There are, broadly, 2 kinds of eating: stuff yourself like a Christmas stocking, or dainty nibbles at cute cutlets. Either way, we await the pleasure of a warm gurgle at the pit of our stomachs after every meal. Hard Rock Café Penang certainly seems dedicated to this end goal. ‘Generous’ would be a modest word to describe their portions; four of us did little damage to our appetizer of nachos, and the side dish of mac and cheese stared back at us with a silent fury.
The standard American fare favors portion over flavor, and makes eating an endeavor of bravado. Without a doubt I was never a fan of such dining. Hard Rock Café Penang’s menu parades an array of American dishes – so what prompted my interest to even set foot in the place? It was easy: American fare also tend to serve up a good slab of steak, at least in my experience. I haven’t had red meat for a while, so I knew exactly what I wanted.
To start, the Hard Rock Nachos came highly recommended, and it did not disappoint – if you could eat it fast enough. The fresh corn tortilla chips, buried under a mountain of Jack and Cheddar cheeses, are addictive to the last crunch. The spread was big enough to appetize four people, and the salsa was so fresh I could still hear the swishing of a knife slicing through the tomatoes as I sink my overflowing nacho into the dip. A hotter version of the salsa doesn’t exist yet, but I am bating my breath for it and will continue to shamelessly pester for it. It was a shame to bid goodbye to the still half-full plate of nachos as it sinks under the cold heavy cheese – we were ready to move on to the mains.
The steak was almost perfect. Its flesh was tender and squished ever so slightly every time I sunk my knife into it, revealing a shade of pink light as a girl’s fading flush. Although the smokiness from the grill lingered a little longer than I would have liked, the satisfying chew more than made up for it. I was pleased to dig into the simple sides of fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes, which went with the steak seamlessly.
Another signature dish on the menu is the Legendary 10-oz burger Facing with a tower of a 10-oz patty topped with strips of bacon, cheddar, an onion ring, lettuce and pickles, one might wonder how best to eat this. After a brief stare-down, we went the fork and knife way in an effort to invoke a sense of class. With a burger. Also done medium rare, the patty is tender and thick. While we found that the onion ring did little to the symphony of patty-lettuce-pickles-cheese (in the end we just picked up what’s left of it and ate it on its own), the bacon strips blended gloriously. The somewhat tight grind of the patty gave out juices sparingly, which in the same instant seeped into the bacon and created a fine concoction of flavor in the mouth. At the same time, though, I wished the patty would flood up more at each bite. Towards the middle, we put away our fork and knife (neatly), and started picking the burger apart with our fingers. A highly recommended way to finish.
While the side of mac and cheese met expectations, there simply wasn’t enough room for sides. And as expected, halfway through my main I was hit with the realization that there was absolutely no more room for dessert. But being troopers, we forged on and got mini versions of the Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae anyway, upon (little-needed) insistence of the manager, and needless to say, this was the one dish that everyone cleaned through with licks and smacks.
Another thing worth noting is the Hard Rock cocktail menu. It was fun choosing from the crazy variety and then wrangling with the waiters on what best to order. If you are adventurous enough, flag over the restaurant and bar manager Ah Beng and he would be more than delighted to have you road taste his funky concoctions. Which he might or might not name after you. At Hard Rock, experiments tend to be more hits than misses, but playing it safe can also satisfy more than you expect.
By: Grace Liew
There’s no place like Hard Rock Hotel when it comes to bringing out everyone’s inner rock star. Lucky for us, that’s what’s going on in Penang. The Hard Rock Hotel Penang is not just a hotel with breathtaking beach frontage. Nor is it just another hangout for party people who need a good fix. Oh no, this is a whole new level of noise.
You know the feeling when you step into a mall and you go, “Oh I have SO many things to do”? That’s exactly what you feel stepping into the posh lobby of Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Don’t get me wrong, by no means are the couches intimidating (they are pretty comfy, to be honest). But hovering crystal lights? Check. Hotel greeters with genuinely warm congeniality? Check. Awesome music played all day? Check. Biggest free-form pool in Penang? Check. Abundant beach activities? Check.
And did I mention the check-in counter that doubles up as a bar?
For those who are fortunate enough to have experienced the style of Hard Rock Hotel elsewhere, you will be delighted to know that the essence of Hard Rock can still be found in every corner of this relatively new hotel. For the ones who are itching to see what the hype is about? Let us spin it for you real quick.
Aiming to be the most sought-after vacation stay in Penang, it is not difficult to see how much Hard Rock Hotel has to offer Malaysia and its visitors. For die hard music fans, there are more than 500 pieces of authentic rock n’ roll memorabilia adorning the walls of Hard Rock Hotel and the Hard Rock Café (which is conveniently located next door but we’ll get to that). These collections are also showcased through the ‘E-wall’ comprising of 8 screens located in the lobby. Want to get your hands on these babies? There’s even a merchandise store located just a few steps away from the hotel lobby.
Now, some might argue that the beaches of Penang are not exactly much to shout about. But with Hard Rock Hotel right off the shores of Batu Feringgi, there’s certainly an additional 'x-factor' to it. Tourists from all across the world can be seen riding horses along the sandy beaches, trying their hands on jet-skiing and also trying to convince themselves that there’s nothing scary about para-gliding hundreds of meters up in the air. There is not a single dull moment to be experienced from the second you step into the hotel. It makes sleeping seems like a waste of time but thankfully the beds are just as exquisite as everything else you can’t sit on.
The six-storey hotel has 250 tricked out rooms; most of them come with a sea view that will prove to be a pleasure to the eyes every morning. Bedrooms are tastefully furnished and completed with the ‘rock’ element. Rain showers, branded bedding, LCD TVs, wireless broadband internet connection AND an i-Pod dock. You really have to be there in order to truly indulge your senses in the essence of Hard Rock.
However much there is to do inside the bedroom, the awe doesn’t strike until you see the gorgeous swimming pool. There’s nothing better than basking in the warm Penang sun and dipping into the coolness of one of the biggest (and perhaps most beautiful) pools in Penang. If you get a Lagoon Deluxe room located on the ground floor, you can even (wait for it) jump into the pool from your very own room deck!
When everything seems too good to be true, nothing is good enough for those who claim that they want nothing but peace of mind. And perhaps the greatest offer from Hard Rock Hotel Penang is that it has something for everyone. This includes the world-class Rock Spa, where you can be pampered in the hands of skilled therapists in gazebos that are facing the sea. There is really no way for you not to have a great time whilst you’re there.
For all the boys (and girls, yes) oozing with unlimited energy, pack your gym gear and head straight to the pool. The awesome part of it is the pool view, where you can pretty much stare at anyone on the outside as much as they can enjoy looking back at you in your glorious sweatiness whilst working out on the state-of-the-art gym equipment.
No luxurious hotel would be complete without its signature café. For the gastronomically inclined Hard Rock Hotel Penang is paradise with FOUR spots to get your food, including the Starz Diner, The Shack, the amazing Pizzeria and the legendary Hard Rock Café.
With great food, music and everything you need in a kick-a** place to stay , Hard Rock Hotel Penang is bringing Penang to new heights with its authentic Hard Rock experience. This hip and trendy hotel is definitely the place to go if you need to unwind and have a good time. Don’t miss out on some of their fantastic holiday packages which can be found on their website.
Are you ready to ROCK and ROLL ??
By: Kevin Chong
“Its ok. Kalau takde jodoh, ape nak buat…” Those were the words that came out of my mom when I mentioned about me not marrying at all. I was quite stern and thought I could scare her off and let her be worried for me….BUT no… she was so cool about it.
Hmmm. Maybe I should panic. Like now.
In Asian societies (ok, maybe I can only speak for Malaysia); I find that when you’re at the end of the twenty-something spectrum, people tend to think about getting married. Unlike our Western counterparts, if you’re not married by the time you’re thirty-something…you’re either gay or there’s something seriously wrong with you mentally.
When I uttered the above-mentioned words to my mother, that was two years ago. Well, two years have passed and I’m still single and shall I say fabulous too?
I don’t really have a problem with being single at this age but I do feel like my life is routine. Like I’m a robot. Just going through the motions in between and nothing seems exciting. Sometimes I feel happy about being single, sometimes confused…
You see, basically all my friends are married and some of them have kids. I get paranoid sometimes – “nobody wants me?” And it gets pretty lonely, especially at night. Why is that? Why not during the day? I’ll find that my friends have cooking or DVD nights with a guy and blah blah blah and sometimes I wish I could have that too. Then I’ll snap out of it and say “Whatever…I could go out with whoever I want, be wherever I want…I can stay back at work and work my ass off”…without being annoyed by someone who wants me to spend quality time with him.
I also don’t want to be fake by being in a relationship where I’m not really interested in him but I’m with him just because of…[so many excuses].
Do we really need a man? Yes and no. It’s all about finding the right balance perhaps.
Yes, the feminist will not agree with me but I feel it is nice to have a man around – somehow it makes me feel secure. His rough hands holding on to yours. Knowing someone is there that you could extend your love to and know that you are loved back unconditionally. A space in your heart you could snuggle up to no matter what the weather is. A lover and a friend…
On the other hand, you could feel complete with having family and friends around you and not think about the "amorous" kind of love.
Feeling confused? You’re not the only one. At this point of time, being 29 and single, it is best to just be thankful and grateful for all the things you already have...a career, family members...a cat. Don’t think about what you don’t have.
"Caress your sad case self BUT
celebrate your NOW self forever"
Have an open heart, be careful, always have positive thoughts and find that balance.
Or maybe just get good shoes. Louboutins would be nice.
By : SZA
Ever been through an experience where…you’re walking up the stairs in 7 jeans and then suddenly you feel like the ‘reds’ attacked your pants? Or maybe you’re at an event (company dinner, launching of a new product..you get my drift) and your white pants suddenly looks like the Japanese flag
I just discovered…well technically my Boss discovered a cool new application that I could use with my Ipod Touch or Iphone called “The App Box.” Here’s the thing: maybe it’s been around for a while but sharing is caring and if you think I’m outdated or something, go fug yourself (this is not a tech site…it’s a fashion-meets-lifestyle-meets-whatever-we-feel-like-writing website).
Anyway, as I was saying…this application has lots of useful tools that people can use in their daily lives and one that got my utmost attention was the P-calender tool. You see, Hubby and I are trying for a baby and what the P-Calender does is indicate our menstrual cycles.
It tells you the exact most probability and less probability of your ovulations. I've asked around for others that are using this application and many of them said it’s quite accurate.
In other word its a Menstrual cycle calendar also known as fertility calendar so it can indicate days with increased probability of getting pregnant, makes predictions of upcoming dates and keeps records of previous cycles. Even my husband loves this app because I get cranky when it’s my "time" of the month so he uses it to check when I’m getting my period so he can get prepared.
I'm not too sure if I can count on this a 100% though but there’s no harm in trying. It’s so easy to understand and to refer too. Just one click away and you’ll get the results. For those out there who want to start family planning get the ipod touch/iphone and download the application. You might get pregnant the next month!!.. i loike it, i tell you..
So far this has been the most coolest app that my husband has ever download in his i-pod touch. By far it’s been very helpful gadget and its done a great job in my life. I hope it will help you too.
Check it out, it’s damn cool. Oh yeah, I’ve also listed a few other nifty applications that you can download into your iphone/ipod touch.
Batter Life - A Gadget, which shows the percentage of the remaining battery power and shows for about how long can you surf the web, play the games or listen to music.
Currency -
A currency converter. You can update the rate at any time. This is what helped me when I was shopping in Bandung, Indonesia, and I saved a lot of time and money with this useful application and I didn't get coned as well. Of course you can select your favourite currencies.
Dashboard - Shows the memory usage, storage, battery life also but in a bar, shows holidays and currency rates. It shows many things at once.
Date Calc - You can select the dates from and to and it will tell you how many days are left.
Sale Price
- Calculates the sale price, when you select the discount and tax
System Info - Shows detailed information about the memory usage and storage. Also shows on “dashboard.”
Tip Calc - Calculate the tip, you are going to give. Also gives the option to split the tip too.
Unit - A powerful unit converter.
By: skyeapple
