ESSENCE RESTAURANT,
SHERATON IMPERIAL KUALA LUMPUR HOTEL,
Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2717 9933.
Email: restaurants.imperial@sheraton.com.
For real time reservations, visit www.eatdrinkandmore.com/sheratonimperialkualalumpur
Business hours: 6.30pm-10.30pm (dinner buffet).
THIS Ramadan, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel takes diners on a culinary trip to Malacca with its Essence of Melaka promotion from now till Aug 27.
Malacca-born chef Jamsari Mohamad and his team (chef Kabir and chef Kamaruddin Adnin aka chef Bob) dish out Malaccan specialities at the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant Essence.
You will be spoilt for choice as there are more than 100 Ramadan specialities as well as international dishes.
Among the local fare offered are Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball, Sambal Udang Petai, Satay Celup, Daging Masak Semur, Sayur Labu Kundur Masak Ikan Bilis, Acar Berempah Kampong Air Panas, and the restaurant’s signature favourite — Roasted Whole Lamb with Nyonya Sambal Marination and Roasted Potatoes.
Other specials include Steamed New Zealand Mussels with Ginger, Chillies, Saffron and Lime, Creamy Mushroom Soup, Steamed Dory with Lemon, Mango and Tomato Duxelle Salsa.
On a stick: At the Satay Celup Bukit Cina section, choose from an assortment of items such as fish balls, cuttlefish and enoki mushrooms.Samples of Peranakan dishes on the buffet are Nyonya Chap Chai (Nyonya mix vegetables), Pongteh Chicken, Nyonya Duck Curry (cooked using roast duck), Black Pepper Crab, Pajeri Nenas Peranakan, Nyonya Kari Kepala Ikan Merah and Ikan Jenahak Masak Tauchu.
It was love at first bite when I tasted the Portuguese Fried Chicken, which was marinated to near perfection and the meat was tender.
Assam pedas is a dish close to chef Jamsari’s heart as he believes this is the dish Malacca is best known for. There are two types — the usual assam pedas sauce and the Assam Pedas Daging Tetel sauce.
Take your pick from the selection of fish, beef, prawns, crabs and a variety of vegetables and the chef will gladly whip up a hot piping bowl of assam pedas with your ingredients of choice.
I tried the spicy and tangy assam pedas, and since I shy away from spicy food, the refreshing coconut juice at Hang Tuah’s Well helped calm my singed taste buds.
“We serve fresh coconut juice, no sugar or water added,” chef Kabir said.
You can also quench your thirst with teh tarik, Nescafe tarik, sirap bandung and other selections of juices and cordials.
The action stations offer roti canai, murtabak, roti John, ikan bakar and gratinated oyster.
Chef Jamsari recommends you try the roti canai with his Assam Pedas sauce.
At the Japanese corner, choose from a selection of sushi, sashimi and California Hand Rolls.
Japanese cuisine-enthusiasts will be glad to know that Kewpie mayonnaise is used for the sushi.
The dessert corner is every dessert lover’s dream come true. Seeing the racks of sweet treats, it seemed I had died and gone to dessert heaven.
My favourite was the Honey and Fig Mousse, other delectable selections include Cheese Cake, Blueberry Creme Brulee, Chocolate Banana Cake, and Carrot Cake.
Here you can also find traditional favourites like seri muka, kuih lapis, kuih talam, bengkang bunga, kasui, bingka ubi, Kuih Gandus, onde-onde, tapai ubi, tapai pulut daun getah and assorted dodol.
According to chef Kabir, Kuih Gandus is a Malaccan dessert made from rice flour, coconut and pineapple.
I appreciate buffet spreads with unusual ice cream flavours. I enjoyed the Black Sesame ice cream; the Tomato and Basil flavour was an acquired taste but an experience nevertheless.
Nyonya delights:(clockwise from top) Tau Ewe Niu,Ketam Masak Kam Heong,Sotong Sumbat dengan Pulut,Nyonya kuih muih,Assam Pedas, Acar Berempah Kampong Air Panas and Nyonya Duck Curry.It was a pity I did not have room for the orange ice cream. Maybe next time.
The buffet is priced at RM108++ per person.
Children aged four to 12 get 50% discount while those below four-years-old dine for free.
Other incentives include two complimentary seats for every 10 paying guests, nightly lucky draws, weekly contests, and slices of date cakes for diners to take home.
For those who would like to buka puasa in the comfort of their homes or in more exclusive venues, the hotel also extends similar menus for outside catering or in its various function rooms.
For company gatherings or private get-togethers, contact the hotel’s catering team at 03-2717 9900.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro
