The culinary artistry at Mémoire Molecular Gastronomy Dining

On two separate afternoons, I stepped into a cosy bar-counter style dining room along Beach Street in Penang. The setting felt like a culinary theatre. Warm lights illuminated the counter, where Chef Chong Chian Fung was in his element, preparing works of art on every plate.

Two lunches, two companions, and the same sense of wonder as the meals began. The 4-course Spring Lunch Menu offered a good introduction to the creative genius of this award-winning chef. Diners choose from five main course options at different price points, accompanied by two amuse-bouche and a dessert. The experience feels thoughtfully curated and offers great value for such a memorable dining journey.

The bite-size delights

As we were seated and selected our mains, a small, cylindrical hand towel, tightly compressed, was presented. Alongside it came a small bottle of nutmeg essence with a dropper. A few drops onto the compressed towel and it slowly expanded, releasing a gentle, aromatic fragrance. With bread and appetisers meant to be enjoyed by hand, this thoughtful touch set the tone for the attentive hospitality at Mémoire.

A warm, petite house-made brioche arrived at the table, accompanied by a curry kapitan butter topped with a pinch of chicken serunding (floss). The pillowy-soft smoked brioche with the savoury butter made for an unexpected yet enjoyable combination. I could have easily enjoyed another.

The meal then continued with a skilfully crafted dish, mackerel fish otak topped with a slice of cucumber pickle and a passion fruit mayonnaise, sandwiched between two crispy, paper-thin fermented black garlic tuiles shaped like the skeleton of a fish. The bite-sized creation arrived perched on a white sea urchin shell and decorated with tiny blossoms. The aromatic spiced otak was well balanced by the sauce that added a refreshing citrus lift that awakened the palate.

The presentation was simply artful, and the ingenious combination of flavours and textures felt both local and refined. Chef Chian Fung’s philosophy of blending memory with innovation came alive in this creative amuse-bouche.

Painting your own masterpiece and eat it

Then came one of the most delightful surprises of the meal. A warm, crispy rectangular flatbread, acting as a canvas, arrived on a miniature easel. Beside it were five colourful sauces (beetroot sambal, green peas basil, cauliflower-potato puree, purple cabbage chutney and pumpkin-lentil curry), along with a palette knife and a brush. Diners were encouraged to be creative and have fun. It was whimsical and interactive, almost childlike in the best possible way. You became part of the creation, and dining turned into play—a moment that made the artist in me smile instantly.

The main course options

Across my two visits, I tried these two main courses, the chicken and the fish.

Pandan chicken with glutinous rice and pesto filling (RM78+)

I am so used to the classic Thai pandan chicken—marinated chicken tied into a parcel with pandan leaves and deep-fried—but the version at Mémoire was nothing I expected. Tender chicken breast with a herbaceous pesto filling is encased in a cocoon of blended chicken paste, transformed into a new form. When cooked and halved, the cross-section reveals its layers. Beneath the chicken lay a refreshing green papaya salad with a savoury sauce, accompanied by a sweet potato gratin topped with a shard of crispy chicken skin and a pistachio falafel. This is comfort food, reimagined.

Sea Grouper with prawn bisque, toasted forbidden rice and garlic (RM108+)

On my second visit, I opted for the fish. The grouper was cooked beautifully—delicate and moist, with crispy skin resting on a bed of handmade noodles in an umami-rich prawn bisque. The dish was carefully presented with fresh herbs and edible flowers.

One of my usual reservations when dining at restaurants that serve artfully plated food is that the portions are often small, leaving me tempted to adjourn to a nearby hawker centre afterwards. Chef Chian Fung assured me that this is never the case at Mémoire. He understands that disgruntled patrons rarely return, and he places equal importance on both customer satisfaction and the quality of the food.

A sweet memory to end

Dessert arrived as a tribute to Southeast Asian flavours. The aromatic pandan jelly sat atop a bed of crushed Oreos, crowned with a scoop of coconut ice cream and drizzled with gula melaka sauce, with a touch of light soy sauce adding a hint of saltiness. Micro herbs and a chocolate tree with edible flowers provided their own delicate touch. The visually stunning dessert offered a complex interplay of flavours and textures to savour.

Is it a good thing or simply overwhelming? That really depends on who you ask. My daughter would have happily settled for just the jelly and ice cream. I, on the other hand, delight in layered, complex flavours and the little adventure presented on the plate. After all, if we never leave the safety of our comfort zone, how can we ever discover the extraordinary?

Meeting the Chef

What impressed me just as much as the food was meeting Chef Chian Fung himself. Despite a career that has taken him through prestigious kitchens including the iconic Raffles Hotel Singapore and the massive culinary stage of Marina Bay Sands, he remains warm, humble and soft-spoken.

Over more than two decades in professional kitchens, he has earned international recognition, including:
Champion: Global Culinary Challenge 2024 (Malaysia)
Champion: Lee Kum Kee Supreme Chef Competition 2019 (Singapore)
Gold Medal: Republic of Korea International Culinary & Pastry Competition 2023
Gold Medal: Creative Culinary Challenge 2019 (Malaysia)

Yet in conversation he seemed far more interested in whether diners were enjoying themselves than in his many accolades. That sincere humility made the experience all the more meaningful.

After working internationally for years, he returned to Penang in 2023 to open this intimate dining atelier. With only about a dozen counter seats, diners enjoy a front-row view of the cooking, plating, and creativity behind every dish. What made those two luncheons unforgettable for me was the chef’s culinary ingenuity and the joy and wonder I experienced throughout the meals.

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Written and photographed by Adrian Cheah
© All rights reserved
9 February 2026

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Mémoire Molecular Gastronomy Dining
73, Lebuh Noordin, 10300 George Town, Penang
T: +6016-456 7771
Open daily: 12 noon – 2:30pm, 6 – 10 pm except Tuesdays