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I first read about Greek food through my favourite food author, Jeffrey Steingarten, and got a taste of it during the Greek Mediterranean Buffet Dinner at Prince Hotel & Residences Kuala Lumpur. The buffet is available for 10 days from May 9 – 19, 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

As guests tucked into a variety of Greek starters, main courses and desserts, Guest chef, George Diakomichalis demonstrated how to prepare baklava, a classic Greek pastry made with filo pastry dough, cinnamon spiced nuts and sweet syrup.

I really enjoyed the stuffed grape leaves and red snapper cold appetizer. Both are served cold, and the former is filled with rice, nuts and fresh herbs. Chef George shared that the red snapper appetizer is a party snack that he ‘put together’, and for something so impromptu, it was really tasty. I had three rounds of this.

I also tried the moussaka – a casserole of eggplant, meat and creamy béchamel – and Souvlaki (grilled meat skewers). Between the beef, lamb and chicken skewers, I enjoyed the beef best. Yiros (spit roasted lamb in pita bread) was decent, but not quite my thing. Instead, I preferred the Fassolatha, a classic white bean soup that was thick and hearty.

There was also a Greek beef stew which I enjoyed; the gravy was tomato based and heavily seasoned with spices. This went well with some crusted bread. For desserts, I had the Koq (pronounced as “coke”), a Greek cream puff comprising cake-like cookies, custard and chocolate ganache.

I didn’t manage to try the Rizogalo (Greek rice pudding) but another guest commented that it was creamy and richly flavoured. Overall, I rather enjoyed the Greek experience at Eccucino. While some dishes took some getting used to, I like that the food is hearty and well seasoned.

The Greek Mediterranean Buffet Dinner cost RM98++ per person. For reservation, please call 03-2170 8888.

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Ambiance: 7/10
Price: 5/10
Food: 6.5/10 (pork-free)
Verdict: If you want to sample a variety of Greek dishes, give this a try.

Eccucino
Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur
Opposite Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
No.4 Jalan Conlay,
50450 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Tel: +603-2170 8888
Facebook: PrinceHotelKL
Official Website