Japanese Buffet dinner @ Cititel, Penang

We were having a short weekend holiday in Penang island recently and took the opportunity to check out the Japanese and Carvery buffet dinner @ Cititel. The buffet was from 7pm to 10pm and we arrived shortly after 8pm as there was a traffic jam along the way. Fortunately, I had called up to make a reservation as when we arrived, the place was already fully booked.
The buffet was at this Main Street cafe. One thing that caught my eye was that nearly half of the diners were senior citizens ......... seniors only pay RM35/- nett while it's RM60/- nett for adults and RM30/- nett for children.
Photographing the buffet spread was prohibited so I only managed to snap a few pictures of what we had that night ....... so you can let me know whether it's value for money!

Salmon, tuna sashimi, and a must-have wasabi to go with them, boiled prawns ..... must admit that they were really, really fresh and tasty. I had a few, minus the head, (need to look after my cholesterol), oysters, they were fresh, big and juicy, great with fresh lime and mussels and some radish salad.

Another mouth-watering picture of seafood. No wonder people were queuing up at this place and oysters and prawns were snapped up in no time, although there was a replenishment now and again

Japanese croquette, chicken, steamed razor clam, some vegetable and deep fried soft shelled crab.

Mmmm ..... time for some salad.

Tempura, ....... which was quite a disappointment, these prawns cannot be compared with those above and the sweet potatoes weren't quite cooked through.

This cawan mushi was smooth and silky soft.

Now for some dessert ..... Malaysia's very own 'Ais kacang' ...... loved the kidney beans, attapchi,.....sweet potatoes and yam, green and red agar-agar, black 'leong fun', pineapple cubes, a bit of coconut milk, 'gula melaka' (coconut brown sugar) and finally topped with some vanilla ice cream. I had 2 helpings!
Beside those that you've seen, there was an array of other food like Yakitori chicken, fried pepper udon, cold ramen, seafood platter, roast beef and lamb, oyster omelette and spicy squids. There was also a variety of dessert like the brown glutinous rice kuih, sago pudding, cheesecake, bread pudding and fresh cut fruits.

I had to wait till around closing time and the crowd had thinned out before I obtained permission from the 'captain' to snap the ambience.
So, after going through this 'dinner', is it value for money? But of course, that largely depends on whether you are paying RM35/- or RM60/-, right?

Cititel Penang
66 Jalan Penang
10000 Penang
Main Street Cafe - Japanese Buffet dinner
Every Friday and Saturday

Seasalt Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ 海盐巧克力曲奇饼

These dreamy and heavenly chocolate chip cookies will make your kitchen smell like a bakery. There is a divine contrast between sweet and salty for the slight pinch of seasalt flakes intensifies and brings out the chocolate flavour. Freshly baked, these cookies are slightly soft in the centre and crispy at the edges, but if you do have leftovers, these will be crunchy, stored in a cookie jar, for a few days. Seasalt Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ 海盐巧克力曲奇饼 Ingredients 170 gm plain flour 1 tsp baking soda 113 gm butter (unsalted) 80 gm brown sugar 40 gm caster sugar 1 'L' egg 1 tsp vanilla 200 gm chocolate chips 1/8 tsp salt Extra chocolate chips or mini chocolate buttons to put on top of cookie before baking Maldon seasalt flakes to sprinkle on cookie immediately after baking Method Sift the flour with baking soda and salt, set aside. In a stand mixer, beat the butter with the sugars, till soft and smooth. On low, add in the egg. Fold in 1/2 sifted flour, mix well fol

Herbal Jelly ~ Gui Ling Gao

H erbal Jelly ~ Gui Ling Ga o literally translated means 'Tortoise Jelly' is one of my family's favourite desserts. It's much more economical to prepare this at home for you'll need to fork out between Rm 9 to Rm 11 for a bowl of this cooling dessert in any of those herbal tea outlets. This soothing jelly, served chilled, is supposed to be able to help reduce our body heat, helps to get rid of toxins and is believed to be good for the skin thus culminating a healthier complexion.

Read on for the Recipe

Durian Butter Cake ~ 榴莲牛油蛋糕

It's the durian season again and I'm sharing with you a simple yet fragrant Durian Butter Cake. This recipe does not use the traditional butter totally, in fact there is oil too. Liquid oil tends to make the cake softer and stays moist longer as it does not solidify at room temperature. This cake is soft and moist with a tinge of durian flavour and aroma. A breakfast or Tea time snack for durian lovers. Durian Butter Cake ~ 榴莲牛油蛋糕 Ingredients 150 gm unsalted butter 190 gm plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 30 ml vegetable oil 85 gm caster sugar 3 'L' eggs 130 gm pureed durian flesh 4 Tbsp milk a pinch of salt 1/4 teaspoon vanilla Method Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Set aside. Beat butter with sugar till well blended, add in oil and continue beating till pale and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, mix well. Add in pureed durian flesh, mix till well incorporated. Sift in again the sifted flour in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Fold in till well inc

My Little SpaceMarch 24, 2010 at 1:56 PM
I've been there a couple of years back. My daughter was only 4 by then. I love everything they served there. So many choices! This is the best place for those food lovers, you know what I mean! haha... You can sit there for hours just for high tea or breakfast!
Angie's RecipesMarch 24, 2010 at 2:36 PM
I adore a buffet that is loaded with different kinds of seafood!
Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak LoverMarch 24, 2010 at 4:45 PM
so many yummy foods!
penny aka jeroxieMarch 24, 2010 at 7:00 PM
The one that caught my eye was Ice Kachang!
lishapisaMarch 24, 2010 at 10:48 PM
can we dine with you?
CookNg Sisters
ann lowMarch 24, 2010 at 11:34 PM
WOW! The Japanese food looks good except the Tempura. We pay S$19.00/person for Japanese Buffet here with fresh Sashimi and seafood. Next time when you're in Singapore must visit all the buffets here, some even two for the price of one.
Sokehah cheahMarch 25, 2010 at 12:40 AM
Kristy
Yes, after the buffet, they served 'Teochew porridge' but only on Fri and Sat.

Angie
The seafood was good while the others were average.

Sonia
There was variety but the 2 of us couldn't eat that much!

penny
The ais kacang was yummy, especially the kidney beans.

lishapisa
You are most welcome.

Anncoo
Yes, must bear that in mind when I go S'pore next.
UnknownMarch 25, 2010 at 5:19 AM
Definitely worth the money, have to pay a fortune to get anything near you had in this country. Will defintely need to make a point to have more seafood and jap buffets the next time Im in M'sia. Im sure you'll pay for my share when we get a chance, wont you mommy?
WTMarch 25, 2010 at 8:34 AM
Wow.. I am missing out on all these buffet! Will definately eat my heart out when I go back to M'sia! :D
MaryMohMarch 25, 2010 at 8:59 AM
I love Japanese food but they are sooooooo expensive. There's a new Japanese restaurant just opened in a new shopping complex here. You know, 2 small slices of duck sushi cost 3.80pounds, ie about RM20!!! Isn't it like eating gold?? It's just a little duck meat rolled inside the sushi rice. I better look at your photos here and make my own :P
Sokehah cheahMarch 25, 2010 at 6:25 PM
WT
Japanese buffet is much better in S'pore, I heard. But Shogun in KL is also not too bad!

Mary
Wah, so expensive in your part of the world. You better check out the restaurants in your hometown when you come back for hols! I didn't take sushi that night because most of it were gone, what was left wasn't much to my liking.
Sokehah cheahMarch 26, 2010 at 1:39 AM
Chua
Of course, I'll be glad to pay for your share, Boy!

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