PUTIEN @ Gurney Paragon — Restaurant in George Town

As an MLA (Malaysian Living Abroad), I’ve had to live vicariously through the postings on this group. I’ve salivated at the many food postings and finally, I’m back home for a 2 week holiday.

As a Malaysian Chinese brought up in Kajang, I grew up taking our food heritage and culture for granted. Though the Malaysian food scene in UK is finally improving, it’s not til you’re taken out of the familiar that you really appreciate what you had. It’s not just the tastes, smells and sounds of our food but the whole culture where life revolves around food, where we would travel far and eat in a shack for the best food and where everyone is a food critic.

Not only do we have the best of many cultures and fusion cuisine in this melting pot of Malaysia, I actually think that we have improved on the original. On my travels to China, I found the food there a bit bland and a bit greasy compared to Chinese food in Malaysia.

Covid means that I haven’t been home for 3 years. While being an MLA means I see Malaysia in odd annual snapshots, this longer than normal break and covid has made me wonder if Penang has changed more than normal

My uncle kindly took me out to eat at Putien in Gurney Paragon Mall. I’ve watched various documentaries and read articles on how hawker food may gradually die out as the returns aren’t as good compared to restaurants and the younger generation don’t want to take over what is a hard way to make a living

Putien is exactly the sort of slick operation that could threaten the hawker food scene. Air conditioned. Impressive chandeliers. Ample parking. Ability to reserve tables. The menu says that its sister restaurants hold a Michelin star and a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

The food was good. My favourite dishes were the claypot fish soup (good umami hit with the soup) and Nestum prawns. The staff were very responsive to customer requests. All very creditable and I would recommend Putien but it’s not the Penang I know and love. I hope that there will be a place for both food experiences in the new and evolving Penang...

It was an awful experience with Putien in Gurney Paragon. It was our first visit to Putien, Gurney Paragon. We were told to wait for our seats for approximately 15-20 minutes for the first wait. There were two staffs standing at the registration counter, one of them was trying to comfort us with some refreshments and showed us their menu during our wait, BUT the other staff was busying with her phone and did not even try to help out but just keep on texting with her phone. 20 minutes past, and their staff told us to get ready for our seats while they are cleaning and setting up for our seats.The staffs told us that there were 2 squared tables but it will be a bit pack to fit in everyone. So they said they will arrange another table to accommodate all of us. We are okay with their assigned arrangement of three tables. After that, they were called by their manager and they negotiate for about 5 minutes. END UP, they told us that the manager do not allow them to do so. The manager inform their staffs to make us wait for another 15-20 minutes (the total waiting time would be around 50 minutes). The first mentioned staff was trying to pacify us because of the long wait. Conversely, the rude phubbing staff hand over a name card with a name JIA and she said in a scorn manner : "Make reservation next time then, if not you will have to wait like this every single time when you pay your visit". This is how we were "welcomed" by this MICHELIN ONE STAR restaurant. End up, we decided not to wait, give back that name card and leave. Overall, this restaurant does deserve a zero star rating. They are the ones who made such arrangement and end up saying that they don't allow us to dine. Such contradiction and terrible service broadened my horizons on the operation of this Michelin One...

On my second visit to Putien in Gurney Paragon, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the experience had improved. From the moment I stepped in, I was greeted warmly with their distinctive Fujian accent, which added a personal touch to the dining atmosphere. The waitress attending to us was attentive, helpful, and very polite, making sure we were comfortable throughout the meal. This time, we were also served their refreshing lime welcome drink, which was a thoughtful gesture.

We started with their mini wantan soup with seaweed, which was hot, tangy, and comforting — a perfect appetizer to set the tone. The tofu soup with cabbage was another highlight, simple yet packed with a clean, nourishing flavor. The stir-fried vermicelli was outstanding — delicate, flavorful, and served hot with just the right texture. The garlic chicken was another star of the evening, crispy on the outside while remaining tender and juicy inside. To complement the dishes, I had their barley drink, which was light, refreshing, and not overly sweet.

For dessert, the jello with fruit provided a refreshing finish to the meal. Compared to my first visit, this experience felt far more polished and enjoyable. Every dish was served at the right temperature, with flavors that were both comforting and memorable. Overall, Putien truly lived up to its Michelin-star reputation this time. If there is any Asian restaurant I would confidently recommend for consistency and quality, it would be Putien. A well-deserved recognition —...