Gartien

Special thanks to Gartien for extending this product review invitation.

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Gartien (小田佳园) is renowned for its exquisite Pineapple Cake (手工凤梨酥, RM45.00). Its raw pineapple are sourced from a plantation in Juru, while the fillings are prepared and baked at its concept store at Penang Road (Jalan Penang).
Gartien is collaborating with several local restaurants to promote its latest product: Crystal Pineapple Confiture (手工水晶凤梨果酱, RM16.80). This product is made from Crystal Pineapple (水晶凤梨), which has firmer texture than other cultivars, making it more suitable as fruit jam.
The restaurants in partnership with Gartien are Kai Curry Bar, Soul Café, Restoran Zi Zai and 43 Café. Not listed but also featured is home-based bakery Nicole's. Each of these partners uses Gartien's Crystal Pineapple Confiture in one of its dishes. This promotion is only available throughout the month of May 2015.
The first place we hit is Kai Curry Bar (Curry Bar カイ) at Jalan Phuah Hin Leong, which I personally acclaim highly. Despite its relative seclusion from vehicular traffic, Kai Curry Bar has been gaining popularity recently.
The dish featured here is Kai Crystal Pineapple Japanese Curry Don (カイクリスタルパイナップル日本カレー丼, RM18.90). Similar to Pork Katsu Curry (ポークカツカレー), this dish consists of pork cutlet served with the house signature curry. Steamed rice is also provided on the side.
For this limited-time dish, the curry gravy is blended with Gartien's Crystal Pineapple Confiture. This gives another dimension of sweet-tangy sensation in complementary to the gravy's savory "umami" (うま味) flavor.
Our next stop lands us at Soul Café along Jalan Kek Chuan. Due to limited floor space, this popular café is often packed with customers in the evenings.
A concoction inspired by Gartien is Ananas Punch (RM11.00). This mocktail beverage is a mixture of Earl Grey tea, carbonated water, lemon juice and Gartien's Crystal Pineapple Confiture.
Traveling across town to Paya Terubong, Restoran Zi Zai (自在饭店) is the next restaurant in the featured list.
Here, we are treated to a scrumptious dish of Zi Zai Crystal Pineapple Pork (自在水晶凤梨咕噜肉, RM12.00). Bite-sized chunks of succulent pork are stir-fried in sweet-and-sour sauce, which is made from rice vinegar, tomato purée and sugar. For limited time in May, Gartien's Crystal Pineapple Confiture is also added at no extra charge.
Crystal Pineapple Confiture is also featured in Nicole's latest creation: Crystal Pineapple Cheesecake (RM80.00). This particular cake is approximately 1.2 kilograms in mass.
Using crushed cookies as the bottom crust, the main layer is made from fresh cheese blended with delectable pineapple chunks. Finally, the chilled cheesecake is topped with pineapple confiture, strawberries and blueberries in an intricate manner.
According to Nicole, the reason that her cheesecake is being chilled (as opposed to being baked) is to maintain the cake's composition (particularly pineapple) the way it is. Uncontrolled heating may chemically alter the ingredients in unexpected ways.
43 Café is also one of the participating restaurants in Gartien's campaign, but I did not manage to cover this restaurant. At 43 Café, the featured dessert is 43 Crystal Pineapple Vanilla Ice-Scream (RM9.00).
Customers who dine at any two of Gartien's partner restaurants and share the photos on social media may redeem a free jar of Crystal Pineapple Confiture directly from Gartien. This promotion is only available while stocks last.

Name: Gartien (小田佳园)
Address: 380, Jalan Penang, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-229-0068
Business hours: 9:00am-6:00pm, closed on Mondays
Coordinates: 5.41645 N, 100.32936 E
Directions: From Jalan Dato Keramat, Macalister Road (Jalan Macalister) or Magazine Road (Jalan Magazine), turn to this one-way section of Penang Road. Gartien is located approximately 200 meters ahead on the left. As for parking, turn left into Lorong Bertam just before the traffic lights. There is an open-air parking compound on the right. Remember to bring your parking ticket to Gartien for validation.

Name: Kai Curry Bar (Curry Bar カイ)
Address: 15, Jalan Phuah Hin Leong, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-226-0322
Business hours: 11:00am-3:00pm, 6:00pm-9:00pm, closed on Sundays and Mondays
Coordinates: 5.42369 N, 100.32257 E
Directions: Driving along Burmah Road (Jalan Burma) from New World Park, turn right to Jalan Phuah Hin Leong. This small road is somewhat opposite of Union Primary School. Kai Curry Bar is one of the shops on the left. Parking is limited in this neighborhood; be tactful not to obstruct other houses.

Name: Soul Café
Address: 12, Jalan Kek Chuan, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-226-8200
Business hours: 11:00am-11:00pm, closed on Sundays
Coordinates: 5.41509 N, 100.32451 E
Directions: From Macalister Road (Jalan Macalister), turn to Jalan Kek Chuan opposite the UMNO building. Soul Café is one of the colorful shops on the right. Street parking is available along Jalan Kek Chuan, Jalan Irving and Lorong Susu.

Name: Restoran Zi Zai (自在饭店)
Address: 1239-G, Jalan Paya Terubong, 11060 Air Itam, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-826-5713
Business hours: 6:00pm-10:30pm, closed on Tuesdays
Coordinates: 5.38741 N, 100.27393 E
Directions: From the newly-built Shell gas station at Jalan Paya Terubong, drive northwards towards Air Itam. Restoran Zi Zai is only 250 meters away on the left. In the evening, there are plenty of parking spaces in front of the restaurant.

Name: 43 Café
Address: 43, Jalan Sungai Dua, 11700 Gelugor, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 016-430-7009
Business hours: 5:30pm-10:00pm
Coordinates: 5.35321 N, 100.30383 E
Directions: From Lebuhraya Gelugor, turn to Jalan Sungai Dua towards one of USM's entrances. 43 Café is approximately 400 meters away on the left. Turn left to the service road parallel to Jalan Sungai Dua. There are parking spaces along this service road.

Name: Nicole's
Address: N/A
Contact: 012-492-1648
Business hours: N/A
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A

Labels:
Location: George Town, Penang

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