To celebrate Sentosa’s 40th Anniversary, a series of events will take place over four months starting from May. One of which is the “Tastes of Penang at Sentosa”.

Hailing from the “food capital of Malaysia”, renowned Penang Chef Qua and a team of chefs will whip up an irresistible array of Penang favourites to tantalise your taste buds, at the first ever Penang buffet overlooking the sea, with a stunning view of fireworks display.

From 10 to 20 May, the venue Tastes of Asia will transform into the “streets of Penang” –complete with live cooking stations in a nostalgic theme.

Expect long rustic wooden benches and heritage trishaws.

Tastes of Penang Buffet

Rojak

Don’t belittle this Rojak dish. Its crimson red hue indicates its intense spiciness; you will need an icy cold glass of water on standby.

Fresh juicy fruits counterpoise the intensity of the sauce, and crushed peanuts add texture.

Lor Bak

More commonly known as “ngoh hiang” in Singapore, the Lor Bak comprises tender meat packed with flavours that will leave you wanting more.

Char Mui (Fried Porridge)

The Fried Porridge is a highlight. I had multiple servings of it!

The consistency of the porridge is a cross between Cantonese-style (thick and creamy) and Teochew-style (watery with distinguishable rice grains).

Cantonese-style porridge is my all-time favourite. I was anticipating that smooth creamy and thick consistency but was slightly disappointed. Textures aside, the flavours are amazing. It is almost akin to eating a porridge version of Hor Fun.

Why didn’t I have this when I was in Penang last January?

This dish is a must-try!

Penang Char Kway Teow

Another noteworthy dish is the Penang Char Kway Teow.

Slippery rice noodles stained with a secret recipe sauce attribute to a simply mouth-watering dish.

It is slightly lighter on the palate as compared to the Singapore version; it is less greasy, less ‘sweet’, less ‘sticky’ and the noodles are smooth and thin –they are imported from Penang!

Must try!

Here’s Jacob trying his hand at whipping up Char Kway Teow! I finished the entire plate. Good job Jacob!

Char Hum (Fried Cockles) are available in two interpretations: Sweet and Spicy.

Fried Cockles (Sweet)

The ‘sweet’ version of Char Hum breaks away from the savoury items without entering the ‘dessert’ section. It will whet your appetite for more savoury dishes to come.

Fried Cockles (Spicy)

The ‘spicy’ version is highly favoured. The spices will tantalise your taste buds and prep you for the mains.

Penang Laksa

The Penang Laksa that I had in Penang (a stall in Gurney Drive) comprises a watery tangy broth with a gritty base –I totally didn’t enjoy it and I nearly swore off Penang Laksa. I prefer the more cloying sweet-savoury Singapore version laden with coconut milk.

Thankfully this version fared much better than I’d expected. The broth is sufficiently rich, but still a little sour for my liking due to the customary incorporation of tamarind.

I love the texture of the noodles –thick, soft enough and slurp-y.

Nasi Kandar

Nasi Kandar is a popular Malaysian dish originated in Penang. At orthodox Nasi Kandar stalls, you are greeted by a plethora of dishes where you get to pick your favourites to accompany a portion of plain rice.

Here, the rice is dribbled with 3 types of curries. Accompanying the rice are cabbage with mustard seed, long beans, fried chicken and egg.

Here are some dishes available at the buffet spread:

Prawns

Ayam Lemak

Tender pieces of chicken swim in a flavourful green curry, awash with lemongrass, chilli, and several other ingredients that my untrained eye cannot discern. I am only trained to eat. Yum!

Squid

Ayam Masak Kicap

Ayam Masak Kicap is typically cooked with soy sauce and honey. The flavours, though not complex, pack a punch. I like!

Ayam Masak Merah (Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

Tender pieces of chicken doused in an assertive, thick and creamy tomato sauce. Although the colour of the sauce gives the impression of “hot and spicy”, it is rather tame and easy on the palate.

Dessert

Chendol

Dessert is always the most anticipating part of the meal (well at least for me).

You get to make your very own Chendol. Adjust the level of sweetness and richness according to your palate, and add as much ingredients as you’d like.

The seductive luscious snow-white coconut milk compelled me to drizzle it liberally on the smoothly crushed ice, and I finished off with an extra dose of the deliciously rich Gula Melaka.

The chef was examining how much Gula Melaka I was adding, and warned me that it was going to be very sweet. But my sweet tooth says: I LIKE! My dad would glare at me if he saw that.

Coconut with Jelly ($2)

The coconut shell is filled with jelly amongst the refreshing juice. I suspect they added a tinge of syrup, as it is unusually sweet for coconut juice.

I was having such a hard time trying to scrape off the meat. Eventually I gave up.

The entire plantation of coconuts would be wiped out if this dessert were to be included in the buffet spread. This coconut dessert is available for purchase at $2.

For a memorable dining experience and a mini getaway, head down to Tastes of Penang at Sentosa. Enjoy the sea breeze, and catch a glimpse of Song of the Sea’s fireworks display, while indulging in flavoursome Penang home-style cooking.

Remember to make reservations to secure a table on Mother’s Day!

Sentosa will receive its 150 millionth guest this year between May and June. Be sure to visit Sentosa, and you could be the lucky winner of a bundle of treats, including the new generation iPad, dining vouchers, attraction tickets and the total prize value is close to $10,000!

Buffet pricing:

$42.90++ per adult
$19.90++ per child (5-11 years old)

- Usual island admission charges apply
- Includes complimentary parking and conplimentary entry into images of Singapore
- Early Bird Discount –20% off for reservations by 3 May 2012 (or capped at 400 pax)
- Discounts apply for islander members and credit card holders

Buffet hours:
Mon-Thurs: 6pm to 11pm
Fri-Sun: 4pm-11pm

Getting there:

Tastes of Asia, Level 2 (Near Beach Station)

Sentosa Express –board at Vivocity, 3rd floor, drop off at Beach Station
Drive in –park at Beach Car Park (Blue Zone)
Taxi –alight at Beach Station

Reservations:
Call or email