Break fast with Serena Brasserie's nostalgic buffet spread at InterContinental KL (Photo: InterContinental KL)
Put away your misgivings about buffets because our city is home to numerous hotel restaurants that warrant a visit, whether you’re staying at their properties or not. Here are 10 eateries with an elevated take on Ramadan-themed dining.
The RuMa Hotel and Residences
Executive chef Tyson Gee of ATAS Modern Malaysian Eatery approaches this festive season’s menu with a twist on traditional dishes. Sample the variety of grilled meats and fish prepared by ATAS’ signature Mibrasa charcoal oven at the live station as well as the delicious main dishes, including udang sambal petai, daging salai masak lemak and kari ikan with bendi. Durian lovers can adjourn to the veranda to feast on unlimited creamy durian kampung or fresh dodol. Guests who make reservations before April 30 can enjoy a 15% saving.
7 Jalan Kia Peng, KL. May 5-June 3, 6.30-10.30pm. RM168 nett per person. Call 03 2778 0888 or email [email protected] to reserve.
Shangri-la Kuala Lumpur
Buffets often run the risk of a lack of quality but one can count on Lemon Garden for consistency. A live action corner with a barbecue pit at the terrace is set to impress diners, who will be treated to a motley variety of grilled meats such as Shish Tawouk (charcoal grilled chicken cubes), Iranian Kubbiedeh (minced lamb), barbecued chicken wings, fresh water prawns Siamese-style and grilled US oysters. Those looking to explore beyond traditional Malay dishes will relish the fresh seafood counter, which offers steamed tiger prawns, green-lipped mussels, yabbies and baby scallops. For desserts, deep-fried cempedak, durian cake and coconut raisin tarts await.
11 Jalan Sultan Ismail. Festive Dinner Buffet, RM203 nett per person, Sun-Thurs; Festive Seafood Dinner Buffet, RM236 nett per person, Fri-Sat. May 5-June 4, 7-10.30pm. For every cover, RM5 will be donated to a beneficiary as part of the hotel’s CSR effort to eliminate zero hunger. Call 03 2074 3900 or email [email protected] to book.
Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
With over 150 dishes, the buffet menu at JP Teres is curated by Chef Nazib and Chef Sanjay, who are keen on sharing their timeless family recipes with sustainably sourced ingredients and seasonal local produce. Take your pick from the copious selection of Malay, Indian and Chinese cuisines at over 20 live-cooking and buffet stations while enjoying the Malaysian visual art from Sireh Pinang Art Colony. The chefs will fire up the grill for exclusive barbecue nights every Friday and Saturday and freshly prepared seafood will be served on Sundays, which includes assorted oysters, tiger prawns and crab. Enjoy an early bird pricing at RM158 nett for adults and RM79 for children from May 6 to 12.
12, Jalan Pinang, KL. May 6-31, 7-11pm. RM178 nett per person, RM89 nett per child. Call 03 2182 1234 or email [email protected] to reserve.
The Saujana Kuala Lumpur
The sheer variety of dishes at Saujana’s all-day-dining restaurant Charcoal is reason enough to brave the Subang traffic. Boasting more than 180 specialties from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese and Middle Eastern cuisines, the extensive spread will surprise even the most fickle diner. Dishes here defy conventions, so you’ll find unusual dishes like kambing golek, ayam kampung masak merah Saujana, sotong ranggup masak pedas and udang laut goreng butter basah. Seafood lovers will be charmed by the assortment of fresh offerings from the sea including tiger prawns, mussels and oysters.
Jalan Lapangan Terbang Subang, Saujana. May 6-June 2, 7-10.30pm. RM188nett per adult, RM94nett per child. Call 03 7843 1234 or email [email protected] to reserve.
Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur
Celebrity Chef Dato’ Fazley Yaakob and executive Chef Junious Dickerson will curate a culinary journey across Asia, showcasing various cuisines from Thailand, Indonesia, China, India and, of course, Malaysia. Hosted in the bright, airy interiors of CurATE overlooking the KL skyline during sunset, this dining experience is a wonderful way for family and friends to celebrate a special time of the year together. Chef Fazley is the winner of MasterChef Celebrity Malaysia 2012 and the more recent Golden Chef Award at the Malaysia International Gastronomy Awards 2018.
145, Jalan Ampang, KLCC. May 6-12 and May 31- June 4, RM178++ per person; May 13-30, RM 208++ per person. Call 03 2382 8630 to reserve.
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
Take a journey down memory lane at Serena Brasserie as the culinary team combines their well-loved family recipes to serve up a nostalgic spread of childhood favourites such as roti canai, ice cream potong, tau foo fa and murtabak this holy month. The buffet boasts generous servings of Malay, Indian and Chinese cuisine as well as eight live stations in addition to fresh seafood including oysters, mussels, scallops and slipper lobster. Bookings made for May 6-10 will enjoy a special 30% discount. If a buffet is not your cup of tea, opt for the High Tea Buffet for RM108 per person from noon to 3pm.
165, Jalan Ampang, KL. May 6- June 4, 6-10pm. RM188 for adults; RM69 for children on weekdays, and RM158 for adults and RM55 for children on weekends. Call 03 2782 6168 or email [email protected] to reserve.
Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
The festive ‘Citarasa Harmoni’ menu at Latest Recipe straddles traditional and modern but you’ll still find quintessential classics such as bubur lambok, tauhu sumbat, popiah basah, kerabu nyonya and rendang. Chef Budiman has upgraded the mains with a little twist – expect dishes such as berbiri panggang with rempah al kausar, ayam kalio with potatoes, udang galah with tempoyak and lemak cili kampung and daging pesamah utara with rebung and kerisik. End your night on a sweet note with a medley of kuih muih, ABC and soft serve. Early bird vouchers are available now at RM128 nett per adult and RM64 nett per child.
2 Jalan Stesen Sentral, KL Sentral. May 6-June 4. RM180 nett per adult; RM90 nett per child. Call 03 2263 7434 or email [email protected] to reserve.
Corus Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Excite your taste buds with an array of mouth-watering appetisers, salads, kerabu, mains and desserts at Dondang Sayang Coffee House. Diners who love the comfort of local flavours will be delighted with the sup ayam berempah, ayam percik serai wangi, daging salai lemak rebung and gulai kawah tulang rusuk. Enjoy a special early bird pricing at RM98 nett for adults and RM50 nett for children until May 6.
Jalan Ampang, Hampshire Park, KL. May 7-June 3, 6.30-10pm. RM138 nett per person; RM50 nett for children between five to 12. Call 03 2161 8888 or email [email protected] to reserve.
The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur
You don’t need to organise a road trip to eat your way across the country. Lucky for us, Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur is bringing the specialties from all 13 states for its Festive Feast at The Cobalt Room. Highlights include asam pedas ikan tenggiri from Melaka, ikan patin masak tempoyak from Pahang, laksa Kedah, Penang rojak and more. Cap off your meal with cik kek molek from Kelantan, talam pandan from Sabah and the all-time-favourite kek lapis from Sarawak.
168 Jalan Imbi, Bukit Bintang. May 8-31, 6.30-10pm. RM118 nett per adult; RM59 nett per child. Reserve by calling 03 2782 9122 or email [email protected].
Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur
You really couldn’t choose another better part of the city to break fast. Overlooking the stunning city view, Pavilion Hotel KL’s The Courtyard gathers your favourite hawker food under one roof, which includes staples like satay, nasi lemak, apam balik, Penang rojak, as well as dates flown in from the Middle East such as Ajwa, Safawi, Rotab and Sufri. The live music accompanying the buffet will keep the floor abuzz with activity. Your street-food fix, sorted.
170, Jalan Bukit Bintang. May 9-June 2, 6.30-10.30pm. RM135 nett per adult; RM68 per child. Call 03 2117 2821 or email thecourtyard-[email protected] to reserve.
