Special thanks to Hotel Equatorial Penang for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Hotel Equatorial Penang is a prestigious resort next to the 18-hole Penang Golf Club. This 5-star hotel welcomes arriving guests with its spacious concourse that rises to the height of nearly 10 floors. Vines hang gracefully from the upper floors, while an artificial stream flows within the hotel’s expansive grounds.
Hotel Equatorial has 5 eateries in total. Located right above Golden Phoenix, The View serves French cuisine in a fine dining setting. Smart casual attire is expected.
As the restaurant’s name rightly implies, The View provides a breathtaking view of the surrounding areas. The scenery is particularly mesmerizing with the setting sun casting from the back.
This evening, The View is hosting the Flametree Margaret River Wine Dinner in collaboration with Évian, Badoit and The Wine Shop. This 5-course meal takes diners on a gastronomical journey while savoring several wine labels from Flametree.
Flametree is a renowned winery in Margaret River, Australia. Located on the west coast of the continent, Margaret River is surrounded by the Indian Ocean on three sides. The region’s temperate Mediterranean climate produces some of the finest wines in the country.
While waiting for dinner to be served, diners may help themselves to a basket of bread rolls to keep the appetite up. Salted butter is provided.
The first course is Sesame Crusted Hamachi. Also known as yellowtail, the fish is served raw à la sashimi. The sesame-coated crust gives the fillet a scrumptious touch of crispiness. The fish is served with tomato salsa, spicy-sweet plum sauce and microgreens. The paired wine is Flametree Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon 2017, which carries a burst of nectarine sweetness with hints of fresh herbs.
The next course, Pan-Seared Foie Gras, is cooked to absolute perfection. The buttery goose liver virtually melts upon contact with my tongue. I also appreciate the use of Melba toast, baby spinach, grape relish and fig infusion for the plating. This evening’s foie gras is meant to go with Flametree S.R.S. Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2015. The wine’s fruity flavors shrouds a touch of salinity – a hallmark of Margaret River’s unique soil.
Seafood Cappuccino Provençale Olive Oil is a lovely soup that combines rich flavors of seafood with olive oil and truffle. Its light and foamy consistency is the result of an espuma. The soup is served in a coffee cup alongside a grissino (breadstick).
The subsequent dish is Oven-Roasted Australian Grain Fed Beef Tenderloin. Flavored with port wine emulsion, the steak rests on a bed of crispy potato noodles. Baby-cut carrot and microgreens serve as icing on the cake. I feel that the beef is on the dry side; medium doneness might have been a better choice. Assigned to this dish is a red wine, Flametree Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2015.
On the other hand, the Pistachio Nut Crusted Young New Zealand Rack Of Lamb is substantially juicier. The tangy grain mustard sauce also does a great job in accentuating the succulent flavors of lamb. Served on the side are roasted honey pumpkin and sautéed wild mushrooms. Another red wine, Flametree S.R.S. Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, is paired with this delectable lamb dish.
Cheese holds a special place in my heart, so I am thrilled to sample the exquisite Cheese Platter. Today’s cheese selections are Gouda, blue cheese and cheddar. Accompanying the cheeses are Fuji apple compote, fig, apricot, pecan, almond and walnut.
As for the dessert, Ice Cream Bon Bon consists of vanilla ice cream with white chocolate coating. Dry ice vapors present a mystifying illusion. Also included is an assortment of butter cookies and pralines. These sweet treats are paired with a dessert wine, Flametree Botrytis Sémillon 2017. The wine is fermented from grapes that have been deliberately infected by a fungus called noble rot, resulting in more concentrated sweetness.
Last but not least, a cup of coffee concludes the dinner on a high note.
The View serves à la carte dishes on normal days, but course meals like the one this evening can be arranged upon request. It is important to note that pork is absent from the food menu. Vegetarian options are available too.
Name: The View
Address: Hotel Equatorial Penang, 1, Jalan Bukit Jambul, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-632-7000
Business hours: 6:30pm-10:00pm
Website: https://penang.equatorial.com/dining/the-view
Coordinates: 5.33736 N, 100.28512 E
Directions: Hotel Equatorial Penang is located near the intersection of Persiaran Bukit Jambul and Lebuh Bukit Jambul. Jalan Bukit Jambul is a small offshoot from Persiaran Bukit Jambul near this intersection. The View is located at the same level as the main lobby. The hotel provides multilevel parking for RM10.00 per entry.
