Viva Italiano Buffet Dinner at Garden Cafe, Golden Sands Resort Penang

Ciao! That's hello in Italian. And you might be wondering have I suddenly gotten all Italian overnight? Haha. Well it's because Golden Sands Resorts has turned Garden Cafe into a spot for 'delizioso' Italian feast with Viva Italiano Buffet Dinner on every Wednesdays. Garden Cafe is more to an open area, sets dining to a relaxing and calm ambiance with lushes of greenery surrounding.

So lets see what the chefs has came up with specially for this promotion.

For starters, there's a variety of appetizers and fresh salad bar. Where you will find a selection of six kinds of Imported and Local Fresh Lettuces, Caprese, Caesar Salad, Bruschetta ( Baquette and Tomato Separated), Assorted Cold Cut, Poached Half Shell Mussel with Vegetable Emulsion, Grilled Trio Color Pepper with drizzle pesto, Chilly Oil and sprinkle with Parmigiana Italian Pasta salad

Of course your salad will not be completed without the dressing and condiments. There is quite a number of difference dressings for you to choose from such as French, Italian, Tartar, Thousand Island, Herbs Vinaigrette and Paw-paw Dressing, While you can also add other items such as Garlic Crouton, Gherkin, Black and Stuffed Olive, Jalapeno Pepper,

Red Pimentos, Onion Rings, lemon Wedges, Silver Cocktail Onion to make you salad even more exciting.

As for the soups, there were 2 soups which was available for you to enjoy. One was the Minestrone Casalinga, which has just the right amount of ingredients and having the right amount of sourness in it. The other was the Crème de Pomodoro which is a tomato cream based soup. The aroma from the soup was nice, makes you want to try it instantly. The soup goes well with the Freshly baked Bread,Rolls, Crisini with Salted, Unsalted Butter and Margarine. Simply irresistible.

Soup done, yummy, so let's dig into all the delicious hot dishes. Risi Bisi, Pasticio (Layered Pasta with Tomato Sauce), Osso Bocco Milanese, Baked Pesto Chicken Pan Fried Fish with Dill Cream sauce, Potatoes Gnocchi with Green Peas, Grilled lamb Cutlet with Thyme Garlic Gravy, Sautéed Broccoli and Carrot, Grilled Prawn with Parmigiana Paprika Cream Sauce.

While at the Carving Station, a nice slab of Roast Beef which went really well with Caramelize Onion Brown Sauce. Tender juicy beef with the nice flavoured and aroma of sauce. Could I have more slices of those please.

Of course pasta is not left out in an Italian themed buffet. With various type of pasta with Condiments and your preferred sauce. They have Napolitana, Carbonara, Bolognese and Marinara. Somehow I would have preferred if the pasta was actually fried with the condiments and the sauce. It would have tasted way better that way.

Fristo Misto De Mare at the Heating Element Section was deep fried squid and prawn. Crispy and it was good on it's on or you can opt to have some tartar sauce with it.

Alright! And now to slow things down a little, to end with a sweet ending. It has got to be the mouth-watering desserts. Strawberry Pudding, Apple Pie, Morello Cherry Cake, Panna Cotta, Orange Zesty Cake, Fruits & Nut Cake, Orange Cream Caramel, Tiramisu, Peach Cobbler, Creme de Menthe Cake, Warm Chocolate Pudding. Each of the cakes, has it own uniqueness. Not only does it appeal the eyes, but satisfies the tummy too.