Chatz Brasserie,
Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur,
Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2782 8301
Business hours: 6.30am — midnight
(Ramadan buffet is from 7.00pm to 10.30pm)
FOR chef Hasbullah Abd Hamid Bendahara of Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur, a 1Malaysia Ramadan buffet should include dishes from Sabah and Sarawak to reflect the true spirit of a multi-racial nation.
With that in mind, the 41-year-old consulted the Sabah and Sarawak hotel employees and did a great deal of research to be familiar with the cuisines from the Borneo island.
For dessert: Be sure to try the Apam Balik.
As a result, dishes like Manok Pansoh (chicken cooked in bamboo with lemongrass, ginger and tapioca leaves), Sayur Daun Bawang, Daeng Semur (mackerel cooked in coconut milk), Korok Tunduk Do Punti (fish cooked in curry with banana heart), Kima (crabs cooked in chilli paste), Talabah Ah Riandang (oysters with chilli paste) appear on the counters together with Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya and Western delights to please the crowd.
Bubur Pedas was an interesting alternative to Bubur Lambuk, with the Sarawak version flavoured with chilli, black pepper, herbs and vegetables.
The Sabah version, on the other hand, uses sweet potatoes, potatoes and beancurd in place of rice grains.
Another unique attraction was Gulai Sate Kambing Sarawak. The lamb was marinated and grilled ala satay style, and then braised in gulai (gravy).
Hasbullah said that certain spices and ingredients could not be found in the peninsula and he had to adjust the recipe accordingly.
“For example, Ikan Ampap Ibu uses a type of white chilli padi but I had to make do with the ordinary bird’s eye chilli.
“I’m baffled at how we can get Korean and Japanese ingredients easily but not those from Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
The buffet featured six sets of menu on rotation.
Stir-fried Mantis Prawns, Creamy Seafood Casserole, Lemak Nanas Udang, Kari Ketam were just a few examples of the main courses available.
All-time favourites such as Briyani Gam Ayam, Barbecued Lamb, satay, lemang and ikan bakar would not disappoint.
Always popular: Lemang is an all-time crowd favourite.
There were action stalls serving assam laksa, sotong kangkung and wantan noodles too.
For desserts, the Durian Green Bean Soup was a personal favourite that brought back nostalgic memories.
The Ramadan buffet, available till Aug 29, is priced at RM86++ per adult and RM43++ per child (four to 11 years old). On Aug 30 and 31, a Double Celebration Hi-Tea at RM55++ per person is available from noon till 4pm.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.