Rare Malay delicacies at Songket Restaurant

Ketam goreng bercili gajus

KUALA LUMPUR: Diners at Songket Restaurant's Ramadan buffet are in for a real treat as executive chef Zamri Jemintan conjures up rare Malay delicacies alongside a host of other Ramadan favourites.

Throughout the month of Ramadan, the popular restaurant will be offering over 50 dishes reflecting the rich heritage and diversity of the Malay states, from the coast of Johor to the rustic villages of Kelantan.

The amazing line-up of appetisers, soups, main dishes, live-action grill stations, desserts and drinks are rotated between five menus which change daily.

Whet your appetite with assortments of kerabu mangga, pucuk paku and perut, assorted pickles, fruit rojak and pasembur as well as the tauhu sumbat and begedil. The selections of soups, such as sup tulang rusuk, sup ayam kampung and sup pindang are a must-try. Of course, no Ramadan would be complete without traditional bubur lambuk.

Make a beeline for the live-action stalls, where Songket's friendly chefs prepare a wide range of fried creations such as pisang goreng, keropok lekor, kway teow and fried noodles.

There are also lip-smacking grilled favourites including beef and chicken satay, kambing golek, mixed ikan bakar and otak-otak. The chicken satay is tender and tasty, with a hint of lemongrass.

Diners should also sample 12 signature main dishes which are served daily. These include ayam masak lemak with nangka muda, ikan kukus ala Songket and rendang daging, among others.

Patrons are recommended to savour the delicious ketam goreng bercili gajus as the taste is so juicy and crunchy. It is stir-fried flower crabs with chili, onion, curry leaf, spring onion and cashew nuts.

For spicy food lovers, don't miss the delicious ikan masak assam pedas, sambal kicap and sotong masak kari. Other not-to-be-missed dishes are sweet and sour prawn, ayam rempah bertumis and ayam golek. The taste is so succulent and enticing.

Also among the dishes are Malay masterpieces such as ulam tempoyak, masak lemak ikan patin, and rendang ala negri, a rendang popular among the state's Minangkabau community.

Complementing the main dishes are festive delicacies such as lemang, nasi impit, lontong sayur and roti jala. Of course, no Malay meal would be complete without rice. Two kinds of rice are served daily. These include nasi minyak, nasi lemak pandan, nasi bunga telang and more.

A sweet surprise awaits diners at the dessert section with Songket's signature homemade Asian flavoured ice-creams.

A hit with the Ramadan crowd last year, the ice-creams with flavours such as teh tarik, bandung, pandan and durian are sure to win over many hearts. There is also an assortment of Malay kuih, cakes, pudding, mixed fruits and bubur kacang and pulut hitam.

As a chef, Zamri is adventurous in exploring and experimenting with different cuisine. In a career spanning 12 years, he has delved into Chinese, Italian, Mexican and Western cuisine. This year he decided to take Malay cuisine to a new level.

"We want to give our diners the chance to experience the diverse Malay dishes. It's not just about the different dishes from across the country, but also dishes that are popular among all layers of society," he said, adding that some dishes such as roti goreng, which is chicken or beef in a deep-fried bun or roti John are things that are not always seen in restaurants.

For this bubbly and passionate chef, his drive to make Malay food world-famous is what keeps him going. On his favourite dishes to cook, Zamri said masak lemak and asam pedas dishes were his favourites, owing to his Malacca-Negri Sembilan heritage. While enjoying your meal, you will be treated to Malay‚ Chinese and Indian cultural dance performances.

The buffet is priced at RM 75++ per adult and RM35++ per child aged 3 to 12. It is available throughout Ramadan from 6pm to 11pm. Songket Restaurant is offering an early bird rate of RM75 nett per adult and RM5 nett per child for reservations made until July 10.

For corporate clients looking to host Hari Raya Open House functions, Songket is offering packages priced from RM 65++ per person. The restaurant is at 29, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng. For reservations, call 03-2161 3331 or email to info@songketrestaurant.com.

-nst online.

imej: www.songketrestaurant.com