Bunga Emas offers Malay fine dining experience

BUNGA EMAS RESTAURANT,
THE ROYALE CHULAN KUALA LUMPUR,
No. 6, Jalan Conlay,
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: [phone].

IF YOU wish to take a break from the usual Ramadan buffet when breaking fast, you can opt for a Malay fine dining experience at the The Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur’s signature restaurant Bunga Emas.

Creamy goodness:Curried creamy pumpkinsoup with crispymushroom tempura.

Opulence is the word to describe the restaurant’s interior, with its golden yellow colour theme and traditional decor while paintings of rustic kampung scenes adorn the walls.

Whether you are seeking to entertain clients or a casual dinner with family and friends, the warm ambience is a good choice.

Taking heed from last year’s experience, whereby customers were kept waiting as the dishes were prepared a la carte, the restaurant decides to have a set menu of eight dishes to minimise the waiting time.

Start the meal with Roselle shooter and Salmon Pegaga, a combination of pan-fried salmon, pumpkin mash, crispy purple potato, grilled onion, pickled shallots and pegaga chili pesto.

Chef Khairul Ghazali, who has 14 years of experience in Malay fine dining cuisine, said presentation was important, especially for the first dish.

Western influence: The Saddle of ‘Percik’ Lamb with tapioca masala.

“The dish would have to be not only pleasing to the palate but pleasing to the eyes as well.

“The sweet (pumpkin) and sour (pickled shallots) combination will whet your appetite,” he said.

The Curried Creamy Pumpkin Soup with crispy mushroom tempura is one satisfying soup that hits the spot.

According to chef Khairul, the pumpkin is first baked to bring out its flavours.

I would not mind a second helping of the soup but that would not leave much space for the other dishes.

The Aromatic Smoked Beef in Coconut Chili Padi Gravy and Gulai Ikan Karipoley (Fish Curry with okra, eggplant, onion and chilli) goes well with rice.

Choose from either steamed fragrant white rice or Moghul Basmathi rice.

“The fish curry is mild as Bunga Emas specialises in northern cuisine where the dishes are not too spicy.

“Plus, after a day of fasting, the mild curry will be easier on the digestive system as opposed to spicy ones. For those who want it hot, they can add sambal,” the chef said.

The Saddle of Percik Lamb with tapioca masala adds a western influence to the Malay recipe.

Other dishes are the Sauteed King Prawns with chili tamarind paste, cucumber and ginger bud adding a fiery and sauteed mixed vegetables with young ginger and oyster sauce.

Hot, hot, hot: The SauteedKing Prawns with chili tamarindpaste, cucumber and gingerbud adding a fiery kick.

One of my personal favourite is the Stir-fried chicken in chili and onion paste, in which spring chicken is used as it is tender.

End the meal with the Sago Gula Kabung, a trio desserts consisting of pearl sago with coconut citrus, jack fruit fritter, and layer cake.

There will be a free flow of soya cincau to quench your thirst.

For privacy, the restaurant offers the use of three private rooms and two bilik bersila, allowing guests to enjoy their meal while seated cross-legged on plush seat cushions.

The Ramadan menu is offered at RM700 nett per table of 10. Dinner is from 6pm to 10.30pm.

The Royale Chulan’s Warisan Cafe will also be offering a Ramadan menu. Starting from Aug 14, the buffet spread will start from the Cafe and flow over to the Taman Mahsuri Courtyard. For RM98 nett, take your pick from an array of Malay, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Continental and Chinese cuisines. Award winning contemporary Nasyid group UNIC will perform live.

For reservations, call 03-2688 9688.

This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.