SUFFOLK HOUSE, Penang's 200-year old grand old late-Georgian mansion set along the banks of the Ayer Itam River, was all aglow last week. The earliest earliest surviving “Great House of Penang” and considered the purest example of Anglo-Indian architecture outside India, it was the scene of a reception hosted by His Excellency W Boyd McCleary CVO, British High Commissioner to Malaysia and Mandy Johnson, Director of the British Council, Malaysia.

The event was held in honour of Donald Hyslop, Head of Regeneration and Community Partnerships, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives, and Chair of Better Bankside.

Amongst the VIPs there were Ooi Geok Ling, Managing Director of Penang Global Tourism, together with YB Danny Law and many other dignitaries. Representing the Chief Minister was YB Chow Kon Yeow, who replied to McLeary's short and humorous speech welcoming Hyslop. The pix is of McLeary presenting YB Chow with a copy of the lease of Penang to give to the CM.

Wine flowed freely, but best of all was the feeling in everyone's mind that they were actually in an historical site: one which, despite its dubious beginnings (the house is built on land once owned by Captain Francis Light; upon his death his executors cheated his common-law wife Martina Rozells of her inheritance and instead sold it to William Edwards Phillip who subsequently became a Governor of Penang. Hence began Suffolk House's connection with the seat of government: the founding of Singapore was apparently discussed here, when Sir Stamford Raffles and his wife had dinner in the Marble Hall, which was where the dining room would have been), there is a certain somber grandeur that Heritage Architect Lawrence Loh did a great job in retaining. The whole restoration has been wonderfully and lovingly carried out. Kudos to the activists who worked hard by lobbying local government to not just prevent it from being torn down (it was sealed off in the '70s as it was considered a dangerous structure) BUT also successfully raising funds for its restoration.

The restaurant there is run by the same people who own No32 and Bagan, so well worth a visit, and I'm delighted that we have yet another fine-dining place to go to when we want a special evening out. With so many places closing down, we need a few more to take their places.

By the hair of my CHINNY CHIN'S CHIN'S ...

AND NO, IT'S NOT MENOPAUSE MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT ... I WAS HONOURED TO BE INVITED TO one of the newest restaurants in town last night - in fact, it's so new it's not even open to the public yet! Only private bookings are being taken at the moment, which is a great idea as it gets the staff up and running without overwhelming them.

CHIN'S is based in Weld Quay directly opposite the hip QEII; both are owned by proprietor David Chin, who used to run a similar restaurant in London in the 80s and 90s.

The dark interior is cosy and quite classy, if you'll pardon the alliteration; shades of Soho in Penang Road, and so it should be, as both were done up by David himself, a UK-trained graphics designer. As you enter, a large colourful wall mural consisting of icons through the years, greets you - Chairman Mao, Marilyn Munroe, Michael Jackson, etc - it was commissioned by David and hand painted for him in China, as were all the plates which mark each placing at the tables.

Inside, chandeliers dangle down from the ceiling, each one unique, although I fell in love with the gorgeous round ones which hang over the bar, shaped like traditional Chinese lanterns but made of red glass which glint as they swivel. Several of the round tables give you a fantastic view of the sea, which is particularly beautiful at night as the lights reflect on the water.

As for the food, every dish has been chosen for its uniqueness: the cuisine, though primarily Chinese (hence his tagline Stylish Chinese Cuisine), is a mix of Szechuan and Cantonese with a dash of Beijing and other mainland Chinese influences. Many ingredients, he assured me, have to be specially imported from China - a case in point is the spicy, aromatic Szechuan peppers which are used in the Spicy and Hot Poached Fish. The fish is sliced so thinly that it cooks as soon as it is dunked into the scalding soup-like sauce, but I don't think any boiling is involved so it is as smooth as silk. But be warned - it is rather spicy.

We started with some cold appetisers which include Sweet Sliced Lotus Root, Hunan Seaweed, and Century Egg with Grilled Red Peppers, then a hot Diced Venison in Spicy Drip - quite tasty, but my favourite was the speciality he used to serve in his London restaurant: Chin's Aromatic Crispy Duck, served with tiny home-made pancakes into which you place the shredded duck, adding some slivers of cucumber and spring onions, together with some hoi sin sauce and, for chili addicts, some chili padi. Mmmm ... really reminded me of Chinese restaurants in London.

The next course was a real treat: real French Foie Gras - Goose Liver - and although I'm not a real fan of it myself, had to try some - it was really smooth and creamy; tres delicieux with the pear and laurel blossom, and probably tres expensive too.

I thought the Cang Jin Tau was excellent, although that was probably because I didn't have a chance to try the Beef Tenderloin in Hot Stone Oil cooked a table cos it disappeared almost as soon as it was put on the table. The savouries ended with crunchy and healthy "5-coloured Organic Fried Rice" because, according to David, "we must have our five colours a day"!

One would have thought we'd be full up by now but no - dessert was a rather unusual Pumpkin Cake with some sort of dark tao sar filling. Service was excellent, but that could have had something to do with the fact that the boss was eating with us. And there weren't many other patrons there that night!

They only open in earnest at the end of November, when the menu proper will be decided - and with such avant garde dishes, he is definitely setting out to attract the sort of set who don't want just the same-old same-old plonk everything on a plate in the middle, help yourself typically Cantonese dishes. Apart froM Sesame+Soy at the g Hotel, I think CHIN'S is set to be the Chinese fine dining place in town. Can't wait for the opening ... !!