Danish dessert tends to be simple as underscored by the Danish-style Apple Pie (RM18). The apple compote used a mixture of red and green apples for the pie filling’s requisite sweet-sour taste profile. Served with crushed macaroons (almond flour cookies), red currant jelly and lightly sweetened and vanilla-accented whipped cream, the light dessert was a nice option to conclude our maiden visit to Denhygge.
Sunday, January 07, 2024
DANISH COMFORT FOOD AT DENHYGGE
Smørrebrød or sandwiches is popularly eaten in Denmark. Cold
dishes are also prevalent according to Niels Jensen, the owner of Denhygge, a
Danish restaurant.
Together with
his wife Olga, Jensen takes great pride in serving traditional, home-style
Danish comfort food at Denhygge.
Hygge (pronounced hyoo-guh or hoo-ga)
is the sense of comfort, cosiness and conviviality; creating a feeling of
contentment and well-being within the Danish home. It’s part and parcel of the
Danish lifestyle and the Jensens hope their customers will enjoy an immersive hygge
experience at Denhygge.
After retiring
from the corporate world, Jensen decided to open Denhygge with the aim of
introducing Danish food to local customers here. “Sandwiches, cold dishes and
pork are commonly eaten. However, we serve some hot specialities as well,” said
Jensen.
Opened in
November 2022, Denhygge boasts clean lines, austere décor within: an open-plan
kitchen served as the key focal point alongside a faux fireplace with
mantelpiece. A spiral staircase decked with miniature flags, rustic wood
accents, and large picture windows blend cohesively to create a welcoming,
homely setting.
A made-to-order
artisanal nuts and seed-laden dark rye bread forms the basis for their range of
sandwiches. Accentuated with a mildly sweet and aromatic curry spiced mayo, sliced
red onion and crispy pork lard, the Marinated Herring on Rye Bread with Egg (regular
RM26, large RM32) won instant approval with its tantalizingly tart-tangy-briny-sweet
accents.
The Roast Beef
on Rye Bread (regular RM24, large RM30) also proved on-point. We gave two
thumbs up to the tender, blush-pink slices of roast beef topped with creamy remoulade,
zingy horseradish and fried onion.
Delectable sliced
pork belly seasoned with spices played a leading role in the delicious Rullepølse
(regular RM22, large RM28); layered atop rye bread with onion and diced aspic.
Those diminutive dices of savoury meat jelly packed sublime, full-bodied
flavour thanks to it being a solidified reduction of pork jus and browned
onion.
Equally notable
was the Pork Liver Pate (regular RM20, large RM25) sandwich. Lending textural
contrasts to it were pickled cucumber and crisp-fried bacon pieces; the
flavoursome combination balanced out the paté’s indulgent richness.
Jensen also
offered his fish cakes and cubes of pork in aspic to sample. The Danish version
of fish cakes incorporates potato mash in it, rendering its texture softer compared
to local one which is springier.
As for the pork
cubes, they were brimming with rich meaty flavours. Unsurprisingly to be honest as Jensen had
devoted hours of preparation into its making.
Hot dishes are
offered and changed often in the Jensens’ attempt to cater to local patrons.
During our visit, the week’s speciality of Stegt flæsk or Danish-style Fried Pork Belly (RM55) could have
been a stand-in for local roast pork. Served with boiled potatoes and
creamy parsley sauce, the customary Danish Christmas
dish was rather delectable albeit texture-wise, we found it harder and drier.
For reservations at DENHYGGE DANISH RESTAURANT, call mobile no: 012-824
0020. Address: F13, Empire Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business
hours: Mon-Sat 10 am to 10 pm (last order 9 pm), closed on Sundays.
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
RELAXING YEAR-END GETAWAY AT AMARI SPICE PENANG
A splendid haven to revel in. The Executive Lounge on level 25 of Amari SPICE Penang is not only a serene breakfast spot but also a great place to get some work done anytime of the day.
The team on duty is courteous and friendly, quick to
attend to your every need; from serving breakfast to whipping up an evening
cocktail, they’re ever-ready to lend a hand.
This time we stayed in an Executive Deluxe room which
accorded us access to the Executive Lounge. We love lounging by the floor-to-ceiling
windows where expansive views of the nearby golf course and the park adjacent
to the SPICE Convention Centre and SPICE Arena are visible.
We were stoked to find an in-room coffee machine in
addition to the regular kettle for tea-making. In addition to complimentary Penang
tau sar pneah (mung bean biscuits) and nutmeg sweets, we discovered the mini
bar stocked with water and soft drinks were on the house.
The smart workspace with international plug-points and
Wi-Fi proved to be a boon when I needed to tackle some work. For a spot of
reading, the cushy chaise lounge with ottoman was perfect.
As Executive level guests, we have the luxury of
enjoying breakfast at Amaya Food Gallery or ordering our choice of complimentary
breakfast in the Exec Lounge. We barely needed to lift a finger as the team
pampered us at every turn; plying us with coffee and tea and serving our choice
of breakfast.
Whether it’s Nasi Lemak and Fried Kway Teow to Welsh
Rarebit and Breakfast Egg Set, guests can order from the a la carte
selection listed.
Out of curiosity, I had Welsh Rarebit – basically a
sandwich of rye bread with Cheddar cheese, fried egg, Worcestershire sauce,
mustard and salad. Simple but I liked it. My hubby’s Boat Noodles passed
muster.
Laid out on the counter are assorted cold cuts, cheese, cereals, dried fruit and nuts, fresh fruit slices, French pastries and condiments: butter, jams, honeycomb, etc for toast. Bottled juices, detox water, yoghurt and muesli are found in the chiller.
Opened from 6.30 am to 10.30 pm, light refreshments
are served throughout the day. From 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm, you can order classic
cocktails and creative mocktails, house pouring wine and selected liquor drinks
to complement hors d’oeuvres whilst enjoying the view at dusk from the lounge.
Other privileges for Executive level guests include private
check-in and check-out services, complimentary pressing of 3 garments on
arrival and complimentary meeting room use (maximum 2 hours, subject to prior
booking and availability).
Dinner at the spacious Amaya Food Gallery, the all-day
dining restaurant on Level 4, also made our stay truly memorable. During our
visit, Amari SPICE Penang hosted Thai chefs from its sister hotel in Bangkok
for a promotional stint so the dinner buffet highlighted a myriad of delicious
Thai specialities.
Among the tempting dishes we tried were stir-fried
glass noodles with prawns, miang kham (wild betel leaves with
condiments), som tam salad, mee krob, seafood tom yam, green curry, Thai
iced tea, ‘crying tiger’ grilled beef with chilli dip and tom yam fried rice.
The hotel location is also strategic. Just a short drive away, we enjoyed
watching the sunrise and went for a nice morning walk along Karpal Singh Drive,
visited the Chew Jetty and as usual, went to eat our fill of local food.
Local life is best experienced at Chowrasta market and its surrounding environs: there’s a wet market, lots of mom-and-pop shops around the vicinity, hawker’s stalls and street-side vendors selling household stuff, casual wear, footwear and toys.

For the year-end school and festive holidays, Amari SPICE Penang has been all decked up with pretty decor and a special 'gingerbread house' selling festive goodies. If you're keen to bring your family for a staycation, Amari SPICE Penang currently has some great packages online:
https://www.amari.com/penang/special-offers/hotel-packages
For reservations at Amari SPICE Penang,
tel: 04 683 1188. Address: 2
Persiaran Mahsuri, Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang.
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