LATEST RECIPE,
Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur,
2, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2263 7434
Business hours: 6am to midnight.
YOU have got to love buffets especially if you are dining in the Klang Valley as there is so much to savour, making the meal your money’s worth.
The thing about Malaysian buffets, especially at hotels, is its extensiveness and the variety of food that the kitchens serve up from breakfast to dinner.
And the business of buffets is competitive as restaurants try to woo diners over with the number of dishes or specialities on the menu.
The popularity of Latest Recipe’s buffets prompted the management of Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur to give the venue a makeover as more space indirectly referred to more food, in keeping to the saying “food is where the heart is”.
With that the restaurant closed its doors as it underwent a makeover late last year.
It took all of three months, and when the renovations were completed, Latest Recipe debutted with a fresh look allowing diners to literally eat with their eyes.
“It was important that Latest Recipe remained faithful to its initial five-cuisine concept when renovations were being conceptualised as we began to understand, after years in operation, the preference of our demographics.
“The sights, smells, sounds and tastes at Latest Recipe represent an energetic metropolis of locally inspired cuisine set in a modern upscale ‘hawker’ ambience,” said hotel general manager Harvey Thompson.
In this space, restrictive doors have made way for an open concept, giving the restaurant a roomier look and at the open kitchens, dishes are prepared a la minute.
It is comforting to know that the food is cooked before you, and served directly unto your plate as food tastes best when it is hot from the pot.
Diners can now enjoy steamed and deep-fried dim sum at Latest Recipe.
The five-cuisine concept Thompson touched on refers to a scrumptious selection of Indian, Chinese, Malay, Japanese and Western cuisine.
The local corner serves hot dishes like Malay Oxtail Stew with Lemongrass, Torch Ginger and Bird’s Eye Chili; Baked Red Snapper Fillet with Chili-carambola Sauce; Tiger Prawn braised in Yellow Curry and Old Cucumber; Vegetable Stew with Soya Bean Cake (sayur lodeh), Stir-fried Kailan with Assorted Mushroom; Stir-fried Black Mussel in Black Bean Sauce; Chinese Bean Curd Sichuan Style; Kong Po Chicken with Cashew Nuts in Yam Basket.
I have often noticed a beeline at the Japanese section and the chefs manning this station are kept busy making an assortment of Japanese sushi, Hosomaki rolls, California Temaki Roll and slicing up sashimi (a choice of salmon, mackerel, butterfish, octopus and maguro).
At the Japanese corner, diners are treated to a variety of sashimi and sushi.
If raw fish is not to your liking, fret not as this buzzing corner has tempura and teppanyaki.
A prominent new feature at the restaurant is the carving station.
During my visit, Traditional Roasted Turkey Breast with Apple, Mix Nuts and Bread Stuffing, Giblet Sauce and Cranberry Reduction; Slow Roasted Veal Brisket rubbed with Tomato Confit and Herbs Dressing, Shallot Sauce; Roasted Rib Eye Brushed with Mustard and Garlic, Stone Ground Pepper Sauce; and Baked Salmon Coulibiac with Capers Cream Sauce were being served at the station.
Another corner that appeals to diners is the Italian station where there is carbonara, pesto, marinara, aglio olio and Bolognese sauces available for your choice of pasta.
When Latest Recipe was first coined more than five years ago, the idea was to highlight the Indian open kitchen, which was a first for a buffet restaurant.
The seafood bar has a variety of seafood for your selection of appetisers.
In staying true to its initial concept, the Indian corner is obviously still favoured among diners with its authentic North and South Indian fare.
With the new layout, this section appears a lot more spacious as it accommodates a tandoor from which you get servings of Chicken Tandoori, Lamb Kofta Tandoori, Gobi Tandoori, Prawn Tandoori and of course, a variety of naan breads.
The chefs are always mindful to have just the right amount of spice and flavour for their curries were Lamb Masala, Murgh Massalom, Machli Tamatar, Prawn Mettie and vegetables like Aloo Jerra, Panner Saffron, Channa Masala and Bendie Bahji.
And of course, an Indian meal is not complete without condiments like red dried chili, mango pickle, lime pickle, sweet mango chutney, fruit pickle, tomato chutney and crackers of fish, prawns and vegetables, papadum and Punjabi spiced papadum.
For the sweet-toothed, desserts are aplenty with candy dispensers, soft yoghurt ice-cream, chocolate fountain, waffles, crepe and more. The restaurant serves buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, excluding Saturday buffet lunch.
Prices are RM108++ for lunch (Monday to Friday) and RM118++ per person for dinner (Monday to Thursday).
Buffet dinner from Friday to Sunday is priced at RM 128++ per person and the Sunday Roast buffet lunch is available at RM 118++ per person.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
