PENANG | FAREWELL DINNER AT SARKIES, E&O HOTEL

The elegant yet welcoming lobby of Victory Annexe Wing, Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang, Malaysia

16 October 2013. Wednesday. Sarkies at Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang. My second to the last day in Penang after living and working there for more that 3 years was made extraordinarily memorable! Why? Simply because the BEST and the most luxurious heritage hotel in Penang, and dare I say the entire Malaysia perhaps, invited me to a farewell dinner with people who helped me with everything in Penang. Admittedly, I was overwhelmed! The feeling was surreal!

If you’re following this blog, you must have read that my family and I were fortunately invited by E&O Hotel Penang several times this year and surprisingly, I felt so valued and so at home not only with their suite, restaurants but more so with their warmest and friendliest staff. I really appreciate everything!

I remember, it’s March of this year when we first experienced Sarkies’ Seafood Buffet Dinner Extravaganza that’s offered every Wednesday at E&O. It remains one of our most remarkable and delicious indulgent moments to date! And from then on, we spent more fondest memories at E&O. Consequently, I cannot put into words how grateful I am for being invited again to savor a delightful feast at Sarkies!

Having dined at some of the premier hotel buffets in the island, I can justly say that Sarkies at E&O provides its diners the freshest and the most flavorful seafood dishes at a very affordable rates that can absolutely challenge any 5-star-hotel-buffets in Manila!

Doors open at 7PM for buffet dinner but we managed to be there a bit earlier so I got photos of the spread before they were refilled. Enjoy the photos and control yourself not to drool! Hehehe! :D

It’s always nice to go back and find improvements to appreciate!

Why, hello there, roast duckies! :)

Ice sculptures at the freshest seafood station were an absolute visual delight!

Something NEW at Sarkies Seafood Extravaganza Buffet : Chinese!

And then there were more choices to grill. Care for some salmon on the teppan or some sausages on the grill?

Chicken Satay is a must-eat when in Malaysia! Dip in in peanut sauce & you’ll be in cloud-9 !

Oysters Rockefeller. Yummy!

What makes Sarkies at E&O Penang Eat-All-You-Want-Dinner so worth it?
The freshest imported and local SEAFOODS of course!

Alaskan Crab Legs : Always a feast!

I had the privilege of meeting Chef Petr and Ms. Eileen of Eastern & Oriental again, and they proudly showed me another impressive addition to the Sarkies spread. Try to look at its claws and go figure!

SPANNER CRAB, imported from Australia no less!

Hey, Duo of Gravlax, we meet again! Call me a bit weird but I liked its saltiness!

That’s a huge fish, isn’t it? My mom tried it and said it’s tasteful!

I’m not a fan of crayfish but salmon? I love salmon served in any way!

I’d like to thank E&O Hotel for allowing me to enjoy the savory eat-all-you-want dinner at Sarkies once more with my family and the people I considered my family in Penang. They know me more than you can imagine and had expressed priceless concern and unconditional generosity to me and my family until our last minutes in Penang. They’re my Malaysian family! I cannot be thankful enough!

From left-to-right : My maternal aunt, my one & only mom, & Ms. Jasmine (Gabby’s school principal in Penang).

My Malaysian family (from Right to Left) : Sir Michael, Ms. Jasmine, their son, Ethan & relative, Jacinta.

Glad to bring my mom to Sarkies at Eastern & Oriental Hotel! Thank you so much, E&O!

With Ethan (Gabby’s friend and former schoolmate), my aunt & mom.

We’re all happy diners at Sarkies!

Other than seafood dishes, there were a lot more to sample from local and continental options that I failed to capture.

Now, let’s continue the indulgence. Desserts, anyone?

So many cakes, so little time! Hehehe! These bite-sized carrot-pistachio cakes were really good!

Everything’s delicious! They’re more toothsome than they look on my photos!

I intentionally skipped lunch and afternoon snack (or what they call in Malaysia, High Tea) to empty my stomach for this feast. *Kidding!* Seriously, here’s a shameless display of what I ate.

First went to the Noodle Station, chose my ingredients & asked the chef to whip everything up.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, meet my first plate that sumptuous evening…

My version of Penang’s Hokkien Mee with seafood galore! I loved it!

And then there were more plates to savor! Thank you, Lord! :)

Salmon Sashimi and Duo of Gravlax. Does this reveal I’m a salmon-monster? Hahaha!

And my love affair with Japanese lives on…

Twinings’ Jasmine Tea made everything so perfect! Can’t deny it aids in digestion too!

Spanner crab from Australia, Alaskan crab legs, and everything nice!

Jacinta and Ethan! Happy to share the dining table with them!

Roasted Beef with Mushroom Sauce. Beautiful! I missed Gabby as this is one of his favorites at Sarkies!

When in Penang, must eat Oyster Omelet. I paired it with Roasted Duck & its sauce. I’m lost for superlatives!

Char Koay Teow. It’s my ultimate favorite Malaysian dish and I tasted Sarkies’ version a few times but this one’s a letdown that evening. The rice noodle didn’t taste fresh; we reported it to the staff and the head waiter immediately apologized. Customer-service at its best!

Chef Petr of Sarkies’ Seafood Extravaganza Buffet. Always a pleasure to meet him! Thanks, Chef!

Another group pic! :)

From the dessert spread, I chose these tiny bites…

Heavenly! Thank you, Lord!

Fiber loading! I always love fresh fruits on buffet! It’s a must for digestion obviously!

I think this was Ms. Jasmine’s ice cream platter. I can’t imagine a world without ice cream, can you? :)

My mom and aunt. All smiles at the lobby! Happy to see them happy!

Thank you, E&O Hotel Penang for that memorable indulgence!

Had a relaxing stroll at the E&O promenade. It’s the only hotel in Penang by the Malacca Strait!

A child’s happiness is always a blessing! Nice pose you got there, Ethan! We miss you! :)

So when you find yourself in George Town, Penang, do drop by at E&O Hotel and treat yourself with a dose of history and the finest Malaysian hospitality. You might consider dining at Sarkies too or at other E&O’s food & beverage outlets! Of course, hotel accomodation packages are currently inclusive of breakfast buffet at Sarkies. Have fun in Penang and enjoy E&O!

This blog’s other special features about Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang include :

EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL, PENANG | George Town, Penang, Malaysia | for more details and hotel reservation, kindly visit their website : http://e-o-hotel.com/

SARKIES at E&O | for more details and dining reservations, kindly visit their website : http://e-o-hotel.com/sarkies/

Thank you so much, E&O Hotel! Thank you so much, Sarkies! Special thanks goes out to Ms. Eileen of E&O! Thank you and see you again in the near future!

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