SIMPLY MALAY FARE FOR BUKA PUASA AT BIJAN

Heartwarming Malay dishes will take centrestage at Bijan restaurant from May 9 – 31 in conjunction with the month of Ramadan. The Simply Malay buffet will enable city folks and diners to rediscover the rich and diverse Malay food heritage, from traditional delights of yesteryear to modern renditions of classic dishes for buka puasa.

Well-established for its Malay food in the city, Bijan manages to uphold its solid and dependable reputation from the preview spread laid out for our sampling. While major draws such as Kaki Kambing Bakar (roast leg of lamb), Sup Tulang Rusuk (spiced beef back rib soup) and Pasembur (local mixed salad of shredded cucumber and jicama, fried beancurd, prawn fritters and hardboiled egg with peanut sauce) are part of the extensive line-up, Bijan unveils several trump cards to set itself apart from the competition.

Apart from the usual skewers of chicken and beef, the Satay selection includes Udang (prawn), Sotong (squid), Perut (tripe) and Paru (beef lung). Otak-otak (fish paste wrapped and grilled in coconut leaves) and Pais Ikan (grilled parcels of spiced fish paste in banana leaf) complete the veritable textural feast. Suffice to say, the grilled offerings are thoroughly suffused with aromatic, appetite-whetting smokiness that leaves you wanting more.

If you are partial to offal, the Lidah Salai (house-smoked beef tongue) is highly recommended too. An acquired choice for sure but rest assured, the tender chunks with toothsome chewiness are quite delectable. Sample it with a dollop of Bijan’s signature Sambal Hitam, a sweetish, dark pounded chilli dip with subtle acidic tang from the inclusion of tiny belimbing buluh (tiny, yellowish-green sour fruit also known as bilimbi).

 

No respectable breaking of fast spread is complete without some kerabu or robustly flavoured local salads. Whipped up with grated coconut, chopped chillies, shallots, coriander and lime juice amongst other ingredients, Kerabu Betik Daging Salai — papaya salad with smoked beef, Kerabu Nangka — young jackfruit salad and Kerabu Sotong Bakar — grilled calamari salad are choice picks to look out for.

 

Notable local appetisers such as Cucur Jagung (crispy corn fritters), Getuk Ubi (deep-fried tapioca discs) are ideal for priming the palate before you move on to savour the mains.

Plain rice or Nasi Minyak (herbed rice) makes a good foil to capture the full-blown expressive flavours of the myriad of hot dishes served. Second-to-none specialities to load up on include Rendang Daging Hijau (grassfed beef simmered in fragrant green rendang gravy), Ayam Kampung Limau Purut (village-bred chicken cooked in a nice, mildly creamy curry with kaffir lime leaves and a bright vermillion, zingy Kambing Gulai (Australian lamb with potato curry).

A perennial favourite Bijan is famous for is the sublime Sotong Masak Hitam. Its dark appearance looks deceptively plain but the tender pieces of squid cooked in black ink sauce are anything but pedestrian. It would be remiss to pass up on this showstopper.

 

Also worth sampling is Udang Masak Lemak Nenas (pineapple curry with prawns) although the prawns we tried during the preview were slightly powdery. A tiny glitch which can easily be corrected when the real show hits town.

On the sweet spectrum, the plethora of Kuih, Pengat and dessert temptations are varied enough to ensure a decadent high. Trad Malay cakes such as Kuih Kosui, Puteri Mandi, Lepat Jagung, Kuih Koci and more jostle for attention alongside Banana Pudding, Ais Kacang and assorted fresh fruits.

The Simply Malay buffet is priced at RM120++ per person from 9-31 May but special early bird promotional price is RM110 nett per person. Early bird vouchers can be purchased at Bijan or via Tableapp online reservation in our website: www.bijanrestaurant.com

Exclusive for Jom Makan Life readers, use this promo code:

JOMMAKANLIFE/BSM19

for BUY 5 FREE 1 promo bundle on Bijan's Simply Malay buffet.

For reservations, please call Bijan Bar & Restaurant, tel: 03-2031 3575. Address: No.3, Jalan Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur. www.bijanrestaurant.com

CITARASA MUHIBBAH IFTAR AT KINGS GREEN MELAKA

Local Malay fare will take centrestage when it’s time to buka puasa at Hibiscus Café, Kings Green Hotel City Centre Melaka.

Scrumptious Beef Rendang whets our appetite at the sampling session of the chef’s buka puasa specialities. Remember folks, good rendang doesn't need to be crispy ok...

I like the meaty skewers of Beef and Chicken Satay; the meat well-suffused with an aromatic marinade that goes splendidly with diced nasi impit, raw onion and cucumber chunks. The peanut sauce has a nice 'bite' to it too.

The Sambal Timun (local cucumber salad in pounded chilli and prawn paste) comes up to scratch as does the Rojak Buah. My only quibble is the gloopy sauce lacks punch and would have been better with some crushed peanuts and crunchy prawn fritters to add textural appeal to the fruity salad.

Lightly spiced Bubur Lambuk studded with fried peanuts hits the spot for us from the first spoonful. We lap up everything up – a good testament to its deliciousness.

An array of Nyonya dishes evokes a sense of Muhibbah into the buffet — their bright, herb-infused flavours successfully tantalising tastebuds partial to strong, robust accents. The Asam Pedas Fish exemplifies this perfectly: the fish cooked to sweet tender goodness, immersed with okra in a fragrant, piquant and tangy gravy.

 

We give two thumbs up to the sunny yellow Curry Prawns with Pineapple too. Light on the palate, we find it hard to restrain ourselves from overdosing on the subtly rich gravy.

Heavier on the briny scale but no less delectable is Belacan Chicken, a dark and slightly pungent braised chicken dish redolent with the unmistakably savouriness of local prawn paste. This calls for loads of white rice as the ideal foil to appreciate such deep, bold nuances. Nasi Beringin will also be offered in addition numerous other dishes on the buffet.

Dessert will comprise assorted Malay and Nyonya kuih, cakes and jellies. The Citarasa Muhibbah Iftar buffet will be available from 17 May to 13 June, 6pm-10pm at RM68 nett per adult and RM58 nett per senior citizen or per child (4-12 years old). 

SEMBANG-SEMBANG PETANG

Meanwhile, afternoon tea takes on a local spin at Hibiscus Café daily, from 3pm to 6pm. Priced from RM8 nett onwards, you can sit back and nibble on a choice of local snacks and a drink with friends and business associates.

 

The selection of Cucur Udang, Keropok Lekor or Pisang Goreng is yummy and bound to satisfy peckish palates. A glass of comforting hot drink: be it Teh Tarik, Kopi Tarik, Nescafe Tarik or Milo Tarik will form part of the delish package to wash down your choice of snacks.

Breaded or Grilled Chicken Chop is also served at RM18 nett per serving. Ideal as a quick lunch or dinner, the hearty offering comes with a complimentary glass of chilled juice.

 

Salted Egg Sauce is the current raveworthy favourite to top the juicy, boneless chicken but if you prefer Mushroom or Black Pepper Sauce, the options are available too.

For reservations at Hibiscus Café, call tel: 06-2881 091 ext 3. Address: Kings Green Hotel City Centre Melaka, no. 28, Jalan Tun Perak, Melaka.