Kara-Kara is a retro-futurism concept bar and dining in Georgetown Penang. In the afternoon, Kara-Kara operates as a cafe (Zen session) where cakes, mains and some milkshakes are served. Once night falls (Yotta session), it converts to a bar/restaurant where cocktails, alcohols as well as mains and tidbits are on offer.
They have been the talk of town even since they opened because of their futuristic interior design as well as premium cocktails. Kara-Kara is located along Weld Quay, where visitors have to go through a ‘garage’ to get to the entrance of the cafe/bar.
Once you walk through the supposed ‘tunnel’, you won’t miss Kara-Kara as the futuristic design immediately stood out!
First Impression – Kara Kara Penang
You will be immediately drawn into the design of Kara-Kara. Several sculptures, funky design, futuristic yet retro, and an eye-catching indoor slide! Perfect for that Instagram photo.
Pretty fancy isn’t it? The only problem with me was the seats. The elevation of the seats are pretty awkward.
The Food
All of the food and drinks are recommendation from the owner. Here’s what we tried:
The first drink we had was Barbarella, a Roku Gin-based cocktail. It is mixed with violet liqueur as well as egg white to create the foam and milky colour. Somehow this drink looks futuristic as well LOL. Taste wise, pretty mild and on the sour side for me. This drink is perfect for ladies!
The next drink we had was Life on Mars. This is a whisky-based drink and mixed with ginger beer. A sour plum is served with the drink. This cocktail is much more stronger compared to the last, and we decided to add the sour plum to the drink and it brings out the whisky flavor more. This is our preferred drink!
Our main dish is their signature Char-Su Cheeseburger, and both the patty and buns are chargrilled to perfection! The meat is the standout, well-seasoned and was very juicy. According to the owner, the meat was home-made! The only complaint would be that the patty was a bit on the smaller side.
As for dessert, we had ondeh-ondeh cake. Dessert was average at best. Cake was moist and great flavors on the shredded coconut. However, gula melaka flavour was lacking and that’s sort of the main ingredient of ondeh-ondeh.
Final Thoughts – Kara Kara Penang
This has to be one of the most futuristic bar we’ve been to! Great food, premium drinks and friendly servers. If you are ever in Penang and wanted to head to a unique bar, we highly recommend Kara-Kara Penang!
We would like to thank Nick and the Kara-Kara team for their hospitality and for hosting us for dinner at Kara-Kara Penang!
Kara-Kara Penang Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karakarapenang/
Kara-Kara Penang Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karakarapg/
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