This article is part of my Chinese New Year 2020 compilation.
Special thanks to Lexis Suites Penang for extending this food review invitation.
Lexis Suites Penang is welcoming Chinese New Year with a large festive backdrop in the lobby. The 12-year Chinese zodiac has come a full cycle, so it is now the Year of the Rat!
The hotel’s flagship restaurant is Roselle Coffee House. This evening, the coffeehouse is hosting a media preview for its upcoming Chinese New Year buffet.
There will be 3 buffet sessions this year. On Chinese New Year’s Eve (24 January 2020), dinner will be held en masse at the Hibiscus Grand Ballroom. For the next 2 days (25 January 2020 and 26 January 2020), lunch will be served at Roselle instead.
It is customary to toss yee sang (鱼生) during Chinese New Year. It is believed that the higher one tosses, the greater heights one achieves in the upcoming year. For today’s preview, the yee sang platter is elaborately decorated to welcome the Year of the Rat!
Poon Choi (盆菜) is traditionally prepared in a large basin since the food is meant to be consumed communally. Lexis’ version contains delicacies like abalones, scallops, prawns, fish maws and mushrooms. The dish is also topped with fat choy (发菜).
Poon Choi is customarily paired with Yook Poon (肉盘). The latter comprises of roast duck and roast chicken in savory gravy.
Eight Treasure Chicken (八宝鸡) contains fillings like water chestnuts, ginkgo nuts and lotus seeds. Each ingredient is meant to represent something auspicious. For instance, ginkgo nut represents wealth because it looks like a sycee (元宝).
As for chafing dishes, Steamed Fish Fillet is served with broccoli and Japanese soy sauce (醤油). Shredded vegetables on top give this dish some festive colors.
Another delectable dish is Braised Bailing Mushrooms & Sea Cucumber. The dish is garnished with broccoli, cauliflowers and carrots.
Next, Lexis Spicy Prawns are cooked with fiery chili paste that will definitely tantalize your taste buds. You have been warned!
Assorted dim sum (点心) and mantou (馒头) are kept warm in large steamer baskets. Condiments provided are sweet sauce and chili sauce.
Japanese delicacies are supplied Umi Japanese Restaurant downstairs. The sashimi (刺身) platter attracts me with delectable slices of salmon, butterfish and scallops. Several types of sushi (寿司) are prepared too.
Seafood on ice includes scallops, mussels, snow crabs, prawns and slipper lobsters. Condiments like cocktail sauce and lemon wedges are provided.
I am pleased to delight my palate with gourmet cheeses, cold cuts and smoked salmon. Other interesting delicacies are Thai spicy beef salad and seasoned baby octopus. There is also a salad bar that serves fresh produce and dressings.
Finally for desserts, I cannot resist the temptation to sample traditional Chinese New Year cookies such as beehive cookies (蜂窝饼), peanut cookies (花生饼), mung bean cookies (绿豆饼), pineapple tarts (凤梨酥) and kuih kapit (夹必糕). There is also a basket of Nyonya kuih to evoke nostalgia of the past.
On the evening of New Year’s Eve, diners will be entertained by a series of events such as mask-changing performance, God of Prosperity, live band and lucky draw. Early birds who make their booking by 20 January 2020 get 20% discount. Simply scan the QR code below (or 
click here) and then enter the code “LSPCNY20”. This offer only applies to the Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner and the regular adult price.
As for customers who prefer to dine in a more formal setting, Lexis serves set lunch and dinner from 24 January 2020 to 8 February 2020. There are 3 menus to choose from. The price ranges from RM988.00 to RM1,388.00 per table of 10. Each meal comes with complimentary yee sang.
Shown here is the RM1,188.00 set menu. The 9 dishes in this menu are:
– Prosperity Norwegian Fresh Salmon Yee Sang
– Hot & Cold Dishes Combination
– Seafood Soup with Fish Maw, Crab Meat & Dried Scallops
– Steamed Wrapped Herbal Chicken
– Braised Dried Oysters, Sea Moss, Dried Scallops & Assorted Mushrooms
– Stir-Fried Szechuan Flavored White Sea Prawns
– Steamed Red Snapper With King Soya Sauce
– Fried Rice With Diced Chicken & Dried Shrimps Wrapped In Lotus Leaf
– Double-Boiled Peach Gum, Chia Seeds & Rose Flowers
Last but not least, the hotel’s Jackpot! Salmon Yee Sang Platter is available for dine-in and take-away. This offer is available from 20 January 2020 to 8 February 2020.
Name: Lexis Suites Penang
Address: 28, Jalan Teluk Kumbar, 11920 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-628-2888
Business hours: 12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm
Website: https://www.lexissuitespenang.com/offers/spring-greetings-buffet-promos
Coordinates: 5.28697 N, 100.23254 E
Directions: From Bayan Lepas, drive along Jalan Teluk Kumbar towards the intersection with Jalan Gertak Sanggul. Lexis Suites Penang is the tall building on the left just before the intersection. Hibiscus Grand Ballroom is located at Level 1, while Roselle Coffee House is located at the Mezzanine Floor. There are parking spaces inside the hotel.
