For the months of May and June, Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur City Centre is serving up a Classic Peranakan Weekend Lunch Buffet at The Mesh, the hotel’s all-day dining outlet.
Peranakan cuisine is rooted in the Baba-Nyonya community, descendants of early Chinese immigrants who settled in Southeast Asia and intermarried with local Malays. The assimilation of cultures created a unique fusion cuisine that is widely celebrated in Penang and Malacca today.
Appetizers
The heart of Peranakan cuisine lies in its unique preparation techniques, which are usually labor-intensive. Peranakan dishes tend to use a variety of local herbs and spices supplemented by Chinese cooking styles.
Like Malay culture, Peranakan cuisine places much emphasis on achar (pickled vegetables) and kerabu (salads) to awaken the palate.
Mains
Nasi Bunga Telang gets its distinctive blue from the extract of butterfly-pea flowers.
Nyonya Rendang Daging features beef chunks braised in a gravy infused with spices and coconut milk. The beef is cooked until it becomes very tender.
Inche Kabin is a classic Peranakan favorite from Penang. The chicken is marinated with spices before being fried to a golden crisp.
Kembong Goreng Cencalok hails from Malacca. The fish is eaten with cencalok, a pungent condiment made from fermented shrimp.
Itek Sio, or “braised duck”, is a rare find due to its lengthy, meticulous preparation. The reward for this labor of love is succulent duck with melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. It is highly recommended!
Udang Assam consists of prawns cooked in a sweet, sour and spicy sauce made of tamarind.
As for Lor Bak, minced chicken is seasoned with five-spice powder, rolled in tofu skin, and then fried till crispy. Lor Bak is usually paired with sweet chili sauce.
The noodle station serves up two iconic noodle dishes from the Straits Settlements: Malacca’s Nyonya Laksa and Penang’s Assam Laksa. Try both and decide which one you like more!
Nasi Lemak is a definite must-try for local comfort food. Accompanying the coconut rice are rendang ayam, sambal sotong petai, sambal bawang, serunding, kerisik, anchovies, roasted peanuts, hard-boiled egg, cucumber, and keropok.
Sides
Besides main dishes, there are also lighter food options to sample. Popiah is among them.
Desserts
The dessert section features a colorful collection of Peranakan kuih, sweet porridges, and Western pastries, aptly reflecting Malaysia’s chill minum petang culture.
Booking
The Classic Peranakan Weekend Lunch Buffet is available every Saturday until the end of June. Eager to try it? You can reserve a table by contacting Four Points KLCC directly via WhatsApp or email.
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Directions to The Mesh @ Four Points Kuala Lumpur City Centre
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