Hardwicke House

This article is part of my Christmas 2017 compilation.

Special thanks to VOUK Hotel Suites for extending this food review invitation.

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Hardwicke House is a two-floor English mansion between Gleneagles Penang and The Northam. A large open area in front serves as the parking lot for dine-in customers. Hardwicke House is one of the three eateries under VOUK Hotel Suites; the others are C'est Si Bon Restaurant and Indulgence Lounge.

Instead of the usual C'est Si Bon Restaurant, hotel guests may choose Western-style breakfast at Hardwicke House. To cater to the lunch and dinner crowd, the restaurant offers a number of affordable Western set meals. In addition, Hardwicke House also serves pastry and wine.

In the spirit of the upcoming Christmas season, Hardwicke House is hosting a yuletide-themed buffet dinner on Christmas Eve. Themed "Under The Stars", the event will be held outdoors under the festive night sky. Today's preview merely shows a subset of the dishes that the kitchen crew has planned for the actual dinner.

As per tradition, Roast Turkey is an orthodox component of any Christmas feast. Marinated with spices, the turkey is gently roasted such that its flesh remains tender and juicy. The turkey is also stuffed with a mixture of mushroom and giblets, making it a delectable treat indeed. Served on the side are grilled mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes, carrots and onions. Also included are baked potatoes in aluminium foil.

As for red meats, Garlic & Minted Flavor Lamb Chop is the main highlight this evening. The lamb leg is marinated rather splendidly, retaining much of its succulent juice. An assortment of grilled vegetables not only serves as garnish, but also as counterbalance to the lamb.

Moving back to poultry, Marinated Chicken Thigh takes advantage of Cajun-style seasoning to tantalize one's palate in an interesting manner. Served with barbecue sauce, this dish is one of my favorites this evening.

Do you fancy Smoked Salmon? At the buffet line, lovely slices of cured salmon are neatly arranged on a wooden board. The platter is garnished with pickled cucumber and lemon wedges.

Another well-received delicacy this evening is Cold Seafood On Ice: mussels, scallops, razor clams and shrimps. Oysters are notably absent due to the increased risk of consuming raw shellfish. Tabasco sauce, Jalapeño peppers and lemon wedges are provided as condiments.

Asian dishes this evening are Classic Beef Stew With Carrots & Potato, Chinese Fried Rice With Mixed Vegetables, Duck Breast With Orange & Cinnamon Glaze and Steamed Broccoli & Mixed Mushroom With Oyster Sauce. The last two dishes are particularly good.

The pastry section is a vital element of any Christmas meal. One of the most prominent examples is the Yule Log. Known as "bûche de Noël" in French, the cake consists of Swiss rolls decorated in the likes of an actual Yule log. Resemblance to tree bark is achieved by raking chocolate icing with a fork.

Gingerbread is cut into various shapes like gingerbread man and snowflakes. Flavored with ginger, cloves and cinnamon, these baked cookies are renowned for their lovely aroma. Gingerbread is somewhat chewy but is not nearly as crispy as ginger snap.

Roasted Pumpkin Cheesecake is prepared in 2 stages: roasting followed by baking. The cake is very creamy and is almost as rich as peanut butter. Go easy on the cheesecake because it can be quite surfeiting. What I like the most about the cheesecake is the occasional crisp of pumpkin seeds.

Stollen is a cake-like fruit bread that is typically prepared during Christmas season. This traditional German bread is dotted with candied fruit that provides most of its sweetness. Powdered sugar is sprinkled on top for aesthetic appeal.

Hardwicke House's Christmas Eve dinner is served from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. The price is RM88.00 net per person. A similar buffet dinner is also held on New Year's Eve. Customers are advised to make reservations in advance as there are limited tables available here.

Name: Hardwicke House
Address: 67, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-370-8388
Business hours: 7:00am-12:00am (Sunday-Thursday), 7:00am-1:00am (Friday-Saturday)
Website: http://www.voukhotelsuites.com.my
Coordinates: 5.42765 N, 100.32054 E
Directions: VOUK Hotel Suites is located on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, right before The Northam and across the road from Gurney Beach Food Gallery. Hardwicke House is a two-floor mansion next to the hotel. Parking is available in front of the restaurant. Dine-in customers enjoy complimentary parking; parking tickets can be validated at the restaurant.