Swez Brasserie

This article is part of my Christmas 2017 compilation.

Special thanks to Eastin Hotel Penang for extending this food review invitation.

Eastin Hotel Penang is a popular choice among business travelers due to the hotel's proximity to Queensbay Mall and Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. Similar to many hotels across Penang, Eastin has decorated its lobby with festive Christmas decorations.

Swez Brasserie is Eastin's flagship restaurant. In the spirit of the year-end holiday season, the coffeehouse is hosting a series of yuletide-themed buffet meals. Today's preview offers a sneak peek of the festive menu this year. Like the lobby, the restaurant is also decorated with ornaments to get into the spirit of Christmas.

The centerpiece of today's buffet is the Roasted Turkey. Marinated with herbs, the turkey is best paired with cranberry sauce. Alternatively, giblet sauce and black pepper sauce are great choices too.

Served with the turkey are grilled vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, baby potatoes, onions, garlic and cherry tomatoes. Meanwhile, Yorkshire Pudding is a traditional English puff pastry whose original purpose is to make use of roast meat drippings. I am also fascinated by pear-shaped potato croquettes on the side.

Another delicacy from the carvery section is the Beef Wellington. At its core is a piece of beef tenderloin. The fillet is coated with rich pâté spread and then wrapped in puff pastry. Pâté helps to retain the beef's moisture and to prevent the pastry from becoming too soggy. Baked in an oven, Beef Wellington is served in thin, juicy slices. This dish goes pretty well with walnut sauce.

Diners can also help themselves at the cold cuts section. Presented on the buffet counter are exquisite treats such as smoked duck, smoked beef, smoked salmon, red snapper medallion, seafood terrine and chicken roulade.

Swez Brasserie also presents a variety of seafood on ice: chilled oysters, scallops, mussels and shrimps. With the exception of oysters, all seafood items have been cooked beforehand. Condiments to go with seafood include Tabasco sauce, sweet chili sauce and lemon wedges. Lemon juice is crucial to suppress the "rawness" of oysters.

As for hot dishes, Fragrant Prawn With Nutmeg Mayo Sauce is one of my personal favorites this evening. The deep-fried shrimps are dressed in sweet mayonnaise, shrimp roe and grated nutmeg. The combination of flavors tantalizes my taste buds in an intriguing manner.

For something spicy, Salmon Fish Head Curry is a sound choice. Salmon head does not contain much flesh, but its main purpose is to infuse the curry with savory flavors. I also enjoy the juiciness of eggplant (brinjal) and okra (lady's fingers).

Poultry is represented by Honey Roasted Chicken. Bite-size chicken is cooked with honey, delighting the tongue with its soothing sweetness. A light sprinkle of sesame seeds serves as the finishing touch.

Spaghetti Aglio-Olio is blessed with an abundance of shrimps. Cooked al dente with olive oil, the pasta also contains bell peppers, black olives, cherry tomatoes, garlic and red chili flakes.

Meanwhile the salad bar provides fresh vegetables like Romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green olives and capers. Salad dressings are Thousand Island dressing, French dressing, mango dressing, kiwi dressing and vinaigrette. I particularly recommend the kiwi dressing.

Other salads are German Potato Salad (kartoffelsalat), Mediterranean Couscous Salad, Pomegranate Salad and Fruit Salad. I am uncertain of the correct way to enjoy the Pomegranate Salad. Pomegranates contain seeds that make the salad rather unpalatable.

One of the most time-consuming works at the pastry kitchen is Gingerbread House. While the production of gingerbread is pretty straightforward, the decorating aspect is somewhat manual and tedious. Despite stealing a disproportionate amount of limelight, the Gingerbread House is barely touched by diners. I think people feel bad about ruining a fine piece of art

Christmas Yule Log is another pastry that is only seen during Christmas. This traditional German dessert is made from chocolate cakes with chocolate icing. In order to imitate the bark of an actual yule log, the cake's surface is raked with a fork.

Christmas Stollen is a traditional German bread that is often associated to Christmas. The fruit bread contains chopped candied fruit, providing some degree of sweetness but is not nearly as sweet as fruit cake. The loaf is cut into slices and is meant to be eaten without any spreads.

Chocolate Truffle Cake is perfect for people who love the bitter-sweet taste of chocolate. Speaking of cocoa, there is also Chocolate Pudding with vanilla sauce. Meanwhile, diners who prefer cheese can indulge in the Classic Cheese Cake.

During this year's Christmas and New Year season, there are 5 buffet sessions at Eastin:
- Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner 7:00pm-10:30pm (RM128.00 net)
- Christmas Day Buffet Hi-Tea 12:00pm-3:00pm (RM88.00 net)
- Christmas Day Buffet Dinner 7:00pm-10:30pm (RM128.00 net)
- New Year's Eve Buffet Dinner 7:00pm-10:30pm (RM128.00 net)
- New Year's Day Buffet Hi-Tea 12:00pm-3:00pm (RM88.00 net)
Children under the age of 12 are entitled 50% discount. Senior citizens also enjoy reduced prices.

Name: Swez Brasserie
Address: 1, Solok Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-612-1128
Business hours: 6:00am-12:00am
Website: http://www.eastin.com/penang/dining
Coordinates: 5.33629 N, 100.30632 E
Directions: Eastin Hotel Penang is located along Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu) and is conveniently next to Queensbay Mall. Swez Brasserie an eatery next to the hotel lobby. There are parking spaces at the basement levels of the hotel.