Weekend High Tea at Holiday Inn JBCC

 

The Holiday Inn, an IHG Hotel, opened at Johor Baru City Centre (JBCC), is the building block towering above the shopping mall but in the past two years of uncertainty, there was no opportunity to venture there.

 

A warm welcome into Dine@Eight on Level 
Eight of Holiday Inn Johor Baru City Centre

So when I received an invitation to a food review held at Dine@Eight, I thought that it was such an excellent reason to visit this new hotel and did not hesitate to accept.

 

On my drive to the city, I remembered to approach KOMTAR JBCC from Jalan Tebrau so that I could use the interchange loop for a smooth entry into the carpark.

 

I retrieved the carpark ticket and followed the signs to drive through the carpark, up to Level Seven, the rooftop level of KOMTAR JBCC, where I spotted the porch and entrance to Holiday Inn JBCC.

 

The Mocktails live station at Dine@Eight

The rooftop provided ample carparking spots and I was spoiled for choice but it made sense to park close to the hotel entrance.

 

A figure of a Green man, designed in the hotel’s corporate colour, welcomed me in at Level Seven. He was my companion while I waited for my ride from a bank of elevators to reach Level Eight where the hotel lobby and Dine@Eight café were located.

 

When the elevator doors opened, I heard the hum of human activity and walked in that direction to see the entrance to Dine@Eight to a backdrop of an attractive buffet spread prepared for the weekend High Tea.

 

Freshly grilled seafood from
this live-cooking station

Weekends are for enjoying leisurely buffet meals with family and friends, and from the many diners who were already there, it appeared that they agreed with me on this.

 

As I was welcomed in, I spotted the live station set up for diners to have fun creating their own colourful and magical mocktails.

 

Then I discovered that this was one of several live stations like a Cheese Wheel station to swirl a choice of pasta in the Grand Padano cheese wheel, the Crepes station where diners are welcome to add toppings to their crepes and even a Cotton Candy station for a fascinating experience of making cotton candy, served on a stick.

 

Chicken and Beef prepared Teppanyaki style

I refuse to sound like a cliché but as I surveyed the attractive spread, I noticed that there was indeed something for everyone to enjoy.

 

From rice to sandwiches and pasta, meats to soups and salads, Asian to International favourites, and a selection of delightful desserts to savour with a choice of hot coffee or tea.

 

There was even a Kid’s Counter with choices of Chicken Nuggets, Fish Fingers, Cheesy Wedges, Onion Rings, snacks and assorted candy for the kids.

 

I zeroed-in to the sound of sizzling meat at live-cooking stations and watched as the chefs grilled fresh seafood on banana leaves while another chef was preparing Teppanyaki chicken and beef cuts.

 

A serving of Nasi Lemak Bungkus Telur 
with a separate plate of the side dishes

At another live-cooking station, I observed the chef’s skills in wrapping a portion of rice steamed in coconut milk within a freshly-made egg omelet to serve Nasi Lemak Bungkus Telur.

 

The chef passed this neatly wrapped portion of rice to a diner who went on to top the rice with his choice of side dishes like Ayam Goreng Berempah (fried chicken), Sambal Tempe with Fried Tofu and Sambal Ikan Bilis with Petai, spicy condiments.

 

Among the spread of soup and salads, there were Asian favourites like Beef and Chicken Satay served with condiments, assorted Dim Sum, mixed seafood and vegetable Tempura, Sushi and Maki rolls, Vietnamese Rice Rolls, and Tom Yam Goong, a Thai spicy seafood soup.

 

A colourful and attractive array of fresh salads

In the Asian salad section, I saw diners assembling their own choice of ingredients to make Fruit Rojak and Pasembur, popular Malaysian salads topped with spicy peanut sauce.

 

Rice-lovers can enjoy their rice meal with a range of dishes served in the hot buffet that include Lamb Kurma, grilled mini-Beef Steak with Black Pepper Sauce, Tiger Prawns in Butter Sauce, sauteed Kung Pao Squid with Cashew Nuts, Egg Fu Yong with Seafood, steamed Fish with Ginger, and stir-fried Kangkong with Belacan.

 

A drizzle of chocolate sauce on a
freshly-made crepe topped with cut fruits

At the Panini Sandwich Counter, fans of toasted sandwiches assembled their own sandwiches with choice of cheese slices, chicken ham, beef pastrami, beef and chicken sausages, egg or tuna mayo, fried egg, fresh lettuce, cucumber and tomato slices before toasting it in a flat toaster.

 

All these observations were clearly making my mouth water so I grabbed a plate and helped myself to small portions from the freshly grilled and cooked items.

 

A refreshing shaved ice dessert topped with
ingredients of my own choice

While I returned to the buffet (often!) to savour a leisurely meal, I was careful to pace myself so that I could save room for the array of desserts that ranged from assorted Malay kuih and broths, cut fruits, cotton candy, cakes and pastries, a chocolate fountain, ice-cream as well as ingredients to assemble my own shaved ice dessert.

 

Dubbed the Pursuit of Hi-teaness, this weekend High Tea spread is served every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm at Dine@Eight.

 

Rate at RM68 nett per person with a Buy Five-Free One deal, 50% off for children aged six to 12 years and 30% off for seniors aged 55 years and above.

 

IHG One Rewards members will enjoy 20% discount.

 

Dine@Eight is on Level Eight of the Holiday Inn Johor Baru City Centre, located in Johor Baru City Centre Mall, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, 80000 Johor Baru, Johor.

 

For reservations, Tel: +607 207 8888 or +6011 3603 3163.

 

For more information, visit the Holiday Inn JBCC official Facebook and Instagram pages for holidayinnjbcc or website: holidayinn.com/johorbahru