CRIZ BON APPETITE

“Every day is Earth Day in the Shangri-La’s Kitchen” as Shangri-La Group of Hotels and Resorts worldwide launched their “Rooted in Nature” campaign on 22 April 2015 last month. It’s a part of the group’s initiative to maintain culinary sustainability, thus raising the awareness on consuming freshly farmed food which had gone through strict international standard requirements without harming the environment. Today, Shangri-La’s Golden Sands Resort, Penang had invited a special guest to join them in the journey of “Rooted in Nature”. He’s none other than the Iconic American Chinese Chef, Chef Martin Yan.

Most of us have grown up with Chef Martin Yan’s award winning cooking show, “Yan Can Cook” with his catchy phrase line of “If Yan can cook, so can you!” Chef Martin Yan simply made cooking looks so easy, especially on how he uses his customized knife to prepare ingredients with barely any effort. I’ve tried using his knife and it indeed had that balance, lightness and sharpness as claimed by the chef himself. Chef Martin Yan sure knows his kitchen utensils’ precisions well.

Chef Martin Yan who is currently in Malaysia for the filming of the upcoming TV Program, “Taste of Malaysia”, to be aired somewhere in late third quarter of this year, paid a visit to GST Group Fish Farm, one of the sustainable food partners of the resort offshore of Pulau Jerejak, Penang, to discover the source of sustainable seafood. According to him, we are lucky to have such fresh fishes of such huge sizes easily available for our consumptions unlike in USA. He later teamed up with Golden Sands Resort’s Executive Chef, Chef Adrian Lim, to pep up a delicious Nyonya Curry Kapitan Fish dish with their morning’s fresh catches. The recipe used fresh sustainable seafood, combined with some organic and locally produced herbs and spices.

We also had a try-out on some of the “Rooted in Nature” dishes at the resort’s Sigi’s Bar & Grill (the other Rooted in Nature participating eatery is their Garden Café). Diners can identify the Rooted in Nature dishes by spotting a “pea shoot” logo printed alongside the dish description. We started off with their Grilled Free Range Chicken & Organic Tofu Salad. It was truly a well balanced diet with lots of fresh romaine lettuce and onion rings dressed with balsamic vinegar, topped with some perfectly grilled yet juicy free range chicken breast meat and accompanied with some organic tofu cubes. It was indeed a great salad before your main meal.

As for main, we tried out the Rosemary Scented Broiled Chicken served with vegetables of the day, mashed potatoes and brown jus. The half free range broiled chicken was just the right size to give that flavorful yet juicy impact.

Lastly, we were served with their Double Scoops of Yam & Coconut Ice Cream topped with whipped cream. I must say this was the heaven of the day as it was not just any ordinary ice cream but one with real yam bites. Combined with the creamy texture of the coconut ice cream, it was a hit amongst us.

Overall, it was a fun outing having to catch up with Chef Martin Yan once again on his Malaysian tour. At 66+ years old, he’s still as comical and humorous as he was on the TV shows. As for the Shangri-La Group of Hotels and Resorts worldwide, I would want to wish them all the best in achieving their goal of serving 75% more sustainable sourced food on the menus within the next 5 years.

The restaurant is just located within the premises of Golden Sands Resort. Drive all the way up towards Batu Ferringhi. When you see the Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa on your right, slow down and watch out for the Golden Sands Resort entrance which is right after the Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa. Park your car at the ample car park there and walk into the main lobby of the resort. Head towards the beach area and you would see Sigi’s Bar & Grill on your right.

Name: GOLDEN SANDS RESORT
Address: Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-886 1911
GPS: 5.476330, 100.251440

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)

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)

Many people are not aware of the small town of Terong, located between Changkat Jering and Pantai Remis in Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia. The quaint township used to be quite active in tin mining until the late 1970s but has now been replaced by rubber and palm estates as well as charcoal factories. Thanks to the snail development pace for decades, Terong is still left untarnished with the pollution of mankind. It still has the old architectural buildings intact, lively mangrove swamps, forest reserves, clean rivers, scenic waterfall such as the Air Terjun Terong and more. Located about 10km away from the Changkat Jering toll plaza and 1.5km into Terong, lies a nice getaway for families and friends. It’s the first duck themed resort in Malaysia with a total area of 70 acres called Trong Leisure Farm & Resort (自農休閒農莊). The place would consist of a resort with recreational activities, a fishing pond, a duck farm (formerly called Soon Hock Duck Farm), a pork-free seafood restaurant and a Halal Malay restaurant.

Since not much information is available online regarding this place, let me brief you part by part on the whole establishment.

RESORT:

There are 12 units of rooms available for booking (2.00pm check-in and 12.00pm check-out) – 2-pax Standard (5 units), 2-pax Superior (4 units), 2-pax Deluxe (2 units) and 4-pax Family (1 unit). Prices can range as LOW SEASON (Sunday – Thursday): RM128-RM358, SHOULDER SEASON (Friday, Saturday & School Holidays): RM158-RM388, PEAK SEASON (Eve of Public Holidays & Public Holidays): RM188-RM438 and SUPER PEAK SEASON (EID, Chinese New Year & Deepavali): RM228-RM488. For more information, please contact +6010-464 0918/+6012-549 8978 or email: tronglesisurefarm@gmail.com

INDOOR & OUTDOOR RECREATIONS:

There will be a small amusement corner next to the restaurant for children such as the Duck Ride Machine and Toy Grabbing Machine. You can change some coins at the cashier counter. Other than that, you can try out the Duck Pedal Boat at RM6 per 15 minutes or feed the duck with duck feeds at RM2.00/100g. You can buy the ticket at a shop lot next to the pond. There’s a passion fruit arch nearby. If you were lucky enough, you might find some fruits intact but I only managed to see some blooms. Do not go about plucking anything in the farm as you will be fined heavily for vandalism.

FISHING POND:

There will be a few species of freshwater fishes in the pond for your angling experiences such as tilapia, lampang, rohu, patin, sultan fish and more. Any fish above 3kg has to be released back into the pond. Other than the tilapia and lampang which you can bring home for free, rohu and patin will be charged at RM5/kg whereas sultan fish will be charged at RM20/kg. There will be a small fee per rod for the number of hours you spent fishing by the pond (9.00am-9.00pm). Price: Full Day (RM50nett), Half Day (6 hours – RM40nett), 1st hour (RM15nett) and subsequent hour at RM10/hour. Baits and hooks will be calculated separately. For more information, please contact +6010-464 0918/+6012-549 8978 or email: tronglesisurefarm@gmail.com

DUCK FARM VISIT:

There will be 6 duck houses with each house able to accommodate around 1200 ducks. In total, there will be around 7000 ducks at one time. You will be able to get upclose and personal with those ducklings, drakes and ducks. You can identify the gender of the drakes by their low and deep sound whereas the ducks with their louder and high pitched sound. Ticket is available at the restaurant count at RM5.00/adult and RM3.00/child. Visiting hours will be from 9.30am until 7.00pm. Resort guests will be at half price. A tractor with passenger seats, will chauffer you to and fro from the duck farm. At the moment, there’s no limitation on how long you can spend at the duck farm. Be warned that there might be strong stench emitting from the duck shit along the way. Please make sure that you close all the gates when you enter each fenced farm to prevent the ducks from running out. If you are lucky, you might find some egrets mingling with the ducks.

RESTAURANTS:

There will be a HALAL Malay restaurant named Naz Tomyam at the dining area. The vendor will operate from 6.00am until 12.00am. They have a combination of dishes from roti canai in the early morning to Thai style dishes throughout the day. For more information, you can contact Encik Khairol at +6017-299 9883/+6016-809 6648 for your special bookings.

There will also be the Trong Seafood Restaurant serving PORK-FREE dishes from 11.00am until 10.30pm. You can make your reservation by contacting +6010-464 0918 or +6012-549 8978 during business hours.

Since this was my first time here, I only managed to try out some of their signature dishes. The first dish was their Signature Pei Pa Duck (Pipa Duck/琵琶鴨 – RM20nett/half duck). The name derived from the shape of the duck being opened up prior to roasting which resembles the Chinese musical instrument, Pipa. The sauce had all the necessary flavors which may include hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, ginger juice, sesame oil, sugar and finely chopped garlic. However, the skin was not as crispy as it should be and the meat was rather tough. From my experience having this dish many times, I would think that the kitchen did not spend time truly understand the method of tenderizing the meat. Moreover, the skin won’t be so soft if they had the proper time to sun-dry the duck properly. On top of that, some famous vendors would normally deep fry the roasted duck prior to serving to give it that extra crispiness. Something might have gone wrong in their process or else it would be a perfect dish to my preference.

The next dish was the Chili Salt Deep Fried Squids (椒鹽蘇東 – RM15nett). I was actually expecting this dish to be Pepper Salt Deep Fried Squids since “椒” can mean pepper too but it ended up as diced capsicum salt version. The taste was not bad but it would be better if some coarsely pounded black pepper be added in for that extra earthly flavor.

We also tried out their Signature Deep Fried Homemade Tofu (招牌豆腐 – RM10nett). There are many versions of homemade tofu being served in different restaurants, from silky smooth texture to reprocessed mashed ones with sandy texture aka the Yunnan style tofu. The ones served here was the latter. However, the tofu only had mashed bean curds with only Thai dried shrimps, some chopped scallions and added egg to steam again to make the block. The end product would then be cut into bite sizes, coated with some corn starch and deep fried to golden brown prior to serving. The tofu fell flat to my liking without much flavor and they were rather chewy too. They did not have that bite as some of those I had tasted before. With some added thinly sliced wood ear fungus or finely chopped up shitake mushrooms would have given the dish better justice. I hope the kitchen would improve further on this dish.

The last dish I ordered was their Signature Eggplant with Dried Shrimps (蝦米茄子 – RM10nett). The dish was just some deep fried batter coated eggplant slices stir fried with some onions, curry leaves and dried shrimps. The whole dish practically depended on the flavor from the dried shrimps, nothing else. The chef should at least add in some pounded bird eye chilies or sliced red chilies or even some chopped fermented black beans to pep up more flavors. The dish was rather amateurish and rather one track style of cooking to my liking.

As for beverage, we just ordered a jug of Prunella Herbal Tea (夏穀草涼茶 – RM9.00nett). This was a real thirst quencher with the use of brown sugar to clear the internal body heat from the scorching sun.

If you are in for freshly salted duck eggs, you can always purchase a bag of 12 salted eggs at RM9.00nett at the counter.

Overall, the restaurant could just be a convenient place for visitors to dine in but not one that could provide the right balance of yin and yang in flavors. In short, it’s a place to fill up the stomach but not the place to go for skillfully prepared meals. Maybe as a Penangite, we have been pampered with too many choices to end up with this type of verdict. However, I hope that the kitchen will improve their food quality too. Wouldn’t it be great if the restaurant could attract more outsiders rather than relying just on the visiting crowd?

It’s not really hard to locate Trong Leisure Farm & Resort as it’s just along the main road towards Terong. No matter where you are coming from such as Taiping, Lumut, Pantai Remis or even via Changkat Jering toll using the old trunk road, just look out for the “Terong” signboard. As you turn into the main road via Jalan Kuala Terong, just drive further in for about 1.5km and you can see the venue on your left. No worries as there’s a big signage in front of the property.

Name: TRONG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT @ TRONG LEISURE FARM & RESORT
Address: PT293, Jalan Kuala Trong, 34800 Terong, Perak, Malaysia.
Contact: +6010-464 0918, +6012-549 8978
Business Hours: 11.00am-10.30pm
GPS: 4.711202, 100.708172

RATING:
Ambience: 6/10 (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: 6/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 6/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

While Earth Day will fall on 22 April each year, “Every day is Earth Day in the Shangri-La’s Kitchen,” said Suleiman Tunku Abdul Rahman, Director of Communications, Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa and Golden Sands Resort, Penang. With the theme “Rooted in Nature”, Shangri-La Group of Hotels and Resorts worldwide support sustainable food produces from its local agriculture and aquaculture sectors. It’s an initiative to raise awareness on consuming freshly farmed food which had gone through strict international standard requirements without harming the environment. Not only will this campaign support the livelihood of its local farmers and fishermen, it will also enable diners to have fresher and healthier choice of diet without worrying about the presence of pesticide, hormone or antibiotic in their food. Moreover, dishes on offer will include produce and herbs grown on hotel grounds, locally sourced organic vegetables and fruits, line-caught fish, free-range poultry and beef, honey from a hotel’s own beehive, etc. According to Peter Finnegan, Shangri-La’s Group Director of Food and Beverages, “Our goal is to serve 75% more sustainable sourced food on the menus by year 2020.”

While engaging local partners such as the GST Group (seafood) and Ayamplus Food Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (poultry) in their “Rooted in Nature” campaign, we were fortunate to be given the opportunity to attend a food source trail at GST Group Fish Farm located offshore of Pulau Jerejak, Penang. GST Group is also the only European Union compliant fish farm in Malaysia, with two other fish farms in Pulau Aman and Pulau Pangkor plus a retail shop located in Simpang Ampat, Penang. The initial GST actually came from the founder’s name, Goh Siong Tee, 90 years old, decades ago and not to be confused with the recently implemented GST (Goods & Services Tax). “The name did draw a lot of attentions but in a good way too as it helps us to promote our business better,” jokingly stated by Joey Ong, Senior Business Development Executive. After having some breakfast sponsored by the hotels, we embarked on our journey via 3 fishing boats towards our destination. Anyway, we did not spot any mermaids or mermen on the way~ LOL~ 😛

We were briefed by En, Mohd Addin Aazif, Senior Aquacultural Technician, as well as by Mr. Goh Chin Twan, GST Group Marketing Manager, on the ecologically and ethically farmed fishes which ranged from species such as red (crimson) snapper (ikan merah pucat/ang sai/紅雞), golden snapper (ikan jenahak/ang cho/紅鰽), giant (goliath) grouper (ikan kertang/long dan/龍膽), pearl grouper (kerapu mutiara/long hu ban/龍虎斑 – a 2006 hybrid species between giant grouper and tiger grouper), cobia (ikan haruan tasik/hai lay/海鱺 – sashimi species), giant trevelly (ikan gerepuh/gu kang cheoh/牛港鰺 – commonly known as GT) and more.

Of course, the chefs from both Golden Sands Resort (Chinese Chef, Chef Danny Tan) and Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa (Executive Chef, Chef Lim Soon Leong & Chef de Cuisine, Chef Matthias Tretbar) could not resist camwhoring with some “edible fishes”, especially with the juvenile 17kg Giant Grouper (Ikan Kertang/Long Dan/龍膽). The Giant Grouper can reach to a maximum size of 2.5m and weigh more than 350kg.

After a fun-filled and knowledgeable expedition, we continued our journey up Batu Ferringhi towards the two participating Penang hotels – Golden Sands Resort and Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa. Each hotel has two participating eateries. Diners can identify the Rooted in Nature dishes by spotting a “pea shoot” logo printed alongside the dish description. It’s to ensure that the fresh ingredients used strictly follow at least one of the 5 guidelines, which are local produces, pesticide-free products, free-range livestock & poultry, sustainably sourced food and organic & fair trade products. You can check out the “pea shoot” logo as printed on the hot beverage below.

At Golden Sands Resort, we were led to Sigi’s Bar & Grill (the other Rooted in Nature participating eatery is their Garden Café). At the venue, we had the opportunity to try out some of the chefs’ skillfully prepared dishes from their “Rooted in Nature” menu from Grilled Sea Bass, Grilled Free Range Chicken & Organic Tofu to SIGI’s signature dessert of Double Scope Yam and Coconut Ice Cream with Fresh Whipped Cream.

On the other hand, Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa’s Spice Market (the other Rooted in Nature participating eatery is their Feringgi Grill) indeed do serve an extensive varieties of fishes, namely the Pearl Groupers and Red Snappers, cooked in a few unique flavors. These dishes will be available amongst the buffet spread from time to time.

We actually started the meal off with a bowl of Double-Broiled Free-Range Chicken Herbal Soup. Wow! I was impressed by the flavorful and nourishing herbal soup. It was indeed a great bowl of soup to replenish all the sweat and energy lost under the scorching sun during our field trip earlier. In fact, it was one of the best soups I’ve tasted with the usage of quality herbs, combined with the rich flavors from the hormone-free and antibiotic-free range chicken.

Amongst the many fish dishes served on the day, we were presented first with the non-spicy Chinese Style Steamed Pearl Grouper with Superior Sauce. It was just a commonly prepared banquet style dish but you could ascertain that it was at its freshest. How would you judge a fresh and mud-free fish from any restaurant? It’s in the basic ingredients used to pep up the flavors without the presence of julienned ginger.

We were also served with the Indian Style Red Snapper Curry. It may be another commonly available dish at most Indian and Mamak restaurants but again Spice Market lived up to its name by infusing quality herbs and spices into the dish. Moreover, the added sliced tomatoes and lady’s fingers were great complements. Can I have more steamed rice with this dish?

We then had the Malay Style Ikan Merah Masak Tiga Rasa (Malay Style 3-Flavors Red Snapper). I guessed each restaurant has its own style of presenting this dish. Most of the time, it was just batter fried fish in sweet and sour sauce with added bird eye chilies (cili padi). However, the chef here presented the dish with their own concocted gravy. It was indeed a dish favorable to my taste bud.

Somehow, the next dish which was the Nyonya Style Steamed Pearl Grouper had me indulged sinfully with more steamed rice. It was heavenly. Most the distinctive flavors from the usage of fresh ingredients used in Nyonya cooking were present with the additional refreshing flavor from the added mint leaves. However, I found the gravy to be too finely presented as in the herbs and spices being too finely blended. It would be great if the kitchen would coarsely blend them to give that little bit of bites. A little bit more of added ginger flower (bunga kantan) would surely pep up the dish further too.

The last of the fish dish was the humongous sized Italian Style Baked Pearl Grouper Parmigiana. If my guess were to be right, it could be around 5kg or more. It was like having pizza but with fish instead of dough as base. Though it was real presentable as a whole fish, it would be better to work with fish fillet instead. The whole dish was delicious but somehow the thick slab of flesh did not absorb the flavors from the ingredients used. This could be my personal preference dealing with meaty fish but I can assure you that the fish was extremely fresh without any trace of muddy after taste.

We ended up with a sweet treat created by their skillful pastry chef. It was the Lemongrass Crème Brulee with Coconut & Pandan Sauce. It had a smooth texture with a mild spiced up flavor from the lemongrass. The dessert went well with the condiment of coconut and pandan sauce.

Somehow, something got the sweet tooth out of me on that day which was never a norm for me. I could not have enough of desserts! LOL~ In the end, I adjourned to the FIP (Fun, Interactive & Play) Lounge next door and ordered the first thing that caught my attention. It was the Black Forest Chocolate Pizza served with Fresh Vanilla Pods Ice Cream. It was a decision I would never regret as the pizza had just the right ratio of bitterness against sweetness, from the base, shaved chocolate, black forest right up to the ice cream. By then, I was already up Cloud 9, indulging in the heavenly dessert. By the way, you could always check out FIP’s Weekend Coffee & Cakes Buffet at RM47nett/adult and RM24nett/child, serving from 3.00pm until 6.00pm (Saturday & Sunday).

Overall, from my previous dining experiences at both Golden Sands Resort’s Sigi’s Bar & Grill and Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa’s Spice Market, compared to now, the quality of dishes always gets better, with their assurance on the usage of the freshest ingredients plus high quality herbs and spices. Do support them on their mission to accomplish the best out of their Rooted in Nature campaign. It’s not only a WIN-WIN working relationship between the hotels and local suppliers but a WIN-WIN-WIN scenario for us diners as we are served with healthier and sustainable sourced food.

Name: GOLDEN SANDS RESORT
Address: Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-886 1911
GPS: 5.476330, 100.251440

Name: RASA SAYANG RESORT & SPA
Address: Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-888 8888
GPS: 5.478365, 100.253709

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)

By staying at The Key Bangkok Hotel where travelling via the two major mass transit systems has been real fun and convenient, I managed to explore quite a few interesting cafes within the Watthana district. Located nearby the BTS Thong Lo Station is a charming little hideaway establishment named Chico Interior Products & Café. If you are a cat lover, you would surely go goo-goo gaga over some of the free roaming cats within the premises. The bungalow-style shop may be hidden away from the main road but it was never short of visitors, especially those Japanese staying within the vicinity. Even their main website is all written in Japanese other than Thai or English. Isn’t that obvious? LOL~ 😛 If you love the serenity away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, this will be quite a nice place to spend some time sipping some beverages and gobbling down some of their nice homemade snacks and light meals.

On top of some tranquil moments with the furry felines, you can also spend some time mingling through some of their interior home products as well as personal gifts, not forgetting cat related items too. Some of their products may include Thai handicrafts, unique kitchen utensils, pillows, cushions, aromatherapy lamps, bamboo by-products, natural soaps, beewax candles, trinkets, wind chimes, stuffed toys, printed clothes and more.

Here are some photos of their cute cats, a mix of pedigrees and local shot hair felines. Even my cats had some edible gifts from the shop~ LOL~ 😛

Since it was already almost tea time, we had some light food and dessert over some hot beverages. I started off with a hot pot of Lavender Tea (THB100nett). With so much of eating spree for the last few days, it indeed relieved my eating tension and stress~ LOL~ 😛 Luckily they did not burn any lavender oil or I would be fast asleep under such a relaxing environment.

I also did try out their Hot Chocolate (THB80nett). It was filled with chocolate richness and the milk they used was also awesomely creamy. Wait! Why is there a fat cat having its sauna in my cup? Haha~ The latte art may look simple but based on the comment by an established 3D latte art master, it required lots of patience and steady hand to come out with this design. The hot beverage came with a cute cat shaped cookie as well.

As for a light meal, I ordered the Japanese Style Spaghetti (THB160nett). Wow~ I was impressed. The color may not look pleasant to the eyes but the taste was heavenly. It was just a simple spaghetti dish, stir fried with some pork slices, shitake and enoki mushrooms, zucchini and garnished with some bonito flakes but the gravy itself was pepped with rich earthly flavors. I could not stop myself from pussy licking the whole plate dry~ Meow~ 😛 For those who would want to get the best of the meal deal, I would advise you to drop by between 11.30am and 2.00pm as they have daily set lunch available, which would include a salad, a main dish (4 options such as Japanese Omu Rice, Japanese Style Spaghetti, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Japanese Beef Curry with Rice) and a cup of hot beverage (+THB10 for iced beverages) at only THB185nett.

We were lucky on that day as they have Dessert of The Day which was the Hot Banana Pie served with Vanilla Ice Cream (THB55nett). The hot oozing banana combined with the fresh vanilla pod ice cream was so seductive. The sensation was beyond any earthly word.

Overall, I quite like this place due to the peaceful settings within a hidden greenery filled premises. I also like the fore-sight of the shop owner by allowing patrons to have a place to relax before continuing with their hectic lifestyle. Time will stand still here while you are immensely occupied with the many interesting and unique items you can bring home as souvenirs. At least you do not have to suffer the scorching heat from the scattered markets to have your shopping done. Everything will be inclusive of the necessary taxes.

Just a note to those shutterbugs: You may take some general shots of the shop but not on individual product as they would want their products to be exclusive to their patrons.

Name: CHICO INTERIOR PRODUCTS & CAFE
Address: 109 Sukhumvit Soi 53 (Paidee-Maidee), Khlong Tan-Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Contact: +662 258 6557
Business Hours: 9.30am-6.00pm (Closed Tuesday)
GPS: 13.732805, 100.579067

DIRECTIONS:

Take the BTS Sukhumvit Line and stop at BTS Thong Lo Station. Use the Skywalk towards Exit 1 and walk downstairs all the way until you reach a junction. Turn right into Sukhumvit Soi 53. Walk on for about 15 minutes, pass the newly opened Nippon Kai Market, until the second junction with a “Soi Renoo” road sign. Turn right into the small alley and you can see the Chico signboard right at the end. If you are tired of walking, you can always get a tuk-tuk or a motorbike taxi by telling them that you are going to Soi Renoo or Chico.

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

Many people would have heard of the infamous Cabbages & Condoms Restaurant (C&C) in Bangkok, Thailand, with 5 other local branches in Nakhon Ratchasima, Vieng Pa Pao, Chiangrai, Nangnong plus a resort cum restaurant in Saptai. This themed restaurant is tucked away in an alley in the Khlong Toei district but is quite easily accessible via the BTS Asoke Station. You may ask why the bizarre name as cabbages had nothing to do with condoms at all. The brainchild of this over a decade old establishment, Senator Mechai Viravaidya, had conceptualized this project to spread the knowledge and understanding of contraception throughout Thailand, namely to overcome the reluctance to discuss issues on family planning, sex and HIV/AIDS. Thus, he caught the attentions of the public and eventually condoms became commonly available and as cheap as cabbages. Moreover, part of the profits from these restaurants would go towards supporting the work of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA).

It happened that I was staying at The Key Bangkok Hotel nearby and decided to check out the restaurant. Cabbages & Condoms Restaurant indeed has a catchy tagline on the menu to create the curiosity amongst diners – “Our food is guaranteed not to create pregnancy”. There are also many sex awareness posters scattered around the pathway towards the sanctuary-like restaurant ambiance plus quite a few condoms and birth control pills created fashionable outfits on the mannequins along the way. What caught my attention was the after dinner souvenirs – FREE CONDOMS. On top of that, you can also get more condom supplies at their free-flow corner, inclusive some water-based lubricant sachets. Cool~ Such convenience~ Well, they indeed won’t give you after dinner mints but you can take a condom instead~ LOL~ 😛

Anyway, Cabbages & Condoms Restaurant may have a great concept in introducing safe sex and family planning but failed in pepping up great dishes. It may be a great hangout place for Westerners over some barely authentic dishes but not for any Asians whom had years of growing up with herbs and spices. Somehow, I felt that the dishes served were mainly catered for those diners with low spicy tolerance. If you are looking for the Yin Yang balance of the Thai cuisine, this is definitely not the place for you as the basic 5 flavors (wan, kem, brieow, ped & kom/ หวาน, เค็ม, เปรี้ยว, เผ็ด & ขม/sweetness, saltiness, sourness, spiciness and bitterness) were not significantly present. You should have at least 3 of the 5 flavors significantly presence in a Thai dish.

To prove my points, I started out with the appetizer of Kratong Thong (Minced Chicken & Corn in Waffle Cups – THB120++). Basically, it was just some blandly prepared minced chicken mixed with some corn kernels (mixed vegetables version) and served in “Singapore Top Hats” aka “Nyonya Pie Tee” crispy pastries. To give them more flavors, you have to dress them with some Thai chili sauce. So, in my opinion, what is so Thai about this dish?

Just as an ideal example to judge on the 5 flavors, I tried out their salad, Yum Ma Khue Yaw (Roasted Eggplant with Prawns and Minced Chicken Salad – THB170++). Basically, only 2 flavors popped up significantly… saltiness from a high hint of nam pla (fish sauce) and sourness from the added lime juice. There were no sweetness from added palm sugar, spiciness from some added bird’s eye chilies and even some bitterness from the supposedly roasted eggplant. Even the minced chicken tasted bland. The whole dish tasted rather flat.

On top of that, they served the worst Gaeng Massaman Gai (Chicken Masamman Curry – THB200++) I have ever tasted with overcooked chicken pieces in super sweet curry. From my experience in cooking and creating many Asian dishes, the texture of the meat was the end result you would get if you have frozen the dish for many days and heat up when needed with a microwave oven. It was so bad until the meat was with powdery texture. It would surely put a shame to the Thai culinary world since it was voted as the #1 dish in CNNGo’s Top 50 Best Food in the World 2011.

Other than the main dish as above, I have decided to try out their noodle dish which was the Phad Se-Ew Moo (Stir Fry Flat Noodles with Kale & Pork – THB120++). I’m quite a regular for this “hor fun” type of stir fry noodles but the dish served here was horrendous. There were no hints of “wok hei” aka high heat stir frying, balanced flavors and the whole dish had that bitter-like chemical flavors. It was like consuming pesticide without getting murdered.

Overall, the ambience was quite cool for that themed experience or even bumming out with friends over some drinks. However, the restaurant should at least check on their food quality to ensure returned customers rather than concentrating on the one-time Western tourists. The only thing that I had supported was their many scattered donation boxes towards the welfare of some charitable organizations. There will be a surcharge of 10% service tax (ST) and 7% value added tax (VAT) in your bill.

Name: CABBAGES & CONDOMS RESTAURANT
Address: 6 Sukhumvit Soi 12, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Contact: +662 229 4610
Business Hours: 11.00am-11.00pm
GPS: 13.737885, 100.557966

DIRECTIONS:

Take the BTS Sukhumvit Line and stop at BTS Asoke Station. Use the Skywalk towards Exit 2 and walk downstairs towards Times Square Shopping Center Asoke. Immediately, after the building, turn left into Sukhumvit Soi 12. You can see a signboard directing you to the venue. Walk around 10 minutes and you can see the entrance within a compound on your right.

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: 5.5/10 (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)

Are you aware that ZEST Bar Café @ GLOW by Zinc, a cool and comfortable café within a modern and chic hotel, located right in the heart of George Town, is currently having their Thai food promotions? With 4 others Glow hotels in Thailand, namely Koh Yao Yai, Pratunam, Trinity Silom and Sukhumvit, I won’t be surprise that Thai cuisine remains their main theme. Whether it’s for individual serving or with a group of family members and friends, there will always be something for everyone. Moreover, it’s also a great time to pay them a visit and play with their latest props for their Most Creative Selfie Competition to be eligible to win free night stays at one of their leading Thailand hotels. More information is available here.

Do check out their Thai Set Lunch Menu and Ala Carte Menu as shown below. The meals will be available from 11.30am until 5.00pm daily. Click on the menu below for a better view.

Let’s have a look at their Ala Carte Menu to check out some of the great dishes for your lunch. To start off the meal, you can always order their Miang Kam (เมี่ยงคำ – RM8+) or commonly known as “one biteful” in Thai cuisine. The dish will consist of wild betel leaves, toasted grated coconut, dried shrimps, shallots, peanuts, mini ginger cubes with a punch of bird’s eyes chili, served with their own concoction of sweet oozy like palm sugar based sauce.

Alternatively, you can also try out their Som Tam (ส้มตำ – RM10+), a lime zesty and pungently spiced up young papaya salad with dried shrimps, cabbages, long beans, tomatoes, garlic, toasted peanuts, bird’s eyes chilies, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. It’s a great appetizer in most Thai food servings.

If you are not a fan of papayas, then you can try out their Yam Woon Sen (ยำวุ้นเส้น – RM12+), a glass noodles appetizer filled with punches from the vegetables, herbs and added steamed prawns. The dish had all the 5 main flavors (wan, kem, brieow, ped & kom/ หวาน, เค็ม, เปรี้ยว, เผ็ด & ขม) in Thai cuisine, mainly a balance of sweetness, saltiness, sourness, spiciness and bitterness (from the added cilantro and mint leaves).

The eatery also does serve various soups. One of them being the Tom Kha Gai (ต้มข่าไก่ – RM12+), a thick herbs and spices packed chicken soup with hints of galangal and lemongrass. However, I personally felt that the broth was slightly too thick for me, thus felt rather surfeit after just a few mouthful. I have the feeling that box coconut milk, which was much thicker than freshly squeezed ones, was used in the recipe. Moreover, it lacked the fragrance and flavors from the herbs used. In Thai cuisine, you can’t be slicing everything so delicately. Ingredients such as galangal, lemongrass or even chilies have to be smashed prior to cooking to obtain the optimum flavors. More kaffir lime leaves should be added in too for that distinctive zesty flavor. I hope the kitchen is aware of the proper cooking methods in Thai cuisine.

Another soup option will be their Tom Yam Goong (ต้มยำกุ้ง – RM18+). Unlike the Tom Kha Gai, this soup is pepped up with various flavors, especially from the freshness of the king prawns. However, it still lacked something important – the fragrance from the used herbs and spices. It was again the cooking methods all gone wrong again. I hope they rectify this basic rule in Thai cooking.

As for main dishes, there’s a mix & match of Thai dishes as well as some Western for those who can’t consume too spicy food. You can start with just Pad Thai (ผัดไทย – RM15+), the Thai version of flat noodles wok fried with prawns, bean curds and served with some raw bean sprouts, Chinese chives, crushed peanuts, chili flakes, sugar plus a slice of lime. The version served here was with an additional egg wrap. Notably, a great Pad Thai would consist of a balance of yin and yang flavors from the usage of fish sauce, tamarind paste and lime juice. Of course, there’s the need of the perfect “wok hei” aka high heat stir frying from a super hot wok.

There will be quite a variety of “one dish – one rice” options here starting with the Kaeng Phet (แกงเผ็ด – RM18+). This is basically the authentic Thai version of spicy coconut milk based red curry recipe, with the option to have the dish pepped up with either prawns or chicken. We had this dish cooked with prawns. However, my personal preference would still be with chicken as it would be more harmonious with the texture.

Another version would be the Gaeng Keow Wan (แกงเขียวหวาน – RM18+), an all-time signature Thai green curry dish loved by many food critics. It had an immaculate blend of green curry paste combined with coconut cream with your preference of either prawns or chicken to create that delicious thick curry that would complement your hot steaming rice well. We had boneless chicken cuts for this option. Though the dish may look tame by its color, it could be somewhat spicy for some. As for taste wise, the dish was fine except that I wondered why was broccoli being added instead of the commonly use eggplant. Somehow, the bite sensation and texture were somewhat different.

Next on the list was a dish loved by all of us. It was the Pad Kra Prao (ผัดกะเพรา – RM18+), a minced meat dish stir fried with Thai basil leaves, served with rice and an omelette. Here you have an option of either minced chicken or beef. We chose minced chicken instead. This complete street food meal deal can be quite abundant in Thailand. The simple salty sweet flavors from the added garlic, chilies and Thai basils, combined with soy sauce, oyster sauce and a dash of dark soy sauce would make you crave for more.

Of course, there will be the world’s #1 dish in the menu. Do try out their Gaeng Massaman (แกงมัสมั่น – RM18+), a Southern Thai dish with Indian influence. Compared to the red, green, yellow curries of Thailand, you can find the usage of many dry spices such as cardamom, cinnamon or even nutmeg being used in the recipe. With a long list of needed ingredients, the flavors of Massaman Curry can be quite complicated and yet delish to the palate of anyone. You can have the option of chicken or beef for this dish. The dish would come with added potatoes and toasted peanuts.

Who would miss the many mouth-watering Thai desserts? This dessert would surely tempt those sweet tooth diners. Firstly, we have the Sang Kaya Fak Tong (สังขยาฟักทอง – RM7+), sometimes also known as the Thai Pumpkin Custard. It’s a unique dessert with eggy sweet coconut cream custard steamed in a whole kabocha squash (Japanese mini pumpkin). The slice of dessert was served with added coconut cream and toasted sesame seeds syrup.

You would get to try out of the street desserts such as the Khanom Khao Mao (ขนมขาวเมา- RM7+), a sinfully sugary ripe banana wrapped in grated coconut and sticky rice, deep fried to perfect crispiness and served with extra coconut cream. Though sinful for your diet, it’s the ultimate dessert to end your meal.

Overall, some of the dishes served here can be real fulfilling though they have been tweaked to suit the taste buds of the diners in this region. I’m sure most of us can’t really consume the 100% authentic ones as they can be quite overpowering in terms of spiciness, sourness and sweetness. Anyway, Zest Bar can still be the perfect place to relax and dine while admiring the scenic view of George Town.

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: 11.30am-5.00pm (lunch), 6.00pm-10.30pm (dinner by booking)
GPS: 5.416638, 100.322952

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: 7.5/10 (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)

Mahatma Gandhi once quoted “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” How true this saying is as our own health lies within our own control. No matter how much materialism one would pursue, without proper health nothing could be accomplished well, physically and mentally. That’s how bad it was for me during the last three quarters of 2014, going through bouts of stress related illness, rather than maintaining a healthier lifestyle. This year, to usher in the Wooden Green Goat for this coming Chinese New Year, it’s all about organic and earthly diets that I have to take heed. Coincidentally, Idealite – Malaysia’s First Wholesome Dining Place had come out with meatless, gluten-free, MSG-free, lactose-free, etc healthy menu for me to kick start a brand new 2015. Let’s start by “Lou Sang”, an age-old custom steeped in ancient Chinese tradition and culture, to wish for “upward” health, wealth, luck and happiness in abundance during this coming Chinese New Year.

Idealite has a few package options for this Chinese New Year with 2 packages (RM488 and RM688) for a table of 10 pax and 2 set meals (RM128.88 & RM168.88) for 3-4 pax. You can click on the poster below for a clearer view of the dishes served.

For the abovementioned packages and set meals, each table with be given a complimentary plate of Lou Sang worth RM48.88 and RM28.88 respectively. Instead of the commercialized Lou Sang with dried and pickled items, all ingredients in Idealite’s Lou Sang are fresh produce such as cucumber, pumpkin, carrot, beetroot, red cabbages, jicama, lettuce, tomatoes, mint leaves, pomelo, Mandarin oranges, ginger flower, cashew nuts, seaweed & spring roll crackers and topped with their homemade special sauce. The whole combination was superb.

To start off the meal, we had the RM488 full course package and a few other notable options from the RM688 package. The starter was the Smooth & Happy Appetizer which consisted of 4 dishes such as the Harmony & Peace Scallops (Eryngii Mushroom), Pattaya Salad (Sea Bird Nest), Happy Mutton (Monkey Head/Hericium Mushroom) and Dumplings.

Next on the menu was the Nourishing Soup filled with different varieties of mushrooms, some wolfberries, infused with a light herbal flavored soup base and thickened with some egg white. This was one of my favorite dishes in the menu. However, it would be better if the kitchen were to use wet bean curd to keep the dish as vegan as possible.

The Hong Kong originated Treasure Pot (commonly known as Poon Choi or Phen Cai) was a hit amongst us. If you are a fan of all the different varieties of mushrooms, you would surely love the rich yet earthly flavors from the treasure pot. The dish has about 15 types of ingredients and would be sufficient for me to get my appetite growing.

The Wealth & Prosperity Taro Fish was one unique dish that I fell in love with. The painstaking hours of combining mashed taro with oat milk and skillfully shaped the concoction into the shape of a fish is worth mentioning here. With a light drizzle of hot oil to make the outer crust crispy while maintaining the moist within, the “fish” combined with a somewhat spicy sweet sauce complemented each other well. The only setback was that the “fish” was too big and very filling. I won’t mind if the kitchen could come out with some stuffing for the “fish” in near future.

We were also served with the Fortune Claypot Rice. This dish may not look that impressive but it was filled with flavors. It had a light hint of herb flavors, lots of fresh ingredients with some crispy “salted fish”. The whole concoction was not as “sinful” as the name since it did not contain any meat at all.

Lastly, it was the Fruitful Year, a dessert of the day. We had a nicely simmered snow fungus in a naturally jujubes sweetened soup with added wolfberries.

We also did try out two items from the RM688 package. The first one was the Ideal Fo Tiao Qiang, an aromatic yet nourishing soup to rejuvenate your body against lethargy and other sickness. The two main herbs found here consisted of ginseng and dang gui which have been traditionally used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to maintain the well being of the consumer.

We also tried out the Auspicious Golden Crispy Salmon which was actually made from a combination of carrots and oat milk. this was served with their homemade condiment of a white sauce.

Overall, you can be assured that the dishes served here are extremely healthy for the palate of all diners. Compared to when Idealite first started in Penang with only a few selection of dishes, the restaurant now had evolved into a wholesome dining place to be loved by many, whether you are a vegetarian, vegan or a meat eater. Once awhile it’s great to get some detox over here, not solely from the vegetables and fiber served but also to strengthen your digestive systems from their homemade enzyme which can be found in some of their dishes.

It’s not hard to find Idealite at it’s located just two shop houses away from Hotel Waterfall (Little Cottage 2) and next to Double Dragon Inn Restaurant along Jalan Gottlieb. Parking spaces could be rather limited during weekends especially when Little Cottage 2 is having their weekend buffet.

Name: IDEALITE – MALAYSIA 1ST WELLNESS EDUCATIONAL RESTAURANT(品味舒食 – Beside Waterfall Hotel)
Address: 27C Jalan Gottlieb, 10350 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-226 3650
Business Hours: 8.00am-8.00pm (Closed on Monday)
GPS: 5.430574, 100.299698

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

It’s time to celebrate the festive seasons of 2014 with some traditions be under the culinary skills of Sous Chef, Chef Harmizi and Award Winning Pastry Chef, Chef Tan. Get spoilt with a scrumptious buffet at G Café @ G Hotel Penang featuring festive specialties, international & local selection of soups, appetizers, main courses and desserts, a perfect venue for the whole family and friends to dine in together.

Here’s a summary of what G Café @ G Hotel Penang will be offering:

Christmas Eve Dinner on 24 Dec 2014 / 6.30pm – 11.00pm
Priced at RM 148++ per adult & RM 68 per child (7-12 years)
Free flow of soft drinks & Juices
A glass of traditional glue wine on arrival
Add RM 99++ for free flow of house beer or wine

Christmas Day Sparkling Brunch on 25 Dec 2014 / 12pm – 3pm
Priced at RM 138++ per adult & RM 68++ per child (7-12 years)
Free flow of soft drinks & Juices
A glass of sparkling wine on arrival
Add RM 99++ for free flow of house beer or wine

Boxing Day Buffet Lunch on 26 Dec 2014 / 12pm – 3pm
Priced at RM 98++ per adult & RM 50 per child (7-12 years)
Free flow of soft drinks & Juices
Add RM 99++ for free flow of house beer or wine

New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet on 31 Dec 2014
7pm – 11pm (Buffet) / 11pm – 3pm (Party)
Priced at RM 168++ per adult & RM 88++ per Child
Free flow of soft drinks & Juices
A glass of champagne on arrival

New Year’s Day Brunch on 1 Jan 2015 / 12pm – 3pm
Priced at RM 138++ and RM 68++ per child
Free flow of soft drinks & Juices
A glass of sparkling wine on arrival
Add RM 99++ for free flow of house beer or wine

For reservations and enquiries, kindly please contact +604-238 0000 or email to food.beverage@ghotel.com.my

Let’s have a little preview on what food you would expect for the Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner 2014.

APPERTIZERS: Seafood Cocktail in Martini Glass, Smoked Duck Breast with Fruit Chutney Platter, Marinated Capsicum Salad with Fennel & Olive Dressing, Roasted Chicken Salad with Bean Sprout, Christmas Coleslaw with Apples and Raisins, Assorted Cold Cut with Pickled Vegetables and Sweet Relish, Spicy Pasta Salad, Tomatoes, Avocado & Cheese with Raspberry Dressing, Drunken Chicken Platter, Smoked Salmon & Tenggiri Fish with Horseradish, Assorted Chinese Cold Cut, Cheese Platter with Nuts, Dried Fruits & Pickled Fruits, Vegetables Antipasto.

VEGETABLES FROM THE SALADS BAR: Ice Berg Lettuce, Romaine, Red Chicory, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Carrot, Baby Corn, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Red Cabbage, Lollo Rossa & Bionda, Green & Red Capsicum.

DRESSINGS & CONDIMENTS: Thousand Island, French, Italian, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Cocktail Honey Mustard, Mint, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Whole Grain Mustard, Dijon Mustard, Yoghurt, Parmesan Cheese, Black and Green Olive, Sweet Relish, Capers, Gherkin and Pickled Onions.

FRESH SEAFOOD ON ICE: Flower Crab, yabis, Prawns, Mussels & Scallops with lemon wedge, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Kikkoman soy, gari & wasabi Japanese sushi bar, California hand rolls, sashimi, tuna, salmon and butterfish.

SHOW KITCHEN LIVE COOKING: The SMP pizza, Marguerite Pizza, Salmon Fantasy Pizza, Surf N Turf Quesadilla, Pasta Station – Penne, Spaghetti, Linguine, Napolitana, Carbonara and Bolognaise.

SOUPS: Cream of Pumpkin with Smoked Chicken, Braised Dried Scallop and Crab Meat Soup

CARVERY: Roasted Turkey with Apple Cranberry Sauce & Giblet Gravy with Traditional Stuffing, Roasted Beef with Green Pepper Corn Sauce, Garlic Sauce, Mint Sauce and Condiments.

FROM BARBEQUE GRILLER: Salmon, Cat Fish, Squid, King Prawn, Steak, Slipper Lobster, Lamb Chop, Chicken Chop, Beef Steak, Chorizo & Bratwurst Sausage, Grilled Vegetables, Corn on Cob & Baked Potatoes with 6 Types of Sauce and Condiments.

HOT FROM THE CHAFING DISH: Turkey Piccata Milanese, Sautéed Farmer New Potatoes, Grilled Fish Fillet with Dill Cream Sauce, Oyster al Gratin, Minced Chicken and Mushroom Pie, Roasted Duck with Apricot Glazed, Crispy Chicken with Mango Sauce, Buttered Baby Young Corn, Brussels Sprout, Carrot, Fennel and Cauliflower, Lamb Osso buco with creamy polenta shitake mushrooms, Wok Fried Beef with Capsicum, Almond Butter Rice, Udon Noodle with Bean Sprout and Seafood.

DESSERTS: Warm Christmas Puddings with Vanilla Sauce, Chocolate Banana Cake, Tiramisu in Glass, Assorted Christmas Cookies, Pumpkin Pie, Assorted French Pastries, Christmas Yule Log Cake, New York Cheese cake, Christmas Fruit Cake, Christstollen, Raspberry Panna Cotta in Glass, Macaroons, Cinnamon Banana Bread Pudding, Strawberry Chocolate Mousse, Mini Fruit Tartlets, 8 Types of Fresh Tropical Fruit, Rojak with Condiments & Paste, Dark & White Chocolate Fountain, Ice Cream, Ice Kacang and Waffles with Condiments. There will also be a selections of Coffee & Tea.

For takeaways, Christmas goodies are available at the Gingerbread House and the bakery gifts are a lovely way of sending warm holiday wishes to everyone. Choose from a variety of tasty and freshly baked Assorted Christmas Cookies, Assorted Macaroon, Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Log Cake, Christmas Minced Pie and many more sweet delicacies.

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
GPS: 5.437637, 100.310567

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

Hard Rock Hotel Penang will be having a few promotions this festive season to pamper rock star wannabes in Penang under the expertise of the hotel’s Executive Chef, Chef Zul, whom also bagged “The Best Western Chef “ Award in this year’s 7th Gastronomique Penang. Do enjoy his delightful holiday treats this Christmas & New Year eves at Starz Diner @ Hard Rock Hotel Penang from 6.30pm until 10.30pm. Please call +604-886 8057 or email fb.penang@hardrockhotels.net to book earlier to avoid disappointment.

The Christmas Eve Rock ‘n’ Roll Buffet Dinner is priced at RM 160++ per person. You will be expecting a wide selection from the sushi bar, salad bar, platters, hot dishes, action station, carving station, desserts and more.

Let’s have a peep onto the highlights for the joyous evening as below:

First, we’ll have Tiger Prawns with Mango and Avocado Salad as appetizer. Fresh prawns with cool salad dressing will always be the best to start off a meal.

If you are not a fan of seafood, there’ll always be the Seared Rare Beef with Roasted Pumpkin and Pesto. Not a bad combination though but I would prefer some beef jus added to add in more flavors.

The highlight of any Christmas meal will always be the roasted turkey, what more it’s organically fed without added antibiotic or hormone. We were treated with Roasted Turkey with Giblet Gravy with Cranberry Sauce, Glazed Nuts Stuffing, Sweet Potatoes & Seasonal Vegetables. Oh My… This is the best turkey I ever had and the meat was juicy and tender unlike others. Combined with the condiments of gravy and sauce plus the stuffing, it was a perfect meal for the whole season.

The next dish which was the Hawaiian Crab Cakes with Green Pea Puree and Grilled Pineapple was awesome. Soft in the inside will the juiciness of the seafood combined with the crusty outer layer was perfect for any party.

Christmas will not be Christmas without the Chocolate & Cherry Yule Logs. This was one of the good ones around.

Of course, there’ll be the English Fruit Cake with Glazed Fruits. Sweet as it is, it’s a great dessert to end the dinner over a cup of hot tea.

On the other hand, the New Eve Buffet Dinner is priced at RM 172++ per person. You would be served with a wide variety of fresh oysters from the Shucked Oyster Bar, chilled seafood, appetizers, Asian corner, shawarma station and many more.

Some of the recommendations would include Tuna Fish Nicose with Palm Shoyu Dressing, Scallops & Beetroot Salad with Vinaigrette, Chicken Galantine with Berry Relish, Roasted Pumpkin with Tomato Basil Brea & Grissini – Pesto, Pan Seared Salmon with Prawn Capers Salsa, Wok Fried Slipper Lobsters with Dried Chili Flakes & Garlic, Apricot & Vanilla Panna Cottas and Miniature Pandan Cherry Cheese Cake

On top of that, there’ll be two more promotions for New Year Eve at Pizzeria and Hard Rock Café. Pizzeria will be having its Seafood Buffet Dinner featuring a charcuterie bar, BBQ seafood, pizzas, carving station and more while Hard Rock Café is offering a 4-course dinner at RM 170++ per person featuring a starter, soup, a choice of main course and dessert.

Overall, the dishes are specially crafted for the festive seasons and can be quite palatable for those who love to savor those once a year delicacies, especially that yummy and memorable flavors of the Roasted Turkey and Stuffing that still lingers in my mouth.

The Starz Diner is located at the left wing of Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Upon entering, just head to the left side and you will see a little glass door leading to the eatery.

Name: STARZ DINER @ HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG
Address: Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-881 1711
Business Hours: 6.30am-11.00am, 5.30pm-11.00pm
GPS: 5.467568, 100.241382

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