CRIZ BON APPETITE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts: Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 98 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 40,000. Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in Mainland China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.

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)