Discovering Irama Dining: A Penang Multi-Concept Gem

Yesterday, Olya and I took our visitor Michael Wader (a fellow Rotarian and Toastmaster from Kuala Lumpur) to Café Lagenda—the first restaurant from Penang’s Irama Dining Group.

I’ll admit: I didn’t realize Lagenda was part of a larger group.

The Delayed Recognition

A few weeks ago, I had visited Irama Dining on the second floor of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce building downtown. I was genuinely impressed—the space, the presentation, the attention to detail. But somehow I missed that it was part of a Penang-based restaurant group called Irama.

Yesterday’s dinner connected the dots.

What Caught My Attention

Irama Dining Group operates multiple concepts, each with distinct positioning:

• Lagenda — Affordable Malay/Indonesian/Western fusion (where we ate yesterday)
• Sutera — Halal Chinese cuisine (filling a genuine market gap)
• Irama Dining — Upscale, stylish dining in a heritage building
• The Tamarra — Fine dining by the ocean

And they’ve already expanded into Kuala Lumpur.

First Impressions (Strong Ones)

What struck me during our meal at Lagenda:

• Interesting concepts — Each restaurant fills a clear niche
• Friendly staff — Attentive without hovering
• Attention to detail — The décor tells stories (P. Ramlee themes at Lagenda)
• Dish presentation — Everything arrives intentionally plated

The Indonesian Beef Rendang I ordered had a superb kick to it. Spicy for me, but I couldn’t get enough of it. The kind of dish where you slow down to savor each bite, then speed up because it’s too good to resist.

Why This Matters

This is exactly the kind of brand Brandmine exists to illuminate: founder-led, quietly building, multiple revenue streams, clear differentiation.

We’ll be building a proper Brand Resilience Profile on Irama Dining Group. The initial research is already underway—husband-wife founders Arshad Kamarulzaman and Bella Rahman have built something genuinely impressive in Penang’s competitive dining landscape.

But sometimes, before the deep research and the formal profile, it’s worth just noting: I ate a really excellent rendang yesterday, and the brand behind it is worth paying attention to.

More to come on Irama Dining Group.