CRIZ BON APPETITE

Let’s welcome the Red Fire Rooster for this coming Chinese New Year 2017 with abundant of seafood products during the forthcoming Chinese New Year Mega Sales 2017 organized by Golden Fresh Sdn. Bhd. at its warehouse, Butterworth Iceworks Sdn. Bhd., from 10.00am until 7.00pm on 24-25 January 2017. Various seafood and seafood products are up for grab on these 2 days. It’s a “Cash & Carry” sale while stock last. In line with being environmental friendly, please bring along your own carriers.

To find out what are the items on offer, you can view the slides in the slideshow below:

If you are coming out from the ferry terminal, just drive straight into Jalan Chain Ferry and drive on until you see a Shell petrol kiosk on your left (as well as right). Drive up until the traffic lights and turn right into Jalan Kapal. You can see Restoran Nasi Kandar Al-Bismi Maju at the corner unit. Drive on until you see Lengkok Kapal on your left. Drive in further and you can see the Butterworth Ice Works factory on your right. Alternatively, if you are driving via Penang Bridge, turn left into the second exit leading to Megamall. Drive on Jalan Baru until you see a flyover. Drive up the flyover and turn right into Jalan Chain Ferry. Drive all the way, crossing over Sungai Perai until you see a tall metallic silver building (Wisma Unimech) on your left. Drive on until you see the traffic lights and turn left into Jalan Kapal. Perodua Service Center is just opposite at the corner unit. You can also see a sign leading you to Taman Limbungan Indah/Econsave Butterworth. Drive all the way until the end and you would see the factory on your right.

Name: BUTTERWORTH ICEWORKS SDN. BHD.
Address: 4402 Jalan Chain Ferry, 12100 Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-333 3388
Business Hours: 10.00am-7.00pm (24 & 25 January 2017 only)
GPS: 5.397600, 100.378252

Ever since my encounter in dining at Starz Diner @ Hard Rock Hotel Penang during Chinese New Year last year, I’ve since felt in love with the culinary skills as well as the uniqueness in flavors that the hotel’s Chinese Sous Chef, Chef Yoong Toy Heng @ Chef Heng and his team had pepped up wondrous spread for the festive season. Do check out their Chinese New Year 2017 Rockin’ Reunion Buffet Dinner (27 January 2017), priced at RM138nett (Adult) and RM69nett (children 6-12 years old) as well as their Rock of Prosperity Seafood Buffet Dinner (28 January 2017), priced at RM128nett (Adult) and RM64nett (children 6-12 years old), at Starz Diner @ Hard Rock Hotel Penang from 6.30pm until 10.30pm this festive season. Please call +604-886 8057 or email fb.penang@hardrockhotels.net to book earlier to avoid disappointment.

This buffet this year would offer a variety of mouth watering spreads starting from the must-have Yee Sang to traditional desserts and cookies. Here are some of the dishes that you might have during the buffet sessions. From Cold Platter, you might have Marinated Octopus Salad, Jelly Fish Papaya Salad, Chicken Roll with Thai Mango Salad, Pomelo & Mandarin and Shrimp Salad, Yee Sang Platter and more. You should try out the Braised Sliced Chicken and Seafood Treasure Soup as the stock was indeed so rich and nourishing that I had more bowls than I had anticipated.

For the Main Course of Hot Dishes, you might get to savor their Steamed Glutinous Rice with Dried Oyster & Roasted Mix Meat (Reunion), Crispy Chicken with Prawn Cake and Marmite Chicken (Reunion), Braised Whole Duck with Eight Treasure Style (Day 1), Steamed Fish with “Pat Tong” Style (Day 1), Deep Fried King Prawn with Spicy BBQ Sauce (Reunion), Wok Fried Brown Crab with “Kam Hiong” Sauce (Reunion), Braised Seafood Treasure in Pumpkin and Garden Green (Reunion). Their braised duck has always been my favorite, considering that it had all the ingredients of my liking. The Braised Seafood Treasure in Pumpkin and Garden Green indeed was an eye-opening dish as I’ve yet to see any chef produced such an interesting and flavorful dish before. The combination of the natural sweetness from the added pumpkin puree combined with the rich seafood flavors from the added fresh scallops, dried oysters, sea cucumber, Chinese mushrooms and greens, made up the umani taste of this heavenly dish.

As for desserts, you could expect to have Soya Bean Milk with Glutinous Ball, Leng Chee Kang, Glutinous Rice Cake, Chinese Cookies and more.

Overall, both their Chinese New Year buffet spreads had the quality and value worth that no other hotels had ever produced. Moreover, the taste I savor each year had always excelled beyond my expectations. It’s another job well done by the kitchen team.

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)

RESERVATIONS:

Starz Diner/Pizzeria: Call +604-886 6057 or email fb.penang@hardrockhotels.net.
Hard Rock Café Penang: Call +604-886 8050 or email hrc.admin@hardrockhotels.net.
More information: Hard Rock Hotel Penang’s F&B Promotions

Hard Rock International: With a total of 204 venues in 64 countries, including 157 cafes, 22 hotels and 11 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 Gran Canaria, Spain. 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.

If you like to spend some time by the beach to watch the sunset along the horizon and then proceed to some nice indoor spaces for your dining and drinking needs during these festive seasons, there are a few restaurants and a sky bar at Lexis Suites Penang that would meet the criteria. This Christmas season, Roselle Coffee House @ Lexis Suites Penang, would be having its Christmas buffets on 24-25 December 2016 to tempt the diners with traditional and fusion mouth-watering Christmas dishes. Do check out the poster above for more details.

The highlight of the night would always be the Roasted Turkey and Yorkshire Puddings, served with different condiments. What I love most at the carving section was the juicily pepped up turkey, accompanied by other delicious meaty dishes such as the Beef Wellington and Honey Glazed Chicken Roll.

On top of the carving section, there would also be 6 other sections of delightful spreads such as the Appetizer, Salads, Salad Bar, Soup, Hot Dishes and Desserts. Do check out those freshly prepared sushi and sashimi as well as some of the fresh cold cuts.

As for the Desserts Section, there would be some nice Christmas-theme decorated cakes and pastries for all your sweet-tooth needs, which might include the traditional Christmas Puddings, Yule Logs, Stollen and more.

Do check out the items available in their Christmas menu as shown below:

Other promotions for New Year Eve and New Year Day 2017 are also available. Check out the posters below:

Overall, I quite love the simple yet delectable dishes served at Roselle Coffee House, especially on the spreads available at the Japanese, appetizer and carving sections. As for the rest of the sections, there are still some rooms for improvements as the eatery caters mostly for ala carte orders rather than buffets.

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: ROSELLE COFFEE HOUSE @ LEXIS SUITES PENANG
Address: 28, Jalan Teluk Kumbar, 11920 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-628 2888
Business Hours:
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

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: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

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.

Too much of preparations, cooking and baking might spoil your moods during festive seasons as you would be drained of energy trying to impress your family and friends. Why don’t you leave it to the experts to pep up your meals and enjoy the memorable moments with your loved ones these seasons? Do check out the festive promotions at Spice Brasserie and Flavour@3 at The Light Hotel, Seberang Jaya, Penang. Whether it is to celebrate Christmas or welcoming the new 2017 year, there would be something for everyone at The Light Hotel, Penang. Oh ya~ Don’t forget to try out their Teh Tarik as it’s one of the best around~ 🙂

Here are the promotions for these festive seasons, please click to have a clearer picture of the menus served.

Some of the highlights would include Roast Turkey with Apple & Raisins Stuffing, Leg of Lamb Marinated with Italian Herbs, Roasted Beef with Mixed Capsicum & Garlic Pepper Sauce, Gratinated Oyster with cheese, Salmon Fillet with Blackcurrant Cream Sauce, Seafood in Ice, Smoked Salmon with Rock Melon, Chicken Terrine with Cranberries Sauce and more. There would also be the actions counters with great sashimi, grilled and stir fried items. Moreover, a must try would be their Signature Nasi Briyani with Cashew Nuts and Raisin, accompanied by various mouthwatering spiced up dishes.

For dessert lovers, it’s all about Christmas with all the traditional and modern sweet indulgences to tempt your sweet tooth. Do expect to see items such as Christmas Puddings with Vanilla Sauce, Christmas Cakes, Baked Chocolate Souffle, Tiramisu Cake, Pear William Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie and more.

If you think buffet might be a bit too surfeit to your liking, you may opt for their 5-course set dinners in a much quiet ambience up at Flavour@3 at Level 3 of the premises. You can check out their Christmas as well as New Year Eve menu below.

As for their New Year Eve 5-course Set Dinner, you would expect to be served with Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad, Maine Prawn Bisque, Sorbet, an option of main course of either Lamb Rack & Chicken Roulade or Garlic Butter Prawns & Pan Grilled Smoked Breast, Chocolate Cake with Cream Lemon Puff with Berry Sauce, end with Coffee or Tea.

Overall, the dishes served at both Spice Brasserie and Flavour@3 had always being my favorite. Not only were the dishes creative and packed with flavors, the kitchen team sure knows how to fully utilize herbs and spices in their day-to-day preparations. They do have some of the most unique prepared dishes amongst the hotels nationwide.

The Light Hotel is located along Lebuh Tenggiri 2 at Seberang Jaya, Penang. Upon entering the main entrance of the hotel, just drive around to find your parking space at the front of the premises. Walk into the lobby of the hotel and you can see Spice Brasserie on your left or walk straight until the elevator at the furthest end and take the life up Level 3 where Flavour@3 is.

Name: Flavour@3/Spice Brasserie @ The Light Hotel
Address: Lebuh Tenggiri 2, Bandar Seberang Jaya, 13700 Seberang Jaya, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-382 1111
Business Hours: 7.30am-11.00am (Breakfast), 12.00pm-2.30pm (Set Lunch), 7.00pm – 10.30pm (Set Dinner)
GPS: 5.394646, 100.397951

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)

About The Light Hotel: The Light Hotel is wholly owned and managed by The Light Hotel (M) Sdn Bhd. It is located in a fast developing industrial area of Seberang Jaya, Penang. The 5 star Hotel offers a luxury resort-style experience with a total of 303 rooms of 6 different categories. The Light Grand Ballroom, 9 meeting rooms, Spice Brassiere, Flavour@3 and Lumino Lounge are refined food and beverage outlets that cater for in-door and Al fresco style dining. The beautiful outdoor landscaped swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna room, spa are namely some of the facilities on the 3 floors, whereas kiddies club and wedding show room are located on the Mezzanine floor. The Light Hotel represents the perfect combination of luxurious destination of Delightful Mix of Business and Comfort for a truly unique experience. Visit www.thelighthotelpg.com

Christmas and New Year would be just around the corner. Have you decided where to celebrate your yearend festive seasons? Do check out on the saliva-dripping spreads from Sukkah Coffee House @ Olive Tree Hotel, Penang. For reservation and enquiries, please contact Sukkah Coffee House at +604-637 7856 to make prior booking to avoid any disappointment.

Let’s have a glimpse on some of the dishes available for the festive season with the main attraction being the 7kg huge turkey, bigger than most I’ve seen this year. Do watch out for their Roasted Chestnut Soup, a refreshing and flavorful soup you won’t get all the time except during such an occasion.

Moreover, you would get many types of meatloaves and roulade filled with delicious stuffing.

For fans of desserts, you would be all delighted as the sweet delicacies for this season exceeded my expectations. I love their creativity as well.

Overall, I love the spreads for the festive seasons as the dishes outshone many other buffets out there with more traditionally prepared dishes such as meatloaf, mouth-melting cookies and more.

Do check out the menus for the Christmas and New Year below (click to enlarge for better view):

More promotion below:

The Sukkah Coffee House @ Olive Tree Hotel Penang is located just opposite the Subterranean Penang International Conference & Exhibition Centre (SPICE – formerly known as PISA aka Penang International Sports Arena) along Jalan Mahsuri. If you are coming from Bukit Jambul via Jalan Tun Dr. Awang towards the Penang International Airport (PIA), turn left into Jalan Mahsuri at the traffic lights immediately after you have passed the SPICE. Keep right and drive up until the traffic lights and make a U-Turn. You can see the hotel on your left. Park your car and use the elevator or escalator to Level 2 and you can see the Sukkah Coffee House there.

Name: SUKKAH COFFEE HOUSE @ OLIVE TREE HOTEL PENANG
Address: 76, Jalan Mahsuri, 11950 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-637 7856
Business Hours:
Breakfast: 6.00am-10.30am
Lunch (Monday to Friday): 12.00noon-2.30pm
Lunch (Saturday & Sunday): 12.00noon-3.00pm
Dinner: 6.30pm-11.00pm
GPS: 5.327101, 100.279070

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (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: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

About Olive Tree Hotel: Nestled along the industrial and corporate corridors of Penang, the Olive Tree Hotel is a Green Building Index (GBI) compliant hotel that boasts easy access to major landmarks and hosts a convenient and conducive environment for business and leisure travelers alike. A 25-storey statement of well profound architecture and hospitality with a choice of 228 rooms and 24 suites, guests can expect not only a functional space that is sure to give the utmost comfort, but also a memorable experience. The Olive Tree Hotel Penang is also built to cater to meetings, conventions, banquets and weddings. It houses a Grand Ballroom with a mezzanine gallery that that can comfortably accommodate up to 720 people and 7 function rooms with various dimensions for various events.

Ever since my first visit to Sushi Mentai @ All Seasons Place, Air Itam, Penang, I’ve been quite a regular at the eatery whenever my craving for Japanese cuisine arises. With the affordable yet quality plates of sushi (RM1.80++/ yellow plate or RM2.80++/red plate) on the conveyor belt, one would be pleased with their available options. Let’s have a look at some of their options available on their menus.

What we ate indeed had the quality required and with such an economical pricing, who could resist not to consume more?

Sushi Mentai do also serve many other selections such as Appetizer, Salad, Sashimi, Special Maki (special roll), Temaki (hand roll), Yakimono (grill), Agemono (fried), Menmono (noodles), Donmono (rice), Wanmono (bowl) and Beverages. Let’s have a look at some of their hot selling items as below.

Just look at the thick cuts for the Salmon Sashimi (RM10.80++/5 pieces) or the Tako Sashimi (RM10.80++/4 pieces) and you would realize that both items were really value for money. On top of that, some of the great items would include the huge serving of Tori Katsu Curry Rice (RM13.80++), Chawan Mushi (RM3.80++), Asari Miso Shiru (RM4.80++), Chicken Teriyaki (RM9.80++), Salmon Mentaiyaki (RM14.80++), Tempura Moriawase (RM13.80++), Tori Teriyaki Don (RM12.80++), Kitsune Udon (RM10.80++), Riceless Inari Wrap (RM7.80++), Salmon Mentai Dragon Maki (RM12.80++) and more.

As for beverages, I opted for a set of hot and cold green tea (RM1++ each). It came with a jug of green tea and a bucket of ice cubes with free-flow of refills.

Overall, I’ve always happy with the quality of the dishes served here at Sushi Mentai, though it may not have the best flavors compared to some other high end Japanese restaurants with proper Japanese chefs. It was good enough to soothe my craving. All orders would be charged with a 6% GST and 10% service tax.

Sushi Mentai @ All Seasons Place is located on the ground floor at the left wing of the building. You won’t miss it as it’s strategically in between Summer Dessert Bakery and Tomyummy Noodle House. You can park your car at the basement car park as you enter the building or right at the front area of the building. If you still do not know how to get there, you can always check out the location maps and use their Waze function.

Name: SUSHI MENTAI @ ALL SEASONS PLACE
Address: 6G-1-13, All Seasons Place, Lebuhraya Thean Teik, 11500 Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: For walk-ins only
Business Hours: 12.00pm-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 11.30pm-9.30pm (Sat, Sun & Public Holidays)
GPS: 5.396963, 100.290707

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (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: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 9/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

It’s the time of festive season where there would be lots of sharing, joy and happiness. Where do you think would be the ideal place to celebrate other than at the tallest restaurant in Penang? David Brown’s Restaurant & Tea Terrace would be the perfect venue for you this year with their Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Set Dinner promotions. The Christmas Set Dinners at RM238++/pax (24-25 December 2016 only). Dinner time would be from 6.00pm until 10.00pm (8.30pm for the last order). In order to get to the restaurant, you would need to take a train up Penang Hill. For MyKad holders, it’s RM10/pax (adult) or RM4/pax (senior citizen, child & student). As for visiting tourists, it’s RM30/pax (adult & senior citizen) or RM15/pax (child & student). Daily train operation hours will be 6.30am-11.00pm (last train from top station). Let’s have an extensive look at the menu look at what would be served (no ala carte dishes will be served during dinner on these two specific days).

Please also take note that if you pre-book two sets of the dinner, you would be entitled to a bottle of house wine (red or white) or a 10% discount.

Prior to the start of any set dinner, you would be served with an in-house made bread roll each, accompanied with butter.

To get your joyous festive mood swinging, you would be first served with their complimentary version of Amuse Bouche which was Smoked Salmon on Baguette Toast, topped with Avocado Cream. It was something simple and yet fulfilling to start my appetite going.

As for starter, we had the Hokkaido Scallop & Smoked Duck, accompanied with Apple Remoulade, Salmon Rice and Green with Italian Dressing. I’m impressed with the whole plating and with added edible flower, namely the blue butterfly pea flower. There were also some added crushed walnuts for that extra nutty flavor. Thumbs up!

As for Soup, we had the Pumpkin Veloute. It was about pumpkin for this dish as each plate of the soup had Pumpkin Croquette, Pumpkin Chips and Shredded Parmesan dressed on the Pumpkin Soup with a light drizzle of cream and herbs. It was a lovely surprise.

This year, the restaurant added an extra Pre Entrée which was the Mixed Berries Granita. It may look like some berry flavored crushed ice but the fruity yet mild sweetness crunchy textured flavors were just right to get us moving toward more meaty choice ahead.

As for Entrée, you can opt for any 1 of the 3 options with the first option being the Turkey Roulade, served with Roasted Potato, Chicken Liver Stuffing, Glazed Apple and Cranberry Port Demi. Overall, the combination was quite good, except for the added chicken liver stuffing which was surfeit to the liking of many with such a large portion served.

The second option would be the Seared Line-caught Barramundi, served with Sauteed HK Kailan, Potato Pave, Mango-Pineapple Salsa and Romesco Sauce. This dish was the same as the option shown in the December 2016 promotion. Of course, I love the freshness of the fish, combined with the appetizing yet refreshing sweet, salty, sour flavors of the side dishes too.

Finally, the third option (same as the option shown in the December 2016 promotion) would be the Black Angus Medley which had Black Angus Sirloin & Slow Braised Rump, served with Roasted Plum Tomato, Phyllo Mushroom Bundle, Horseradish Cream and Beef Jus. If you are a beef taker, you would never go wrong with this dish. The slow braised rump melted right into my mouth. It was so flavorful that I wished they could have added in more pieces. Thumbs up!

There was also the Pre Dessert which was the Mango Sorbet on a bed of crushed digestive biscuit crumbs. It was so refreshing after a meaty meal.

As for Dessert, we had the Chocolate Cremeux, a concoction of Bitter Cocoa Crumbles, Butterscotch, Caramelized Banana, served with Vanilla Ice Cream. Somehow, the dssert had this bitter-sweet click that got us craving for more.

We ended up out dinner with either Coffee or Tea, something energizing to keep our alerts~ LOL~ 😛

Overall, I do find some of the dishes served here to be quite impressive and extensive to the liking of many. You can be assured of the quality ingredients being used in the menu too. Just take a short getaway up the hills and be mesmerized with the cool breezy and scenic night view of the island. I’m sure you would not regret making that decision.

It’s not hard to find David Brown’s Restaurant and Tea Terraces as it’s located above the small Strawberry Hill next to the train station. Upon disembarking from the train, just walk towards the end and turn right and you can see a stairways leading up to the restaurant.

Name: DAVID BROWN’S RESTAURANT & TEA TERRACES
Address: Lot 400, MK 17, Daerah Barat Daya, Strawberry Hill, Bukit Bendera, 11300 Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia
Contact: +604-828 8337 or +6018-409 6277
Business Hours: 11.00am-3.00pm (lunch), 3.00pm-6.00pm (tea), 6.00pm-10.00pm (dinner – last order at 9.00pm)
GPS: 5.424210, 100.268632

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: 7.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (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 serving their lavish spreads this coming Christmas Eve 2016 and you would get to enjoy the joyous occasion with your loved ones or friends over a wide spread of freshly pepped up mouth-watering dishes. The buffet dinner will be served from 6.30pm to 10.00pm on 24 December 2016, priced at RM178nett. Early Birds for first 80 persons get to enjoy 25% offer for full payment made before 15 December 2016. There would be 20% offer for Senior Citizen aged above 60 years old and children below 5 years old get to enjoy the buffet at no cost. The eve buffet dinner promotion is also included with party pack and a chance to meet the Santa Clause. For more information and reservations, contact Eastin Hotel Penang at +604-612 1111 or you can also email at info.pg@eastin.com / log in to the website www.eastin.com. All the prices above are not applicable with any other discounts including credit card discounts.

Of course, the highlight of the night would be their Authentic Roasted Turkey with Classic Ingredients and Condiments. Do watch out for the Yorkshire Puddings which would be great with any meat items.

Other than the turkey at the carving station, there would be another 8 categories of goodies such cold delicacies, cheese corner, soup, carving, seafood on ice, pastas, western delights, hot delicacies and desserts to make your day merrier.

As for Desserts, you would expect to find many modern and traditional festive bakes and pastries such as Chocolate Truffle Cake, Classic Cheese Cake, Christmas Yule Log, Mousse Cake, Christmas Stollen, Assorted French Pastries, Floating Island with Almonds and Caramel, Fresh Fruits Soup with Whipped Cream, Display of Seasonal Fresh Fruits, House Pudding, Christmas Cookies, Eastin Bread Butter Pudding, Chocolate Fountain and more.

Do check out the full menu for the Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner as shown below:

You could also made a special order for one whole bird of turkey at RM368nett (3 days prior booking is required and available from 1-26 December 2016 only) or even order some Christmas cookies. Check out the posters below:

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 (Lunch), 6.30pm-10.00pm (Dinner)
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)

About Eastin Hotel Penang: Eastin Hotel Penang is a contemporary International business class hotel. Strategically located within the integrated waterfront development of Queensbay, Eastin Penang is adjacent to Queensbay Mall. Its superb location is minutes’ drive away from the Penang International Airport and the iconic Penang Bridge as well as in the vicinity of the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. It features 328 meticulously decorated guest rooms and suites, facing the shimmering blue sea and the verdant green hills of Pulau Jerejak, home to tropical rainforest that is over 130 million years old. For more information, please visit www.eastin.com

With the long December school holidays, won’t it be nice to strengthen your family bonds by having your annual outing up Penang Hill this year to enjoy the cool breeze and at the same time savor some of the great dishes at David Brown’s Restaurant & Tea Terrace? Currently, the restaurant is having its December 2016 Set Dinner Promotion at RM138++/pax (1-31 December 2016 except on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day). Moreover, if you could not make it for their Christmas Eve or Christmas Day promotions, this promotion would be quite similar to their Christmas Menu, with the exception of having more dishes. Dinner time would be from 6.00pm until 10.00pm (8.30pm for the last order for set). In order to get to the restaurant, you would need to take a train up Penang Hill. For MyKad holders, it’s RM10/pax (adult) or RM4/pax (senior citizen, child & student). As for visiting tourists, it’s RM30/pax (adult & senior citizen) or RM15/pax (child & student). Daily train operation hours will be 6.30am-11.00pm (last train from top station). Let’s have a look at what would be served during the December Set Dinner Promotion as per poster below.

Prior to the start of any set dinner, you would be served with an in-house made bread roll each, accompanied with butter.

To start off, you would be served with Turkey Boxing, side with Sauteed Spinach, Caramelized Shallot and Turkey Jus. The sauteed spinach in light oyster sauce complimented the herbs spiced up meaty turkey real well. Moreover, the turkey jus boosted up the flavors further.

As for Soup, we had the Pumpkin Veloute. It was about pumpkin for this dish as each plate of the soup had Pumpkin Croquette, Pumpkin Chips and Shredded Parmesan dressed on the Pumpkin Soup with a light drizzle of cream and herbs. It was a lovely surprise.

As for Entrée, you can opt for any 1 of the 3 options with the first option being the Roasted Chicken Thigh, served with Mushroom Risotto, Carrot Puree, Crispy Enoki and Portwine Jus. I always like how the restaurant prepared their poultry dishes with the outer layer of the chicken being flavorful while maintaining the juiciness within. The batter fried enoki mushrooms indeed added that extra crunch for the dish.

The second option would be the Seared Line-caught Barramundi, served with Sauteed HK Kailan, Potato Pave, Mango-Pineapple Salsa and Romesco Sauce. The freshness of the fish, combined with the appetizing flavors of the side dishes was indeed a taste out of the norm.

Finally, the third option would be the Black Angus Medley which had Black Angus Sirloin & Slow Braised Rump, served with Roasted Plum Tomato, Phyllo Mushroom Bundle, Horseradish Cream and Beef Jus. Wow! I’m impressed with the overall flavors, especially from the slow braised rump which melted right into my mouth. It was a perfect dish to warm the body on a cool night.

As for Dessert, we had the Green Tea Cremeux which had Red Bean Jam, Pistachio Crumble and Green Tea Tuile. Who could decline such a sweet temptation?

To end the dinner, Coffee or Tea would be served.

Overall, I do find some of the dishes served here to be quite impressive, especially the Black Angus Beef option and their dessert. If you can, do find time to pay the restaurant a visit to savor some of their best cuisine.

It’s not hard to find David Brown’s Restaurant and Tea Terraces as it’s located above the small Strawberry Hill next to the train station. Upon disembarking from the train, just walk towards the end and turn right and you can see a stairways leading up to the restaurant.

Name: DAVID BROWN’S RESTAURANT & TEA TERRACES
Address: Lot 400, MK 17, Daerah Barat Daya, Strawberry Hill, Bukit Bendera, 11300 Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia
Contact: +604-828 8337 or +6018-409 6277
Business Hours: 11.00am-3.00pm (lunch), 3.00pm-6.00pm (tea), 6.00pm-10.00pm (dinner – last order at 9.00pm)
GPS: 5.424210, 100.268632

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: 7.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

From my earlier post, you would have known that 92 Armenian served healthy and hearty desserts with bird’s nest as their main ingredient. For the Mid Autumn Festival 2016, the eatery is also promoting its delicious Bird’s Nest Mooncakes with nicely designed takeaway packaging plus a set of beautifully crafted plastic knife and forks. The eatery produced 2 types of mooncakes such as snow skin and jelly this year with the option of 4 flavors for each type, namely soy bean, pandan (screwpine leaves), pumpkin and coffee, all with natural ingredients and sweetening. Each piece would cost RM25nett or a box of 4 options for RM88nett.

Basically, the snow skin mooncakes has more bites as other than added bird’s nest, option such as the pumpkin snow skin mooncake had some walnuts and melon seeds to the paste. The soy bean had red dates lotus seed paste, the pandan snow skin mooncake had pandan lotus paste and the coffee snow skin mooncake had coffee lotus seed paste. The best about the products is that all of them had just the right sweetness to my liking.

On the other hand, the 4 flavors of jelly mooncakes were just jellies with added bird’s nest. There were nothing much to shout about as the eatery did not add in a different flavored jelly in between to make them look like a typical mooncake. I hope the eatery would consider that next year.

Overall, I quite like the snow skin options as they were filled with nicely concocted natural flavored lotus seed paste with added bird’s nest. On the other hand, the jelly mooncakes were tasty and value for money with the added bird’s nest but not too skillfully prepared as they were just natural flavored jellies with added bird’s nest.

92 Armenian is located just a stone’s throw away from the famous Yap Kongsi Temple along the heritage trail of the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site (core zone). Parking space could be rather limited here, so I would advise you to find some available ones along Lebuh Carnarvon or even Lorong Carnarvon and take a light stroll to the café.

Name: 92 ARMENIAN
Address: 92 Lebuh Armenian, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604-251 9712
Business Hours: 10.00am-7.00pm
GPS: 5.415689, 100.336730

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 6/10 (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)