Special thanks to Big Glass for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Opened in August 2019, Big Glass is one of the newest restaurants in Auto-City. The eatery occupies a peculiar-looking structure near Shop-In d’ Park.
Stepping inside the restaurant, Big Glass presents a family-friendly dining atmosphere. The combination of red brick walls and wooden tabletops give the dining area a rustic touch.
Al fresco dining is also possible; there are additional tables at the veranda and under the trees. Be sure to check out a Mini Cooper on display; the car is part of the owner’s antique collection.
Big Glass has a couple of private rooms with interesting seating arrangements. For instance, this octagon-shaped room allows all diners to face one another easily. Customers can use the private rooms without extra charge as long as they spend at least RM180.00 on food and drinks.
The dining tables in the restaurant are provided by a local furniture dealer, which specializes in high quality timber such as Laotian rain trees. If interested, customers may purchase any handcrafted furniture in the restaurant. So in a way, Big Glass doubles as a furniture showroom.
In terms of food, Big Glass specializes in Western cuisine such as steak, pasta, pizza, burger and salad. In addition, the menu covers a number of Asian dishes like cheese-baked rice. Vegetarian options are available too. As for drinks, the restaurant serves coffee, juices and alcoholic beverages.
Big Glass’ signature dish is the Fried Laksa (RM18.90). Inspired by asam laksa, thick rice noodle is stir-fried with tamarind to give the dish a hint of sourness. Much like the classic recipe, Fried Laksa also contains pineapples, cucumbers, shallots and ginger flower. A fried mackerel is included too.
Big Glass has a substantial range of finger foods to complement alcoholic beverages. A good example is Crispy Salmon Belly (RM15.00). The salmon chunks are made saltier than usual because they are meant to go with beer.
Another mouthwatering snack that deserves special mention is Salted Egg French Fries (RM10.90). The savoriness of salted egg yolk is gratifying indeed! Meanwhile, curry leaves impart soothing aroma to the already addictive fries.
Big Glass pours Tiger and Guinness beer fresh from the tap. Draft beer comes in various serving sizes. The largest, Big Glass, contains 2 liters of booze! Meanwhile, choices of bottled beer are Anchor, Heineken, Tiger Crystal and Apple Fox.
As a family-friendly dining establishment, Big Glass serves non-alcoholic beverages too. Cafe Freddo (RM12.00) is a favorite among regular customers. Prepared using 2 shots espresso, the drink is chilled but is surprisingly ice-free. And if you prefer hot drinks, Salted Caramel Macchiato (RM13.00) is infused with a pinch of salt to give the coffee a heightened taste.
A 2-piece band performs live music from 8:30pm to 11:30pm every evening, except on Friday and Saturday when the live performance is from 9:30pm to 12:30am instead. Furthermore, Big Glass can host private parties for up to 150 people. The menu can be customized according to the organizer’s needs.
Name: Big Glass
Address: A-3, Jalan Perusahaan, Auto-City, 13600 Juru, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-502-3236
Business hours: 11:00am-12:00am (Sunday-Thursday), 11:00am-2:00am (Friday-Saturday)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/bigglassatautocity
Coordinates: 5.33709 N, 100.42825 E
Directions: From the North-South Expressway, take the Bukit Mertajam exit and head west. Turn right at the end of the road, and then take the next left turn to arrive at Auto-City. Big Glass is located near Shop-In d’ Park. There are plenty of parking spaces throughout Auto-City.