CRIZ BON APPETITE

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

59Sixty Restaurant & Events:

David Brown Restaurant & Terraces, Penang:

Eastin Hotel, Penang:

E&O Hotel, Penang:

Hotel Equatorial, Penang:

Evergreen Laurel Hotel, Penang:

G Hotel, Penang:

Golden Sands Resort, Penang:

Hard Rock Hotel, Penang:

Hotel Jen, Penang:

Olive Tree Hotel, Penang:

Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang:

St. Giles Wembley, Penang:

For those who have frequent E&O Hotel (Eastern & Oriental Hotel), you would know that it has the reputation of pampering its diners with the best and freshest choice of dishes for their various promotions. Currently, Sarkies Corner at the old wing of E&O Hotel is having their Seafood Steamboat Promotion from 6.30pm until 10.30pm on a daily basis. Priced at RM88.00nett (adult) and RM35.00nett (child from 6-12 years old), diners would get to savor the fresh ingredients with their richly pepped up soup stocks. Of course, it’s best to enjoy the steamboat with your family members and friends. There won’t be fun when you are having the steamboat alone right?

There would be 3 options for your soup base, namely clear chicken soup, Chinese herbal soup and tomyam soup. You can only choose one option and the soup is refillable.

Basically, you would be served with 2 big plates of fresh ingredients for your order. The main “seafood/meat” plate would consist of crabs (one crab per person), prawns, scallops, mussels, bamboo clams, salmon slices, chicken slices, beef slices and fish balls. On the second “vegetable” plate would consist of napa cabbages, baby bok choy, enoki mushrooms, oyster mushroom, Shimeji bunapi mushrooms, wood ear fungus, Japanese tofu, eggs (one egg per person) and dried bean curd sticks. Condiments provided would include their spicy homemade chili ginger garlic sauce (this is spicy hot but I like it!), sesame oil, soy sauce, red sweet potato sauce, red chilies and garlic in oil. Note: If you are not a beef eater, please inform the kitchen so that they can replace something else for you.

Overall, I quite like the concept of serving steamboats in Sarkies Corner @ E&O Hotel. At least I won’t have to wash up after all the hectic preparations in the kitchen~ LOL~ 😛 The best part on the steamboat was to have all the fresh seafood simmering inside the hot pot and infused the soup with lovely oceanic flavors. Well, the more people there are, the more seafood you would get, thus richer after cooking soup base.

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

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

RATING:
Ambience: 8.5/10 (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: 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)

* 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)

Can you imagine that I had not even touch on the full salad, soup, buns, scones and dim sum section yet? This is already heaven for me!

Name: SARKIES CORNER, EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
Opening Hours: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
GPS: 5.423361, 100.335946

RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Food Choices: 10/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Taste: 9/10 (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)

Where would you treat your family for lunch on a Sunday? You should try out Sarkies Corner Sunday Buffet Hi-Tea, located in Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Hotel. By paying just RM42++ (adults) or RM21++ (children), you could savor one of the most wonderful spread of buffet lines in Penang, ranging from local delicacies to international favorites.

You may want to know what are the choices of food available in Sarkies Corner? At one corner would be the appetizers which consist of greens, salads, cold cuts and at times sushi. You have the soup section as well. As for the main course, there are so many dishes that stood out amongst the best in Penang, namely the roasted duck, chicken, grilled fish, skewed BBQ chicken (satay), roti canai, curry fish head, etc.

The restaurant provided a generous amount of food and all of them are of quality. I was surprised that they have thick slices of grilled cod fish and salmon, which are considered expensive in the market. They even gave a curry fish head each for those who love this dish.

As for dessert, there would be the local kuih (desserts), fruits, choices of cakes, jellies ice creams and of course our local favorite, Ice Kacang (Shaved Ice). Coffee, tea and juices are free flow.

If you are in for quality food without worrying about your waist line, this would be the most ideal buffet hi-tea in town. Please make reservation days earlier before you go there as there will be large crowds. You can even reach there earlier before 11.30am to ensure a good sitting place. Here are some of the photos of the food that the restaurant was serving.

I am sure everyone knows about the location of E&O Hotel, the oldest hotel in Penang. If you are not sure, you can refer to the map or ask any of the friendly Penangites and they would be glad to show you how to go there.

Name: SARKIES CORNER, EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL
Address: 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-222 2000
Opening Hours: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
GPS: 5.423154, 100.336021

RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (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: 7/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)