Special thanks to The Barn for extending this food review invitation.
The previous location of Chicago Rib House in Gurney Plaza‘s al fresco piazza is now the home of The Barn. Unlike the former, The Barn is primarily a drinking establishment with a wide range of fine wines. In addition, the eatery also includes a Western-style food menu which retains certain elements of its predecessor such as delicious pork ribs.
This Gurney Plaza restaurant is The Barn’s second outlet. The first outlet is located at 1 Mont Kiara, while the third outlet will be opening in Pavilion KL soon. Each outlet carries a unique character to serve the clientele in the respective mall. For example, the 1 Mont Kiara restaurant spotlights a wine room while the one at Pavilion KL features one of the longest drinks bar ever built.
As a wine bar foremost, The Barn’s food menu revolves around the drinking clientele. For example, the Crispy Pork Belly (RM29.00) provides succulent crispiness that go well with wine.
Another finger food that pairs well with alcoholic beverages is Pigs In Blankets (RM19.00). The name reflects the fact that cocktail sausages are wrapped in bacon. A pork-heavy feast? I certainly think so!
Next, The Barn Mini Open-Faced Sandwiches (RM19.00) consist of individual baguette canapé topped with creamy Hollandaise sauce, mushroom, asparagus and egg. I must say that I love how the Hollandaise sauce holds other ingredients together within a single bite.
BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs (RM59.00) is culmination of the best pork cut with lovely marinade. The mere slight of this full slab of ribs makes my mouth water profusely.
Although the pork has been cooked before being served, it is torched using a burner right in front of customers’ very own eyes. Besides flaunting showmanship, the intention is to impart delightful sense of toastiness to the ribs just before the first bite.
Basted with a specially-prepared blend of homemade BBQ sauce, the lovely ribs are savory beyond measure. The sauce is sweet to a certain degree which does not draw attention away from the ribs’ natural juiciness.
As counterbalance to acute meatiness, the ribs are served with grilled mushroom, squash, zucchini, bell pepper and potato. Crafted to perfection from the beginning to the end, this dish is highly recommended to all self-professed pork enthusiasts.
Just when I thought that there is no way a succulent dish like BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs can be outdone, I was proven wrong almost immediately. I must say that I enjoy the Caramelized Roasted Pork Burger (RM29.00) even more!
Sandwiched within two halves of a sesame bun are mouth-watering pieces of pork belly. Caramelized à la German style, every bite on the pork is gratifying indeed. The pork carries layered spiciness due to a small amount of green chili pepper, but is not obvious as first but manifests itself within seconds after the first bite.
Served alongside the irresistible burger is a generous serving of fries and a bowl of coleslaw. Overall, I am truly impressed how to heavenly this burger really is. This is a highly-recommended dish that one must try to truly appreciate.
If red meat is not your craving today, there are a handful of seafood dishes to sink your teeth into. The Grilled Norwegian Salmon (RM55.00) has reasonably thick cut, making it quite satisfying even for the most demanding carnivore.
I feel that salmon is best enjoyed with some juiciness, which means that it should not be overcooked. Therefore, I am glad that this philosophy is reflected at The Barn. Meanwhile, the salmon is flavored with creamy lemon-caper butter sauce and a squeeze of lemon. Much like the BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs, this salmon dish is also served with an assortment of roasted vegetables.
With so many delicious food to go around, it is easy to forget that the primary focus of The Barn is its wine collection. To hit the point even harder, the restaurant has over 150 brands of red and white wines from around the world: France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Argentina, Chile and Georgia. Sweet wines such as Moscato d’Asti, Rosé and Kindzmarauli are exclusive to The Barn and are not available elsewhere in Malaysia.
Customers ought not to feel intimidated by the wide range of wines that The Barn has to offer. The staff is well-versed in wine pairing and can provide customers with useful recommendations. Most wines are sold by the bottle but one can also opt for house wines by the glass. Unlike many other drinking establishments, the wines here are reasonably priced as The Barn wishes to appeal to a wider range of customers.
The Barn has 5 house wines on hand at all times: 2 reds and 3 whites. For example, Alto Los Romeros Carmenere 2015 (RM19.00) is a Chilean red wine with medium body, and goes particularly well with red meat like pork. To create relaxing ambience for the wine-drinking crowd, the restaurant lights are dimmed during the evening.
Looking for something more casual to drink? The Classic Mojito (RM29.00) is a good place to start. As per tradition, this mojito is a mixture of white rum, cane sugar, lime juice, soda and wild mint. A small amount of triple sec liqueur contributes sweet as well as mild bitter sensations.
As for mocktails, the glass of Bora-Bora Brew (RM16.00) is a tropical fruity delight made primarily from pineapple juice. Grenadine syrup at the bottom provides sweetness, while mild ginger ale on top provides distinctive pungency and aroma.
Finally, Deep Fried Banana With Gula Melaka Syrup (RM19.00) is a heavyweight dessert that comprises of banana fritters and Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream. As if the scrumptious crisp of banana fritters is not appealing enough, this dessert ups the ante with lovely gula melaka (palm sugar) topping.
Name: The Barn
Address: 170-G-43, Plaza Gurney, Persiaran Gurney, 10250 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-229-0763
Business hours: 11:00am-12:00am
Website: http://www.thebarn.com.my
Coordinates: 5.43751 N, 100.30977 E
Directions: The Barn is located at Gurney Plaza’s outdoor piazza, directly facing G Hotel. Gurney Plaza has basement and multi-level parking garages.