‘Kampung’ in the City

“We always strive for our guests to enjoy the best possible Ramadan experience,” Alan Pryor, General Manager of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre had these words to offer when recently asked what the public could expect from the Centre’s upcoming buka puasa fare. And nothing short of the best, it will be judging from the array of gastronomical delights which greeted us as we, along with other members of the media congregated at the Centre Core for last month’s buffet tasting event.

Meticulously crafted by the Centre’s award-winning brigade of 51 chefs, the buffet spread boasted a selection of ‘Kampung Classics’ which words such as ‘scrumptious’ and ‘mouth-watering’ could only come so close to describing it. From gulai kawah to roast lamb to chicken satay, we were lost for choice when it came to deciding on which dish to sample first.

Elaborating on the buffet theme, Chef Richmond Lim who is the Centre’s Executive Chef said, “This year’s Ramadan promotion features the same theme as last year’s ‘Kampung in the City’, but we have included a host of new kampung favourites. For example, we decided to reintroduce gulai kawah and laksa lemak daging telel as they were popular with diners last year. Then, there are new items like nasi lemak spring rolls.” Those of you who fancy nasi lemak and spring rolls, and who might have wondered what they would taste like when combined, will not be disappointed. We were greeted by generous bits of hard-boiled egg, sambal, anchovies and coconut rice when we bit into the spring rolls. Although the rolls could have been less oily, they were indeed crispy while the rice retained its coconut-y aroma.

Guests can also look forward to the ‘Chef Action Stations’, where local favourites including Penang char kuey teow, assam laksa, mee curry Nyonya, wantan mee, prawn mee, murtabak (both chicken and beef), Hainanese chicken rice and mee goring mamak will be available. Salivating already? Wait, there’s more. Those looking for their roti fix will be thrilled to know that the stations will also be serving up roti bom and roti jala with chicken curry, dhall curry and sardine sambal. Additionally, there will be beef and chicken satay, the Centre’s signature bubur lambuk (rice porridge) and the ultimate Hari Raya staple, rendang tok complete with ketupat, nasi impit and lemang. The satay was nothing short of delicious; the meat so tender and succulent that it fell off the stick without so much as a pull of the teeth. Its accompanying peanut sauce had just the right consistency and sweetness, unlike some peanut sauces which can be rather cloying.

If fried food is right up your alley, then you can head over to the Goreng Gorengan station whereby you will have the tough time of deciding between deep-fried snacks including keropok lekor and bread fruit, jackfruit and banana fritters (then again, you could just take them all, like us). The banana fritters were tastier than expected, boasting a certain maple syrup-like sweetness which set them apart from the pisang goreng found at your usual gerai makanan.

And of course, what meal would be complete without desserts. Guests with a sweet tooth can rest assured that the chefs have delectable sweet treats such as local kuih, pastries, cakes, fresh fruits, ais kacang, dates and serawa durian in store for them. What better way to end a night of feasting, right?

The buffet low-down

So, tempted to hit the Centre this Ramadan to satisfy your kampung food cravings? Here’s what you need to know:

• Muslim guests will be offered a designated prayer room, prayer mats, sandals, on-site ablution facilities and an Imam for prayers.
• The public buka puasa (Ramadan Al-Mubarak) is priced at RM115 nett per person whereas the exquisite Ramadan Al-Mubarak menu is RM157 nett per person.
• Available from 22 June to 7 July 2015.
• The public buka puasa is limited to 250 guests per evening. However, clients have the option of organizing their own private banquets for 100 guests or above. So, do book early to avoid disappointment.  Contact Abby at 603-2333 2866 or June at 603 2333 2877 for reservations.

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