Dim Sum buffet at Hyatt

Last Sunday Laura and I decided to go all out for some serious makan (eating) to mark the end of her industrial training at Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary. When trying to find a nice place, not the common shops we’re used to since it is kind of a celebratory moment, maybe something snazzy, posh and classy. I wanted to suggest we go to one of the resorts such as Sutera Harbour (we had a Chinese New Year buffet there and it was sumptuous) but figured it was a bit beyond our cost at the moment. Next we looked to places like Little Italy, the quaint and ever so popular Italian restaurant downtown with very good Italian fares, their pizzas are just lovely and the amount of cheese they put on the pasta will kill you with richness not to mention they have a lovely wine menu. The German restaurant, Gunter’s Kitchen was another candidate, but we have already frequented these fine establishments many times already and thought a change would be good. All Stars is a great Western diner, open aired and nearby to the sea, the prices of their dishes are affordable and good eating especially items like the steaks and chicken chops, but also a too familiar haunt.

Japanese is always good, but again prices thwarted us since the great Japanese buffet at Nagisi at the KK Hyatt serves a good platter. In the end I suggested we go for dim sum also at Hyatt, the Chinese Restaurant (this is the actual name mind you). She said ok since she misses the Ipoh food. I’ve been there before in past occasions before meeting Laura so I know what platter they serve. Decided on the buffet at RM23 per person. The place was packed like any other Sunday, had to wait a while as the usher cleared an opening. We were soon showed our table and promptly drinks were served, Chinese tea in the pot and accompanying ice cold water. The baskets of dim sum were being carted about to allow diners to choose which variety they wanted to sample. Got about 8 to 10 trays consisting of har kau (prawn wrapped in clear rolls), siew mai (minced beef patties), giant fish balls, wanton, kai pau (chicken steam buns), fu chuk (wrapped soya bean skins), lor mai kai (glutinous chicken rice) and hong kong chee yung fan. Also available were a variety of fried stuff such as sweet sour chicken, picked chicken legs, yar char kuay (a long deep fried flour pastry) and yam cakes. Dessert was also good with cool mix fruit jelly drinks, pastries, cakes, red bean soup, herbal soup and porridge.

Had quite a feast as we slowly ate and chatted, the quite and subdued setting was great for conversations and to relax. Since the buffet lasted till 2 p.m. we had a go at a lot of the stuff and slowly washed them down with Chinese tea until we felt to full to move. It was a great was to celebrate and not too pricey too. Still it's hard to please Ipoh and Penang eaters (seriously!), Laura says it still can't compare with Ipoh's fare and having taste it once with a har kau containing 3 huge prawns inside I have to agree but it's one of the few good eats in town.