CRIZ BON APPETITE

Sarkies @ E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) would be promoting their Gong Xi Fa Chai Buffet Dinner 2016 from 7.00pm until 10.30pm on 7-13 February 2016. Priced at RM133.30nett (adult) and RM60.95nett (child from 6-12 years old), diners would get to savor a mix and match of both international and local cuisines. For adults, free flow of wines and beers would be available with an additional RM66nett per pax. Of course, on top of the great selections of salads, sushi, sashimi, grills, roasts, mains, local fares, desserts and more as you would expect from their festive promotion, you would be getting some specially prepared Chinese cuisine to mood up the auspicious occasion.

To start of the Chinese New Year with symbolic greetings of abundance, prosperity, vigor, good luck and more, Prosperity Yee Sang would also be available at the buffet spread. For 6 pax and above, you could request for a specially prepared set for your table upon booking. Baby abalones would be available too as an add-on but would be charged separately.

Special highlight for the buffet would be the Sea Treasures Seafood Soup. One sip and you would know that it had gone through many hours of simmering to get such a good broth. The whole concoction was filled with generous amount of sea cucumbers, fish maws and crab meat.

The next dish to savor would be their Individual Steamed Herbal Soup. For herbal soup lovers, you should not miss out this soup as it was really delicious and filled with nutrients.

Ever since I tried the Steamed Fish with Nyonya Sauce some time back, I still could not forget that complex and yet distinctive flavors from the dish. It could be real addictive too. Obviously the concoction of blended lemongrass, chilies, ginger flower, sugar, salt, pepper with a light squeeze of fish sauce and lime juice indeed made the dish real appetizing.

We also tried out their Sautéed Seasonal Vegetables with Two Treasure Mushrooms. It was just a simple dish. If only they could add in some deep fried wet bean curd sheet (Tao Bor), then it would add in a new dimension to the flavor of the oyster sauce.

The Wok Fried Prawns with Oat and Butter had everyone yearning for more as it was filled with the fragrance from the butter with the crisp from the oats.

Who could resist the Signature E&O Roasted Duck? If you have yet to try this dish before, you would be in a lost. The chef sure knows well about his product as the duck meat was always tender plus its aromatic and fragrant skin would always be my favorite.

The Lotus Rice with Chicken Meat and Mushroom was nicely pepped up with flavors, especially from the unique flavor emitted by the steamed lotus leaves. However, it would be great if some Chinese sausage be added in for that special taste and texture, the halal version of course.

The Braised Chicken in Soy Sauce with Black Mushrooms was something quite common in any household. I don’t mind if the kitchen pepped up the flavors more with some usages of ginger and sesame oil. The dish tends to be a bit flat to my liking.

For desserts, other than the usual vast varieties of delightful sweet temptations, you would get more treats such as Red Bean Soup with Glutinous Rice Ball and Chinese Pancake.

Overall, I like Sarkies @ E&O Hotel as it has lots of options for international and local cuisine. With their signature dishes and more add-ons for this coming Chinese New Year 2016, I can assure that it would be a great venue to celebrate the auspicious Red Fire Monkey year with family and friends.

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
Business Hours: 7.00pm until 10.30pm
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)

If you had tried Sarkies Corner’s Seafood Steamboat Promotion at E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) at its launch during the third quarter of 2015, you would know that what it’s offering to its diner during this coming festive season would be a bargain too hard to resist. Instead of normal set deal, the restaurant would be offering a wide selection of freshest and quality ingredients – BUFFET STYLE plus the bonus of lovely cakes and cookies during this Chinese New Year 2016. Located at the old wing of E&O Hotel, Sarkies Corner would be serving its Steamboat Buffet Dinner Promotion from 7.00pm until 10.30pm from 7-9 February 2016. Priced at RM88.00nett (adult) and RM44.00nett (child from 6-12 years old), you would get to indulge in the fresh ingredients with your choice of their delicious soup stocks. Free flow of Chinese Tea would be available for the day. If you are interested on the great value for money deal, do make your prior booking now as the restaurant can only cater to a maximum of 80 pax per day.

As per normal, 3 types of soup base such as clear chicken soup, Chinese herbal soup and tomyam soup would be available. You can only choose one option and the soup is refillable.

The buffet spreads would include items such as Prawn 16/20, Brown Cuttlefish, Fish Maw, Sea Cucumber, Salmon Fillet, Red Snapper Fillet, Baby Squid, Flower Crabs, Green Mussel, Crab Stick, Crab Claw, Bamboo Clam, Top Shell (can), White Pomfret, Sea Asparagus (can), Teochew Fish Dumpling, White Fish ball, Stuffed Red Chili with Fish Paste, Stuffed Bitter Gourd with Fish Paste, Stuffed Egg Plants with Fish Paste, Vegetable Fish Ball, Stuffed Bean Curd Skin with Fish Paste, Sui Kow, Bean Curd, Bean Curd Skin and Deep Fried Wanton. Other than that, there will be some meat cuts such as Sliced Beef, Sliced Lamb, Chicken Meat and Sliced Duck.

On top of the seafood and meaty items, you would also get some seasonal vegetables, mushrooms, noodles and eggs. The items could include Tang Oh (Garland Chrysanthemum), Long Cabbage (Napa Cabbage), Chinese Spinach, Nai Pak (Milk Cabbage), Local Choy Sum, Iceberg Lettuce, Local Lettuce, Siew Pak Choy (Baby Bok Choy), Leek, Carrot, Buna/Bunapi Shimeji Mushroom, Shitake Mushroom, Enoki Mushroom, Abalone Mushroom, Yellow Noodles, Koay Teow, Bee Hoon, Glass Noodles, Udon Noodles, Fresh Eggs and Quail Eggs.

There would also be lots of condiments to go with your steamboat such as Homemade Special Chilli Sauce, Coriander Oyster Garlic Sauce, White Radish Spicy Sauce, Sweet Sauce, Tomato Sauce, Chili Sauce, Peanut Sauce, Cut Red Chili, Chopped Garlic, Chinese Parsley, Garlic Oil, Dark Soya Sauce and Light Soya Sauce.

As for Desserts, you might get delicacies such as Egg Tart, Chinese Tea Chiffon Cake, Semolina Almond Cake, Assorted Festive Cookies, Red Bean Glutinous Rice Ball Soup, Mango Pudding, Assorted Pastries (minimum 6 options) and Fresh Tropical Fruits.

Here’s a nice steamboat filled with glorious fresh ingredients.

The Prosperity Yee Sang would also be available at the buffet spread. For 6 pax and above, you could request for a specially prepared set for your table upon booking. Baby abalones would be available too as an add-on but would be charged separately.

Overall, I like the concept of serving steamboats at Sarkies Corner @ E&O Hotel. Who would want to miss having all the richness and sweetness from those fresh ingredients simmered inside the hot pot? Moreover, everyone loves reunions and this would be the best time to gather all your friends and family members for an enjoyable evening.

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). Sarkies Corner is located within the old wing of the hotel.

Name: SARKIES CORNER @ EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
Business Hours: 7.00pm-10.30pm
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: 8/10 (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)

If you want to dine like the emperor, stay like the emperor and rock like the emperor, you should try out the Rock of Prosperity Chinese New Year Buffer Dinner 2016 at Starz Diner @ Hard Rock Hotel Penang from 6.30pm until 10.30pm on 7-8 February 2016. Priced at as low as RM99nett (Adult) and RM68nett (Children 6-12 years old), you would get to savor an extensive array of authentic Chinese and fusion under the expertise of the hotel’s Chinese Sous Chef, Chef Yoong Toy Heng @ Chef Heng, Demi Chef De Partie, Chef Hong Swee Aun and their kitchen team. Please call +604-886 8057 or email fb.penang@hardrockhotels.net to book earlier to avoid disappointment.

From left to right: Chef Hong Swee Aun (Demi Chef De Partie), Andy Chin (F&B Manager), Chef Yoong Toy Heng @ Chef Heng (Chinese Sous Chef), Angeline Chen (Asst. Marketing Communications Manager) and Sheryn Ng (Marketing Communications Executive

Here are the summary and menus for those days. Please click on the photos for clearer views.

Here are some of the highlights of the buffet spreads for the Rock of Prosperity Chinese New Year Buffer Dinner 2016. For the 2-days of buffet dinners, you would get to lavishly indulge in a wide variety of Chinese cuisine which would items such as hot and cold platters, soup of the day, Chinese main dishes, Yee Sang, Chinese BBQ Carving, noodles, steamboat and desserts.

The best part to start off the auspicious occasion with great omen is the availability of a Yee Sang Station. You would find fresh ingredients ranging from Sliced Fresh Salmon (maybe fresh Tuna too), Sliced Abalone, Jelly Fish, Chinese Five-Spice Powder, Toasted Sesame Seed, Roasted Peanuts, Crispy Crackers, Red Pickled Ginger, Yellow Pickled Ginger, Green Pickled Ginger, Pickled Papaya, Pickled Cucumber, Pickled Onion, Yellow Yam Sliced, Red Yam Sliced, Green Yam Sliced, Lime, Lime Leaves, Carrot, White Radish and Plum Sauce. Let’s usher in the year of the Fire Monkey with a big bang of great health, wealth and happiness.

The chefs had also pepped a number of Cold Platter Combinations such as Chicken Roll with Mango Sauce, Smoked Duck with Pineapple Sauce, Pomelo & Mandarin Orange Salad, Young Papaya Salad with Baby Octopus plus Sliced Chicken & Jelly Fish with Oyster Sauce.

You might even get some of the appetizers in canapé servings.

Some of the Chinese New Year dishes you could try out at Starz Diner would include Golden Vegetarian Shark Fin with Crabmeat and Eight Seafood Treasures Soup. It has been a long time since I had savored a rich stock starchy soup so heavenly pepped up with so many flavors. The kitchen indeed did put on hours of labor in simmering the stock. There was a significant taste of roasted poultry flavors in each sip. It was a dish so well done that it could put a lot of eateries in shame.

Special highlights from the main dishes are the XO Chinese Seafood Fried Rice, Steamed Whole Chicken with Ginger & Black Fungus, Braised Lamb Leg with Superior Soy Sauce, Deep Fried Golden King Prawn with Butter & Chicken Floss, Stir-Fried Sea Scallops & Celery in Yam Ring and Braised Green Broccoli with Seafood Treasure & Black Moss plus Steamed Fish with Garlic & Chilies. I was truly impressed with quality of most of the main dishes especially the Steamed Whole Chicken with Ginger & Black Fungus, Deep Fried Golden King Prawn with Butter & Chicken Floss, Stir-Fried Sea Scallops & Celery in Yam Ring and Braised Green Broccoli with Seafood Treasure & Black Moss. You practically find lots quality ingredients used such as scallops, macadamia nuts, various types of mushroom, soy based vegetarian pork belly, dried oysters, sea cucumbers, fish maws, black moss and more in quite a number of the dishes. Wow! It’s like a meal fit for the emperor!

Having steamboats are always merrier encompassing families during Chinese New Year dinners. Bask in an array of meat, vegetables and noodles accompanied with Clear Chicken Soup and Bamboo Soup and a selection of sauces. The hotpot would be available at the buffet spread action counter – DIY style. However, there would be a chef on standby to help you with your requests.

You could also end the meal with some sweet temptations such as a bowl of delicious Hot Chinese Traditional Famous ‘Leng Chee Kang’, Chinese Glutinous Rice Cake with Yam and Sweet Potato, Fried Crispy Shanghai Pancakes, some Chinese cookies, Mandarin oranges and more.

For those who would fancy a set dinner instead of a buffet dinner may opt for Hard Rock Café Prosperity Rock Platter, available for 2 persons at RM160nett or 3 persons at RM240nett. The promotion would be from 1-13 February 2016 from 11.30am until 11.30pm. Diners will be given a choice of Soup of the Day served with Garlic Bread or a House Salad – fresh green salad served with a choice of house dressing. For the mains, delight in a combo of Potato Skins, Chicken Fried Rice, Sweet and Sour Fish, Five Spices Bar-B-Que Chicken, Mini Beef Burgers with Plum Sauce, Deep Fried Prawn with Thai Chili Sauce, Hickory Smoked Pulled Lamb Sandwiches and Chicken Wings with Sweat Sticky BBQ Sauce. To end the perfect meal, enjoy a savory Hard Rock Cafe’s signature dessert –Mini Apple Cobbler served with vanilla ice cream.

Overall, I quite like their Chinese New Year buffet spreads as they were more authentic than most eateries I have tried to date. With so many types of rich ingredients used, the taste of course excelled beyond my expectations. Thanks to the two skillful Chinese chefs that we could savor quality Chinese cuisine from Hard Rock Hotel Penang.

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.

Chinese New Year 2016 approaching real soon and it’s time to celebrate the auspicious occasion with lots of delicious cuisine. I know… time could be bad with the Malaysian currency dropping so drastically against foreign currencies and overspending could be quite an issue if your household finance is not monitored properly. However, it does not mean that you could not celebrate better than the years before. Instead of being squandered by most traders nearing Chinese New Year, let’s take the opportunity to take advantage of the forthcoming Natural Frozen Seafood Mega Sales organized by Golden Fresh Sdn. Bhd. at its warehouse, Butterworth Iceworks Sdn. Bhd., from 10.00am until 7.00pm on 21-22 January 2016. 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 25 slides with 50 items 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 (21 & 22 January 2016 only)
GPS: 5.397600, 100.378252

Celebrating Chinese New Year with banquet spreads is not something new for Vistana Hotel Penang Bukit Jambul as they have been doing so with tremendous support from the corporate and public sectors for quite many years. However, this year diners would have a bonus as the Hong Kong Master Chef Ng Wing Lam with more than 40 years of culinary experiences from Hong Kong and Asia, has been specially flown in to impress us with his cooking skills. The Chinese New Year Yee Sang Banquet 2016 promotion would start from 18 January 2016 until 22 February 2016 (Lunch: 12.00pm-3.00pm & Dinner: 7.00pm-10.00pm). For more information, you can email vispg@ytlhotels.com.my or call +604-646 8000 for enquiries and reservations.

You have an option to choose from the menu as shown below with pricing starting as low as RM618++ per table for 10 persons.

However, the hotel does also provide the flexibility to customize your dishes as what we had earlier. Here are what we had for the 8-course banquet dinner which was priced around RM688++.

Of course the main highlight of the dinner was the Salmon Yee Sang which had additional add-ons such as jellyfish, freshly julienned carrot and radish plus some deep fried julienned yam on top of the usual other ingredients. I quite like the crunchiness of the overall dish minus the overpowering sweetness as you get from some of the eateries out there.

On the other hand, the Braised Pumpkin Soup with Assorted Seafood was something quite unique. The starchy soup with mild sweetness from the braised pumpkins combined with the sweetness from the added minced chicken, crab meat and prawns plus some tofu cubes, was something simple and yet appetizing.

We also had Steamed Red Lion Fish with Superior Soy Sauce. No doubt the fish was extremely fresh and the texture was just right. However, the chef might have been a bit light handed as I could not taste the significant sweetness and saltiness from the sauce. Moreover, I would think that a light sprinkle of garlic oil would have given the taste more justice.

Next on the list was their Home-Style Whole Chicken with Mushrooms. Well, the dish might look colorful and impressive from the first glance with lots of vegetables and mushrooms scattered everywhere. However, I personally felt that gravy lacked the flavors from the roasted whole chicken. It was just another starchy gravy dish in the menu. It would be great if the kitchen could pick up the unused roasted parts of the chicken, simmer to extract the smoky flavors and infuse the juice into the solely oyster sauce gravy to pep up the flavors more.

We also did try out their Deep Fried Crispy Prawns with Yellow Beans and Mayo. It was indeed an appetizing and palatable dish with a bit of crunchiness from here and there. However, the kitchen should monitor the frying time as some pieces could tend to be a bit chewy to my liking.

The Braised Garden Vegetables with Assorted Mushrooms might not be an ideal choice to add on into your selection of dishes as it tend to be too much starchy dish with the same flavors in one go. Alternatively, the kitchen should reconsider other type of gravy base instead of the of oyster sauce. It might be wise to use either scallop or abalone sauce instead.

The Wok Fried Rice with Anchovies and Chicken might look simple but it was a mouthful of flavors. The deep fried baby anchovies garnished on the rice indeed pepped up the dish further. However, it would be great if some chopped spring onion, deep fried shallots or even pounded deep fried sole fish were to be added in to boost up the flavors even more.

The dessert was just Ginger Tea with Red Dates and Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls. The tea was rather mild from gingery flavor and significant the sweetness from the red dates. Maybe it was my personal preference but I would love a stronger ginger taste. As for the black sesame glutinous rice balls, it would be great if some pounded roasted peanuts were to be added in for that extra bite.

Overall, the spread of dishes for the banquet could be quite fulfilling considering that the hotel does provide the flexibility to change your dishes to the ones which suit your taste buds better. However, the pricing might differ compared to the standard options in the menu. As for taste, the dishes could be a bit better than most hotels’ banquet courses but more localized in flavors. The ballroom can only cater up to 500 pax at one time, so do email vispg@ytlhotels.com.my or 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. You can park your car at the basement which would require you to get a magnetic card 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: 12.00pm-3.00pm (lunch) & 7.00pm-10.00pm (dinner) – (18 January until 22 February 2016)
GPS: 5.336334, 100.291527

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

Let’s start the coming Chinese New Year by having lots of “Lou Sang”, an age-old custom in ancient Chinese tradition and culture, symbolizing “upward” health, wealth, luck and happiness in abundance during each brand new year. This year, Swez Brasserie at Eastin Hotel, Penang, would be offering various dinner packages for your reunions from 6.00pm until 10.30pm on 7-9 February 2016 or even Hi-Tea from 12.00pm until 3.00pm on 8-9 February 2016. It could be a table of feasting with your close associates/friends and family members or it could be fresh seafood spreads with unique dishes buffet. Please take note that for the buffet dinner, advanced booking with full payment before 24 January 2016 would be entitled to a 20% discount.

Do check out the posters below for more details.

Let’s have a peep at some of dishes to be served for the buffet dinner promotions below.

At the Salad Bar & Soup Sections, you would get to try out dishes such as the Fortune Yee Sang with Condiments, Classic Szechuan Hot & Spicy, Fresh Greens with Dressings, Hot Bread Rolls, a Variety of Cheese, Pickles, Mixed Salads, Sushi and Sashimi. The Yee Sang was great with fresh salmon slices and the Szechuan Soup was heavenly pepped up with lots of ingredients.

For seafood lovers, you would be impressed with their Seafood on Ice Section where at least 8 Types of Fresh Seafood with Condiments would be served on the day. Of course, the main attraction would be their juicy and succulent Alaskan Crabs.

Their Hot Dishes Section would one great area to indulge in many newly concocted dishes such as Curry Leave Thai Sweet Kapar, Romeo Sour Curry Fish, Juliet Coconut Squid, Tandoori Lamb Chop with Cucumber Raita, Pan Fried Fish with Saffron Sauce, Creamy Mix Seafood with Cheese, Angel Hair with Bolognese Sauce, Wok Fried Tiger Prawn with Salted Egg Gravy, Stir-fried Broccoli with Mushroom & Sea Cucumber and Pineapple Fried Rice. Although all the dishes were to my liking, my main preferences would still be the Tandoori Lamb Chop with Cucumber Raita, Angel Hair with Bolognese Sauce and Wok Fried Tiger Prawn with Salted Egg Gravy.

The Dessert Section could be real abundance with selections such as Assorted Fruit Platter, Nyonya/Malay Kuih, Chocolate Fountain, Berries Mizu, Red Velvet, Classic Cheese Cake, Waffle with Condiments, French Pastries, House Pudding, Sweet Roll in the Heart, Jellies and Lovely Banana Chocolate Crumble with Vanilla Sauce.

For Yee Sang Takeaway with various toppings, you can check out the poster below.

If you missed out the dinners on 7-9 February 2016, you could always check out their other offers such as their “Seafood Esplora Il Mare” Buffet Dinner on all Fridays and Saturdays.

Overall, I do find the buffet spreads under the supervision of the new Executive Sous Chef, Chef Johnno Fong, to be quite extraordinary compared to the buffets I had at the same venue for the past few years. The dishes served indeed did set the whole atmosphere to be in celebrative moods. However, I do find the dessert section lacked of some Chinese influence as most were basically Western and Nyonya/Malay cakes and bakes. They should have come out with something like steamed glutinous rice cakes with grated coconut, lo han guo infused snow fungus with dried longan soup, red beans filled sesame balls, glutinous rice ball in ginger syrup, fish shaped crystal jelly, pineapple tarts, peanuts cookies, fortune cookies and more.

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: 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)

Instead of just having Valentine’s Day romantic dinner as most places would offer, Eastin Hotel, Penang, had gone a step further to combine different packages to suit your budget this year to make the special day more memorable. There would be 4 packages available such as the Only You & Me (RM888nett – 2D1N accommodation with in suite dining), Fly Me Away (RM588nett – Dinner by the Pool), Eternal Love (RM588 – Dinner at Swez Alcove, a specially set up private corner within Swez Brasserie) and Serendipity (RM388 – Semi-buffet dinner at Swez Brasserie). Please refer to the poster below for more information. For the first 12 couples whom had paid up in full before Chinese New Year (8 February 2016), you would be given a 15% discount. Booking is now open until 13 February 2016 or until full. Terms & Conditions apply.

To start off with the 4-course dinner, you would firstly be served with an Appetizer as Salmon Carpaccio with Apple Chutney and Fig Compote.

Next on the list would be the Soup which would consist of Cepes Mushroom Cream with Cappuccino-like Milk Foam.

For Main Course, you would have 3 choices such as fish, beef or chicken.

The first dish would be Grilled Barramundi with Sweet and Sour Tomatoes, Potato Chips and Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.

The next option would be Authentic Beef Fillet served with Mash Potatoes, Baby Vegetables and Fresh Salad with Green Pepper Sauce.

The last option would be Chicken Roulade with Mushroom served with Italiano Mixed Herbs Sauce and Potato Cutlet.

As for Dessert, it would be Lovely Couple Mousse with Australia Berries.

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: 6/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7/10 (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)

During my recent stay at E&O Residences, right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, I managed to pay a visit to Delicious @ Bangsar Village II to check out their forth coming “Inspired by Tapas” promotion as well as new items in their menu. The “Inspired by Tapas” menu would cover 10 small dishes created by Delicious’ CEO, Steve Allen, and Executive Chef, Sandy Alan Rowe. The menu would run from 4 January 2016 until 31 March 2016. The price quoted within would be in nett price, which is inclusive of 6% GST and service charge free.

Let’s have a peek at what would be in store for you in the “Inspired by Tapas” promotion in January 2016. Firstly, you would get to try out their Baked Pumpkin with Grilled Prawns (RM17.50). I loved this dish a lot as the aromatic and earthy flavors from the baked pumpkin, combined with some arugula salads and flavors from the grilled prawn, was palatable to my liking. At least, it was less sinful to my healthy diet.

Next on the list was the Baked Chicken Thigh with Romesco Sauce and Toasted Almonds (RM15.50). Though the baked chicken thigh was nothing much to shout about, I would personally think that it needed a bit more herbs to pep up the flavors. However, I liked the complement of the romesco sauce as it had that earthly, nutty and yet garlicky tomato sweetness to my liking. It was a bonus to have some additional toasted almond flakes on the dish.

The next dish reminded me of sauteed mushrooms on bruschetta. It was their Creamed Garlic Mushrooms with Croutons and Poached Egg (RM13.00). Immediately, I fell in love with this dish as I loved how the kitchen had presented the dish in a different style. The oozy greatness of the poached egg added some extra creaminess to the dish. However, it would be great if there were some added greens to go with the dish as it could be quite surfeit to drown in all the creaminess.

Malaysians love satays and the next dish was something that caught everyone yearning for more. It was their Grilled Beef Skewers (RM18.00), served with tomatoes, red onions and peppers on a bed of garlic fried potatoes. The nice marinate and the smoky flavors on the tender yet juicy skews of beef chunks were heavenly.

The next dish in the list was their Black Cod with Capsicum Sauce (RM18.00). Somehow, this dish did not impress me as the flesh was not as smooth and fatty as that of a Pacific cod. Anyway, black cod is not a cod fish as named but more towards the texture of halibut which is firmer and flaky. Its actual name is sablefish. Moreover, I personally felt that the taste from sauce overwhelmed the true flavors of the fish.

On top of the tapas inspired dishes, there are some new items added into the menu such as the Crunchy Chicken Wings with Sesame and Seaweed Crust (RM18.00), served with mustard mayonnaise. We all loved the wings as each bite was pepped with flavors. With a little dip into the provided condiment, it was the perfect dish to sink your teeth onto.

Who would have thought that such basic item such as the Pumpkin Risotto Balls (RM13.50) would have created a list of followers? The pumpkin, mushroom and rosemary infused risotto balls, deep fried to perfection and served with some pesto mayonnaise was something out of the world. The dish was quite a nice snack to my liking.

The kitchen had ingeniously created a Malaysian salad with their Roasted Pumpkin, Coconut, Beef Serunding Salad with Papaya (RM26.50) and dressed in spicy lime dressing. It was quite a playful concoction with the usage of the mildly spiced up coconut milk infused beef floss. It would be great too if some cubes of ketupat were to be added in place of the papaya slices as they do go well with any meat serunding (floss).

For pasta lovers, you could try out their Carbonara with Seaweed Egg (RM28.00) in parmesan cream with Mushrooms with the option of either beef bacon or shredded chicken. I had the beef bacon version and it was great as there were also some peels of parmesan cheese being added in as garnish.

For a healthier bite, you might want to try out their Wild Mushroom Wrap with Cherry Tomatoes, Parmesan Cheese, Cucumber and Pine Nuts (RM26.50). Of course, they would be some French fries to keep you all filled up.

There would be some new and old desserts to end your meal. If you have a big appetite for desserts after your meal, you should try out their Macadamia & Salted Caramel Cheesecake Sundae (RM17.50). The portion was humongous. I would advise you to share out between two persons. They do have Chocolate & Raisons Cheesecake (RM15.00) too. If you feel that you would like to consume your dessert at a slower pace without having the ice cream melting up so fast, just go for their Macadamia & Salted Caramel Cheesecake (RM15.00). It’s basically the same thing minus the added ice cream as per the sundae. As for me, I would always love something sour to wash down all the meaty stuff after a hearty meal. I went for their Lemon Meringue Pie (RM15.00).

As for beverages, they do have some new drinks too such as the Rose Lychee Frostie (RM12.50) and Apple, Mint & Lemon Frostie (RM13.50). Other than iced or chilled beverages, you could always try out their Hot Latte (RM13.00) or their Ronnefeldt Tea Selections (RM9.00 – English Breakfast, Chamomile, Earl Grey, Peppermint or Jasmine).

In addition to all the new menu items, the eatery had started to roll out a Monday & Tuesday Specials night of “BUY 1 FREE 1” dishes. In December, Asian Mains get the spotlight followed in January with Sandwiches, Burgers & Wraps. Available from 3.00pm every Monday and Tuesday, the guests can choose any two of these dishes and they receive the lower priced item absolutely free. Popular amongst students and young professionals, we hope everyone can enjoy these value added specials in difficult times.

Overall, the chefs had done some great jobs in revamping the menu as I do find some of the new dishes to be rather innovative, healthy and flavorful. I do hope to find other new creations in the near future.

Though Delicious @ Bangsar Village II is located within the ground floor of the complex, it’s actually situated at the junction of Jalan Telawi 2 and Jalan Telawi 4, directly opposite the Balai Polis Bangsar or Restoran Devi’s. It’s not hard to reach there even if you are not locals. You can just key in the GPS via WAZE app or just grab a taxi.

Name: DELICIOUS @ BANGSAR VILLAGE II
Address: Lot GF-1, Ground Floor, Bangsar Village II, 2 Jalan Telawi 1, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Contact: +603-2287 1554
Business Hours:
Mon-Wed: 11.00am to 10.30pm (last order 9.45pm)
Thurs-Fri: 11.00am to 11.00pm (last order 10.15pm)
Sat, Sun & PH: 9.00am to 11.00pm (last order 10.30pm)
GPS: 3.131327, 101.671562

RATING:
Ambience: 7.5/10 (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 Delicious Group: Named after the signature Delicious Cafe, the Delicious Group now consists of nine F&B outlets operating under three separate F&B entities. The six Delicious Cafes are located in prime spots across the Klang Valley (St Mary Place, 1 Utama, Bangsar Village II, Mid Valley, Sunway Pyramid and Setia City Mall), Simplyd (The fast casual café concept has three outlets located in Nu Sentral Mall, The Curve and Avenue K) as well as a strong catering division for all types of events, weddings and parties. The Delicious Group is 100% owned by the Eastern & Oriental Group.

Christmas 2015 is just in a few days’ time and by the time you realize it, it would be countdown to New Year 2016. Have you decided where to celebrate these festive seasons with your family members or friends? Here’s a summary of where you could dine out and at the same time get your money worth on the many spreads of delicious meals out there. Do click on the photo to find out more on the respective eatery and promotions available. In alphabetical order, here are the Penang promotions~ Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year~ 🙂

59Sixty Restaurant & Events:

David Brown Restaurant & Terraces, Penang:

Eastin Hotel, Penang:

E&O Hotel, Penang:

Hotel Equatorial, Penang:

Evergreen Laurel Hotel, Penang:

G Hotel, Penang:

Golden Sands Resort, Penang:

Hard Rock Hotel, Penang:

Hotel Jen, Penang:

Olive Tree Hotel, Penang:

Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang:

St. Giles Wembley, Penang:

Swez Brasserie @ Eastin Hotel, Penang will be all out to impress you with their buffet spreads this coming Christmas 2015 and New Year 2016.You would get to enjoy these festive seasons with your loved ones over an array of mouth-watering dishes specially pepped up by the skillful chefs of the hotel. Before I cover on some of the dishes served, let’s have a look on the summary of the packages available.

FESTIVE PACKAGES SUMMARY:

Christmas/Countdown Buffet Dinner (6:30pm-10.00pm)
RM168nett (adult), RM80nett (child)

Christmas/New Year Day Hi-Tea (12.00pm-3.00pm)
RM82nett (adult), RM40nett (child)

Christmas/New Year Day Buffet Dinner (6:30pm-10.00pm)
RM118nett (adult), RM55nett (child)

Special Order: One whole bird of Turkey with stuffing at RM338nett (3 days prior booking is required)

Note: For the first 80 pax with full payment before 15 December 2015, you would be entitled to a 25% discount. For Senior Citizens (60 years old and above), you would be entitled to a 25% discount as well.

Special Appearances: On Christmas Eve, starting at 6pm, those in attendance will be able to enjoy live performance by Eastin’s carolling singers, lucky draws, activities. Eastin’s own live band performance, Melody will usher in the New Year 2016 on the eve with fireworks countdown.

Downloads: Christmas 2015 and New Year 2016 Menus

The highlight of the season would definitely be at the Carving Station especially on the Authentic Roasted Turkey with Classic Ingredients and Condiments. Do watch out for the Yorkshire Puddings which would be great with any meat items. One thing great about the turkey was that it was prepared perfectly with the right roasting, tenderness and juiciness.

There would also be some international Cold Delicacies such as Chicago Turkey Mixed Salad, Australia Potato Salad and Walnut Apple Salad to start off your meal. At the same time, do check out their Fresh Mushroom Cream Soup served with Fresh Baked Bread and Rolls.

For Hot Delicacies, you would be treated with Chicken Roulade with Pomegranate Sauce, Spanish Butter Rice with Nut, Poached Seabass with Saffron Sauce and more. Well, I quite like the Chicken Roulade with Pomegranate Sauce as it was one dish that you could hardly get from other eateries. Pomegranates are loaded with important nutrients that may lower the risk of all sorts of diseases.

As for Desserts, they would be many festive bakes and pastries to tempt your sweet tooth such as Ginger Bread House, Christmas Fruits Cake with Icing, House Christmas Mousse, Christmas Log, Ginger Bread Fantasy, Cherry Truffle and more.

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)