Halal Western Buffet JT Restaurant Heritage Club Penang

The teaser photo of JT Restaurant got me asking Dr. Joeson Khor of PG Food Hunter A-Team recently, and I challenged him to name a restaurant that can meet the criteria below.

1. Centrally located but Not in a Hotel
2. Serves good Western Wood
3. Serves good Chinese Chu Char style dishes with white rice
4. Serves Hawker fare like Char Koay Teow, Hokkien Mee, and Char Hor Fun
5. Serves Steamboat and/or BBQ
6. Serves Yee Sang for Chinese New Year Reunion
7. Has a table that seats over 10 with the private room setting
8. Ample Free Parking
9. Clean, dry washroom
10. Must be HALAL certified!

Where to Find a Halal Western Buffet in a Restaurant with Chinese Cuisine?

Dr Joeson smiled and said, “I know a restaurant that not only meets ALL 10 criteria set out but also has a very talented Master Chef who creates exciting fusion food.”

With that, I set out with Harian Metro journalist Rudy Syareme Sheriffudin for a food review.

Rudy’s only question was, “Sure, Halal?”

When I mentioned that JT Restaurant had the approved Halal Certification, Rudy was game to try out the food.

“That’s Cool!”

Here are the obvious conclusions to answer the criteria.

Centrally Located But Not in a Hotel

JT Restaurant is located in The Heritage Club, Penang.

To dispel the misnomer, the restaurant is open to the public and not solely for club members.

The Heritage Club is on the left-hand side after the Penang Turf Club on Scotland Road.

JT Restaurant is opposite Chi Fitness (Previously known as Absolute Fitness) as you enter the lobby.

JT Restaurant Master Chef James Tan

Helmed by a Chef-Restaurateur-Caterer who is a member of the prestigious Chaîne Des Rôtisseurs, Master Chef James Tan has over 30 years of F&B experience.

Chef James has cooked in the best hotel kitchens in Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.

A certified Food Hygiene Officer by the Singapore Chefs Association, Chef James places food safety and quality as an important aspect of his restaurant.

Having worked in the prestigious Fullerton Hotel Singapore, which faces the Marina Bay riverfront, Chef James is still very hands-on and loves being in the kitchen to create new recipes.

“My passion is cooking, and my forte is catering. In my restaurant, we provide good quality fresh ingredients.

My chefs are all trained to prepare various international cuisines and offer choices from Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Korean, and Penang hawker food.

BBQ, steamboat, reunion dinners, wedding banquets with event planning and decorations, sound system, or Karaoke is no problem!

If there’s something my customers want, we can arrange for them if the price is right.

We can cater for private functions in the restaurant, bring the restaurant to your private homes or offices, or even turn a multi-purpose hall into a dream wedding venue with the correct lighting!”

We saw the photos of his capability statement displayed proudly on the porch of The Heritage Club of Penang.

Halal Certification and Local Chefs at JT Restaurant

Chef James jokingly said, “I have 3 Malay Chefs, 1 Chinese Chef, and an Indian Chef to whip up the dishes on the menu.

You can’t tell the difference between my 1Malaysia Chefs at a glance. The Chinese Chef is darker, while the Malay chef is fair.

What is important is the taste of the food that comes out of our kitchen is appealing to all Malaysians.

We are Halal certified, so our Malay friends can try the Chinese style Chu Char Food now in Penang without traveling elsewhere.”

Halal Chinese & Western Cuisine

Close-up of the Main dishes, top row: Mongolian Lamb Shank with Crispy Fried Rice (蒙古小羊腿), Salted Egg Chicken Chop (金沙鸡扒), and Deep Fried Lychee with Ice Cream (冰山金球).

The two plates in the foreground are the Mongolian Chicken and Fried Beef Slices with Ginger and Spring Onions, both popular Chinese-style Chu Char dishes.

Chef James Tan Introduces JT Restaurant, New Menu

“The fusion recipes are created with repeated cooking, tempering, and adjustments to get the correct balance, texture, color, and taste.

We tried out each recipe at least 20 times to get the right texture and aroma that is appealing for a balanced taste. I have selected the best ten dishes to launch this new menu.

Poultry

Salted Egg Chicken Chop (金沙鸡扒)

This dish combines perfectly Oriental ingredients with the Westernised Chicken Chop.

For the bright flavoring, I used four salted egg yolks per portion of the sauce cooked with cream and curry leaves.”

Rudy and I agree that the sauce’s richness and texture are well-bodied and balanced by the distinct aroma of salted egg yolks.

Spring Chicken with Glutinous Rice (特色火凤凰)

2pcs/set with a “Lor Mai Kai” flavored Glutinous Rice stuffing with Chinese Mushroom.

Mongolian Lamb Shank with Crispy Fried Rice (蒙古小羊腿)

A 4-hour slow-braised lamb shank is oven-baked with crispy edges and smothered with the rich Mongolian sauce.  The bone-in shank is soft, succulent, and moist.

The slow braising on a low flame has kept the entire shank in place without the meat falling apart.

A gentle nudge with the knife and fork breaks this into tender, flavourful morsels.

For carbs, the Chef deep-fries the rice and then mixes it with cooked rice for the fried rice dish.

If you love fried rice, this simple dish will hit the right spot with the added crunch.

JT Lamb Shank (JT 秘制小羊腿)

cooked traditionally and served with mashed potatoes.

Harlock King Prawn with Crispy Fried Rice ( 蛟龙戏水)

for seafood lovers.

Deep-Fried Hor Fun with King Prawn ( 香脆黄金粉)

for noodle lovers, the Hor Fun is deep-fried with crispy edges, cooked with egg gravy, and served with six pc. XXL prawns.

Here are some photos of happy patrons enjoying their meals at the restaurant.

Deep-fried lychee with Ice Cream (冰山金球)

Desserts are popular with Malaysians generally. Think Banana Fritter with the ultimate twist. The Chef does not present Goreng Chempedak by Lychee Fritters.

The Canned Lychees are filled with a simple secret ingredient that balances the sweetness of the fruit. It’s slightly salty with a hint of sour.

This dessert comes in a 6pcs/set with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The other dishes in the newly launched menu that were not presented in this private review include;

Popularity of JT Restaurant

A group of girls walked in, announcing that they were PG Food Hunter A-Team members, and happily ordered from the new menu.

A private function with happy diners enjoying themselves.

JT Restaurant @ Heritage Club | 2, Jalan Scotland Road, (inside The Heritage Club) | Business hours: 12 noon to 10 pm | For reservations, please contact: 04-2273373