CRIZ BON APPETITE

Potatoes USA with its Malaysian partner, has recently organized the World of Flavors seminar in Penang to emphasize on the versatility and health benefits of consuming U.S. potatoes.

The seminar was held at The Wembley, Penang, with cooking demonstrations by two established chefs, namely Chef Steven Long, who hails from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Chef Federico Michieletto from Italy.

The workshop started with Mr. Eddie Saw, Potatoes USA Country Representative, briefing the audience on the background of US Potatoes and their nutritional benefits, which included Vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber. He also clarified on the myth behind the misperception of using potatoes as controversially, potatoes are healthy to consume with zero fat, zero sodium and zero cholesterol but it’s the cooking methods and ingredients used that matter most. In fact, potatoes have a more favorable overall nutrient-to-price ratio than many other vegetables and are an important staple worldwide.

The first cooking demonstration was presented by Chef Federico Michieletto with 3 recipes, namely Hashbrown with Meat Bolognese Ragout, Panzerotti Baresi Classic O Calzone and U.S. Lattice Cut Chocolate Mousse Dessert.

You can check out his recipes below:

The following session of the cooking demonstration was presented by Chef Steven Long with 3 recipes as well, namely Rainbow Spring Roll, U.S. Potato Wantons and Vietnamese Fish Curry with U.S. Potatoes

You can check out his recipes below:

The attendees were also served with the showcased potatoes dishes and more during the workshop breaks as shown below:

About Potatoes USA: Potatoes USA is the marketing organization for the 2,500 commercial potato growers operating in the United States. The organization promotes five main potato products, namely fresh table-stock potatoes, fresh chipping potatoes, seed potatoes, frozen potato products and dehydrated potato products. They do not directly sell potatoes and potato products but offers services that help their customers all around the world to increase demand for potatoes. Potatoes USA has invested heavily in marketing and product management research to bring you information that grows your business.

This year Angsana Teluk Bahang would be offering Juadah Di Teluk Bahang Ramadan Buffet Dinner 2022 at Level 3, Jendela Restaurant. The promotion would start from Thursday, 14 April 2022 until Saturday, 30 April 2022, from 6.30pm to 10.00pm. There would be a live performance of traditional wayang kulit and a gamelan band, and also a demonstration of coconut leaf weaving. Normal price is RM128.00nett for adult and RM 64.00nett for children 6 to 12 years old. An Early Bird Price of RM105.00nett for adults and RM 52.50nett for children 6 to 12 years old is available for a limited time only between Friday, 11 March 2022 to Wednesday, 13 April 2022. Children 5 years old and below would get to dine for FREE. For bookings, please call +604-817 0888 or email telukbahang@angsana.com today.

The buffet would feature Malay kampung delights like raw green ulam, ulam raja, ulam pegaga, daun selom, jantung pisang with a medley of sambals including sambal belacan, sambal tempoyak, sambal mangga, sambal kelapa, sambal kicap pedas, petis udang and cincalok. At the Chinese corner, there would be steamed dim sum, mantou and buns with sauces and dips, The soup station includes Szechuan hot and sour soup and spicy mutton soup. There is a noodle station showcasing bakso daging and herbal chicken soups with a variety of noodles plus vegetables and condiments, stir-fried prawns in spicy chili sauce, sautéed Hong Kong kailan with mushrooms, wok-fried mee hoon with seafood and black pepper crab and whole seabass with superior soya sauce. The Malay corner would include beef rendang, udang masak sambal petai, clams in padprik sauce, ribs in asam pedas sauce and spicy fried chicken. The Indian corner would have chicken and lamb tandoori, chicken briyani, aloo ghobi, butter chicken masala and Madras lamb curry. There woul also be wasabi marinated fried chicken with sesame sauce and roasted Mediterranean vegetables in the western corner. Indonesian dishes include gulai daging masak hitam, gulai lemak nangka, gulai kambing and gulai patin tempoyak. There would also be a whole roasted lamb marinated with lemongrass, turmeric and galangal, grilled seafood wrapped in banana leaves and spicy sambal, chicken and beef satay, chicken and beef Ramli burger, beef and chicken murtabak served with pickled onions.

Desserts would include iced syrups, a chocolate fountain of vanilla sponge, honey dew, pineapple, churroz and cream puffs, ice cream, bitter chocolate cake, mixed berries bavarois, assorted nyonya kuih, lemongrass jelly, cheese cake, linzer torte, crème caramel, air batu campur and assorted cut fruits.

Getting to the Angsana Teluk Bahang won’t be hard as it’s all the way up via Jalan Tanjung Tokong until almost the end of Jalan Teluk Bahang. Park your car at the ample parking space and walk right into the lobby, then go the lift area right at end and go up level 3. Upon exiting the lift, you can see the Jendela Restaurant.

Name: JENDELA RESTAURANT @ ANGSANA TELUK BAHANG
Address: Level 3, 11 Jalan Teluk Bahang, 11050 Teluk Bahang, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-817 0888
Business Hours: 6.30pm-10.00pm (buffet time)
GPS: 5.461866, 100.219752

RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

This is the first time Potatoes USA with its Malaysian partner, has organized this consumer cooking demonstration workshop in Penang to emphasize on the versatility and health benefits of consuming U.S. potatoes. The workshop was held recently at The Wembley, Penang, with cooking demonstrations by two established Japanese master chefs, namely Chef Yukichi Matsubara and Chef Hideaki Nakajima, whom both have vast experiences in understanding the Malaysians’ taste buds.

The workshop started with Mr. Eddie Saw, Potatoes USA Country Representative, briefing the audience on the background of US Potatoes and their nutritional benefits, which included Vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber. He also clarified on the myth behind the misperception of using potatoes as controversially, potatoes are healthy to consume but it’s the cooking methods and ingredients used that matter most. In fact, potatoes have a more favorable overall nutrient-to-price ratio than many other vegetables and are an important staple worldwide.

The first cooking demonstration was presented by Chef Yukichi Matsubara with 2 recipes, namely U.S. Potato Curry Bun and U.S. Potato Pizza with Gorgonzola.

You can check out his recipes below:

The session of the cooking demonstration was presented by Chef Hideaki Nakajima with 2 recipes as well, namely Nikujaga (Chicken and U.S. Potato Stew) and U.S. Potato Buns with Seafood Sauce, which is basically Pan-Fried Mashed U.S. Potatoes with Prawns & Clams in Gravy.

You can check out his recipes below:

There are actually 5 categories of US Potatoes products offered, namely Fresh/Table-stock Potatoes (Russet Potatoes, White Potatoes, Round Red Potatoes, Yellow Flesh Potatoes, Blue Purple Potatoes, Fingerling Potatoes & Petite Potatoes), Frozen Potatoes (Whole Frozen Baked Potatoes, Frozen Half Shells, Frozen Wedges, Frozen Mashed Potatoes, Individually Quick Frozen aka IQF Shreds, IQF Dices, Frozen Straight Cut Fries, Frozen Crinkle Cut Fries, Loop/Curly Fries, Lattice/Basket Weave Cuts, Tater Drums & IQF Hash Brown Patties), Chipping Potatoes (There are 15 US chip-stock varieties available throughout the year for your potato chip products’ needs), Dehydrated Potatoes (Standard Flakes, Low Peel/Low Leech Potato Flakes, Standard Granules, Mashed Potatoes Mixes, Slices/Dices/Shreds, Granular & Fine Flour) and Seed Potatoes (All seed that is exported also meets U.S. seed potato export standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture). You can see some of the samples and brands as displayed on the table here. These ingredients can be easily bought off the shelves of major retail stores throughout Malaysia.

The attendees were also served with many U.S. Potatoes based dishes during the workshop breaks. One of the notable dishes was the individual serving of the specially concocted Miso Soup, infused with prawn flavor and with added U.S. Potatoes.

About Potatoes USA: Potatoes USA is the marketing organization for the 2,500 commercial potato growers operating in the United States. The organization promotes five main potato products, namely fresh table-stock potatoes, fresh chipping potatoes, seed potatoes, frozen potato products and dehydrated potato products. They do not directly sell potatoes and potato products but offers services that help their customers all around the world to increase demand for potatoes. Potatoes USA has invested heavily in marketing and product management research to bring you information that grows your business.

Recently on 20 April 2107, Lexis Suite Penang which is located at the beautiful shoreline of Teluk Kumbar, Penang, hosted the Media & Blogger Appreciation Night 2017 at its beautifully Japanese themed decorated Hibiscus Ballroom with its staff all dressed up in traditional Japanese attires.

It was a fun-filled event with great food, great entertainment with bridal show and martial art session plus lots of lucky draw items to be won by its guests. Guests were even pampered with a brief massage session by Lex Spa.

The interior was with a setup of how Lexis Suite Penang would decorate the ballroom for a customized wedding banquet.

Of course the dishes served on that night would be Japanese cuisine as well with options such as Ninniku Chahan, Fried Lotus Roots with Konnyaku, Tori Katsu, Oden with Condiments, Chilled Seafood Platters, Sushi, Sashimi, Teppanyaki, Roasted Meat, Yakitori and a variety of desserts, not forgetting the cocktail, mocktail and coffee section.

Thank you to Lexis Suites Penang for extending the invitation for a great night out.

Lexis Suites Penang is located right at the end of Teluk Kumbar before the main road into Gertak Sanggul. In fact, it’s located just next to the Hao You Teluk Kumbar Seafood (公巴好友海鲜). The Roselle Coffee House is located at level 1 of Lexis Suites Penang. Just walk into the main lobby of the resort and move towards the right side of the lobby and you will see the elevator there. Take the lift to the first floor and you would see the restaurant there.

Name: LEXIS SUITES PENANG
Address: 28, Jalan Teluk Kumbar, 11920 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-628 2888
Business Hours (Roselle Coffee House):
Breakfast: 6.30am-10.30am
All Day Menu: 11.30am-10.30pm
Buffet Menu: 6.30pm-11.00pm
Room Service: 24 hours
GPS: 5.287210, 100.232760

About Lexis Suites Penang: A luxurious resort by the beachfront that stands out as the only hotel on the island which offer guests the luxury of an individual private pool and steam room in every of its 222 suites. Located at the idyllic Teluk Kumbar, Lexis Suites Penang is about ten minutes’ drive from Penang International Airport. The guestrooms feature two king-sized beds and a host of practical amenities in a spacious enclave, with an awesome view of the sea.

The Tiger STREATS 2017, the unique street food experience from Tiger Beer, recently arrive at the shore of Penang at Hin Bus Depot, enabling Penang foodies to enjoy Malaysian cuisine with some twists. It was indeed a new experience for many non-muslim party-goers to wash down the food with ice cold Tiger brews throughout the night.

With more than 14 types of one-of-a-kind takes on local favorites, Tiger STREATS will be more than enough to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. Let’s look at the “specials” available during the eventful night.

BBQ Ribs with Sambal Sloppy Fries – Tender on the inside, crackly on the outside! The signature BBQ ribs marinated with own secret recipe, paired with in-house famous Sambal Sloppy Fries on the side.

Yummitori – A new age ‘satay’ pork slice skewers, grilled perfectly with crunchy greens in between. You can choose from 4 different types of flavors, namely ‘Sambal Hainanese’ Pork, ‘Chewbakwa’ Pork, ‘Caramelized Roast’ Pork and ‘Once You Go Black’ Pork.

K-Pop Maggi Goreng – ‘Wok Hei’ filled Maggi Goreng ala Chili Pan Mee twist. Served with stirred fried instant noodle, accompanied with minced chicken, crunchy ikan bilis and a fried egg.

Pisang Goreng with Lemon Curd – Fried banana fritters with coconut milk and honey drizzle, topped with lemon curd and toasted sesame.

Bacon & Gula Melaka Popcorn – Rich, dark and mysterious Gula Melaka (palm sugar) caramelized over low fire and then drizzled over freshly popped corn and salty homemade bacon. This “Asian-inspired” popcorn is then sprinkled with desiccated coconut before they are slow baked to little precious, crackling Krakens! Whatever that means!

Bacon & Sambal Ikan Bilis Popcorn – Light buttery popcorn tossed with sambal, crispy salty bacon and toasted whole anchovies.

Bacon & Bourbon Caramel Popcorn – Freshly popped corns are drizzled with hot bourbon caramel. They are then tossed with our homemade salty bacon and slow baked to crunchy perfection.

Bacon & Run Butterscotch Popcorn – Light buttery popcorn tossed with our homemade rum butterscotch, crispy salty bacon and toasted whole almonds. Take a bite of these little babies and feel the paper-thin crispy coating explode in your mouth.

Bacon & Salted Egg Yolk Cookies – Crispy homemade bacon bits and salted egg yolk in this traditional cookie batter.

Roti Aiskrim – Ondeh-ondeh and Teh Tarik flavoured ice cream sandwiched in between fluffy Hainanese bread, adding a little twist on the classic Roti Aiskrim, topped it off with homemade kaya drizzle.

Fried Cempedak Ice Cream – Inside Scoop’s bestselling Cempedak Ice Cream fried in a secret coating for that local twist and of course, absolute enjoyment.

Lo Mai Kai with a Twist – Indulge in this contemporary Lo Mai Kai with sautéed button and Portobello mushroom, smoked duck breast, fried shallots, micro herbs, dried shrimps, and accompany the chewy and fragrant glutinous rice.

Creamy Butter Chicken Nachos – Crunchy tortilla chips with Chinese restaurants go-to-dish, minced creamy butter chicken topped with Japanese nori, sesame seeds and chilies.

Curry Flavor Waffles – A savory twist of well flavored dessert – minced chicken waffles with onions, and served on a bed of citrus romaine with curry sauce drizzle.

Lemak Chicken Sandwich – The signature Malaysian dish where rice replaced with sourdough bread, ikan bilis, peanut, homemade sambal, toasted coconuts, and a chicken waffle.

Mr. Bao – Soy-sauced braised pork belly sandwiched in between slider buns, alongside coriander, fermented vegetable, fried shallot, peanut powder and pork sauce.

Mamak Fries – Crispy shoestring fries served with the nation’s staple Nasi Lemak sambal sauce and seasoning, garnished with parsley flakes.

In addition to the amazing array of dishes to sample, Tiger fans were kept entertained throughout the events with retro-inspired games, experiential activities, and performances from great local artistes, Color Noise.

To pair with all that delicious food, ice cold Tiger brews were sold at a special price throughout the evening.

Tiger STREATS launched in December in Kuala Lumpur, where 700 guests sat down together to feast on array of treats prepared by two chefs from very different worlds, but who shared the honour of Michelin Star fame. Hawker Chan, the owner of the first hawker stand to win the prestigious award, and Chef Ramsey, owner of progressive modernist restaurant Babe KL combined their culinary talents to craft an extraordinary dining experience with a unique collection of fusion dishes merging traditional Asian street food and contemporary fine dining cuisine.

Jessie Chuah, Marketing Manager of Tiger Beer said, “The response to Tiger STREATS so far has been incredible, and we’re thrilled to bring this unique culinary experience to even more Tiger Beer fans in Penang and Johor.”

A big thank you to Heineken Malaysia Berhad for the great experiences in the recent Tiger STREATS Party in Penang. It was truly an enjoyable event with memorable games of the past.

About Tiger STREATS: Tiger STREATS, by Tiger Beer, is the world’s first ‘street food meets fine dining’ culinary collaboration. Featuring a unique culinary mash-up between chef Hawker Chan, owner of world’s first Michelin-starred hawker stall and top fine dining chefs from around the world, the series of Tiger STREATS events, taking place in Sydney, Auckland, New York and Kuala Lumpur, aims to bring people from different backgrounds together to share a Tiger Beer and a memorable meal at the street food table.

About Tiger Beer: ROARING SINCE 1932 – A bold lager, born and brewed in the heart of Asia through our tropical lagering process. Tiger’s uniquely refreshing and full-bodied flavor is enjoyed in more than 70 countries, winning us friends and awards the world over. The brand received its first award in 1939, beginning its journey as an Award Winning beer on an international stage. The recognition of its product excellence catapulted Tiger’s internationalization in the early 1990s, with over 50 international awards and accolades to date. It is now known as a symbol of contemporary international Asia, enjoyed by discerning drinkers in every corner of the globe spanning across Asia with growing popularity in western markets such as, Europe, USA and Australasia amongst others. A true Asian beer at heart, the brand wants to show the world what Asia has to offer. Over the years, Tiger has received more acclaim from the world’s leading newspapers and journals than most other beers. For example, the Washington Magazine, in a blind taste-test involving several hundred brands, unreservedly voted Tiger “positively the best beer in the world”. Tiger has also accumulated over 50 accolades, awards and distinctions. Some of the more notable awards include a Gold medal in the International-Style Lager at the World Beer Cup 2010 and a Gold Medal for the International Golden Lagers category at the Brew NZ Awards in 2011. Each year from 2004 to 2006, Tiger was named a UK Cool Brand Leader. The recognition reaffirmed Tiger’s popularity and was given only to the coolest brands in the UK.

About Heineken Malaysia Berhad (formerly Guinness Anchor Berhad): HEINEKEN Malaysia with its portfolio of iconic international brands is the leading brewer in the country. The Company brews, markets and distributes:
• The World’s No. 1 international premium beer Heineken® ;
• The World-acclaimed iconic Asian beer Tiger Beer, and its doubly refreshing variant Tiger Radler and its other innovative brew Tiger White – Asia’s Wheat Beer;
• The World’s No. 1 stout Guinness;
• The all-time local favourite Anchor Smooth and its strong beer variant Anchor Strong;
• The premium Irish ale Kilkenny;
• The real shandy Anglia

HEINEKEN Malaysia also produces the wholesome, premium quality non-alcoholic Malta. HEINEKEN Malaysia’s brand portfolio also includes the World’s No. 1 cider Strongbow, the No. 1 German wheat beer Paulaner, Japan’s No. 1 100% malt beer Kirin Ichiban and the World’s No. 1 ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage Smirnoff Ice. The Company continues to lead the responsible drinking agenda through its Drink Sensibly campaign. Listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia, HEINEKEN Malaysia’s principal shareholder is GAPL Pte Ltd based in Singapore. GAPL Pte Ltd is 100% owned by Heineken N.V. Heineken Malaysia Berhad officially changed its name on 21 April 2016 following Heineken N.V.’s acquisition of GAPL Pte Ltd on 7 October in 2015. For more information please visit: www.heinekenmalaysia.com

With the successes of the US Potato Culinary Festival Kuala Lumpur in 2013 and 2015, the US Potato Festival Penang 2016 was finally held in the Pearl of the Orient, Penang, where the culinary scenes are well known to the world. Organized by the United States Potato Board of Malaysia with the support of the Penang Chefs Association, the month long festival would last from 1-31 May 2016 with 20 participating eateries showcasing the best they could offer with U.S. potatoes, either using fresh, frozen and/or dehydrated. Each eatery would feature some mouth-watering assortments of their creative delicacies from finger food, appetizers, entrées, soups, main courses to unique desserts, fully utilizing the versatility of the quality and nutritious U.S. potatoes. The launching of the festival was held at Straits Court @ Straits Quay, Penang recently on 23 April 2016.

According to Eddie Saw from the United States Potato Board of Malaysia, the humble looking potatoes had faced many bad reputations for being one of the most fattening food items to consume. In fact, one medium size (5.3 oz) skin on U.S. potato merely contains 110 calories per serving, boosts more potassium (620g) than a banana, and provides almost half the value of Vitamin C (45%) and contains no fat, no sodium and no cholesterol at all. He could be right with the facts and figures as potatoes surely have their fans and foes depending on how you cook them. Some of the healthier ways might include baking, roasting, mashing, scalloping or even steaming rather than dunking them into a deep fryer and dressing them up with fatty and greasy toppings. Fat-free sour cream, salsa or even simple toss in extra virgin olive oil could be your best alternative. It’s about time we give these spuds the respect they deserve, considering that they do have many nutritional benefits as well~ 🙂

Here were some of the interesting and unique dishes pepped up by the participating eateries during the launch as shown in the photos below.

A few of the dishes caught my attention. One of them was the Stuffed Egg with U.S. Potato from What The Duck Restaurant. It had slightly sweetened mashed potatoes wrapped around a quail egg, breadcrumbed, deep fried and drizzled with some mayonnaise. I could have mistaken them as dessert as the filling was almost mung beans like as you get from those in mooncakes. Anyway, it was quite a cheeky play on the usage of potatoes.

Another dish that I was quite impressed with was the Rib Eye (120 days Grain Fed) served with Oxtail US Potato Cake, Buttered Spinach & Brandy Sauce by Healy Mac’s Irish Bar & Restaurant. The well grilled rib eye combined with the crispy yet creamy potato cake, dressed in the sauce was something I would go for when I visit the eatery soon.

Hotel NEO+ Penang came out with a skillfully prepared Millefuille of Braised Lamb Shank infused with Herbs, accompanied with US Gratin Potato on Grilled Scallop Shell.

Café 32 @ Segi College Penang also did impress me with their Deep Fried Cris Cut with Pandan Cream & Palm Sugar. It was something out from the norm.

Georgetown City Hotel also came out with a creative dessert of Chocolate Brownie with US Potato Chunks. On top of the little nutty crunch within, you would get some soft and moist potato bites as well.

Naughty Nuri’s Warung could be real cheeky as their name with their pub grub style Wicked US Potato Chips with Salted Egg Mayo. Be warned~ The dip could be real fiery with some hidden red bird’s eye chilies~ LOL~ 😛

As for creativity, I would think that Evergreen Laurel Hotel excelled above the rest for its colorful yet tastefully plated arrays of dishes such as their Deep Fried Bird Nest US Potato with Sliced Herbed Potatoes, Grilled Cherry Tomatoes, Fruits Salsa & Baked Capsicum Sauce plus their US Potato Wrapped with Seaweed, Vegetables and Mash, accompanied with Waffle Potato in Balsamic Reduction Sauce.

THE 20 PARTICIPATING OUTLETS:

1. Bayview Beach Resort
2. Bayview GeorgeTown Hotel
3. Black Kettle Café
4. Blue Reef Fish & Chips
5. Crazy Cowboy Bar & Grill
6. Evergreen Laurel Hotel
7. Gala House Café & Restaurant
8. Georgetown City Hotel
9. Hamburger Inc.
10. Harvest Time Café
11. Healy Mac’s Irish Bar & Restaurant
12. Moulmein Gourmet
13. Naughty Nuri’s Warung
14. Hotel NEO+ Penang
15. Rakkii Izakaya
16. Segi Café 32
17. Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya
18. The Chambers Restaurant
19. Uncle Albert Fish & Chips
20. What the Duck Restaurant

We indeed had a fun-packed Prosperity Toss Lunch yesterday with Pacific West at Hakka Village, Balik Pulau, Penang. Pacific West is no longer a new name in the natural frozen food industry as it had touched the lives of millions of consumers across the globe. Based on their mission and vision towards Convenience, Innovation and Quality, their wide range of seafood products, developed and designed by their team of culinary chefs and food technologists, life could not be any easier to manage in any household or even international events. “Serving a wholesome seafood dish for your family and friends is NEVER A HASSLE with Pacific West”, exclaimed Pacific West Director, Mr. Saw Lip Teik (蘇立澤). It was indeed a new experience to savor various Chinese New Year cuisine with a bit of twist from the creations of Pacific West Development Chef, Chef Leong Main Choy (梁文财). Amongst the special guests invited were Mr. Saw Hai Earn (蘇海恩- Golden Fresh CEO), Maggie Fong (范盈 – Hakka Village owner), Julia Volchkova (a Siberian-born artist who had left her ultra realistic portraitures on the walls of George Town and Balik Pulau), dignitaries, media and bloggers.

Prior to the luncheon, we had some specially designed canapés by Chef Garry Edson. They include Hummus on Pitta Bread with Pacific West Tempura Calamari Ring, Petit Ratatouille Corn Tortilla with Pacific West Popcorn Fish, Puff Pastry filled with Mushroom and Egg Pate served with Pacific West Wiggy Cornflake Fish and Tomato Salsa on spoons with Pacific West Dusted Baby Squid. All the canapés were uniquely concocted.

After a short video presentation (acted by Chef Leong & Maggie Fong and shot at Hakka Village due to its traditional ambiance) and some speeches, the guests were given a challenge to create the best plated Yee Sang (鱼生) with only 6 ingredients given (shredded carrot, cucumber, radish, unripe papaya, deep fried yam and honey Mandarin oranges. Out of the 4 teams, Table C emerged as the winner with their creative Pacific West Logo Yee Sang. That was truly something very impactful in the eyes of the Pacific West judging team right? Haha~ 😛 Each guest from the winning table was presented with a Pacific West printed mitten.

There were 10 dishes served during the lunch event. The first 5 dishes showed how one could incorporate Pacific West’s seafood products into local dishes, whereas the remaining 5 dishes were traditional Hakka dishes from the kitchen of Hakka Village (客家山寨).

The first dish that was presented was the specially concocted Tempura Prawn Prosperity Toss Yee Sang (鱼生). Instead of the usual raw fish fillet, Pacific West’s Signature Tempura Prawns, first grade sea-caught prawns coated in a unique Japanese tempura batter were used. The healthy yet colouful natural ingredients comprised pickled nutmeg, torch gingers, Mandarin oranges, pomelo and freshly shredded vegetables and dressed in a homemade dressing sauce which had a concoction of fish sauce, plum sauce, olive oil, lime juice and sugar. The guest had a great time tossing the Yee Sang while wishing everyone abundance in health, wealth and happiness. “Pacific West endeavors to bring joy and love to families around the world,” remarked Pacific West Brand Manager, Joyce Ong (王优彬).

The other 4 Pacific West created dishes included Crab Meat Lettuce Cups with Pacific West Salt and Pepper Squid (Salt & Pepper Squid on top of Stir fried Crab Meat and Vegetables served with Lettuce Cup), Nyonya Style Pacific West Tempura Fish Cocktails (Tempura Fish Cocktail in Homemade Nyonya Style Sauce), Golden Nestum Pacific West Tempura Prawns (Tempura Prawn coated with Spicy Buttered Salted Egg Sauce and sprinkled with crispy Nestum and Kung Pao Pacific West Salt and Pepper Squids (Salt & Pepper Squid in Kung Pao Style served with Crispy Yam Ring). I quite like the idea and convenience on how to serve the tempura fish cocktail in the fragrant and aromatic Peranakan style. The dish may look simple but it was remarkably palatable.

On the other hand, Hakka Village sure knows how to impress the guests with their traditionally prepared Hakka cuisine. We were served with Hakka Lei Cha (擂茶), Hakka Plum Sauce Duck, Hakka Abacus Beads (算盘子), Hakka Salt-Baked Chicken (盐焗鸡) and a hassle free Stir Fried Broccoli. The dishes could be real addictive especially the Hakka Abacus Beads and Hakka Salt-Baked Chicken. Another of the traditional dishes worth mentioning would be their Hakka Lei Cha which came with highly concentrated soup which was something you can’t buy outside. For more information on savoring traditionally pepped up Hakka dishes, you could always pay their site a visit.

Pacific West products are available at all major and independent retail outlets in Malaysia (namely Cold Storage, Sam’s Groceria, AEON, AEON Big, Tesco, Giant, Sunshine, Village Grocer and etc…). For more information, please contact Pacific West care line at 1800 88 389 or log on to official website and Facebook page.

“Every day is Earth Day in the Shangri-La’s Kitchen” as Shangri-La Group of Hotels and Resorts worldwide launched their “Rooted in Nature” campaign on 22 April 2015 last month. It’s a part of the group’s initiative to maintain culinary sustainability, thus raising the awareness on consuming freshly farmed food which had gone through strict international standard requirements without harming the environment. Today, Shangri-La’s Golden Sands Resort, Penang had invited a special guest to join them in the journey of “Rooted in Nature”. He’s none other than the Iconic American Chinese Chef, Chef Martin Yan.

Most of us have grown up with Chef Martin Yan’s award winning cooking show, “Yan Can Cook” with his catchy phrase line of “If Yan can cook, so can you!” Chef Martin Yan simply made cooking looks so easy, especially on how he uses his customized knife to prepare ingredients with barely any effort. I’ve tried using his knife and it indeed had that balance, lightness and sharpness as claimed by the chef himself. Chef Martin Yan sure knows his kitchen utensils’ precisions well.

Chef Martin Yan who is currently in Malaysia for the filming of the upcoming TV Program, “Taste of Malaysia”, to be aired somewhere in late third quarter of this year, paid a visit to GST Group Fish Farm, one of the sustainable food partners of the resort offshore of Pulau Jerejak, Penang, to discover the source of sustainable seafood. According to him, we are lucky to have such fresh fishes of such huge sizes easily available for our consumptions unlike in USA. He later teamed up with Golden Sands Resort’s Executive Chef, Chef Adrian Lim, to pep up a delicious Nyonya Curry Kapitan Fish dish with their morning’s fresh catches. The recipe used fresh sustainable seafood, combined with some organic and locally produced herbs and spices.

We also had a try-out on some of the “Rooted in Nature” dishes at the resort’s Sigi’s Bar & Grill (the other Rooted in Nature participating eatery is their Garden Café). Diners can identify the Rooted in Nature dishes by spotting a “pea shoot” logo printed alongside the dish description. We started off with their Grilled Free Range Chicken & Organic Tofu Salad. It was truly a well balanced diet with lots of fresh romaine lettuce and onion rings dressed with balsamic vinegar, topped with some perfectly grilled yet juicy free range chicken breast meat and accompanied with some organic tofu cubes. It was indeed a great salad before your main meal.

As for main, we tried out the Rosemary Scented Broiled Chicken served with vegetables of the day, mashed potatoes and brown jus. The half free range broiled chicken was just the right size to give that flavorful yet juicy impact.

Lastly, we were served with their Double Scoops of Yam & Coconut Ice Cream topped with whipped cream. I must say this was the heaven of the day as it was not just any ordinary ice cream but one with real yam bites. Combined with the creamy texture of the coconut ice cream, it was a hit amongst us.

Overall, it was a fun outing having to catch up with Chef Martin Yan once again on his Malaysian tour. At 66+ years old, he’s still as comical and humorous as he was on the TV shows. As for the Shangri-La Group of Hotels and Resorts worldwide, I would want to wish them all the best in achieving their goal of serving 75% more sustainable sourced food on the menus within the next 5 years.

The restaurant is just located within the premises of Golden Sands Resort. Drive all the way up towards Batu Ferringhi. When you see the Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa on your right, slow down and watch out for the Golden Sands Resort entrance which is right after the Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa. Park your car at the ample car park there and walk into the main lobby of the resort. Head towards the beach area and you would see Sigi’s Bar & Grill on your right.

Name: GOLDEN SANDS RESORT
Address: Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-886 1911
GPS: 5.476330, 100.251440

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

The Mid Autumn Festival is traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunisolar month and this year it would fall on 8 September 2014. It’s the 2nd most important festival after the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) to the Chinese as family members and friends from all over the world would gather once again to celebrate this auspicious day over some goodies, while admiring the brightest and fullest moon of the month. It’s also a day associated with reunions, mooncakes, fruits, children, lanterns, Chinese opera, fire dragon dance and more. This year, Gurney Paragon Mall made the tradition even more livelier by not only showcasing exquisite selections of mooncakes in baked skin and snow skin from their in-house restaurants and shops but also from many other external brands, located at St. Jo (Level 1) and “Penang On 6” (Level 6). The promotion will be ongoing from 16 August 2014 until 8 September 2014. Shoppers with a minimum spending of RM 200 and above, in a single receipt, at any of their shopping outlets, can redeem a complimentary Leong Yin pastry’s mooncake (only valid from 5-7 September 2014).

At the same time, do check out their Mid Autumn Festival Celebration to be held on Saturday, 6 September 2014 at “Penang On 6” from 2.00pm until 9.30pm. Bask in the glow of Mid Autumn atmosphere when “Penang On 6” would be transformed into a realm of celebration with heartwarming lightings and colorful lanterns. Family and friends are invited to enjoy a fun-filled day at Gurney Paragon Mall. Highlights would include Lantern DIY workshop, guessing Chinese riddles session, Photo session with Chinese Opera characters, interactive story-telling session, Chinese diablo, Chinese orchestra, wushu & acrobatic, traditional drum performance, singing performance, cultural dance and many more. The night would end with a Mid Autumn Lantern Walk. So, bring along your own lanterns and enjoy a walk under the moonlight with your family members and friends. In case, you do not have a lantern for your child, you can always purchase one at St. Jo at Level 1. You can also redeem a complimentary pot of tea from Jing-Si Books and Café (Level 6) when you spend RM50 and above in a single receipt at “Penang on 6” or Wei Shiang (Level 6) on 6 September 2014.

Here are some of the brands of mooncakes available in starting with some from their in-house restaurants and shops.

Dragon-I: http://www.dragon-i.com.my/promotion.asp
Recommended: Frosty Durian Musang King (RM28 for 2 pcs) & Organic Charcoal Skin with Coffee Paste (RM20/pc)
Note: If you are a durian lover, the Frosty Durian Musang King is a MUST HAVE mooncake. You can also dine in the group of restaurants serving wondrous Chinese cuisine – Dragon-I and Canton-I.

Purple Cane: http://www.purplecane.my/en/31-tea-mooncake
Recommended: Puer, Dang Gui, Chinese Wolfberry & Assorted Nuts Paste (RM11.30/pc), White Tea Purple Potato Lotus Paste (RM9.80/pc) & “No added Sugar” Date Paste (RM8.90/pc)
Note: HALAL & VEGETARIAN. If you are into a healthier diet with the taste for herbal fused flavors, the Puer, Dang Gui, Chinese Wolfberry & Assorted Nuts Paste is a MUST TRY mooncake. Other than that, you can purchase many varieties of tea leaves, flower tea or even green tea powder from all their outlets throughout Malaysia. Packaging can come in a box for one piece, 4 pieces and 6 pieces.

Some of the external brands of mooncakes available would include:

Casahana: http://www.hytfood.com/casahana/about.php
Recommended: Crimson Opera (RM18.90/pc)
Note: Beetroot juice infused baked crust with cheese and creamy white chocolate lotuis paste filling.

Fai Fong: http://www.faifong.com.my/
Recommended: Bamboo Charcoal Lotus Paste (RM14.50/pc) and Assorted Fruits, Nuts & Ham (RM16/pc)
Note: Simple as it may be but the Bamboo Charcoal Lotus Paste is filled with flavors.

Foh San: http://fohsan.com.my/
Recommended: Cappuccino Mooncake (RM14.60/pc) & Purple Rain Mooncake (RM14.60/pc)
Note: Foh San is no longer a new kid on the block as they have been in the food industry for decades, especially with the new premises in Ipoh, Perak, serving various types of delectable dim sum.

Kam Lun Tai: http://www.klt.com.my/welcome/
Recommended: Shanghai 1 Yolk (RM17.20/pc)
Note: HALAL. The flakiness of the pastry, combined with the smoothness of the lotus paste and saltiness of the duck egg yolk, made this mooncake perfect in every bite.

Leong Yin: http://www.leongyinpastry.com/
Recommended: Lunar Delight (RM17.50/pc), Intense Wheatgrass Jujubes Splendor (RM17.20/pc) & Ballad of the Moon (RM17.20/pc)
Note: HALAL & VEGETARIAN. All the 3 mooncakes mentioned above have its own unique flavors, especially the Lunar Delight which has a combination of aromatic white coffee and softness of durian cake.

Mei Xin: http://www.facebook.com/meixinmooncake
Recommended: Egg Custard Mooncake (RM50 for 4 pcs or RM98 for 8 pcs)
Note: From inside to outside, it’s savory and creamy with a delicate mind precious moments to remember. It tasted almost like the custardy steamed buns version but a bit more sandy in texture.

The Baker’s Cottage: http://www.thebakerscottage.com.my/mooncake.asp
Recommended: Avocado Mango Tango (RM16.80/pc)
Note: The Baker’s Cottage has been one of the main influencers in the food industry for being creative and innovative. You can check out more of their products at their website. As for the Avocado Mango Tango, you can taste the coconut buttery pastry skin with milky avocado lotus paste, mung beans and dried mango bits.

For more information, please visit Gurney Paragon Mall’s FaceBook Page.

G Hotel Penang had officially launched its latest hip hangout spot, the Tree Bar, located at the al fresco area of the hotel today. Since its soft opening on 19 June 2014, this bar had been known to be the latest and the coolest hangout spot in Penang, serving the best beers and bites in town. Based on the bar’s slogan “Tree Bar – Not just a tree, it’s a bar”, this wonderful addition of both unpretentious and stress releasing place indeed did prove that they do serve the best beer and bites in town. After all, everyone would need a place to chill out after a hectic day without hurting the wallet too much. The Tree Bar was officially launched by Mr. Michael Hanratty, General Manager of G Hotel, witnessed by Mr. Phuah Choon Meng, Director of G Hotel.

G Hotel did a great deed to Mother Nature by preserving the 80 over years old rain tree of Albizia Saman species and made great use of the surrounding space to build the Tree Bar. The leaves of the tree would fold during rainy weather and in the evening, hence locally known as “Pukul Lima” aka 5 o’clock tree.

Do check out their daily Happy Hours promotion below for their selected draught beers such as Carlsberg, Asahi, Connor’s, Stella Artois, Lowenbrau and Hoegaarden. They also do have other bottled beers as Tsing Tao, Guiness, Little Creatures Bright Ale and Pale Ale, Warsteiner, Somersby Cider and more for your drinking needs.

Other than those alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, customers can enjoy some hot munchies to accompany their sips. There would be bite options such as the nicely marinated with lemon, salt and black pepper, Moroccan Spiced Lamb Skewers. These skewers of goodies were grilled to just the right juicy perfection. Other options may include Garlic Bread, Deep Fried Calamari, Golden Chicken Wings and Smoked Salmon Rolls. For a healthier palate, you can try out their Caesar Salad, Nicoise Salad and Thai Beef Salad. Add-ons such as grilled chicken, seared tuna, smoked salmon or grilled shrimp are also available for a twist in your salad. For a heavier meal, there are six choices from the section of ‘Big Buns’ with the option to select from beef or chicken sausage or burger patty. Each style comes with different kind of condiments and a choice of breads. To add to it, pick from a choice of French fries, spicy wedges or truffle fries. A highlight in the menu also is the bucket of chilled shrimp that will definitely be a delight to seafood lovers of which comes with the homemade cocktail sauce. For those sweet tooth diners, you would have a selection of desserts ranging from Macadamia Brownies with Hazelnut Mousse, Coconut Panna Cotta, Apricot Cream Cheese Mousse, Banana Chocolate Tart, Gula Melaka Crème Brulee and Malaysian born Italian ice cream, Gelatomio. We were pampered with a few of their dishes such as the Quesadilla, Nachos, Chicken Satay, Deep Fried Calamari, Smoked Salmon Rolls and Moroccan Spiced Lamb Skewers, served with condiments. They were all so good, especially the Moroccan Spiced Lamb Skewers with mint sauce as condiment.

Overall, the Tree Bar do provide a comprehensive arrays of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages plus nice food ranging from finger food to hearty bites of the succulent burgers. I do find the pricing quite reasonable too. For more information on the spread, do click and enlarge the menus below.

The Tree Bar is located at the al fresco area of G Hotel. If you walk in through the front entrance along Persiaran Gurney, just head towards the end of the building and you will see the little bar area right under the tree, next to the al fresco area of G Café.

Name: G CAFE @ G HOTEL
Address: 168-A Persiaran Gurney, 10250 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-238 0000
Business Hours: 11.00am-1.00am daily
GPS: 5.437455, 100.309934

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)