Special thanks to Iconic Hotel for extending this food review invitation.
Special offer: Mention “PFFT_FHBD” before making payment to get 15% discount off the regular price.
Iconic Hotel has a new theme for its buffet dinner: Fisherman’s Hook Seafood Buffet. Held at Mezza9 on the Mezzanine Floor, the buffet is served every Friday and Saturday evening from now till 31 August 2019. As the name suggests, the buffet menu focuses on fresh seafood. In fact, many seafood ingredients are sourced from local fish farms.
Today’s dinner begins with chilled seafood such as spanner crabs, flower crabs, tiger prawns and black mussels. Accompanying condiments are lemon wedges, Tabasco sauce, cocktail sauce, mignonette sauce and more. Meanwhile, diners who love Japanese food can help themselves to sashimi like salmon, tuna, butterfish and octopus.
Another major highlight this evening is Bamboo Steamed Fish. Exquisite fish choices include leopard coral grouper, pearl grouper and red snapper. Their freshness is accentuated by the Executive Chef’s signature Nyonya sauce. I cannot overstate the lovely taste of this sauce.
I am also impressed by the Baked Butterfish. The fillet is gratinated with a layer of bread crumbs, almonds and basil. The crust keeps the fish moist as if it were steamed. Black pepper sauce helps to enhance the fish’s gastronomic appeal.
There are a dozen types of chafing dishes this evening. For instance, Wok-Fried Squid is cooked in “kam heong” style. The sauce is fairly spicy but does not overwhelm the palate at all! The aroma is also very tantalizing. I think the squid is softer than ideal; I would like it to have a springy texture.
Another popular delicacy this evening is Salted Egg Prawns. Large tiger prawns are coated with a paste made of salted egg yolks. The prawns are stir-fried with curry leaves for better aroma. Although I enjoy salted egg paste, I feel that its savoriness is not able to penetrate the shrimps’ thick shells. It would be great if mantis shrimps were used instead.
Spaghetti Vongole is a popular Italian dish where spaghetti is sautéed al dente with clams. Live clams are preferred because they release a savory liquid when cooked. Similar to aglio olio, the pasta is sautéed with garlic and olive oil.
The live action counter is where Oyster Omelette is prepared. This popular snack of Teochew origin is prepared from fresh oysters, eggs and potato starch. Chili sauce can be added for a spicier taste. Kudos to the chef for cooking such a tasty dish!
If you enjoy Thai cuisine, Seafood Tomyam should appeal to your palate. Diners can choose ingredients like fried fish fillets, fish balls, squid balls, crab sticks, vegetables and noodles. After blanching in hot water, the ingredients are served with hot and sour soup that is rich with seafood flavors.
Dim sum is kept warm in steamer baskets. There are two types of siew mai and three types of baozi. For the latter, fillings are char siew, red bean paste and pandan paste. It would be great if there is a wider variety of dim sum.
Moving on, the chocolate fountain can be enjoyed with skewered food items like savoiardi, cakes, marshmallows and fruits. Other desserts include bread & butter pudding, carrot cakes, chocolate opera cakes, lemon tarts, macarons, profiteroles, panna cotta and chocolate mousse.
As for hot soupy desserts, Snow Fungus Soup and Red Bean Soup are prepared this evening. The former contains snow fungus, longan, red dates and wolfberries. Towards the end of your meal, cleanse your palate with fresh fruits like pitaya (dragon fruit), cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges and watermelon.
The Fisherman’s Hook Seafood Buffet is a good choice if you enjoy fresh seafood. The price is RM98.00+ per person. Children and senior citizens get 50% discount. And if you visit on your birthday, Iconic Hotel gives 50% discount and a complimentary birthday cake!
Name: Mezza9
Address: Iconic Hotel, 71, Jalan Icon City, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-505-9988
Business hours: 6:00am-11:00pm
Website: https://www.iconichotel.com.my/dining
Coordinates: 5.34206 N, 100.43287 E
Directions: From the North-South Expressway, take the Bukit Mertajam exit and head east. Turn left just before Petron gas station, then turn right to the front entrance of the 15-floor Iconic Hotel. Mezza9 is located on the Mezzanine Level of the hotel. The hotel provides multistorey parking.
