BREAK FAST WITH CULINA BISTRO’S FESTIVE FEASTS

As a restaurant rooted in European classics, Culina Bistro weaves commendable local flavours into its culinary repertoire, befitting the season of Ramadan.

From 23 February to 19 March, the bistro offers two set menus alongside an à la carte selection for buka puasa. The four-course Festive Feast for two (RM198) is a sensible option structured with restraint and balance.

The meal opens with Oxtail Soup, made from Australian oxtail simmered in a lightly spiced broth. Carrot, celery and potato lend natural sweetness and body, while the collagen-rich oxtail is cooked to yielding tenderness.

Roti Jala follows; its lace-like crêpes made to order on the griddle then rolled neatly. Paired with a creamy, aromatic potato curry, the dish offers textural contrast: soft, airy folds against a warmly spiced sauce.

Available at a supplementary charge, appetisers such as Crab Cakes (+RM70), Pandan Chicken (+RM30), Seafood Tempura (+RM50) and Beef Bergedil (+RM50) cater to those seeking something richer or more indulgent to start with.

For mains, choose two main courses from a line-up that reflects Culina’s hybrid identity: Ayam Percik, Beef Pizza, Butter Chicken, Clam Aglio Olio or Prawn Spaghetti.

The Ayam Percik is particularly noteworthy. Using organic, antibiotic-free lacto chicken, the meat is marinated for 24 hours with galangal, lemongrass and a measured blend of spices before being grilled in a Mibrasa charcoal oven. The result is succulent flesh beneath lightly charred skin, with a nice smokiness infused into the spice paste. It's a complete and substantial meal when partnered with nasi jagung (corn rice) and some zesty, crunchy achar (carrot and cucumber pickles).

Handmade fresh to order, the delectable Beef Pizza attests to the kitchen’s grounding in European techniques. 

The crust emerges properly blistered and crisp at the edges, spread with a savoury, slightly piquant sauce. Pepper-crusted beef slices, mushrooms and capsicum are applied with a generous albeit disciplined hand, allowing each component to shine through.

Desserts lean toward familiar comfort with regional nuance. Options include a Pandan Crêpe (+RM10), Flourless Chocolate Cake (+RM28), Kueh Bakar with coconut ice cream, Soft Serve Sulawesi Vanilla (+RM10), or a Dessert of the Day (+RM10).

The Pandan Crêpe is a contemporary riff of kuih ketayap — tender-soft pancake filled with candied grated coconut and cream. Accompanied by coconut ice cream and a scattering of crumbs for texture, it wraps the meal up on a nostalgic yet modern note.

Situated within The Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, the concept at Culina merges gourmet market and bistro with tasteful coherence. Premium meats from Australia, New Zealand and Korea, seafood from France, artisanal cheeses, olive oils and baking provisions are displayed across specialty counters — from butchery to delicatessen. Diners may even select cuts or seafood from the retail section to be prepared à la minute by the Culina team, an approach that underscores transparency and ingredient confidence.

Open daily from 11.30am to 9.30pm (last order 9pm), Culina Bistro offers a thoughtful Ramadan experience; anchored in good produce and adept techniques, with just enough festivity to mark the fasting month season without losing its culinary compass.

For reservations at Culina Bistro, call tel: 03-2779 7313. Address: B1, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

ENCHANTED CULINARY WONDERS AT SHANGRI-LA KL

‘Tis the season to be feasting…the lavish festive spread at Lemon Garden slaps! Laden with scrumptious seafood on ice: lobsters, prawns, mussels and crabs, this is no time to be demure.

Decking the spacious dining hall are a plethora of traditional roasts: turkey (served for lunch and dinner buffet every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and 24, 25 & 26 December), chicken, New Zealand lamb, and prime Black Angus tomahawk ribs.

Freshly baked specialities of salmon coulibiac – savoury pastry filled with tender salmon and herbed rice – beckons alongside a multitude of East and West temptations: think sushi and sashimi, bountiful seafood on ice, nutritious double boiled Chinese soups, aromatic Indian curries, Italian pasta and pizza, international cheese board, healthy offerings of salads and appetisers. Rest assured, you’d be utterly spoiled for choice.

Unmissable holiday-inspired dessert such as creamy burnt eggnog cheesecake, stollen, macaron tower, dainty entremets, chocolate fountain with skewers of fruit and confectionery, tropical fruits, modernist yule log, rich fruit cake, ice cream and mini puddings complete the sumptuous dining experience.

For reservations and inquiries, please contact Shangri-La KL, tel: 03-2786 2378 or email: dining.kl@shangri-la.com

Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur’s Embrace the Gift of Life

Taking pride of place in the lobby is the Shangri-La KL’s Enchanted Wonders Christmas Charity Tree. Adorned with meticulously crafted Whimsical Carousel Ornaments, the initiative aims at raising funds to provide life-saving medical treatments for children in need.

Since its inception in 1985, this charitable endeavour has raised over RM5 million, funding corrective heart surgeries and medical interventions for hundreds of critically ill children facing severe health challenges.

Companies and individuals are invited to sponsor an ornament with a minimum donation of RM1,100; the donor’s name or company logo prominently displayed at the Enchanted Wonders Christmas Charity Tree throughout the festive season as a beacon of hope and care for the children in need.

Explore the Enchanted Wonders collection at Shangri-La Boutique via https://boutique.shangrila.com/index.php?region=mykl or call tel: 03-2786 2378 or email: festive.KL@shangri-la.com for further more information.