Flavors & Baan 26

Have yourself a merry little turkey...

The festive buffet at Swiss-Garden's Flavors Restaurant is a fulfilling feast, even though some customers might be driven bonkers because 'Jingle Bells' is played on an endless loop here _ every second, minute & hour.

All the Yuletide essentials are accounted for, from oysters, prawns & mussels on the fresh seafood counter to turkey pot pie, lamb osso bucco, sea bass & scallops in the hot food section.

Roast beef too. A fair spread at RM70++ per adult & half-price for children & senior citizens.

A plateful of turkey (dark meat, please), chestnut stuffing (delicious!), giblets & cranberry sauce to help me meet my turkey requirement for 2011.

Much meat & various veggies build a balanced meal to make the spirits bright. Quality-wise, it's not top-flight though _ the duck confit with orange zest might seem leathery & overcooked.

Log cakes, stollen, puddings, fruit cakes _ enough desserts to make every belly as bounteous as Santa's. Service at Flavors is reasonably attentive & efficient, with used plates regularly cleared & empty glasses of water replenished.

If the evening is young & there's no hurry to head home to make sure the kids are fast asleep, then take a 10-minute drive to Changkat Bukit Bintang for a nightcap.

Many know Changkat's Baan 26 Restaurant for its tasty Thai food, but the Thai-inspired cocktails here are equally enjoyable: Tuk Tuk (pandan vodka, bacardi, lychee juice) & Pandan Fantasy (pandan vodka, malibu, gin, midori, apple juice).

Thai's Land (red wine, vodka, orange juice) & Monsoon Red Alert (tom yam vodka, malibu, watermelon, lychee).

Kiwi Vodka Caipiroska & Golden Triangle (that's what the receipt says it was, but we've forgotten what it contains _ blame that on the booze!).

Flavors Restaurant,

Swiss-Garden Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Baan 26,
Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.