Sago – Penang Marriott Hotel’s All-day-dining Restaurant
Monica Tindall
Penang Marriott Hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Sago, promises international and local cuisine complemented by warm island hospitality. It’s a welcoming place with Peranakan elements and a modern touch. You can find an extensive breakfast buffet and a la carte lunch and dinner menus here.
Sago – Penang Marriott Hotel
Buffet Breakfast
Sago’s breakfast buffet is a level above many hotel offerings in Malaysia. The usual hot and cold, local and international sections are provided, but each is done with just a little more pizzaz. For example, instead of just offering freshly squeezed fruit juice, guests can request their own personal blend. My preferred start is carrot, celery, loads of ginger and just a splash of orange, while hubby goes wild with green apple, celery and lime. And, rather than the all-too-common provision of melon, melon and underripe melon, they provide an assortment of fruits, including papaya, pineapple, grapes, jackfruit and blueberries.
Live cooking stations mean we can request eggs, pancakes and noodles to order, and there’s a vast display of other hot and cold items. Pick-your-own-greens is a fun option supplied by our favourite Malaysian greens’ grower, BoomGrow, and even spice-aversive palates will find some of the mild local renditions of breakfast items tempting. Try their Hokkein mee!
While mass-produced machine coffee is not for me, the hotel has an excellent coffee shop on the ground floor, Lava Java. We grabbed a cup both before and after breakfast; it was that good. Check out their menu here.
Sago A La Carte Menu & Prices
Besides daily breakfast at Penang Marriott Hotel, we also enjoyed lunch at Sago.
Cool Refreshment
We cooled off with freshly squeezed Orange Juice (RM 19) and Ambra Sour Plum Kefir (RM 19). Going beyond your usual refreshment, the team at Sago sources the kefir from a local artisan supplier, The Pharm. Flavoured with local fruits and spices, it’s tasty and great for digestion.
Western Favourites
As you’d expect from a hotel all-day dining restaurant, the menu offers something to please most palates, with international and local flavours. It also caters to meat-free and gluten-free options. We tried a little of both, starting with some Western favourites.
The Creamy Mushroom Rigatoni (RM 50) is sure to satisfy any carb cravings. The large pasta tubes are well-coated in forest mushroom sauce. Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and vibrant sprigs of parsley add flavour and colour to the crown.
Hubby also found the Grilled Barramundi Fish Filet (RM 70, 200 grams) comforting and wholesome. It’s served with roasted garlic, a potato mash, and sauteed seasonal veggies (on our visit, broccoli and zucchini). The lemon butter and caper sauce is an excellent complement.
Local Flavours
I know immediately that you’ll say, “Why pay so much for Penang favourites when you can find them just as delicious and for a third of the price on the street?” Well, that may be true, but if you’re new to Malaysia and want a taste of local delights without the risk of a tummy upset, a kitchen with international safety and hygiene standards is a good place to start. Also, if you’ve just arrived from hours of travel and are keen to dive right into local flavours but too tired to get out yet, in-room dining is a great option.
Furthermore, the local recipes at Sago are pretty darn good. Portions are generous, and the quality of ingredients is premium, such as cagé-free eggs and locally grown vegetables.
Ox-Tail Soup (RM 45) is one of Sago’s best-sellers, with good reason. The braised soup is wonderfully aromatic and balanced in flavour. Big meaty pieces and chunky vegetables sit in the broth. It’s served with sambal kicap and toasted Bangali bread, which is perfect for soaking up every last drop. Delicious!
Penang Char Kway Teow (RM44) is another tasty order. Penang’s signature work-fried rice noodles are enhanced with the chef’s secret sauce, prawns, chilli paste, chives, organic bean sprouts, cage-free egg and cockles. Chilli padi (fresh slices in soy sauce) comes on the side and adds oomph to the profile. I also like these noodles with pickled green chillies tossed through – you can request a portion if you want to give them a try, too.
Lastly, from the local faves, we’re also impressed with the Hokkien Mee (RM40). The portion is huge, more than enough for a complete meal-in-a-bowl on its own. The rich sauce is brimming with yellow noodles, vermicelli, sea prawns, shredded chicken, watercress, a cage-free egg, organic bean sprouts, fish cake and house-made chilli paste. Every spoon is a mouthful of texture and flavour. There’s a warmth to the broth, but it’s not too spicy. Plenty of sambal is provided apart to add punch to your liking.
Sago Restaurant Review
With limited stomach capacity, there’s still much we’d like to try on Sago’s menu. Maybe you can let us know if you’ve expanded beyond our selection. The service was attentive, and the Malaysian and international recipes were comforting. It’s an easy meal if you’re in the area and are not ready to risk your happiness on a potentially tummy-upsetting dive into street food.
Reasons to visit Sago, Penang Marriott Hotel’s all-day dining restaurant: a good mix of local and international recipes, hearty breakfast buffet, and international comfort food alongside tasty Penang recipes. Try the Hokkien mee, Ox-Tail Soup and Penang Char Kway Teow.
Sago – All-day Dining Gurney Drive
Penang Marriott Hotel
55 Gurney Dr, Georgetown
10250 Penang, Malaysia *Link to Google Map
www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/penmc-penang-marriott-hotel
@penangmarriott
*pork-free
**vegetarian options
***gluten-free options
Sago Opening Hours
Daily: 6:30 am – 10:30 am & 12 pm – 11 pm
Find more recommendations for travel to Penang here and stay up to date with the latest gourmet happenings around Malaysia here and here.