Coffee Garden @ Garden Hotel review

coffee garden

Coffee Garden is the anchor restaurant of Garden Hotel and is a successful F&B establishment in it’s own right. Although Coffee Garden doesn’t draw the local crowd to the extent of the wildly successful Peppers Cafe (Tanahmas Hotel), it does have its regulars and it’s a nice and (relatively) private place for lunch and dinner.

ambience

The interior of Coffee Garden has been given a major overhaul, with glass facades and mood lighting, creating a very pleasing ambiance. The post-modern architecture (actually, I don’t even know what post-modern architecture means, I just wrote it to make myself look more intelligent ;)) with reflective wall length mirrors looks amazing.

mirror

There are LCD screens placed strategically around the restaurant and an al fresco seating area outside for the nicotine brigade. Coffee Garden serves surprisingly good food, perhaps even better than Peppers Cafe. The measure of a successful hotel F&B outlet is the amount of locals patronizing the restaurant, and Coffee Garden has a loyal following.

garlic bread

The dinner menu at Garden Cafe is very comprehensive and covers Chinese and Western cuisine. There is complimentary garlic bread with every meal and the prices for most dishes are very reasonable.

seafood platter

This is the Seafood Gala (RM 16 ++) which is similar to the Manhattan Seafood Platter at Manhattan Fish Market. It consists of baked mussels, pan fried fish fillet, deep fried calamari rings and grilled shrimp served with garlic butter rice (Mmm…) and lemon butter sauce. The only thing missing is an MFM waitress going all Firebat on the platter (StarCraft reference here). πŸ˜‰

mixed grill

The Garden Mixed Grill (RM 17 ++) has grilled lamb chop, grilled beef (otherwise known as steak), grilled chicken, sausages and beef bacon. There is a great portfolio of edible mammals represented in this dish and it’s perfect as a sample of everything they offer.

stout

Coffee Garden also serves a wide variety of beer and alcopops at hotel prices. Their Guinness Stout goes for RM 10 ++ per mug and RM 40 ++ for a jug but regular beers goes for RM 30 ++ per jug, which is pretty much the price you’ll expect to pay at other watering holes.

I have been going there regularly for lunch with Autumn to eat through their entire set lunch menu. The lunch menu is limited and priced at RM 8++ inclusive of a drink and soup.

chicken

Fried Chicken With Peanut Soup

first

Autumn had this during our first lunch date there. I’ve had it as well, it’s pretty good but a little on the bland side. It should be noted that some of the waiters and waitresses are not very good photographers so you may have to get them to take several shots. πŸ˜‰

bbq

Fried Fish Fillet with BBQ Sauce

first lovebite

This was also on our first attempt to eat through the set lunch menu. This is the best dish in the set lunch menu in our opinion. It’s the BBQ sauce…it tastes great. Notice the similar office wear but please do not comment on the lovebite. πŸ˜‰

squid

Fried Squid in Celery

second shared

I shared this dish with Autumn coz we were not both not really hungry that day. I think this was a couple of days after the first visit since I was wearing a tie to cover up the still visible hickey. The squid is probably the other dish I would eat, the others are pretty bland.

beef

Fried Beef with Garlic

third time

I had this during the third trip to Coffee Garden. It’s nothing to write home about. Astute readers will notice a new hickey on my neck. I swear, it’s not due to Autumn. I don’t know how it got there. πŸ˜‰

duck

Fried Duck with Black Pepper

third

Autumn had the duck during the third trip. It’s alright, but again, Coffee Garden’s lunch menu isn’t really as good as the dinner menu.

chiew fong

It took us about two weeks to get through the five (5) set lunch menu coz you don’t want to eat the same food everyday. It’s still one of our regular hangouts though due to the privacy of the place.

coffee garden end

Coffee Garden is a great place for lunch and dinner. The set lunch menu is cheap considering the air-conditioned comfort and privacy of the establishment and it manages to attract quite a few of the lucrative 9-5 crowd during lunchtime. Their dinner menu is excellent – it’s much better than their set lunch menu, which is mass produced. I give Coffee Garden two thumbs up.

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37 thoughts on “Coffee Garden @ Garden Hotel review”

  1. Cripes! At this rate, you’re going to take away my title as Garden’s most regular customer!!! Humph! Better start going again….! LOL!!! Ooo…the mixed grill!!! So cheap and so nice!!! Drool!

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  2. eh i was there like err.. 2 nights ago. sitting at where you two sat. btw, is that a lovebite mark on you neck?? ah, just kidding lar. :P. yeah we had buffet and i was a bit disappointed for the amount charged actually i can have better buffet at RH. Is that melody the 2nd last pic? πŸ˜‰

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  3. I’m really curious mate… whats going on between you and Autumn? Do I see Pheonix in the same photo with the Guinness Stout in a Tiger beer mug? Hummm…. I think you and Autumn should get together as she looks good with you. =P Cheers.

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  4. Gee! This looks like ‘ldentify Huai Bin’s victims’ Day! LOL! Btw, why were u home lunch break today? Sneaked back for a quickie? Oops! Forgot! U’re now a VIP! Hahahahaha…

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  5. Gee! This looks like ‘ldentify Huai Bin’s victims’ Day! LOL! Btw, why were u home lunch break today? Sneaked back for a quickie? Oops! Forgot! U’re now a VIP! Hahahahaha…

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  6. I will traveling to Asia soon and this coffeeshop in bad to check it out. My sister Vickie is also comming with me. Does it serve Coq au Vin or Chicken Masala. I guess their wine list is good.?

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  7. Well the Coffee Garden look nice but not much of wine list. Maybe beers and ale stuff. Hey Amy I did’nt know you planing trip to Asia. I got time also tell me when and we can meet up some where. There a lot of chic restaurants we can all dine at sure it will lot fun. I like when dining pair with fine wine too.

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  8. I don’t think they got French food at Coffee Garden but I never been to Malaysia yet. Readed blog you and your sister going so why not I go too. Got time set a side for vacation from UC Berkeley. Vickie and you and I could see many things together. Sure it will fun. Dine at many fine places. Being from California we enjoy fine wine with the meal.

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  9. Huie Bin, Do you have an English name some people call you? Do you looked SOOOO FINE in that nice shirt and tie. From 1 to 10 you were a 10 in it. When going to nice place to dine drese up for it. Women like when a guy go the extra mile in looking good for a date.

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  10. Huai Bin, Wow is all I say in how nice you look in that shirt and tie. Make women feel special when a guy dress up to go dating. I see there no wine at that restaurant. Guess make my grill fish with lemon butter and capper sauce at home. Pair it Sauvigon Blane or Chardonary.

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  11. Amy, are you guys visiting Sarawak ? Take imodium/pepto Bismo, mosquito spray, traveler check, credit card with ya. (Bank/ money changer in Malaysia may not accept certain production year of US dollar). Have fun.

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  12. Man! Huai Bin, you got the women going GA GA over you now. I should done that long ago. No wonder one date and goodbye for me. I better brush up on better manners and charms too. Maybe a new haircut also new outfits .

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  13. YingYang: Yeah, it’s pretty good. πŸ™‚
    suituapui: Haha! I wouldn’t dare. It was just so convenient with it being so close to where we work. The best dish is still hands down the seafood platter with garlic rice. It’s a promotional item though, so they still serve it, but without the garlic rice. It’s with french fries instead.
    partyboy: Yeah, that’s right. She’s not in Sibu right now, she hasn’t been for quite a while.
    KY: Hmm…I can actually eat at the same place every day until I get tired of it and then move on. Eh, that says a lot about my personality, huh? Please don’t tie it in with my relationships with girls. πŸ˜‰
    wuching: It has undergone extensive renovation. πŸ™‚
    fooi: Well, the lunch menu isn’t that bad, it’s RM 8 which is about what you’ll be paying nowadays if you ate chap fan with a drink. πŸ™‚
    chrissy0308: Yeah, that’s why we go there too. Plus, the waiters and waitresses are polite enough not to stare when you make out. πŸ˜‰
    annant: Where got? That’s the dinner part, I don’t drink during lunch or working hours. Please note that all my beverages are non-alcoholic in nature during lunch. πŸ˜‰
    janel: You are so hard to track down even though we’re both in Sibu. I want your cat. You have my email and cell phone number, text me or something.
    Hmm…lovebite? I will neither confirm nor deny the rumors that it’s a lovebite. πŸ˜‰
    The RH buffet on Saturdays is pretty good. Perhaps the best in Sibu.
    The Bull: Hmm…my friend, that is a very good question…to which I have no good answer. I’m kidding, she’s just a friend and she’s engaged. We go out for lunch and dinner and the occasional make out session, oops, I mean the occassinal make up session (she helps me put on my eye masks).
    The official statement (until further notice) is that there’s nothing going on there, unless you email me and ask me privately. πŸ˜‰
    Yeah, that is Faye, she’s not in Sibu right now.
    Autumn eh…but she’s engaged, and I don’t want to have a reputation as a gf/fiancee/wife snatcher.
    Oh wait…I already have that reputation. πŸ˜‰
    suituapui: Eh, like Blue Curacao will attest to, they’ll all WILLING victims. πŸ˜‰
    I was home during lunch that day coz I had to update the blog. The Streamyx line to my host was down for about 12 hours and I got an email notification that it was back up so I drove back during lunch to post. It doesn’t take me that long to drive home and back.
    Anyway, the VIP statues has changed. Now, I’m a VPP.=D
    Jeff: Haha! I love your sense of humor buddy. πŸ™‚
    Amy: I think it has a variation of Chicken Masala but no Coq au Vin or any exotic food. It’s pretty much Oriental/Western fusion cuisine.
    No wine list to speak of though, if you want that, you’ll have to go elsewhere. I can recommend you some places if you want to wine and dine.
    Sean: Yeah, it’s all beers and ales. They don’t even serve cocktails. There are nice cafes with a good (for this area) wine list and cocktails though.
    Jason: Nope, they don’t. Malaysia is a nice place to visit, especially the islands if you’re into the sand, sun and surf thing. Cheers! πŸ™‚
    Erica: I don’t have an English name but some people abbreviate my name to HB. Thanks, appreciate the kind comments. πŸ™‚
    I’ll have to start wearing a tie now. It’s too bad you’re not in Malaysia. πŸ˜‰
    Darren: Well, it’s air conditioned and it’s close to where we both work so it’s convenient. Plus, the food isn’t bad (dinner menu).
    The best thing I guess is the fact that the service is good and they don’t stare when you have public displays of affection.
    Or maybe they do, just indirectly through the wall length mirrors.
    Hmm…you just made me think of that. πŸ˜‰
    nkwai: Yeah, and I’m going to do a complete (as in entire menu) of two other eating establishments in Sibu too. πŸ™‚
    I should really be paid to do this instead of forking out my own money.
    Marilynn: Thanks Marilynn! πŸ™‚
    Appreciate the kind comments. Yeah, this establishment does not serve wine but there are others that do.
    e: Yeah, especially the US dollars with Syria/Iran serial numbers. πŸ™‚
    Carter: Hey, we all have our hits and misses. I’ve had dates where it was just one and then goodbye. Some girls like me, some girls don’t. It’s just the way the game works. πŸ™‚
    Good luck, buddy!

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  14. HB Too bad they don’t serve wines there. I too see you looked very sharp in shirt and tie. It does make the date very special. Women like fine wine with the meals and guys must know how to pair wines with it. Women get impress if a guy know his wines.

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  15. From what I readed of those women who wrote to blog is they like a guy who his wines pairing. It a chic things with them. In the States women see it as a guy with style. Not bad with dressing up also for date. Women do know a lot about wines but it always men that pick the wine for the meal. Women like see how much they know about of wines.

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  16. Joyce: I guess you could always BYO and get charged a corkage fee. It’s usually around RM 30 over here. I’ll get a refresher course in wine knowledge then. Thanks for the kind comments, much appreciated. πŸ™‚
    Kevin: Hmm…yeah, I probably should start taking more wine courses. It all adds up to the appeal. πŸ˜‰

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