Spices of Asia at Dine@Eight

 

This August and September, Dine@Eight Restaurant at the Holiday Inn Johor Baru City Centre will be your one-stop destination to savour a range of popular southeast Asian dishes in the Spices of Asia buffet dinner served on Friday and Saturday evenings.

 

Ayam Geprek served with a side of chilli mixture

This weekend spice-inspired buffet spread, championed by Chef Mohd Zulkiflee Ismail, presents an array of mouth-watering southeast Asian favourites that range from appetizers to gravies and desserts.

 

An exciting menu curated by Chef Zulkiflee and his culinary team features familiar dishes from Thailand, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, HongKong and of course, Malaysia, that will let diners savour satisfying flavours in gravies and dip sauces.

 

This buffet spread will showcase the dual meaning of “spices” which represent the aromatic ingredients that go into the dishes and the tantalizing tastes that will spice up your weekend.

 

Neua Dad Deaw, Thai beef jerky
to savour with a chilli dip

No, the food will not set your mouth on fire but will certainly ignite your appetite to venture further to taste the must-eat dishes, popular in these countries.

 

So take your time to start with appetizers like Thai Rainbow Salad, Indian Cucumber Raita and Urap Kampung, a local salad made with grated coconut, spiced up with onions, dried prawns, chilies and lemon juice, along with bean sprouts, chopped long beans and shredded cabbage leaves.

 

It is good that labels arranged on the buffet will provide diners with dish names and an artistic rendition of the nation’s flag so that diners may know its country of origin.

 

For instance, Neua Dad Deaw is a Thai version of beef jerky prepared in a meticulous 16-hour sun-drying process, that diners can savour with a spicy chilli dip sauce.

 

Ayam Kapitan Buah Keluak,
Nyonya Chicken cooked in local truffle

The spicy trail continues into main course items like Thai Massaman or lamb curry, Singapore Chili Crab, Singapore Curry Laksa, Taj Mahal Fish Head Curry, Hongkong Har Lok or whole prawns, fresh Vietnamese Rice Rolls and Indonesian Ayam Geprek or crushed fried chicken, among other mouthwatering dishes.

 

Do not be alarmed at the sight of the ground chili mixture served on the side of the Ayam Geprek because connoisseurs of this Indonesian-style fried chicken know that the chili only looks intimidating but tastes just right when savoured with the chicken.

 

Singapore Curry Laksa topped with
ingredients of your choice

Another not-to-be-missed chicken dish must be Ayam Kapitan Buah Keluak, a Nyonya or Peranakan-style chicken cooked in local truffle. Buah Keluak needs to be carefully prepared before cooking and truly an acquired taste, so for diners who enjoy it, this dish certainly hits the spot.

 

Curry Laksa is a noodle dish garnished by a variety of ingredients and topped with a creamy, curry gravy. The Singapore version served in this spread can be made, topped with the ingredients of your choice and in the bowl of your choice!

 

Otak-Otak, grilled spicy fish cake
wrapped in banana leaves

Malaysian favourites in this spread include Penang Rojak, a salad made with fresh fruit, vegetables and fried ingredients drizzled with spicy peanut sauce, and Otak-Otak, a grilled spicy fish cake wrapped in banana leaves, to savour with rice or may be eaten on its own.

 

To commemorate the nation’s National Day this August, a selection of Malaysian classic dishes featured in this buffet will include authentic Nyonya Nasi Kerabu, served with rice, tinged blue by Butterfly Pea Flowers.

 

Delightful desserts to end your meal sweetly

The spice trail ends sweetly with an array of delightful desserts like Mango Swiss Roll, Halo-Halo and Puto, a steamed rice cake popular in the Philippines, an Indian sweet, Gulab Jamun or fried dough balls coated in syrup, Vietnamese Egg Tarts and local desserts like Kek Sarang Semut or Honeycomb Cake and Cendol Panna Cotta, among other sweet temptations.

 

The Spices of Asia buffet dinner will be served from 6pm to 10pm at Dine@Eight Restaurant every Friday and Saturday from August 11 to September 30, 2023.

 

Priced at RM108 nett for adults, RM88 nett for senior citizens aged 60 years and above, and RM48 nett for children aged 6-12 years. Kids aged 5 years and below will eat for Free. Best deal: In-house guests will enjoy 15% off the adult price.

 

Chef Zulkiflee serving Rojak

Get rewarded with 20% off IHG One Rewards Dining Privileges, Terms & Conditions apply.

 

For reservations or more information, call Tel: 607 - 207 8686 or email info@hijbcc.com.

 

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

 

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