SERENA BRASSERIE,
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur Hotel,
Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2782 6228
Business hours: 6am to 10.30am,
noon to 3pm,
and 7pm to 1am daily.
SERENA Brasserie is set to take diners on a Journey of Heritage with five of their in-house “Kampung Boys” chef preparing signature dishes of well-loved favourites.
In addition to Ramadan must-haves such as lemang,serunding and bubur lambuk ayam with three menus on rotation at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur restaurant, the chefs decided to take inspiration from their home states.
For the simple pleasure of giving diners an insight into the food of their childhood, the chefs are whipping up a frenzy of flavours.
Executive sous chef Abdul Razak Mohd Ali went straight for his grandmother’s laksa Johor as his signature dish.
InterContinental’s executive sous chef Abdul Razak’s Laksa Johor, a well-cherished recipe he learnt from his grandmother, and the only version of Laksa Johor he enjoys with its unique use of spaghetti as is traditional for all Laksa Johor.
Admittedly the only version of laksa Johor he enjoys eating, it is well known to be the only Malaysian laksa that uses spaghetti as per tradition instead of the customary rice noodles.
“We thought of bringing in special recipes that are close to our hearts and most of the dishes are those that people very seldom find outside of the fasting month.
“It uses a mix of two types of fish. The fish stock takes two-and-a-half hours to make, with a combination of ingredients that must be put together just right, and for that you have to know by experience,” he said.
Serena Brasserie chef de cuisine Suhailmi Md Tasir reminisced about his happy experiences with family and neighbours over a pot of Nasi Minyak Rendang Tok.
InterContinental’s chef de cuisine Suhalmi Tasir’s long-grained Nasi Minyak and sweet, spicy Rendang Tok filled with spices is a dish Suhalmi usually equates with family and the warmth of neighbourly friendships back in his village.
Using slick long-grain rice for the glistening nasi minyak, the rendang that goes alongside it is a rich, slightly spicy and sweet meat dish with a flavoursome grainy textured gravy.
Another member the Kampung Boys squad is InterContinental’s Malay chef Yusman Yahaya who delivers his mother’s recipe of Udang Masak Lemak Cili Padi to the plate because of the joy it brought his father after a long day of work.
A twist on the more traditional asam pedas is banquet chef Yusof Salamat’s Asam Pedas Daging Tetel, a fragrant tangy dish made with tamarind juice and ginger flower that hits the tongue with its fresh, raw spicy blended chillies and shallots.
The Gulai Telur Itik that you would be hard pressed to find in the city, is a deliciously luxurious dish with its spicy saltiness and perfectly cooked eggs that spills its yolk to mix with the curry when split in two.
Other interesting dishes include the Ketupat Sotong, stuffed with sticky rice and doused with a creamy sauce that has a hint of lemongrass, as well as Gulai Telur Itik, a tasty spicy, slightly salty dish with half-cooked yolk.
The fluffy appam balik, a recipe from Malacca by executive pastry chef Chan Eng Hua makes a perfect end to the meal, with its soft centre, crunchy sides and warm nostalgic fragrance.
For durian lovers, there is a durian station where the fruit is cracked open on demand.
InterContinental’s executive pastry chef Chan Eng Hua’s nostalgic fluffy, crispy edged apam balik.
The Ramadan buffet is priced at RM178nett per adult and RM98nett per child (six to 12 years old) from June 13 to 30. From July 1 to 5, it is priced at RM148nett per adult and RM78nett per child.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement of StarMetro.
