CRIZ BON APPETITE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Penang, the food paradise of Malaysia, has long being known for its diversity in many choices of cuisine due to its heritage as well as the different ethnic populations living within. From every nooks and corners of Penang, you would surely find something that would suit your taste bud well. However, to savor all the few hundreds of delicious items in Penang could be quite an impossible feat, even for the locals. Swez Brasserie @ Eastin Hotel, Penang has now made your life easier by pepping up great Penang dishes, all under one roof, with its current Chiak Penang Buffet Lunch Promotion from now until June 2015. You would get to savor Penang own local delicacies plus a slight mix of international cuisine. The Chiak Penang promotion is priced at RM66nett (adult) and RM33nett (child) with different menus rotation daily. You can also get more discounts with credit cards as mentioned below.

Let’s start with a typical menu you might get for lunch during weekdays. At the Salad Bar, Appetizer & Cold Dishes Section, you would expect to get a selection of fresh greens, condiments and dressings, accompanied by some ready-made salads and cold cuts such as Kerabu Telur, Kerabu Mango, Roasted Chicken with Mushroom Salad, Gado Gado, Fajita-Marinated Beef with Avocado Cream, Penang Famous Fruit Rojak, Cold Cuts, Prawn Crackers, Fish Crackers and Papadum.

As for the Soup Section, you would get items such as Chinese Style Bitter Gourd Chicken Soup, Chicken and Smoked Sausage Soup and Assorted Bread Roll & Butter.

At the Main Dishes Section, you would have a selection of local cum international dishes such as Ikan Panggang dengan Air Assam, Wok Fried Mussels with Black Bean Sauce, Fried Okra with Belacan, Nyonya Chicken Pong Tei, Ayam Masak Madu, Kambing Masak Merah, Dhall Masak Sayur, Kari Ikan Kepala dengan Bendi, Mee Mamak, Steamed Rice, Nasi Minyak Hujan Panas (also known as Nasi Dhalca), Minced Lamb Kofta on Onion Compote, Chicken Scaloppini with Beef Bacon and Sage, Oven Baked Red Snapper Fillet Lemon Infused Cream Sauce, Baked Fennel with Pepper and Tomato, Homemade Mushroom Cannelloni Filled with Cheese and Spinach and more.

There will also be the Action Counter where you can get other deep fried items for your Nasi Kandar, such as Udang Goreng, Ayam Goreng, Ketam Goreng and Ikan Goreng. Do also take note that there might also be a special dish of the day such as the Telur Ikan Masak Lemak Seri Kayangan being served here. Other than that, you might find dishes such as Yong Tau Foo, Mamak Popiah, Murtabak Ayam, Teppanyaki Chicken, Ais Kacang and Cendol available here.

At the Desserts Section, other than your fresh fruit cuts, you would get an assortment of cakes, pastries, jellies and Nyonya kuih here. Free flow of ice creams, coffee and tea are also available.

Overall, the food served here can be quite interesting as you would get to try out multi-national Malaysian cuisine as well as different Penang street food on different days during this promotion.

Here’s the summary of all the promotions throughout the year.

SWEZ BRASSERIE PROMOTION 2015 (JANUARY-DECEMBER 2015)
Monthly Themed Buffet Lunch (12.00 noon – 2.30pm): Monday – Friday
RM66nett (adult), RM33nett (child)
Seafood Extravaganza 6.30pm – 10.00pm) : Friday & Saturday
RM106nett (adult), RM53nett (child)
Hi-Tea (12.00 noon – 3.00pm): Saturday & Sunday
RM77nett (adult), RM38.50nett (child)

For Citibank card members, you can enjoy a “Buy 1 Free 1” offer for Buffet Lunch until September 2015. Other than that, Maybank and Citibank car members get to enjoy a 15% discount for the Full Buffet Dinners from 6.30pm – 10.00pm until end of 2015. Terms and conditions apply.

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

Swez Brasserie @ Eastin Hotel, Penang will be revamping its theme for the “Chef’s Specialties Around The World” promotion for November 2014 until January 2015 (1 November 2014 – 31 January 2015). Diners will be treated with flavorful international cuisine during these 3 months, which will include Japanese Cuisine, Chinese Cuisine, Peranakan Cuisine, European Cuisine and Thai Cuisine by the skillful chefs.

Here’s the summary of the highlight for the promotion:

Lunch: Monday – Friday (12.00pm – 2.30pm)
Themes:
Monday: Japanese Cuisine
Tuesday: Chinese Cuisine
Wednesday: Peranakan Cuisine
Thursday: European Cuisine
Friday: Thai Cuisine
Price: RM50++ (adult), RM25++ (child)

Hi-Tea: Saturday & Sunday (12.00pm – 4.00pm)
Price: RM58++ (adult), RM29++ (Child)

Dinner: Friday & Saturday (6.30pm – 10.00pm)
Theme: Pirates Seafood Night
Price: RM80++ (adult), RM40++ (child)

Check out the privileges for certain bank’s credit cards at their promotion website.

Now let’s have a look at some of the dishes they will be offering on the different days for lunch.

Mondays: Chef Nuhaini Abu Bakar with various Japanese Cuisine such as Sushi and Tempura.

Tuesdays: Chef Cheah Teik Huat with various Chinese Cuisine such as Crispy Century Egg Roll and Roasted Duck.

Wednesdays: Chef Chan Teik Onn will spice up various taste of the Peranakan Cuinese, a unique blend of Chinese, Malay and other influences, with dishes such as the Kapitan Chicken, Kerabu Rice and Assam Prawn.

Thursdays: Chef Kevin Christie Menon will bring you the taste of European Cuisine with dishes such as Slow Braised Barbecue Beef Ribs.

Fridays: Chef Khalil b Khazali will pep up various Thai Cuisine such as the popular Thai Green Curry Chicken.

Overall, you will get to savor the dishes by 5 talented chefs weekly instead of monthly now. Each of them will pamper you with their specialties weekly until the promotion ends on January 2015.

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)

In the holy month of Ramadhan, The Eatery @ Four Points by Sheraton Penang would be holding its Ramadhan Buffet Dinner (28 June 2014 – 27 July 2014) from 6.30pm until 10.00pm daily. Diners would get to enjoy their enticing buffet spreads which would consist of a mix and match of tantalizing flavors from the locals and international cuisine scenes. You can enjoy your meal over the breathtaking sunset scenery along the horizon of the Andaman Sea, either indoor or at the al fresco area. Dining at The Eatery is all about having your deserved relaxation and dining time after a day’s of hectic work. Priced at RM78+ per person or 50% off for children age 3 years to 12 years old, there are many more discounts in store such as 20% off for Starwood Preferred Guests (SPG) members and discounts for selected credit card holders (UOB, Maybank & CIMB) can enjoy up to 50% off. You can check out the dining offers at the hotel’s website. Terms and conditions apply. Children below 3 years old get to eat for free.

You may be in for a surprise to find whole fruits or fresh fruit cuts being served first at the main buffet line. Well, they are right in the major rule of consuming fruits first, meals later. Haha~ Ideally, fruits should be consumed at least an hour before meal or two hours after meal but most Asians don’t follow the golden rule, do they? LOL~ The main reason behind this method of dining, is that your digestive process would work quicker by empowering different enzymes to break the fruits into nutrients, fiber and fructose for easier absorption into your body, thus gaining the maximum benefits from the process. So, remember to eat your fruits first before any meal~ 🙂 The Eatery would serve a variety of local tropical and imported fruits such as red dragon fruits, white dragon fruits, duku langsat, rambutans, papayas, ciku, pineapples, jackfruits, watermelons, grapes, apples, oranges, honeydews and more. Do check out the little compartment below the chiller as there would be different condiments for your fruits such as strawberry sauce, orange sauce, sour plum powder and rojak sauce, pounded peanuts, maple syrup and more. That’s what I call a healthy meal before a hearty meal~ Love it!

The special spreads for the evening was prepared by the skillful Chef Shafiq. Dishes would differ from week to week on a rotation basis. Firstly, let’s start with some assorted crackers followed by some ulam-ulaman (fresh garden vegetables and herbs) with unique condiments such as the sambal cincalok (Fermeneted Krill – Melaka), sambal hijau (Green Chilies & Anchovies – Johor), sambal budu (Fermeneted Seafood – Kelantan & Terengganu), sambal tempoyak (Durian Sambal – Perak), sambal kicap pedas and sambal belacan. You would also get Nasi Himpit/Ketupat Raya (Rice), Ketupat Daun Palas (Glutinous Rice) and Lemang (Glutinous Rice) together with Serunding Daging and Serunding Ayam. For pickle lovers, there would be the assorted fruit pickles, some savories items, kerabu and acar such as Kerabu Udang dengan So Hoon (Glass Noodles Spicy Salad), Kerabu Kacang Botol, Kerabu Telur Permata Hati, Jelatah, Acar Buah-buahan and more. There would also be some soup based dishes such as Noodle Soup, Bubur Lambuk and Sup Ekor.

As for the main dishes, you would expect to get dishes such as Steamed White Rice, Kari Ikan, Ayam Rendang, Ikan Masak Kicap, Daging Masak Kurma, Kailan Ikan Masin, Sayur Campuran, Kepah Masak Kunyit, Ayam Masak Gulai, Udang Masak, Daging Opor Pahang, Terung Belacan, Prawn Fritters, Deep Fried Calamari Rings and more.

For desserts, Last but not least, dessert lovers would love their Chef Eddie’s Dessert Collections where you would find items such as Kurma, Kuih Balu, Kuih Bijian, Kuih Kapit, Assorted Malay Kuih, Jelly & Pudding, Assorted Cakes, Bubur Cha Cha, Teh Tarik, Air Soya, Air Bandung, Air Sirap Limau, Fruit Cocktail, Ice Cream & Ais Kacang with Condiments and so on.

Overall, the dishes served here during the holy month had more touches of Malay cuisine compared to their normal daily spread throughout the year.

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.

Honest and uncomplicated, Four Points by Sheraton Penang is located on the main road connecting UNESCO World Cultural Heritage city Georgetown and Batu Ferringhi, a popular beach area. The hotel is situated on a stretch of white sandy beach overlooking the shimmering sea of Tanjung Bungah. Ideal for leisure and business travelers looking for a peaceful, yet convenient getaway, the hotel is 12 minutes from the bustling city center and 45 minutes from the Bayan Lepas International Airport by bus or taxi.

Known as the “Pearl of the Orient”, the what-to-do-list on the island of Penang is plenty. It attracts visitors with its flavorful cuisine, vibrant culture and rich history. For those who are interested in the history and heritage of this island, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is just 15 minutes away from the hotel with numerous old architectures, shops and cafés to admire. Alternatively, take in the spectacular views of Georgetown and the iconic Penang Bridge from a distance on top the Penang Hill, via a cable car ride up. For more information or to make reservation please call +604-371 8888 or email reservations.03947@fourpoints.com or visit www.fourpoints.com/penang.

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 8707 (The Eatery)
Business Hours: 6.30am-11.00pm (Daily), Sunday Brunch: 12.00pm-3.00pm
GPS: 5.463681, 100.301836
Please refer to: The Eatery Menu

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: 7/10 (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: The July Buffet Promotion has been cancelled until further notice. The management is sorry for any inconveniences.

For the month of July 2014, ZEST Bar Café @ GLOW by Zinc, would be having its July Weekend Buffet Dinner (4-27 July 2014), within its modern and chic hotel, located right in the heart of George Town. The timely arranged buffet dinner would also be in line with the holy month of Ramadhan where diners would get to savor their specially handcrafted Malay cuisine in the confort of the café. The promotion would be priced at RM45+ (adults)/RM25.50+ (children) from 7.00pm until 10.00pm, only of Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Special arrangements can be made for groups of 30 pax and above. Do call +604-226 0084 now to make your reservation.

Basically, the spread would include starters and appetizers such as dates, assorted pickles, assorted crackers, assorted fresh greens with dressings, assorted local (herbs & vegetables) ulam-ulaman with dressings such as sambal belacan, budu and cincalok, Gado Gado with Peanut Sauce, Kerabu Ayam, Kerabu Manga Muda, Acar Jelatah Acar Awak, assorted salted fish and salted duck eggs.

As for main dishes, you could expect to have Chicken Tomyam Soup, Vegetables Dalcha, Grilled Lamb with Rosemary Sauce, Udang Masak Lemak Cili Padi, Grilled Dory with Cheese Sauce, Rendang Daging, Sotong Goreng Kunyit, Ayam Masak Merah, to be served wiyh Nasi Briyani with Raisins or plain white rice. I rather like the Rendang (Beef Rendang) as the beef slices were tender and juicy to my liking. Flavor wise, it was like a crossed between Rendang Tok Perak and Opor Daging Pahang. Another dish which was packed with flavors would be the Ayam Masak Merah.

For desserts and drink, you could savor some assorted fresh tropical fruit cuts, cakes, jellies, puddings, bubur kacang, local Malay kuih and free flow of jus kurma and sirap bandung.

Overall, I find the dishes served here lacked of options and to my preferred quality compared to the price charged. Some of the dishes such as the Gado Gado, Vegetables Dalcha and Chicken Tomyan Soup had gone over the border of fusion or lacking of some major ingredients, thus losing their authentic flavors. For example, though the peanut sauce was great, the Gado Gado lacked of potatoes and “melinjo nuts” emping crackers. The Vegetables Dalcha on the other hand had too many unnecessary vegetables such as celery, tomatoes, yardlong beans when simple usages of just lentils, carrots, potatoes and eggplants would just be sufficient to go with the spiced rice. The Chicken Tomyam Soup was also a disappointment as it tasted like a sweetened chicken soup with vegetables with some added chili oil. I also wondered what had happened to the basic five flavors (sweetness, saltiness, sourness, spiciness and herb aroma) for the famous dish. One top of the lacking in saltiness to balance up the sweetness in any dish, the soup tend to lack the sourness from some lime juice, the spiciness from some added cili padi and the fragrance from the usages of abundant lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Moreover, the desserts were too normal and lacked of choices. In fact, all of them were towards sweetness. Malay kuih would also consist of savory items such as popiah goreng with chili sauce, cucur badak, karipap, cucur udang and more. With the Pasar Ramadhan available throughout the month, I can’t see why they couldn’t get in more options. Frankly speaking, I would rather have those set dinner meal for the weekend buffet as what they did for Fathers’ Day at a lesser price rather than seeing them serving these common spread of dishes at such pricing. At least the kitchen would be more manageable and thus would also be able to cut down on food wastages.

ZEST Bar Cafe @ GLOW by Zinc is located at the 1st floor of the hotel along Jalan Macalister just opposite Red Rock Hotel. There are about 20 car park spaces in this hotel with 10 spaces available right in front of the hotel and another 10 spaces behind the hotel via Jalan Naning (opposite Sum Sum Motors). There are also many coupon based parking spaces available surrounding the hotel. Please make sure you have your parking coupons ready as you would need to pay between 9.00am and 5.00pm. However, effective 1 July 2014, valet services would be available for your convenience.

Name: ZEST BAR CAFÉ @ GLOW BY ZINC
Address: 101 Jalan Macalister, 10400 George Town, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-226 0084
Business Hours: 7.00pm-10.00pm (July Weekend Buffet: Friday-Sunday only)
GPS: 5.416638, 100.322952

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

For those who would enjoy Malay cuisine from every part of Malaysia as well as Middle East, you should check out what G Café @ G Hotel, Penang, is offering during the holy month of Ramadhan. G Café’s Ramadhan Dinner Buffet is available daily starting from 29 June 2014 until 28 July 2014 (6.30pm to 10.00pm) at RM88++ per person (Children below 12 years old eat for free & Senior Citizen above 60 years old at 50% off). On top of that, there will be the Aidilfitri Lunch and Dinner priced at RM68++ and RM88++ respectively available on the 29 & 30 July 2014. The Ramadhan spread would be under the culinary skills of Sous Chef, Chef Harmizi.

Summary of the various themes for the G Café’s Ramadhan Buffet:
Monday: Rasa Utara
Tuesday & Wednesday: Selera Pantai Timur
Thursday & Friday: Juadah Selatan
Saturday & Sunday: Middle East & Peranakan Fiesta

Rasa Utara offers interesting and tasty dishes from the North such as Laksa Kuala Kedah, Nasi Hujan Panas and Kari Kepala Ikan. As for Selera Pantai Timur, the stars of the line will be Ayam Percik Kelantan, Laksam, Kari Ikan Tongkol and Nasi Dagang. Meanwhile, Juadah Selatan offers delightful Sup Tulang Sum Sum, Briyani Gam, Laksa Johor and Ikan Tenggiri Masak Asam Pedas. If those are not enough, something different for you to chew on is a choice from the Middle East and Peranakan recipe too such as Nasi Chicken Manday, Hokkien Mee and Lamb Kofta. All these lines will be set on different days throughout the whole month of Ramadhan as stated in the summary above.

Let’s have a look at all the spreads for this Ramadhan with a mix and match of all the items in the respective themes as a preview starting with the appetizers and salads. The Appetizer & Salad Sections might consist of some Asian Tapas, Tauhu Sumbat, Pasembur, Kerabu Ayam, Kerabu Taugeh, Acar Awak, Prawn Salad, Telur Masin, Ikan Masin, various fresh greens, pickles, ulam-ulaman plus their respective dressings and condiments. There are also various pickles and dried fruit to start your appetite going.

On top of that, you would have the Soup Section where you can savor Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup and Sup Ekor Berempah and more.

For the Action Section, you might get to try out some roasted items such as the Roasted Lamb and hawker fare such as the Laksa Kuala Kedah.

For the Main Dish Section, you can start off with some Singapore Fried Bee Hoon, followed by the chef’s special Nasi Briyani, a smooth and moist spiced up steamed rice, marinated overnight with milk, yoghurt and various herbs and spices. This is one flavorful rice dish to go with the other main dishes such as Fish Curry, Lamb Roganjosh, Ayam Piru Rendang (Turkey Rendang), Redang Daging (Beef Rendang), Ayam Percik, Deep Fried Fish Fillet with Thai Sauce, Black Pepper Prawns, Vegeatable Au Gratin, Curry Kapitan and Stir Fry Mixed Vegetables.

To clear off the heavy meals, you would have a selection of Fresh Fruit Cuts, Cakes, Tarts, Strudel, Jellies, Puddings, Mousse, Gelato Ice Cream, Chocolate Fountain and local desserts such as the Rojak, Bubur Gandum and an assortment of Malays Kuih Muih.

Since it’s the durian season in Penang, my award winning dessert would go to the Durian Mousse filled with fresh durian meat.

Overall, G Hotel has an advantage over other hotels as their Ramadhan packages do cover all the different themes from all over Malaysia as well as Middle East and Peranakan cuisine. Some of the dishes served can really be rather unique for the diners at the Northern region here.

OTHER OFFERS: Please refer to their online brochure

G Hotel also offers Ramadhan Meeting Package from RM50++ per person onwards. This package includes the usage of a conference hall for up till eight hours, free wi-fi internet and also complimentary fitness session, head and shoulder massage and usage of Nintendo Wii. This will allow participants to have a break after sessions of meetings.

G Hotel also do provide Private Buka Puasa Dinner Buffet priced at RM 65++ per person. Both the Private Buka Puasa Private Dinner and Ramadhan Meeting Package are available till the end of July 2014. With a minimum persons of 30, this dinner buffet is inclusive of free flow air bandung, individually packed red dates and usage of surau.

In addition to make your Ramadhan better, the Ramadhan Room Package offers you modern and stylish room accommodation for only from RM498++. The benefits include free WiFi throughout the hotel and non-alcoholic mini bar with chocolate bar on daily replenishment. Staying period is from 29 June to 25 July 2014.

For dinner reservations at G Café, please call 604 238 0000 or email food.beverage@ghotel.com.my. For Meeting Package, Room Package and Private Buka Puasa Dinner Buffet, call 604 238 0000 or email g4u@ghotel.com.my.

The G Cafe is located at the ground floor of G Hotel. If you walk in through the front entrance along Persiaran Gurney, just head towards the end of the reception counter and you will see the café on your left. The café has an al fresco area too.

Name: G CAFE @ G HOTEL
Address: 168-A Persiaran Gurney, 10250 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-238 0000
Business Hours: 7.00pm-10.30am (Ramadan Buffet only)
GPS: 5.437637, 100.310567

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 7.5/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 7.5/10 (1-4 tasteless, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
Pricing: 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 month of Ramadan, the holy month for Muslims to break their fast or buka puasa, diners can enjoy scrumptious traditional Malay buffet spreads at all the Vistana brand name hotels nationwide. Under the theme “Tok Wan 101 Recipes”, the promotion which would start from 29 June 2014 until 27 July 2014, would be priced at RM48++ per adult and RM30++ per child (aged 4-12 years old). If you have a great appetite for great authentic Malay cuisine, this is one place you should not miss out for varieties and taste.

Let’s have a look at all the sections catered just for this occasion. Please take note that some of the dishes might be replaced with another dish based on the local availability of raw ingredients or products. Firstly, you would have the outdoor area for grills. There would be Chicken Satay, Beef Satay, accompanied by condiments such as the fragrant satay peanut sauce, cucumber, onions, nasi impit (lontong/Malay rice cake) and Muar-style Otak Otak. Moreover, there would also be a Whole Roasted Lamb, served with black pepper sauce and mint yoghurt sauce. For Char Koay Teow lovers, you sure won’t want to miss out a try on Penang’s famous delicacy.

As for the indoor area, let’s start with the basics. On the starter’s spread would be the Ulam-ulaman Tempatan (local raw salad herbs and vegetables) such as Ulam Raja (cosmos caudatus), Ulam Pegaga (asiatic pennywort), Daun Selom (water dropwort leaves), Cucumber, Yardlong beans, Kacang Botol (four-angled beans), Tomato, Cabbages and Daun Kaduk (wild betel leaves), together with condiments such as Sambal Belacan Asli, Sambal Belacan Mangga Kampung, Sambal Belacan Nenas Madu, Budu and Cincalok. There would also be a Western salad section with capsicum, onions, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, purple cabbage and carrots, accompanied by dressings such as thousand island, Italian, French and balsamic vinaigrette.

You should also check out the appetizer’s section for dishes such as Kerabu Ulam (spicy mixed salad herbs), Kerabu Mangga (spicy mango salad), Acar Jelatah (cucumber, pineapple and carrot pickles), Tempe Ikan Bilis (anchovies tempe salad), Kerabu Sotong (spicy squid salad), Kerabu Ikan Tuna (spicy tuna salad), Kerabu Taugeh (spicy bean sprouts salad), Kerabu Ubut-ubur (spicy jelly fish salad), Kerabu Kaki Ayam (spicy chicken feet salad), Cucumber & Mint Raita and Cucumber Salad.

On top of that, there would also be the Pasembur, Taukua Sumbat (stuffed bean curd), a variety of deep fried salted seawater and fresh water fish (Ikan Masin Goreng) such as Ikan Gelama (common jewfish), Ikan Sepat (gourami/trichopodus trichopterus) and Ikan Bulu Ayam (anchovy family/thryssa mystax/moustached thryssa).

You can also check out the assortment of fruit pickles (pelbagai jeruk) and crackers (Keropok Ikan, Keropok Udang & Papadum) too.

Before starting off with the main dishes, let’s have a look at the action counters for lighter palate of local fares. You would have the Murtabak Ayam, served with Chicken Curry and Dhaal Curry; the Bread & Rolls section with assorted soups such as Soto Ayam (Indonesian chicken soup), Sup Kambing Berempah (spiced mutton soup) & Sup Daging Utara (beef soup); and the Noodles section where you would have soup based such as prawn, chicken and curry.

The Main Dishes section would be a spoil for options as you would have dishes ranging from Malay cuisine with a light mix of Chinese cuisine. Dishes to watch out would include Nasi Putih, Nasi Beriyani, Nasi Tomato Ayam Goreng Madu Berbijan, Daging Rendang Tok, Masak Lemak Ketam Bunga, Ikan Goreng Berempah & Daun Kari, Ayam Percik, Sotong Goreng Kunyit Berkuah, Gulai Itik Serati Kelantan, Kambing Kurma Ala India, Pajeri Terung, Sayur Kobis Goreng Kunyit, Kailan Masak Ikan Masin, Sambal Kangkung, Ayam Masak Rempah Hijau, Daging Masak Lada Hitam, Kepah Masak Cili Kering, Ikan Tilapia Masak Manis Masam, Kacang Panjang Goreng Sambal Udang Kering and Sayur Campur Ala Cina. There would also be an action counter serving your fresh fish in their signature Kari Ikan Dengan Bendi Ala Mamak.

To end your meal, you can always start with the fruit sections. You would have the Rojak Buah (fruit rojak) with local tropical fruits options, served with thick and delicious rajak sauce, crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds. There would also be a fresh fruit cuts section where you could also savor some seasonal fruits such as the mangosteens. Coffee and Tea would also be available here with options such as Teh Tarik and Nescafe Tarik on top of the availability of Air Sirap Ros on each table.

As for those with sweeter tooth, there would be 2 sections of Desserts areas serving you a mixture of Western and local delicacies. The varieties would include Bubur Kacang, Bubur Gandum, Bubur Pulut Hitam, Bubur Jagung, Chinese Pancake, Sesame Balls, Assortments of Puddings and Jellies, Tartlets, Pandan Layer Cake, Cheese Cake, Bread Pudding, Sago Gula Melaka, Floating Island, English Trifle, Crème Brulee and Herbal Jelly.

Local delicacies would include the Malaysian Kuih-Muih such as Karipap, Popiah Goreng, Donut, Kuih Ketayap, Kuih Cara Manis, Kuih Keria, Kuih Puteri Ayu, Kuih Bingka Jagung, Kuih Lapis and more.

There would also be a counter for your favorite Penang Ais Kacang, Cendul and a selection of Ice Cream flavors.

Overall, the spread of dishes for the Ramadan promotion was indeed overwhelming, considering that its offered price is also very attractive. Moreover, there would also be prayer rooms to further cater to its Muslim guests celebrating this blessed month. The “Tok Wan 101 Recipes” Ramadan Buffet is priced at RM48++ per adult and RM30++ per child (aged 4-12 years old) from 29 June 2014 until 27 July 2014. The ballroom can only cater up to 500 pax at one time, so do call in +604-646 8000 to make your advance reservations to avoid any disappointment.

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

Name: GROUND FLOOR BALLROOM @ VISTANA HOTEL PENANG
Address: 213 Jalan Bukit Gambir, 11950 Bukit Jambul, Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604- 646 8000
Business Hours: 6.30pm-9.30pm (Ramadan Buffet from 29 June 2014 until 27 July 2014)
GPS: 5.336334, 100.291527

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

2014 marked the first year The Eatery @ Four Points by Sheraton Penang would be promoting their Chinese New Year festive dining packages since their official opening on 30 October 2013. The promotion this year would be managed by Chef Wong who had many years of culinary experiences. You may book a table for 10 for Lunch or Dinner at RM850+ or just join in the Chinese New Year Buffet Dinner at RM88+ per person. Prosperous Yee Sang Platter would be served in every meal. Price is exclusive of a 6% government tax.

A few of us managed to try out the dishes for the Menu B for 10 persons. Of course, we started off the Chinese New Year dining with the Prosperous Yee Sang Platter with Salmon (風生水起-三文魚生), a symbol of good fortune. Takeaways are also available.

Next in the list was the Braised Superior Soup with Crab meat and Dry Scallop (財通四海-干貝蟹肉羹). There was a generous amount of crab meat and dried scallop added in the rich flavored stock. However, I personally find the soup to be a bit starchy minus the fragrance from a bit of added deep fried scallops as garnishing.

The Roasted Chicken with Plum Sauce (風凰報喜-梅醬燒雞) was superb with juicy and tender pieces of meat and crispy skin. I personally find the serving with plum sauce was a bit too common. The kitchen should have thought of other options such as spiced salt or other unique condiment for this dish.

On the other hand, we were served with Steamed Sea Bass Fish in Superior Soya Sauce (年年有餘-清蒸石甲魚). Thought the fish was super fresh, I found the flavors to be lacking in something aromatic and fragrant to boost up the overall serving. I guessed some deep fried julienned young ginger plus some garlic oil would be great to pep up the dish more.

We also had some Braised Black Mushrooms and Gluten with Garden Green (萬事如意-冬菇,豆根,時蔬). Flavor wise, it was just another common banquet style dish.

The Stir-fried Tiger Prawn with Chef Special Sauce (笑口常開-特式炒蝦) was indeed fresh. It tasted almost similar a milder flavored Szechuan Prawns.

As for the New Year Fried Rice with Silver Anchovies (遍地黄金-新年炒飯), I personally found the dish to be a bit over stressed as scattered gold. It was just Yong Chow Fried Rice garnished with some deep fried baby anchovies. I would prefer the presentation to be more distinctive with more rich filled ingredients added on top such as deep fried scallops, prawns and fish fillet. Items that could be deep fired until golden to symbolize the wealth abundance.

Lastly, it was the Warm Sea Coconut and White Fungus in Honey Syrup (新年快樂-蜜汁雪耳海底椰). Somehow, there was the slight sour aftertaste in this warm dessert. There could be 2 errors in the cooking process. One would be the overused of red dates which occasional would have slight sourness. The other would be the quality of the honey used as some brands of honey would turn sour upon mixing/cooking in certain boiling temperature. I hope the kitchen would rectify this minor hiccup and alternatively maybe they could consider using just plain rock sugar or lo han guo as sweetener for this dessert.

Overall, the dishes served are just like how you would get from a normal banquet serving during weddings except that the first course would be replaced with Prosperous Yee Sang Platter. There are still rooms for more improvements.

Here’s the summary of the Chinese New Year Promotion:

Chinese New Year Buffet
Date: 30 January-1 February 2014
Time: 6.00pm-10.00pm
Price: RM88.00+ per person
Reservations:
+604-371 8888 (General)
+604-371 8707 (The Eatery)

Chinese New Year Set Lunch/Dinner
With a minimum of 10 persons, select your choice of menu and enjoy a private Chinese New Year lunch or dinner with your loved ones!
Date: 30 January-13 February 2014
Price: RM850.00+ per table
Reservations:
+604-371 8888 (General)
+604-371 8833 (Low Ee Ling, Catering Manager)
+604-371 8834 (Phang Sue Ann, Catering Sales Executive)

Please click the photo below for a clearer view of the 2 options:

Yee Sang Takeaways
Prosperous Yee Sang Platter with Salmon
Price: MYR58+
Servings: 10 pax
Reservations:-
+604-371 8888 (General)
+604-371 8707 (The Eatery)

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 8707 (The Eatery)
Business Hours: 6.30am-11.00pm (Daily)
GPS: 5.463681, 100.301836
Please refer to: The Eatery Menu

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: 6.5/10 (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)

SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR MY READERS: Just print this banner by showing my blog URL (http://www.crizfood.com/2283/chef-petrs-catch-seafood-buffet-sarkies-eastern-oriental-hotel-penang/) and make an early reservation with the hotel (604-222 2000 ext 3601/3602) before 24 April 2013 and you are entitle to dine in with a discounted rate of RM80++/pax (adult) and RM38++/pax (child). Offer only limited to the first 80 early reservations. One printout is for one pax only. Terms & Conditions apply.

If you are in for a seafood buffet of a different kind, do check out Chef Petr’s Catch at Sarkies @ E&O Hotel, Penang. Priced at RM110++/pax (adult) and RM48++/pax (child), you’ll get to savor quite a variety of imported seafood such as Alaskan Snow Crab Claws, Boiled River Cray Fish, Duo of Gravlax, Fresh Oysters on Ice, Marinated Cuttlefish, Seasoned Squid, Deep Fried Snow Crab Claws, Poached Black Mussels, Oyster Omelette and many more on a rotation basis. The seafood promotion which would be held on every Wednesday of the month would last until the end of April 2013. The seafood promotion would be headed by Chef Petr Feher, Executive Chef of E&O Hotel.

There were a few sections for this seafood buffet, starting with the Salad Section, Appetizer Section, On Ice Section, Baked, Grilled, Fried & Roasted Section, Hot Dishes Section, Action Counters, Fresh Fruit Cuts Section, Sweet Dessert Section to Hot Beverages Station. Let’s start the meal healthy with the Salad Section. This section practically has a variety of items such as frisee, rocket, romaine lettuce, purple cabbage, red & green corals, iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olives, onion rings, pickles, dried fruits, croutons, pine nuts, sauteed mushrooms & garlic, capers and more with a selection of 8 dressings. On top of that, there was also a section where you can have some crackers to go with a variety of cheese such as Cheddar, Emmenthaler, Limberger, Camembert and more plus vegetable sticks for your crudités.

As for the Appetizer Section, there are many choices ranging from raw to cooked items. Some of the dishes included Salmon Sashimi, Assorted Sushi/Maki, Chuka Wakame, Chuka Idaho, Duo of Gravlax, Gado Gado, Grilled Vegetables, Canapes, Assorted Ready Made Salads, Smoked Mackerel (Tenggiri), Pan Seared Tuna and more.

On Ice Section was where all the imported seafood attractions were located. We have the famed Alaskan Crab Claws, River Cray Fish, Prawns, Black Mussels and Fresh Oysters.

Along this stretch would be the Baked, Grilled, Fried & Roasted Section where you can savor the famed E&O Roasted Duck. It was indeed one of the best in town. On top of that, you can have some Cheese Baked Oysters, Oyster Omelette, Herbs Roasted Beef & Lamb, Grilled Meat (Beef, Lamb, Satay & Sausages), Grilled Seafood (Salmon & Scallop), Deep Fried Prawns, Spring Rolls, Samosa & Pandan Wrapped Chicken.

While waiting for your grilled items, you could always pay a visit to the Hot Dishes Section. Of course, there would be the Soup Station here where we had Onion Soup plus Tomyam Soup served with some bread and dinner rolls. On top of that, there would also be some Steamed Rice to be taken with a variety of hot dishes such as Masak Kicap Kambing (Dark Sauce Lamb), Roasted Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce, Sweet & Sour Fish (Deep Fried Sea Bass), Stir Fried Fish with Dried Chilies, Prawns in Coconut Paste, Thai Style Beef in Yellow Curry, Baked Potatoes and Chinese Stir Fry Mixed Vegetables.

There was also the Action Counters where you can order your choice of Fried Noodles plus Stir Fried Seafood.

As for the Dessert Section, there would be two stations. One station would have a variety of fresh fruit cuts while the other would serve all the sweet temptations such as cakes, pastries and ice cream. You could also gather some sweet treats at the so called “Dessert Tree” in the middle of the dining room.

Scattered around the dining area would be two Hot Beverages Stations. There would be some Brewed Coffee & Tea and a machine for you to make your choice of coffee. You can be creative here too just like how I made my Affogato with 2 scoops of Vanilla ice cream plus double shots espresso. 😛

Overall, the quality of the seafood is there with quite a number of imported seafood. However, since it’s a seafood theme with such an amount charged, the combination of seafood ought to be improved further with more options rather than using the same few seafood species and preparing them differently. Moreover, the combination of dishes is 3:2 for seafood versus meat. Ideally, it should be 7:3 or 4:1 combinations. For example, preparations of oysters have 3 types, namely fresh, cheese baked and omelette. Prawns also have 3 styles, boiled, fried and curry. The usage of salmon is definitely in abundance from sashimi, sushi, canapés, gravlax or even grills. Personally, I felt that the kitchen should infuse more local seafood with Asian flavors into the theme to make it more interesting. I’m sure both locals and tourists would love to try out our Banana Leaves Grilled Stingray, Sambal Stuffed Hardtail Mackerel or even various Portugese Seafood Grills, right? Even without the usages of the local seafood, the seafood theme should be more international. It could just be with the addition of the Spanish’s Gambas Al Ajillo or Stuffed Grilled Squids or the French’s way of Simple Baked Fish with herbs, salt & pepper. On top of that, some of the dishes served tend to be on the salty side while others were under flavors. The desserts may be attractively colorful and abundant but somehow they consisted mostly of different versions of cupcakes and macarons or a mix & match of both, a bit lack in unique choices.

Current Promotions by E&O Hotel can be viewed clearer by clicking and downloading the photo below:

Sarkies is located at the new wing of Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang (next to Penang Bowl) 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 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-10.30pm (Chef Petr’s Catch on Wednesday only)
GPS: 5.423624, 100.334988

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