SOUNDS YUMMY ... Rasa Sayang here I go ...

All You Can Eat

Baskin Robbins Ice Cream

Choice of flavours include rainbow sherbet, rum & raisin, mango tango, chocolate chip, very berry strawberry and vanilla.

1:00pm to 5:00pm daily

RM38.00++ per person

Served at Garden Wing Terrace outside Lobby Lounge

FEELING SPICY?

THE SHANGRI-LA'S RASA SAYANG RESORT AND SPA invited a group of journalists and food writers/bloggers to try out their Spice Market Cafe's evening buffet last week, as they've just introduced a revamped offer; instead of the BOGOF offer (Buy One Get One Free) it's now buy TWO and get one free. Still a pretty good offer I think.

Unfortunately I couldn't make the press evening, but they did host me to one a couple of nights ago, and I was really delighted to see that they are now one of the most popular buffets in town - and I'm not just saying this because they invited me. Believe me, I've been known to give them my frank unadulterated opinion about the taste and quality (never quantity, which is always amazing) of the food there, and it's not always been positive, especially when they first started three years ago. However, they are well aware of one thing: my carping has always been with their interests at heart. For that price, BOGOF or not, they MUST give the best. And they ARE really now one of the best in town. Not many other places give you such good quality food.

And giving credit where it's due, they have taken my comments to heart, and I'm delighted to report that the other night was just as good. Their fresh seafood is second to none - stacks of prawns and slipper lobster, literally - and there is a good choice of sashimi, Indian, local, and western, not to mention their "Theatre Kitchen", where you can select whatever is on offer for your delectation and have it wok'ed or fried up in front of you, all washed down with freshly-squeezed juice (although this costs extra).

Their satay is not bad, and the northern Indian curries are quite authentic. Of course their desserts are outstanding, and it's even got a die-hard pudding fan like me beat, there's just so much of it! I'm delighted to be able to be so whole-hearted in my praise for them, and I think they have become one of those places Penangites head for when they want a really special buffet.

The Spice Market Cafe's Buy 2 get one free is available until 17 December at RM104++ per adult (RM52++ per child), 6.30-10.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, so take advantage of this while you can - we are! This is in conjunction with the Feringgi Grill and their poolside Pinang Bar where if you order two mains you'll get a third on the house.

SMC - Spicy and Marketey

WASN'T THE WEATHER terrible last night! Still, a group of our friends got together to celebrate a rather special occasion, so where does one head for such an occasion but the Rasa Sayang's Spice Market Cafe of course - otherwise known as SMC. I like the place for many reasons: one doesn't have to traipse all the way into town; it IS somewhere you can take people if you want to go somewhere special ie a bit more upmarket but still be comfortable, and, equally importantly, serves good quality food. It's not cheap, but then you couldn't get the spread without paying for it.

As it was Saturday evening it was their Seafood Buffet - the place was packed. I will say this for the SMC - it really does have some excellent stuff: the Japanese counter is full of fresh sashimic, octopus and other raw delights; the seafood is amazing: slipper lobsters, huge prawns, oysters, crabs, fish etc. The list goes on. I think the only thing you couldn't find there was caviar!

Unfortunately one can only eat so much, so I chose to go for the things I wouldn't normally partake of - all the above of course, plus a rather delectable roast beef. However just HAD to try the Hokkien Mee - not bad, considering it's pork free! I also liked the Sharksfin Soup - it was chokka with crab meat.

Their desserts of course are just out of this world, although I would have liked a little bit more cakey stuff instead of all mousses and creams. It was funny to see the chocolate fountains (yes, they have two - one white and one brown!) spewing the melted chocolate everywhere every time the door opened to the outside, because the wind was so strong it kept blowing the chocolate all over the place!

The SMC has come a long way since it started all those years ago when the Rasa reopened. Then, I'm sorry to say, it left a lot to be desired. Service was substandard and the food was not brilliant. I know, cos I have done many reviews there for both Star and The Expat magazine, and I was forever complaining bitterly to the powers that be about it. However, I was truly delighted to see that not only have they got their act together, but the overall quality of the food served is way above standard. The crowds were a testament to their success.

Having said that, I really was stuffed, so it's not a place I can go to regularly. Not sure what my cholesterol level is today either ... !

SLOW & STEADY MAY NOT WIN THE RACE AFTER ALL ...

Turtles, those huge, lumbering gentle (unless you get a bite that is!) creatures that we often see on wildlife programmes, are in danger. We've always been aware of that, but this message was brought home even more strongly after I attended Rasa Sayang's "Turtle Conservation Programme" yesterday, a worthwhile cause they have been supporting for the past 3 decades.

The 20-minute film they put on showed how the numbers which come to land to lay their eggs have dwindled from several thousand annually just one or two decades ago to just 250 in the last few years. And apparently out of every 10,000 baby turtles which hatch only ... get this ... THREE reach maturity! They are delicious prey for other wildlife, the environment, and of course, I'm sad to say , thoughtless and inconsiderate humans who discard old nets and plastic bags in the sea. These poor creatures think that this flotsam is food and eat them with disastrous consequences. We also - and it doesn't bear thinking about; it's not as though we haven't enough types of food as it is - cook turtle soup, and collect the eggs and EAT THEM!! Gross!

We are lucky - 3 out of the 7 remaining species come to Malaysia, and although everyone thinks they just land in the East Coast, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they also come ashore in the Penang National Park - the Green Turtle and the Olive Ridley Turtle. The park appears to be doing its best to stop the decline by helping the eggs to develop by maintaining the natural habitat for them to land and lay, then releasing them as soon as they are hatched into the sea. And although it's really interesting to be able to say "I've seen a turtle lay its eggs", it does result in decreasing the numbers of turtles who come to shore in the future. They are very shy creatures and will return to the sea if disturbed before they start laying.

By just raising awareness amongst a small group, Rasa Sayang is helping - my hat off to them. But take it one step further and do it with school children who are after all future citizens (or as my childless friend scathingly puts it "trainee adults"), and this effect is multipled many fold. With Uplands International School kids it will spread all over the world. It was an interesting and varied event attended by YB Chow Kon Yeow, who represented the Chief Minister, and other dignitaries, after which baby turtles were released into the sea.

PINANG BAR IN PENANG

We have a hotel to suit every need and budget in Penang, from the cheap backpacker's retreat in Love Lane to Traders and Equatorial, the businessman's inns; from the heritage Cheong Fatt Tze and E&O in town to the seaside resorts in Batu Ferringhi.

The Rasa Sayang of course is one of our best, and the other day I had lunch in their alfresco Pinang Bar, where their revamped, bigger menu means all-day dining. It offers a range of healthy international dishes typical of poolside ordering, lite bites which include wraps and salads, snacks and sandwiches. There is also a small range of hot dishes, including a few local specialities.

The affable Chef Amir is in charge there, so I asked him to recommend something different and suitable for me - he came up with Vegetable Quesadilla, a vegetarian dish of roasted bell peppers, pesto and cheese in a tortilla, accompanied by three dips: guacamole (avocado), sour cream and a spicy but delish tomato salsa.

It was quite tasty, and filling enough to take the edge off a complaining stomach, but not so much that it bloats you up so you can't swim. Or enjoy the beautiful surroundings, and listen to the waves as they crash gently onto the beach. It's a gorgeous place to enjoy a beer or two, and to entice guests, they have introduced a "Tap the Beer", which is 14oz mug of draft beer for just RM10++ all day long. Not a bad deal at all,

considering the beautiful environment.

However, I'd also consider going along during Happy Hours (5.30-7.30) when it's 50% off all their other drinks! And I can't wait for next Thursday - I've been invited to the Feringgi Grill to try their new Chef's creations.

It was quite exciting to be invited to meet Eddie Jordan and The Robbers, who were performing at the Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa's posh Feringgi Grill last night.

I would have loved to interview him about his short stay in Penang, but unfortunately there wasn't time, although he did give some entertaining insight into his life in the fast lane during his time in Formula 1 racing.

The dinner was a simple 3-course meal consisting of good basic ingredients: their famous home-made tomato soup came with a dribble of pandan oil, which gave it a subtle quite [Photo]fragrant aftertaste, although it wasn't a "sweet" flavour as one would expect.

This was followed by lamb or cod (I chose the latter) which was served on a wooden chopping board (hence the name "Wood Plank Cod, although to be frank I didn't see what difference that made to it!), and a Chocolate Volcano without the lava - it was a bit dry, and would have made a world of difference if served with a molten centre or a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Still, one can't complain too much as I was an invited guest!

In between courses, Eddie kept diners entertained with some anecdotes and trivia about the famous race, and after that we adjourned to the Feringgi Lounge where we were treated to a loud but good bit of music from his four piece band, of which he is the drummer. For geriatric rockers they weren't bad at all. However, it's pretty sad but oldies like me found it a bit much (on top of the fact that I wasn't feeling too good and still aren't brill now) so I left at that point. They are off to KL today to perform at the Hard Rock Cafe for the next 2 nights, so do catch them if you can.