Tag / Buffet
December 19, 2012
Now here’s a concept that I haven’t really seen before when it comes to a buffet deal – pay a single fee and eat at any restaurant at the hotel.
This is what Marriott Putrajaya promises with the New Year’s Eve Walk N Eat Buffet Adventure that falls on, well, when else but 31st December, 2012. We had a sample preview of the buffet several weeks ago at the hotel.
the lamb rack was out of this world, best I had
The concept is simple, for RM 168++ per adult and RM 100++ per child, you get to go into any of these restaurants at Marriott Putrajaya -
- Zest all-day-dining
- Summer Palace Chinese Restuarant
- Midori Japanese Restaurant
- Tuscany Italian Restaurant & Pizza Bar
- d’Oracle Coffee Lounge
quite a selection of local dishes as well, from Zest
My only dining experience at Marriott Putrajaya prior to this session was at Zest during their opening night, and from the looks of it, they’ve managed to maintain the pretty high standard and quality of food served.
From Zest, there are many local delights as well as international all-day-dining dishes. Steamed vegetables, sambal prawns, grilled seafood, and cold cuts are among the selection you won’t miss.
Selection from Tuscany Italian Restaurant & Pizza Bar, pizza anyone?
Hopping over to Tuscany Italian Restaurant and you’ll find some of the best pizzas in town, but I wouldn’t suggest anyone to have more than a couple slices and maybe a sample size of ravioli/pasta since the spread from 5 different restaurants … is just quite a bit to handle for a night.
dimsum – Summer Palace Chinese Restaurant, sushi – Midori Japanese Restaurant
At Summer Palace and Midori you’ll find dimsum, sushi, sashimi, and many of the Chinese and Japanese dishes for your picking. Like many hotel restaurants, the Summer Palace is a pork free establishment.
That being said, the dimsum here was actually pretty decent, the ample usage of premium seafood such as scallops make up for the lack of pork.
available only on 31st December, 2012
Other than food, there prizes, balloon drop, party novelties, magical roving clown and hotel New Year’s Chef’s Parade. Having the countdown so near to the heart of Putrajaya will also ensure a good spot for viewing the magnificent fireworks when the calendar switches over to 2013.
If you’re going to spoil yourself with ridiculous choices of food to celebrate the new year (and having survived the end of the world according to the Mayans), this would be the event to check out.
Address:
Marriott Putrajaya
IOI Resort, 62505 Putrajaya
GPS: 2.969784, 101.707993
Tel: 03-8949 8888
Web: http://Marriott.com/kulpg
July 29, 2012
Last week we attended the second buka puasa dinner buffet review session at Armada Hotel’s Utara Cafe, a place Haze and I went earlier in the year for their Mother’s day promotion buffet and was largely left impressed.
We braved the pre-buka puasa traffic in town (should have taken the LRT) and ended up parking a couple blocks away from the hotel to get there in time to take these photos before they were on everyone else’s plates. Ramadan is a month with fantastic food offerings at the markets and hotels alike, but the traffic.. that part I don’t like nearly as much.
buka puasa at Armada’s Utara Cafe – Sinar Ramadhan Al-Mubarak
Anyway, themed “Sinar Ramadhan Al-Mubarak“, the buka puasa buffet at Armada features over 100 dishes of traditional delicacies as well as some of the more familiar international offerings that wouldn’t be unfamiliar to those who has been to the Utara Coffee House.
These dishes are the brain child of Executive Chef Chew Teik Chye and his team of chefs.
ulam, kuih, rice, and even western style pastries
To start, there are kerabus, lemang, seruding, traditional kuih, and ulam with 4 different types of sambal, but unfortunately no tempoyak. Western style pastries are available as well, and if you are a fan of kerabu, they have kerabu mangga, kerabu sotong, kerabu kacang botol, and kerabu soo hoon.
lamb, beef curry, salad/rojak bar, roti jala, roti canai
There are also a few dishes from Middle Eastern cuisine that made their way into this buffet line up, you can find Qara Be Lahm El Ghanam (Pumpkin with lamb and cumin), Dajaj Mehawar (chicken with aromatic onion), Samkeh Harra Bil Kozhara (spicy fish with coriander), Fatet Dajaj (scented chicken with saffron rice), and Bayd Bil Forn (baked egg with spinach)
To be honest, those aren’t food I’m familiar with, but I did try a bit of them and my experience is a positive one.
satey, otak-otak, ikan bakar, roast lamb, nasi briyani, gulai with paku
Classic dishes such as gulai lembu (beef curry), ayam golek, pucuk paku, kambing masak merah, and many more are all present as well. Roti canai, satey, otak-otak, ikan bakar, briyani rice, and whole roast lamb too are some of the other dishes you can find. It is impossible to list them all down.
Oh, there’s also a stall where you can pick your own raw seafood and get the chef to cook it right there and then with the sauce of your choice. My advice is to try not to add bamboo clams into the mix cos the shells sometimes break and you end up having to pick them off the squid/prawns, troublesome!
sweet and sour beef, prawns, mussels, vegetables, and even duck
Other than the more “typical” Middle East and Malay food, there’s also raw oysters, sushi, smoked duck, steamed fish, and an assortment of dishes representing cuisines from all over the world. The 100+ dishes can actually be a little bit intimidating if you are those sort of people who always want to try everything at a buffet.
I took about 4 plates of food (not very full lah!) for dinner, and while not everything was 100% super fantastic, they were generally pretty good, and I particularly like the duck, steamed fish, and beef curry. Oysters were plenty fresh too.
steamed fish, raw oysters, sushi, and dined with some Muslim friends
This Ramadan feast is priced at RM 85++ per person, and there’s also a 10+1 promotion applicable for voucher purchase (to be redeemed till 31st Oct 2012). There’s also a competition at www.facebook.com/HotelArmadaPJ that you might want to check out.
Address:
Utara Coffee House
Hotel Armada Petaling Jaya
Lot 6, Lorong Utara C,
Section 52, 46200 PJ, Selangor
GPS: 3.104199, 101.640964
Tel: 03-7954 6888 (ext 4557)
July 11, 2012
The month of Ramadan is just a little more than a week away, and for many of us in the corporate world, it is also a time where companies will host buka puasa dinners, giving employees a chance to break fast together and mingle a little.
It is also a time where hotels and restaurants get busy with Ramadan buffet offerings, and lucky me, I already got to sample what JW Marriott at Bukit Bintang has to offer for this holy month in Muslim Calendar.
buka puasa dinner at JW Marriott
The buffet at JW Marriott will feature 108 of the best Malaysian delicacies from various states of the country, gearing towards “preserving heritage”. From the dishes we sampled, it definitely seems like they are doing what is claimed.
Case in point – sambal tempoyak (fermented durian) is available!
you’ll definitely love it if you like it spicy
Other traditional kampung dishes includes tongkeng ayam (bishop’s nose), goreng bercili, daging salai masak lemak dengan bachang and kupang masak rampai too are on offer.
Of course, ulam, satey, soup tulang, ikan bakar, roast lamb, keropok ikan, various kuih muih, fruits, and assortment of curry and vegetable dishes are to be expected as well. The preview only showcased a portion of what’s to be offered on the actual buffet, and we are already spoilt for choices.
two of my favorite things – sambal tempoyak and paku
As for the dining areas, the pool side at 6th floor and the Starhill conference centre on the 4th floor will be transformed to a Ramadan bazaar to replicate the kampung ambiance.
fruits, traditional kuih, and more
Oh, and in case you’re wondering how much this feast will cost?
- RM 60++ per person at Conference center
- RM 70++ per person at poolside area
Certainly a very competitive pricing considering the 5 star setting and the rather stellar offering in terms of dish choices. I sampled quite a few dishes from the spread, and most everything was top notch and “ori”, except perhaps for the ikan bakar pari which I thought was a bit too chewy (hopefully this gets fixed). The roast lamb, tempoyak, and prawn with petai were particularly outstanding.
For reservations, call 03-2719 8666 or e-mail bukapuasa@ytl hotels.com.my
cheng yi, shah, ciki, and I definitely had a great time
Now I gotta wonder how other hotels within the area will respond.
Address:
JW Marriot
183 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
GPS: 3.14765, 101.71372
Tel: 03-2715 9000
May 8, 2012
Being a mom has one of the toughest job descriptions ever. In this upcoming Mother’s day over the weekends (see? even their “day” falls on a weekend so they don’t get days off from work), it’s time for a role reversal and cook her dinner instead.
But for those who can’t or otherwise not capable of doing so, bringing mom for a nice meal would be a good alternative.
Utara Coffee House at Armada Hotel, Petaling Jaya
Last weekends a few of us were invited to Armada Hotel’s Utara Coffee House to sample their Mother’s Day promotion – Loveably Mama:
- Eve of Mother’s Day (12/5/2012) – 7 pm to 10:30 pm – RM 70++ adult, RM 35++ child/domestic helper
- Peranakan “Ho Chiak” Buffet Hi-Tea (13/5/2012) – 12 pm to 4 pm – RM 75++ adult, RM 37.50++ child/domestic helper
Mothers also dine for free (subject to 2 moms per group of 10, call for more info). On top of that, the first 10 moms get to have free caricature drawings, plus there are goodie bags, games and prizes too.
the usual buffet spread – fresh oysters and prawns among the dishes
OK, now on to the food choices at Utara Coffee House.
The buffet spread, while not the biggest I’ve been, does offer pretty decent selections considering its price point.
there are some exquisite entrees too, the girls preparing laksa
There’s the raw bar with fresh oysters, prawns, as well as sushi and a selection of sashimi (from their Shokudo Japanese restaurant I assume).
There are also those exquisite little salad and prawn thingy served in a shot glass, cold cuts, satey, and even a noodle bar where you make your own nyonya laksa.
wide variety of food, including many local delights
For the Peranakan promotion that they are having, you’ll also find otak-otak, nyonya chap chai (mixed vegetable), ayam pong teh (stewed chicken), kiam chai ark (salted vegetable duck soup), jui hu char (fried cuttle fish, or nyonya hokkien sengkuang), loh bak, ayam buah keluak, sambal petai, and so forth.
Desserts include kuih kochi, sago gula melaka, kuih onde-onde, pulut tekan with kaya, ang koo kuih, pasembor, and pulut tai tai.
we tried their duck soup, sashimi, sushi
I had some oysters, salad, and cold cuts from the buffet (normal everyday line up), then for the review, we were served several items that were going to be available for Mother’s Day.
We started out with kiam chai ark (salted vegetable duck soup), and it was as authentic as they come. Slightly spicy and absolutely flavorful, something I’m used to growing up in a Penang Hokkien family where Nyonya food is our staple.
The asam sting ray (wish I took some rice) and jiu hur char (sengkuang with cuttlefish) too tasted very similar to what my mom used to make, I really liked them.
asam stingray, nyonya hokkien sengkuang, pulut kuning and rendang, dessert
I enjoyed the pulut kuning too, and while the ayam rendang was good, I must say that I am more used to curry chicken as a companion dish instead. Sushi and sashimi that we had were decent, but as with most buffets, they aren’t exactly going to be those type of offers a life changing experience.
My takeaway from buffet at Armada was that it was genuine, with food true to the origin (Chef is an experience guy originally from Penang and had extensive working experience overseas), and offers very decent value for money.
More photos at facebook page
Address:
Utara Coffee House
Hotel Armada Petaling Jaya
Lot 6, Lorong Utara C,
Section 52, 46200 PJ, Selangor
GPS: 3.104199, 101.640964
Tel: 03-7954 6888 (ext 4557)
March 7, 2012
A couple days ago we were invited to The Saujana Kuala Lumpur to sample the food that they have for Penang Food Festival. – a little thing that this classy hotel near the old Subang Airport is having from 1 – 14 March, 2012.
It was the first time I find myself at Saujana, the traffic heading there was rather agreeable, and parking is ample and free, what a refreshing idea right? It baffles me why most hotels that aren’t located in the city centre still charges exuberant parking fees that pisses many potential guests. Saujana, you are doing it right.
Penang food festival at The Saujana KL
Overseeing a huge lake and lush green golf course, Suria Cafe surely have one of the best ambiance around town, especially if you are the sort that loves alfresco dining.
For the two week period that Penang Food Festival is running at the restaurant, three chefs from my home town (yes, I hail from Penang) are flown here to prepare many traditional Penang hawker delights to be served right along the usual array of buffet dishes. For those who loves to sample different Penang foods all at one go, this is a perfect chance.
Chef Desmond’s char kuih teow, original Penang style
I got the chance to speak with Chef Desmond, who specializes the fine art of Chinese cuisine but at the same time is also well known for his char kuih teow. Of course, we spoke in Hokkien, as this is almost always my litmus test for anyone who claimed to know the art of Penang food, he did not disappoint.
The char kuih teow that he prepared too, was a plate of mean hawker dish that ranks right up there with some of the bests. No small feat considering this is a pork-free version, I finished the whole plate, every single bit.
char kuih teow, poh piah, apom with banana
Together with Chef Badrol and Chef Wafi, who are also from Penang, these three gentlemen oversees these live cooking stalls at Suria Terrace -
- Char Kiuh Teow
- Oh Chien (fried oyster)
- Sar Hor Fun
- Ee Fu Mee
- Chee Cheong Fun
- Lam Mee
- Prawn Mee
- Char Kuih Kak
- ais kacang (ABC)
- masalah and ginger tea
Of course, all these dishes are of Penang variety, and in most instances, stays pretty true to the style you get off any streets in Penang, tho some of them are a bit too dressed up.
Haze loves the asam laksa, mee goreng, fried oyster and char kuih kak
I’ll be lying if I said I tried everything, I don’t have a huge stomach and at this .. ahem.. age, I don’t exactly eat like a teenager anymore lest the circumference of my waist be overtaking my manly butt.
Anyway! As mentioned, the char kuih teow was very good. The mee goreng stayed true to Penang style, and while slightly dry for my liking, was pretty decent. Char kuih kak too was again a little dry, but the fried oyster was very agreeable with my taste buds. I really liked the blend of spiciness to the point that I was enjoy the egg even after I’d finished the oysters.
Haze had two bowls of asam laksa, that’s cos she is now a bit of an authoritative figure in asam laksa, being a fanatic and all. She proclaimed that it did not disappoint.
chee cheong fun, ais kacang, kopi tarik
I was also happy that they serve Penang style chee cheong fun at the festival, and got the chef to cut me a portion. I always like my chee cheong fun still wrapped, and with all the accompanying sauces, I was happy.
The ais kacang was pretty decent, but perhaps with slightly too much ingredients? Then again I’m sure you can always ask for less during the preparation stage.
appetizers and desserts on the buffet lines
Other than those live cooking stalls, there are also prepared Penang food, these includes sotong kankung, pasembur, chicken loh bak, Penang rojak, pohpiah, and so forth.
Then there’s the buffet lines where you find the usual suspects – croutons, turkey bacon, tomatoes with herbs, olive, tomato, cold cuts, various types of cheese, fruits, salad, soup, kuih, and way too many type of cute little cakes and such. Heaven for those who love it sweet.
some of the other dishes – the lamb cutlet was outta this world
Oh, and how can I forget the lamb cutlets?
The lamb cutlets with herbs and cheese was so tender and awesome that I ate two whole pieces, that is almost a cardinal sin of buffet dining where I usually try to sample as many dishes possible, but the cutlet was worth it, and deserves its own paragraph right here!
Fresh, Lainey, Haze, KY
The Penang Food Fest at Saujana runs from 1 – 14 March, 2012 and are priced at RM 68++ for lunch and RM 84++ for dinner.
Bon Appetit!
Address:
Suria Cafe
Saujana Resort, Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS,
40150 Selangor
GPS: 3.108849, 101.578474
Tel: 03-7843 1234
email: info@thesaujana.com
