[Beach St. Bistrot Review] Dave's Deli's Founder & Son Venture Into Upscale European Cuisine

Many of us Penangites remember growing up with the homegrown brand Dave’s Deli and their hearty pies, but sadly they closed their outlet on the island at the Queensbay Mall last June due to the constant rise in rental fees.

Fortunately for us, we can now taste beloved pies which were first perfected by co-founders of Dave's Deli David and Maureen Chin 34 years ago in a new upscale restaurant venture. Featuring a Modern European menu with a mix of Asian influences, it serves to up the ante on casual dining.

Located on one of the oldest streets in Penang sharing the same name, Beach St. Bistrot by David & Brian Chin is in a pre-war building over a century old which was initially refurbished and slated to be a gallery before the father-son duo came across the lot.

The concept here differs from Café Bistrot David and the Bar x Grill David upstairs in TTDI with the latter being David’s first collaboration with his son Brian. We spoke to the 37-year-old who has taken up the mantle from his father as Managing Director as David has retired from the day-to-day running of Dave’s Deli. He mentioned that his father feels grateful and lucky to have someone to pass on his legacy to as a foundation for the next generation to soar.

Explaining their roles at the bistro, Brian said, “My dad and I are the proprietors of the restaurant. My dad is the Chef Patron, so food and recipes are developed by him. Chef Sue oversees the kitchen, and I oversee the overall running of the restaurant including operations, the bar, curating wine list, and more. We are definitely not a branch or a franchise and it’s a standalone.”

“Instead of a Dave’s Deli, we wanted to do something very different. This was during a transition time where in KL we had just opened Bar x Grill David which is meant for charcoal grilling. When we were here, we thought it would be interesting to bring this sort of concept to Penang as opposed to another Dave’s Deli and change the scene a little bit.”

“Our place is definitely not Italian, you can’t pigeonhole it, but it is definitely what we like; the food is very robust, generous, and tasty. We always tell our chefs that this is not Dave’s Deli. That is more like fast food but over here, we cook by feel.”

Incidentally, readers will be interested to know that the Michelin-starred chef who is known for his own growing food empire including fine dining venture DC Restaurant by Darren Chin is part of the culinary-inclined family although he is not involved in the running of this restaurant or Dave’s Deli.

The Space

Newly opened on 10 May 2023, the pork-free restaurant has three separate spaces which have been tastefully done up and fluidly flow into each area. Downstairs on the ground floor is The Communal Table fronting the open kitchen where guests can dine together on a single marble table with artfully positioned breaks in between the slabs for subtle privacy. Instead of cliché shots of European landmarks that are found in some outlets, lining the walls are a spectacular photo collection by S.C. Shekar, a well-known photojournalist. Like everything in the bistro, it points to an eye for detail and the care that has been taken to curate the space and menu.

Going up the stairs, you will immediately arrive at The Brasserie, where many-hued wine bottles line the shelves and the bar backed by antique stained-glass windowpanes imbue the space with a retro and warm atmosphere. The windowpanes were sourced from one of the many houses of the Oei Tjie Sien “Sugar King of Java” while the floorboards were obtained from one of the demolished kongsis, or Chinese Clan Houses.

Linked by a walkway is The White Room, with French windows which offer a stunning view into the grounds of the Cheah Kongsi temple. A playlist of Bossa nova and jazz tunes serves to add to the relaxed atmosphere.

At the heart of the kitchen is their Mibrasa oven flown in from Spain, which was specially sourced during a trip to the country and uses a mix of Japanese Binchō-tan charcoal and Malaysian mangrove charcoal.

How's the food at Beach St. Bistrot?

After hearing their backstory, it was time to dig in. Here’s what we had:

The Caesar (RM40)

Char-grilling the romaine lettuce in the oven transformed and infused it with great flavour, which was topped with anchovies, croutons, northern Italian Grana Padano cheese, grated egg, as well as beef Cecina, a type of dried beef meat of Spanish origin. While the salad had a nice smoky flavour, we wished that there were more croutons to give it more crunch, texture-wise.

Charred Honey Corn Ribs (RM35)

We had ordered so many things from the menu that we were only planning to take a bite of this entrée, but we found ourselves reaching out for more. Cooking the corn from Cameron Highlands in the oven brought out its natural flavours and it was well-caramelised with buerre noisette (brown butter) which imparted an incredible toasted and nutty flavour to the recipe. Grated Pecorino cheese served to add a mild, creamy taste to the dish while Cajun spices lent it a spicy kick.

The BSB Wagyu Burger (RM75)

We personally love a good burger and 175g of Australian Wagyu mincemeat patty was cooked medium rare (just the way we like it) and topped off with veal bacon, relish, gherkin, cheese, and Pizzutello Italian tomatoes to form the gastronomical tower of our dreams. This was covered with just the right amount of black truffle paste which intensified the flavours without overpowering them and unexpectedly served in a two-onion and tomato-infused spiral croissant buns.

We must say that despite so many individual elements, the burger was very cleverly constructed in terms of balancing out its flavours expertly. It was accompanied by mustard which gave it a spicy zing and crispy fries made from potatoes imported from the US. This burger can also be found at Café-Bistrot David, where it is known as the CBD Wagyu Burger.

Gourmet Pie (RM45)

We couldn’t visit the bistro and not sample their legendary dish so we ordered their gourmet pie, which is served in a larger size than the one you find at Dave’s Deli. There are four choices of fillings and we opted for the Steak & Mushroom. This came with mushy peas (we personally have an aversion to peas so we can’t comment on this) and pomme purée which was an ultra-creamy version of mashed potatoes.

As expected, their best-known dish doesn’t disappoint as the golden buttery layers of puff pastry were exquisite. The flaky pastry encased the filling of beef chuck, mushrooms, carrots, and peas which made for a deliciously savoury flavour. While it came with rich gravy which brought back nostalgia for us and reminds us of David’s legacy, it was so moist it could be eaten on its own.

Fresh Mussels Mariniere—Port Philip Bay, Australia (RM75)

While I personally never order mussels, there were no regrets here as this dish truly impressed me. Known as Moules Marinières or Sailor-style mussels, this pot full of flavourful liquid and fresh mussels air-flown from Port Philip Bay, Australia could be easily a meal on its own.

Cooked in white wine, crème fraiche, Kombu dashi, ñora peppers, leek, celery, and carrots, the result was a soft, clean taste without the usual overpowering seafood flavour. It was paired with Nan Jim, a dipping sauce taught to David by a Thai family member, which acidity served to elevate the umami of the dish.

The bottom of the pot begged for nicely charred bread to be dipped into which we did with slices of sourdough.

Crêpes Suzette (RM32)

To finish off the meal, we went for the crêpes Suzette which was good but we weren’t a fan of the strips of zest because the bitterness was a bit strong. However, the orange supremes added a good fresh contrast to an otherwise heavy dessert.

Bottoms Up

An extensive drinks menu complements the dishes and tipplers will be pleased to find that there are many selections for those who choose to opt to go by the glass (which is a rare find, as most restaurants only offer several).

The BSB Sangria (RM110 per carafe for 2-3 pax or RM45 per glass)

This was a generous goblet of sangria which could easily be shared by two. A perfect respite from the heat, the orange and fruits were perfectly balanced with the Negroamaro red wine.

Verdict

We didn’t have space left in our stomachs after that feast, but we’ll definitely be returning for their Mixed Seafood Paella and Linguine Garlic Kombu Butter with our family in tow!

Visit their Instagram page here or check out their full menu here.

Address: 240, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Phone: 018-208 8171 Lunch: 12:00pm - 4:00pm (Kitchen last call 3:00pm) Dinner: 6.00pm - 10.30pm (Kitchen last call 9:30pm) Closed on Tuesdays | Pork-free

Image credit: @dchin99