CRIZ BON APPETITE

Have you tried the Olive’s Ramadhan Buffet at Sukkah Coffee House @ Olive Tree Hotel, Penang, during the holy month of breaking fast? The buffet has an array of appetizing yet authentic Malay and Middle Eastern dishes coupled with other international selections. The promotion would be from 6 June 2016 until 5 July 2016 from 6.30pm to 10.00pm. It’s priced at RM98+ (adult) and RM50+ (child), where diners could enjoy the delicious iftar dishes until their hearts’ contents. For reservation and enquiries, please contact Sukkah Coffee House at +604-637 7856 to make prior booking to avoid any disappointment.

The Appetizers and Salads would include Individual Salad (Chicken Salad, Pasta Salad, Seafood Salad & Mushroom Salad), Gado-gado with Peanut Sauce, Ulam-ulaman with Sambal Belacan, Sambal Cincaluk, Sambal Mempelam, Sambal Udang Kering, Sambal Kelapa, Jelatah, Tau Kua, Acar Buah, Acar Rampai, Sambal Ikan Bilis, Ikan Masin, Telur Masin, Jeruk-jeruk, Keropok Lekor, Keropok Ikan, Keropok Udang, Papadum, Ketupat, Lemang with Serunding Ayam, Serunding Daging, Serunding Udang, Hummus, Babaganoush and Tabouleh.

There would also be a section for Seafood on Ice which would consist of Shrimps, Snow Crab Legs and Fresh Oysters. For seafood lovers, these would be just some basics but it would still be enough to fill up your appetite.

For Hot Dishes, you would expect to have dishes such as Sayur Campur, Kobis Goreng Kunyit, Ekor Lembu Masak Merah, Kambing Kerutuk Pantai Timur, Ayam Masak Madu, Burung Unta Goreng dengan Halia, Kari Kepala Ikan, Sotong Goreng, Udang Karang Berlada, Otak-Otak, Tandoori Wrap, Koay Teow Goreng, Nasi Hujan Panas and Nasi Puspa Wangi. For a change, it was great to have tried out their garlic stir fried ostrich meat (Burung Unta Goreng dengan Halia) which was indeed juicy and tender. The aromatic toasted and sambal fried dried cuttlefish (Sotong Goreng) was also another great dish to savor especially with fragrantly steamed rice.

From the Action Stalls, some of the items would include Beef & Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce, Beef & Chicken Tandoori, Roti Prata with Dhal Curry, Murtabak with Pickled Onion, Pasembur with Condiments, Roasted Lamb, Sheesh Kebab (Mutton & Chicken), Sup Kambing, Koay Teow Soup with Condiments and Bubur Lambuk with Condiments. From my dining experiences savoring all the buffets amongst the hotels, Sukkah Coffee House indeed served the best Chicken Satay with big chunks of well marinated and juicy skews of grilled meat, just with the right flavors to my liking. Surprisingly, these delicious skews were skillet-grilled until perfection.

For Desserts and Beverages, you would get items such as Ice Cream Potong, Crushed Ice & Tutti Fruiti with Condiments, Leng Chee Kang, Buah Kurma Madu, Local Seasonal Whole Fruits, Assorted Fruit Platter, Assorted French Pastries, Whole Cakes, Cream Caramel Pudding, Cream Brulee, Bubur Kacang, Linzer Torte, Durian Crepe, Fruit Pavlova, Local Kuih-Muih and beverages such as Air Bandung, Soya Milk with Cincau, Mata Kucing, Young Coconut, Teh Tarik and Kopi Tarik. We did try out their Apple Crumble and it was heavenly with just the right amount of added grounded cinnamon and sweetness to my personal liking. Moreover, the fresh pods made Vanilla Sauce had just the right creamily and consistency to boost up the flavors of the lovely dessert.

Overall, the spreads for the Olive’s Ramadhan Buffet was up to its standard with some dishes outshone many other buffets out there. However, there are still rooms for improvements especially at the dessert section where the jellies were rather “plain” without much uniqueness to my personal liking. They could have come out with some crystal jellies, puddings, etc rather than having some large servings of konnyaku jellies.

More Ramadhan Mubarak Deal 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.

The Eatery @ Four Points by Sheraton Penang has launched a specially designed Selera Warung Buffet Dinner from 13 June 2016 – 26 June 2016 (*Extension of promotion would be advised). The promotion would start from 6.30pm until 10.00pm daily. Diners would get to enjoy their over 30 selections of Malaysian themed enticing buffet spreads for only RM54nett (adult) and RM27nett (child from 4 to 11 years old). All Starwood Preferred Guests (SPG) members would be entitled to an exclusive discount on food. You can check out the dining offers at the hotel’s website. Terms and conditions apply. From the al fresco area until indoor, it would be like going food hunting from one stall to another in a food bazaar with items ranging from snacks, main dishes to desserts. Please call +604-371 8706 or email eatery.03947@fourpoints.com to make your reservation today.

From Starters and Appetizers, you would get a mix and match of local and Western items such as Pasembur Pulau Mutiara with Spiced Sweet Potato Dips, Ayam Daun Pandan, Masala Ubi Bengala Samosa, Loh Bak Ayam, Kerabu Daging dan Tang Hoon Ala Thai, Kerabu Sotong Limau Bali, Pucuk Paku dan Udang Kapas, Kupang Degang Kerisik, Kacang Botol Dengan Dada Ayam Carik, Kerabu Manga Muda dan Udang Kering, Kerabu Taugeh dengan Kerang, Ulam-Ulaman Kampung (with condiments such as acar buah, sambal belacan, air asam, sambal belacan, kicap bercili, kuah kacang, chutney manga, acar rampai, telur masin & ikan masin), crackers (ikan parang, papadum, lekor, udang & binjau), squid & orange with shaved fennel salad, tuna & potato with green bean salad, Greek salad with Spanish feta & olive and mixed garden salad (with dressings such as thousand island, Caesar dressing, herbs vinaigrette, lemon vinaigrette, balsamic dressing, stuffed olive, shaved parmesans & capers).

As for soup, you would be served with Sup Ekor Berempah, served with Roti Bengali and Roti Perancis.

Out from “Mum’s Food Diary” would be some notable home-style main dishes such as Daging Batang Pinang Goreng Halia Muda, Kupang Goreng Cabai Kering, Sambal Tumis Udang, Ayam Masak Merah, Ikan Bawal Hitam Goreng Bercili, Rendang Daging Pahalawan “Temasik”, Kebab Ayam, Kupang Masak Cabai Kering served with steamed rice.

From the Action Sections, you would be served with some nostalgic dishes such as their Kaki Kambing Bakar Rempah Ratus, Ayam Tandoori, Nasi Briyani, Bombay Onion Pickled, Cucumber Raita, Dhal Tadka, Penang Char Koay Teow and Salmon Laksa. You should not miss out the Salmon Laksa as it was one of the best around as the creamy flavors was just out of this world.

From fruit cuts, local desserts to cakes and pastries, there would surely some hidden gems for you to savor such as the Penang Rojak (jicama, guava, pineapple, cucumber, water apple, young mango and green apple with rojak sauce), preserved fruits (kedongdong, cermai, betik, api-api, manga, ceri merah & hijau), fresh tropical fruits and whole fruits (watermelon, honey dew, pineapple, papaya & jackfruit, orange & green apple), Assorted Malay Kuih, Lempok Pandan, Creme Caramel, Pudding Jagung, Pudding Manga, Sago Gula Melaka, Pandan Custard Cake, Chocolate & Walnut Brownies, Apple Crumble Tart, Buah Kurma, Pengat Pisang, Bubur Cha Cha, Pengat Labu, Ais Kacang & Chendol with assorted Ice Cream and Ice Cream Potong. Beverages wise was rather unique as they were served chilled in water jars soaked in crushed ice. These include Air Bandung, Jus Kurma, Jus Cincau, Jus Oren and Jus Manga.

Overall, the Malaysian dishes served here had many delicious options compared to their buffet spreads I had tried earlier throughout the last few years. It was indeed a great value-for-money deal you should not miss out.

The Eatery @ Four Points By Sheraton is located along the main road of Jalan Tanjung Bunga. To get there, just use the road going towards the beaches of Batu Ferringhi. As you reach a curving part of the road, keep to your right after the first traffic lights (Chinese Swimming Club on your right). At the second traffic lights, turn right into the hotel’s premises to find a car park. Walk straight into the lobby and you can find The Eatery located at the ring wing of the hotel.

Name: THE EATERY @ FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON PENANG
Address: 505 Jalan Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-371 8888 (General), 604-371 8706 (The Eatery)
Business Hours: 6.30am-11.00pm (Daily), Sunday Brunch: 12.00pm-3.00pm
GPS: 5.463681, 100.301836

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: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

About Four Points: Four Points is travel reinvented. With over 200 hotels in nearly 40 countries, Four Points meets the needs of the everyday traveler and offers guests exactly what they need on the road. Four Points combines timeless style and comfort and an authentic sense of the local as well as genuine, always-approachable service, all around the world. To learn more, visit www.fourpoints.com/experience. Stay connected to Four Points on facebook.com/fourpoints.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,200 properties in some 100 countries and over 180,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, element® and the recently introduced Tribute Portfolio™. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood recently announced plans to spin off its Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. business, a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands, into a standalone public company by the end of 2015. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

The Lemongrass Restaurant @ Hotel Neo+ Penang by Aston is currently having its Sajian Selera Nusantara Ramadan Buffet Dinner from 9 June 2016 until 3 July 2016 during the holy month. The promotion would be priced at RM55nett (adult) and RM32nett (child) from 7.00pm until 10.00pm. Diners would get to savor the many types of kampung-style cuisine with a twist of Indonesian cuisine. The highlight of the buffet dinner would be Chef Faizal’s well marinated roasted whole lamb.

The menus would be on daily rotation basis starting from the Salads and Appetizers Section with items such as Ulam-Ulam Melayu (Tomato,Timun, Petai, Ulam Raja, Daun Selom, Pucuk Paku, Kacang Botol, Terung, Bendi), Kerabu Pucuk Paku, Kerabu Manga Ala Thai, Acar Rampai, Telur Masin, Ikan Masin, Bergedil Ubi, Potato Salad, Sambal Belacan, Sambal Tempoyak, Sambal Budu, Cincaluk,Sambal Mangga, Sambal Kicap, Air Asam, Sambal Bawang. Chips, Pickles and Nuts were also available such as Keropok Ikan, Keropok Udang, Papadam, Keropok Sayur, Jeruk Mangga, Jeruk Papaya, Jeruk Kelubi, Asam Boi, Kerepek Ubi,Kerepek Pisang,Tempeyek Kacang,Kuih Siput,Maruku,Kacang Hijau Bersalut Tepung, Acar Limau and Jelatah.

As for Soup, they served Indonesia Soto Ayam with Condiments which was a unique combination with a tad of spiciness compared to the ones I’ve tried or even cooked before. The soup had some lemongrass and chili peppers added in which was notably quite Indonesian style.

As for the Main Dishes, we tried out their Nasi Putih, Nasi Goreng Thai, Mee Mamak, Nasi Arab, Gulai Ayam Ubi Kentang, Sotong Masak Kicap, Mutton Varuval, Udang Masak Lemak, Tofu In Egg Sauce, Sayur Goreng Istimewa, Opor Ayam and Sambal Goreng Kentang. Bubur Lambuk with Condiments was also served daily.

At the Action Counter, we had many kinds of grilled items such as Ikan Bakar (Pari, Kembung, Talapia, & Sardine Cicah Bersama Air Asam), Chicken and Beef Satay with Condiments, Otak-Otak Ala Johor plus Penang Laksa with Condiments.

On the other hand, the Carvery Station had Roasted Whole Lamb, served with black pepper and mint sauce.

For Desserts & Fruits, you could always try out their ABC (Ais Batu Campur) and Cendol with shaved ice and assorted syrup plus condiments, Bubur Kacang Hijau, Bubur Cha Cha, Kuih Keria, Lepat Ubi, Kuih Seri Muka, Kuih Ketayap, Kuih Lapis, Crème Brulee, Black Forest Cake, White Lady Cake, Dates, Jelly & Puddings (Honeydew, Mango & Coconut), Pisang Goreng, Keledek Goreng, Ice Cream (at least 3 types) and Assorted Sliced Fruits.

As for Beverages, they have Teh Tarik, Laici Asam Boi, Air Soya, Air Cincau, Air Chrysanthemum Tea and Coffee.

Here’s the menu of what was served on that day.

Overall, the dishes served here had a rather home cooked style with lovely traditional grills and condiments. Some of the dishes indeed had some different Indonesian flavors in them.

The Lemongrass Restaurant is located at Level 2 of the hotel. As you enter the hotel, walk towards the left side of the building and go a floor above and you can see the entrance to the restaurant.

Name: LEMONGRASS RESTAURANT @ HOTEL NEO+ PENANG BY ASTON
Address: 68 Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-255 1000 (Ext. 1103)
Business Hours: 7.00pm-10.00pm
GPS: 5.479097, 100.254663

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: 7/10 (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 Hotel NEO: Hotel NEO+ Penang features 196 guest rooms and suites decorated in a modern-contemporary style that befits the new trends in hotel design. With uncluttered open spaces, the atmosphere is at once stylish and relaxed, topped off with twenty-first century conveniences such as complimentary high-speed WiFi, LED TVs and home entertainment systems. The new NEO concept aims to open doors to a world of wellbeing and sensual satisfaction. Designed in a stylish and contemporary style befitting the latest trends in hotel design, NEO Hotels offer uncluttered open spaces for an atmosphere of relaxation and tranquility within these chic yet reasonably priced new-build hotels and resorts. The brand has been described as “hip and new,” with aesthetics reminiscent of cutting-edge fashion designs. Customer Focus Groups have credited Archipelago International for “bringing sexy back”, thus hailing NEO Hotels as a brand fit for savvy young travelers and Generation Y parents alike. Images of NEO Hotels can be found at www.neohotels.com

About Archipelago International: Archipelago International is Indonesia’s largest hotel management chain with a portfolio of over 110 hotels and 15,000 rooms. It also continues to have the fastest growing brands with over 100 properties in the pipeline across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Their 7 core brands include favehotel, NEO, Quest, Harper, Aston, Alana and Kamuela, ranging from ultra-luxurious villas to select-service, economy-class hotels to serviced apartment residences. You can view more at www.archipelagointernational.com

Sawadee krap~ Gin khao ru yang krap? Hello~ Have you eaten yet? If not, let’s plan a trip to Spice Market Café @ Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang, to savor their latest Northern Thai Cuisine Promotion from now until 30 June 2016. The promotion would be priced at RM173nett (adult) and RM87nett (child above 6 years old) with free-flowing spiced beverage and available from 6.30pm until 10.30pm on every Sunday to Thursday. Do also check out their P60 promotion (Every Monday & Tuesday from 1 January 2016 until 22 December 2016) where diners would only pay 60% of the actual published rate (not available on the eve of the public holidays and public holidays). Who could resist the 6-in-1 International Buffet with so many choices at Spice Market Café?

With 2 specially invited guest chefs from Shangri-La Hotel (Chiang Mai), the spreads would be even more interesting at Spice Market Café as Chef Damrongsak Khammonghon (Sous Chef) and Chef Pratthung Taka (Chef de Partie), would feature some of the famous Northern Thai dishes such as the Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with Braised Chicken Drumstick, Chiang Mai Deep-Fried Chicken with Herbs, Thai Spicy Prawn with Lemongrass and Prawn Salad with Shallot and more.

Before I go into the dishes being promoted, let me explain a bit here on Thai cuisine. Many people have the wrong perception that all Thai dishes taste more or less the same. They are not. In general, there are actually 4 different regions (Northern, Northern Isan, Central and Southern) in Thailand, each pepping up their version of flavorful dishes based on the availability of ingredients found in the region. Northern Thai cuisine tends to be less spicy and less sweet with more usages of herbs and spices. Northern Isan dishes on the other hand tend to be simple and yet spicy. Both Northern regions use lots of glutinous rice as their staple food. The Central Region is where most of the Thais are located and is rich in aquaculture plus agriculture harvests, thus the dishes found here are more refined with some Chinese cuisine influences. The Southern Region is more Malay influenced with the dishes having a higher level of spiciness, sweetness and sourness. Moreover, they tend to use more coconut milk in their dishes due to the easy availability of fresh coconuts. Both Central and Southern regions would consume more fragrant rice as their staple food.

Let have a look at the dishes for their Northern Thai Cuisine from one of their 3 menus in rotation for the day. As appetizer and salad, we had Yum Hed Khem Thong Goong Sod (Spicy Enoki Mushroom Salad with Prawns), Lab Gai (Minced Chicken Salad with Ground Rice and Mint Leaf), Yum Nua Yang (Grilled Marinated Beef Salad with Celery & Cucumber), Yum Mamuang (Green Mango Salad with Shallot and Dried Shrimps), Thod Man Pla (Deep Fried Fish Cake), Pla Goong (Shrimp Salad with Lemongrass and Mint)

For soup and main dishes, you would get to try out their Tom Yam Goong (Thai Spicy Prawn Soup with Lemongrass and Coriander), Kaeng Khiew Warn Gai (Simmered Thai Green Curry with Chicken and Eggplant), Gai Nam Mun Hoi (Stir Fried Chicken with Oyster Sauce), Kaeng Massaman Nue (Braised Beef with Massaman Curry and Peanuts), Choo Chee Goong (Deep Fried Prawns with Red Curry Sauce & Kaffir Lime Leaves), Talay Phad Cha (Stir Fried Spic Seafood), Thao Hoo Phad Med (Stir Fried Tofu with Cashew Nuts), Phad Thai Goong (Thai Style Stir Fried Noodle with Tamarind Sauce) and Khao Suay (Steamed Rice).

The desserts consisted of Khao Niew Mamuang (Mango with Sticky Rice), Gluay Bhuat Chee (Warm Banana in Coconut Syrup), Saku Pueak Maprao Awn (Tapioca Pearls in Syrup & Fresh Coconut), Bua Loy (Rice Flour Dumplings in Coconut Milk) and Phollamai Ruam (Seasonal Fruit Platters).

As for the beverage, you can try out their Nam Ma Nau Cha Krai (Lemongrass Lemonade). Two other beverages would be served on different days, namely Nam Manglak (Thai Basil Seeds Drink) or Nam Mamuang (Thai Mango Juice).

The rest of the dishes were of international standards with a mix and match of local, Asian and Western dishes. There is also a special corner filled with goodies just for the kids.

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Overall, the dishes served here were of the highest quality, especially in freshness. Even the ingredients used were sourced from their own highland and prepared just the way they served back in Chiang Mai, Thailand. You would definitely be spoiled for choices here at Spice Market Café… even the kids~ 🙂

More promotions: Every Friday and Saturday, Spice Market Café features the Seafood Buffet Dinner at RM185nett per adult and RM93nett per child, inclusive free-flowing cordial. Sunday Brunch is from 12.00noon to 3.00pm and priced at RM138nett per adult and RM69nett per child.

The Spice Market is located at the ring wing (Garden Wing) of Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang. If you are coming from Georgetown towards Batu Ferringhi/Teluk Bahang, drive all the way up through the winding roads until you see a building with attap house roof design on your right. That’s Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa. As you enter the hotel, drive toward the right side of the building and park your car there. Walk towards the right wing which is the Garden Wing. Upon entering, walk straight towards the glass door and keep a watchful eye for the restaurant which is to your right side.

Name: SPICE MARKET @ RASA SAYANG RESORT & SPA
Address: Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Batu Ferringhi, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-888 8888
Business Hours: 6.30pm-10.30pm
GPS: 5.479097, 100.254663

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 9/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 8/10 (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 Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts: Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 98 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 40,000. 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, Mongolia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, 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, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.

Sarkies @ E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) would be having its “Selera Kampung” Buffet Dinner in conjunction to the holy month of Ramadhan this year from 6 June 2016 until 5 July 2016 from 7.00pm until 10.30pm daily. It would be priced at RM133.30nett (adult) and RM60.95nett (child from 6-12 years old & those below 6 years old get to eat free). You would get to savor not only kampung style Malay cuisine but also get to experience some international and local fares as well, both indoor and outdoor.

Before even checking on the outdoor dishes, the dishes within the restaurant itself would already be enough to amaze anyone. From the salads and appetizer sections, Japanese dishes section, cold buffet section, hot kitchen section, action stalls until the main dishes section, there would always be something for everyone. Of course, you should not miss out some of their signature dishes such as the herbal soups, roasted duck, grilled meat, sushi, sashimi and more. There would be too many dishes to write in detail here as Sarkies had always been known as the grandest of all buffets. Let the photos speak for themselves below.

There were abundance of Western and local fruits and desserts available for everyone, ranging from an assortment of fruit cuts, Malay kuih, sweet soup to cakes and finger pastries.

Let’s start exploring the al fresco area now where a lots of mouth watering dishes await your arrival. You would find food counters for your quenching local beverages such as air bandung, teh tarik, dishes such as som tam, gulai kawah (bubur lambuk & flower crab curry), roti canai & murtabak with curries, grilled whole lamb with condiments and satay with ketupat served with spicy peanut sauce.

Overall, Sarkies @ E&O Hotel has always impressed me with their international spread of dishes. It’s great to see that they have improved a lot over the past year with more innovative dishes. Even their appetizer section had some different flavors with some Japanese touches compared to the last time I was there.

You can click to enlarge and check out the menu on a rotation basis as below:

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: 9/10 (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)

NOTE: Effective November 2016, the Weekend Roast would be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as shown in the poster below. Price and time would remain unchanged.

For those who love to consume lots of meat, here one great news for you as Farquhar’s Bar @ E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) would be having its Eat-All-You-Can Sunday Roast for only RM68nett/pax from 12.00 noon until 4.00pm on every Sundays until further notice. The place could be rather packed by lunch time, thus prior reservation should be made to avoid any disappointment.

Basically there would be 3 options of meat such as Roasted Beef, Roasted Stuffed (sage & onions) Chicken Breast and Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder, served with Yorkshire Puddings, Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes, various gravy and condiments.

As for side greens, you would have some seasonal vegetables, mashed potatoes and mushy peas.

If these are not enough, you would also have a salad corner with a variety of mixed greens plus various dressings. There would also be the Soup of the Day served with fresh bakes from their reputable in-house bakery.

Desserts would be rather simple as there would be some fruit cuts as well as the Dessert of the Day. What we had on that day was Spiced Bread & Butter Pudding, served with Vanilla Custard Sauce. This was super delicious and a great way to end a meaty meal.

On top of that, do check out of their Cocktail of the Month below:

Overall, I do love this Sunday Roast Promotion at Farquhar’s Bar @ E&O Hotel as it’s a simple and yet fulfilling meal with each bite. If you are a meat lover without any issue on consuming beef, lamb or chicken, this is the best deal you can ever find in Penang at the moment. However, it would be great if they could add in one more seafood dish or even some sausages for those who want to tag along with their friends and family but could neither consume beef nor lamb.

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). Farquhar’s Bar is located just beside the main lobby at the old wing.

Name: FARQUHAR’S BAR @ EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
GPS: 5.423354, 100.336294

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: 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)

During the holy month of Ramadhan, Spice Brasserie @ The Light Hotel, Seberang Jaya, Penang, would be serving Nostalgia Sajian Desa Ramadhan Buffet Dinner from 8 June 2016 until 3 July 2016 from 7.00pm onwards. The promotion would be priced at RM79+ (adult) and RM48+ (child), while senior citizens would be charged at RM60+/pax. For every 10 full paying adults, one person would get to dine for free. To avoid any disappointment, it’s advised to make your reservations by calling +604-382 1111. You would be entertained by the Rayyan Band with Nasyid, Arab and Malay songs. Muslim guests would also have access to their specially assigned prayer rooms to perform their Maghrib and Ishak prayers as well as tarawi hand. On top of that, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), 1500 tubs of bubur lambuk would be distributed to the public.

During the promotion, Spice Brasserie, a fully Halal restaurant, would be having 7 menus on rotation basis. Each menu would comprise of salads, appetizers, main courses (at least 11 types), 2 types of soup with assorted breads & rolls, traditional bubur lambuk, 6 live stalls. At the Roast & Grill Station, you would get to indulge in the many carvery items, deep-fried items, pastas and noodles. At Chinese and Western Stations, there would be more dishes satisfy your palate.

To start off, you might want to have some kurma (dates) and glasses of air bandung or bandung smoothie, especially during such humid weather. A must have bubur lambuk along side sup ayam berempah mutiara are lined up to tease the taste buds. Then head on to the appetizer section where there’s an array of salads, kerabu, dates, jeruk, ikan masin, pasembur, taukua sumbat with peanut sauce and cold cuts as well as crunchy keropok.

You would expect to savor main courses such as nasi briyani, nasi kerabu, nasi kacang, gulai gading nangka muda, sambal tumis udang petai, rendang daging tok, Indian style fish curry, sotong sumbat pulut, chicken shawarma, kambing vindalo, Nyonya style fried fish, ayam ros, lamb kebab, telur itik masak lemak, butter prawns, roasted lamb leg, beef and more. These are just some of the signature dishes you would get to try out during the promotion.

For dessert lovers, there would be many different types of irresistible Ramadan desserts and fruits known nationwide to pamper you. Do try out the Teh Tarik as it was one of the best I had around.

Overall, I like the Ramadhan Buffet as they have many traditional and new dishes that brought back many fond memories of my childhood days. Some of the items which were packed with flavors to my personal liking were the nasi briyani with grilled lamb rack, rendang daging tok, Sri Lanka spring rolls, sambal tumis petai, labu masak daun manis lemak and more.

You can check out more of their promotions below:

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.

Name: Flavour@3, 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)
Ramadhan Buffet: 7.00pm-10.00pm (8 June – 3 July 2016)
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

“Don’t play with your food. Sit quietly and eat politely with your fork and spoon without spilling anything on the table.” Those statements sounded familiar to you, right? It was some of those table manners that your parents had instilled into you when you were young. However, the current trend would be otherwise. You are encouraged to leave your table manners behind, start playing with your food and make as much mess as you could. Well, the messier it gets, it would show that you are enjoying your food to the max. So, where would this place in Penang be that would let you loosen yourself without any house rules or anyone watching over your table manners? It’s at The Bungalow @ Lone Pine Hotel located at Batu Ferringhi, Penang.

Currently, the restaurant is having its Crabby Claws Seafood Promotion on every Thursdays of the month from 7.00pm until 10.30pm until further notice. For reservations and more information on the promotion, please contact +604-886 8566 or email to fb.coordinator@lonepinehotel.com.

Who needs cutleries anyway while enjoying your seafood dishes? Seafood is best enjoyed using your bare hands by peeling, picking, prodding, smashing, cracking, and the best part is to share out the communal dishes in the companionships of your family and friends. The ordering is simple. Choose either Set A (RM79nett) or Set B (RM138nett with an additional 500g of mud/flower crab from Set A), your choice of carbo (White Rice, Garlic Bread or Mantou), your choice of sauce (Sweet & Sour, Indonesian Curry or Kam Heong) and the live stall staff would tactfully prepare your selections. My favorite sauce would be the Indonesian Curry which had the mild spiciness with a lot flavors emitting from the mixed herbs and spices.

Below would be some of the combinations you could order as shown below.

On top of that, you could always order extra dishes from their ala carte menu which has the freshest catches of the day, charged at market price. Do check out more in the poster below.

Here are some of the ala carte dishes with condiments.

There would also be the special Drink Menu for the night.

You do not have to about messing up your clothes while you crazily indulge in the heavenly prepared seafood dishes as a set of plastic bib with a pair of gloves (just in case someone doesn’t want to get too messy with his/her bare hands), napkins and a bowl of water with lemon slice for washing your hands. There would be some crab claws cracker aka nutcrackers scattered around for your usages. Just look at how my friend, Steven Goh, enjoyed his food while wearing his new attire for the night~ LOL~ There would be tables topped with plastic sheets everywhere and you can start digging into the piles of seafood spreaded on it. Don’t worry~ Mama and Papa are not looking at how you eat but it’s best if you could bring them along to watch the expressions on their faces~ 😛

Overall, I’ve no regret dining here as the dinner was awesome with the great company of friends. It was all fun, seeing the reactions of my friends flinching and swaying the eyes away, trying to avoid the cracking of the gravy filled crab claws right in front of them. I would definitely go back for more of the finger licking goodies when my craving strikes again~ 🙂

Do check out more of the May/June 2016 promotions below:

The Bungalow @ Lone Pine Hotel is located at the beach front of the hotel. After passing Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa on your right, you would reach a cross junction with traffic lights. After the traffic lights slow down, keep to your right and you would a small sign leading to Lone Pine Hotel just right after the Golden Sands Resort. Find a parking space within and just walk into the entrance of the hotel. You would see the Batubar on your right. Just keep to your right walk until the end where you can see the entrance to a bungalow. You won’t miss the restaurant.

Name: The Bungalow @ Lone Pine Hotel
Address: 97 Batu Ferringhi, 11100Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-886 8686
Business Hours (For this promotion only): 7.00pm-10.30pm (Every Thursday)
GPS: 5.476144, 100.250041

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 Lone Pine Hotel: Lone Pine Hotel is the first hotel along Penang’s picturesque Batu Ferringhi coastline and since 1948 and is known to this day for its unpretentious accommodation and genuine hospitality. It was given a new lease of life after undergoing extensive refurbishment and expansion in 2009/2010. It reopened in 2010 with an additional 40 rooms (bringing the total to 90) and an upgraded swimming pool, wellness spa, shop and gym, business centre and meeting rooms. Guests, especially loyal long time followers of Lone Pine, were relieved to see that the hotel has not lost its quintessential charm and character, including its signature casuarina trees and lawn. The successful refurbishment and expansion of Lone Pine was recognised by the architect fraternity when it won the PAM Gold Award (commercial category) at the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) bi-annual awards for architectural design excellence. Lone Pine’s recent accolades include the TripAdvisor® Top 10 Boutique Beach Resorts in the World 2011, Top 25 Trendiest Hotels in Malaysia (TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice® 2012) and TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence for the fifth consecutive year from 2011 till 2015

The E&O Group: The E&O Group (Eastern & Oriental Berhad) is a listed company on Bursa Malaysia that has established a reputation as the premier lifestyle property developer of exclusive addresses for the discerning. In Kuala Lumpur, E&O’s landmark properties include The Mews, St Mary Residences, Dua Residency, Idamansara and Seventy Damansara, all located in the most prime and prestigious neighborhoods of the capital city. In Penang, Seri Tanjung Pinang is the island’s first masterplanned seafront development that is now a highly sought-after and thriving community to locals as well as expatriates from over 20 nationalities. In Johor’s southern development corridor of Iskandar Malaysia, E&O has embarked on Avira, a 207-acre wellness-themed development within Medini that has easy accessibility to the Second Link connection to Singapore. In its expansion overseas, E&O’s international foray into real estate investment and development is focused within prime locations in London, including Princes House along Kingsway, ESCA House in Bayswater, and a commercial property in Hammersmith. E&O’s leading position as a lifestyle developer is anchored by its niche in luxury hospitality derived from its namesake, the iconic Eastern & Oriental Hotel, a cherished heritage landmark in George Town established in 1885. Along the popular beachfront, Lone Pine Hotel stands as the only boutique resort on Batu Ferringhi and the Group has further leveraged on its experience and expertise in hospitality management with the opening of E&O Residences serviced apartments in Kuala Lumpur.

Swez Brasserie @ Eastin Hotel, Penang, would be having its Ramadhan Peninsula’s Delectable Buffet Dinner 2016 from 7 June until 5 July 2015 (7.00pm-10.00pm). Diners would get to experience various dishes from the different states of the peninsula. The price would be at RM110nett/pax (Adult/Senior Citizens 60 years old and above will get 50% off). Selected cardholders would be charged RM90nett/pax while early birds (pre-booking by 31 May 2016) would be charged RM85nett/pax. Moreover, a convenient surau would also be set up to ease guests to break fast. There would also be a special room package during the holy month for guests to unwind at RM480/night, inclusive of buffet dinner and breakfast for two pax. For restaurant booking, please contact +604-612 1128 or for room booking, please contact +604-612 1111 for more information.

Some of the attractive dishes would include the Kambing Golek Beratur Panjang (Roasted Lamb) served with Nasi Briyani Pak Raj, Kampung Melayu Lambuk (spiced up porridge), Sup “Gearbox”, Lemang (bamboo grilled glutinous rice) & Serunding (meat floss), Rendang Daging Tok, various Kerabu & Salad and more delicacies from the buffet spread and action stall. Check out the slide show below for more photos.

The dessert section this year was quite abundant with many options for local kuih-muih, Raya cookies and Western cakes. Check out the slide show below for more photos.

Overall, the Ramadan Buffet Dinner spreads at Swez Brasserie have always been my favorites as I like the kampong-style and family-oriented dishes options.

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)

Under the umbrella of The Big Group, Plan B has been around for quite a few years in Malaysia, serving diners with artisan coffee and creative cuisine ranging from salads, sandwiches, pastas, main dishes and a variety of cakes. Recently, the Aussie-meets-New York conceptualized deli has reduced its menu to a smaller selection to stay more focused in delivering a better culinary experience for its diners. We were invited to test out some of their latest spreads from their new menu recently at Plan B @ Queensbay Mall, Penang and it was a totally different approach towards how we look at food. Prices shown are inclusive of 6% GST. There won’t be any additional service charge.

We started off the meal with Skin on Fries with Dip (RM9) with a choice of dip. You have options for the sauce such as salted egg, cheese, Singapore Chili, curry, ranch, ice cream, lime mayonnaise or halal guys white sauce.

The Kristy’s Krunchy Kale Salad (RM18) was rather unique and it reminded me of how fun my childhood days were. There were crunchy bits of Mamee! Cool right? The salad had finely julienned Kale (which I presumed were Chinese Kale aka kalian as it was rather hard to source for imported Kale), carrots, purple cabbages, some crunchy bits of deep fried noodles, hazelnuts, tossed in peanuts dressing and garnished with toasted sesame seeds. It was so nutritionally good that we had to order another serving.

The Buttermilk Fried Chicken (RM33) was also quite unique as the buttermilk batter fried chicken was placed on a waffle and topped with almost coleslaw like salad and served with some tomato ketchup. It was quite tasty except that I hope the kitchen would drain up more of the excess oil on the batter fried chicken.

For those who prefer meatless pastas, they do have the Zucchini Spaghetti (RM22). It was Aglio Olio style with added blistered cherry tomatoes, garlic confit, sweet basils, julienned zucchini, garnished with shaves of Parmesan cheese and served with a wedge of lemon. It was indeed a hearty and healthy plate of spaghetti to my liking.

We also tried out their Asian Salmon Rice Bowl (RM33). You could also request for an additional poached egg for this dish at RM3. It came with a bowl of steamed rice, topped with grilled salmon, lots of fresh greens, avocado, edamame with a light sprinkles of furikake (Japanese rice garnish with mixed ground fish, sesame seeds, nori, etc) and served with chili soy dressing.

As for Desserts, we tried out their Jaffa Cake (RM15), Springfield Donut (RM18) and Black Forest Pavlova (RM18). I personally think that it’s better to consume the desserts with some hot beverages such as coffee or tea as they could be rather heavy and sweet after a heavy meal.

As for beverages, we tried out their Elderflower Mint Lemonade (RM12), Passionfruit Iced Tea (RM10), Iced Chocolate (RM10) and Cham Affogato (RM10). The best part on the beverages was that all of them were presented quite uniquely.

The Cham Affogato was something real cool too as it had coffee on “teh tarik” ice cream.

Overall, I quite like how innovative some of the dishes were at Plan B, especially the Kristy’s Krunchy Kale Salad, which brought back many fond memories during my childhood days. I would love to see what other creative dishes the kitchen could come out with in the near future. You can also check out their sea facing outlet at Gurney Paragon to try out these dishes.

You can view the new menu as below. Do click on the photo for a clearer view.

Upon entering the main entrance of Queensbay Mall (Central Zone), turn right and walk towards the North Zone (J.Co, Morganfield, T.G.I. Friday’s, Maybank, etc). Just walk a bit further up pass J.Co Donuts and you can see the deli there on your right.

Name: PLAN B @ QUEENSBAY MALL
Address: GF-112, 113(A) & 146 (A) Ground Floor, Queensbay Mall, 100 Persiaran Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: +604- 640 8820
Business Hours: 10.00am-11.00pm
GPS: 5.333909, 100.306759

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (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)