an end to my curiousity then and head there straight after work. We arrived there quite early. Lots of parking space then. We went in. I think we were the third table there. The first thing that caught my attention is the aquarium kitchen. The front dining area kinda small - about 9 tables for four and a couple for twos and then the kitchen.

We were sitted at the small front area dining coz we did not make a booking and it was almost fully booked. BUT wait........an little exploration beyond the kitchen and then the toilet, pass a row of couple's table....there is a whole lot more dining area at the back portion (two levels) and a bar. BUT that's not all. That's only half of the length of the restaurant. The other half is dedicated as a muzeum exhibition. YES, you heard me right. It is a Muzeum (duh, that's why it is call a muzeum restaurant) I didn't get the reason behind restaurant name but now I know.

The muzeum showcase the life (the rise) of the late billionaire and philantrophist Yap Chor Ee and Yap family's heir looms and history. The place is HUGE (length and height wise). It has two levels but seprated by another two mezzanine floors. It has a private dining room for private parties of 10 -12 people.

You can practically spend a good whole 2 hours or more there. Meals and then visit the muzeum after that. I ordered from the ala carte menu, the pan sheared chicken breast with garlic sauce, served in a timbale of vegetables for mains while I ordered mushroom soup to share. The chicken is flavourful while the soup is equally good. The lamb shank stew looks good too. However I did not order that but I will definitely try that when I come back for dinner.

Since it was Valentine session, the restaurant gave away a stalk of rose to all male diners to give to their partner. The beer and wine list is varied with a good selection of imported brands, hence the pricy nature of the drinks there. (above RM12 for beers). Food is from RM30 for chicken and pasta dishes to RM50 for imported steaks. Salads and desserts are about RM12 onwards. Soups are about RM9

Overall, an unforgetable dining experience. You can clear see that no expense has been spared in doing up the restaurant and muzeum. It is a smorgaboard of lots of photography opportunities from oriental to colonial settings....as you can see from the photos I took. A feast for your eyes! Although pricey, but you get to fullfill all five senses in one night. BUT no photography allowed in the muzeum area, so I can't show you here. You got to go there and see for yourselves.

I recommend you to book ahead and request to sit at the back portion of the restaurant. it is just more to see there. Furthermore the bloody expresso machine and cashier is at the front area so it is annoying and just dampen the mood. The restaurant was packed out as it went well into dinner time.

The Sire - Muzeum Restaurant recently open last year together with her sister restaurant (Ferringhi Garden) which from the looks of promotional slideshow is as top class as The Sire. I will be definitely going there soon. Keep a look out for my future review in this blog

For reservations at The Sire, call +604-2645088 or fax +604-2645089