Taste of mum’s specialties

By Tan Bee Hong | phoenixbee@nst.com.my

At the Mum’s Dishes buffet, Tan Bee Hong wonders whose mum is responsible for otak-otak Rambo

WHO can resist mum’s food? It’s comfort food at the most basic level. But despite its tagline, the Masakan Mama buffet at Plaza Ballroom of Parkroyal Hotel Kuala Lumpur is not all mum’s cooking. Nor do the recipes don’t come from one individual’s mother.

“Every one of the kitchen staff contributed a recipe from their mother and we selected the best,” says Soong Mei Lan, its marketing communications manager.

SPICY START

But really, for the breaking of fast, there is no better way to start than have a cool drink and some dried dates and apricots before moving on to salads, or in this case, kerabu. Crunchy fern shoots, soft glass noodles Thai-style, salted fish and ulam with a range of sambal including cincaluk, sambal belacan and tempoyak.

Not into spicy? Then try Western-style greens with French, Caesar and thousand island dressing. Fresh oysters, poached crabs and mussels sit on a bed of ice. Have a hearty bowl of bubur lambuk or steaming hot soup. Take your pick of local sup tulang rawan or creamy broccoli and mushroom.

HOT STUFF

As I help myself to a spoonful of otak-otak Rambo, I wonder whose mum this came from. Sylvester Stallone’s? Turns out that one of the chefs is nicknamed Rambo. It’s a lovely, creamy fish pudding with all the lovely flavours of spices.
Kerutuk itik is worth going back for as are the honey chilli chicken, spicy catfish, rendang and pajeri eggplant.

I love combining these with nasi ulam, topping it off with a dollop of sambal belacan for a hot kick.

ACTION PLEASE

All along one wall of the ballroom are action stalls where chefs are busy spinning dough for roti canai and murtabak, grilling fish, cockles and satay.

Mama’s chicken rice and lamb char xiu stall is popular. There are roast and poached chicken with fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock.

Next to this, char kway teow is being dished up a la minute while at the noodles stall, you can choose from three types of noodles offered daily. The prawn noodle is bursting with crustacean flavour.

Biryani tanam daging is exactly that. Chunks of tender, well-marinated chicken are buried inside the huge cauldron of fragrant biryani rice. Absolutely scrumptious.

Outside the ballroom are more stalls. This is where you find a whole roast lamb being carved and dim sum steaming on bamboo trays while another chef is busy making apam balik, waffles and pancakes.

DESSERT DELIGHT

Those disciplined enough to keep a space in their tummies for dessert will enjoy freshly cut fruits, French pastries and local kuih muih. Of course there is ais kacang, ice cream, and sweet broths of black glutinous rice, green pea with durian and gandum.

Plaza Ballroom

Where
Parkroyal KL
Jalan Sultan Ismail
Tel 03-2147 0088

Opening hours
Until Aug 18, from 7pm

Getting there
Opposite Sungei Wang Plaza

What’s cooking
Buka puasa buffet

You’ll pay
RM95++ (adult), RM47.50 (child, senior citizen)

Atmosphere
Bustling

The loo
Clean

Overall verdict
Go give it a try

Variety of colourful kuih muih - Pictures by KHOO SU TING

1 / 1

Taste of mum’s specialties

At the Mum’s Dishes buffet, Tan Bee Hong wonders whose mum is responsible for otak-otak Rambo

Leave Your Comment