Pendas Cafe presents Juadah Big Box

 

Located next to the infinity swimming pools on Level One of Sunway Bigbox Hotel, Pendas Café maximized the adjoining space to set up the Juadah Big Box Ramadan preview spread that started from inside the café and opened onto the poolside area.

 

The Juadah Big Box Ramadan spread started
inside the cafe and opened onto the poolside area

This was a capital idea because the live-cooking stations arranged at the outdoor poolside were for popular Ramadan fare, best served freshly grilled or deep-fried.

 

Through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, I watched as chefs fanned the flames on traditional charcoal embers to grill skewers of Beef and Chicken satay while another stall heated hot oil to deep-fry snacks like sliced banana and sweet potato.

 

A quick survey of the live-cooking stations in this outdoor section proved fruitful as my eyes were riveted to the whole Roasted Lamb hoisted on a spit while the chef was carving tender slices of meat, getting it ready to serve.

 

Freshly grilled skewers of Satay

Nearby, fresh young coconuts were neatly arranged, all ready for diners to refresh themselves with its sweet juice.

 

My eyes did not miss the chiller for Baskin Robbins Ice Cream and when I counted the 10 flavours within, I made a mental note to save some space for this cool indulgence that will mark the end of my meal.

 

At the poolside, huge pots of soup in traditional recipes for Beef Gear Box and Sup Kambing (lamb) were served steaming hot while bubbling earthen pots were filled with choices of Gulai Kawah dishes like Daging Batang Pinang (beef) and Ikan Siakap Asam Pedas (fish).

 

Chef was carving a whole Roasted Lamb

Meanwhile fresh seafood like flower crabs, squid, prawns and shellfish were stir-fried in a huge pan along with corn-on-the-cob and vegetables like carrots and celery for a Shell-Out dining experience.

 

On the opposite end of the poolside, I spied a crowd gathered around a stall and did not hesitate to join them, to find out what the attraction was.

 

My nose gave me the answer. It was fresh durian being opened by none other than Executive Chef Steven Yap and his team while diners eagerly waited for their portion.

 

Stir-frying seafood for a Shell-Out experience

Chef Steven and his culinary team that comprises many Johoreans, have created various menus for Ramadan that feature traditional Malay kampung dishes, familiar family favourites that diners may miss from their own hometowns.

 

Among the familiar dishes were Pucuk Labu Masak Lemak (pumpkin shoots) and Tetel Masak Lemak (beef tendons) to savour with Nasi Basmati Briyani, Nasi Ulam or a choice of breads like Roti John and Chicken Murtabak.

 

Executive Chef Steven Yap [Right]
helping to open fresh durian

Among the mouthwatering dishes in the hot buffet were Ikan Tenggiri Curry (fish), Sambal Terung (eggplant), Sambal Tumis Petai Ikan Bilis (anchovies and petai), Paru Berlada (beef lungs), Ikan Patin Gulai Tempoyak (fish), Telur Itik Masak Lemak (duck’s eggs), Udang Goreng Kunyit (prawns) and Ayam Masak Lemak (chicken).   

 

To strike a balance with the meat and carb items, there was a range of fresh salad greens with complementing sauces as well as fresh fruits to enjoy.

 

Diners may assemble their own Rojak Buah and drizzle it with Kuah Petis Udang (prawn paste dressing) for a refreshing and crunchy local fruit salad or help themselves to ready-tossed salads like Kerabu Kerang (cockles) and Kerabu Mangga dan Sotong (mango and squid).

 

A serving of Beef Gear Box soup that
comes complete with a straw!

The breaking-of-fast meal will not be complete without a range of refreshing drinks and delightful desserts so an entire section was dedicated to the sweets.

 

There was choice of local kueh like Kueh Ketayap and Kueh Koleh Kacang and Bubur Kacang Hijau, a mung beans broth, along with small slices of baked cakes, jellies and puddings. All this was best enjoyed with freshly brewed tea or coffee.

 

And yes, I ended my meal with a generous helping of Baskin Robbins ice-cream. Mmm…

 

Juadah Big Box at Pendas Café will be served from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, from March 25 to April 20.

 

Diner helping himself from
the dishes in the hot buffet

Priced at only RM138 nett per adult and RM69 nett per child aged six to 12.

 

Take advantage of the Early Bird deal for Vouchers bought from now till March 22, priced at RM118 nett per adult and RM59 nett per child aged six to 12.

 

Pendas Café is located on Level One of Sunway Bigbox Hotel at Persiaran Medini 5, Sunway City Iskandar Puteri, 79250 Iskandar Puteri, Johor. Tel: +607 533 6688.

 

Reach Pendas Café on Tel: +6019 233 4738 and Tel: +6011 2165 5355

 

For more info, email: sbbh.enquiry@sunwayhotels.com and visit Facebook: @sunwayhotelbigbox or webpage: www.sunwayhotels.com