ROASTED a golden brown, the whole lamb on the spit looked delicious as executive chef Charles Aseervatham proudly declared it the hotel's centrepiece for its Ramadan buffet.
But, there was also the Salmon Fish Head Curry, which he said was his signature dish and a must-try, as he eagerly showed me the potful of curry.
Whether it is lamb or fish head you favour, the Flavors Restaurant at the Swiss Garden Hotel Kuala Lumpur certainly does not fall short of diners' expectations with the array of lovely food to break fast with, this Ramadan.
Hot from the pan: A chef folding the crepe over the filling of gula melaka and shredded coconut as he makes kuih ketayap. Adding to the appeal of the roast lamb, chef Aseervatham and his team have ingeniously stuffed it with Nasi Briyani.
"The rice will fully absorb the juices from the meat, blood and all from the bone marrow so it will be flavourful and aromatic," Aseervatham said with a smile.
As soon as the team of chefs started carving the lamb, the rice started spilling in a heap on the tray below, and guests quickly scooped it into their plates, piping hot!
Hotel corporate marketing communications manager Linda Evelyn Wong said the roast lamb had become a popular choice for corporate functions.
The meat was fragrant, well marinated and tender, which explained its popularity. It will be available every Ramadan night.
As for the Salmon Fish Head Curry, Aseervatham said salmon was sweeter than most other fish, and because it was only the salmon flesh that was often used but not the head, he decided to make good use of the fish head.
"I try to inject a bit of Penang flavours into this buffet, as you don't usually see many Penang-influenced dishes during Ramadan; often, you would get more of other tastes like Minangkabau Negri Sembilan."
Centrepiece: Chef Aseervatham (right) supervising his team of chefs as they turn the roasted whole lamb so that the nasi briyani spills into the tray beneath. Aseervatham has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years and specialises in Western cuisine following his 10-year stint in Auckland, New Zealand. He describes his cooking style as classic but with a modern interpretation that leans towards rustic Mediterranean and Moroccan.
However, since his return to Malaysia, he has quickly learnt the ropes of whipping up good local food as
Malaysians, generally, he observed, still love their local dishes.
The buffet beckons with traditional kampung-style dishes, with more than 60 choices available on a seven-day rotation.
For appetisers, there are items like Kerabu Nangka Madu, Asparagus Masak Belacan and a selection of Ulam-Ulam Desa like Ulam-Ulam Kampung with sambal accompaniment, Ikan Masin Gelama (salted Gelama fish), Ikan Masin Sepat (salted Sepat fish) and Bubur Lambuk.
Among the main courses, there are favourites like the Ketam Masam Manis (sweet sour crabs), Udang Goreng (fried prawns), Pucuk Paku Belacan Udang Kering (fern shoot fried with shrimp paste and dried shrimp), Paru-Paru Goreng Berempah (Fried Seasoned Beef Lung) and Capati with Chicken Curry.
Not-to-be-missed is a visit to the show kitchen where chefs prepare fresh seafood a la minute with choices like Ikan Bakar Terubuk and Ikan Tenggiri Daun Pisang.
What's dinner without dessert? During the review, we saw a chef preparing kuih ketayap, with the crepe made using pandan extract, and filling of gula melaka and shredded coconut.
Other options include the delightful Tapai Ubi and Tapai Pulut, colourful Nyonya kuih, the sweet Serawa Pisang with Ubi, or you can even your own Ice Kacang.
The Ramadan buffet dinner is available until Sept 19, priced at RM65++ per adult and RM33++ per child.
Guests who pre-purchased the RM40nett vouchers before Aug 22 can use them until Aug 29, and between Sept 12 and 19. For every one pre-purchase voucher, one child aged 12 and below dines for free.
No comments:
Post a Comment