Afiq with the Christmas desserts and sweets at the restaurant’s celebratory buffet. — Photos: GLENN GUAN/The Star
TAKING a leaf out of Italian-American traditions, chef Afham Afiq Maya Matkhir will be presenting a selection of festive dishes for a celebratory buffet to mark the holiday season.
The chef de cuisine, better known as Afiq Matkhir, and his team will prepare an extensive lineup of festive specials until Jan 1 at Sunset Terrace, Sunway Resort Hotel.
A highlight of the holiday buffet is the “Feast of Seven Fishes”, which showcases seven types of seafood dishes featuring ingredients such as salmon, octopus, barramundi, shrimp and oysters.
“In preparing the festive menu, I learnt that there is an Italian-American tradition whereby the families eat fish and seafood on Christmas Eve,” said Afiq.
“I borrowed that concept for Sunset Terrace’s festive menu but chose to feature dishes cooked in a variety of styles, such as Middle Eastern and Mediterranean.”
The result is a “Feast of Seven Fishes” menu that comprises Salmon Coulibiac, Black Mussels alla Tarantina, Octopus with Garlic and Herb, Harissa-Baked Barramundi, Oysters Rockefeller, Shrimp-Baked Potato and Razor Clams alla Acqua Pazza.
Lamb Shank Pie is one of the classic festive favourites.
Sunset Terrace’s version of the coulibiac (fish pie) showcases salmon baked in puff pastry, while the black mussel dish features the molluscs cooked in a mildly spicy tomato sauce.
Afiq said classic festive favourites, including more meaty dishes would also be served, such as Crusted Prime Rib Beef, Honey Glazed Roast Chicken and Lamb Shank Pie.
They come with accompaniments such as baked squash with chestnut, apple and leek, sauteed Brussels sprouts, and mushroom and chestnut soup.
The buffet spread will offer an assortment of salads, appetisers, fresh seafood on ice as well as Malay, Indian, Chinese and Japanese dishes.
“Diners can also look forward to live cooking stations where they can get freshly cooked food as well as our popular Truffle Roast Duck, and satay,” said Afiq, 39, who assured that all the ingredients used were halal certified.
Make sure there is room for dessert, as the counter tempts with a decadent variety of treats such as panettone, log cakes in assorted flavours, stollen, pecan tart, fruit cake, berry tartlets, Christmas cookies, coconut panna cotta, eclair and choux.
(From left) Oysters Rockefeller, Razor Clams alla Acqua Pazza, and Black Mussels alla Tarantina.
“Our team has made a lot of effort, and we hope that guests will enjoy what we have prepared,” said Afiq, a graduate of Florence University of the Arts’ culinary programme, Apicius.
Sunset Terrace’s festive lunch buffet is served from Nov 20 to Dec 30 (excluding Christmas Eve and Day). It is priced at RM158 per adult on weekdays and RM188 per adult on weekends.
A buffet dinner will be served on Christmas Eve, buffet lunch and dinner on Christmas Day, buffet dinner on New Year’s Eve and buffet lunch on New Year’s Day.
The Christmas buffet lunch is priced at RM218 per adult (without alcohol) / RM418 per adult (with alcohol); buffet dinner is priced at RM268 per adult (without alcohol) / RM468 per adult (with alcohol).
Lunch is served from noon to 3pm, dinner from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.
The hotel’s Linkway Cafe will be serving some seasonal mocktails and cocktails besides afternoon tea, while goodies such as cakes, cookies and pies are available at the hotel’s main lobby for festive gifting.
SUNSET TERRACE, Level 1, Sunway Resort Hotel, Persiaran Lagoon, Bandar Sunway, Selangor. (Tel: 03-7495 2009/ WhatsApp: 019-381 5568). Business hours: 6am-10.30pm, daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
