Sofitel makes its Malaysian debut this month in Damansara Heights: Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara's marquee eateries - northern Chinese restaurant Wan Chun Ting & Mediterranean-inspired Nizza - will open sometime on the horizon, but the hotel's all-day-dining & buffet establishment is now up & running. Kwee Zeen (a name that'll be familiar to guests of Sofitel Singapore & Bali) is a stylish space with chic & colourful Frenchman-in-KL visual flourishes.
Buffet dinners are the main event here - start with the seafood counter, with a bounty of Alaskan king crabs, French oysters, prawns, mussels, sea snails & razor clams on ice. The tender, fleshy crustaceans should be your main target, complemented by some punchy ebiko mayo.
The selection strikes a fair balance to supply both quality & quantity - you'll find a smattering of sashimi & sushi, with some salads to sustain wholesome eaters ...
... cheeses, cold cuts & crusty bread ...
... hot & heavy Pan-Asian fare, with Chettinad chicken, Jaffna lamb curry & jeera pulao doing the Indian selection proud, alongside local ketam masak berlada & pajeri terung, plus some Oriental dim sum & roast duck in gravy ...
... Western temptations that may include seafood gratin, roast chicken with garlic, pan-seared snapper with lemon cream sauce, salmon Wellington & roasted vegetables ...
... & a solid section of fruits, a chocolate fountain, & desserts that range from Nyonya kuih & layer cake to financiers, crumbles & tarts.
There are reasons to head here sooner rather than later - the evening buffet currently costs RM138 nett per person, in a promotional opening rate that's scheduled to last until at least the end of the month. Also, the hotel hasn't ramped up its publicity yet, so the restaurant remains crowd-free; you'll find only a few other occupied tables for dinner, so you're assured of attentive service & no queues for the food.
But on the flip side, with so few patrons, there's scant turnover for the food; freshness suffers somewhat as the evening progresses. The ice cream might not be replenished at all, so you may be left scraping the frozen-solid bottom of a tray that seems to be several days old; the staff said it would not be refilled that night.
Also now open at Sofitel: The lobby-level Sofi Deli & Le Bar.
Kwee Zeen
Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara, Jalan Damanlela, Bukit Damansara, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2720-6688
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