Kampung food in cosmopolitan KL

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THE job opportunities in Kuala Lumpur have attracted people from all over Malaysia, but no matter how long they have lived here, they will still miss the flavours of food from their hometowns.

With this in mind, Lemon Garden at Shangri-La Hotel will please the appetite of urbanites with the flavours they miss most this Ramadan through a careful selection of delicacies from various states.

Junior sous chef of the Malay kitchen Hairy Ismail Rahman has made sure that dishes at the Malay counter are prepared in the most authentic ways. In fact, he has also contributed many traditional recipes passed to him by his mother and grandmother.

Traditional goodies: Malay dishes are steeped in kampung tradition, but are presented with artistic flair at the Lemon Garden Cafe.

“Kuala Lumpur is a cosmopolitan city. In order to cater to diners of different palates from various parts of Malaysia, these dishes are prepared so that they can buka puasa with their family and friends,” he said.

Among the traditional delights found here are Rendang Tok from Perak, Ikan Assam Pedas from Malacca, Umai which is raw fish salad originating from Sarawak and Laksa Johor.

While the taste is authentic, the dishes are presented in an artistic, contemporary flair to match the restaurant’s trendy, classy decor.

Perennial favourite: Gulai Kepala Ikan tempts with creamy gravy.

In addition to the kampung temptations, the buffet also features about 100 other items ranging from Western, Chinese, Japanese, Italian to fresh seafood while the dessert corner tantalises with a myriad of colours and flavours.

The atmosphere is always merry and lively with several cooking stations occupying the quieter corners. Here you have a Chinese cook serving steaming hot noodles and there you see a Malay chef dishing out satay and slicing roast lamb amid tantalising aroma.

Fish head curry Northern style is the one of the dishes recommended by Hairy for its exotic kick.

“Unlike normal curries, this Northern-style fish head curry is prepared and infused with coriander powder which makes the taste more exotic. Fresh tuna and red snapper fish heads are used together with a lovely array of ingredients including tomatoes, chillies, ladies fingers and eggplants,” he said.

Beef Cheek Rendang is another must-try. The meat, known for its tenderness, is often used for Western gourmet dishes but the chef gives it a different presentation with the creamy, intense taste loved by almost every Malaysian.

Spicy indulgence: Sambal Udang Harimau with Petai is for those who are in for a heady, spicy seafood experience.

The dish also involves a painstaking process of braising the beef cheek for over two hours over slow fire with traditional spices including lemongrass, dried chilli, shallot, ginger, turmeric, galangal, grated coconut and more.

For a tangy kick, Asam Pedas Ikan Kurau will not disappoint you with the heady mix of belacan, wild ginger bud, laksa leaves, kaffir lime leaves, shallots and others. Apart from being sour and spicy, the dish also lures with the refreshing fragrance of the herbal infusion.

“In addition to its impressive variety, the buffet spread is focused on quality, freshness and taste, not to mention its flair for modern artistic presentation,” he added.

Ramadan buka puasa buffet is available from 7pm to 10.30pm and is priced at RM98++ per adult and RM49++ per child from Sunday to Friday.

Ramadan Seafood Night buffet is priced at RM128++ per adult and RM64++ per child on Saturday.