Sri Tanjung Cafe

This article is part of my Ramadan 2018 compilation.

Special thanks to Royale Chulan Penang for extending this food review invitation.

This year, the Ramadan buffet at Royale Chulan Penang is themed "Bazaar Ramadan". Held at Sri Tanjung Cafe, the buffet is presented like a Ramadan bazaar with a carnival-like atmosphere. Various warung (food stalls) at the foyer serve seasonal delicacies such as Bubur Lambuk (Malay porridge), Ikan Bakar (grilled fish) and Sup Tulang Rawan Berempah (spicy ribs soup).

Kambing Golek is the centerpiece of the buffet every evening. The mutton is marinated with a special blend of spices, and then roasted to golden perfection. Mint sauce is provided. The mutton also goes well with Nasi Arab, which uses long-grain basmati rice.

Nasi Hujan Panas also uses basmati rice and is cooked with ghee (clarified butter). The rice grains are dyed with different colors to resemble raindrops. Meanwhile for something sweeter, Nasi Tomato (tomato rice) is available on certain days.

Asam Pedas Ekor Lembu is an oxtail stew that has been cooked sufficiently long such that the beef becomes very tender. The sour and spicy sauce penetrates the oxtail chunks thoroughly. The dish is garnished with chopped bunga kantan (ginger flower).

Should anyone fancy beef offal, Paru Goreng Berlada is an interesting choice. In this dish, cattle lungs are sautéed in spicy gravy. I appreciate the unique texture of beef lungs.

Still on the subject of red meats, Kurma Kambing Berkentang is a mutton curry with potatoes. The thick, yellowish gravy is prepared from coconut milk and spices. This dish is relatively mild in terms of spiciness. However, I feel that it is oiler than necessary.

As for poultry, Ayam Masak Merah Madu is a popular Malay dish. The chicken chunks are cooked with sweet tomato-based gravy. The dish's name refers to its distinctive red color.

Moving on to seafood, Sotong Goreng Berempah is fried with spicy gravy and packs a fiery punch. The squid is cooked to delectable tenderness but still remains fairly springy. In terms of presentation, I believe it is better to serve squid in ring form.

Sambal Tumis Udang Petai contains shrimps and red chili paste. However, the dish's main appeal lies in the fact that it contains petai (stink beans) too. Tasteless on its own, petai has a peculiar smell that many people love.

Rendang Kerang employs the slow cooking method of beef rendang but uses cockles instead. The cockles present an earthy flavor, making the dish somewhat unique. All things considered, I still prefer the traditional beef version of rendang.

Cucur Kepah Berlauk is a deep-fried fritter made from clams and spicy batter. This popular street food is strained and cut into bite-size pieces. Meanwhile, other action stalls serve chicken and beef satay, char koay teow, murtabak and apam balik.

Several types of kerabu (Malay salad) are prepared this evening. Interesting choices include Kerabu Pucuk Paku (vegetable fern salad) and Kerabu Daging Bakar (roast beef salad). Ulam-ulaman (raw vegetables) come with powerful condiments like budu (fermented anchovies) and tempoyak (fermented durians). In addition, there are also jeruk (pickles), fruit rojak, pasembur and gado-gado.

Muslims customarily break fast by first taking several pieces of kurma (palm dates). The sweet taste helps to stimulate the palate after a long day without food. Other sweet treats include mango pudding, cendol pudding, crème caramel, strawberry mousse, agar-agar santan, pandan panna cotta and fruit jelly.

As for Malay kuih, the variety here is somewhat modest. Kuih lapis (layered cake), cucur keria (glazed sweet potato doughnut) and onde-onde (rice balls with grated coconut coating) are prepared today. Meanwhile, Sago Gula Melaka is always eaten with gula melaka (palm sugar) and coconut milk since the sago pearls are nearly tasteless.

In addition, the desserts section also covers assorted French pastries, cupcakes, cream puffs and tarts. Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding is truly appetizing due to the enticing aroma of cocoa. Nevertheless, my favorite dessert among all is Pengat Pisang (sweet banana soup)!

Royale Chulan's Ramadan buffet dinner runs from 18 May 2018 to 13 June 2018. The regular price is RM88.00 net for adults, and RM58.00 net for children and senior citizens. From now till 15 May 2018, early bird vouchers are only RM70.00 and RM40.00 respectively. Furthermore, for every group of 8 full-paying adults, the 9th person's meal is on the house.

Name: Sri Tanjung Cafe
Address: 1 & 2, Pengkalan Weld, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-259-8888
Business hours: 7:00am-10:30pm
Website: http://www.royalechulan-penang.com/dining
Coordinates: 5.41700 N, 100.34401 E
Directions: From the ferry terminal at George Town, turn right and drive along Weld Quay (Pengkalan Weld). Royale Chulan Penang is located shortly on the left, at the same block as Made in Penang Interactive 3D Museum. There is a small lane right after the hotel, which leads to the main entrance and multi-level car park. Guests who dine in Sri Tanjung Cafe can get their parking tickets validated for a flat rate of RM5.00 per entry.