BY CK LAM

Located in Chow Thye Road away from the buzzing Burma Road is a new European style wine bar and restaurant, aptly named That Little Wine Bar! This quaint cozy wine bar with a sense of coziness opens its door in December 2009 and is run by a husband and wife team, Chef Tommes and Louise.

There were many items that grace the menu and we started off with the lovely Wild Mushroom Soup. The soup with a variation of mushrooms in Parmesan and herb broth was poured at the table. It was gently seasoned with the intense taste of sweet mushroomy flavor blossoming through with added slices of local red chilies.

Next up was The Chicken Pâté which made an excellent spread. The pate was spread on pieces of homemade baguette. This traditional chicken liver Pâté was rich in flavor and creamy, which just melted in my mouth. Not many restaurants offer this dish in Penang, and it will definitely impress pate lovers!

The appetizers were rounded off with the marinated Mushroom Quiche which was served alongside with a salad for some added crunch. It has a delightful thin crispy crust which complemented the soft filling.

The restaurant provides diners with a wide selection of Old World and New World labels. We had the lovely Grauburgunder 2008 (Austrian). This was my first time having an Austrian wine and I was enchanted by its taste. This full-bodied elegant pinot gris with finesse has a blend of fruity flavor and goes well with the food!

The main course!

The special of the day was the Rotisserie Chicken with creamy avocado. The chicken was superb, nicely salted and roasted juicy till tender with crackly crispy skin. It was accompanied with creamy avocado, potatoes and salad. In fact, they even have a blackboard at the side of the bar which shows all the special-of-the-day and promotions, all in teasing and artistic graphics!

Last but not least, we indulged in the Black and White Sesame Seared Tuna. The fish was seared just right, coated with sesame seeds and served with the right amount of ginger marinade, mayonnaise and orange zest. It was nicely balanced with some crunchy white carrot and the dipping sauce is indeed a delight to the tastebuds!

After indulging in a beautifully prepared meal, we had the Chocolate Cake for dessert. The cake was relatively light and yet rich in flavor.

We managed to share a light moment with Chef Tommes. This much-traveled chef from Germany was stationed in the Restaurant of Stefan Stiller in Shanghai’s Cool Docks before relocating to Penang. He and his wife actually frequented Penang as their getaway destination, visiting the island several times over the years. With every single visit, they fell even more in love with the beautiful Pearl of The Orient, and finally choosing to settle here!

In a nutshell, this restaurant is the place to savor a range of fine wine and to enjoy a great selection of delicious food! In actual fact it is the vision of the owners when they opened up this place. After sampling their dishes, I personally feel that Chef Tommes did an excellent job in setting up this wine bar while keeping a high quality on the food as well.

Drop over to this place to share one thing in common…the love for tasty food as well as affordable fine wines!

Written by CK Lam, food blogger and editor of http://www.what2seeonline.com ; featuring the Best of Penang Food. She constantly combs Penang for the best gastronomical delights and loves promoting Penang Cuisines, Culture and Heritage.