Kembali Kitchen, Best Western Premier, Dua Sentral, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Kembali Kitchen, Best Western Premier, Dua Sentral
Nasi Lemak RM18
PREMIER Burger with Free Range Chicken Breast RM27
PREMIER Signature Salad RM23
Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil Oil RM18
Healthy Breakfast
Kembali Kitchen, Best Western Premier, Dua Sentral, Kuala Lumpur
Interior of Kemabli Kitchen
Bright, cheerful and green, Kembali Kitchen, Best Western Premier’s all day dining restaurant, is a happy place to be. An uncomplicated modern design is streamlined with giant windows, a garden border and contemporary lighting making the most of natural sunshine during the day and a mix of well placed lamps and permanent fixtures in the evenings. Potted plants decorate each table and an open design allows for easy movement from the buffet to table. Merry greetings from the staff and freshly brewed coffee all point your day towards a good-humoured start.
Breakfast is in the form of an international buffet with live egg and waffle stations. My first encounter with the stationed chefs was a positive one. Asking for an egg white omelette with mixed vegetables, no butter and very little oil didn’t even raise an eyebrow and was met with no disagreement as to the amount of oil needed to avoid breakfast sticking to the fry pan. Hubby’s request for roti bon (the doubly fatty and thicker version of roti canai) was also carried out with a smile and without question.
Moseying along the buffet I was satisfied with fresh and dried fruit, low fat yoghurt, Bircher muesli and house baked wholegrain breads to kick off the day feeling wholesome. Hubby picked up sausages, beef bacon, dim sum, cheese and croissants to appease his need to clog arteries.
Coffee
Depending on occupancy and occasion the rest of the day is mostly a la carte with periodic buffets. From the menu we sampled a number of lunch items with enormous fulfillment.
The Roasted Tomato Soup with basil oil is possibly one of the best I’ve had in Malaysia. It might (dare I say it) even be comparable to Chef Tommes of Chalk and Cheese… A basket of warm house baked walnut and raisin bread came on the side but was delicious all on its own. A crunchy oat impressed crust held together fluffy soft slices dispensing a contrast of textures between outer and inner.
The PREMIER Signature Salad consisted of sliced smoked turkey, roasted chicken, boiled egg, cheese, tomatoes and mixed lettuce leaves bathed in thousand island dressing. Ask for the dressing on the side and add to your own liking, as in general, and true to this example, Malaysians are generous with their condiments.
Hubby’s Breakfast Takings
Even after nine years of living and loving Malaysian food, the national dish as named by some, Nasi Lemak, has never quite captured my full affection. Shock, horror, I know my Malaysian buddies are cringing that I actually put that in writing. But, well, it’s true. I appreciate spice, but not so much that it dominates the rest of a dish and I’m not particularly fond of grease. The many variants of this local staple that I’ve had over the years though seem to proudly flaunt those elements as key selling points. Persuaded, by the chef, that this version was special, I feebly agreed. Kembali Kitchen’s Nasi Lemak featured coconut flavoured rice served with prawn sambal, chicken rendang, boiled egg, peanuts, cucumber slices and crispy anchovies – fairly similar to most compositions. Thin grains of rice towered together to form a pyramid set atop a round green leaf and the freshest prawns and chicken were the base of the sambal and rendang. The significant deviations however, were a huge reduction in oil, a moderate spice level and quality pieces of chicken and prawns. I was delighted with the dish and am grateful to Kemabli Kitchen for reopening my palate to something I had given up on.
The PREMIER Burger was indeed premier. Cheese slices melted over a succulent free-range chicken breast filling a sesame seed bun dressed with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. An uncomplicated meal, slightly more wholesome than a regular patty based burger. A mini salad bowl filled with mixed greens, shredded carrots, cherry tomato halves, pickled onions and a pesto dressing attempted to tip the scales to the healthy side against the crisp haystack of French fries.
Roti Bon
Pleasantly surprised by the whole experience, I left thrilled to reconsider Nasi Lemak as a personally valid option and encouraged to see free range chicken making an appetizing choice on the menu.
Reason to visit: Roasted Tomato Soup, Nasi Lemak, PREMIER Burger
