Reasons to Love the Kampachi Weekend Buffet

I am a fan of buffets; really I am.
My eyes sparkle at the glimpse of the colorful and multi-varied types of food presented in different styles, flavors and unique ways which are bound to set the taste buds go on a wild spree.
The thing about buffets is this; Variety.
We have choices, and lots of them in one single meal.

Of course, the old ode that one should exercise with caution when faced with so much food; in amount and varieties still stands.
It sounds like a heavenly treat to be surrounded by all these wonderful choices and the freedom to have anything you want (well, almost, depending on the theme).

Buffets are readily available everywhere although this is still a sinful treat to many, and of course, the need to splurge to enjoy these assortment of cuisines.
(Well, there are also good buffets at a good bargain, which I will probably blog about in the future).

One of my personal favorite buffets has to be the Equatorial Kampachi's Weekend Japanese Buffet.
Served on Saturdays and Sundays for lunches, and only Saturdays for dinners, this is one exciting buffet for those Japanese food crazed fans.



There is just so much to love about this Japanese buffet, and to begin with, I am already a fan of both Japanese food and also, Kampachi.
Kampachi by Equatorial is one of the hotel's pride in serving one of the finest quality of Japanese cuisine around the island of Penang, and its fame has also spread to the metropolitan city of Kuala Lumpur.



The weekend buffet brings together the delectable treats served from this fine kitchen; by their experienced and skilled chefs.



Here I will list down the reasons this buffet has captured my heart, or appetite :-)

Assorted Fresh Sashimi sliced and cut right before you, and comes in numbers
Salmon, Butterfish, Tuna, Octopus

Sushi Lovers would rejoice at the varieties of Sushi freshly made to choose from







Cooked on the spot and served piping hot seafood and meat Teppanyaki varieties
(Fish, prawns, mussels)





Scrumptious Deep Fried Tempura technically running out like well, hot prawns!





Fresh wasabi paste!
Nothing beats freshness in this spicy wad of green spunk:-)



Silky Smooth Agedashi Tofu




Free Flow of Green tea (hot and cold) and chilled cordials/beverages



Interesting varieties of desserts
(I mean really interesting; a neat mix of western, oriental and localized desserts all together!)









 

They have the Soy curd pudding with fruit cocktail!


Home made Signature Kampachi Dorayaki!
Who doesn't love dorayaki!?
(Signed with love with Kampachi's initials :-)



Chinese Red Bean soup served hot from the pot, made with Azuki beans!



Japanese Mochi infused with the localized style



Awesome dining environment in the restaurant



Exclusive ambiance within the hotel to chill and lay back during the weekend








So, what are the reasons NOT to like about this buffet?
I can't think of any...

Equatorial Kampachi Japanese Weekend Buffet:
(Kampachi by Equatorial Hotel Penang)
Lunch on Saturdays and Sundays (starts from 11.00am until 3.00pm)
MYR68++ for Adults, MYR37++ for children


Dinner on Saturdays Only (starts from 6.00pm until 10.00pm)
MYR 92++  for Adults, MYR 49++  for children 

For inquiries or reservation, kindly contact +604- 632 7000.



Note: This is NOT a sponsored post and is based on blogger's personal experiences and opinions :-)

Feast your way through Asia at Tao Authentic Asian Cuisine

Growing up in this part of the world has honed our taste buds to be receptive to the local flavors and basics of rice, spices, varieties/styles of preparation; all bundled in that colorful package known as the Asian cuisine.
While it may be perceived as exotic and even adventurous by some, it is this array of multi-ethnic and cross cultural favorites which makes the cuisine so unique with its very own proud identity; loved and admired by many all over the world. Asia is truly a melting pot of cultures and the blending of the different tastes inherited from the long history dating to centuries ago led to the birth of an interesting yet diversified collection of flavors; influenced by the intermingling of the cultures yet distinctive to their origins.
It will take an entire dictionary to describe all about Asian cuisine, and one could also experience the different types of cuisines as one travels across each Asian country in this large continent.

Tao Authentic Asian Cuisine attempts to bring most, if not all, of the heterogenous tastes from these countries; mainly Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese under its elaborate menu in a typical order-to-serve buffet style.

The restaurant embarked on this bold and ambitious journey to fulfill the cravings of the food lovers stuck in that dilemma of their choice of cuisine for a meal by bringing them all together for their patrons to enjoy the flavors of their favorite Asian food just with the flip of the menu page.

Focusing on the quality of the food rather than the price, Tao Authentic Asian Cuisine strives with that notion to bring the best to their customers in a comfortable and exclusive environment.


The interior and exterior design of the upscale restaurant is inspired by the harmonious elements in the Asian culture and exudes a rather zen-like atmosphere when one steps into the place.

How it works?
Select anything from the menu (yes, anything), and as many as you can eat/finish and the waiter will place your order to be sent to the kitchen; just like in any normal restaurant.
However, it is important to note that there should not be wastage of food; mainly for reasons of avoiding gluttony and the restaurant helps to remind you of this by imposing a charge for every 100g of food gone to waste (a standard rule applied in most buffet restaurants).

Waiting time varies based on the crowd (there's always a crowd anyway), and the restaurant took note of this by preparing a simple buffet area serving starters and appetizers; ranging from fresh salads, fruits, cold cuts, and cocktails.

Fruit Cocktail (non-alcoholic)


Cold Cuts of Abalone


Baked scallops with spicy mayonnaise (Japanese style)
Juicy scallops seared with the rich mayonnaise flavor and hints of spicy is an exciting dish to entice the taste buds for more food to come.




Grilled Unagi (eel) with Teriyaki sauce


This is one of my personal favorites; the Deep fried Tiger Prawns topped with cheese.
The succulent and fresh tastes of the medium-sized prawns were well-maintained underneath that light coat of batter which just crackles with that crisp sound when you bite into it, and the rich and creamy cheese added to the allure of the texture of this dish.
I am not a fan of cheesy things, but with a light touch of this to the dry crispy batter, it just enhanced (or literally enriched) the taste of the battered prawns.




Thai Fish Cakes was remodeled to a new level with this unique rendition from Tao; and I was surprised that these were really enjoyable to the extent that it was addictive.
Unlike the usual mash of fish paste, this was a firmer version but yet chewy and bouncy as though it was a mix of fish paste and fish ball. The addition of pounded coriander leaves hidden in the mix made it even more memorable to the taste buds. My only advice is to have it when it is served hot, or it tends to become a little firmer after a while.




Taiwanese Style Deep Fried Salt and Pepper Mantis Prawns
This was slightly more salty to my liking, and perhaps a little dry but it was still a chewy crunch and something to snack on while waiting for the rest of the dishes to be served.




Deep Fried Soft Shell Crabs


Enjoy thick slabs of salmon sashimi (raw salmon); and yes, these are slabs, not slices.


California Temaki

The list of items to try is varied and offers a variety to satisfy those with a fondness of diversity in their meals and there is just so much to try, so a huge appetite is definitely advised when visiting this restaurant.

Tao Authentic Asian Cuisine currently has 3 outlets; since the opening of its first outlet in Penang in 2006. Today, they have 2 outlets in Penang; Penang Times Square and Juru Autocity and they have also expanded to an outlet in Kota Damansara.

The buffet (lunch) costs MYR56.00++ per pax and lunch starts from 12.00noon until 3.00pm while dinner is from 6.00pm-10.00pm.

Tao Authentic Asian Cuisine has definitely introduced a concept of dining which pleases the roving taste buds of the locals and at the same time, fulfills the cravings for those who would love to have it all of Asia at the same time and from the crowds gathering at their outlets, they have definitely found their success in this bold yet refreshing concept.

They have definitely helped to save many trips to the different countries when one can just have most of the local favorites popular of each cuisine right here.

(This is not a sponsored post and all tastes are based on personal opinions of author and may differ from one to another individual).