Page II by A Sip Gnocchi

Page II by Sip was a dinner choice made because of their proximity to the hotel and because they served pork. The candlelit tables, moody lighting, and glassware hinting at something a little more dressed up than your average café gave it a soft, almost lounge-like feel. It felt like a place for conversations rather than commotion.

Jen tried the gnocchi (RM25), which looked the part when it arrived — plump pillows coated in a cream sauce with sautéed mushrooms, grated cheese and generous slivers of bacon stacked across the top. The flavour was lovely. The saltiness of the bacon and the richness of the sauce worked well together, and I appreciated how it wasn’t overly cloying. But the gnocchi itself leaned towards the soft and slightly mushy side, lacking the chew and bite that good potato dumplings usually carry. Not bad, but just shy of satisfying.

I had the truffle sauce crispy chicken (RM28). Essentially it was a chicken chop and it was alright, neither memorable nor flawed.

Jen was much happier with her Sunset Nectar mocktail (RM25), which was well-balanced and refreshing.

While the setting had a kind of romantic charm, the food felt caught between casual café fare and something more refined. Still, for a relaxed night out in George Town, it worked.