A Van Houten Chocolate Weekday Buffet Affair at Double Tree by Hilton Johor Bahru

This Merdeka month, I sat at Double Tree by Hilton Johor Bahru’s (Double Tree JB) Axis Lounge, pondering how much Malaysia has achieved since its independence and how this country can remain successful in the future. One way is to reserve enough of what we have accumulated for the next generation, and it is crucial for us to keep in mind environment, social, and governance (ESG) when it comes to sustainability.

Karman Lum, Double Tree JB’s Senior Sales Manager – F&B Sales, welcomed The Iskandarian to a media preview at the hotel’s Makan Kitchen ‘Culinary Stories, Soulful Signatures’ Weekday Buffet, and I immediately set my eyes on a huge pastry made up of chocolate right before entering.

Packets of Van Houten cocoa powder were set atop the dessert glass counter, and Karman explained that this buffet features a special mix of sweet and savoury treats made from chocolate by Van Houten Professional, which supports the community and the environment, making it an ethical indulgence.

As part of its social endeavour in ESG, this buffet preview brought out their award-winning chefs from the kitchen, each with their own signature dishes in the most locally and cultural way—by dancing and riding in a trishaw!

Each dish that they brought tells a tale, and I got to taste the very much ‘East meets West’ Sous Vide Brisket Daging with Sambal Ijo. For the spicy, tangy, and meaty enthusiast, this dish works as an appetiser and the main course of your buffet adventure. Tender meat, soaked up with Nusantara’s favourite chilli-based sauce with hint of lime, was a perfect bite for a night to remember.

Following the beeline of the Double Tree JB’s Cookie mascot, I found the buffet’s Sustainable Chocolate Corner, made from Van Houten Professional’s chocolate, where I picked up an interesting, crunchy Chocolate Apam Balik and enjoyed a fountain of beautiful and exclusive pink Ruby Chocolate to coat my sticks of marshmallow and grapes. It delighted me that while I was indulging the tasty desserts, the ingredients were responsibly sourced with minimal environmental impact.

The ‘Culinary Stories, Soulful Signatures’ Weekday Dinner Buffet at Makan Kitchen will be running from 1st August to 14th November 2024, available from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., priced at RM128 nett per adult and RM64 nett per child or senior citizen.

Chocolate lovers can learn more about the hotel’s sustainable chocolate options through its ‘All About Chocolate High Tea,’ which will be served at the Axis Lounge from 1st August until 30th September 2024.

The High Tea Set for Two is priced at RM108 nett per set and includes a special mix of sweet and savoury treats made from chocolate from Van Houten Professional, which is said to support both communities and the environment, making it an ethical indulgence.

For reservations and more information, please contact DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru at +607 268 6868, email JohorBahru.FB@hilton.com or visit EatDrinkHilton.com