Ramadhan Buffet @ Serena Brasserie, Intercontinental Hotel KL

** For more Ramadhan reviews click HERE –> Ramadhan Buffets – Where’s your favourite?

At Serena Brasserie, Intercontinental Hotel KL, the live stations were impressive.

Smoking hot satay and whole lamb aside, there was a teppanyaki counter and a BAKAR-BAKAR ALA KAMPUNG (Melaka) station that dishes out fat stuffed ikan kembung/cencaru (mackerel) and marinated stingrays in  piquant air asam dan cili kicap. Here, you have a flock of diners perpetually in queue.

Delicious stuffed mackerels.

My favourite – the lamb!

Thankfully I was early and thus I didn’t have to jostle with the buka puasa crowd for my food.  Another advantage of being early? The chefs has time to smile for your camera! 😀

The teppanyaki counter is where you go to pile up your plate with beef, chicken, prawns, squids, crabsticks, beansprout, cabbage, bellpepper and crispy sliced garlic with butter, soya sauce and mirin!

The other more familiar stations includes roti canai, murtabak, noodles, Lamb Shawarma with Condiments, Rojak Buah – buahan dan Pasembur and another personal favourite – the fried banana, sweet potato, yam, kurma, cempedak stall.

My idea of a Banana Split – crispy fried bananas with assorted ice-cream for a  hot and cold sensation! 😉

Craving for something soupy that particular night, I warmed my tummy with a bowl of piping clear soup with assorted “yong tau foo“.

For other soupy options, the soup station offers a melange on rotational basis. On the evening I was there, it was Crabmeat and Corn Soup.

Alternatively, stay in the spirit of Ramadhan and go for the hearty, lovingly simmered Sup Tulang.

Fresh rolls stood on standby for those who needs their bread and butter fix. You are in for a surprise if you’re like me who thinks no one would eat breads during dinner buffets. Based on my observation after 15 Ramadhan buffets this year alone, there are usually about 4 out of 10 tables with a bread roll on their plates!

More food in “liquid form” – The Bubur Lambuk here is exemplary, thick and redolent of spices.

Moving on, the appetisers, salads and cold stations offers the usual greens, cold cuts and pickles.

Local Kerabu and Mixed Salads

Kerabu Kerang/Coockle Salad. Kerabu Soo Hoon ala Thai/Glass Noodle Salad, Kerabu Mangga/Mango
Salad, Umai/Prawn Ceviche (Sarawak)
Kerabu anika Laut/Local Seafood Salad, Kerabu Daging/Beef Salad, Kerabu Perut/, Kerabu Telur/Egg
Salad, Jelatah/Vegetable Pickle, Salad Tauhu & Timun/Beancurd & Cucumber Salad, Salad Telur &
tomato/Egg & Tomatoes Salad
Jeruk Kelubi, Mangga, Salak, (Kelantan)
Buah PalaAssorted Fruit Pickle
(Trengganu)Keropok Udang/Prawns Cracker, Ikan Parang/Fish Cracker,Sayur/Vegetable Cracker dan
Papadam/Indian Cracker

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Ulam-Ulam (Pahang)

Timun/Cucumber, Tomato, Jering, Kacang Botol, Pengaga & Ulam Raja/Local Leave

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Ulam Celur

Bendi, Kacang Panjang/Long Bean, Jantung Pisang/Banana flower, Pucuk Ubi/Tapioca Leave, Nangka
Muda/Young Jackfruit

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Appetizer and Salad

Poached Whole Salmon, Selection of Cold Cuts Platter
Fresh Oyster, Slipper Lobster, Blue Crab, Mussels, Fresh Water Prawns, Assorted Sushi and Sashimi
Iceberg Lettuce, Frisse, Romaine, Endive, Tomato, Onion ring, Crunchy Carrot, Lollo rossa

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As usual I skipped those and dived into the mains. I was particularly in love with the sushi, sashimi and fresh seafood belt. Intercontinental KL has its own Japanese restaurant and Tatsu Japanese Cuisine is rather known for its quality. I have not been to Tatsu before, but I have heard raving reviews.

And it lived up to expectations. The sashimi was fresh and the sushi rolls were very well made, certainly above average buffet standards where the sushi rice leans towards the dry and bland.

Finally I got to the mains! Here at Serena Brasserie the western selections are served in small porcelain dish and replenished pretty quick once it runs low. Kudos really, for it ensures freshly cooked food and for items such as seabass and lamb, the meat stays tender and moist.

For this buffet, I actually sampled almost everything (skipping desserts and the salads) and I find it pretty decent overall. I must say the Japanese segment was good, and the Malay selection as below was acceptable.

I like the way it was presented, all in heavy claypots, reminiscence of the olden days.

I do recommend the chicken rice with its freshly made chilli and ginger paste. The rice was fluffy and fragrant too.

I ordered a Mamak Mee as well, fried on the spot for me and even to my liking; less oil, high heat, extra egg!

Not bad in terms of taste though not presentation.

Here’s the desserts selection, which I skipped as I was full by then. I must say that’s a first, since I have a sweet tooth. But blame it on the 14 other Ramadhan buffets, or work, as my appetite was slow that night. 🙂

 

Venue: Serene Brasseria, InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
Time: 7pm
Price: First and last week of Ramadhan (20-26th July/ 10th-20th August) RM99+, normal rates (27th July-9th August) RM115+

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Browse more if you wish:

1. Dorsett Regency, Kuala Lumpur
2. MayTower Hotel & Serviced Residences, KL
3. The Mill, Grand Millennium Hotel, Bukit Bintang
4. The Lounge, GTower Hotel, KL
5. The Living Room, Westin KL
6. Cinnamon Cafe, One World Hotel
7. Latest Recipe, Le Meridien KL
8. Paya Serai – PJ Hilton

These are for last year Ramadan’s. I’m running the Becky’s 30 Days 30 Giveaways and for coming days it will be mostly Ramadan buffets for 2 pax. So do visit my page RebeccaSawBlog FB here and stay tuned for the announcement. 🙂

Here’s the round-up for 2012 Ramadan Buffets. I’ll include the links once I published the posts this week. I’m trying to write as fast as I can! 🙂
1. Ramadhan Buffet at Melting Pot Cafe, Concorde Hotel, KL
2. Ramadhan Buffet at Soi 23, Pacific Regency, KL
3. Ramadhan Buffet at Fuzion, Sunway Spa and Resorts
4. Ramadhan Buffet at Checkers Cafe, Dorsett Regency, KL
5. Ramadhan Buffet at Flavors, Swiss Garden Hotel, Pudu KL
6. Ramadhan Buffet at Cinnamon Coffee House, One World Hotel
7. Ramadhan Buffet at Kitchen Art Brasserie, Empire Hotel Subang
8. Ramadhan Buffet at The Mill, Grand Millenium Hotel, KL
9. Ramadhan Buffet at JW Marriot, KL
10.Ramadhan Buffet at La Maison, Silka Maytower Hotel & Serviced Residences
11. Ramadhan Buffet at Paya Serai, Hilton PJ
12. Ramadhan Buffet at Utara Coffee House, Armada Hotel, PJ
13. Ramadhan Buffet at Serena Brasseria, InterContinental Hotel, KL
14. there’s more for sure… let me eat first and I’ll update! 🙂
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Leave me a comment if you have any enquiries on Ramadhan Buffets this year ok? 🙂