Ramadan Buffet 2013 – Checkers Cafe, Dorsett Regency KL

Last year Dorsett Regency KL offered ‘buka puasa’ buffet with celebrity chef, Chef Jaafar Onn. Well, this time around, the well famed Chef Jaafar Onn who was well noted for his acting in the Malay drama ‘Cili Padi’  back in the early 90s (the one that shot him to fame) is nowhere in sight in Dorsett Regency KL.
But fret not, your friendly neighbourhood celebrity chef may not be around to entertain you with his quirks as you dine this time around, but dining in Dorsett Regency can be fun nevertheless as they will be featuring their very own in-house chefs to entertain you as you dine in style.

“Jom Berbuka Puasa Bersama Master Chef Dorsett” will definitely satisfy even the fussiest and pickiest diners with their wide selection of modern and traditional Malay dishes in the buffet.

They keyword to the buffet in Checkers, Dorsett Regency KL is variety and value for money.

While 80% of the spread is traditional delights, there are freshly made sushis and sashimi for the hardcore Japanese cuisine fans.

Ample of fresh seafood are grilled upon order at the grill section. Also found lurking in the grill section is the satay and a variety of ketupats and lemangs. These pair well with the sweet (a bit overly sweet for me) peanut sauce and savoury rendangs.

But the real star sensation in Checkers Dorsett Regency KL however is not the satay or ketupats, but these. The chefs? Oh no, no, not the chefs, but the chicken rice.

The perfectly roasted chicken or duck can be seen hanging on display at the chicken rice stall, tempting diners with its shiny skin and juicy meat.

I couldn’t resist the siren’s call and had to have a plate of the duck rice. The duck was everything roasted duck should be. Tender and flavourful on the inside and crispy crackling skin! The rice was wonderfully fragrant and paired perfectly with condiments of fresh chilli, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Another not to be missed item in the buffet spread is the roasted lamb.

The roasted lamb or more commonly dubbed as Kambing Panggang “KUZI” Style is one of Grand Dorsett Regency KL’s specialty. As expected a myriad of spices and herbs goes into its marination. However that day the marination failed to make an impact due to the short marination time. One of the staff mentioned that they will be marinating it longer so the meat would be more flavourful during the Ramadan month.
So if any of you did visit Checkers Cafe for their buka puasa spread, do let me know if you like the lamb! 🙂

Let’s see. Chicken/duck rice, a whole lamb, fresh Japanese sashimi and sushi, juicy skewers of satay and large prawns, mussels, shellfish and fresh meat for the grill. Do you need more conviction that the buffet here is worth your hard earned cash?
You do?
Well, here’s the “seafood on ice” where fresh oysters, fat prawns and mussels tempts the glutton. Cold cuts, beef and smoked salmon graced the space beside it.

A wide variety of traditional Malay soups are also available, should you want something more settling on the stomach.

The hot food section is worth gorging on. Most dishes are flavourful and prepared well. Spicy, rich and tasty as they should be. Most importantly, the ingredients are fresh!

Kerabu Perut Bersantan, Percik Burung Puyuh & Ayam Dara, Nasi Kerabu Bunga Talang, Gulai Ikan Talang Masin dengan Terung, Udang Goreng Bersambal, Lidah Goreng Cili Padi, Hati Goreng Sambal, Rendang Kuala Kangsar are the notable ones that you should not miss during this Ramadan season. The dishes are on rotational basis so I may not have sampled all that day. However, judging from my past 3-4 visits in Checkers Cafe for their buffet, I’m pretty confident that you will find the spread here value for money and above average tastewise! 🙂

Variety of sauces, sambals and dips were also available should you want to add some zing to some of your dishes, so go ahead. Don’t be shy. Be as creative as you want and pair these sauces with anything that you think that it will go well with on your plate.

I’m sure the carbs and the protein from the sandwiches, fried bananas, potatoes and apom will pack a quick energizing punch after a long day of fasting for those who do observe it.

The salad bar; though often overlooked offers plenty of fresh greens and fruits for your picking and will be a perfect end for those who have stuffed themselves with the wide selection of traditional Malay dishes earlier on.

I had great times for 2 YEARS gorging on their desserts. The tapai cake from the ramadan 2012 was lovely; something memorable to say the least. This year, that lovely tapai cake was nowhere in sight but the dessert bounty was as wide as ever.

You can easily spot the chocolate fountain along with skewered fruits and marshmallows,along with an ice-cream counter and the ais kacang station.

Fanciful Western puddings, pastries and cakes that’s fit to be served during Christmas lined the tables along with assorted traditional Malay desserts like kuih and sweet bubur. While the usual chocolate, cheese and spongecakes are expectedly available, there are some pretty usually dome shaped ones that are mousse based. Cute! 🙂

Ice cream to end the meal seems right. 🙂

Beverages include a variety of fresh fruit juice and the refreshing Sirap Bandung, Sirap Selasih, Sugar Cane and Black Jelly. Your local  Teh Tarik and Coffee is available too of course.

Overall, dining in Checkers Cafe, Grand Dorsett Regency KL has been a good wonderful experience and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to fellow friends and readers to buka puasa here.  

Be forewarned though, while their dining space could easily accommodate and cater to a vast crowd during the Holy month of Ramadan, it’s better to be safe and book early to avoid disappointment.

Here’s the Grand Dorsett’s very own Master Chef who was responsible for my gastronomic pleasure, posing with their star dishes and specialties.

Don’t be afraid to say hi should you meet them while dining in the Checkers, ya? They’re all jolly people and don’t worry, they don’t bite. LOL.