A selection of Malay kuih, cookies and desserts at Citi Cafe, Cititel Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur. – Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
A HEARTY stew or soup can be comforting after a day of fasting, especially if it is redolent with herbs and spices along with tender meat.
Sup Tulang Rawan, or beef bone marrow soup, is a popular choice to break your fast with as it gives a warming feeling from the staple four-spice “empat sekawan” combination of cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom and cloves.
The version served up at Citi Cafe’s Citarasa Buffet Dinner lets you choose the type of meat apart from the bone marrow, including sliced beef, cartilage and stomach.
Lala Masak Kam Heong.
Coriander and lime slices add freshness and a little zest to the soup.
I found the soup to be flavourful with the condiments providing varying textures.
For something spicier, the Oxtail Asam Pedas is a more tangy version of a dry rendang.
Baigan Masala.
The oxtail here is tender after having been slow-cooked for several hours and has absorbed all the flavours of the broth.
The daun kesom, a must in any asam pedas dish, lends the dish its distinctive taste and fragrance.
Besides the two meat dishes, the Citarasa Buffet Dinner features traditional recipes and international dishes on a weekly rotational menu.
Start off with the refreshing cold selection from the appetiser counter, such as ulam, kerabu mangga, kerabu sotong kering and kerabu kacang botol.
Udang Masak Nenas has a creamy and slightly sweet flavour from the coconut milk and pineapple.
The kerabu mangga had a good balance of spiciness, sourness and sweetness, and it was enjoyable trying the other variations as well.
For authentic kampung flavours, the outlet at Cititel Mid Valley in Kuala Lumpur includes all-time favourites such as Fish Head Curry, Nasi Briyani, Udang Masak Nenas and Ketam Goreng Berempah.
The carving section features the signature Roast Whole Lamb with different condiments and sauces, while the noodle station has Curry Mee.
There is a selection of Malay kuih such as kuih bangkit, kuih rose, kuih siput and bingka ubi.
Ketam Goreng Berempah.
I was also impressed with the variety of local fruits, which were sliced and presented beautifully.
Watermelon, pineapple and jambu air (rose apple) as well as plums, apples and grapes were a nice way to end the meal.
The buffet is available until April 20. It is priced at RM108nett per adult and RM78 nett per senior citizen while children get to enjoy the buffet at RM58 nett per child.
CITI CAFE, Cititel Mid Valley, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Tel: 603-2296 1124). Business hours: 6.30am-10.30am; noon-10pm.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
