Suffolk House Restored, Georgetown Penang

A Bridge too near - over a creek running beside the restored Suffolk House.

The Captain came from not the aristocrat, but from an adopted middle class family in mid 18th century England.His second son as a Surveyor General was responsible for  the beginnings of what was to become modern day Adelaide.  The life of Francis Light is not very well known, but his legacy impacted on at least three nations.  To me, Light's skills in political negotiation, dealing well with unknown cultures and sense of adventure were the most important things about the man.  My primary school attended was named after this founder of Georgetown, on a tropical isle whose value located along the trading routes was not realised until a Brit guy seized the opportunity, established a settlement out of the jungle and never looked back.  Captain Francis Light embraced the unknown, seized the future and worked on advancing an opportunity not just for himself but paved the way for immigrants from China, India, Thailand, Sumatra and Burma to carve out a new  and better life.  Light was the son of William Negus and his servant girl Mary Light.  The eventual  founder of the colony of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles, had first arrived in the region working in Penang.

Tropical practicality - open air verandahs, louvred doors and hanging lamps.

Only ten years after the American Declaration of Independence in 1776 was the colony of Georgetown on Penang Island founded by Light. There are the stories of how the Captain ordered for sovereign coins to be dispersed by cannon on to thick bush to motivate people to clear the jungle fast.  Francis was born in Dallinghoo in Suffolk (East Anglia) in the mother country and before arriving in Penang, was based as a trader in Salang in Phuket Island in nearby Siam.  This must have been where he met his future wife, Martinha Rozells, a woman of both Portuguese and Siamese heritage and later, mother to Colonel William Light. Martinha was Catholic and posed a potential issue to the Church of England, to which Francis belonged to.  Apparently, the marriage was never declared to the English authorities.  Captain Light had three daughters (Ann, Sarah and Mary)  and two sons (William and Francis Lanoon) with Martinha.

A Francis Light II passed away in Taiping in 1906, whilst an Augusta Victoria Light survived in Penang itself until 1972.  Not much recognition is given in modern day Malaysia for the Captain's efforts, but he is buried at the Protestant Cemetery along Northam Road.  William Light was born in Kuala Kedah on the mainland of the Malayan peninsular across from Penang island but was sent to England at the age of six years old.  The Lights are also linked to the Bain family in the 20th century.

In the early 19th century, it was the fashion to retire to writing, reading and reflecting in the drawing room at the end of a the day.

The original residence, located on the inner outskirts of Georgetown, along the banks of the Black River (Air Itam), is said to be occupied by the first Light family in south-east Asia, and then sold to William Edward Phillips, who constructed the Georgian styled mansion we often visualise as Suffolk House. Francis Light and his family in fact occupied a construction made more of attap and timber, but did maintain pepper gardens in the vicinity.  Edwards later became a Governor of this Prince of Wales Island, the official name of the settlement until 1876 (the year the British Straits Settlements was established with Malacca and Singapore).  Suffolk House was occupied by a series of Governors.  The political base of the Settlements then shifted to a more prosperous and strategic Singapore.  Suffolk House then came under the ownership of Penang local Lim Cheng Teik, a millionaire trader, before being passed for a sum of 40,000 Straits Settlement dollars to the Reverend P.L. Peach of the Methodist Church of Malaya.

A cuppa of tea, cakes and a cigar box - the vibes of the early colony for the new aristocrats of the island settlement.

Captain Light had obtained possession of Penang Island from the Sultan of Kedah without informing the British East India Company.  This oversight was uncovered when the military protection Light promised the Sultan from the British did not eventuate when Kedah was attacked by the Siamese. The history of Penang inevitably became intertwined with the Siamese kingdom, British colonial influence over the Malay States on the mainland and the focus of immigration, trade and stability for people fleeing unstable times in China and India.   Penang's ambitions as a vital port and middleman power was realised for many years, until it had to concede this position to Singapore at the southern end of the Straits of Malacca. Like Singapore, however, Penang attracted many immigrants of Chinese origin from southern China, especially  Fujian, Hainan and Guangdong.  There was also an overflow of Chinese  already in nearby Perak (Taiping and Ipoh) and who were there earlier due to the tin mining boom.  It is said that when the United States of America closed the doors on East Asians entering after the heady days of the California Gold Rush, the Chinese began to focus on south-east Asia to escape the dire economic conditions of the last dynasty (the Qing).

The table setting for a formal meal  - later replicated by the Straits Chinese, who adored the British as a community - as the Tok Panjang (or literally, long table) for festive gatherings.

A walk around the restored residence and grounds of the Suffolk House today would impress on visitors the detailed attention given in the renovations undertaken in the past few years.  History is always interpreted and preserved by those in current political power - and if not for the perseverance and funding from a select non-government group in Penang and the SACON Heritage Unit from Adelaide,  the modern version of Suffolk House would not have seen the light of day.  When the place began its period of decay, the building was still utilised to hold classes and operate as a day canteen for students of the nearby Methodist Boys School.

Today all has been transformed, although some locals observe why some specific rooms are never open to the public.  The upper floor actually collapsed many years ago due to the sheer weight of neglect and  lack of monies for repairs.  Henry and I visited Suffolk House on a rather moist refreshing morning during a week of periodic but rather torrential rain.   I reckoned this was the best time to explore its gardens, when flora was utmost green and must have echoed more of the climate more than 250 years ago.  Suffolk House was the winner of the UNESCO Asia-pacific Heritage Awards in 2008.

The lawns and grounds of Suffolk House.

At the ball room on the upper floor, with a bust of Captain Francis Light - it is said that the facial countenance represented here was more of his son Colonel William Light.

Polished floorboards bring us back to evenings when Suffolk House was a centre of social and political activity.

Model of the restored residence  and significant function house.

Mansions and bungalows tend to have this arched porch in an architectural design doted across Penang Island . especially Georgetown, inherited from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

High tea options surrounded by foliage not far from downtown Georgetown.

Apart from dropping by inside a small souvenir room, front reception landing and walk around rooms, visitors can also try meals, including high tea, at the restaurant on the ground floor and at the back of Suffolk House. The operators have been doing this for several years and the menu is influenced by both past and present concepts of fine dining.  The menu includes a variety of both Eastern and Western creations.  Interesting was the availability of Nespresso coffee varieties.  Afternoon tea commences at 230pm, with three-tiered trays of  freshly made single serve chicken pies, scones, cakes and cucumber and salmon sandwiches.  Accompanying preserves offered include tangy apple ginger compote, strawberry and pineapple marmalade.

Vista outside the restaurant window. 

I admired the timber floorings, the high ceilings and the lovingly finished detail.  The young Indian woman who opened the souvenir section for us was friendly and informative.  She hails from Kuala Lumpur and also mentioned about her personal blog site.   I found Suffolk House tranquil, eye-opening and a refuge from modern society.  It is a corner of England from the past, hopefully sufficiently embraced by the present and a gem to preserve for the future.  Those in charge can consider holding staged performances, strengthening personalised or group guided tours and having community based groups learn about this fascinating and rich past of Penang.  It is a settlement that was established before Sydney.

Fine dining possibilities - but is the jury still out on the food and value?

Suffolk House today as you approach it from the front.

Music is the refuge of the heart and soul, away from the ordinariness of life.

A perfect place to while away a moist and cloudy afternoon in Penang Island.

Memories of old England - with touches of the Far East.

Suffolk House is located at 250 Air Itam Road, 10460 Penang in Malaysia.

Tao's at Times Square, Georgetown - Penang

Scallops on the shell, flavoured by mayonnaise and miso - one of my favourites, looking good as well, like golden fans .- 

My favourites at Tao's remain rather consistent I must say - soft shell crab karate, unagi, California maki rolls, age dashi tofu, salmon papaya salad and salmon sushi.
Recently I had the opportunity to try these again at another outlet of Tao's on the island of Penang.
The feel and bite of Japanese cuisine in a tropical climate can vary with the source of their ingredients and the regional fashion of where the cuisine is based originally.   Sure, Tao's has the grilled stuff, the noodles, the rolls, the fried, the cold cuts and steamed dishes, but I do somehow remain of the view that Tao's menu is somehow geared for the local diners instead of anything more else.
I am curious about the pumpkin korokke and may go for this the next time.  Otherwise, every time I am in Tao's, it is with people I am familiar with, and we can all let our hair hang out so to speak.  Tao's all you can eat option is popular with those under 30 years old, but anyone can also opt for ala carte.

They may not look good but I assure you they are snappy crunchy delicious.

Ice cream with topping  and cakes - not very Japanese, but what the Malaysian market expects.

A selection of the sushi and sashimi  from the buffet counter.

Abalone strips, subtle and yet rewarding.

Salmon delicately rolled and served in a rather welcoming marinade.

The grill centre at Tao, with staff form various backgrounds.

Something for the vegetarians - grilled mushrooms on a skewer.

Hard boiled egg garnished with mayonnaise - looks simple but fresh ingredients do make the wholesomeness of the salad.

A cloudy day in central Georgetown, with Penang Hill in the background - view after stepping out of the Tao outlet at Berjaya Times Square.

The Tao chain in Malaysia include an outlet in Kota Damansara in the Klang Valley, Selangor and an earlier one in Autocity Juru on the mainland portion of Penang State.  Settings inside each restaurant are purposefully zen like with low lighting, as if you are inside a ryokan.  Be careful with several items in the Tao cuisine as they are not totally Japanese in origin -  that is the irresistible reality of multi-cultural Malaysia, for you can also have Thai tomyam soup, Sichuan spicy fish, Cantonese smoked duck, prawn mantis Taiwan style and deep fried chicken wings with a chili twist.

Hyde Park Barracks Cafe, Sydney CBD

Remniscient of a manor in countryside Britain, this preserved building now houses a delightful venue to meet up for meals in Sydney's own colonial quarter.

Times were not exactly as hoped for. The natives did not pose a strong threat to colonial interests as in the nearby South Pacific and the climate was more benign than Mother England.  Still, there were concerns about sustaining a viable fresh food and water supply, the hinterland was mostly unknown and the Euro adventure powers were fighting amongst themselves on the sea routes leading to this land.  The motley make up of the settlers ranged from teenagers convicted for stealing a loaf of bread in London to the well heeled males of ambition and power representing the government of the harbour settlement.  This was yet another new frontier, after the American colonies were lost and the next stage of possibilities away from the sultry climes of the Equatorial spice islands.  Here was a huge basin, with a river that ran inland and with a landscape of hills, bays and creeks - the home of the Eora. And so began the story of the British settlement of Sydney.  Three main clans of indigenous tribe already were there before the advent of Governor Macquarie - the Cammeraygal, the Wanegal and the Cadigal.  The well known Bennelong, remembered today near the Sydney Opera House,belonged to the Wanegals.

Beautiful fresh produce are critical to a memorable breakfast.

Today, the grounds of modern day Hyde Park Barracks are free to explore for any visitor.  Located at the north-eastern corner of Sydney CBD, they are located on high ground, with the obvious advantage to ward off military attacks.  Sandstone was and is prevalent - lending stability and solidity to the constructions of a new colony around 225 years ago.   Hyde Park lay in the realm of the Cadigal peoples.  The Barracks were constructed to house convict men and boys - and the architect Francis Greenway himself was one of them.  Surrounded by Queens Square and Macquarie Street, the brick buildings were later utilised to accommodate destitute women. The occasion of the 50th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria was an opportunity to refurbish this area - which was renamed the Chancery Square.  What were once working courts, offices and corridors has now been assigned as a living museum in the 21st century.

Hidden delights of heritage architecture can amaze visitors to the Cafe.

One specific  building houses the Hyde Park Barracks Cafe, open for breakfast, high tea and lunch.  The site suggests a theme of heritage for weddings, gatherings and dress up.  The menu however has touches of the Mediterranean instead of just only scones and English tea - you can have your panini,  yogurt Pannacotta and afagato, in addition to Eggs Benedict, cheesecakes and poached salmon.  there are also modern Australian variations like twice cooked pork belly omelette, pan fried duck breast and crispy skin barramundi fillet - hmmn, stirring memories of Salamanca Place in Hobart, Tasmania.  All day available dessert items include sorbets, gelatos, apple date and almond cigars, gananche tarts, flourless cake and mango parfait.  The cuisine suggests of country side air and ambiance, but you could be in David Jones department store, Pitt Street mall and Chinatown within half an hour's walking distance.

Only Italian design can complement so well with Australian sand stone.

Attestation to the influences of immigration, the surroundings not only echo colonial history, but Italian charm, Irish famine, modern chic and architecture of government.  The green lung of Sydney CBD, Hyde Park itself, literally is across the road, with its War Memorial, giant chess set and evening summer Noodles Market.  The park is the oldest public parkland in Australia. Notable  icons to visit in this area are the Australian Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral, the Obelisk, the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the Sydney Grammar School.  Londoners have no uncertainty as to the origin of the name of the Park - and this same penchant for naming streets and places in the Antipodes after places in Britain itself is replicated in almost every corner of modern day Australia.

Turbulent times in old Ireland are respectfully remembered near the Cafe.

The regulars do get their cuppa in the early morning.

Cafe staff Trudy was chatty and friendly even at breakfast time. By sheer coincidence, she used to reside in the Wollongong area but now dwells in inner city Sydney.  In the cafe, you can observe the outside world through colonial fashioned glass windows but there are not many passers-by here, adding to a quaint sense of remoteness even when you are in Australia's largest conurbation. could this cafe do more to attract regulars, perhaps by holding themed nights, special tours for kids and tourists, or by holding dear its heritage advantage than just naming a breakfast as convict?  The question is whether guests come here to find a refuge or to have a party.

A selection labelled the Convict, but with modern Australian produce.

This precinct does offer a feel and time different from the more crowded parts of Sydney city centre. As a collective experience, institutions, businesses and public places here have to do more than rely on heritage and food. Yes, there are annual events like Light Up Sydney which magically transforms this area on early winter nights. The area benefits from events held at Sydney Harbour like the massive fireworks on New Year's Eve and the recent Naval Review.  The big question is how to draw individuals back and not just to come to the place once or only revisit after a long period of time.

Bricked fireplaces open to the inspection of visitors after a meal at the Cafe.

Sushi Tei, Chiefly Square - Sydney CBD

Crunchy on the bite - deep fried lotus roots, very East Asian but goes well with any beer

Fusion offerings like the Salmon Wafuu Carpaccio or the Aburi Salmon rolls (made with both normal crab meat and soft shell crab variety) caught my eye as we studied the menu at Sushi Tei.  Twilight was evolving outside but we were cocooned in a corner, dabbling in small talk and enjoying a reunion of sorts.  There was a certain elegance of this place, for it was no street side noodle joint nor having the feel of eat and go, but more of a place with time on hand to enjoy the pace and discover hidden delights.

What stood out was the sauce to accompany the salad.

We commenced with a simple but uplifting salad mix, enhanced by an extraordinary sauce.  We did not choose seaweed nor avocado, but simple greens like an Aussie serving.  We skipped over king fish, oysters, beef, tofu or octopus. We longed for sea urchin ( the Nama Uni) but it was no longer available that evening.  Service was satisfactory although the place was rather busy for a work day evening.  Cuts were petite, presentation was with care and the ingredients used were full of flavours.  I reckoned what won us was the attention to detail and a sense of uniqueness.

Spring specials - and I like the Bonito dishes.

Spring menus were advertised in this late October visit.  Boutique wines like Verdelho vintages and organic chardonnays grace your choices.   There are loyalty cards to spur return visits but I figured the quality and variety of the menu at Sushi Tei were sufficient to entice me back.  The restaurant is open every night and also has a sister operation at Liverpool Street in Sydney CBD.

Sushi Tei is located at the corner of Hunter and Elizabeth Streets in Sydney CBD North and shares a ground floor site with an ANZ Bank branch.

Salmon roe or the Ikura,  tuna and seaweed creations.

Apart from the expected items of tuna sushi and tender flavourful cuts of salmon sashimi, I particularly enjoyed the Salmon head Oroshini, readily inviting bites of addictive snacks that exude taste and crunchiness.  Another seafood item of interest is the Hotate miso mayo, or golden looking scallops on the shell grilled with a marinade of miso and mayonnaise.   Unagi avocado temaki rolls are also one of my weaknesses, for my introduction to eel has been happily made through Nippon cuisine.  The      uninitiated may find peculiar the availability of fish floss, as opposed to meat floss, and Sushi Tei combines such floss with fried prawns in a Maki.

A classic Cawan Mushi, with subtlety of steamed egg custard and ingredients such as mushroom bites.

A twist on a soup is the salmon belly Misoshiru, a rather rich ingredient to grace the otherwise plain miso soup.  For beer lovers, there is nothing better to accompany your drink than with the Hanasaki Ika tempura, or simply squid battered stuff.  Soft shell crab is a favourite ingredient in Asian cuisine, especially for those blessed with long coast lines, whether they be Thailand or Vietnam.  In Japan, the art is to attain the aromas of the shell crab with the crunchy bite of texture. Japanese cuisine is also fond of croquettes, although they are not strictly traditional and have been influenced by the Westernisation period in history.  Sushi Tei in this respect offers the Hokkaido Kani Cream Croquette, looking pretty and wholesome.

A dollop of ice cream flavoured by black sesame - the Kurogoma Aisukurimu.  They also serve Matcha (green tea ) and the Azuki (red bean) varieties.

There is often a limited range in Japanese dessert, so we reverted to relying on good old ice cream.  The spectrum of jellies, sweet dumplings, chocolate creations, sweet buns, Nagasaki sponge cake castellas and deep fried doughs like the Sata Andagi is not fully available in a single outlet in Australia.

Chiefly Tower and shopping centre beckons from across the road.

Squid and smelt roe, grilled mackerel, edible wild plants, these are some of the captivating items on the Sushi Tei menu.  Try to get seats beside the windows, for you can also watch and stare at the street life that passes by.  Whether for an evening gathering (as for seven of us) or savouring the food and drink at a business lunch, it may be worth checking out items other than standard fare like katsu - and suss out their unique small snacks, including the black caviar sushi (Gunkan).

The Kebaya Restaurant at the Seven Terraces - Georgetown, Penang

The Nyonyas and Babas were affectionately accepted by Queen Victoria as the 'King's Chinese".  The Kebaya reflects on such sentiments by offering the fish mousse (the otak-otak) to be eaten with miniature chicken pies.

Christopher  Ong and partner Karl Steinberg have done an excellent job in restoring several formerly decrepit Victorian styled terrace houses into a  swanky and yet historically beautiful abode for visitors in the Seven Terraces.  Their most noted restoration before Georgetown's Old Quarter was the Galle Fort Hotel in Sri Lanka.

Tads too sweet that evening when we were there - the Tub Tim Krob, a Thai dessert to illustrate pomegranate fruit floating in a sea of milky white.

Cream Brulee with a twist  - with lemon grass, spice and everything nice -  a Thai layer over the French idea. The two main chefs at the Kebaya are Penang born but French trained.

The Kebaya's dining room is straddled along the fronts of the restored Seven Terraces, located behind the iconic Goddess of Mercy Temple in old Georgetown.  Kebaya refers to the esteemed traditional and elegant dress worn by Nyonyas for special occasions - the cut is such that women need a lithe and slim figure to bring out the best in the look of a kebaya.  There is  teak panelled art deco bar on one side of the restaurant.

Dishes, on first glance,  that would have been an everyday menu for the Straits Chinese family in the 19th and 20th centuries in the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and Singapore.  However, sitting down at the table and sampling the food, I realised that this was a new genre of cuisine, although based on historical conventions but all given a fresh attitude and approach.  This may set the menu at the Kebaya apart from its fellow practitioners in commercial Straits Chinese cuisine.

A snack of pai tee - vital are fresh ingredients, textured cuts to enhance the bite and a crunchy though petite holder.  The name for this unusual creation comes from a southern Chinese dialect pronunciation of the English word "party".

A place to read, a corner to hide away and a seat to soak in a Penang island moment.  The adjoining hotel has only 14 guest rooms with reproduction wedding beds and furnished liberally with antique porcelain.

The buffet holding side dishes, water jugs and drinking glasses.

A stringent and tasty stir fry, perfect for vegetarians, with broad beans  and corn slices in a mish-mesh with cashew nuts and capsicum - an idea for a working day's dinner at home as well.

Fujian sweet dumplings (mua chee) or Japanese mochis adapted to a tropical clime - served in sweet coconut milk although still sprinkled by sesame seeds.

A classic Vietnamese favourite - sugarcane sticks skewering deep fried prawns, combining the best of land and sea.

Fish fillet in a wet curry sauce, echoing Thai styles and flavours.

A porcelain egg tray cleverly holds sauces and condiments, essential to the taste buds when delving in the various forms of south east and east Asian food.

I am so glad that Kar Wai, Sue Chee, Henry Quah and Fai Keong took me to the Seven Terraces and dinner at its Kebaya Restaurant - it was an eye opener and excellent illustration of how UNESCO heritage status can help renew and reconnect Penang's rich historical background to a viable present and hopeful future, giving each island resident a vital appreciation, glimpse and reality of Georgetown's multi-cultural past.  Committed funding, a spunky determination and an innovative vision lay behind the developers of such recent architectural and socio-cultural dimensions.  Our group was also introduced to Chris Ong, whom I found affable and with a friendly countenance - and at that moment I realised that history of growth is often made relentlessly not only by politicians, but relentlessly by individuals in the background, quietly making their mark as leaders.

Location:Stewart Lane
Georgetown, Penang Island