Views & Expressions: Basil Le Bistrot

Nestled in the heritage buildings in Lebuh Kek Chuan, Basil, Le Bistrot is yet another newly opened restaurant cum cafe. Located inside a newly renovated prewar building, Basil, Le Bistrot carries a nostalgic aura with a touch of modern design.

With the display of fresh bread and pastries by the counter, Basil, Le Bistrot reminded me strongly of the cafes I frequented in London. The wide variety of bread and pastries is impressive with uncommon items in Malaysian bakeries like English muffins, Brioche etc for sale. Such a great antidote for my London withdrawal syndrome!

Bread for sale! I miss seeing these sort of bread in cafes.

The menu consist of a selection of appetizers, main courses and side dishes and a small variety of all day breakfast including the standard English breakfast, eggs Florantine etc. The typical menu of the cafes that are mushrooming in Penang though I must say that the menu in Basil, Le Bistrot is far more impressive than many others.

Eggs Florantine @ RM15.00

Poached eggs, spinach and ham on their homemade English muffins topped with

a bright yellow Hollandaise sauce served with salad leaves. The eggs Florantine is beautifully done with the poached eggs cooked to the right perfection. Absolutely

lovely Hollandaise sauce that makes a perfect traditional accompaniment.

(Florantine is supposed to be spelt as Florentine)

Demi Breakfast @ RM15.00

The standard reduced sized English breakfast. Bacon, fresh mushrooms, poached eggs, baked beans with a slice of white and brown bread is a standard traditional combination that could never possibly go wrong. The bread is just the way the French bakeries would bake theirs. Absolutely amazing sourdough bread. The poached eggs on the Demi Breakfast was overcooked with the yolk losing its flowy viscosity.

Gratin Seafood Pie @ RM24.00

Despite the name, the seafood pie is in fact the fish pie that is often found in UK.

An assortment of seafood, fish chunks cooked inside fish broth, topped with mashed potatoes and grated cheese, the seafood pie had a generous amount of mash

potatoes with a reasonable amount of seafood. Despite tasting delicious, the seafood especially prawns were clearly nowhere close to fresh. With a mushy texture,

the prawns in the pie was a huge disappointment. Served with a slice of white

and brown bread, the seafood pie was a carbohydrate overload.

Grilled Baby Octopus, Rocket Leaves and Artichoke Salad @ RM26.00

The special menu during our visit, the salad is a refreshing combination of grilled

baby octopus, rocket leaves and artichoke. Be warned, the portion is far from being a suitable main course. Although the portion of grilled baby octopus was generous,

looking for artichoke was like treasure hunting. Tossed in balsamic dressing, the salad is a wonderful combination despite the lack of artichoke.

The drinks menu is classic of a cafe with the standard coffee and tea assortment dominating most of the choices.

Honey Lemon @ RM7.00

Cafe Latte @ RM9.00

Dessert is the best part of the dining experience! Usually spoilt for choice in London, good French pastries and dessert are so hard to come by in Penang. Their small variety is satisfying with a few great choices.

Tart Au Citron @ RM12.00

Sweet tart crust with orange mousse and fresh cream. Amidst being slightly sweet

for my liking, the tart is rich with the taste of citron. A decent pastry.

Tiramisu @ RM12.00

Sponge soaked in coffee and rum, topped with mascaporne cheese and dusted off with chocolate powder all packed into a cute jar. The tiramisu is rich and the sponge is well soaked with coffee (a little too over soaked). A great way to end a meal.

Their interior design is a great blend of the past and present. A lovely place to snap a few photos!