CRIZ BON APPETITE

ZEST Bar Café @ GLOW by Zinc, a cool and comfortable café within a modern and chic hotel, located right in the heart of George Town, do serve nice and balance spread of breakfast. Available from 7.30am until 10.30am daily, the breakfast do not only cater for in-house guests, you can also walk in to savor their spread at RM26.50nett per pax.

I don’t think I’ll have to stress on all the individual items as photos would definitely speak for themselves well. That would also include your free flow of morning juices and coffee. To start off, let’s view the photos below.

There’s surely something in the spread for everybody, whether you like your breakfast to be light or something to lead to brunch hours.

Overall, I would consider the spread of dishes served here are better than most hotels of the same standard. What I loved most here were the availability of the many choices of salads and fresh fruit cuts plus the high quality bread rolls supplied by a reputable bakery in Penang.

ZEST Bar Cafe @ GLOW by Zinc is located at the 1st floor of the hotel along Jalan Macalister just opposite Red Rock Hotel. There are about 20 car park spaces in this hotel with 10 spaces available right in front of the hotel and another 10 spaces behind the hotel via Jalan Naning (opposite Sum Sum Motors). There are also many coupon based parking spaces available surrounding the hotel. Please make sure you have your parking coupons ready as you would need to pay between 9.00am and 5.00pm (Except Saturday until 1.00pm and free on Sunday).

Name: ZEST BAR CAFÉ @ GLOW BY ZINC
Address: 101 Jalan Macalister, 10400 George Town, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-226 0084
Business Hours: 7.30am-11.00am (breakfast), 11.30am-5.00pm (lunch), 6.00pm-10.30pm (dinner by booking)
GPS: 5.416638, 100.322952

RATING:
Ambience: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7.5/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Swez Brasserie @ Eastin Hotel, Penang will be having “Wonderful Indonesia” Buffet Lunch promotion on Weekdays for the month of August 2015 (1-31 August 2015). Diners will be treated with authentic Indonesian cuisine for all parts of the country. The Buffet Lunch would be priced at RM66nett (adult) and RM33nett (child). Senior Citizen would be entitles to a 50% discount.

To start off the meal, you might be interested in the infamous Indonesian appetizer known as the Gado Gado (Mixed Salad with Peanut Sauce). It’s a DIY salad which would consist of shredded jicama, cucumber, carrot, blanched long beans, boiled potatoes, deep fried bean curd and hard-boiled eggs with superbly tasty peanut dressing and Emping Melinjo crackers as garnish. That’s a bonus indeed as most eatery would just provide some sort of crackers instead.

As for soup, you can try out their Sup Buntut (Indonesian Style Oxtail Soup). Well, in Malaysia, we called it Sup Ekor (oxtail) rather than buntut as it meant buttock in Bahasa Malaysia~ LOL~ Anyway, this soup can be considered one of the more expensive dishes in Indonesian cuisine as it would require long hours of simmering as well as the pricey beef option. Compared to the Malaysian version of Sup Ekor, Sup Buntut would have lesser spices and herbs flavors but with a stronger sourness with the generously added amount of fresh tomatoes.

Do check out their Nasi Goreng Ikan (Indonesian Style Fried Rice with Fish Flakes). I quite like the fragrantly spiced up fried rice with some freshly prepared fish flakes. Other than plain steamed rice, this dish would add on more flavors with the other main dishes. With the add-on of Sambal Ikan Bilis with some hard-boiled eggs. I could have this dish just by itself.

Indonesia is famous for its Pecel Lele (Fried Catfish). Of course, the smooth and fine texture of the fish was an added bonus to go with the fried rice.

The thick gravy Beef Rendang Jawa went well with the fried rice as well as the thick gravy based curry was pepped with fragrantly concocted spices.

For some vegetables instead of the other meaty stuff, you can always try out their Lontong Sayur (Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Broth), a turmeric and coconut base dish filled with lots of vegetables, bean curds and tempeh. However, I did not see any of the healthy tempeh in the dish. Maybe it could be due to its availability as it’s not something easily obtained from the Malaysian market. This is a common Indonesian dish served with lontong (steamed banana leaves wrapped rice cake).

My favorite Perkadel or commonly known as Bergedil here in Malaysia were very flavorful. However, the potatoes were too mashed up. It would be great if the kitchen could make them more coarsely for that extra bite. Some added green and red chilies within would have pepped up the flavor even more.

As for side dishes, who could resist Sate Ayam (Grilled Chicken Chunks on Skewers)? These came served with some nasi himpit, cucumber and onions plus the beautifully pepped up peanut sauce. What made me curious was that why they serve Malaysian Nasi Himpit instead of Lontong which is of the same compressed rice cake but with the fragrant from the wrapped banana leaves?

For a lighter meal, you could also try out their Bakso Ayam (Chicken Meatballs Noodles). I personally prefer the beef balls version as it would be tastier than the ones in chicken stock.

As for dessert, there would be some items available such as the Pisang Goreng dengan Coklat dan Keju (Banana Fritter with Chocolate Syrup & Grated Cheese), Kek Lapis (Indonesian Layer Cake), Homemade Apom Cawan, Chilled Es Teler and more. Es Teler is somewhat like the Thai’s Tub Tim Krob except it has added condensed milk and palm sugar. Normally, it would have sliced jackfruits, young coconut and avocado but you could also top up with any other fruits you like such as mangoes, strawberries, toddy palm seeds or even jelly noodles.

Overall, if you are into Malaysian cuisine, there won’t be lots of differences in Indonesian cuisine as most of the dishes would be quite similar but with some extra tweaks. I would prefer if the kitchen would create something out of the norm, something that you could hardly get from the Malaysian culinary scene. Javanese dishes could be quite similar to ours but Balinese dishes could appear to be more outstanding. The kitchen should consider dishes such as Sate Lilit, Sate Udang, Sate Belut, etc instead of the commonly available Malaysian satay choices. As for main dishes, there are more options such as their famous Bebek Goreng (Crispy Fried Duck), Be Siap Betutu (Slow Roasted Chicken), Pesan Be Pasih (Grilled Fish in Banana Leaves), Ayam/Iga Penyet (Fried & Smashed Chicken/Beef Ribs) and more. Even the sambal has to be distinctive compared to the Malaysian version with options such as the Sambal Terasi and Sambal Matah.

The Swez Brasserie is located at the ring wing of Eastin Hotel, Penang (next to Queensbay Mall). If you are coming from Georgetown towards Bayan Lepas Free Trade Zone via Bayan Lepas Expressway, do watch out for the Pulau Jerejak signboard (leading to Pulau Jerejak jetty). Ignore the turning and drive on to the next left junction. Turn left into Jalan Aziz Ibrahim and drive on until you a roundabout. Turn 3 o’clock and drive on until you see a big Eastin Hotel signboard at the first right junction. Turn right and drive on. Park your car at the basement car park. Take a lift to the first floor lobby and you would see the restaurant there.

Name: SWEZ BRASSERIE @ EASTIN HOTEL
Address: 1 Solok Bayan Indah, Queens Bay, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-612 1128
Business Hours: 12.00pm-2.30pm (Buffet Lunch), 6.30pm-10.00pm (Ala Carte Dinner)
GPS: 5.33643, 100.306345

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (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)

The Sigi’s Bar & Grill on the Beach @ Golden Sands Resort, Penang, is currently having its unique, gourmet burgers with international flavors from now until end of August 2015. The Burger Mania promotion is available from 11.00am until 6.30pm daily. These burgers would include choices such as Lamb Kofta Classic Burger (RM58nett), Egg and Cheese Burger (RM30nett), Charcoal Bread Beef Burger (RM50nett), Chicken Cajun Delight (RM42nett) and Big Wave Fish Burger (RM42nett). Most set would come with either some crispy nacho chips or French fries and a complimentary soft drink of either Coke or Sprite. For reservations, please call +604-886 1852 or +604-8811 911.

With Penang having one of the best durians during this season, the highlight of the August month will be their own concoction of Durian Cheese Chicken Burger (RM45nett), a chicken patty filled with oozy fresh Penang durian flavored cheese. The best part would be that the unique concoction would leave no extruding after dining breath. You can still kiss your partner with a disliking for the King of Fruits without getting a hard slap~ Haha~ 😛 In fact, I do love the aromatic scent as it was almost like the scent of a ripened cempedak (scientific name – Artocarpus integer). Fresh custardy fresh durian paste, combined with added melted cheese in the nicely grilled chicken patty was truly another umami experience. By the way, umami is the fifth taste your tongue could sense other than the usual sweetness, saltines, sourness and bitterness. I’ve to compliment the chef for creating such a unique patty. It may be the only one in the world as well.

If you were to have the durian-phobia of putting your most hated fruit into your mouth, you can always opt out for some other burgers in their menu. One of the recommended ones would be their Charcoal Bread Beef Burger (RM50nett). The beef burgers would be served with toasted charcoal buns plus condiments of French cornichon (small pickled gherkins), lettuce, tomato slices, sliced cheese, garlic aioli, smoked BBQ sauce, tomato ketchup and a side dish of delicious crispy nacho chips.

There would be more option in the menu such as the Lamb Kofta Classic which come with fragrantly cooked lamb, topped with some garnishing of diced onions, diced tomato and Middle Eastern crushed foul medames bean in a sesame seed bun, served with French fries and a lemon wedge. The Egg and Cheese Burger would consist of a fried egg, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and French fries. On the other hand, the Chicken Cajun Delight would have grilled chicken breast seasoned with Cajun spices, served with a bed of fresh lettuce, tomato slices, tomato sauce, garlic aioli, cheese and French fries. There would also be something on the menu to pamper those seafood lovers such as the Big Wave Fish Burger. The burger would come with a crispy batter-fried fish fillet, served with julienned lettuce, tomato slices, coleslaw and tartar sauce plus a side dish of French Fries and a lemon wedge.

If you feel that you could still put in some other dishes, you may want to start off with their Signature SBG Caesar Salad with Smoked Salmon (RM44nett), a plate of crunchy Romaine lettuce tossed in Caesar dressing, served with beef rashers, garlic croutons and parmesan cheese with rolls of smoked salmon.

To wind up the meal with something sweet and cooling might be a great idea too. You can check with staff if they have Durian Cake (RM22nett) available. You would get to indulge in a piece of the delicious cake, served with vanilla ice cream with some chocolate dressings.

For more options on the lunch, dinner or pool side & garden menus, you can always click on the photos shown below to view the relevant menu.

Overall, I would think that the chef did a great job in creating a dish that’s so Penang via durians. I would love to see the restaurant coming out with more local fruits creations in the near future. Who knows? You might get to savor more out-of-the-world dishes soon with his creativity? Ice Blended Rambutan Float? Mangosteen Pudding? Nutmeg Dragon Beard Floss? I would surely be adventurous enough to try all out~ 🙂

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: SIGI’S BAR & GRILL ON THE BEACH @ GOLDEN SANDS RESORT
Address: Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-886 1852 (Direct Restaurant Line)
Business Hours:
11.00am-6.00pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm (Bar: 11.00am-11.45pm)
GPS: 5.477405, 100.251657

RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (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)

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 90 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 37,000. Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.

Have you ever felt that going out for lunch at times could be quite a hassle? By the time you drive out, find a parking space and barely had proper time to chew your food, your one hour of lunch time would probably be up and you would need to drive back to your work place. Well, some of you might argue that your office is surrounded by all sorts of eateries and lunching out won’t be a problem. That’s actually THE PROBLEM. Are you really having a balanced diet? As carnivorous homo-sapiens, we tend to follow where our eyes and nose lead us to without even considering the side effects of having the wrong choice of food. Awww… those prawns and squids look too good to resist! Wow… They have aromatic and tasty coconut milk infused curries! Whoa… Those flat noodles with big succulent prawns, squids and cockles would be nice for my meal today! By the time you realized that you have put in so much of oily and high cholesterol items into your body, it’s already too late to manage your diet plan. But you can always find more info about any recipe prior to cooking so that you can make the right decisions about your diet. You’ve just lost your battle against your temptation to savor those high cholesterol food items again. This is not uncommon as it happens to us almost all the time. Eventually, WE ARE WHAT WE EAT…

Luckily, I managed to get to know The Healthy Food People (THFP), a healthy gourmet lunch box delivery service that would ensure that I can have my daily guilt-free food consumption. Not only did I save on my petrol expenditure, parking fees and the risk of being exposed to the UV rays from the sun and the acidic rainfall, I did find more time in indulging every bite from my lunch box and yet getting the adequate rest during my lunch break. Most importantly, with the balanced proportions of carbohydrates, vegetables and protein in the lunch box, I managed to continue my work efficiently and effectively without feeling the lethargy as before. Most of us realized the effects of carbs-boosted items within our bodies and yet we still consume them excessively and habitually. Instead of the body producing just the right amount of glucose and glycogen in your blood, cell, muscle and liver, the surplus carbohydrates will eventually be converted to fat. That’s how you have the unnecessary flabbiness all over your body.

Let’s not talk more on how to diet as you can easily look up the information online. We should just concentrate on the ways on eating wisely so that we can maintain or dropping a size. Moreover, eating healthily can reduce the risks of major diseases, while also you can help treating pain using resources like the gelatti 91 strain that is a great cbd product for this. The reasons I like about the lunch boxes provided by The Healthy Food People are stated as below:

– Fresh & quality ingredients used.
– Balanced diet of Carbohydrates, Vegetables and Protein
– Minimal usage of salt & sugar and maximize usage of natural ingredients
– Air frying, grilling, roasting, steaming, broiling, etc without deep frying to ensure lesser oil in food
– Innovative cooking styles without many repetitive main dishes monthly (if they have is also due to the request of consumers), thus you won’t get bored with their food.
– Great delivery time to ensure the freshness of your meal.

Though the dishes won’t be the same weekly, here are some samples of their nutritional dishes for a week:

Chicken Teriyaki Soba Noodles

Starch: Soba Noodles
Vegetables: Pickled Carrot & Cucumber
Main: Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Verdict: I’m impressed on how THFP served their chicken breast meat. The grilled teriyaki chicken breast meat was packed with flavors and it was moist and juicy until the last bit. The mildly flavored soba noodles were mixed with some slices of earthly flavored Shitake mushrooms. The pickled carrots and cucumbers complemented real well with the meat and noodles.

Sea Bass with Garlic Crumbs Topping

Starch: Penne Pasta
Vegetables: Tricolors Zucchini, Yellow Squash & Carrot mixed with Pasta, plus Iceberg Lettuce with Dressing
Fruits: Pomelo with Fuji Pears
Main: Baked Sea Bass
Verdict: I do find THFP to be quite generous in the serving of fresh fish. The thick slab of sea bass with the slightly salted garlic crumbs was quite addictive. The buttery, cheesy and herbed penne pasta with lots of tricolors vegetables complemented the fish dish real well. Compared to the previous serving, I had two other bonuses for the day which were the iceberg lettuce and the fruits. It was the perfect meal and I won’t mind ordering this set again if it’s in their menu in the near future.

Baked Coconut Chicken

Starch: None
Vegetables: Mixed Greens with Mustard Vinaigrette
Fruits: Mixed Local & Imported Fruit Salad with Homemade Yoghurt Dressing
Energy/Calories: Mixed Dry Fruits & Nuts (Protein, Fiber & Healthy Fats)
Main: Fresh Grated Coconut Coated Grilled Chicken
Verdict: This set was something out of the norm as it did not come with any starch item. However, you still get your required energy from the accompanied fruits and nuts. I’m actually not quite fond of having grated coconut on savory dishes but I still find this set to be quite acceptable to my liking as THFP used unsweetened grated coconut for this recipe.

Honey Soy Glazed Salmon

Starch: Steamed Brown Rice
Vegetables: Summer Garden Greens
Main: Pan Seared Salmon with Honey Soy Glaze
Verdict: Though this set might be a bit small for big eaters, I found that THFP were rather generous in serving a thick slab of grilled salmon. The sweetness with a tad of light saltiness from the honey soy glaze was quite appetizing. There were some greens and brown rice to complement the main dish. However, I won’t mind if THFP replaced the brown rice with some rosemary baked potatoes instead.

Hoisin Glazed Chicken Kebab

Starch: Cilantro Basmati Rice
Vegetables: Spiralized Sesame Carrots Salad
Main: Grilled Chicken Chunks with Vegetables
Verdict: The skewers of low calorie hoisin sauce marinated chicken breast meat combined with a mixture of greens were fragrant and flavorful. The chopped cilantro boosted basmati rice went well with the meat. The spiralized sesame carrots salad was a bonus for some extra crunchy bites.

If you needed something more to go with your meal, you can always order their other products. Their All Natural Jolly Jar (RM9.90nett) was filled with loads of fruits, oats, yoghurt and seeds. Wow! I would consume a jar of this delicious Parfait with all the wonderful nutrients within daily.

THFP do also serve Cold Pressed Juices (RM8.50nett/bottle). You have to check out with them on what would be available for the day. I ordered their Hand Crafted Singular • Raw Fit Juice of Cashew Milk which consisted of raw cashew, Himalayan pink salt, agave nectar and cinnamon. It was superbly healthy and delicious.

For a person who would not go on a healthy diet on a daily basis, I do find the dishes served by THFP to be flavorful and attractive enough to change my perception on dining healthily. Of course, you would not find every dish served by them to be palatable to you in a short period of time. It might take some time for us to get use to eating healthily but it’s the best for our own health. If I can cater from them on a daily basis for a few months without getting bored on dining healthily, why can’t you? 🙂 Anyway, you have the option to choose your favorites by checking out their FB for their weekly menu as stated below.

Name: THE HEALTHY FOOD PEOPLE
Central Kitchen: Sungai Nibong, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +6019-420 2047
Email: thehealthyfoodpeople@gmail.com
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/thehealthyfoodpeople
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thehealthyfoodpeople
Testimonial: http://bit.ly/bzeathealthy
Payment Mode: Cash On Delivery (COD) or local bank transfer
Delivery Fees: Flat rate of RM3 per trip
Delivery Days: Monday until Friday, excluding Saturdays and Sundays and some public holidays

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

When you want to live and feast like rock stars, you have to pay a visit to Malaysia’s sole rock & roll concept themed hotel – Hard Rock Hotel, Penang. Do be quick in wearing your rocking shoes with your family and friends to experience their Bintang Rock Buffet Dinner at Starz Diner @ Hard Rock Hotel Penang. The buffet has started since 18 June 2015 and will continue to tempt your palate until 16 July 2015 from 6.30pm until 10.30pm. The seasonal buffet dinner is priced at RM88nett (adult) and RM48nett (child aged 6-12 years old). Please call +604-886 8057 or email fb.penang@hardrockhotels.net to book earlier to avoid disappointment.

Bintang Rock Buffet Dinner would offer a wide selection of freshly prepared dishes from local starters to meat grills, hawker fares, and desserts to cater to the taste buds of diners. Other than the commonly available ready-made salads, I did find something unique that I have yet to come across in patronizing the many buffet spreads out there. They have a special counter set up to cater to those who love having salads – the Malaysian style. It was not about having Ulam-ulaman (wild herbs and vegetable) served with the usual sambal condiments but a DIY counter for your favorite Kerabu (Malaysian salad). Gosh! Can you imagine how heavenly it was to have Kerabu of your preference made freshly right in front of you? This is truly one of it kinds I have encountered throughout my food writing career.

On top of that, I did also find this section to be full of surprises as those little glasses of appetizers were not there just for display but were packed with small bites that were amazingly appetizing. I quite like the Tandoori Marinated Chicken Cubes that were hidden amongst the food treasures.

Coming to the Starters Section with items of the day such as Bubur Lambuk and Minestrone Soup served with an assortment of bread rolls, the dishes were flavorfully packed with ingredients. I did find the Minestrone Soup to be tasty as it was filled with a variety of vegetables, meat and seafood to give its rich flavors.

The Nasi Kandar Section were simple and yet fulfilling for those who love this Penang favorite. It had some rice options with a few varieties of local spiced up dishes such as Fish Molee, Ayam Masam Mamak, Daging Masak Congo and more. Beside these dishes were some local and international hot dishes that might interest you as well such as Sauteed Vegetables, Seafood Thermidor, Green Curry Chicken and more.

You should not miss out the Arabian section for their nicely pepped up Arabic Roasted Lamb Leg in Dome served with Arabic rice, cous cous, pita bread, alongside with chutney and yoghurt as condiments. Each mouthful of the fragrantly cooked rice with the tender pieces of the roasted lamb was above cloud 9. I must compliment Chef Joe Elias for a job well done.

The Hot Dishes and Grill Section would stretch from indoor until outdoor and I found it to be rather interesting. Other than Chicken Shawarma Wrap, I did also find my usual Mamak Roti John there. Again, this was something that caught my attention. Moving along the line of many individually banana leaves wrapped grilled fishes and shellfish was something quite rare on any buffet spread. It was the Pahang originated Pais Ikan Sambal or quite commonly known as Balinese Style Pesan Be Pasih aka Grilled Fillet of Fish in Banana Leaf. It looked quite similar to the herbs and spices packed Nyonya style Otak Otak, but had more distinctive flavors from added lemon basil, bay leaves and lemongrass minus the usage of egg. Wow! That was a bonus! Following the buffet line were Char Koay Teow, Chicken Wings and an assortment of Satays.

If all those interesting dishes did not tempt you, you can always lay back and enjoy their cool Dessert Section with a selection of free-flowing Beverages of the Day. I would say their desserts which consisted of international standards of cakes and pastries plus some add-ons of local kuih-muih were plentiful enough to ease the craving of those sweet tooth diners. Ais Kacang, Chinese Pancake with Lotus Paste/Red Bean Paste served with Hot Caramel Sauce, Ice Cream, Sago Gula Melaka were some of the desserts to look out for. However, the winners would go to their rich Spiced Cardamon Bread & Butter Pudding, Hot Chocolate Pudding and Crème Brulee. I just wished I had the stomach space for more as these desserts were amazingly saliva dripping.

We had Menu 5 for the day and it was impressively presented. I’m sure the rest of the menus will be just as great as well. Let’s have a peep onto the menus which would be on a rotation basis for the whole promotion. Do click to enlarge for a better view.

Overall, from the Menu 5 which we had tasted, I did find the dishes to be rather attractive and out of the norm from the usual dishes served at the rest of the buffets out there. Dining here was like being a nomad trekking his way from continent to continent into Europe, then into Middle East before landing on the shore of Asia for more herbs and spices spiked up cuisine. As for the desserts, they sure know how to tempt those sweet tooth diners with their amazingly concocted selections of good quality pastries and cakes.

For those who are not ardent fans of buffets, you can always opt for their gigantic serving of Rock Platters at Hard Rock Café instead. The promotion is from 18 June until 16 July 2015 (11.30am-10.30pm) at RM160nett (for 2 pax) and RM240nett (for 3 pax). For reservations, please contact the Hard Rock Cafe admin at +604-886 8054.

As for their Relax & Feast Package Promotion (18 June until 16 July 2015), a specially designed package to cater to your need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, the rates will start from RM420++ per room per night inclusive of buffet breakfast for two adults and two children. Enjoy a choice of daily Early Bite Breakfast (4.00am-5.30am) or Buffet Breakfast (6.30am-11.00am). They have got your dinner covered too with option to try out their Bintang Rock Buffet in Starz Diner or savor the Rock Platter at Hard Rock Cafe Penang. For more info, please visit www.penang.hardrockhotels.net.

The Starz Diner is located at the left wing of Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Upon entering, just head to the left side and you will see a little glass door leading to the eatery.

Name: STARZ DINER @ HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG
Address: Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-881 1711
Business Hours: 6.30am-11.00am, 5.30pm-11.00pm
GPS: 5.467568, 100.241382

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: 8.5/10 (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)

About Hard Rock International: With a total of 200 venues in 64 countries, including 154 cafes, 21 hotels and 10 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company’s two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include San Juan, Lagos and Busan, South Korea. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Daytona Beach, Dubai, Los Cabos, Tenerife, Abu Dhabi, and Shenzhen and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.

Sarkies @ E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) has the reputation of pampering its diners with choices for their buffet spread and their “Buka Puasa Buffet” promotion effective 18 June 2015 until 16 July 2015 from 7.00pm until 10.30pm daily would be even more attractive. Priced at RM128.30nett (adult) and RM55.95nett (child from 6-12 years old/child below 6 years old dine for free), diners would get to savor the best of both international and local cuisines.

Of course, their signature dishes would always be there such as Roasted Duck, Sushi & Sashimi, Grilled Meat & Seafood Counter, Cold Seafood Counter, Pasta Counter, Hokkien Mee, Char Koay Teow as well their wide selection of Cheese with their Fresh Bakes.

Other than the standard dishes as stated above, you would get to start off with some Appetizers and Salads from both Western and Malay cuisines, inclusive some Pickled Fruits, Crackers and Malay Salad Dressings. As for Soup, you will have an option of two soups.

Of course there will be herbs and spices infused dish Daging Masak Mamak, Kurma Kambing, Ayam Percik Kuah Kacang, Udang Kering Bersantan and more served with a variety of rice options such as Nasi Putih, Nasi Tomato, Nasi Minyak and Nasi Briyani. You should also check out the stalls for more dishes such as Chicken Tikka, Lamb Rojan Josh, Aloo Gobi, Green Pea Pulao and more.

At the Al Fresco Area, you would expect to get local delicacies such as Rojak, Roti Canai, Satay and Teh Tarik with bonuses such as Roasted Whole Lamb (daily during Ramadan) and Gulai Kawah aka Big Wok Curry of the Day. We had aromatically and flavorfully prepared Fish Head Curry for that day.

At the Dessert Section, you would also expect to see a mix and match of Western desserts and Assorted Malay Kuih, Assorted Fruit Cuts, Ice Kacang, Ice Cream, Coffee, Tea and more.

Overall, Sarkies @ E&O Hotel has a more mix and match of international and local cuisine. This year’s options were aplenty to cater to every individual’s personal taste bud. I would say this was one of the best spreads they had for Ramadan all these years.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang (next to Penang Bowl) is located along Lebuh Farquhar. If you are coming from Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah towards Weld Quay, keep to your left immediately after passing by CitiBank. When you see the Penang Bowl building on your left (UMW Toyota opposite), please slow down. Turn left immediately after the Penang Bowl entrance. The E&O Hotel car park is situated just inside the Victory Annexe building. Parking charges would be a maximum of RM6 (weekdays: Monday-Thursday) and RM12 (weekends: Friday- Sunday)

Name: SARKIES @ EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
GPS: 5.423624, 100.334988

RATING:
Ambience: 8.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 8.5/10 (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)

Are you aware that there’s a fun spot within Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa premises named F.I.P. (Fun, Interactive & Play) Lounge? It’s a real cool spot to chill out and have frothing good fun with your friends and besties. Regardless your age, you would always feel young-at-heart while you are here. Currently, FIP Lounge is offering its Coffee & Cakes Buffet from 3.00pm until 6.00pm on all weekends (Saturday & Sunday) for RM47nett (adult) and RM24nett (child: 6-11 years old). You would expect to get at least 10 variety of cakes, scones, cake pops and more with free flow of in-house coffee and tea brews. Thanks to the hotel’s seasoned cake maven cum Executive Pastry Chef, Chef Dino Wan and his creative pastry team, you would get to savor the best of cakes and pastries right in the comfort of the lounge.

The variety of cakes might be different from day to day. Let’s have a look at what would be on display on a typical Coffee & Cakes Buffet weekend. Here were the 10 cakes I have tried out with 4 as my personal favorites.

Of course my first choice would be their Signature Baked Cheese Cake. It was moist and had that unique cheesy flavor from the best Kraft’s Philadelphia Soft Cream Cheese with some hint of yoghurt and lemon juice. It was heavenly over a cup of hot tea.

Next on my list was the Strawberry Short Cake. What I loved about this cake was the strawberry mousse-like cream with some mild sweetness which made my guilt of consuming sweet desserts at its lowest level~ 😛

The Carrot Cake was amazing tasty. In fact this cake was the favorite amongst many of us. The cake was rich and moist with some tasty bites on the nutrients packed finely shredded carrots.

Since the invention in the 30’s until today, the Red Velvet Cake is something that will not go out of style. It’s not the striking red color that attracted me but the nice zesty frosting that caught my attention. The baker did quite a great job here by maintaining the moist and fluffiness of the cake while having a nice balance between the zesty and sweet buttermilk cream. It complemented the cake real well.

They also do serve some great Popsicle (Pop) Cakes with flavors ranging from Chocolate Moist, Orange Poppy Seeds, Red Velvet and Cheese Cake. These are actually cakes rolled into a ball with popsicle sticks and coated with either white or dark chocolates. Of course, my favorite amongst the 4 options was the Cheese Cake Pop. It really felt young having one pop cake slowly melting into the mouth~ 😛

There were also two versions of Cupcakes (Chocolate Moist & Orange Poppy Seeds) and Scones available at the buffet. Though the cupcakes were moist, flavorful and beautiful, I’m not a fan of so much of butter cream on the cupcakes. They tend to be surfeit after a bite or two to my liking. However, the scones were quite good except I would prefer mine to be slightly heated up before serving. You can have some scones with fresh cream and strawberries. On top of that, they do also serve 3 different flavors of mini jars gluten-free Bonne Maman fruit preserves. Just as its name, it’s how your granny would serve you with all natural ingredients. Bonne Maman has no preservatives, no additives, no corn syrup, sulfite-free and non-GMO.

Of course, you can get high with as much Coffee & Tea as you like here. The beverages are all in-house brews with accompanied sugar and milk.

If you are not into the Coffee & Cakes Buffet, you can still order a thing or two from their normal day menu. Well, the menu would be rather unique as it would come in the shape of a long forgotten childhood origami shaped flower. Flip & Flap and you would let fate decide your destiny – food wise~ LOL~ 😛

At the F.I.P Lounge, it’s all about letting your hair down, stay young at heart, have all the fun you have missed and doing what you Momma would discourage you to do – “Eat nicely and stop playing with your food!” Shhh… Don’t tell my Momma about what I did and I won’t tell yours~ LOL~ 😛

Firstly, they have the Tic-Tac-Toe Macarons (RM41nett). They would serve 5 pieces each of two different macaron flavors with a Tic-Tac-Toe board. Just make sure you don’t gobble up the macarons before the start of at least a game~ 🙂

Next, they have the Checkers Platter (RM42nett). You would be given a board with 12 pieces each of Crab Cake and Chicken Bourdin. Now the game would get to be real interesting as you can eat each other’s food.

They do serve Churros (RM30nett) too with salted caramel and chocolate sauce.

If you love fondue, you can always order their Dark Chocolate Fondue (RM53nett) with bananas, strawberries, marshmallows and dried apricots.

My sweet favorite would always be the Black Forest Mini Dessert Pizza (RM24nett) with chocolate cherry brownie cake base, served with dark chocolate, cherry syrup, icing sugar and a large scoop of their homemade vanilla ice cream. This item is truly heavenly.

For coffee and tea lovers, you can have other options such as Cappuccino (RM13nett), Irish Coffee (RM31nett – alcoholic), Hot Chocolate (RM13nett), Café Latte (RM13nett), Chamomile Tea (RM16nett/pot) and more. Some of the coffee might come with 2D or 3D latte art.

In case you need a beer on a humid day, there do also have Beer in Ice Mug. The price may vary from brand to brand such as Guinness & Carlsberg (RM27nett/mug), Asahi & Heineken (RM30nett/mug) plus Victoria Bitter, Budweiser & Corona (RM33nett/mug).

Overall, if you are a dessert lover, you would find that the F.I.P. Lounge’s Coffee & Cakes Buffet is worth every penny as you can gobble down all the cakes you love with some of their nice brews. Moreover, you can have all the fun you want with all the facilities they have in the lounge.

To get to the F.I.P Lounge, just park your car at the furthest right wing of the hotel upon entering the hotel premises. Walk through the main lobby and you can see the entrance to the lounge.

Name: FIP LOUNGE @ RASA SAYANG RESORT & SPA
Address: Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-888 8888, 604-888 8788 (C&C Buffet Reservation)
GPS: 5.478365, 100.253709

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7.5/10 (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)

GREAT PROMOTIONS (1-3 JULY 2015): 100 boxes of the newly launched “Uji Matcha Pineapple Cakes” will be up for grab at RM1nett/box on 1 July 2015. The offer is only available for walk-in customers. Pay in the morning and collect after 1.00pm. Limited to one box per customer. If you miss this opportunity, you can also get the BUY ONE FREE ONE deal on 2 July 2015 and 3 July 2015. Due to overwhelming responses, the offer has been extended until 5 July 2015. Other products are given 15% discount until further notice. Cash Terms Apply.

From a humble set up in Penang barely 3 years ago, Gartien(小田佳園) now has expanded from a young player in the local confectionery industry to an experienced establishment with the state-of-the-art innovation to cater to the demands of its increasing clientele. This coming 20 June 2015, customers would get to experience a new flavor – Uji Matcha Pineapple Cakes. The newly launched product would incorporate Japan’s finest matcha (green tea) from the city of Uji in the Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It’s also known as the Capital Tea City of Japan, a city that produces superior quality tea due to its unique soil composition. With the usage of such superior quality matcha, you can be assured of consuming quality Uji Matcha Pineapple Cakes, free from any preservative, artificial coloring or flavoring.

The selling price per box with 6 pieces of Uji Matcha Pineapple Cakes is at RM36nett (self collect only). A fix courier charge of RM10 & RM40 will be applicable to all deliveries within Peninsular Malaysia & East Malaysia respectively.

What makes Gartien’s Uji Matcha Pineapple Cakes so unique? Other than having freshly cooked Penang homegrown pineapple cubes minus the preservative and artificial coloring or flavoring, the crumbly shortbread pastry has added finest quality uji matcha powder and silky smooth soft butter. With the Malaysian humid weather, it’s advisable to keep them chilled to avoid the quality butter from becoming overly moist. As for the taste for the new flavor of Uji Matcha Pineapple Cakes, I would say that it has a unique flavor that many would be at a loss to describe in words. It’s just not like the usual grassy bitterness you would get from any other matcha products out there. It has that natural excitatory neuro-transmitted flavor I would call “umami”, a fifth savory taste from your normal sweetness, saltiness, sourness and bitterness. The “umami” taste is really a jigsaw in our gastronomic evolution, with us unknowingly loving our regionally made belacan, nampla, garum, spag bol, marmite, meat stocks and more, with parmesan cheese being the most Western known “umami” product. You may call this product the love-hate relationship but I did find it to be real addictive. Instead of killing the natural taste of the Uji Matcha Pineapple Cake by washing it down with a cup tea, it’s best to enjoy the delicacy over a glass of plain warm water. You would experience an almost cheese-like buttery and yet salty flavor with a hint of bitterness, followed by a mild burst of natural sweetness and sourness from the pineapple filling. This is truly a unique product with 5 flavors coming from a single product and I’m proud that it came from my hometown of Penang~ 🙂

By the way, are you aware that matcha is great for your health? Not only is it a natural antioxidant and packed with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), it also enhances calmness, boosts the memory and concentration, plus increases the energy levels and endurances. So, when you are feeling stressed out and in need of something to liven up your day, try slowly nimble your way through a piece of Gartien’s Uji Matcha Pineapple Cake~ 🙂

Finding the bakery won’t be hard as it is situated right in the heart of George Town, Penang. If you are coming from KOMTAR along Jalan Penang via Jalan Magazine, you would see the outlet just next to the famous Kek Seng Coffee Shop (格成茶室). Parking can be quite limited since it’s a main road. However, the good news is that Gartien had recently worked out a deal with the management of Hotel Central. You can now park your car at their car park via Lorong Bertam and Gartien can stamp your parking ticket for free parking. How convenient it is now, right? 🙂

Name: GARTIEN @ 小田佳園
Address: 380, Jalan Penang, 10000 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-229 0068
Website: www.gartien.com
Email: info@gartien.com
FaceBook: www.fb.gartien.com/
Business Hours: 9.00am-6.00pm
GPS: 5.416298, 100.329380

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 5/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 9/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

If you have been a regular at all the Vistana brand name hotels nationwide during the fasting month of Ramadan, you would have been pampered with their option for choices. Unlike last year’s “Tok Wan 101 Recipes” Ramadan Buffet Promotion, this year they have set up even more “warung” aka stalls to tempt your craving for more street food. The promotion which would start from 19 June until 16 July 2015, would be priced at RM65nett per adult and RM30nett per child (aged 4-12 years old). For more information, you can visit www.vistanahotels.com or call +604-646 8000 for enquiries and reservations. If you have a great appetite for the many different choices of Malay cuisine, you should not miss out this coming promotion. You’ll be having free flow of Air Sirap served on each table as well.

Let’s have a look at what would be in store for you during this year’s Ramadan Buffet. The menu might consist of random dishes as stated below:

Ulam-Ulaman Tempatan (Local Salad): Ulam Raja, Ulam Pegaga, Daun Selon, Timun, Kacang Panjang, Kacang Botol, Petai, Tomato, Bendi, Kobis, Jantung Pisang, Daun Kaduk with different dressing such as Sambal Belacan Asli, Sambal Kicap Limau Kasturi, Budu & Cincaluk.

Pembuka Selera (Appetizer): Kerabu Ulam, Kerabu Mangga, Acar Jelatah, Tempe Ikan Bilis, Kerabu Sotong, Kerabu Ayam, Kerabu Taugeh, Kerabu Sayur, Kerabu Ikan Masin, Tauhu Sumbat dan Kuah Kacang, Telur Masin & Ikan Masin Goreng.

Keropok (Crackers): Keropok Ikan, Keropok Udang & Papadum.

Rojak Buah: Mangga Muda, Betik Muda, Jambu Air, Jambu Batu, Sengkuang, Timun, Belimbing, Nenas with Kuah Rojak, Kacang Tumbuk & Biji Bijian.

Warung-warung (Stalls): Pasembur Campuran (Ubi Kentang, Telur, Timun, Sengkuang, Taugeh, Kek Ikan, Sosej, Tauhu & Cucur Udang), Kerang Kukus, Murtabak (Murtabak Ayam, Sambal Bawang, Dalcha & Bawang Jeruk), Char Koay Teow, Asam Laksa, Sup Daging Periuk Besar, Ais Kacang Pelangi (Krim Jagung, Kacang Merah, Buah Nau, Cincau, Sagu Mata Ikan, Susu Sejat, Agar-agar, Sirap Gula Melaka, Sirap Ros, Coconut Milk) & Teh Tarik.

Warung Bakar (BBQ Stall): 2 Jenis Ikan, Ayam, Daging, Kambing, served with Sos Lada Hitam, Sambal Merah & Air Asam.

Masakan Malay Kawah: Ayam Goreng Berempah, Paru Goreng, Daging Rendang, Rebung Gulai Sotong, Bawal Goreng, Ikan Masak Asam Pedas & Siput Lala Masak Berlada.

Sayur-sayuran, Telur & Nasi (Vegetables, Egg & Rice): Kari Telur, Terung Bakar, Nenas Masak Pajerin Bombay, Sayur Kailan Ikan Masin, Sayur Asin Asin, Pucuk Paku Belacan, Kangkung Belacan, Kobis Goreng Kunyit & Kacang Panjang Goreng Sambal Belacan, Peria Goreng Telur, Labu Masak Lemak Cili Api, Sayur Kalio, Nasi Putih & Nasi Tomato.

Pencuci Mulut (Desserts): Bubur (Bubur Kacang, Bubur Pulut Hitam, Pengat Pisang) Aneka Kek Tradisional, Aneka Agar-agar Tradisional, Aneka Pudding, Aneka Jelly, Aneka Kuih Tradisional, Sagu Gula Melaka, Leng Chee Kang, Aneka Ais Krim (Pilihan Ais Krim Vanilla, Coklat, Jagung, Keladi & Strawberry)

Pilihan Buah Buahan Segar (Fresh Fruit Cuts): Tembikai, Nenas, Tembikai Susu, Buah Naga, Pisang Emas & Betik

Unlike last year where the main attractions were whole roasted lamb and satay, this year you have more choices at a specially set up BBQ Section outdoor. We had BBQ Stingray, BBQ Catfish, BBQ Chicken, BBQ Beef Slices and BBQ Lamb Shoulder. I kind of like the different style of marinates.

Amongst all the set up hawker stalls for this Ramadan, I quite like the Mee Sup Daging, Laksa and Teh Tarik. The many hours of simmering the beef with various types of local herbs and spices sure did pep up a flavorful soup base. On the other hand, the soup base for the Laksa had just the right balance of flavors, more significantly in the usage of tamarind peel. Compared to last year where the Teh Tarik was pre-prepared, this year they had a staff making it fresh. It was good and up to my expectation with just the correct concoction of thick tea with condensed milk. It had just the right sweetness to my liking.

The rest of the servings were rather standard as previous year. However, the dessert spread can be quite abundant with lots of local delicacies.

Overall, the spread of dishes for the Ramadan promotion at that offered price is also very attractive and reasonable. However, I would still prefer the kitchen to consider other West and East Malaysia states’ traditionally prepared dishes to be included into their Ramadan menu. By the way, there would also be prayer rooms to further cater to its Muslim guests celebrating this blessed month. The ballroom can only cater up to 500 pax at one time, so do call in +604-646 8000 to make your advance reservations to avoid any disappointment.

The ballroom is located at the left side as you enter the hotel lobby of Vistana Hotel Penang along Jalan Bukit Gambir. Just follow your nose and it would surely lead you to the aromatic section of the hotel. You can park your car in the basement which would require you to get a token from the receptionist to scan your way out.

Name: GROUND FLOOR BALLROOM @ VISTANA HOTEL PENANG
Address: 213 Jalan Bukit Gambir, 11950 Bukit Jambul, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604- 646 8000
Business Hours: 6.30pm-10.30pm (Ramadan Buffet from 19 June until 16 July 2015)
GPS: 5.336334, 100.291527

RATING:
Ambience: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

Swez Brasserie @ Eastin Hotel, Penang, would be having its “Eastin Ku Kampung Ku” Ramadan Buffet Dinner from 18 June until 18 July 2015 (7.00pm-10.00pm). The price would be at RM104nett/pax (Adult/Senior Citizens 60 years old and above will get 50% off) and RM52nett/pax (Child). If you are thinking of purchasing for 20 pax and above, there are some great voucher offers at good bargain prices stated below. The Ramadan Buffet Dinner would consist of traditionally prepared authentic and favorite kampung style Malay cuisine, under the experienced hands of the hotel’s Malay Kitchen.

Here are some of the sections you might find interesting during the “Eastin Ku Kampung Ku” Ramadan Buffet Dinner.

GARDER OF GREEN SALAD (Tomato, Carrot, Cucumber, Corn Kernel, Onion Ring, Mix Lettuce) with DRESSING AND CONDIMENTS (Thousand Island, Cheesy Mayo, Italian, Mango & Vinaigrette)

INTERNATIONAL APPERTIZER (Semi-Dried Tomato & Mozzarella Salad with Basil Corn Relish, Cajun Squid Flower & Soba Noodles with French Dressing, Pan Seared Fish with Grill Zucchini Salad, Tomato, Aubergine & Citrus Dressing, Asparagus with Turkey Ham & Pineapple Salad, Ulam-Ulaman Serantau, Kerabu Perut, Kerabu Kacang Botol, Kerabu Ayam Dara, Kerabu Betik Muda & Kerabu Udang Suhun)

SAVORIES AND MALAYSIAN SAMBALS (Sambal Belacan, Sambal Cincaluk, Sambal Mempelam, Sambal Kelapa, Sambal Budu, Jelatah, Acar Buah, Keropok Ikan, Keropok Lekor, Keropok Udang, Papadam, Serunding Ayam, Serunding Daging, Acar Rampai, Sambal Ikan Bilis, Lemang, Ketupat Nasi, Ikan Masin, Telur Masin & minimum 5 types of Jeruk aka pickles)

SEAFOOD ON ICE WITH CONDIMENTS (Slipper Lobster, Tiger Prawn, Mussels, Crab)

SOUP & BREAD (Pumpkin Soup, Soup Ekor Cendawan, Bread Roll & Butter)

CITARASA MASAKAN KAMPUNG & MALAYSIAN FAVORITES (Ikan Asam Pesad, Gulai Daging Kacang Panjang, Gulai Asam Rom Sayuran, Ayam Pongteh, Rendang Ekor, Siput Sedut Lemak Cili Api, Pucuk Ubi Masak Lemak Putih, Stir Fried Crab with Basil Leaves, Thai Yellow Chicken Curry, Poached Indonesian Sea Bass with Cilantro Sauce, Sauté Squid with Macaroni in Tomato Herb Sauce, Fried Mussel with Chili & Hot Bean Sauce, Wok Fried Tiger Prawn with Butter Sauce, Nasi Putih & Nasi Tomato)

NASI LEMAK KUKUS ACTION COUNTER (Sambal Bawang, Ayam Goreng Berempah, Telur Rebus, Timun, Kacang & Ikan Bilis)

HAWKER STALL (Roasted Whole Lamb for minimum 80 Pax & above, Shawarma Corner, Ice Kacang with Condiments, Gearbox Soup with Condiments & Bubur Lambuk)

ACTION COUNTER (Mee Rebus, Panggang Station with at least 6 types of seafood & meat & sauces such as Mushroom Sauce, Black Pepper Sauce, Kam Hiong Sauce, Thai Chili Sauce, Assam Jawa & Kicap Bawang)

HOMEMEMADE MALAYSIAN PIZZA (Seafood Pizza & Beef Rendang)

DESSERT (Buah Kurma Madu Yusut Taiyoob’s, Assorted Fruits Platter, minimum 8 types of Assorted French Pastry, minimum 6 types of Whole Cakes, Fruits Jelly In Glass, Coffee Mousse, Apple Crumble, Bubur Kacang, Linzer Torte, Pavlova With Fruit & minimum 7 types of Local Malay Kuih)

BEVERAGE STALL (Air Bandung/ Soya Milk with Cincau/ Mata Kucing/ Young Coconut, Teh Tarik, Kopi Tarik, Coffee & Tea)

What are the “MUST TRY DISHES” at Eastin Hotel Penang during this coming Ramadan?

1. There are many different types of sambal such as the sambal cincaluk, sambal mempelam and sambal kelapa to go with your dishes. Various kinds of sambal are must in most Malaysian cuisine and only during Ramadan do they produce certain varieties.

2. You should try out the Malaysian version of Oxtail Soup with added mushrooms known as Sup Ekor Cendawan. It’s an impactful yet flavorful soup with the uses of local herbs and spices plus beef bones stock.

3. Another dish to take note will be the Gulai Asam Rom (Asam Rong/Aserong/Asrong) Sayuran/Siput Sedut, an appetite booster. This famous Pahang dish is quite rare in modern days as the main ingredient of buah perah (kelampai/rampeh/Elateriospermum tapos) is rather hard to obtain due to our fast development, except maybe from the jungle of Pahang, Sabah, Sarawak, Indonesia or Thailand. As it tastes just like the rubber tree seeds, some might use the rubber tree seeds instead. The curry has unique flavors and can be quite addictive.

4. You might have heard about Oxtail Soup but hardly would you get Oxtail Rendang aka Rendang Ekor from your usual Malay restaurants. This is the secret recipe of the chef’s mother. It’s best not to miss out the chance to savor this unique dish.

5. Do check out the Nasi Lemak Kukus Action Counter for Malaysian’s favorite dish. It may look simple but once you have a mouthful of the fragrant coconut milk infused rice accompanied with the flavorful sambal tumis, hardboiled egg, ikan bilis, fried peanuts and ayam goreng berempah, you would want to seek for more. It’s truly an addictive dish for all.

6. You would hardly see a Whole Roasted Lamb unless it’s for grand occasions. The tender yet juicy meat had been marinated with special herbs and spices for 3 days prior to being roasted until perfection. This will be served with Middle East style of Bukhari Rice, using basmati rice cooked with tomato paste and various spices. One word~ Lazeez!

7. One of my favorite dishes to hunt at Pasar Ramadan will always be the Turkish style Chicken Shawarma and they have it here as one of the dishes for buffet. Perfect! Instead of my usual bread wrap, they are using pita bread pockets with their special dressing. Who’s to complain since I can have as many as I ever wanted? 😛

8. For more energy and stamina during the puasa month, you should try out their signature Sup Gearbox. It’s one great dish that I would always look forward to each year at Eastin Hotel Penang. The spices and herbs used in slowly simmering the bull’s thigh bones combined with some potatoes and carrots were indeed “powerful”. A bowl of this heavenly dish would surely keep the body energetic and rejuvenated for any activities during the fasting month.

9. One of the popular Ramadan specialties would be an energy packed porridge known as Bubur Lambuk. The porridge is normally prepared by volunteers in mosques throughout the country and served to the public for free. The ingredients used from state to state might be different, ranging from poultry, meat and seafood. The most popular one would be the spice and energy packed porridge with the use of rich beef bone stock for that extra power.

10. You should check out the Panggang Station for more flavorful grilled dishes. Depending on the stock available for the day, there will be at least 6 types of meat and seafood served daily during the fasting month.

Overall, the Ramadan Buffet Dinner spreads have always been one of my favorites, considering that the kampung-style and family-oriented dishes were flavorfully prepared by the experienced Malay Kitchen team. Well done chefs~ 🙂

Promotions for Eastin Ku Kampung Ku Ramadan Buffet:

Early Bird F&B Promotion: Ramadan Voucher at RM80nett/pax
– For every 20 vouchers purchased FREE 1 voucher
– For every 50 vouchers purchased FREE 3 vouchers
– For every 60 vouchers purchased FREE 1 room of 2D1N DH
– For every 100 vouchers purchased FREE 2 room of 2D1N DH plus FREE 2 vouchers.

CITIBANK
RM88nett/pax for the Ramadan Buffet Dinner from18th June to 18th July 2015.

AEON Member
15% discount for members during the Ramadan Buffet Dinner.

Note: Senior citizens will get 50% discount.

The Swez Brasserie is located at the ring wing of Eastin Hotel, Penang (next to Queensbay Mall). If you are coming from Georgetown towards Bayan Lepas Free Trade Zone via Bayan Lepas Expressway, do watch out for the Pulau Jerejak signboard (leading to Pulau Jerejak jetty). Ignore the turning and drive on to the next left junction. Turn left into Jalan Aziz Ibrahim and drive on until you a roundabout. Turn 3 o’ clock and drive on until you see a big Eastin Hotel signboard at the first right junction. Turn right and drive on. Park your car at the basement car park. Take a lift to the first floor lobby and you would see the restaurant there.

Name: SWEZ BRASSERIE @ EASTIN HOTEL
Address: 1 Solok Bayan Indah, Queens Bay, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-612 1128, 604-612 1138
Business Hours: 7.00pm-10.00pm (Ramadan Buffet Dinner only)
GPS: 5.33643, 100.306345

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: 7.5/10 (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)