A mouth-watering paella set lunch at Hola by Javu
Hola by Javu established in November 2021 is a tapas bistro located at Tanjung Point, a stone's throw from the Chinese Swimming Club. The elegant spacious interior overlooking the tranquil beachfront of Tanjung Tokong is ideal for one to enjoy some Spanish treats. On a visit, my daughter and I shared the scrumptious paella set lunch, a true value for money priced at only RM59 nett (available only on weekdays from 11 am – 5 pm).
The paella set lunch included a starter (soup of the day or house salad), a choice of tapas (from the tapas lunch menu) and paella (seafood or pork). For starters, we opted for the house salad instead of the soup of the day. The refreshing house salad was packed with crispy fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, oranges, beetroot cubes, olives and raisins as well as preserved fig and apricot slices, topped with grated cheese. The light dressing enabled the fresh flavours of the ingredients to shine true. The generous portion is ideal for sharing.
For the tapas, we selected gambas al ajillo (Spanish-style garlic prawns), baked in olive oil, garlic and chilli. Warm crispy baguette slices drizzled with olive oil were served on the side. The succulent white sea prawns were fresh and sweet.
Other tapas options include spinach and mushroom tortilla, grilled baby octopus, Moroccan dates in blue cheese and crushed walnuts wrapped in bacon, Iberico pork belly, clams in white wine reduction and Serrano ham skewered with peaches, sweet basil and feta cheese. I would definitely return to sample more of the tapas which sound all too tempting.
For the paella, we went for the seafood version instead of the pork option. Using short grain Arborio rice, the traditional Spanish classic came fully loaded with seafood – prawns, clams, muscles and baby octopuses. The rice infused with saffron was flavoured just right, rich in umami goodness. All the seafood was cooked to perfection. It was such a joy to indulge in a dish that was carefully prepared.
If you love paella, head down to Hola by Javu. Using quality ingredients, the scrumptious paella set lunch is a steal. The tapas lunch menu, although with a limited selection, is equally enticing – RM68 for a choice of any three tapas. However, the extensive a la carte menu has more choices to consider.
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Hola by Javu
508-1-1, Tanjung Point, Jalan Tanjung Tokong, 10470, Tanjung Tokong, Penang.
T: +6012-362 4652, +604-285 8948
Open: 11 am – 10 pm except Mondays (last call: 9 pm)
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Written and photographed by Adrian Cheah
© All rights reserved
16 March 2023