BUKA PUASA IN STYLE AT HOTEL EQUATORIAL MELAKA

Ramadhan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar - time when Muslims seek to reunite with family and friends.  Whether you're residing in Melaka or just visiting, invite your loved ones to share a good 'buka puasa' dinner in the comfort of Hotel Equatorial Melaka’s (HEM) Phoenix Ballroom.

HEM Executive Chef Mohamad Shariff and his team will roll out the red carpet for you food-wise, cooking up an extensive range of local and international dishes with some Middle Eastern cuisine starting from 18 June to 17 July 2015.

Recommended starter to sample will be Squid and Mango Salad, a classic combination of crispy yellow mango and squid julienne; perked up with fish sauce, lemon juice and traditional Nyonya sambal belacan. 

One of the main courses that should strike a chord will be Prawns with Bamboo Shoot - fried marinated prawns and bamboo shoot coated in traditional Malay sambal.

Of course, no stopover in Melaka is complete without relishing some asam pedas - hot & sour fish curry. You'd want repeat helpings of Ikan Pari Assam Manga Muda (Braised Stingray with Spicy Young Mango Sauce) from the wide array of tempting dishes available. A droolworthy creation to appreciate the fleshy meat, soused in a robust gravy redolent with fresh turmeric and tamarind paste nuances.

 

For a heady sampling of Middle Eastern flavours, keep your eyes peeled for Roasted Rack  of Lamb with Kabsa Rice. Marinated with seven exotic Arabian spices, the juicy lamb then bestows its rich accent to the fluffy rice alongside tomato, hardboiled egg and capsicum.

Alternatively, try Shish Tauk with Saffron Rice irresistibly redolent with the soulful overtones of Middle Eastern spices such as sumac and paprika. Served with skewers of grilled chicken kebabs for added appeal. 

A major centrepiece at many buka puasa buffets, a whole roast lamb will also be given pride of place at HEM's. You must grab some slices of the tender meat imbued with Arabian spices and paprika and pair it with delicious Middle Eastern Biryani rice for that magical 1001 Arabian nights experience.  

Always leave room for those perennial delights of Nyonya Layer Cake and kuihs. Rich, creamy and slightly bouncy to the bite, you'd never tire of eating the sweet treats to wrap up your scrumptious dinner. 

Early bird bookings will receive a 20% discount - call HEM to reserve seats and tables from 15 May to 17 June 2015. The usual price is RM88 nett per adult and RM44 nett per child. For reservations, call HOTEL EQUATORIAL MELAKA, tel: 06 282 8333 ext: 3331.

 

UNDERGROUND SOCIÉTÉ'S TASTY SECRETS UNCOVERED

Underground Grenade (RM26) is Underground Société's signature dessert that caught our imagination on our maiden visit there recently. Apparently, this house speciality is the toast of new and regular patrons...unsurprisingly since the mound of chocolate chip and mint ice creams layered with chocolate under a fluffy coating of meringue is served with great fanfare. Shutterbugs will have a field day, trying to catch the leaping blue flames once sambucca is poured over the dessert; lightly scorching and browning the meringue. Be forewarned though a 30-minute wait is normal should you wish to order this.

Tucked away in the light industrial labyrinth of Sunway, this trendy wood & glass accented Underground Société cafe/bistro is so discreetly situated we had a hard time locating it. To soothe our frazzled nerves on arrival, a glass of the house Coffee On Tap (RM16) was in order. Crowned with a thick layer of creamy foam on top, the dark, cold brew could easily be mistaken for one world famous stout - it packed quite a punch too, leaving me abuzz throughout the eve.

Few people including us can resist the yummy option of Smoked Salmon Scramble on Sourdough (RM18) - one of the many brunch/lunch dishes (served till 6pm) listed. Prettied up with tiny edible flower petals, the fluffy scrambled egg strewn with smoked salmon slices atop thick sourdough only led us to allow our cameras and smartphones to 'devour' it first. Glad to report the serving tasted as good as it looked.

There's another variation which floored us with its hefty pile of poached eggs and smoked salmon smothered under a blend of Hollandaise sauce and pureed avocado, resulting in Eggs Atlantic with Avodaise (RM18). A tad messy to tuck into but the runny yolks made for richly indulgent mouthfuls with the house avodaise. Great choice if you don't mind getting your hands dirty ;p

Avocados starred in the Platter of Avocados (RM26) once again; each quarter of the buttery fruit augmented by tempting toppings of couscous, Jamaican pineapple salsa, egg mash and feta. Strictly for avo fans, the quartet piqued our interest with its mesh of varied textures and delicate tastes.

 

Crowd-pleasing pizzas are big here too. We can vouch for the Thin Crust Pizza with Smoked Duck, Pesto, Mozzarella, Parmesan & Arugula (RM28). Thin but sturdy, the crisp crust slathered with fresh pesto had sliced smoked duck and jalapeno, melted mozzarella and parmesan as well as some fresh arugula to ramp up its delectable appeal. Its swift disappearance down our guts was proof enough.

Steak fans will relish chewing on the scrumptious Grain Fed Australian Beef Tenderloin with Asparagus, Roasted Pumpkin, Broccoli, Beetroot & Sauteed Herb Potatoes (RM49). Cooked medium rare as instructed, the beef was juicy to the bite; a complete meal on its own paired with crunchy vegetable and tasty potatoes. It came with Robert sauce - a concoction of mustard and brown sauce to enhance the dish's meaty richness.

Slightly fattier but equally delish is Grilled New Zealand Lamb Rack with Mint Crust (RM45) accompanied by side servings of asparagus, roasted Pumpkin, broccoli, herbed potatoes & the house Robert sauce. It was deftly prepared so we thoroughly enjoyed polishing every bit of meat off the bones.

Not a red meat person? Fret not, you can always plump for the Grilled Cajun Chicken Breast (RM33). A surprisingly agreeable slab of moist white meat, it's perked up with smoky Cajun spices; complemented by the same sides of earlier mains we had.

We love the luxe dimension of twirling strands of garlicky pasta while feasting on Slipper Lobster Aglio Olio with Asparagus &Chili Flakes (RM34). Despite the scant meat one can extract from those impressive looking shellfish, nobody will complain...after all, it's not everyday we eat lobsters right?

Salmon fishing in Underground Société will land diners this noteworthy Grilled Atlantic Salmon (RM36). Teamed with some lightly chewy pesto-clad Gnocchi and sautéed red & green capsicum, the best part was the fish's pink core - the spot-on doneness for this oily fish. Some folks throw their hands up in horror over what they see as supposedly raw or uncooked state but trust me, it's the right way to savour salmon. Despite my misgiving, the coating of Foyot Sauce (the cafe's version of bernaise sauce) went well enough with it. Those softened capsicum strips played a key role in lending some sweetness and muted fresh acidity to the fish.

If you're a sucker for Nutella like moi, you must sample the signature French Toast with Nutella (RM15). Although I deplored the inclusion of minty ice cream, the luscious taste of that mound of thickly sliced French toast with scatterings of fresh summer berries, floral petals, sunflower seeds and liquid Nutella dressing more than made up for that niggling element.

The Underground Fireball (RM12) turned out to be another 'bombshell' of the chocolatey kind. Set alight after a splash of alcohol is poured over the spherical chocolate, we broke into the crisp shell to find thick milky chocolate lava mingled with dark chocolate biscuit crumbs around a ring of scorched meringue. A decadent dessert guaranteed to melt the steeliest dieter's resolve. Live it up I say and just succumb already.

For reservations, call UNDERGROUNDSOCIÉTÉ, tel: 03-5613 3851. Address:

68, Jalan PJS 11/7, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, Selangor.

JOM BALIK KAMPUNG TO BREAK FAST AT PULLMAN PUTRAJAYA

 

A bazaar of 'streetside' eateries serving up hearty kampung delicacies, multi-racial Malaysian fare and popular specialities from all 14 states will take centrestage for this year's 'buka puasa' dinner at Laguna, an outdoor lakeside dining venue in Pullman Putrajaya.

Dinner preview was held at B's Cafe but the set-up will be replicated at Laguna for the fasting month

Serenaded by a live ghazal band, diners can revel in the festive atmosphere; a timely precursor to the impending Hari Raya celebrations in mid-July. After fasting from dawn to dusk, the recent preview gave us some inkling of what the hotel chefs have in store for the fasting month.
 
While most folks can't fill up much for dinner, the trick with buffets is to be selective and keep your eyes for the great choices; dishes each hotel is known for. For Pullman Putrajaya, we recommend the curries. Ranging from fiery red to sunny yellow, our personal faves include the aromatic spice-laden Fish Head Curry (pix above), turmeric-scented Prawn Curry, fiery Rendang Minang and Kari Kambing (goatmeat curry, depicted below). It goes without saying they are best enjoyed with servings of fluffy plain rice.

 

One of the best-selling items in many Ramadan bazaars is murtabak. When the supple yet crisp doughy skin has the right thickness and comes packed with spiced beef or chicken filling, it's scrumptious. Pullman Putrajaya's was top notch as the perfectly cooked Murtabak yielded a flavourful filling which left me returning for repeat helpings.

Other tempting choices that caught my eye were assorted local kerabu salads with traditional condiments & dips, hot-off-the-grill satay and some crispy, cereal-flecked deep-fried garoupa pieces generously garnished with curry leaves. It was picture-perfect but I can testify it was one of the best specialities we tried.

No buka puasa buffet is complete without Bubur Lambuk - that customary porridge enhanced with local spices, cubed beef & potato. I like the heady aromas evoked by the savoury, easily digestible gruel which is gentle on the tummy while invigorating the palate.

Meaty offerings to feast on would be Roast Lamb and Roast Leg of Beef; both rich-tasting and guaranteed to satisfy voracious eaters. Chefs are at hand to carve and slice the portions requested for so take your time to enjoy thoroughly.

Spicy Squid, Stir-fried Bamboo Clams with Chilli and Lala as well as Grilled or Fried Fish should reel in seafood lovers in droves. You'd have to survey the line-up as the different seafood dishes are spread out according to the various cooking styles.

The assorted fried items section enticed us with Fried Chicken, Cucur Bawang, Fried Fish & Squid Balls, and Whiting. Diners with a yearning for Western fare will be delighted to know a pasta cooking station and some Tex-Mex specialities form part of the lavish menu.

Remember to save ample tummy space for dessert. I was impressed by the date selection and vast array of seasonal local fruits laid out. Local and Continental sweet treats were aplenty too, leaving us spoiled for choice.

 

The Jom Balik Kampung Buffet Dinner will be served from 7pm-10.30pm from 18 June to 14 July at RM128+ per adult. If you book before 31 May, enjoy a special Early Bird rate of RM113+ per person.

For reservations, please call Pullman Putrajaya, tel: 03-8890 0000 x 6802/6804/6850 or email: news@pullmanputrajaya.com. Address: No.2 Jalan P5/5 Presint 5, Putrajaya.