Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral: Christmas & New Year Buffets & Festive Packages

If you're reuniting with family, friends and loved ones over a meal for the first time in months, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral promises a safe, comfortable setting for its Christmas and New Year's buffet dinners. With roast turkey, smoked salmon and more this Yuletide, Executive Chef Arfizan and his culinary brigade will ensure a satisfying spread to make this season truly feel like the most wonderful time of the year.

Turkey might sometimes seem more like a chore than a choice, often turning out tough and dry rather than tender and juicy. The Maple-Glazed Roast Turkey at Aloft's Nook restaurant is one of the few exceptions we've encountered in a buffet - the secret is in the preparation, cooked for about 90 minutes at three different temperatures (140 C° for 40 minutes, 160 C° for 30 minutes, then 190 C° for 20 minutes). The result: Turkey that's surprisingly succulent, remaining warm and moist on the counter, a credit to poultry.

Nook also takes pride in the stuffing, made with bread cubes, chestnuts, and beef chorizo, served separately on the side by the bird, for guests to enjoy as much or as little as they want. This is topped off with a sweet cranberry sauce and a savoury giblet gravy created with the turkey's jus and innards. All the turkey with trimmings that you could crave, with none of the fuss. 

Following in the turkey’s trail, the Whole Smoked Salmon is cooked twice, first smoked over apple wood, then infused with jasmine tea. By the time it’s ready, the salmon features a stronger fragrance with a slight smokiness that’s most potent on its crisp skin. Perfect for fans of smoked salmon who prefer delicate, more distinctive preparations instead of store-bought varieties.

There's no lack of meticulous stringency for the Lamb with Mint and Cauliflower Couscous. The Australian lamb leg secures its immaculate texture from the sous vide process, vacuum-packed and cooked at 53 C° for four hours. All that time yields lamb that's supple to the fork's touch, with much less gaminess.
 

We moved to the main courses first, but backtracking to the starters, guests can whet their appetites on two types of pâté en croûte - first, a classic-style chicken liver pate and then, a more modern mixed bean pate with minced chicken.

Cured meats and salads are all represented, including a winter-themed salad with sweet potatoes, Japanese potatoes and apples paired with lemon dressing.

We can't leave out the ceviche corner, which offers zesty seafood medleys like red snapper with orange and citrus fruits, as well as shrimp with spicy mango.

It's a beautiful station, looking almost like its own vibrant garden. 

More to munch on: Beef Meatballs in Japanese miso jus and lingonberry sauce; slow-cooked Poached Sea Bass; Seared Chicken Thigh with olives; and Crispy Smashed Potatoes with caper gremolata - all specials conceived for Christmas, available only for this celebratory occasion.

Desserts prove equally desirable - Pastry Chef Zahrin’s own Malaysian reinterpretation of the traditional log cake is transformed into a one-of-a-kind Onde-Onde Log Cake, bringing together East and West in a a pandan Swiss roll laced with gula melaka, wrapped in coconut mousse, with crunchy bits of dried coconut on its base. The pandan feels especially fresh - no surprise, since it’s cultivated in Aloft’s own spice garden on the hotel's fourth floor.

The buffet will showcase not one, not two, but three log cakes! The other two seductively comprise Sweet Darkness 61 (made with 61% dark chocolate, crowned with chocolate stars) and Lady in Red (raspberry mousse accented with pistachio).

Other highlights include Aloft's own creative Christmas popsicles (basically brownies on a stick), tangerine and gingerbread trifle, and time-honoured staples like minced fruit pie and eggnog.

All in all, there will be more than 50 offerings for the festive buffet, each a spectacular rendition of a classic or an elevated version of one.

This Christmas buffet will only be available 24 December for dinner and 25 December for brunch, at RM148 nett per person.

Aloft KL Sentral will also host a New Year’s Eve dinner at RM148 nett per person and a New Year's Day brunch at RM118 nett per person.  

Children below six years old eat for free, while children below 12 enjoy 50% off. Dinnertime is from 6pm to 10:30pm, while brunch is 12pm-3pm.

If you prefer to have your family feast at home, you can also enjoy takeaway dishes from Aloft for a magnificent hotel-quality dinner. Choose from 12 specialities including Turkey Ballotine, Seafood Terrine, and Gingerbread Truffle. Eat set caters for up to five people, costing only RM98 nett per person.

Other takeaway possibilities include the Christmas turkey (for takeaway or delivery at RM398 nett), three types of pâté en croûte (chicken liver, foie gras, or pistachio and chicken) at 1kg or 2kg, with prices ranging from RM55 nett to RM190 nett. The Christmas log cakes are also available, retailing for RM118 nett per cake (48-hour advance booking required).

For takeaway options, call 03-2723-1154 or email kulal.b&f@marriott.com

 

Aloft is also offering a special staycation package, which just might be the best holiday possible to conclude 2020. This includes a Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner for two at Nook, plus two exclusive drinks by the in-house mixologist. Packages start at RM468 nett for the Loft Room and RM588 nett for the Sweet Suite. For more information on the staycation packages, please visit www.aloftkualalumpursentral.com or call 03-2723-1188.

Many thanks to Aloft for having us for this preview.

Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral
5, Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com