A friend of mine who has just arrived via the Causeway wanted to catch up since it’s the fasting season, the perfect location to meet halfway would be right at the border, where the Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre is hosting their Semarak Rasa Buffet.
Having been told by Angelyn, the Marcom Manager of the hotel, that some of the dishes that I’ve liked were prepared by award-winning chefs before, it’s also a plus for me to have my friend taste the same thing.
Breaking our fast with Arabic sweets, my friend indulged in the Cheese Kunafa while I managed to get my hands on my favourite Baklava before it was cleared up clean by the other diners!
Led by World Gourmand Award top 10 award winning Executive Chef Khairil Anwar, we got to enjoy a fusion of Asian and Western, also the brainchild of Chef Aidil, under the Warung Mee Mat Salleh, which offers a range from Salted Egg Carbonara to Creamy Tom Yum Pasta. I had the liberty to try some Cauliflower Creamy Soup with pasta; great to start my meal with something green!
My friend’s main aim for the buffet is over a decade’s experience in the culinary journey, including Chef Kudin’s signature dish, Nasi Kandar Penang. Her expectation was high as she had one of the best before from the land of the pearl itself and was so pleased by the Ayam Bawang and Kari Kepala Ikan of the Nasi Kandar, she just had to add Daging Hitam Manis too. The face that she had when she tasted it made everyone want to try it too!
While I have been enjoying the flavourful, spicy and pleasantly sour, Oxtail Asam Pedas, not only with their steamy white rice, but also with their Murtabak, which was carefully done to mimic the authentic taste of it.
Two city girls, living their lives in an urban setting had so much fun enjoying the kampung ambience in the Dine@Eight Restaurant, with a live cooking station in a hut that gave us plates of Lempeng Pisang and Lempeng Kelapa, Pancakes with bananas and coconut, along with a cup of freshly brewed coffee from the machine. It was a perfect ending to our evening.
Priced at RM182+ for adults, I think it’s worth it considering the travel expenses it would be for us to return to our kampung in the middle of the fasting season. What more, if we bring our much older family members, it is priced at RM162+ for senior citizens, aged 60 years and above, and RM92+ for children aged 6-12, while 5 years old and below kids, will eat for free.
Bonus for us to know that with 10 adult reservations, get another pax to dine for free!
If you are planning to stay, in-house guests can avail of a special rate of RM152+ and check out the Dinner, Bed and Breakfast package at www.holidayinn.com/johorbahru for a complete experience of staycation, Sahur Buffet, and Semarak Rasa Buffet.
Sounds good to you? The Semarak Rasa Buffet reservations can be made by phone call at 07 207 8888, or email to info@hijbcc.com. Alternatively, you may walk-in to Dine@Eight Restaurant and indulge in this culinary expedition.
