Happy Garden

Happy Garden, Batu Ferringhi, Penang (16 March 2021)

Happy Garden (GPS: 5.46874, 100.24455) is a Hainanese restaurant in Batu Ferringhi, Penang. It occupies a single-storey bungalow on the hillside, surrounded by a big garden. The restaurant has been operating since January 1985. The restaurant has served legends of guests to the beach hotels, many of whom have become frequent visitors.

Happy Garden is famed for the authenticity of its local Hainanese cuisine, which is a fusion created by Hainanese chefs to serve their colonial masters in the early 20th century. This is reflected in its menu, which include hors-d'œuvres, soups, seafood, grills and Chinese cuisine.

My wife and I enjoyed the pleasure of an invitation to Happy Garden on 16 March 2021. We were there at the invitation of its owner Sherine Lim. Our dinner started with springrolls which are crispy and delicious.

The next item we enjoyed was chicken chop. This was done in the Hainanese style, with a generous amount of onions and green peas. Next came fried noodle topped with sliced fried eggs and red chilli. After we finished all that, Sherine added one more item, the sizzling hot plate pork chop.

I enjoyed all the food very much and look forward to future visits.