This article is part of my Ramadan 2019 compilation.
Special thanks to De Palma Hotel Ampang for extending this food review invitation.
De Palma Hotel Ampang is a hotel next to Ampang Point Shopping Centre. It is one of three hotel properties under De Palma Group Of Hotels & Resort; the other two are located in Shah Alam and Kuala Selangor. De Palma Hotel is the first Muslim-friendly hotel in Malaysia.
From 6 May 2019 to 2 June 2019, De Palma Hotel Ampang serves Warisan Selera Kampung buffet dinner for iftar. As the name implies, the menu focuses on traditional Malay recipes from the countryside. Dinner is held in the hotel’s ballroom on Level 1, which has been elaborately decorated to present a festive atmosphere.
In Malay villages, food is frequently served in a communal setting. To reflect this fact, De Palma Hotel serves a number of dishes in large kawah (Malay pots). Popular hot dishes include Ayam Berlada (spicy fried chicken), Gulai Siput Sedut (sea snail curry), Kangkung Goreng (fried water spinach), Ayam Masak Merah (chicken in tomato sauce), Kari Kepala Ikan (fish head curry), Gulai Ketam (crab curry) and more.
In addition to chafing dishes, there are many live action stalls at the foyer area. Several chefs prepare Mee Mamak, Char Koay Teow and Char Koay Kak tirelessly in order to feed the hungry crowd.
Diners should not overlook Kambing Panggang (barbecued goat) too. The whole goat is marinated with spices for several hours, and then roasted to golden perfection. The mutton is served with grilled vegetables and fried potato wedges.
One of the popular stalls prepares pisang goreng (fried banana), ubi keledek goreng (fried sweet potato) and ubi keladi goreng (fried taro). Other live action stalls serve ayam golek (rotisserie chicken), ikan bakar (grilled fish), ikan goreng (fried fish), roti canai (Indian flatbread), roti boom (bomb bread), roti jala (lace pancake) and lempeng kelapa (coconut pancakes).
Ampang is famous for Yong Tau Foo, so it is only fair to have a dedicated stall for this iconic dish. Food items such as tofu, bitter gourd and red chili are stuffed with fish paste. Yong Tau Foo is cooked by briefly blanching in hot water. Sweet bean sauce is the most common condiment for Yong Tau Foo.
Middle Eastern cuisine is represented by Chicken Shawarma. Marinated chicken is cooked on a vertical spit next to a heating element. As the outer layer is cooked, chicken is shaved off the stack and stuffed into pita flatbreads. Condiments for Chicken Shawarma include hummus, tahini, tomato sauce and mayonnaise.
Roti John is a popular street food. To prepare this dish, minced beef, eggs and onions are cooked on a griddle. Once cooked, the ingredients are sandwiched in an oblong bread. Vegetables are also added to provide a juicy crunch.
As for light snacks, diners can help themselves to keropok udang (prawn crackers), keropok ikan (fish crackers), keropok belinjau (belinjo nut crackers) and papadum (black gram crackers). Ulam-ulaman (raw vegetables), ikan masin (salted fish) and telur masin (salted egg) are presented too.
I am impressed by the colorful assortment of Malay kuih like kuih ketayap (rolled pandan crêpes), kuih lapis (layered cake), kek gula hangus (caramelized sugar cake), kuih cara manis (sweet madeleines), kuih cara berlauk (savory madeleines), lepat pisang (steamed banana parcels), cucur keria (sweet potato donuts), karipap (curry puffs) and much more.
Meanwhile, Western pastries include cupcakes, cheesecake, chocolate cakes, marble butter cakes, Swiss rolls, egg tarts and fruit jelly. Should diners prefer hot desserts, there are also Serawa Durian (durian & coconut milk soup), Pengat Pisang (banana & coconut milk soup), Pengat Nangka (durian & coconut milk soup), Bubur Jagung (sweet corn porridge) and Bubur Kacang Hijau (mung bean soup).
Diners may quench their thirst with iced drinks like air keladi (taro juice), Milo ais (iced Milo), sirap limau selasih (calamansi juice with basil seeds), air kacang soya (soy milk), jus oren (orange juice) and minuman buah longan (longan juice). On the other hand, teh tarik (pulled tea) and Nescafe tarik (pulled coffee) serve as hot drinks.
Throughout the evening, the crowd is entertained with live music performed by Ayu & Sri Mawar 4. The lead vocalist, Ayu Damit, was the winner of the second season of Malaysian singing competition, One In A Million. In between songs, diners stand a chance to win fabulous prizes by answering simple questions about De Palma Hotel.
Name: De Palma Hotel Ampang
Address: Jalan Selaman 1/2, Palm Square, Jalan Ampang, 68000 Ampang, Selangor
Contact: 03-4270-7070
Business hours: 7:00pm-10:00pm
Website: http://www.depalmahotel.com/ampang
Coordinates: 3.15707 N, 101.75242 E
Directions: De Palma Hotel is located at the intersection of Jalan Ampang and Jalan Memanda 1 in Ampang, Selangor. The hotel is within walking distance of Ampang Point Shopping Centre. Dinner is served in the hotel’s ballroom on Level 1. There are parking spaces in front of the hotel. Diners can get their parking tickets validated to enjoy a flat rate of RM7.00 per entry.
