This place now serves casual dining compared to 2 years ago when it was fine dining. Fine dining has relocated to Prestige Hotel. The place still looks immaculate and welcoming. Service is great and creative menu is tempting. Food is tasty with room for improvement....Appreciate their openness to comments and wanting to improve.More

I ordered it and send to my friends during mco. I ordered the afternoon tea and their highly recommended cod fish burger. Both of my friends really like it. The food presentation and packing is good and food taste good. The cod fish is thick...and rich. The afternoon tea set has variety types of sweets and savouries. They reply WhatsApp very soon. The delivery time is almost the time that me being informed. At first was planning to order the happy box,but it has put of order. Even so, the afternoon set did not disappoint me. Highly recommended.More

This was again another visit prompted by Netflix. We saw an episode where this restaurant was featured. We would best describe it as ‘different’. Some of the dishes really stood out with excellence. Others not so much. We appreciate the fact that they are making...an attempt on putting Malaysia flavours in a different light. Penang is a food haven for street food (hawker food), but if you are in the mood for something different while retaining the Malaysia taste, then this is it.More

Last evening I decided to drop by one of my “favourite” George Town eateries - it’s been half a year since my last visit and I was curious to find out how they had fared during the lockdowns. For a Thursday evening, their dining counter...was 50% occupied which I take as mildly worrisome. The makeup of the kitchen crew was visibly smaller with a few new faces. The compact menu had a few new items which I duly ordered. Known for its experimental and bold approach, I found the latest roll-out to be below average and rather disappointing. I had expected the 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞 (a new dish) to be fragrant and light. Instead the texture was pasty and sticky with an overwhelming note of spiciness and not much else. The 𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭 charred with lard showed promise but the supporting mix of greens, fungus and peanuts lacked cohesion and seemed to be thrown together without much thought. The 𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐞𝐠𝐠 served as part of the dressing to a very strange “wild” salad. But the winged bean was old and stringy, and bitter to taste. The other herbs didn’t really contribute much to the salad except lots of roughage. This also came with the same toss of peanuts which appears to be a running theme this evening. The final course of 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 was alright if not for the fried banana flower which was acrid and fibrous. It essentially spoilt the delicate balance of flavour of the two main ingredients. Honestly the only thing that worked for me was the dessert of 𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚 which was a soft cake soaked with oolong tea syrup and served with a cream and poached pear. Finally we had something where all the different parts came together seamlessly and beautifully. I wonder if the young chefs have run out of new ideas or have their sense of experimentation gone askew? I hope they will reassess their original concept and strengthen their core before doing anything else.More

Thank you, Communal Table by GEN for another memorable meal of fresh and original combinations in a sleek space! First visit we enjoyed the tasting menu, this time we chose a la carte from the ever-evolving selection. The quality and flavours do not disappoint! The...dessert (honey granita) was particularly noteworthy for its sophisticated simplicity. We look forward to our next visit to Penang so we can try your latest creations.More

Six months after my first two visits, I am deeply encouraged and delighted that gēn perseveres in this post-pandemic era on her unrelenting quest of unbridled inventiveness and passionate creativity. I find that I am the lone diner when I show up for my 7:30pm...reservation one mid-week. There are new items on the menu so I am told. As such I order one from each of the four sections. The kitchen team mobilises like a well-oiled machine - outnumbering me 6:1 so my expectancy on details and delivery is heightened. I am not disappointed. Fried oyster omelette is a traditional classic in Penang. gēn spins their version into a refreshing and light wrap using indigenous betel leaf dressed with a very subtle banana mayo - quite delectable! The cold rice noodle with crab meat is yet another reinterpretation of the classic version. They play with an interesting yet successful ulam-like infusion in this twist. I really enjoyed the main course of perfectly crispy roast pork belly eaten with a variety of pickles, greens, aromatic herbs and an appetising chilli sauce. For dessert, they tickled my palate with a honey granita served atop a traditional taufufa (bean curd jelly) accompanied by pickled baby lychees. gēn’s consistent attention to details and contrasting flavours never fails to impress me. Their small subtle surprises may sometimes be a bit strange but I think they still work well. The serving staff is irreproachable as usual. The 4-course meal with sake came in reasonably under RM150. Cant wait for their menu change in mid-August.More

Nice ambiance.. great service... trash food. Poor delivery on a potentially good concept. Disappointing rendition of SE Asian staples like (soggy) pork belly and (bland) seafood.

Very creative Malaysia ingredients made dishes. Local produce yet there is always a surprise for every bite. As a Malaysian I’m glad we have young chef is doing this and putting effort to put create more special Malaysia made fine dish. Price is affordable and...nice ambience.More

The project I’m currently working on involves (among other overarching economic transformation goals) repatriating young talents to the island, taking the State up the value chain and upskilling the next generation of Penangites. Who would have guessed that I would come face to face with...those aspects at this bold and inventive restaurant just beyond the edges of the UNESCO Heritage Zone. Awards (and apparently there are numerous) are fine but the sustainable delivery of the winning attributes after all the brouhaha is what matters. That mettle is especially put to the test on a night when the chef owner decides to take a break. Prices are stratospheric for a locale that’s more accustomed to hawker food prices. But that’s like comparing the button mushroom to white truffles which is ultimately futile. ‘Bites’, ‘Small’, ‘Big’ plates and ‘Sweets’ are listed in the smart compact but diversified 17-item menu. Vegans are well taken care of. We shared two ‘Bites’. Clean dramatic plating - flavours (like belacan & kam heong) were well-balanced, concentrated, intense, distinct and just the thing to perk up the appetite. While the plating of the ‘Small’ (tartare of) tuna with tomato was somewhat conventional (petals are so over-rated), it tasted much better than it looked - freshness that was palpable with just the right amount of spiciness. Addictive qualities. Perhaps the ‘Big’ plate of Chicken in Rendang should not have been my choice of the main course being similarly spicy to the preceding tuna. Was expecting a shellfish option but there was none. Otherwise the poulet was competently grilled, tender and very moist. It just wasn’t outstanding. We accompanied the meal with a perfectly light German pilsner. The very young kitchen staff was noticeably local while the servers were fully foreign but spoke perfect but slightly accented English. Such is the unique and formidable melting pot that Penang continues to be. This young team has proven its stellar and intelligent capabilities and should get all the support it deserves.More

We decided to order ala carte as chef’s menu has unknown ingredients and we have too many dietary quirks. The food is innovative with creative twists yet delicious. The prawn, potato, baby shrimps and duck eggs were recommended entrees. The minced pork, spring chicken and...snapper were recommended mains. All three desserts were creative and delicious. As a creative kitchen the culinary staff looked hurried and stressed. They could be more relaxed and performed the culinary theatrics with greater finesse. A visit recommended. Entrees around 30-40, main around 50-70, dessert 35, all ringgit.More

It is a modern take on Malaysian, Nyonya or more accurately Fusion cuisine. Every dish has a twist in it - curried mayo, citrus mayo, soy-chili herb and XO sauce. Overall the appetizers, the mains and the desserts.

Recommended to us by our hotel manager, Gen ended up being a great spot for a nice dinner in Penang. Most of the seating is along the communal area against the bar/kitchen, enhancing the overall experience since you could see the food being prepared and...had constant interaction with the staff. The overall decor of the restaurant was relatively sleek and modern. We did the tasting menu, which we found to be reasonably priced, and every dish was quite good and very well presented. The wine selection was good, and we ultimately chose a Burgundy that paired well with the meal. That being said, keep in mind that I found wine in Penang to be relatively expensive compared to other parts of the world. The service was quite good and attentive, and overall, if you’re looking for a fine dining experience in Penang, Gen is a great option!More