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My sense of direction is awful. For my PMR trial, I scored a D for geography. That was the first time I got D for a grade. So rif taught me geography a month before the actual exam. I got my A, and conveniently deleted what he taught me. Since he was always around, he (reluctantly) became my GPS.

Last week, I was stuck in KL (without rif) — on the way to Doubletree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur. I keyed in the coordinates on my GPS, but I still got lost for 30 minutes. I made a frantic phone call to Suji, who then pointed me to the right direction. I was 45 minutes late for the [email protected] session.

This was a new “foodie journey” concept by the Doubletree by Hilton, Kuala Lumpur, where 10 personalities were treated to 20 specially selected dishes. Hence, 2010. I was one of the 10 personalities (along with Daphne Iking, Pete Teo, and Aly) chosen to dine at the hotel. The food journey started with a mini wine-tasting at Cellar Door. I missed out on the wine talk, so I only managed a sip of each drink before we were all ushered to Makan Kitchen for dinner.

We were ushered to a tatami-style room, and I immediately regretted wearing a short skirt. Note to self: Wear jeans next time!

Dinner started with a mini platter of Satay Aneka, Umai Umai Ikan Sarawak, Nyonya Otak Otak and Tandoori Chicken with Naan Bread. My favourite was the Umai Umai Ikan Sarawak, a raw fish salad. The combination of tangy seasoning, onion slices and julienned cucumber complemented the fish pieces well. Tandoori Chicken was a tad dry; I would have preferred the chicken leg rather than the breast meat. Nyonya Fish Maw Soup tasted like the soups mothers/grandmothers would make – very comforting. I didn’t like the Sarawak Laksa; the broth wasn’t “kau” or spicy and the chicken slices were overcooked. Ikan Pari Bakar was nicely flavoured and meaty. Quite delicious with the air asam and sambal kicap. I was greedy, and ate three pieces. *shy*By hotel standards, the Roasted Duck with Plum Sauce was decent. The duck was meaty and hardly gamey. While the plum sauce added flavour to the meat, it also caused the skin to be soggy. Pansoh Manuk is an Iban delicacy, where the chicken is cooked in bamboo with traditional herbs and spices. Eat this while it’s hot, as the broth isn’t as “shiok” once it turns cold.

The Nyonya-style Asam Prawn might be a pain to eat for some, but if you’re willing to get your hands dirty, you will be rewarded with succulent prawns coated with a sticky, sweet and tangy gravy. Kristang-style Grilled Squid was tender, slightly chewy and deliciously spicy. This paired well with white rice. I didn’t think much about the Podalanga Poriyal (Snake gout sautéd with Indian spices), but I changed my mind after tasting it. It was a hearty vegetable dish. Rendang daging was well-infused with spices and cooked with a generous amount of kerisik. It might be a tad too spicy for some, but I found it alright. I really enjoyed the Lamb Briyani Rice. The lamb pieces were fork-tender while the rice was fluffy and aromatic. For desserts, we adjourned to Tosca, the hotel’s Italian Trattoria with a cosy interior and a great view of the city. The dessert platter comprised Italian tiramisu, Traditional Baked Apple Tart, Chocolate Espuma & Marinated Strawberries.

Of the lot, I liked the apple tart most. The Tiramisu didn’t pack enough kick (alcohol-wise), while the richness of the Chocolate Espuma was cleverly countered by the berries coulis. Marinated strawberries were refreshing, but a tad too sour for my liking.

Dinner was a pleasant affair, and I really enjoyed myself. I’m looking forward to my next visit, since I promised rif we would try the mains at Tosca soon. Thank you Doubletree by Hilton KL, for being such lovely hosts! For more dining information, go to www.makan-moments.com. To know more about Doubletree, visit their website at www.doubletree.com.

*The Makan Kitchen Experience buffet is priced at RM59++ per person for lunch and RM79++ per person for dinner. Children age 12 and below will enjoy the buffet at half the price.

DoubleTree by Hilton KL
182 Jalan Tun Razak,
50400, Kuala Lumpur
03-2172 7272