Buffets can sometimes be overwhelming especially during the fasting season when the food is abundant and our bodies have its limit to take in.
Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel somehow figured out the solution with their ‘Nostalgia Rasa’ Buka Puasa buffet at Cafe BLD. At least that was my experience when walking through over 200 delectable dishes; it felt like walking down the memory lane.
Right from the beginning, the scent coming off of the many mortars and pestles containing different kinds of Sambals, Budu, and Cincalok welcomed my appetite for something that was from home and, even better yet – from Kampung.
A friend of mine who hails from the fishing village on the Eastern Coast of the Peninsula felt already at home when she tasted the rich, coconut milk-laden Ayam Percik Pantai Timur with the vibrant, amazingly fragrant Nasi Kerabu while also adding a serving of the flavourful, Seabass in sweet, sour, and spicy sauce.
I went ahead to take a bowl of hot Bone Marrow Soup that called out to me from afar. A luxury at home, I just had to have it with a teaspoon of sambal kicap and dipping it with some perfectly baked naan bread from the Indian food section to finish the bowl with.
If you are following the cooking show during the fasting month closely, you would know Sheila Rusly, the celebrity that will be cooking the entire month with different recipes at different venues. It’s a privilege to have seen her at Cafe BLD’s alfresco patio, where she cooked her special, ‘Cucur Jagung’,’ and even taught her recipes to the chefs – it feels just like watching her on television. Hezrin, the Head of Marketing & Communications, told us that she will be making appearances every Friday and Saturday during the fasting month.
To cool down all that I ate, nothing beats the old school ‘Aiskrim Potong’, a confection of local flavours like Cendol, Red Bean, and Jackfruit on a stick, and it was the favourite of the cafe on that day. The extensive offerings of Kuih-muih and western cakes are easy for me to pick up, and I found a gem made by the pastry team in the house – the Corn and Red Velvet Talam kuih!
I can guarantee you would find your comfort food in the Nostalgia Rasa’s Buka Puasa buffet in the luxurious setting of Cafe BLD in Renaissance Hotel Johor Bahru.
At RM198nett per adult and RM99nett per child aged 6 to 12 years old, you can set sail through the dishes until 9 April 2024, from 6.30pm to 10pm.
Bookings and inquiries can be made via WhatsApp at wa.me/60177713327 or at and check out for more at www.cafebld.com/specials
