Main Street Cafe

Special thanks to Cititel Penang for extending this food review invitation.

Having been operated for 19 years, Cititel Penang is one of the longest-serving major hotels in the heart of George Town. This 4-star hotel at the bustling Penang Road (Jalan Penang) has 451 rooms in its 16 floors.

Unlike similar hotels in the city, Cititel Penang flaunts a large reception lobby. Marble flooring produces mesmerizing glitter as one steps through the main entrance. In conjunction with the upcoming holiday season, a Christmas tree greets arriving guests with a welcoming sense of festive cheer.

Cititel Penang's main eatery is the Main Street Cafe, which is located at the further end of the lobby. Two other restaurants here, Zhonghua Gourmet (中华海鲜鱼翅) and Kirishima (霧島), operate independently from the hotel.

Every Friday evening, Main Street Cafe serves the Chef's Signature Buffet Dinner. This buffet incorporates several specialty dishes into its menu, particularly Nyonya (Peranakan) elements. An example is the Nyonya Style Chili Crab, which uses flower crab (花蟹) flavored with moderately-spicy gravy.

Another highlight this evening is the Roasted Duck. A lovely aspect of the duck is its waxy skin which has been reduced to sheets of light crisp. Sweet-tangy plum sauce is provided.

Black Vinegar Chicken is also cooked with ginger and garlic for extra flavoring.

Meanwhile from the marine kingdom, Deep Fried Prawns are coated with seasoning made from pepper, salt and spices.

Fish Head Curry is quite a tasty treat. Pieces of salmon head are cooked in a fiery curry which also contains okra (ladies' fingers), tomatoes and red chili peppers.

As for soup, I am impressed with the bowl of Double Boiled Fish Maw, which also comes with succulent chicken meatballs. The soup is flavored with captivating savoriness, making it an excellent appetite booster. Meanwhile, fish maw absorbs rich flavors of soup in its sponge-like texture.

The charcoal-fired grill churns out a continuous supply of grilled meats, such as lamb forequarter, salmon, chicken sausages, corn on the cob, shishamo (柳葉魚). There are several types of sauces to go with meats, such as teriyaki, sesame and mint sauces.

I am also attracted by chicken and beef satay. Marinated with turmeric and barbecued to optimal doneness, the skewered meats are succulent indeed. Spicy peanut sauce is provided.

Guests who prefer something lighter can also sample some Asian tapas. There are 4 types available: fried money bag, fried sesame balls (煎堆), fried chicken puff and potato tartlets.

The buffet this evening also features assorted seafood on ice: oysters, scallops, blue mussels and tiger prawns. Tabasco sauce and lemon wedges are provided.

Meanwhile, the sushi corner is filled with a wide assortment of sushi (寿司). The sushi choices are mostly of nigiri (握り), maki (巻き) and gunkan (軍艦) variants.

Instead of sushi, some people may prefer sashimi (刺身) instead. Three common fishes are used: salmon (サーモン), tuna (マグロ) and butterfish (白いマグロ). Crab stick (カニカマ) and seasoned seaweed (中華ワカメ) are available too. There is also salad made from seasoned baby octopus (中華イイダコ).

As for desserts, there is a respectable variety of cakes, pastries, mousse and jellies. Noteworthy highlights are red velvet cake, raspberry summer pudding, Japanese rice cakes (おもち) and red bean pancake (どら焼き). Many of these desserts are bite-sized for guests' convenience.

Chocolate lovers can also indulge themselves with chocolate fondue, chocolate pudding with vanilla sauce and chocolate balls.

The restaurant serves Arabica Estate coffee that is brewed from espresso machines. As for something non-caffeinated, nutmeg drink is also available. I also enjoy the thirst-quenching properties of Arizona Sunset, a non-alcoholic fruity cocktail made from grenadine and carbonated water.

Similar dinners are also served on Saturday and Sunday evenings. The buffet themes are Western & Seafood and Japanese & Seafood respectively. In all three evenings, the meals are priced at RM85.00 net for adult, RM43.00 for child and RM59.00 for senior citizen. Dinner commences at 7:00pm and runs until 10:00pm.

Name: Main Street Cafe
Address: 66, Jalan Penang, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-291-1128
Business hours: 24 hours
Website: http://www.cititelpenang.com/dining-en.html
Coordinates: 5.42158 N, 100.33244 E
Directions: Cititel Penang is a 16-floor building at Penang Road (Jalan Penang). Main Street Cafe is located at the far end from the main entrance. To park, drive past the lobby and up the ramp to Level 2. Parking is charged at RM4.00 per entry.