Olive Tree Hotel

This article is part of my Chinese New Year 2018 compilation.

Special thanks to Olive Tree Hotel for extending this food review invitation.

In conjunction with the Lunar New Year, Olive Tree Hotel is one of the first hotels to showcase its 8-course Chinese set menu. Held at Level 6, the banquet hall is decorated with stylish tables and chairs.

The first course is Olive Tree Yee Sang. Yee sang (鱼生) is considered auspicious because it symbolizes the abundance of wealth. Diners usually gather around the table and toss the ingredients with chopsticks. It is believed that the higher one tosses yee sang, the more wealth one obtains in the coming year.

The next dish is a soup, Winter Melon Seafood Chowder With Crabmeat (冬茸海鲜蟹肉羹). The thick stew is saturated with rich savoriness, making it very soothing to my palate. It is important to consume this dish while it is still warm.

Another dish that I enjoyed very much is Crispy Boneless Chicken With Mongolian Sauce (香脆蒙古鸡排). Coated with crispy batter, the cutlet is dressed in sweet, creamy dressing which makes it very addictive. The chicken cutlet is also covered with chopped onions and ginger slivers.

Steamed Red Snapper Fish With Thai Green Curry Sauce (暹式青咖喱红枣鱼) is a delicacy indeed. The gravy is not as spicy as it appears, so it should be fine for most people. Served with the snapper are grilled vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants (brinjals) and yardlong beans.

Braised Assorted Mushroom, Dried Oyster, Beancurd Skin & Garden Greens (蚝士发菜什菇食蔬) is the next course on the menu. A key ingredient here is fat choy (发菜), a hair-like substance that is usually harvested in the Gobi Desert. Fat choy is phonetically similar to "striking rich" (发财) in Chinese, so it is well-received during Chinese New Year.

The vegetable dish is followed by Wok-Fried Butter Prawn With Crispy Garlic (香脆蒜焗明虾). The shrimps are at the zenith of crunchiness while they are piping hot. Meanwhile, curry leaves serve to enhance aroma of this dish.

The penultimate dish is Smoked Duck Rice Wrapped In Lotus Leaf (熏鸭肉荷叶饭). The main highlight of this dish is smoked duck. Diners who prefer heavier taste may add some chili paste (沙茶酱) to the rice.

Finally for desserts, Double-Boiled Soya Bean With Dumplings (香滑豆浆汤圆) is served. I love the soothing sensation of warm soy milk as it trickles down my throat. There are two types of tangyuan (汤圆) in the soup; the larger type contains sweet peanut filling. The presence of sea coconut makes this dessert even more appealing.

The abovementioned dishes constitute the RM888.00 course meal. Olive Tree Hotel has another 8-course menu for RM999.00, which contains exquisite delicacies like abalone slices and herbal soup. Both menus are available from 8 January 2018 to 4 March 2018. The hotel requires minimum booking of 3 tables, otherwise a surcharge applies.

In lieu of course meals, Olive Tree Hotel is also offering the Steamboat Combo (RM555.00) as an alternative way to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Tailored for 10 persons, the meal package also includes yee sang, claypot rice and dessert.

The steamboat set uses premium ingredients especially seafood. Grouper is a suitable fish for steamboat because its flesh does not disintegrate during cooking. Nevertheless, I still prefer not to overcook the fish. Other delectable seafood ingredients include large shrimps, abalone slices and fish maw.

The Steamboat Combo is available from 3 February 2018 to 3 March 2018. Prior reservation is required because the soups are prepared according to confirmed orders. On 15 and 16 February 2018, diners can also opt for the Steamboat Combo CNY Special (RM688.00). This upgraded set includes 10 juicy abalones.

There are 2 types of soup for steamboat: Fish Broth (鱼肉汤) and Spicy Sichuan Soup (四川麻辣汤). The Fish Broth has a milder taste in order to allow fresh seafood to take the center stage. On the other hand, Spicy Sichuan Soup packs a moderate degree of numbing spiciness from Sichuan peppers (花椒).

On 15 and 16 February 2018, Chinese New Year meals are held en masse at The Olive at Level 6. Festive performances like lion dance and Chinese orchestra serve to create a lively, joyous atmosphere. For diners who prefer more flexibility, Sukkah Coffee House is having Chinese New Year buffet lunch on 16 and 17 February 2018.

Name: Olive Tree Hotel
Address: 76, Jalan Mahsuri, 11950 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-637-7873
Business hours: 12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:30pm-11:00pm
Website: http://olivetreehotel.com.my
Coordinates: 5.32700 N, 100.27921 E
Directions: Olive Tree Hotel is located at Bayan Baru, just across the street from SPICE Arena. The Olive and other function rooms are located at Level 6. The hotel's multi-storey parking charges RM3.00 for the first hour, then RM1.00 for each subsequent hour. Parking is complimentary for hotel guests.