Farewell to my Dear Friend, Hooi Lin... at OXO Cafelab

When it's time to say Goodbye to a friend for her decision to join a new company, we've celebrated her farewell dinner in OXO Cafelab that is nearby Queensbay Penang.

It's just alike a norm that people will tend to be late and thus, the early birds - Hooi Lin, Chin Han and I have ordered a slice of Chocolate Banana Cake for our hungry stomachs. I won't know that it actually has banana if its not for the name, as I don't smell or taste the natural sweetness of banana itself.

What should we eat for our main courses? We've decided to do some sharing basis. The starter is the colourful Prawn Cocktail Salad. I like the crunchiness of the green apples, the fresh vegetables and the shell-less prawns that are perfectly dressed up by the thousand island sauce. We've taken two orders of pasta; the Fettucini A La Carbonara and the Chunky Pasta Chicken Bolognese Sauce that are in white creamy and red tomato sauces respectively. Just a quick remark: Don't put high expectation over the freshness of the seafood. The Fettucini is cooked in the white cream sauce with the slices of mushroom and ham but it somehow doesn't turn out to be over-creamy with a just-to-taste saltiness. I do prefer the Bolognese spaghetti that is full with the tiny, chopped chicken meat and the red tomato sauce has actually added a little sourness, to stimulate my appetite.

Another main character is the Hawaiian Chicken BBQ Pizza that I personally think it's tastier than Pizza Hut. I love the thin layer of bread dough that is not only crunchy but also being covered with chicken cubes, pineapples, capsicum; with a rich cheese spreads over the whole pizza. I can't recall the exact names of the next two dishes, but they should be sort of Fisherman Basket and the Chicken Thigh with Cheese in Indian Curry Sauce. The Fisherman Basket is actually a fried seafood platter that consists of prawn, squid and some wedges. The Curry Chicken is the one that catches my attention as it just goes well with the white rice. The curry here may not have a strong taste or nice curry aroma but with a little spiciness and the cheese, it does add on a special taste to experience a curry dish.

OXO Cafelab does not serve very delicious food that has impressed me for a returning visit. However, the ambient is suitable for a long chatting session as we're lazing on the comfortable, soft sofa. Moreover, I do enjoy this gathering with the whole bunch of good friends.