Nook, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral: Makan Yuk! Indonesian Ramadan Feast

April 2020 Update: Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral will be offering a Ramadan takeaway promotion instead of this buffet. The promotion, Makan Yuk @ Home, comprises sets for four to five persons, available to order from 27 April to 22 May. More details will be announced in an upcoming post.

Sailing through the Straits of Malacca to Sumatra, soaring over Java into Jakarta: Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral promises a unique perspective to this year's Ramadan buka puasa spread, inviting guests to 'Makan Yuk!' in Indonesian-inspired buffets that seek inspiration from the stalls of Surabaya to the waroengs of Semarang.

This is one of KL's most distinctive Ramadan events of 2020, marrying the Malaysian experience of balik kampung feasts with the Indonesian equivalent of mudik for the best of Muslim-friendly Southeast Asian flavours.

Makan Yuk! runs at Nook in Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral from 27 April to 22 May 2020, 6:30pm-10:30pm. The buffet costs RM148 nett per adult; early bird vouchers are available from 1 March to 24 April at RM110 nett per voucher for purchases of one to 35 vouchers, or RM100 nett per voucher for 36 or more vouchers.

The assurance of authenticity is a testament to nearly two decades that Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral's Executive Chef Arfizan Abdul Rahim has spent sharpening his skills. Arfizan's wife is Javanese and her family takes special pride in their cooking - whenever Arfizan returns to his wife's hometown for rewang (special communal celebrations), his father-in-law is the de facto chef for their festivities.

The Indonesian creations for 'Makan Yuk!' represent time-honoured recipes that Arfizan has learned well from his exploration of Indonesia, flourishing with full-bodied tastes and textures, channeling the spirit of togetherness that generations of Indonesian families have cherished. More than 150 dishes will be featuered on a rotational basis.

'Makan Yuk!' is an action-packed extravaganza, with cooking and carving stations galore. The popular stop promises two protein-packed pleasures - Indonesian kambing bakar bumbu, showcasing lamb meticulously cooked for more than two hours (first steamed, then roasted), with aromatic Arabic inflections to balance out the robust meatiness of the lamb, and the daging sapi gongso, another Indonesian concoction featuring beef that's richly marinated in a sweet soya sauce, braised for at least three hours to turn out sumptuously succulent. If you know any red-meat enthusiasts among your family or friends, bookmark this buffet for them.

Expect plenty of vibrant, colourful temptations, offering something for every palate. If you haven't sampled Sumatran-style beef and chicken curries, here's your opportunity, courtesy of the punchy, spice-laden gulai daging tetel and gulai ayam padang.

If salads suit you better, the selection includes Javanese-influenced mixed leaves and herbs, plus stuffed beancurd, as well as the Surabaya staple of rojak uleg soaked in peanut sauce, and a do-it-yourself ensemble of pecal assorted vegetables with water spinach and bean sprouts, paired perhaps with tempeh and fresh fruits.

Complement your meal with a variety of sambal from both Indonesia (sambal matah, sambal terasi, sambal cabe ijo, sambal rawit, sambal bawang) and Malaysia (sambal budu, sambal cencaluk, sambal tempoyak), illustrating this region's diversity of delicious sambals prepared with intriguingly different ingredients.

For folks craving Malaysian classics, the buffet remains loaded with local seasonal fare like hearty bubur lambuk, the Ramadan must-have that's creamy and steamy, plus soulful sup berempah for everyone who loves well-spiced, well-seasoned cooking. You can also craft your own congee with accompaniments that span anchovies to salted eggs, as well as chicken feet to liver for the more adventurous.

The parade of comfortingly familiar favourites goes on and on - after a long day of fasting, dine on possibilities like freshly grilled satay with chunky peanut sauce, chicken rice, oodles of noodles, mutton masala, catfish with tempoyak, stewed squid, sweet-and-spicy chicken, and much more, conveying a true taste of tradition.

Beyond Indonesia and Malaysia, the buffet also crosses borders with international offerings like grilled seafood, roast chicken, and jade perch fish piccata with Mexican corn salsa. Expect to see more once Ramadan begins, with potential highlights like wok-fried Kam Heong crab, stir-fried black pepper beef and lamb vindaloo for a lively affair.

Desserts and drinks also prove crowd-pleasing - save space for the sweet finish of bubur kacang hijau, kuih lapis and sago air gula, alongside Western delights like creme caramel, bread and butter pudding, lemon meringue pie, and warm apple crumble.

Many thanks to Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral for this preview of Makan Yuk!

Makan Yuk @ Nook, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral
5, Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-27231188
Website: www.aloftkualalumpursentral.com