Kafka Coffee — Restaurant in George Town

It was my first time here and I had such a wonderful time, loved the atmosphere and the food.

The food was light yet substantial. I can tell that there was a lot of thought put into the taste, the portion and the presentation. It was well crafted. I ordered the grilled chicken breast Caesar salad and the chicken was so tender and warm. The hard boiled egg was cooked and cut to perfection. They were not stingy with their Parmesan cheese and capers. The sauce was also a good amount, not too much not too little. We also ordered the bacon Caesar salad - the bacon was tasty and fresh, it was juicy and not dry, they were generous with the portion of bacon as well. I recommend the pumpkin soup, it was creamy yet not heavy. It was flavourful and delicious. The multigrain toast slice that came with it was also very delicious, it wasn’t just simply any bread, it went really well with the soup and even on its own it was deep with flavour. The watermelon lychee juice is freshly made, no artificial flavouring or syrups added. It was very pure and homemade.

As for the service, I would like to specially mention Jahangir for being very attentive towards us. Though there were a few servers, his service stood out to me. He was very gently and attentive as to where he should place the food, and whose dish was whose. The chef, Ragu (apologies if this is not the correct spelling) was very friendly as well. However, when we first walked in there was a lady who checked our reservation and she wasn’t very warm or friendly. I felt like I was intruding.

The atmosphere was excellent. The choice of music was relaxing and it was on the right volume level. I could see that many of the patrons were really relaxed in their seats and I can see myself spending a long time here as well. The lighting, the setting and the interior design is excellent they managed to retain some of the old building’s tiles and design yet add a modern feel to it. Some cafes can be very superficial in their approach to this style resulting in a very tense and cold atmosphere, but it was very authentic, organic and calm here. It’s very rare to have proper and genuinely good food in an aesthetically pleasing cafe but i ate well in Kafka and the slightly high prices here was justified by the quality of the food.

Cleanliness of washroom can be improved. I liked that there were quite many stalls but it was obvious that many people have already used it. It needed a refreshment.

Will come back to try more and hang out a...

I would like to share my dining experience at Kafka with you today. the place is full and I waited 5 mins for my table, which is fine. After that I ordered a cappuccino and bacon eggs benedict, and waited. The coffee came and I continue to wait for my food. At 40 mins of waiting and I saw the table ordered before me was enjoying their food, I asked a waiter to check my order, he informed me my food was coming. So I waited some more. 10 mins has passed, still my food has not arrived yet, at this time I have waited 50 mins and the table ordered before me has finished their food. I asked the same waiter again what happened to my food, he said, "they told your food is coming. It's not my fault!", and he walked away.

Then the food came, I took a bite of the bacon, it was cold. And one of the eggs benedict is at the state of almost hard boiled, I poked the egg with my knife and it was intact! The other one can barely passed as egg benedict also. I was so angry, waited 50 minutes to be served cold, hard eggs Benedict!!! I brought the food to the counter and told him the problem, he said he will get the kitchen to make another one. Do I want to wait another 50 minutes for a plate of simple food that they could not get it right the first time? I think not! so I canceled the order.

I asked to speak to their manager, guess what, the manager is out. So I left my phone number for the manger to call me (I am not holding my breath). I then drove to Wheeler's ordered eggs benedict, and the food came in less than 8 minutes after I placed the order. Mind you, the place is pact also people are queueing for a table outside. The servicing staff is also very nice and professional here. I have finished the food and now I am writing this review.

So tell me, Kafka, how come the wheeler's can make eggs benedict and serve in 8 mins, and you took 50 minutes and not even close to getting...

There are two Kafkas in Penang - one in Victoria Street downtown and the other is this one along Kelawai Road. Between the two, I prefer this one as it's more spacious and serves food, whereas the one in town is limited to drinks and cakes.

Housed in an annexe to the Penang Flying Club, you're jostling with other patrons and also club members for the limited parking spaces available in the compound. There is no parking available along Kelawai Road. You'd probably end up driving through the compound area, out to Edgecumbe Lane at the back to find some parking there (if you're lucky).

I love the feel of the modern architecture from the outside of the shop. It's delicately framed by the greenery and gives such a welcoming feeling that draws you into the shop.

Inside you're greeted with a long bar on the right and as you head in to the dining area, it's a very cool and relaxed atmosphere that pervades throughout. There is a distinctive old and new feel as the annexe part is all modern, but you get a staircase that sits right in the middle of the dining area, splitting the dining area.

An extensive selection featuring breakfast, lunch, specialty sandwiches and snacks fills the menu and can be a little overwhelming for some. I have maintained that menus with too many dishes offers a glimpse into the quality of the food - it lacks focus. I would rather have less items, all excellent, rather than so many items, but all average. And that's the main reason why it's lost one star away from the five I would have given.

Be forewarned - it gets crowded during peak periods, and during breakfast on weekends, so come early if you can, or choose a slightly less...