[Malaysia: Penang] Gēn 根

Rating: 3.75/5

Meaning roots in Chinese, Gēn 根 tells a story of Malaysian ingredients and local flavors. Chef-owner Johnson Wong draws inspirations from his childhood memories and the freshest seasonal ingredients for the tasting menu. Accompanying the menu is a pamphlet that explains all of the local ingredients on the menu with some that I’ve never heard of such as keranji (jungle raisin), melo melo (large sea snail), and buah keluak / buah kulim. Highlights included the hot soothing grouper broth to kickstart the meal, ginger flower with ming prawn, smoky mussel with chestnut, golden age cow with keranji, and melo melo with a rich egg yolk sauce.

Coral Grouper, Cekur, Green Peppercorn
东星斑，沙姜，青胡椒

Ming Prawn, Gingerflower, Rose
明虾，火炬薑，玫瑰

Mussel, Chestnut, Pine Needie
青口，栗子，松针

Golden Age Cow, Keranji, Cherry Radish
奶牛，橄榄子，樱桃萝卜

Corn-fed Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chamomile
粟米鸡，鸡肝，洋甘菊

Flower Crab, White Corn, Beechey Bamboo
花蟹，白玉米，吊丝球竹

Melo Melo, Just Telur, Mulberry
椰子螺，Just Telur蛋，桑葚

Marble Goby, Pandan Emorio Rice, Eucheuma
笋壳鱼，香兰胚芽米，麒麟海藻

White Strawberry, Goat Cheese, Strawberry Amazake
白草莓，山羊奶赂，草莓甘花

Buah Kulim, Buah Keluak, Gula Apong
居林果，黑果，亚答糖

Birdnest, Starfruit, Barley
燕窝，杨桃，薏米

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