Desaru scores with Four Points by Sheraton

 

My first visit to the Four Points by Sheraton in Desaru on November 18 was to witness its official opening by the Johor Menteri Besar.

The reception counter in the front lobby of
Four Points by Sheraton Desaru, Johor

Besides meeting with media friends and industry players, I also had the pleasure to meet with the hotel’s General Manager, Maverick Loh, as well as Marriot International’s Area Director of Marketing for Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives & Indonesia, Cindy Yoong.

 

Cindy was under the impression that I was also there for a stay experience but I had to disappoint her because I had declined their invite to stay due to my family commitments. I was, however, quick to assure her that I would certainly take up the kind offer very soon.

 

After years of hotel review experiences, I was aware that that the hotel team would be stretched to the max in the run-up to the official opening day and would continue to be challenged by much responsibilities when the hotel hosted her first guests.

 

To be fair, I knew that the hotel team would be in a much better position to provide discerning guests (like me!) with a more meaningful stay experience when they have settled into their roles and routines.

 

Boh products displayed in The Mesh Lounge

For a start, I had observed that the location of the Four Points by Sheraton at Desaru Utama, just a 10-minute drive away from Desaru Coast, would certainly complement the choices of accommodation available to corporate and leisure travellers here.

 

Almost a whole month had passed and it was mid-December 2021 before I arranged for a stay experience at Four Points by Sheraton, from Sunday to Monday.

 

From info garnered at the official opening, I made a note of some “things” unique to the Four Points brand that I must not miss, during my brief stay.

 

And I was pleased that the hotel’s Marketing Communications Manager, Maressa Esa, had planned an itinerary to include my own experiences of all this.

 

A gracious welcome at the reception

A leisurely drive on the Senai-Desaru Expressway brought me safely to Desaru Utama and I was met by Maressa at the reception with a warm welcome to the hotel.

 

No, I did not need the Concierge to help with my luggage but conveniently rolled my bag towards the bank of elevators to go to my room.

 

Our short walk on a corridor took us pass The Mesh Bar and Lounge which is linked to The Mesh Restaurant to our left while the swimming pools were seen through the glass walls on our right.

 

When I met with the hotel GM at the hotel’s opening event, I remembered that he told me that these were salt-induced swimming pools.

 

The salt-induced swimming pools

While walking pass, I was not aware that he was then seated in The Mesh.

 

And when we paused to say, “Hello,” and a brief chat, I was pleasantly surprised when Maverick mentioned that their hotel partners and property owner in the SKS Group, were familiar with My Johor Stories because they read my stuff.

 

I must confess that such a simple revelation that was both humbling and heartening, buoyed me up even before I had reached my room.

 

After leaving my luggage in the room, I was ready to get better acquainted with the hotel with a tour of the facilities, led by Maressa.

 

A welcome gift presented in my room!

From their rooms to the dining area, I liked how the contemporary layout was complemented by clusters of wall prints that featured artistic photographs of Malaysian spices and traditional cooking utensils among close-ups of designs inspired by traditional fish nets and mengkuang mats.

 

I soon realised that the overall décor in Four Points by Sheraton Desaru was inspired by the local culture and heritage, and its location close to the coast.

 

The seaside theme was consistent throughout the hotel where meeting rooms were named Coral One and Two, and at the swimming pools, large floats provided were in the shape of colourful giant lobsters and turtles.

 

The Fitness Centre was open 24-hours to accommodate guests who wished to enjoy a workout anytime during their stay and to play computer games, advance bookings were encouraged for use of the Family Games Room.

 

A round table with a divan in the Double Room

During the room inspection, I saw that rooms were surprisingly spacious and there was even space to fit in a round table with two chairs in a room with twin beds or a divan for lounging on, in the double room.

 

Each room was not only provided with coffee and tea-making facilities but also equipped with a table-top coffee-maker to make your own fresh brew.

 

The tour ended in a familiar place – the foyer of the grand ballroom where the official opening event was held.

 

I was reminded of the fragrance of freshly brewed coffee (around here) on that day and Maressa was pleased to show me their two-door, space-saving cupboard that snugly stored walls of coffee cups along with a large coffee-maker complete with milk dispenser.

 

Super-Single Twin Beds with a round table and
two chairs in the Twin-bedded Room

A flight of stairs brought us back to the hotel lobby and front porch where I spied a 20-seater coach, the hotel’s shuttle that was ready to ferry guests off to Desaru Coast.

 

From the attractive display of Boh products in the Lounge, I could tell that the hotel had partnered with this local brand of quality tea and was more than ready to enjoy a cuppa for afternoon tea.

 

Comfortably seated in The Mesh Restaurant, I sipped a mild brew of Ginger tea, my choice from the decaffeinated range of teas.

 

I saw from the menu that the tagline for The Mesh Restaurant was, “A Simplified, Not Simple, Experience” and took a moment to ponder on its profundity.

 

“This is deep,” I thought to myself as I recalled the narration I heard from a corporate video presented at the opening event that featured the Head Chef.

 

A serving of TSP Cheesecake

With more than 17 years of culinary experience in the hotel industry, Chef Jiro was leading the culinary team in creating new recipes to delight diners with an innovative dining experience. Well, I had savoured some of his culinary creations served in the reception and was looking forward to a better taste experience during my stay.

 

It was time for afternoon tea after all and a good reason to indulge in cake and dessert specialties like Sai Mai Lo and TSP Cheesecake, popular choices from the menu.

 

I finally figured out that Sai Mai Lo was a Cantonese phrase for a pudding made with sago pearls, and discovered that this version was made with sago pearls topped with honey dew chips and honey dew mousse served in a pool of coconut cream.

 

Intrigued by an abbreviation in its name, I soon learnt that TSP Cheesecake was a cheesecake inspired by Tau Sar Piah, a Chinese pastry made with mung beans, and this cheesecake rested on a crust created with baked mung beans.

 

Assam Pedas Oxtail Soup with a stick
of Kesom Garlic Bread

From my first taste of this Malaysian-flavour-fused-with-a-modern-international- dessert like cheesecake, I was keen to get to know Chef Jiro and hear from him about the inspiration for his culinary creations.

 

Back in my room to unpack, shower and rest before dinner, I spotted the message printed on coasters on Best Brews ™, with an invitation to “Join us at the Bar for Craft Beer on Tap.”

 

I told myself that this was one invite that I aimed to accept later that evening.

 

At the Mesh Restaurant for dinner, I took my time to study the all-day dining menu and was pleased to read a considerate comment printed at the bottom of the page that requested diners to let the restaurant know if they had any special dietary needs, restrictions or allergies.

 

A serving of 24-Hour Slow Braised Short Ribs

There were also small icons placed next to the food listed, easily identified as Vegetarian, Signature Dishes, Spicy or Contained Nuts.

 

I spotted the Star icon next to the Entrée item for Assam Pedas Oxtail Soup, served with Kesom Garlic Bread and easily made my choice for the first course.

 

While Assam Pedas was a dish with a rich, spicy gravy to savour with rice, this was prepared as a soup with a distinct tomato base. It looked Red which gave the false impression that it was spicy but it tasted mild and oh-so appetizing.

 

The only way to properly nibble a piece of oxtail was to hold it in my hand and that was exactly how I savoured it.

 

Chef Jiro with some of the popular
dishes served at The Mesh restaurant

Having tasted a morsel of the Braised Short Ribs served at the reception for the hotel’s opening event, I zeroed in on the Asian main course items in the menu to pick my choice of the 24-Hour Slow Braised Short Ribs, marinated in Asian Aromatics and served on a bed of Pomme Puree, with a side of Charred Kai Lan.

 

The beef short rib was brewed in a complex broth of herbs and spices like cinnamon, cloves, star anise, fennel seeds, garlic and dang gui roots in the tradition of Bak Kut Teh until the beef was full of flavour and fall-off-the-bone tender.

 

I was privately pleased with the generous portion as I enjoyed bite after bite of the charred vegetables mixed with the puree of potatoes, as a perfect foil for the tender beef.

 

To strike a balance with the beef, we picked a fish dish made with Pistachio & Almond Crusted fillets of Seabass, Parmesan Asparagus, Roasted Garlic Potatoes served with a side of Garlic Lemon Butter.

 

A section of the dining hall at The Mesh

And to feed the Asian palate, there was also a rice dish presented in Pad Kra Pao, a spicy Thai dish indicated by the Chilli icon, made with Wok-fried Thai Basil Beef, Sunny-Side-Up Egg and Charred Baby Kai Lan, to eat with Steamed Jasmine Rice.

 

In addition to these recommended choices, Maressa picked a Lamb Pasta from among her favourites in the menu.

 

We were almost done with the meal when Chef Jiro came to join us for a chat, ready to unwind for the day. It was a delight to discover that before he travelled the world to earn his culinary experience, he grew up in Johor Baru where he stayed with his grandparents in a residential area located close to the Dato Jaafar Building.

 

Bartender Dennis serving up a
refreshing mocktail colada

After we traded stories about this heritage building, the young chef shared his passion about food innovation that aimed to share his Malaysian food heritage, not only with Malaysian diners but also with diners the world over.

 

“I love to cook home-styled comfort food that are made with locally grown produce and ingredients that will elevate my creations,” said Chef Jiro.

 

I was pleased to learn that the chef was tending his own kitchen garden that grows a range of herbs and vegetables and had already connected with the nearby Desaru Fruit Farm* for the supply of fresh fruits and local produce.

 

“I often experiment with cuisines, especially in blending Eastern and Western flavours in various cooking methods, over the years while working in different kitchens, to make a dish taste better,” he added.

 

A very agreeable taste of
K & B Affogato Nitro

I nodded in agreement as my thoughts flashed to the taste of the TSP Cheesecake, a sweet treat inspired by traditional Tau Sar Piah and that awesome Slow Braised Beef Short Rib, reminiscent of typical Bak Kut Teh but only better.

 

“Passion in cooking is vital,” declared the young chef who attributed his passion for cooking to observing his grandparents prepare all the comfort food at home, which developed his culinary interest and mastered the art of flavours at a very young age.

 

When Chef Jiro excused himself to return to the kitchen, we moved to the lounge and bar to indulge in a nightcap.

 

Maressa suggested that we looked at the menu choices listed under Coffee Culture that were mixed with alcohol, and the wide Non-Alcoholic coffee range presented under, Around The World.

 

With a Bar menu filled with lists of choices for cocktails and mocktails, I took some time to look at the fine-print which described the contents of each exciting drink.

 

Finally, we gave the task to bartender Dennis, who skillfully whipped up our picks of an K & B Affogato Nitro and a mocktail colada, made with a refreshing mix of pineapple and tangerine juices.

 

Looks like I have to make another
date for the Best Brews experience!

It was just right to end my eventful day at the hotel with a sip of Nitro Coffee on a scoop of Vanilla ice-cream, topped with a dash of smooth liqueurs, Kahlua and Baileys Irish Cream. That was the K & B in the delicious Affogato Nitro, a coffee-based cocktail dessert.

 

After a good night’s rest, it was such a treat to linger over a leisurely buffet breakfast and when I spotted the GM – dressed down in street clothes – I invited him to join us and he graciously did because it was his day off.

 

On this bright morning, I was ready to taste more coffee selections from their Around The World menu and with some help (Choices! Choices!) we picked a Premium Dalgona Twist and Expressino, plus a chocolatey choice of a Nitro Brew Milo.

 

As its names describe, the Premium Dalgona Twist was created with a shot of Expresso in a creamy balance of Sugar and Milk while there was a distinct sweet and nutty flavour of Nutella in the milky mix of the Expresso in the Expressino.

 

Coffee indulgence [Clockwise] Nitro Brew Milo,
Premium Dalgona Twist and Expressino

This coffee experience at The Mesh brought my stay experience to a fitting close at the Four Points by Sheraton Desaru, and kept me awake and alert as I made my way back to the city in a slow and comfortable drive on the expressway.

 

As I gently eased myself back into the busyness of city life, I was pleased that my stay experience with Four Points by Sheraton at Desaru Utama confirmed my observation that it would certainly complement the choices of accommodation available to travellers at this popular holiday destination in Johor.

 

Four Points by Sheraton Desaru is located at Jalan Kempas 2, Taman Desaru Utama, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor. For reservations, Tel: +607 832 8888.

 

For more info, follow the hotel’s official page on Facebook or visit webpage: marriot.com/JHBFP

 

*The family at Desaru Fruit Farm is featured under Portraits in my book sequel, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.