Hello, Mai Makan Buffet at Penang Kitchen food enthusiasts!
As the month of Ramadan gracefully unfolds in 2024, Courtyard by Marriott Penang is pulling out all the stops with its Malaysian-themed dinner buffet.
Mai Makan or Let’s Eat is exactly what you would do at Courtyard by Marriott Penang.
This simple phrase is what you would hear when you’re invited to a Malay home. When I arrived at the Penang Kitchen, it felt like home.
So far, this is the best hotel Ramadan buffet in Penang, with Executive Chef Nor Ismail Mat Esa at the helm.
I’ve known Chef Ismail since his days at another beach hotel, and his Gulai and his best dishes define Malaysian Cuisine.
I knew I was in for a treat when Marketing Communications Manager Cynthia Low invited me to dinner.
A friend who knows Chef Ismail encouraged me, ‘Go, go, go. You know his cooking is so sedap!’
That friend also knows that I had a self-imposed limited Ramadan Buffet Review that I would attend each year.
While so many hotel outlets and restaurants offer delectable Malay cuisine (which I adore), there is only one stomach, and this aunty can’t pack in a buffet every other night.
When the food is delicious (which it isn’t), the mantra
‘Does it lower your cholesterol, reduce your blood pressure, or reduce your taxes? ‘ falls on deaf ears.
But one look at anything that remotely resembles Santan, and then I’m done.
Mai Makan Buffet
The Mai Makan Buffet offers a symphony of local flavors, with the essence of Malaysian cuisine coming to life in every dish.
Penang Kitchen Ambiance
Penang Kitchen restaurant at Courtyard by Marriott Penang boasts a prime location at MacAlister Road.
It’s conveniently close to landmarks such as Masjid Al Arab, Masjid Pakistan, and Masjid Jamek Al Marjan, providing easy access for those seeking moments of prayer before indulging in culinary delights.
The Interior Decor and Seating Area at Penang Kitchen is neat and spacious.
The buffet is divided into four sections.
- Salads, Soups & Appetizers
- The Mains
- Live Station & Grilled Meats
- Desserts
Mai Makan Buffet Dinner Menu
There are buffets, and then there are buffets.
Even with almost 90 items on the menu (yes, I counted), it’s not always the places with the massive woks (gulai kawah) that come out on top.
Courtyard’s cooking in smaller portions makes the food tastier without multiplying the recipe by 10x.
The care and attention to detail show in their dishes, which are served in sizes reminiscent of what your mom would cook for the family for festive meals.
In a world full of choices, we always choose kerabu and camaraderie.
1 Salads & Appetizers
Prepare to be enticed by the mouthwatering tasty offerings in the salad and appetizer section.
There is a whole section to graze!
If you’re not into meat, you’ll be pleased to have endless options for eating healthily and lightly.
You can choose from a tempting array of fresh ulam with sambal-stuffed tofu and go on to the countless alternatives.
Aneka Kerabu offers a delightful array of kerabu varieties, some slowly being forgotten.
It’s lovely to see chefs endeavoring to revive this traditional Malay salad.
You get some of the most exciting concoctions that look and taste as lovely as their names.
- Kerabu Ayam Ala Thai
- Kerabu Manga Muda Udang Kering
- Kerabu Limau Bali Sotong
- Kerabu Ayam Kacang Panjang Kerabu Daging
- Kerabu Pucuk Paku dan Kupang
- Kerabu Song Hoon
- Jelatah Timun Nenas
- Kerabu Kacang Botol dan Kerang
There’s so much to love about Kerabu!
That vibrant, tropical local salad is crafted from various vegetables and herbs and elevated with a fiery Sambal Belacan, Budu, Cincalok, Sambal Berlado, Telur Masin, Sambal Hijau, Sambal Bilis, and Tempeh—I dare you to amp up your Kerabu game.
Penang Kitchen showcases two local delights straight from the bustling street stalls of Gurney Drive: the Pasembur Lautan (Seafood Pasembur) and the pièce de résistance —cuttlefish Kangkong.
If you’re a fan of cuttlefish, don’t miss out on adding it to your Rojak Buah.
The Cuttlefish Kangkong features blanched cuttlefish and water spinach.
The dish is smothered in a thick, sweet, and savory sauce made with Hoi Sin sauce, rojak prawn paste, plum sauce, sambal belacan, sugar, and a splash of calamansi juice.
The Sotong Kangkung is a Penang favorite, topped generously with pounded roasted peanuts and sesame seed for that extra crunch.
My mouth waters just writing this!
But oh, let’s not forget—trust me, it’s an experience you won’t soon forget.
Among the tempting snack options are the Aneka Keropok, Keropok Ikan Selayang, Papadom Madras, Keropok Udang, and Keropok Binjau.
Heart Warming Soups
Without fail, I always kick off my meal with two soups.
The Soto Ekor Sapi Berempah and the Cream of Mushroom.
For the mushroom soup, bid farewell to canned versions; this one’s freshly made and brimming with authentic flavors that will leave you craving more.
Both are deliciously tasty without weighing too heavily on the palate.
I like that Penang Kitchen provides salted and unsalted butter, bread rolls, and sliced Super Soft & Fluffy Raisin loaf.
2 The Mains
Now, onto the delightful mains, or Makanan Utama.
I adored all the gulai and enthusiastically savored every item on the menu, particularly favoring the Nasi Goreng Kampong over the Nasi Putih.
Here’s a glimpse of the mouthwatering offerings:
- Kari Ketam Bunga dan Nenas Bali Ayam Bunga Kantan
- Melaka Assam Pedas Ikan Pari
- Daging Batang Pinang Goreng Lada Hitam Sarawak
- Kupang Goreng Cili Kering
- Udang Kapas Sambal Tumis Petai Kampong
- Puyuh Daging Bercili
- Sayur Campuran Pulau Mutiara
These dishes sound delectable!
Indulge in a feast for the senses with our exquisite buffet spread, showcasing a tempting array of curries, dishes, and a heavenly lamb shank biryani.
3 Live Station & Grilled Meats
While the smell of Penang Duck Egg Char Kway Teow and Oyster Omelet is invigorating, wait until you taste the flavors of chunky chicken and beef satay or freshly baked pizza.
Nothing feels more delicious than grilled meats to taste the outdoors; the grills await, offering succulent delights.
Outside the restaurant is the Bakar Bakar Station, the Pangang “De” Pangang, where you get lovely grilled meats.
Indulge in the flavors of Kambing Bakar, Daging Bakar HARIMAU MERAUNG, Ayam Dara Percik SERI MERANTI, Ikan Siakap Bakar MELETUP, Stingray, and Udang Harimau Bakar.
Chef Rizal crafts condiments that complement the grilled meats and seafood, enhancing their flavors to new heights.
I tried the tangy Air Asam Bercili, the smoky Sauce Panggang, the rich Sauce Tiga Rasa, and the fiery Seafood Chili Sauce.
All the sauces tasted homemade and delicious, especially my favorite, Air Asam Bercili.
Satay & Condiments
The chunky Beef and Chicken Satay are fat, juicy, and delicious.
I prefer the Beef Satay with raw Onion, Cucumber, and Homemade Peanut Sauce.
My verdict for all the Grilled meats and seafood is this. It was all so Delicious!
Shawarma
For fans of Shawarma, prepare to delight in succulent Barbequed Marinated Chicken infused with Middle Eastern spices, all enveloped in warm Pita Pockets.
It was served with crisp lettuce, shredded cucumber, juicy tomato, and onion, complemented by garlic aioli.
It was grilled to perfection! At the Mai Makan Buffet, dive into a paradise of flavor with our mouthwatering selection of grilled meats and seafood.
Freshly Baked Pizza
There were freshly baked pizzas that I would have loved to sink my gnashers into; the chunky chicken satay pizza and Beef Pepperoni with Mushroom Pizza looked yummy.
It’s just that I had a Mozzarella, Spek, smoked camarza cheese, and tomato Sauce pizza at Bottegga for lunch.
There are two local stations that you will enjoy: the Lok-Lok Station and Wok Hei Station, where you can try the Penang Famous Duck Egg Char Koay Teow and Oyster Omelette.
I adore a flavorful curry and gulai, especially when infused with spices from the Spice Kitchen.
The Tandoori Chicken with Mint Chutney, GAO Prawn Masala Curry, Lamb Shank Biryani, and Dhal Tadka form a satisfying and complete meal.
4 Desserts
Satisfy your sweet cravings with an exquisite range of desserts and beverages.
Explore a tempting variety of hot and cold drinks featuring bandung cincau, soy, asam boi, and teh tarik, complemented by an enticing assortment of cakes, kueh, and more.
The list of sweet treats seems like a mile long, with desserts galore.
Mango and Passion Fruits Cheese Cake, Dark Chocolate Moist Cake, Raspberry Cream Puff with Lemon Curd, Black Forest Cake, Black Glutinous Rice Cream Brule, Chocolate Truffle, Cream Caramel Pudding, Sago with Coconut and Palm Sugar!
Not forgetting the Local Cakes (Kuih Muih Tempatan) full of decadent santan, there’s
Kuih Talam, Kuih Seri Muka, Kuih Lapis Nyonya, Kuih Ketayap, Ondeh-Ondeh, and Bengkang Ubi Kayu.
Don’t like too much carbs, santan, or sugar?
Try the Freshly Cut Fruit.
Three are Watermelon, Honey Dew, Pineapple, Papaya, Jack Fruit, Orange, Dragonfruit and Longan
For the child in us, there is a Chocolate Fountain with a wide selection of fruit skewers to coat!
The only thing missing is a big bowl of ice water to harden the chocolate. I love biting into chocolate shells.
Now is the time to make your own Penang Fruits & Vegetable Rojak!
You get to make your Rojak in the proportion of ingredients that you like.
Sweet Turnip, Guava, Pineapple, Cucumber, Water Apple, Young Mango, Green Apple with Rojak Sauce topped with crushed peanuts! Remember to add in the blanched cuttlefish from the Sotong Sambal Belacan.
You can add these Honey-Preserved Local Fruits for good measure if you like.
Theres pickled Kedongdong, Cermai, Betik, Api–Api, Manga, Ceri Merah & Hijau
Indulge in a symphony of flavors and delight, not forgetting the Malaysian favorite sweet desserts and Pengat Pisang.
Ice Kacang & Chendol with Musang King Ice-Cream
I finally settled for some lovely, not-too-sweet cakes made by the talented pastry chefs, two scoops of Musang King Ice Cream, and a bowl of Pengat Pisang.
How could I not have Pengat Pisang? It’s sweet and creamy, and with that tinge of salt, it made me very happy.
The Musang King Ice Cream was deliciously sweet and creamy. If no one were around, I would have eaten the entire barrel.
Save room for sweetness! Our dessert spread at the Mai Makan Buffet is a dream come true, featuring everything from indulgent cakes to exotic Musang King ice cream.
A culinary adventure captured in one frame! Every bite tells a delicious story, from hearty soups to flavorful curries and grilled delights. And who could resist a serving of Pengat Pisang?
The Mai Makan Buffet
Drawing from the vibrant tapestry of Malaysian cuisine, the Mai Makan buffet offers tantalizing delicacies.
Highlights include succulent shawarma, enticing look-lok, flavorful grilled dishes including Ikan Bakar, traditional satay, delectable oyster omelet, aromatic lamb shank briyani, and renowned wok hey creations.
Embark on a culinary adventure at Penang Kitchen, where the Mai Makan buffet awaits:
- Adult: MYR 149nett
- Child (6-12 years old): MYR 99nett
- Senior (60 and above): MYR 99nett
Experience the rich flavors of Malaysian cuisine at unbeatable prices. Book your table now and treat your taste buds to an unforgettable feast.
To reserve a table for the Mai Makan buffet, guests can call +604 297 2300 / +6012 580 0985 or email [email protected].
Mai Makan Buffet Review
Experience an unforgettable culinary journey at the Penang Kitchen’s Mai Makan buffet, Courtyard by Marriott Penang.
From flavorful curries to tempting desserts, every bite is a delight. With attentive service and a warm ambiance, it’s a must-visit for lovers of Malaysian cuisine.
Reserve your spot now and embark on a culinary odyssey with your loved ones.
Do not miss this culinary journey through the flavors of Malaysia. Join us at Penang Kitchen and immerse yourself in the Mai Makan buffet experience!
Website: www.courtyardpenang.com
Courtyard by Marriott Penang
Address: 218D, Jln Macalister, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Google: https://g.co/kgs/foAbpoE
Blog Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post, but all opinions are mine. Thank you, Courtyard by Marriott Penang, for the CNY set dinner invitation.
