Yummy Christmas
December 2017
December is always an exciting month of celebrations,
what with sau gung (close of business year), Winter Solstice Festival,
Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Everyone’s in a happy mood, so let the parties
begin.
At TEMPTationS Café, the kitchen team, led by WACS
Global Master Chef Helmut Lamberger, has been busy planning the festive menus.
At a preview of what to expect, I walk into the lobby to see a huge Christmas
tree stretching two stories tall, all the way up to the ceiling. The café, near the reception desk is in full festive
swing with Christmassy decorations and twinkling lights. Even table napkins are
artfully folded into cheerful Christmas trees and elf boots.
We can smell roast beef and turkey even as we step into
the café. And then we see them… the whole roasted turkey with traditional
stuffing, brussel sprouts and OMG, is that Yorkshire pudding? Next to this is
roasted prime beef rib rack with brown jus and béarnaise sauce. While the
spotlight is on these two stars of the buffet spread, there are plenty more on
offer.
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Whole Roasted Turkey with Yorkshire Pudding and Roasted Vegetables |
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Roasted Prime Beef Rib Rack |
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Profiteroles Tower |
My eyes keep pulling me to the dessert table,
especially to the Profiteroles Tower, made of cream-filled choux pastries
cocooned in caramelised sugar spun into fine strands of glistening gold.
The rest of the spread is just as festive… with
Christmas Tree Cup Cakes, Pistachio Mousse, Vanilla Panna Cotta With Berries
Stew, Raspberry Chocolate Log Cake, Cinnamon Crème Brule,
Santa Strawberry Tart, Chocolate Mousse In Chocolate Cup, mini cups of
Tiramisu, Mango Pudding, Santa Fruit Pavlova, Pumpkin Pie With Italian Meringue
and more. There are also three flavours of ice cream with nine varieties of
toppings.
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Festive dessert spread to tickle your fancy |
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Seafood on ice (top) and part of the Japanese selections |
The range of seafood on ice is equally attractive. The
poached shrimps are firm, crunchy and sweet. Oysters from New Zealand are shucked
and ready to eat but don’t forget the slipper lobsters and fat mussels.
Or perhaps sashimi is more luring. I help myself to
kampachi, salmon, tuna, octopus to go with wasabi and soya sauce. There are
also marinated seaweed and baby octopus so big I wonder about the “baby” label.
The salad spread is colourful. Apart from crisp salad
leaves, there are Smoked Chicken & Pineapple with Frisee Salad, Spinach-Celery
Salad With Mustard and Viniagrette, Smoked Turkey With Mango Chutney, Asparagus
and Roma Tomato Salad, Gravlax with Honey Mustard Sauce & Capers, Vegetable
Terrine, and my two favourites: Charred Pepper & Eggplant Salad, Salmon
& Egg Mayo Salad On Endive.
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From left: Roasted leg of lamb with pumpkin mash, roasted new potato and Chicken Stroganoff with Potato Gnocchi |
Though I usually head for the noodles station, I find
myself sidetracked by the main dishes which don’t fall short on festive flavour
either. I fill my plate with a surprisingly juicy Turkey Breast With Braised
Red Cabbage And Cranberry Sauce, sliced Roasted Leg Of Lamb And Pumpkin Mash
With Thyme Sauce, Chicken Stroganoff With Potato Gnocchi, Roasted Potato With
Honey Pecans and Baked Salmon With Vegetables And Lime Salsa. I find the fish a
bit on the dry side but salmon on the buffet table usually is.
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Tandoori Prawn (top) and Spicy Fried Chicken |
It’s not all festive dishes as the menu also caters to
those who prefer local dishes. So there are both chicken and beef satay, with
all the faithful sidekicks, spicy fried chicken, fish curry and a delectable
tandoori tiger prawn.
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Chinese Black Pepper Lamb Chop
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Stirfried Prawn With Garlic, Shallots And Chilli Flakes |
Not into spicy food? Well, go for Chinese black pepper
lamb chop, Wokfried Asparagus With Fresh Scallop, Stirfried Broccoli With Stuffed Mushrooms,
Prawn With Garlic, Shallots And Chilli Flakes and Braised Endive With Honey And
Mushroom.
The Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dinner Buffet is
priced at RM148 nett per person, inclusive of a fruity mocktail. The New Year’s
Eve Dinner Buffet is RM190 nett inclusive of a glass of house wine and entrance
to the New Year’s Eve Party. There will be a Long Lunch Buffet at RM138 nett
per person on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
There will be carolling at the Lobby Lounge on
Christmas Eve from 7.30pm to 8.30pm, during which Eggnog and Gluhwein will be
served.
TEMPTations @ RENAISSANCE KL HOTEL
(no pork
served)
Cnr
of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang
Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel:
603-2771 6692
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