Gempita Ramadan Iftar at Cafe BLD

 

This Ramadan, Café BLD at the Renaissance Johor Bahru will take diners on a delectable culinary journey with their Gempita Ramadan Iftar buffet, a traditional Ramadan feast with food highlights by two prominent Malaysian food personalities.

 

A touch of nostalgia at the alfresco section
of Cafe BLD, Renaissance Johor Bahru

This impressive breaking-of-fast spread, curated with an array of mouth-watering dishes and delicacies will be served from March 1 to 30 with a special privilege to savour dishes prepared by celebrity Sheila Rusly and food content creator, Zam Akmal.

 

When I was welcomed into Café BLD to a background of popular traditional music presented by a live band and vocalists, I saw that the bustling breaking-of-fast vibe typical of Ramadan bazaars, was aptly described by the Malay word, Gempita.

 

Familiar with the layout of Café BLD, I was eager to explore from within the café to the alfresco section where live-cooking stations in the Barbecue section was already a busy hive of activity.

 

Celebrity Sheila Rusly preparing
her recipe for Nasi Daun Jeruk

Café BLD must be doing something right because their Ramadan spreads continue to attract diners with a deep longing for the familiar taste of traditional favourites served here during the Ramadan month.

 

I liked that a touch of nostalgia was presented in a corner of the alfresco section where sweet snacks and old-school treats were not only showcased in a charming tableau but also available for diners to taste.

 

On the opposite end of this section, a crowd was gathered around the stall where celebrity Sheila Rusly was preparing her signature recipe for Nasi Daun Jeruk, a fragrant rice dish with a unique blend of herbs and spices. This specialty dish will be served on March 17, 8, 21 and 22, 2025.

 

Meanwhile, Zam Akmal presented his much-loved dish of, Daging Goreng Berempah, a spice-infused fried beef specialty that will be served on March 14, 15, 28 and 29, 2025.

 

Satay skewers being grilled in the
outdoor section, ready to be served

Chefs were at work stations preparing to serve Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine like BLD’s signature Satay and Ayam Percik, Yong Tau Foo, Briyani rice to savour with beef or chicken and pickles, Noodles, Tandoor Oven, Shawarma and Murtabak & Roti John.

 

I observed that they had a custom-made long grill of burning embers to barbecue skewers of their signature BLD Beef and Chicken satay to meet the demand of diners who will savour the satay dipped in spicy peanut sauce along with condiments of raw cucumber and onions.

 

A range of signature Gulai Kawah
dishes served in warming kawah

Noodle lovers may taste various types of noodles from the Noodles Station daily on rotation, that include Nyonya Laksa, Mee Hoon Soup Utara, Mee Bandung Muar and Mee Goreng Sotong.

 

The taste of tradition continues in a range of signature Gulai Kawah items presented in warming kawah or giant wok, and served on a rotation basis for Monday, Wednesday and Friday alternating with Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

Among the gravy items in the kawah menu were Gulai Daging Tetel Nangka Muda (beef), Asam Pedas Ikan Pari (fish), Udang Sambal Petai (prawns), Pisang Muda Masak Lemak Daun Selasih (young banana), Ayam Goreng Berlado Hijau (chicken), and Kambing Rendang Cili Padi (lamb).

 

A range of sweet items were freshly prepared at the live stations including Apam Balik, a crispy pancake spread with butter, crushed peanuts and beads of corn.

 

Assemble ingredients to enjoy soup
 of your choice: Sup Merah or Sup Berempah
 

I watched as the crispy pancakes were made and was told that there were additional ingredients to add to the pancake including peanut-butter, shredded coconut, cheese, kaya and chocolate.

 

Wow! While these were toppings for such an irresistible traditional sweet treat, I still chose to enjoy the original buttery version.

 

There were also freshly-fried treats like Keropok Lekor, slices of sweet potato and banana, to nibble on and to wash it down with local favourite, Teh Tarik or pulled frothy milk tea.

 

A Mediterranean Hummus Corner
in the Salad section

Inside the café the Carving section presented a whole roasted lamb as well as baked fish and Ayam Golek (chicken) for diners to savour the tender meat with a drizzle of sauces of their choice from either Tiga Rasa Sauce, Masam-Manis sauce, Nyonya sauce or Portuguese sauce.

 

To whet the appetite, there are fresh ingredients to create-your-own salad from the Salad Station topped with a variety of sauces as well as local greens or ulam-ulam fern leaves and varieties of ready-to-eat local salads or kerabu and acar created with various ingredients like squid, beef lung, mixed seafood, barbecued chicken, mango.

 

The Do-It-Yourself section presented opportunities for diners to assemble their own salad mix for Pasembor, Indonesian Gado-Gado, Nyonya Fruit Rojak, served on rotation while the Mediterranean Hummus Corner will be available daily.

 

Roasted meats from the Carving station

Over at the Chinese kitchen, the freshly deep-fried Giant Freshwater Prawns drew diners – attracted by its size and presentation – to help themselves to this specialty.

 

At the hot buffet, it was good to see diners zero-in on Chinese dishes like Ginger Onion Mussels, Wok-fried Sliced Beef with Mala Sauce, Braised Broccoli with Black Mushrooms and Buttermilk Squid with Curry Leaves.

 

I liked that Café BLD used their bamboo steamer – traditionally used for keeping dim sum warm– to serve festive favourites like Lemang, glutinous rice with coconut milk baked within bamboo sticks, and Ketupat Palas, glutinous rice cakes steamed in coconut leaves.

 

Grilled specialties like otak-otak, pepes
and satar to choose from

These traditional rice delicacies were served with a choice of Serunding or meat floss made from beef and chicken, as well as spicy peanut sauce.

 

The breaking-of-fast meal will not be complete without a taste of comforting soup from the Soup Station offered in a choice of Sup Merah or Sup Berempah, a spiced beef broth, topped with your pick of ingredients like chunks of meat, tendon, stomach and oxtail.

 

Nearby, an entire counter was dedicated to serve otak-otak Kempas, Pepes Ayam, Pepes Ikan and Sattar, traditional specialties wrapped in banana or coconut leaves and grilled for a unique fragrance and taste.

 

Whet your appetite with a choice of pickles
and traditional salads topped with spicy sauces

Popular BLD staples like the Seafood-on-Ice offers Hokkaido scallops, fresh-water prawns, premium mussels and flower crabs, continue to please fans of seafood who may enjoy this seafood with a twist of fresh lime and a range of dip sauces.

 

In the colourful Dessert corner, an action station serves freshly-made Kueh Ketayap rolls spread with a layer of durian cream and stuffed with desiccated coconut.

 

Look out for Middle-Eastern sweets like Baklava Balloriah, Baklava Baram, Baklava Nest, Warbat Cake with Cream, Baklava Finger Cookies and Balahasham Cookies.

 

Frothy pulled tea or Teh Tarik
served at this live station

The buffet comes complete with hot and cold drinks as well as a selection of fresh cut fruits and a range of traditional festive cookies, assorted cakes, puddings, pastries and traditional Malay kuih as well as sweet porridge desserts like Bubur Cha Cha, Bubur Gandum, Bubur Jagung, Bubur Kacang Merah and Pengat Pisang.

 

This bustling breaking-of-fast meal can end coolly with ice-cream on cones and refreshing, traditional shaved-ice dessert topped with a choice of ingredients, drizzled with syrup and palm sugar.

 

The Gempita Ramadan Renaissance Iftar Buffet will be served at Café BLD from March 1 to 30, 2025 from 6.30pm to 10pm.

 

Priced at RM198 nett per adult and RM99 nett per child aged between six to 12 years old, while children below six years old will enjoy complimentary dining.

 

Take advantage of Early Bird Promotion where every 10 vouchers bought from now to February 28, 2025, will receive one complimentary voucher.

 

For dining dates from March 1 to 9, 2025, enjoy RENtastic Deal where every 10 vouchers bought from now to February 25, 2025, will receive two complimentary vouchers.

 

Club Renaissance Johor Baru members enjoy 15% discount while Marriot Bonvoy members and Maybank & Standard Chartered Bank card holders, enjoy 10% discount.

 

Diners who wish to host their own breaking-of-fast gatherings, Private Dining with a minimum of 30 guests is offered with a choice of two distinct banquet menus at prices starting from RM118 nett per person.

 

Café BLD is located on the lobby level of Renaissance Johor Baru, at No. 2 Jalan Permas 11, Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, 81750 Johor Baru, Johor.

 

For enquiries, email to: rosliza.lazim@renaissancehotels.com or evelyn.soh@renaissancehotels.com. For reservations, WhatsApp Tel: +6017 771 3327 or call Tel: +607 – 381 3322.

Flavours of Nusantara at Bricks, Legoland Hotel

 

I am back at Bricks Family Restaurant for the Ramadan food preview and given a redemption coupon with the advice that it was for my choice of one Specialty for the Day that will be served on rotation so that regular diners may savour something different on each visit.

 

Live music and dance entertainment comes
with dining at Bricks this Ramadan month

The creative and colourful charm at Bricks is such a fun and unique venue for fans of Lego that it presents an excellent choice for a taste of tradition at Ramadan, in a fun and lively restaurant.

 

Diners at Bricks will enjoy an exciting dining experience in a Lego-themed restaurant with a sumptuous spread curated in the theme, Flavours of Nusantara, that comes with opportunities to meet Lego mascots and capture photographs with them.

 

Attractive display of desserts

The Flavours of Nusantara buffet at Bricks will be served from March 7 to 28. And while it seemed like a bit early for a food preview, I understand that Bricks wanted diners to book early by taking advantage of their Early Bird Deals.

 

I am familiar with the restaurant so I took my time to survey the spread of some 150 dishes, arranged both indoors and outdoors, and saw what was new and different in the buffet being served for this coming Ramadan.

 

At the buffet lines, there were signages that encouraged diners to inform the staff before placing their orders, if they had any special dietary requirements or allergies to items like gluten, soy, seafood, tree nuts, milk, egg or peanuts.

 

It was good to see that food and drinks were clearly labelled for diners to pause, read and take their pick from the generous spread so that wastage may be reduced and possibly avoided.

 

Freshly prepared portions of
Assam Pedas with ingredients
of your choice

I headed out to the open verandah where team members were busy at live cooking stations, to discover what was the Specialty served that day.

 

The live cooking stations that lined the outdoor verandah were literally smoking with excitement as food was furiously being prepared, ready to be served.

 

The deep-fried station offered freshly-fried spring rolls, curry puffs, banana fritters, keropok lekor, slices of banana and sweet potato as well as the ever-popular deep-fried rolls of gooey durian wrapped in a crispy net batter.

 

Nearby, skewers of beef and chicken satay were grilled among other meats like slices of fish and chicken wings along with otak-otak, a spicy fish paste encased in sticks of fragrant coconut leaves.

 

A serving of Lamb Rack baked in
a length of bamboo

The Nusantara theme in the buffet continued with a Noodle station, a station for Shawarma and another station for freshly made Roti to savour with Dhall vegetable gravy and Chicken Curry.

 

Fresh seafood that comprised a variety of fish, prawns, squid, crab and shells were on ice for diners to pick their seafood to be cooked in spicy Assam Pedas gravy, topped with a choice of okra, eggplant, Vietnamese coriander or daun kesum and sliced chilies.

 

Then I spotted the lengths of thick bamboo on hot coals, with the tops of the bamboo lengths covered with silver foil. This – I discovered – was the Specialty of the Day, Lamb Rack baked in Rice within a length of bamboo.

 

I was soon distracted by the sight of freshwater prawns, udang galah with unusually long and slim claws and when I asked, was told that one prawn would be served in zesty Tom Yum soup and presented within a coconut.

 

A serving of Tom Yum soup
topped with a whole udang galah

This was another choice of the Specialty of the Day showcased for the preview while the third Specialty item, Lobster Lemak Salai, was not available that day.

 

Back indoors, the mood in the restaurant was upbeat with live cultural music entertainment and traditional dance performances provided by talented students from nearby schools.

 

The attractive display on the Dessert counter was like a magnet that drew me closer for a better look at the range of local kueh, cakes, pastries and puddings.

 

Meanwhile one Appetizer counter was heavy with ingredients for diners to assemble their own local salads with sauce choices for mixing Rojak Sotong Kangkung, Rojak Pasembur and Rojak Buah.

 

Mouth-watering salads in
this Appetizer section

In another Appetizer section there was a choice of preserved dates, crisps, pickles and a range of mixed, mouth-watering salads like local Kerabu along with ulam ingredients to savour with a choice of traditional local sauces.

 

While traditional Roasted Lamb and Briyani rice was a firm favourite in the hot buffet, there was also steamed white rice to savour with a menu of mouth-watering breaking-of-fast dishes.

 

They include dishes like Labu Masak Lemak Kuning, Sambal Tempe Jawa, Pajeri Nenas, Sayur Lodeh, Pucuk Ubi Masak Lemak, Keli Geprek, Black Mussels in Chili, Siput Sedut Masak Lemak, Udang Tumis Bayam, Ikan Goreng Kunyit, Daging Hitam Belimbing Buluh, Ayam Masak Minang and Puyuh Berempah or deep-fried quail.

 

Briyani rice and other gravies at the hot buffet

Did I mention that there was also a separate Dessert section for cut fresh fruits, shaved ice treats and ice-cream on cones? And a counter for chilled drinks like Ribena Longan and Bandung Cincau, among other soft drinks and hot Nescafe?

 

Yes, there were all this and much more in the Flavours of Nusantara dinner spread.

 

In addition to Lego mascot appearances during dinner, diners at Bricks every weekend, will be able to participate in Lucky Draws for a chance to take home awesome Lego toys.

 

As in previous years, Legoland Hotel continues to offer Top-Up privilege to diners who may enjoy a visit to SeaLife Malaysia from 4pm to 6pm on their dine-in day.

 

Flavours of Nusantara Pricing and Promotion
Early Bird Deals *For bookings made from 1 February to 6 March	Adult (12 & above)	RM 158
	Senior (60 & above)	RM 118
	Child (5-11)	RM 78
Flavours of Nusantara Buffet Price *For bookings made from 7 March onwards	Adult (12 & above)	RM 188
	Senior (60 & above)	RM 138
	Child (5-11)	RM 98
Exclusive Annual Pass Deals *10% off regular price	Adult (12 & above)	RM 169.20
	Senior (60 & above)	RM 124.20
	Child (5-11)	RM 88.20
SEA LIFE Malaysia Experience Top up (Entry to SEA LIFE Malaysia from 4pm – 6pm of dine-in day)	Adult / Child / Senior	RM 30

 

This Ramadan, treat your loved ones to a delightful evening of food, fun, and Lego joy. For bookings, call +607 597 8888 or email info@legoland.my.

 

For more information, visit the official website or LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.

Sheer nostalgia at Mid Valley Southkey Mall

 

If you asked my friend, Wei Leng, who was with me at Mid Valley Southkey Mall that day, she can confirm that it was the sight of chickens – yes, complete with feathers – that drew me closer to look at the decoration set up in the Center Court concourse.

 

The concourse in the Centre Court of The Mall,
Mid Valley Southkey was transformed into a 
charming village scene this festive season

Throughout the Mall, the theme, A Joyous Chinese New Year, was evident from the auspicious Red lanterns and ornate paper kites that resembled plump fish, a shape that symbolizes good fortune, wealth and abundance.

 

As we approached the Center Court, I was about to bypass the elaborate décor and head on to do my grocery shopping but it was a glimpse of the chickens that caused me to detour into the tableau that opened into a humble village scene reminiscent of a bygone era.

 

While most of our city malls were elaborately decorated with Chinese structures like moon-gates, pavilions, gazebos and arched bridges with water features, the décor here was in stark contrast to other décor that screamed Red colours and cherry blossoms, wealth and abundance.

 

Doorposts and lintel are pasted with
auspicious couplets written on
Red paper

The Center Court in Mid Valley Southkey Mall was transformed into a Chinese village courtyard with sections decorated as a sitting room, a kitchen and a bedroom, and an outdoor area that featured free-range ducks, chickens and even a pair of geese.

 

While the space was limited, I was pleased that the Mall took a bold step to showcase a slice of nostalgia to modern generations of shoppers and their families, who probably never had any experience of life in a typical Chinese village such as this.

 

This tableau gave me a flashback to experiences documented in, Travelling with Dad, published in My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People, and The Legacy of New Villages, published in My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now.

 

These stories documented my experiences while exploring the nearby villages and kampongs around Masai, long before Johor Port was developed in Pasir Gudang.

 

The kitchen has a woodfire stove;
Spot the ceramic medicine pot!

When my parents were based in Masai for their work with the Government Health Sub-Centre, my siblings and I had the opportunity to experience a laid-back lifestyle in the staff quarters within a compound for the health clinic and quarters.

 

After dad retired, we revisited Masai every now and then. And when a larger health centre was built further up the road on Jalan Sekolah, the health clinic next to our former quarters was demolished.

 

While these modern brick quarters were equipped with piped water and electricity, I remember that many of the homes in the villages and kampongs still drew water from wells.

As I admired the well thought out details that went into the décor of the tableau set up inside the mall, I was pleased that much of the design elements reflected an authentic scenario of a humble family home in a bygone era.

 

While the arrangement was rather cramped – due to the lack of space – I can understand how the design team tried to include as many items into each of the scenes.

 

Another view of the simple kitchen

The heart of every home is the kitchen. Unlike present day stoves where flames leap up at the touch of a button or a turn of a dial, back in those days, stoves were operated by burning firewood where it took a special skill to control the flames to cook food.

 

Early Chinese settlers who arrived in the new land brought along their traditional cooking implements and utensils, one of which would be the clay pot with a long spout used to brew traditional Chinese medicinal herbs.

 

The Chinese who were involved in physical work, mainly outdoors in our tropical weather, may often suffer from ailments so their trusted traditional medicine recipes would be brewed and taken regularly to soothe and fortify their bodies.

A handy mortar and pestle to
pound or grind ingredients

While we have electricity powered food processors now, back then every kitchen was equipped with a handy mortar and pestle to pound or grind ingredients. Even in our modern day, many still agree that ingredients prepared using the mortar and pestle, tasted much better.

 

One of the most useful items in the home must be the traditional hot water flask where people can reach out for a quick supply of hot water instead of having to start a woodfire to boil some water.

 

This hot water flask is so portable that it can also be used in the bedroom and the metal cup that topped the flask doubles up as a handy cup to drink from.

 

In the courtyard, fowls ran free in typical free-range style for healthy chickens, ducks and geese. There were also woven baskets ready to ‘trap’ the fowl when necessary.

 

The free-range chickens that
first caught my eye...

Back then, people reared fowl from chicks according to a well calculated calendar so that they would be ready for the slaughter – and dinner table – during the festive seasons. [Yes, people used to slaughter their own chickens!]

 

For the working-class, eating meat was reserved for special occasions like weddings while festivals for the Mid-Autumn and Spring were the most important seasons in the Chinese calendar where celebrations were marked by feasting on festive food.

 

The courtyard was also a communal space for the family while they did chores together or where a table was set up to feast together.

This tableau showcased a useful space where a bicycle was parked and a clothes line was hung across to dry clothes and a quilt.

 

Traditional wooden clogs

On a lower shelf outside, I spotted pairs of wooden clogs.

 

Back in the days before plastic footwear was common, wooden clogs, popular in Southern China where the weather was rainy, was also the footwear of choice to wear in wet conditions here.

 

Known as terompah in Malay, these wooden clogs provided an elevated height to keep feet dry and are non-slip so they were usually used outdoors, in the bathroom and the wet kitchen.

 

Carved from whole logs of lumber, the clogs were designed in male and female versions: clogs with straight sides for men while clogs with curved sides were for women.

 

I had the pleasure to share a bit about Wooden Clogs documented under Glimpses of Old Johor published in My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now.

 

Mosquito net hung over a bed
covered by patchwork sheet;
A hot water flash conveniently
nearby for a hot drink.

Hands up…all who have ever slept inside a mosquito net… Yes, this is what that net hanging over the bed is called because its function was to keep the irritating mosquitoes away while you sleep.

 

If you ever had the experience of the annoying nuisance of mosquitoes, the use of a mosquito net was a very welcome retreat when all you wanted was uninterrupted sleep.

 

Back in those days before window netting, mosquito repellents, closed windows and air-conditioning, the trusty old mosquito net was the solution to a better night’s rest.

 

In that era of hardship, it was common to save any excess fabric so that the ladies may sew them together in a patchwork quilt for use as a bedsheet or blanket.

 

My earliest memory of such patchwork handicrafts was in the blankets sewn by our great-grandmother, Lau Ma. [A Teochew tradition to address her as such.]

 

Framed up photos on display in
the sitting room

In those days, sewing skills was one of the positive traits for young ladies of marriageable age and our great-grandmother, who was skilled in embroidery or sulam (colloquial Malay), enjoyed doing patchwork even in her advanced age.

 

Readers may be familiar with our great-grandmother because she was documented in my story on, Family Ties, published in My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.

 

Throughout this humble dwelling, the furniture was made of wood, cane and bamboo, with the luxury of a stuffed chair only in the sitting room.

 

Back then, it was trendy to capture photograph mementoes of family and friends and to frame-up for display in the sitting room or family hall.

 

A grandmother's clock and a
kuda calendar on the wall!

The design team did well to select a collection of sepia-toned photos to assemble within large photo frames to hang up for display on the wall.

 

In another section of the hall, two important items in Chinese family homes must be a grandmother’s clock [that needed to be wound regularly!] that will strike on the hour and every half-hour, and a what is fondly called, a kuda calendar.

 

The kuda or horse calendar earned its name from the Race Days illustrated with pictures of horses and it remains a useful, one-glance calendar to check for Public Holidays as well as dates in the Lunar and Muslim calendar.

 

Pasted on the doorposts and lintels, Red paper written with auspicious Chinese couplets are aimed at ushering in auspicious blessing for the family.

 

The courtyard is a communal space

To usher in auspicious blessing for the New Year, traditional Chinese decorate their homes with Chinese characters like Fook (Cantonese for ‘blessings’) written in Black ink on Red squares of paper. 

 

I learnt that some Chinese may deliberately paste these Red squares upside-down on their front doors so that the Chinese phrase will read as, Fook Tow, meaning ‘blessings have arrived!’

 

So I must congratulate the team at Mid Valley Southkey Mall Johor Bahru and Mid Valley Mall Kuala Lumpur, for working together to create such a nostalgic yet meaningful display for this festive season in Johor Bahru.

 

For your experience of Chinese nostalgia in a humble home of yesteryears, head on over to Mid Valley Southkey Mall where this charming village scene will be on display for a limited time, until February 9, 2025, only.

 

Don't miss the clothes line hung across the 
courtyard, outside the bedroom

Also enjoy the range of Chinese New Year attractions arranged in an exciting calendar of events that include Lion Dancing, Drum Shows, Chinese Orchestra and traditional Chinese Dance performances.

 

While in the mall, take time to join workshops available to learn more about Chinese Calligraphy, creating Lacquer Hand Fans and Red Hydrangea Flower Balls.

 

The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey is at No. 1 Persiaran Southkey 1, Southkey, 80150 Johor Bahru, Johor. Open daily from 10am to 10pm.

 

Note: My Johor Stories books are available from MPH bookstores nationwide and online from mphonline. In Johor Bahru, my books are available from JARO.