Ramadan Buffet 2011 : Maytower Hotel & Serviced Residences, Kuala Lumpur

I had the most pleasant dining experience during the Ramadan buffet preview at Maytower Hotel last week. So much so that I would readily recommend La Maison (the restaurant where the Ramadan buffet would be held throughout the month of August) to diners seeking good old traditional Malay favourites reminiscing of their grandparents’ time & beyond cooking.

If you have followed my Ramadan Buffet 2011 Series, you would have noticed that I’m a roast lamb addict. 

Yes, the tender meat, fully permeated with the lovely spices starts each Ramadan dinners I have had over the last few weeks perfect. The jolly chef here spoiled me rotten by giving me such marvellous cuts – the slightly bloody parts & served doused with just minimal mint sauce & gravy.

Delicious. Could I have some more please??  

But of course I had to make room for everything else on the spread. Skipping the appetisers as usual, I dived straight for the delectable looking curries. Just by appearance alone the curries looked absolutely lip-smacking; thick, aromatic & explosively flavourful.

Chicken Rendang. 

Beef Rendang.

Both were a perfect match with the sticky rich Rice Lemang. One can opt for the non-oily Nasi Himpit/Ketupat if calories were a concern. 

This creamy Kambing (Mutton) Kurma was my favourite that night. The slices of mutton made it less of a hassle to eat versus the usual chunks of meat with bone. Each tender slice has the full flavour of the kurma imbued within. *Double thumbs up*!

Ayam Masak Merah. This was just as tasty, having the right balance of sweet & spicy flavours.

Not limited to just curries, there were dishes like the Black Pepper Beef Fillets with Capsicum & Stir Fried vegetables.

But who are we kidding? The curries here are the bomb & we continued to tuck into cream-based seafood curries with the fragrant Briyani Rice. Here is the prawns cooked in cramy coconut milk with pumpkin.

And below is the Siakap Masak Lemak with Cili Padi. Fresh flaky fish in creamy coconut milk curry that may not look fiery due to its colour but don’t be fooled as the bird’s eye chillis packed a punch on the tongue.

Dry Sambal with Paru (cow’s lungs smothered in sambal). A traditional Malay favourite.

This slightly fiery dry curried mussels were excellent! And kudos to the chef for cooking it “Kam Heong” style. A nice touch of fusion there.

For those in need of carbs, the Briyani is fluffy & fragrant.

A section outside of the air-conditioned comfort of the restaurant housed the live stations for the grilled seafood, roast lamb, murtabak, satay & yong tau foo.

Grilled in banana leaf & retaining the brilliant taste of the marinade, the ikan pari (stingray) was superb!

The satay’s are mildly marinated, lightly barbecued & best enjoyed with the savoury peanut sauce.

Not common at buffets, but provides a “healthy” respite from all that spices is the yong tau foo station.

In conclusion, almost everything here is excellent, especially so for the traditional favourites like the appetisers section & curries. Comments from the other diners on the dessert that day were not as positive but feedback were duly given to the management so we do foresee improvements.

** A good choice of buffet for those seeking traditional Malay favourites with a fair price of RM75.00++ per adult, and an exclusive 50% discount is extended to all diners on the first and the last three days of Ramadhan.

Appetisers section.

“Foreign” dressings available for those who loves their continental salads.

Else dig into tangy, freshly tossed traditional “kerabus”  (local Malay salads).

Some I would highly recommend, like this refreshing sourish Chicken & Avocado one.

Or this uncommon but another traditional favourite of the East Malaysia – (Sarawak specifically), the Umai.

An assortment of deep fried salted fish.

Sambal prawns.

Bubur Lambuk.

Sup tulang.

Rojak.

Scouting over to the desserts counter, there were the usual western & local sweets.

Chendol Jelly.

Creative one like this deserves a mention – Peanut butter, Chocolate, Banana cream pie!!!

From left: Bubur Chacha (which didn’t look or taste like one), Serawa Durian and Labu Sago.

Fresh fruits.

Video: Yups, do check out the video we did for this buffet! Click HERE!

Ramadhan Sahur

Ramadhan Sahur at La Maison also offers guests a generous choice of sumptuous dishes. The Sahur buffet is available from 12.00midnight to 5.30am and is priced at only RM25.00++ per person. This arrangement is exclusive for Muslim guests and the public only.

Maytower Hotel & Serviced Residences

Theme: Ramadhan Berbuka Puasa with a ‘Balik Kampung’ concept at La Maison Restaurant, from 1-31 August 2011.

Price: RM75.00++ per adult. Senior citizens above 55 years and children 4-12 years enjoy a 50% discount.

To make the start and end of Ramadhan a more impactful one, an exclusive 50% discount is extended to all diners on the first and the last three days of Ramadhan.

 

Menu: The buffet-style feast includes 7 rotating menus that offer over 80 appetizers, main dishes and desserts.

For more information on the Ramadhan Berbuka Puasa, table bookings, catering services,and room packages, call Maytower Hotel & Serviced Residences at 03-2692 9298 or visit our website at maytower.com.my.

VIDEO: An attempt to do a video on buffets, versus just the normal pics & words. What do you guys think?

All pictures are: