D' Fat Mona Lisa

Special thanks to D' Fat Mona Lisa Café for extending this food review invitation.

Barely a month has transpired, yet my culinary journey brings me back to D' Fat Mona Lisa Café at Jalan Free School. Unlike the previous food tasting session, the restaurant has officially opened for business for several weeks already.

Before stepping in the café, it is an unwritten rule to catch a photo opportunity with Mona Lisa. Choose either the original one as painted by Leonardo da Vinci, or the restaurant's lovable plump version. The mascot of this restaurant is actually based on an actual person. Who? Well, it is for me to know and for you to find out!

The interior décor is now way cozier than before. In fact, this is one of the most elegantly designed café that I have seen for a long time. And this not a statement that I take lightly.

Besides lazy chairs and comfy couches, customers may opt to dine using proper tables. If you are just here to catch a casual drink with a friend, the bar counter may serve this purpose perfectly.

As it is Christmas season, one corner of the restaurant is dedicated to yuletide decorations. It's been a while since I last saw lavender. Well, these lavender flowers are mock ones anyway.

The ordering counter has been made tidier by moving the kitchen to the back. This gives more room for the barista to work with. In fact, D' Fat Mona Lisa has plans to send its chief barista to an academy overseas. Looks like the management spares no expense to provide superior dining experience.

As recommended by my host today, I requested for the Roasted Espresso Chicken (RM16.90). This dish consists of a portion of chicken thigh and drumstick, with mashed potato and garden salad on the side.

The chicken is what an avid coffee lover dreams of every night! Firstly, the chicken is marinated with espresso so that its bold taste is imparted into poultry. The chicken then slowly roasted, then served with gravy which also contains espresso! Espresso manifests itself as a pleasant bitter aftertaste, very much to my delight. However, one must truly love coffee in order to appreciate this dish.

The mashed potato is also reasonably delectable. I exploit the mashed potato by using it to wipe up any residual gravy on the plate. The espresso gravy is just too nice to pass off!

The barista recommended the Matcha Latte (RM11.00), so I obliged to make it my choice of drink today. Speaking as an avid matcha fan, I am also impressed with this fine cup of green tea-infused beverage. The influence of matcha is strong in terms of aroma and flavor. The drink is not too sweet too - this is a definite plus.

At D' Fat Mona Lisa, the cakes are specially sourced from several home-based suppliers. Of course, the cost is higher than commercial grade bakeries. Nevertheless, I am unsurprised that the restaurant goes for quality rather than convenience.

Since I am trying not-so-mainstream items today, why not hit off the tangent with an exotically-sounding Rum Cake (RM12.90)? This chocolate sponge cake is laced with actual rum, giving each bite a thrilling sensation down the throat. The rich chocolate goodness is also enjoyable.

D' Fat Mona Lisa Café has several conference rooms upstairs. These rooms are suitable for small corporate meetings. As the café is just downstairs, there are also rental packages which include meals. Do call up to enquire for details.

Name: D' Fat Mona Lisa Café
Address: 43, Jalan Free School, 11600 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-281-0797
Business hours: 11:00am-11:00pm (Monday-Thursday), 10:00am-12:00am (Friday-Sunday)
Website: http://www.dfatmonalisacafe.com
Coordinates: 5.40284 N, 100.30763 E
Directions: From Penang Free School, drive along Jalan Free School towards the round-about. D' Fat Mona Lisa Café is about 100 meters before the round-about, just opposite the retirement home. There is ample parking space within the compound.