Special thanks to DoubleTree Resort By Hilton Penang for extending this food review invitation.
My first review event in 2019 is at DoubleTree Resort Penang. This evening, the hotel is showcasing its Chinese New Year buffet dinner. The theme today is “Year Of Blooming Abundance”. Dinner is served at Makan Kitchen, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant.
Yee sang (鱼生) is an essential appetizer during Chinese New Year. Makan Kitchen’s Prosperity Yee Sang presents a colorful mixture of smoked salmon, jellyfish, shredded vegetables, crushed peanuts and crackers. Plum sauce (酸梅) and five-spice powder (五香粉) provide additional flavors.
Next, the bread basket gathers an assortment artisan bread such as country bread, rye bread, grissini and bread rolls. As for soup, Eight Treasures Soup (八宝汤) is served this evening. The thick soup contains lots of seafood ingredients.
The buffet menu includes a variety of Chinese-style hot dishes. For instance, Braised Mushroom With Broccoli contains fat choy (发菜), a silky ingredient that resembles black hair. Fat choy is considered an auspicious dish because it is a homonym for “striking rich” (发财). Other notable dishes are Wok-Fried Prawns and Nyonya Steam Fish.
The à la minute counter is where Chinese Herbal Noodle Soup and White Curry Noodle Soup are prepared. As for roast meats, I cannot recommend the Roast Duck highly enough. It is amazingly tender and succulent.
Diners who enjoy chilled seafood can help themselves to flower crabs, shrimps, oysters and mussels on ice. Tabasco sauce and lemon wedges are provided as condiments.
The salad counter provides a variety of pre-mixed salads like Potato Salad, Tuna Niçoise Salad, Honeymelon Salad, Asparagus & Orange Salad and Marinated Baby Octopus. Of course, diners can mix their own salads should they prefer to do so.
Moving on, the Indian counter offers a variety of lovely dishes from the subcontinent. These dishes include Chicken Kurma, Indian Fish Curry, Fish Kebab, Aloo Ghobi (potatoes & cauliflower), Chickpeas Masala, Vegetable Dalcha and Vegetable Biryani Rice. Behind the counter is a tandoor oven where Tandoori Chicken and Naan are prepared.
Proceeding to the pastry section, I am impressed with elaborate decorations on the Mandarin Orange Butter Cake and Tiramisu Cake. I particularly enjoy the latter as the cake is flavored with coffee. Also worth mentioning is Osmanthus Jelly (桂花糕) that comes in cocktail glasses.
Diners who have a sweet tooth for Western confections may enjoy dainty mignardises like Green Tea Cheesecake, Chocolate Moist Cake, Red Velvet Cake, Mini Paris Brest, Fresh Fruit Tarts and Panna Cotta.
As a family-friendly hotel, DoubleTree Resort accommodates the needs of children with a dedicated kids section. The chocolate fountain here attracts young ones with sweet aroma of cocoa. Meanwhile, barber pole candies, jelly candies, red plum candies (黄心梅) and lemon candies (柠檬饼) are presented in glass jars.
Also present in the kids section are sweet treats such as cupcakes and doughnuts. They are decorated with icing in festive Chinese New Year colors. Compliments to the pastry team for going the extra mile to make them so appealing.
DoubleTree Resort’s Chinese New Year buffet dinner is served every Friday and Saturday in January and February 2019. From 4 February 2019 to 6 February 2019, Makan Kitchen will be serving a broader menu to welcome the Lunar New Year. Children and senior citizens enjoy 50% discount.
As for customers who prefer a more formal dining setting, check out DoubleTree Resort’s Chinese New Year course meals. There are two options: Prosperity Package (RM1,388.00 net per table) and Classic Package (RM1,188.00 net per table). Both choices come with complimentary yee sang.
Name: Makan Kitchen
Address: 56, Jalan Low Yat, 11100 Batu Ferringhi, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-892-8000
Business hours: 6:30am-10:30pm
Website: Click here
Coordinates: 5.47781 N, 100.26905 E
Directions: DoubleTree Resort By Hilton Penang is located halfway between Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringhi. The hotel is on the left when driving from the former. Makan Kitchen is located one level below the hotel lobby. Parking costs RM5.00 per entry.