Author: Nicholas Ng

Dining Room by Macalister Mansion

Nicholas Ng
Facade Day - Macalister Mansion - Food For Thought

As you pull up to the driveway of Macalister Mansion on Macalister Road, you are drawn in by the colonial façade of one of the most gorgeous buildings you will find on the iconic island of Penang. The boutique hotel of Macalister Mansion houses one of the most unique finds you will come across on the island, its Dining Room, a kitchen run by award winning chef Eric Heijkoop. Arguably one of the best fine dining restaurants you will come across in Malaysia, where the attention to detail of the dishes is impeccable both in terms of flavour and visually. Continue reading →

Aziamendi 88

Nicholas Ng
Food For Thought - Aziamendi88 - Oyster with Sea Foam

As you walk through the entrance of the Mandarin Grill at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur you notice a distinctive change. The entire restaurant is tinged with an orange hue, reminiscent of the Basque countryside, and the artwork has been specifically selected to create an atmosphere of calm and class. For 88 days, this restaurant has been transformed into Aziamendi 88, the first ever pop up restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that carries a 3 Star Michelin award by chef Eneko Atxa. Continue reading →

Do You Hear The People Sing?

Nicholas Ng
Food For Thought - Yellow Hibiscus

We live in troubling times, where the brave and noble are stifled merely for standing up for what they believe in. The world is in a state of acceptability where petulant tyranny is allowed to exist. Where good men get put away because they have greater ideologies, where bad men are allowed to run rampant. This is not about the evil that bad men do, but about the good that good men should do, despite the repercussions. Continue reading →

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep

Nicholas Ng
True Complexion - Food For Thought

We hear people say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder all the time, and that there is no objective standard of beauty. I don’t think that is true, because if we talk in the “traditional” understanding of beauty, there is definitely a defined standard, however, this is strongly linked to a certain culture. Its like the fair skin / dark skin complexion argument that we hear all the time. Today, I want to address something completely different, unique skin conditions and how we can find them beautiful. Continue reading →

Food Guide: Street Food in Penang

Nicholas Ng
Food Guide Penang Food Title Card

When it comes to best island experiences in the world, there are few that can compare to that of Penang, the pearl of the Orient. The island boasts a complex and rich history due to its pivotal position during the colonial era. This has resulted in Penang becoming a melting pot of multicultural identities from the Chinese, Malay, Indian and European influences. Not only is Penang an unbelievable food haven, its unique position in history has resulted in George Town being named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Continue reading →

You Are The Company You Keep

Nicholas Ng
Friendship - Food For Thought

Most of us go through our lives coasting, never letting things shake up too much. Of all the important things out there, there is few and far between that are truer than how we choose our friends, and more importantly, why we remain with them. As soon as sociality kicks in as an evolutionary trait, we are taught that we should get along with each other. Because of this primordial belief that we need to get along to survive, we strive to be in groups that we consider important for our wellbeing. This is true… to a certain extent. Continue reading →

Travelling To Appease The Wanderlust

Nicholas Ng
Wanderlust - Travel - Food For Thought

We as people crave adventure, be it going to the next town or the next continent. I know what you’re thinking, not everyone is an adventurer, but people are much more adventurous than you think. Do you ever get that feeling, that feeling of listlessness, that feeling that your feet are itching, that feeling that you just need to… go. That, my friend, is the feeling of wanderlust. That unbearable feeling, that screaming of your soul in your head, that longing to see the world, that longing to feel the world.
Continue reading →

Char Kuey Teow 炒粿條 : Food History of Char Kuey Teow

Nicholas Ng
Char Kuay Teow | Food History | Food For Thought

Malaysia is home to some of the best tasting foods in the world, so much so that Lonely Planet named it food destination of they year for 2015. Amongst the food that was said to be a must try is none other than the local delicacy with its very humble origins, the Char Kway Teow, chau gwai diu (炒粿條) in Cantonese, or bilingually as Fried Kuay Teow. This dish hails from the northern state of Penang, the pearl of the orient, which is itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue reading →

Respect: Raising Our Boys Right

Nicholas Ng
Respect

We live in a world where things are done in a certain way, a patriarchal way. This is the world we are born into, but it doesn’t mean it’s the way things should be. It seems like the notion of equality is starting to gain traction, and most of it happens because people are more vocal about their stand on issues. We cannot just sit back and say the world will sort itself out. It won’t. We have to be the change we want to see in the world. Continue reading →