Ramadhan 2021 at W Kuala Lumpur, Assisted Buffet

Ramadhan 2021 at W Kuala Lumpur

Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Rich Callahan

W Kuala Lumpur presents a chance to try a Bazaar Malam in style and comfort this Ramadhan 2021. From April 13th to May 13th, the team at Flock, headed by executive chef Haznizam Hamzah, is serving up a wealth of mouthwatering dishes.

Malaysia’s beloved night markets are the inspiration for Flock’s revamp, which sees countless stalls serving delicious local fare. The team hope to summon fond memories of KL’s bustling markets and lively ambience in the luxurious surrounds of its signature restaurant.

Ramadhan 2021 at W Kuala Lumpur

Ulam-ulaman

My first stop is the organic ulam-ulaman station. I’ve long celebrated the exciting variety of greens in Malaysia, and this salad is the perfect opportunity to explore them. Foraged leaves, jungle herbs, petai and ladies’ fingers from local growers – each has a distinct flavour and texture and are true superfoods. 

Starters

Starters see an abundance of local produce celebrated in salads, veggie dishes and finger food. Highlights here are petit Nyonya pie tie – pastry shells holding stewed veg and dried shrimp. Again, getting my greens, the spicy wild leaf salad made of pucuk paku (fiddlehead fern tips) gets another thumbs up. Rich thinks the jackfruit salad with ginger flower is the bomb, and hubby takes repeats of the non-spicy Middle Eastern items of hummus, tabbouleh and fatoush.

Sambal & Crackers

If you are new to Malay food, the variety of sambals and crackers could take up all of your explorations as there is so much variety. Chilli paste is flavoured with any number of local ingredients such as shrimp, young mango, fermented durian, fermented tiny shrimp, as well as fermented anchovies. Sample them with the cracker selection of fish, rice, belinjau, prawn, veggies, sweet potato, tapioca, anchovies and lentil, and you could well spend your whole evening here. Pair them alongside some famous Penang pickles, and it is just about guaranteed that not a single tastebud will go untouched.

Asian Favourites

You can take an intermission from the complexities of Malay food with the less complex flavours of sushi and Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Of course, each dish comes in an assortment of preparations.

Ramadhan 2021 at W Kuala Lumpur – Mamak Soup

Before moving onto the mains, you might make a detour with a mamak-style herb broth coming in both spicy and milder versions. Fill it with an assortment of meat – lamb, tripe, beef, oxtail, chicken or beef tendon, and top it off with fried shallots, spring onions and celery leaves.

Malaysian Mains

Don’t fill up too much on starters unless you are planning on revisiting multiple times. Your primary attention should be given to the dapur selatan (southern kitchen), grill, satay, otak-otak and goreng-goreng (deep-fried) stations. 

From the hot dishes, the crab in coconut milk and pineapple is attractive. So too is the braised lamb shank biryani and hot and sour fish. Add some sweetness with a fried banana, and take your pick of fresh seafood for the grill. Even if you’re not a meat-eater, don’t miss picking up some of the satay peanut sauce (have it with rice and cucumber), and the popular street food, roti john (an omelette sandwich), is a must. 

The whole roasted lamb is clearly a popular stall with repeat visitors. But the Hainanese chicken rice is darn good too. Other options we pass but do not have a single pocket of stomach space left for are the fried chee cheong fun, noodle soup stall, takoyaki and western carving stations.

Durian Lovers

While I keep far from the King of Fruits, many diners should enjoy the opportunity to sample executive pastry chef Kevin’s durian creations. Durian crepe cake, musang king cheesecake, durian choux and the warm serawa durian dessert await to provide a sweet, if somewhat pungent, end to your meal. 

Ramadhan 2021 at W Kuala Lumpur – Dessert

We leave the durian for the true fans and instead happily enjoy multiple scoops of gula Melaka, and coconut gelato, mango ginger flower panna cotta and 72% chocolate fudge cake pops. There’s a whole bunch of other sweet creations, too, but we are having to be highly selective by this time.

Drinks

Honestly, I don’t advise drinking much other than water over such a rich and plentiful meal. But, if you do have a sweet tooth, local drinks are guaranteed to provide a rush. Brown sugar pearl fresh milk and mangga susu are two such specialities. For something cold and refreshing try the calamansi asam boi. And even if you can’t fit a hot beverage in to digest, the showmanship that goes with the magnificent pouring of teh tarik is an Insta moment for sure.

Ramadhan 2021 at W Kuala Lumpur – Bazaar Malam

Flock’s Bazaar Malam for Ramadhan 2021 runs from April 13th and May 15th, 2021. It is open nightly at 7 pm and is priced at RM198 nett per adult and RM99 nett per child. Children below six years old eat for free (*one child per paying adult). * Dishes are rotated. As such, not every single dish is available every single night. Return multiple times to sample it all.

Reasons to visit W Kuala Lumpur for Ramadhan 2021: high quality and variety of recipes; cool contemporary setting; the lively atmosphere of a night market but in the comfort of a luxurious setting. 

Bazaar Malam @ Flock
W Kuala Lumpur, 121 Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/WKualaLumpur
+6 012 347 9088

Find more menus for Ramadhan 2021 in Kuala Lumpur here and stay up-to-date with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations for the country here and here.