Flamingo Café

Special thanks to Flamingo Hotel By The Beach, Penang for extending this food review invitation.

Barely a week since my preview visit to Flamingo Hotel, I am returning to this 4-star hotel to review the Flavours Of Meat & Seafood BBQ. Held at Flamingo Café, this buffet dinner is served between 7:00pm and 10:30pm every Saturday.

As the theme implies, the main highlights of the menu are barbecued meat and seafood. The charcoal-fired grilling station is located outdoors. Marinated meats include chicken, beef and lamb, while grilled seafood items are kembung (mackerel), prawns, mussels, clams and squid. Grilled sausages, kebab and vegetables are available too. As for condiments, there are barbecue sauce, mushroom sauce, seafood chili sauce, tamarind sauce and French mustard.

Chicken Ballotine is a French dish of lean chicken stuffed with ground meat and seasonings. Ballotine is shaped like a large sausage in a similar manner to galantine. This poultry dish goes well with sweet apricot sauce.

Diners who crave for chilled seafood can help themselves to marine delicacies like flower crabs, green-lipped mussels, scallops, shrimps and octopus. Garlic chili sauce and lemon wedges are provided.

The platter of smoked chicken and smoked duck is captivating indeed. I think smoked duck suits my palate better. The cold cuts are served with tangy mango salsa.

Meanwhile, the sushi platter presents several types of maki-, nigiri- and gunkan-type sushi. Traditional sushi condiments like wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce are provided.

I am also attracted by the platters of cold cuts and cheeses. The cheese platter contains cheddar, camembert, blue cheese, nuts, fruits and crackers. I like the creamy sensation of camembert in particular.

As for hot dishes, Fried Salted Eggs Flower Crabs are cooked with butter and curry leaves. Flower crabs do not offer much meat. Instead, the main enjoyment of this dish comes from the savory seasoning.

Next, Udang Berempah is a Nyonya-style dish where prawns are cooked with sour and spicy curry. Also included are eggplants (brinjals), carrots and tomatoes. In addition, the Crispy Fried Squid is pretty appetizing too.

Served in a wok is another spicy dish, Curry Lamb. The delectable chunks of lamb go well with the spicy gravy. Potato chunks take advantage of the delectable curry too.

Moving on, Crispy Beef Cutlet is deep-fried and then cut into bite-size pieces. The beef is served with rosemary reduction and assorted vegetables on the side.

A variety of cakes, Malay kuih, jellies, mousses, puddings and tartlets serve to satisfy one's sweet tooth. Should diners prefer soupy desserts, there are Bubur Pulut Hitam and Foo Chok Barley as well.

Flamingo Hotel's Flavours Of Meat & Seafood BBQ is priced at RM88.00 net per adult, and RM48.00 net per child or senior citizen. The hotel is offering "Buy 1 Free 1" for adults, which effectively means that the buffet only costs RM44.00 per person! Besides this buffet, Flamingo Café is also serving High Tea Buffet every Saturday, and Penang Lang Porridge Fest on Sundays.

Name: Flamingo Café
Address: Flamingo Hotel, Jalan Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-892-7167
Business hours: 7:00am-12:00am
Website: http://penang.flamingo.com.my/dining
Coordinates: 5.46739 N, 100.28891 E
Directions: Traveling westbound on Jalan Tanjung Bungah, drive past the pedestrian bridge near Dalat International School. Make a U-turn at the next traffic light-controlled junction and immediately turn left to Flamingo Hotel. Flamingo Café is one level below the lobby. The hotel provides complimentary outdoor and indoor parking.