Food Affair: HALAL Japanese Buffet Dinner @ G Hotel Kelawai

      I don’t mean to boast, but if you are interested in Japanese cuisine, you’ve come to the right person. Those who personally know me would know that I am a total sucker for Japanese food. Name me any main city and I can most probably name you a sushi restaurant or two. Now that I am back to my hometown, I’m overjoyed to know that my first trip across the Penang Bridge will be to try out a Japanese Buffet.

      Back when I was still staying overseas, I have a Nippon-food-buddy who always go on Japanese food hunting with me, whenever, wherever. However, she is a Muslimah so we would be very careful when ordering food. Hence when I first find out that the Japanese Buffet at G Hotel Kelawai is ALL HALAL, my reflex responded by texting her:

“Saa, I found an all halal Japanese Buffet!!!”

Food

      Firstly, get all warmed up with a bowl of Miso Shiru or Sake No To-Nyu Jiru (creamy salmon miso soup)... A cup of savory chawanmushi is another great way to start your gastronomy experience here in Spoon.

      Don’t get taken aback by the dancing fish flakes (Bonito) on Dofu Dangaku at the hot-dish lining. If I am not mistaken, those are dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna. I guarantee you that those things are dead, and they are only moving due to the heat!

      Cheese and Mayo Mussels is another favorite of mine, so is the artfully presented baked fish. Sushis, Sashimis, and Tempuras, as the Japanese staple food are also must-tries. Remember the correct way to sushi-ing:

Dab a little wasabi and soy sauce on the sashimi, eat, a piece of palate-washing ginger, repeat!

      I used to think Japanese and Chinese food looks so much alike until I took my first spoon full of crispy Renkon Chips vegetable stir back in Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport. A taste of the same dish here sent me down this memory lane. Beef curry does sound Indian but in comparison to our typical curry, it’s milder, thicker and sweeter.

      My brother, a big fan of Teppanyaki was clearly fascinated with Action Station where foodies can pick their own ingredients and watch the chef bringing them to life. (Don’t worry, not literally.) Ingredients selection includes sliced beef, lamb, fresh shrimps and boiled scallops.

      Although my mum isn’t particularly fond of seafood, the fresh seafood on ice is hard to resist. The scallops, prawns, and mussels were really tempting and all we could do, despite having fear of gaining more weight, is to give in.

      Head to the cheese station next, you'll find some rare cheese that you could only find in an international grocers.

      Although my stomach had reached its limits, my new friends Mable (mablemaeve) and Racheal (random-ista) reminded me NOT to miss desserts at G-Hotel, so despite having food filled to my oesophagus, I adventurously filled up another plate with pretty bite-size cakes and confectioneries…. and to my own amazement, my mum and I managed to finish them all and go for another helping (Guilty as charged!!!)

The stars of the dessert section, in my humble opinion, are the fluffy Hokkaido cupcakes filled with cream and the chocolate fountain. If I were blessed with more stomach capacity, I would definitely try out the Matcha Ice cream, like how I usually end any buffet dinner…

Specialty

It was a pleasure to meet the head chef, Mr. Ong Ban Khoon near the end of our visit. With his 25 years of international experience, he managed to turn a regular buffet dinner into a fine-dining experience. All the food at the counter are dished in small portion and the staffs refill them from time to time to maximize the freshness, at the same time, this ensures minimum food wastage.

Besides, the wide selection of food is all skillfully prepared without MSG or alcohol… Hence, all our Muslim friends can now indulge in an endless array of mouth-watering Japanese dishes

Ambiance

      The 120-seating-capacity Spoon Cafe is for everyone, no matter you are a white collar looking for a venue for your next office gathering, or a lovey-dovey couple coming for anniversary dinner. The cafe is strategically located on the 2nd floor, overlooking the busy Kelawai Road with a gorgeous mountain backdrop to balance it up.

What excites me the most, is the Peranakan motif cement tiles beneath my feet. Because you know, I have a thing with floors (plus its Instagramable)!

Location 

Spoon Cafe, Level 2
G Hotel Kelawai
2, Persiaran Maktab, 10250 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

More Information 

      There are 2 Buffet Dinner themes going on in the Spoon Cafe, so those who would like to try the Japanese Buffet should go on Friday or Saturday (6.30pm-10.30pm).

PROMO PRICES

Sun-Thu, International RM75

Fri- Sat, Japanese       RM105

That’s not all… Kids below 6 eat FREE while children up to 12 years old, as well as senior citizens (>60 years old), get to enjoy the buffet at a great discounted rate (Sun-Thu RM60, Fri-Sat RM78).

So, what are you waiting for? 

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Thank You for Reading! 

Miss Happy Feet was hosted by G Hotel Kelawai but all photos and opinion are as always my own. 

Feel free to share your thoughts with me by commenting below!