La Vie en Mei Gui Café —Between Buckingham and Penang
Walking into La Vie en Mei Gui Café with my daughter for lunch brought back a rather unexpected memory. At the entrance, you are greeted by Prince William and Kate Middleton, while upstairs at the landing, Queen Elizabeth II stands in regal splendour. Chandeliers hang above, grand floral arrangements fill the rooms, and gilded details sit against lush crimson. British memorabilia completes the setting, with every corner arranged almost like a picture postcard. John H'ng has certainly embraced the theme wholeheartedly.
It reminded me of 2017, when the then Prince Charles and Camilla visited Penang. I was at the reception held in their honour at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, where he took time to greet the guests. When it was my turn to greet him, we shook hands, and he immediately noticed my shirt, made from fine embroidery depicting auspicious goldfish, complete with the intricate kerawang traditionally found on the kebaya. He began asking about it, and our conversation moved naturally to Baba and Nyonya culture. What struck me was his attention. For those few moments, he seemed to tune out everyone else in the room and concentrate entirely on our conversation. I had expected the formality of meeting a member of the Royal Family, but what stayed with me was the sincerity with which he listened and asked questions. It was a brief encounter, but one I have remembered ever since and, in my own small way, try to emulate when speaking with others.
Adrian Cheah with John H’ng (right) at his florist studio.
Perhaps that is part of the enduring fascination with the Royal Family. There is the history, of course, but also the ceremony, pageantry and sense of occasion that surround them. John has captured that atmosphere and given it his own interpretation. As a florist, he has an instinctive eye for flowers, and the floral arrangements throughout the restaurant are quite spectacular. From the moment you enter, there is something to look at, from the royal figures to the chandeliers, flowers and memorabilia.
The setting stirred memories of a journey through Europe in the autumn of 1996, when I spent a month travelling from one country to another, with several weeks in London. I fell in love with the pleasures of the British table—fish and chips eaten on the go, the wonderful sandwiches at Harrods, pies with golden pastry, bangers and mash, roast dinners with Yorkshire pudding, and the grand occasion of a Beef Wellington. Then there were the cakes and pastries, scones with jam and clotted cream, and, of course, the full works of a proper Full English breakfast. Looking back, what I remember most fondly is the pleasure of wandering through Piccadilly, Covent Garden, Soho and Mayfair, with their cafés, restaurants, old pubs and little shops, never quite knowing what corner would lead to the next discovery.
At La Vie en Mei Gui, John has kept the kitchen close to home, serving the Nyonya food he knows so well, alongside playful touches of fusion. There is even pasta with green curry, an easy meeting of two culinary worlds. Amid all the British grandeur, the flavours remained distinctly Asian.
Our lunch began with the La Vie en Rose Bread with Nyonya Chicken Curry (RM19+). Two little bread roses arrived at the table, their petals carefully formed and almost too pretty to pull apart. The bread was soft with crispy edges, while the petite serving of chicken curry was fragrant. Tear off a petal, dip it into the curry and you have a rather charming way to begin a meal.
We followed that with the Salmon Sushi Bake (RM25+), rice topped with diced salmon, corn, onions, greens, melted cheese and homemade sauce. We added seaweed for RM4, and I was glad we did. The seaweed brought an umami richness and a little crisp texture to the creamy salmon rice, giving the dish a pleasing contrast. Scooping the warm rice onto a sheet of seaweed and wrapping it up made every mouthful quite satisfying.
The Nyonya Braised Pork (RM29+) rice set was my favourite. Served with blue-tinted rice, the pork belly was tender from being slow-braised in soybean paste with garlic, shallots and aromatic spices, and to my palate it had the comforting character of hong bak—rich, savoury and wonderfully familiar. It came with jiu hu char and acar awak, adding a good mix of textures and distinct Nyonya flair, while the fiery sambal belacan provided just the right kick.
For drinks, my daughter had the Peach Passion Bloom (RM12+), a refreshing combination of peach, soda and passion fruit. We finished with a slice of cake.
I left feeling that we had only sampled a small part of the menu. There are several other dishes I would like to try, particularly some of John’s fusion creations, and I would certainly return.
Perhaps that is the nicest thing about La Vie en Mei Gui. You can arrive for the royal spectacle, settle in for a meal, and find yourself lingering a little longer than expected.
La Vie en Mei Gui Café
67 Jalan Irving, George Town, Malaysia, 10400
T: +6017-672 4567
Hours: 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Thursday to Tuesday. Closed on Wednesday
P.S. La Vie en Mei Gui (玫瑰人生) means “a life in roses”, an expression inspired by the French "La Vie en Rose". It evokes the idea of seeing life through rose-coloured glasses, with romance, optimism and a little wonder.
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Written and photographed by Adrian Cheah
© All rights reserved
25 August 2026
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