HOMECOMING HAVEN
A serene haven to buka puasa away from the city's madding crowd. Chef Badrul and his team's earnest TLC shine through the plethora of classic kampung dishes laid out. Familiar favourites should evoke good memories of one's hometown or village. Our top 3 picks:
1) Ayam masak merah - red, hot and stunningly sumptuous like how an excellent ayam masak merah should be. Am salivating at the very thought of its delicious taste that had lodged itself firmly in my memory bank.
2) Asam pedas oxtail - this is a dark horse (should that be cow?) of a dish. Granted, it is not much to look at all but oh, it will take you a long time to forget the robustness of that spicy-tangy gravy and the slightly gristly texture of the oxtail chunks. A winner in our book!
At RM69 per head, this is one buffet that's a real steal in the city. Since the hotel is spanking new, I daresay the staff is eager to please too. Trust me, you'd be much better off here than jostling with the hordes elsewhere.
Curvz Cafe, Silka Cheras, KM10, Jalan Cheras, KL. Tel: 03-9100 1133
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APPETISING AROMAS
And we haven't even touch on the luscious dessert line-up yet: cendol, pandan kurma mousse and tapai pulut among others to sweeten your dining experience.
2) Fried spiced prawns - zingy on the tongue without rendering it numb, these crustaceans are springy to the bite and redolent with the scent of heady spices. Don't even think of stopping at one...lol!
3) Twisted donuts - their airy-light sponginess had me smitten at first bite. Glittering with fine caster sugar, this dainty offering is just the right size to leave guilt-free from scarfing it down ;-D
Of course, there's abundant other delicious choices on the line-up but be selective and you'd get better bang for your buck minus the risk of overindulging. Price: RM128++ per adult
TASTE RENAISSANCE
Specially prepared for Iftar, Temptations are aplenty with local and Asian specialties whet the
appetite. Break your fast with healthy servings of gado gado, pasembur and bubur lambuk before enjoying nasi minyak,
nasi tomato and nasi bukhari.
Whole lamb with percik sauce, daging Palembang, udang harimau masak lemak cili padi, otak-otak kuah padang and other goodies
should leave you replete.
3) Kek lapis - a traditional classic that one never tires of. Well-spiced and buttery, this is one of the best treats to conclude a lavish dinner.
Priced at RM108++ per person; RM88.16nett per person from 24 July to 27 July
TEMPTationS, East Wing, Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Corner of Jalan Ampang and Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2162 2233
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BALIK KAMPUNG BLITZ
Return to your roots with a wide array of nostalgic dishes that will propel you to Balik Kampung, at least culinary-wise. Apart from cherished Malay fare, the Grand Hyatt team has trotted out a vast array of multi-cultural specialities; from murtabak and laksa Johor to chicken tandoori and beef shawarma with pita bread.
1) Paneer Makhani - another pared down offering that has diced cottage cheese cooked with cream and masala powder; slightly spongy to the bite, the mild cheese is the ideal foil to flaunt the myriad of spices used to cook it
2) Roast lamb percik with Briyani Rice - studded with cherry tomatoes, the fluffy grains make a superb match with the percik-rubbed roast lamb. Wickedly delectable!1) Paneer Makhani - another pared down offering that has diced cottage cheese cooked with cream and masala powder; slightly spongy to the bite, the mild cheese is the ideal foil to flaunt the myriad of spices used to cook it
Available until 25 July, the nightly buffet dinner (7pm to 10pm) is priced at RM148++ per adult inclusive of chilled juices, barley, teh tarik and other local beverages.
JP Teres, Ground Floor, Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, 12, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2182 1234 ext 2333