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)

* Published in HungryGoWhere Malaysia Food Guide: THE EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL @ Penang

To celebrate Merdeka month, let’s look at 1885 @ Eastern & Oriental Hotel (E&O Hotel) that had existed since pre-independence and is still thrilling diners even until today. The Eastern & Oriental Hotel (E&O Hotel) started in the late 1800s when the renowned Armenian Sarkies brothers, Martin and Tigran, settled down in Penang and established the Eastern Hotel in 1884. With its success, they opened another hotel in 1885, the Oriental, on an adjacent piece of land facing the sea. Both combined, these two hotels became the largest hotel in Penang. In 1891, another Sarkies brother, Arshak, joined the business and a large ballroom in 1903. Thus, the E&O became the centre of the social life and gaiety of Penang and its surroundings. In 1922, Arshak secured a large plot of land for the hotel which extended its already impressive sea frontage. The land now housed the magnificent Victory Annexe with more rooms, making the property larger with 842-foot seafront, the longest of any hotel in the world.

Today, E&O Hotel still treasures its heritage by retaining its charm and weathered the passage of time with character and grace. Hence, they do have a posh yet affordable eatery named 1885, serving Traditional Afternoon Tea daily at RM56++ per pax. You will get the experience of having tea time snacks with nice crockery tea set and silverware just like how it was during the colonial days. The custom of having afternoon tea was the creation of Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, one of HM Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting, in the late 1700s. The experience was so delightful that it became the tradition of every English household, especially the upper echelon of the English Society.

For each 1885 Traditional Afternoon Tea set, you would have the option to choose the tea of your choice from 16 types of tea, namely Assam Mokalbarie, Morgentau, Vanilla Roibosh, Raspberry Royal and more. There will be sugar cubes and fresh milk to tweak to your liking.

Each set will also come with a selection of Finger Sandwiches, Cakes & Tea Pastries and Scones. As for Finger Sandwiches, you would get Smoked Beef Brisket on Village Bread, Cucumber with Sour Cream on Marble Toast, Cheesy Sausage Roll, Smoked Salmon on Poppy Seed Roll, Egg Mayonnaise on Mini Croissant, Marinated Chicken with Horseradish Cream in Mini Vol Au Vent and Marinated Tuna Flakes on Whole Meal Loaf. As for Cakes and Tea Pastries, you would expect to see at least 5 types of dessert of the day. For Scones, you would get one each of Plain and Raisins, served with their homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream.

Here’s a glimpse of what you would expect for two persons. The shot for the two sets of the tea of your choice is not shown here.

Overall, their Finger Sandwiches were great as all the bread and rolls were made fresh from their own in-house bakery daily. Three of my favourites were the Cucumber with Sour Cream on Marble Toast (a must have item for English Tea Time), Smoked Salmon on Poppy Seed Roll and Egg Mayonnaise on Mini Croissant. As for Cakes and Tea Pastries, their Cheese Cake is a die for – soft, creamy and cheesy with a light hint of citrus lemon zest. As for Scones, whether it’s a plain one or with raisins, they were heavenly the best ones in town, reputable for that too. With a fragrant outer crust and a warm plus fluffy inner, each mouthful with a light spread of their homemade strawberry jam or clotted cream, will leave you yearning for more. These scones are superbly the best.

You can also check out their National Day Hi-Tea at Sarkies @ E&O Hotel on 31 August 2014 from 12.00noon until 2.30pm, priced at RM78++ (adult) and RM39++ (child). The Hi-Tea will also cover most of their signature dishes such as Roasted Duck, Sushi & Sashimi, Char Koay Teow and more.

1885 @ E&O Hotel, Penang | Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200, Malaysia. | Tel: 604-222 2000 | Opening hours: 2.00pm-5.00pm (Daily) | GPS Coordinates: 5.423311, 100.335874 | Halal

HIGHLIGHTS:
Jamuan Buka Puasa: 28 June 2014 to 27 July 2014 (7.00pm – 10.30pm)
Sundays – Tuesdays: RM96++ (adult)/RM48++ (child)
Wednesdays – Saturdays: RM110++ (adult)/RM65++ (child)

‘Salam Aidilfitri’ Hi-Tea: 28 & 29 July 2014 (Monday & Tuesday: 12.00 noon-2.30pm)
Price: RM78++ (adult)/RM39++ (child)

‘Salam Aidilfitri’ Buffet Dinner: 28 & 29 July 2014 (Monday & Tuesday: 7.00pm-10.30pm)
Price: RM110++ (adult)/RM65++ (child)

Sarkies @ E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel) will kick off their “Jamuan Buka Puasa” effective 28 June 2014 until 27 July 2014 from 7.00pm until 10.30pm daily. Please take note that the pricing for each day might be different as shown above as there would be a whole roasted lamb on certain days.

Unlike other hotels or restaurants which would serve an almost 100% Ramadan month dishes, E&O Hotel would still maintain their signature dishes on each night. Some of those dishes would include their famous Char Koay Teow, Roasted Duck, Sushi & Sashimi, Grilled Beef, Grilled Lamb, Grilled Seafood, Cold Seafood corner and of course their wide selection of pastries and cakes.

Other than the standard dishes as stated above, you would get some spread of delectable Malay cuisine during the holy month of Ramadan, starting with Appetizer such as Ulam Ulaman, Pelbagai Kerabu, Cucur Udang, Pasembur, Bergedil, Acar Rampai and more with Dressings and Condiments such as Sambal Belacan, Budu, Tempoyak, Cincalok, Nam Pra, Pickled Fruits, Salted Egg, Salted Fish and Assorted Crackers.

Of course there will be the Sup Ekor, a spicy version of oxtail soup and Main Dishes such as Nasi Putih, Nasi Tomato, Daging Masak Kicap, Kari Kambing dengan Ubi Kentang, Ayam Goreng Berempah, Telur Dadar, Sayur Campur Goreng Kunyit, Ikan Panggang, Udang Rempah Kering, Bubur Lambuk. Ayam Percik Padang, Daging Rendang Tok, Kambing Masak Hitam Belanda, Sambal Tumis Sotong Petai, Udang Lemak Nenas, Gulai Puyuh Daun Selasih, Lemang dan Serunding and more.

On top of the usual spread of Western Desserts, you would also expect to see some Assorted Malay Kuih, Bubur Kacang, Buah Kurma, Goreng Pisang, Rojak Padang Kota, Buah-Buahan Tempatan (Local Fruit Cuts) and more.

Overall, Sarkies @ E&O Hotel has a more international spread of dishes compared to the many hotels I have been to, thus catering more to those international house guests and visitors whom might not be too use to cuisine which are too spicy and pungent such as the Malay cuisine to their taste buds.

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: 8/10 (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)

LATEST MUSICAL SOIREE AT 1885: 15 MARCH 2014

It was a unique dining experience when we were treated with a robust Musical Soiree by three excellent performers which consisted of Zhang Chi (pianist), Teresa Ong (soprano) and Sean Ooi (tenor), during a recent visit to 1885@ E&O Hotel recently. The first segment of an ongoing project, to be held for 5 consecutive months, was the brainchild of loyal hotel residents, Mr. & Mrs. Martin Rutherford, and the Resident Manager of E&O Hotel, Mr. Harold Rainfroy. The performance would be held on the first Thursday of each month. Please check the E&O Hotel Facebook for more information on the coming events. Price is at RM200++ per pax.

Their performances were in 3 sessionss. The first one included Etude Op.15″ (Zhang Chi), “O Holy Night” (Sean Ooi), “Xue Hua” (Teresa Ong), “If You Loved Me” (Sean Ooi) and “Il Ba Cio” (Teresa Ong). The second session included “Liu Yang River” (Chang Zhi), “Nella Fantasia” (Sean Ooi), “E Pur Cosi/ Piangero La Sorte” (Teresa Ong), “Non Ti Scordar Di Me” (Sean Ooi) and “Laughing Song” (Teresa Ong). The finale session had Zhang Chi rendering the “Waltz Op. 64 No.2 & Op. 34 No. 5”, followed by “All I Ask of You” and “The Prayer” (Duet by Sean Ooi & Teresa Ong). The numerous awards winning song “The Prayer” written by the famous songwriter, David Foster, made famous by Canadian singer, Celine Dion and blind Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, has always remained as my personal favorite.

At 1885 @ E&O Hotel, meals would always start with some lovely dinner rolls, served with their creamy butter. The aroma emitted from the freshly bakes combined with the fine soft yet fluffy textures from the in-house made dinner rolls would always be the best starter for any meal.

Our actual fine dining experience kicked off with a palate dinner of awesomely presented Trio Appetizers which consisted of Hokkaido Scallop Tataki served with Citrus Mango Salsa, Foie Gras Terrine with Cinnamon Brioche and Vichyssoise with Norwegian Salmon Tartare. This appetizers came paired with the Hole In The Water Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

The Hokkaido Scallop Tataki served with Citrus Mango Salsa was actually a briefly seared fresh scallop which had firm and creamy texture in each bite. It was served on a fruity yet mildly spiced up citrus mango salsa with bursting omega-3 fatty acid filled salmon roes as garnishing. It was a perfect combination.

Next on the plate was the Foie Gras Terrine with Cinnamon Brioche. The foie gras terrine was one of the best I had tasted as it had added roasted shitake mushroom slices added in to tame the richness in the fatty duck liver. Combined with the light yet fluffy mildly cinnamon pepped up toasted brioche, it was another perfect dish. The appetizer also came with a slice of ripen fig to sweeten up the savory flavors.

Finally the last of the appetizers was the Vichyssoise with Norwegian Salmon Tartare. The cold soup which had a combination of pureed potatoes, leeks, onions, stock and cream was smooth flowing with the complemented Norwegian salmon tartare, topped with some sauteed tomato and a drizzle of spiced olive oil.

After another session of great performances by the trio, we were served with the main course – Pan Seared Chilean Cod Fish & Poached Jumbo Prawn with Chickpea Puree, served with some semi dried tomatoes and some fresh basil sauce. The remarkable light and creamy textures of the thick slab of white fish, pan seared to perfection and the firm texture of the poached jumbo prawn, went well with the mildly butter spiced chickpea puree. With a magical drizzle of some freshly made basil sauce, the whole concoction had unique flavors of the next level. This dish came paired with the Matua Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir. Thumbs up!

The much awaited desserts were presented to us after another session of the performances. Again, these desserts were served in trio such as the Valrhona & Almond Chocolate Cannoli, Chantilly Cinnamon Mango and Bavarois Berry Lava Cake.

It always has been my priority to savor those with a sweeter note first before ending with something with fruitiness with light touch of sourness. I started off with the Bavarois Berry Lava Cake. I would say this dessert was a lava cake made too perfect as it ended up as a brownie without the much expected chocolate oozing out. No doubt it was still a great dessert with a generous amount of ganache topping with some mildly sweetened berry compote.

The Valrhona & Almond Chocolate Cannoli on the other hand would suit chocolate lovers well. You can imagine the contentment of having luxurious French chocolate filled ricotta like cream and topped with some toasted chopped almonds. It was heavenly but I personally feel that it was a bit too much of chocolate items for the day.

I made a wise choice leaving the Chantilly Cinnamon Mango as the last option. The almost light cheesecake texture cake blended in real nice with a fresh piece of mango. It was indeed a refreshing and most palatable dessert of the evening.

The night ended with an astounding finale performance by the trio with diners being served with either a cup of freshly brewed coffee or a selection from their gourmet tea choices.

Overall, it was a great evening of different genre with great food, wine and musical performances. Finally, I would like to thank Eileen Chong, Communications & Public Relations Manager of E&O Hotel, for a great evening.

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

Name: 1885 @ 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: 8/10 (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: 9/10 (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)