FLAVOURFUL "DESTINASI RASA" AT LE MERIDIEN PUTRAJAYA

Grandmother's beloved Daging Dendeng recipe paves the way in inspiring Chef Khairulnizam bin Mohd Rostam when he planned the five rotational buka puasa menus for Latest Recipe's first ever fasting month promotion.

The hotel's Banquet Chef whose experience spans two decades said he gleaned the precious recipe by observing and helping his granny in the kitchen. "The Daging Dendeng reflects her Javanese background and it is her signature dish. When I got married, she made loads of it and presented the speciality in place of bunga telur to friends and relatives. Everyone was so touched by such a personal and priceless gift."

As with all traditional food, the preparation is painstaking but Chef Khairulnizam says he has modified the recipe, making it possible to produce big batches of Daging Dendeng in his modern kitchen. You have to try the tender slices of beef, richly suffused with myriad spices, caramelised onions and subtle chilli hotness. Unlike the Padang or Minang version which tends to be dry with jerky-like  texture, the chef's version is moist and redolent with complex layers of sweet, warm and zingy nuances.

I also sampled Ayam Ungkep, another Javanese dish from nenek's familial repertoire. Again the robust flavours of the rempah are vividly bright and tantalising; similar to the richness of rendang but without kerisik in it.

Finding Satar makes the long drive to Putrajaya worthwhile for this East Coast delicacy can rarely be found in the city. Wrapped in banana leaf cones and grilled, the clumps of lightly spiced minced fish meat and grated coconut instantly brought back fond memories of my trips to the East Coast years ago.

While everyone makes a beeline for the seafood on ice selection, I prefer the ulam and kerabu section. The Kerabu Kacang Botol or winged bean salad is notable as is the variety of sambal.

I daresay it's impossible to eat everything served from such an expansive buffet; the array includes Malay, Indian, Italian, Japanese and Chinese fare. The trick is be selective and focus on offerings you usually won't cook at home, labour-intensive dishes or pricey treats like roast lamb, oysters and prawns.

From the Indian kitchen, decent options range from Garlic and Cheese Naan, and Mutton Vindaloo. Spice fans will enjoy the piquant specialities available. 

Gulai kawah - curries cooked in giant woks come in four variants: duck, chicken, beef and goat meat. Each is distinctly different as the spice blends vary according to the meats but Gulai Itik wins out as the dish is more uncommon for buka puasa.

Japanese food enthusiasts will have a field day savouring perennial faves such as Teppanyaki, Tempura and Assorted Sushi Rolls. Mindful of retaining the taste quality, two chefs constantly whip up the airy light tempura prawns and veggies on the spot as fast as the crowd snaps them up.

On-point meaty choices include Braised Lamb Shank, Fried Belacan Chicken and Roast Chicken Rice. Over at the Chinese section, take your pick of Dim Sum, Yong Tau Foo and Fried Radish Cake.

Sweet temptations should leave you spoiled for choice too. The Turkish Ice Cream is a definite crowd-puller as is inventive Cheese Banana Fritters. Classic reliables like Ais Kacang, Pulut Serawa Durian and Tapai will ensure you and your dining companions roll out of Latest Recipe with big, satisfied smiles.

Priced at RM158nett (adult) and RM79nett (children aged 5-12), Destinasi Rasa Buka Puasa is open daily from 6.30pm to 10.30pm until 24^th June 2017. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 03-8689 6888 or email dining.lmputrajaya@lemeridien.com.

NOSTALGIC FLAVOURS FROM BABA NYONYA

It was love at first bite the minute we tasted the sizzling Salted Fish Chicken in Claypot (RM22.90). We discovered this hearty, downhome dish at Baba Nyonya by Sambal Chilli, a casual Peranakan restaurant at Avenue K recently. Glossy and dark, the caramelised chunks of chicken were superbly tasty and a fab take on the classic ham yue fah lam pou.

Good Peranakan food demands ample elbow grease but thankfully, there's a handful of Peranakan restaurants in the city to satisfy our cravings. We find Baba Nyonya by Sambal Chilli is one of the decent eateries worth trying.

You don't have to pay through your nose for decent Peranakan food here. The brightly lit, cheery outlet serves affordable packs of nasi lemak (a major crowd-pleaser), kuih-muih and delicious Assam Beehoon (RM2.50). The piquantly tangy fried rice vermicelli was so sedap we shamelessly ordered a second round to share!

Well-balanced sweet and spicy-hot accents from the resto's signature Sambal Petai Prawns (RM29) set our tastebuds alight. Both the prawns and stinkbeans were up to mark too, a combination of succulent and crunchy textures. Top notch!

For those who can't stand the heat from that robust dish, douse the fire with imaginative drinks such as Lemongrass Lychee (top pix left, RM10.90), Apple Assam Boi (top pix right, RM10.90), Cincau Bandung (bottom pix left, RM10.90) or Markisa (bottom pix right, RM10.90) - a refreshing blend of passionfruit, lemon, lime, calamansi and soda water.

The Fruit Rojak (RM9.90) also got two thumbs up. Tossed generously in dark, sticky caramelised prawn paste and crushed peanut dressing, the salad's fruity mixture and refreshing crunchiness proved so delectable, we devoured two portions in one sitting.

Bursting with such lush, deep-seated rempah flavours and lemak richness, the Curry Prawns in Claypot (RM36) left us struggling to relish it without rice. This surefire palate-pleasing offering stamped such an indelible impression on us, we agree it was worth returning for.

Amping up our quota of greens for the night was Steamed Ladies Fingers with Sambal (RM12.70). Personally, I found the sambal dip somewhat 'flat' and one dimensional but the tender ladies fingers was acceptable when partaken with the other specialities.

Two notable options which had us chomping with gusto were the wickedly addictive Tom Yam Popcorn Chicken (RM9.90) and Fried Belacan Chicken Wings (RM9.90). Again, their appeal can be attributed to the strong, distinct tastes imparted by two familiar and much loved flavours - that of tom yam and cincalok (fermented krill).

Our only grouse was the chicken wings were a tad dry from overfrying but the marinade managed to bestow the meat some tastiness.

The Crispy Fish with Sambal Sauce (RM56.90) was more slanted to Northern Malay or Southern Thai influences than Baba-Nyonya. Still, the fish was undoubtedly fresh and sweet; a nice canvas to capture the milieu of punchy spice nuances from the sambal.

Daily plates of noodles and rice are also available, to cater to the office lunch crowd looking for quick, reasonably priced lunches. The Green Curry Chicken Rice (RM14.90) was apparently a hit with the white collar clientele alongside popular choices of Nasi Lemak Chicken Kapitan (RM16.90) and Assam Pedas Fish Rice (RM19.90) among others.

After the earlier slew of potent servings, I daresay the Nyonya Chap Chye (RM16.90) seemed lacklustre by comparison. While the spongy beancurd puffs, black mushroom, glass noodles and mixture of veggies passed muster, the dish was too watery and flat on the palate.

The saving grace came from a defyingly simple but oh so fluffy portion of Cincalok Omelette (RM12.90). Sliced softened onion lent the savoury eggy serving subtle sweetness, leaving our dining party asking for repeat helpings.

Remember to leave tummy space for the house special of Banana Fritters (RM11.90). Raveworthy for its gossamer-light, crisp batter and sweet, soft bananas. A side dip of zingy black soya sauce (with ground chilli added) and a scoop of vanilla ice cream made for strange bedfellows for the fritters but somehow, these trad combo worked like a charm. You gotta try it to believe it.

Other dessert options such as Bo Bo Cha Cha (RM4.50), ABC (RM9.90) and Cendol (RM3.90) passed muster. I were underwhelmed by most of them but heck, I'm firmly of the "to each his own" school of thought so do try and decide for yourself.

Traditionalists may like sampling Sago Pandan Gula Melaka (RM4.90) and Bubur Pulut Hitam (RM4.20). Overall, I'd say Baba Nyonya is worth a visit for city folks who seek affordable meals with a homely Peranakan-Malay-Thai spin. The friendly and helpful service team earned extra brownie points from us too.

For reservations, please call BABA NYONYA by Sambal Chilli, tel: 03-21815544. Address: Lot UC-1, Upper Concourse, Avenue K, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Biz hours: 8am – 10pm daily