After the buka puasa stint at Sahara Tent, I decided to sample more middle eastern cuisine. So I made arragements with a friend to buka puasa at Museum Restaurant and Cafe which is located inside the Islamic Arts Museum. Again it is not a big restaurant. It can accomodate about 180 diners at any one time. The ambiance was great. There's also a surau nearby.
The buffet spread was middle eastern local and international. I was not interested in the local dishes so i passed them all. Again I started with the middle eastern appetizer, the hommous, baba ghanouj, fool maktoum, falafel some olives and lebanese bread. The hommous was a bit too strong for my taste, but i finished it anyway. The rest was not bad but not spectacular.
I then head to the kebab counter. I took a sirloin cut and chicken shawarma. The sirloin cut was nicely done and juicy. The shawarma however was a little dry. After that again i had the Makloubah, shish kebab and shish tawouk. The chicken in the makloubah was very nice and tender, however the kebab was dry and i was quite dissapointed.
I also took meatballs cooked in tahina sauce and roast beef with mushroom and baked salmon. Very nice, and the salmon was good. For dessert I gobbled up the Egyptian bread pudding called Omm Ali and of course, Baklava.
Overall, I was not impressed with the buffet. I think it was better last year. They should have focus on one type of cuisine rather than trying to give the whole spectrum of cuisine inone dining. Imagine having budu placed next to the Hommous. Not quite a combination. And at RM 55 (last year was RM38), I think it is a bit steep too. I dont mind paying that much if the food is good.
If you want a second or a third opinion, checkout the review by The Star and Friedchillies.
So, my quest continues... perhaps next week I shall visit Tarbush. Stay tuned.
tiba² terdendang lagu middle east di dalam kepalaku..
Posted by: zack | Sunday, November 09, 2003 at 05:39
oh my god,now i miss all these food!
Posted by: ida | Sunday, November 09, 2003 at 07:40
Totally agreed with you Kaz! I went there last nite...Total dissapointment.. Had some baklava n kurma for berbuka, head for the surau then at 7.30 had to go & pick my gf, buy the time i got back at 8, pinggan pun tadak! had to use the small plates to have my main course.. by 9.00 they're clearing out the plates and buffet spread.. aku makan pun tak abis lagi.. if I were to pay RM55 for a buffet , i expect to be served until at least 10pm!
Food: Baklava, Sirloin cuts, basically the middle eastern food
Ambiance: Really-really nice interior
Posted by: bad | Monday, November 10, 2003 at 10:13
Went there last year, so I was surprised that the price went up this year, with such a big jump too. Anyways it wasn't that great either at that time, so I wonder how it could be this year (for you, Kaz, at least) that last year's was better.... the baklava though was fantastic, that I agree. Must've had almost a whole plateful by myself then.. it just kinda melt in your mouth.. ahh...
Posted by: ted | Monday, November 10, 2003 at 11:15
Food was absolutley shite, except of course the young green crunchy olives. I took my family there for buka last week and my son ate snowballs covered in rose syrup all nite long...not bad actually considering the amount of ice that can be bought and eaten for RM55...almost enough to build low cost igloos for a community of eskimo's.
Yes i agree, last years pricing was better and so was the food....i thought the new decor was a bit glaring, kinda reminded me of 'ALL SMILES' dentistry in Hartamas with little men in white coats clearing the tables as soon as you went up for more food.
The only thing i do like about the place however is the fact that you can make yourself feel at home and the waiters and waitresess always stop to see how you are and ask how you have been since they last saw you which was almost a year ago!! And no, we did not feel rushed into leaving too, this may have something to do with family friends owning the place and because of that your always bound to bump into someone you know which is always a delight, especially when they offer to settle your bill!! Now thats what i call dessert.
Posted by: EarlyHours | Monday, November 10, 2003 at 15:40
*gasps *lick lips... Shaurma!! I'm really bored now and ur entry made me a very hungry person. Could u pass over tt shaurma? =( I'm getting desperate here... Shaurma... how I miss u shaurma... Wait, this shaurma u had is with the thin or thick lavash? Make mine thin. Till then, I'll sit here and drool... (I know, kinda sad, huh?)
Posted by: Diana | Tuesday, November 11, 2003 at 02:53
However is the fact that you can make yourself feel at home and waiters and waitresess always stop to see how you and ask how you have been seeing since the last, which was almost a year ago. And no, we did not feel rushed to leave too, and this may have something to do with friends of the royal family of the place.
Posted by: travel recommendations | Tuesday, June 07, 2011 at 23:59