Apollo BM Western Food (Bukit Mertajam) — Restaurant in Penang

Passed by this restaurant/cafe a few times when we were in the business area and decided to give it a go. Located at Kota Permai, parking is fairly easy, though driving in and out of the area can be a tad difficult depending on traffic condition as it is quite near to the traffic light from Song Ban Kheng Rd leading to Kota Permai area. A note that the place opens at 6pm for dinner, and we wish it opens earlier, perhaps at 5 or 5.30pm instead for those who have their meals earlier, as well as those travelling home from work.

The place is nicely decorated and does not feel super high class, just warm, friendly and clean. There are a few awards behind the counter but I am not too sure what they are for and by which body.

The menu was very clear and well laid out. Prices are competitive relative to the portions served. As per recommendations from other reviewers, we tried the signature otak-otak seafood spaghetti, the kerabu chicken chop, and mushroom soup with bread..

The mushroom soup and bread, and otak-otak seafood spaghetti arrived first after about 20 minutes. While we do not expect a cafe to follow the conventions of western dining, generally the soup should be served first, then followed by the mains, not at the same time. The problem with this is that (1) the soup will be colder if we eat the main (otak-otak seafood spaghetti) first, and (2) the strong flavours of the otak-otak seafood spaghetti will spoil the taste of the soup if both are eaten at the same time.

Having said that, the soup with bread was not up to expectations. The soup could be blended more finely and we could still taste bits of the ingredients. The bread was also not crispy and lacks garlic.

One of the reasons we ordered the otak-otak seafood spaghetti was that we were curious if the fusion of traditional nyonya and Italian works well. We were pleased that it matched perfectly and resulted in a beautiful dish which just pleases the tastebuds. The ingredients were also fresh and there was enough seafood to make the meal a joy.

The kerabu chicken chop took a while to arrive and we were delighted that it is a good hearty portion. The photos do not show the French fries which were hidden under the fried chicken. The chicken was tender in the inside but crispy outside. The accompanying salad was also fresh though we thought it could do with a bit more dressing.

On the whole, this is a place which offers western fusion food that are well priced, taste good and should appeal to masses. We would be happy to return to try other offerings...

First time here, seeing the review above 4. Ordered Thai Kerabu Chicken Chop, Otak-otak spaghetti, and mushroom soup . I'm a man, so I never in my life ordered spaghetti in restaurants for myself, well guess what, this is the first time I got attracted to order one.

The spaghetti sauce does slightly resemble Otak-otak but not too much. But it is very unique and flavourful, the taste is just right and perfectly balanced, not too spicy (see image of how I jilat my plate to know how tasty it is). Mushroom soup also recommended, very in depth umami flavour, not like the ones in Pizza Hut or IKEA.

Chicken chop, omg. Kerabu spot on, not too spicy, not too sour. Thai sauce very balanced, very flavourful, feels like home made, not cheap taste like the ones I eat at hawker stalls or James Foo. The chicken omg hands down the best I have (imagine me praising the fried chicken lmao), its batter is very light, not overcooked, not burnt, flavour gives a light hint of spice (almost like KFC flavour). The chicken fuiyoh very juicy and not dry. The size and portion is seriously big, and it definitely is not because of the flour and batter.

Overall, the dishes, taste 10/10. The chef cooks with passion, understands flavour, and that's why a humble restaurant like them cooks amazing dishes like these. I am not a TomYum or Thai fan, but this is their specialty, fusion of western and thai. They do not have my favourite salted egg, but their food beats almost every western restaurant I tried.

Ambience is ok, not too atas, just a humble cozy western restaurant. Price super reasonable, almost everything is below RM20, and portion is huge, not like Unknown (auto-city) or Empat Sekawan. If you are a middle income family, you can definitely come here every week. Service is above ok, I see they refuse to do online orders, so more human interaction, I like it. Even plain water is served with lemon, it's a small gesture, but it tells a lot of how much hospitality this restaurant gives.

Unknown, Empat Sekawan, The Brew House, James Foo, Green Island really need to learn from them. Food is what brings customers...

Came on 22 June 2025, 6:50pm and noticed that is fully booked. So have to drop my contact number for them to call once table is available. A crew led me to reservation counter for next process and shown me the paper to jot my contact. Then the crew went to check any table available because I just need 2 pax. Out of my curiousity I tried to grab the paper to jot my contact and at the same time just to see how many reservation ahead me. OUT OF SUDDEN the restaurant manager (a slim guy) ran fast to me and rudely taken the paper and quoted ‘THIS ONE CANNOT LET YOU SEE ONE!’ With his high tone and fierce face! Hello if cannot let other see then keep in inside the counter! Don’t just simply put on table! I lost my appetite completely even just try to make booking via walk-in! REALLY BAD SERVICE ! MOREOVER FROM A MANAGER 🤦🏻🤦🏻🤦🏻 Oh myyy…. don’t make me laugh la...