One upon a time in India, a thousands ‘tiffin-wallahs’ distributed, with amazing accuracy, hundreds upon thousands of lunches to hungry workers, via tiffin carriers. A loving wife or a caring mother might even have packed her husband’s or children’s lunches in this manner. Every day, thousands of Indian folks would get their delicious lunches on time, and there was hardly any mix up, as there was a system you see. A system which got the right tiffin, to the right person every single day.
And now, this lovely tiffin experience, albeit a more luxurious version of the one in India, can be enjoyed by anyone who visits Colonial Cafe at The Majestic Hotel KL. The Colonial Cafe has revived this colonial tradition, harkening back to the halcyon days of the planters of Malaya with the re-introduction of the Sunday Curry Tiffin Lunch. Priced at RM78++ per person and served every Sunday from 12.00pm to 2.00pm, this indulgent set includes English tiffin classics such as Hainanese Chicken Curry, Mutton Varuval, Egg Masala and Fried Fish Masala.
Here at 10 Great Reasons to Visit Colonial Cafe for its Sunday Tiffin :
Great Service
Service at the Majestic is always impeccable. And there is a sumptuous sense of nostalgia when smartly dressed waiters in white, wait on you in such a doting manner. The bright, contemporary dining space with sunlight streaming from a skylight, gorgeous timber panels, leather chairs & white tablecloths, is stately indeed. Prepare to be spoilt!
Value for Money
Refillable portions of Rice, Crispy Bitter Gourd Mango chutney, Fish puttu, Salted egg, Marinated cucumbers, Toasted coconut, Banana slices & Fried ikan bilis, for this traditional Sunday Curry Tiffin lunch, priced RM78++ per person only – definitely value for money.
Fish Puttu
Fish puttu is a delicious traditional recipe of south India, that has an awesome flavor. I was pretty excited to see this on the side dish list as it’s not everyday you get Fish Puttu! Traditionally it is made with Shark fish pieces because its tasty and has less bones, so you don’t need to pick it out of the flesh. I think they used Tilapia fillet here, and I could taste the delicious flavors of black mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, pepper, garlic and cilantro in each mouthful of dry shredded fish. Super delicious!
Crispy Bitter Gourd
Crisp, evenly fried and very very mildly bitter, the Colonial Cafe is very proud of their crispy bitter gourd, and rightly so. It is even more additive than well fried french fries! These bitter gourd chips are coated in a light batter with just the right amount of masala seasoning. The batter adds flavor and ensures the chips are crisp and delicious. I love it.
The Mains:
Top L – R :
Egg Masala
Egg Masala Curry is a mouth watering dish for those who love eggs.. I mean, who doesn’t love eggs?! Hard boiled eggs in a spicy curry of spices and cooked in onion, tomato gravy.. another great one to “banjir” (drench) your rice with!
Hainanese Chicken Curry
One of our all-time favourite dishes is the Hainanese Chicken Curry and the cafe does it so well. This is a variation of chicken curry that tastes quite different from most Indian curries or even Malay, Indonesian or Thai versions. The flavour comes from copious amounts of coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal & kunyit – it’s delicious and comforting. Which is exactly what one wants after a long day of work!
Mutton Varuval
The warm, soft, juicy and spicy chunks of cooked meat complimented perfectly with steamed rice of course! The meat is cooked until the gravy almost dries up. Spices like fennel seed and cumin seed are used to infuse the mutton with their fragrant flavours. Too addictive for words.
Fried Masala Fish
This Chettinad Style Fish Fry is a classic example of a deft and exuberant use of spice. The garam masala is what imparts the lovely flavours of peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, cumin seeds, nutmeg and cardamom – great flavors of freshly ground masala, onions/shallots, ginger, garlic & Indian spices. The fish had a nice crispy mouthfeel and was best eaten while still hot.
Sago Gula Melaka
One of the classic Nyonya desserts is the Sago Gula Melaka. Chewy pearl sago drenched in combination of sweet gula melaka (palm sugar) and fragrant santan (coconut milk).. what’s there not to like? The one at the Colonial Cafe is super sweet, so hold on to your socks!
Masala Tea
Or Masala Chai, as they call it. Masala tea that combines black tea, spices, sugar and milk is the perfect end to any meal.. and any offering of tea is a definitely a sign of generosity, thanks, and the conclusion to a well planed meal. The spices that make up this lovely chai would be cardamom, ginger, clove, black pepper and cinnamon. In fact a cup of masala chai can be made to suit personal taste and preferences. Some prefer cloves while some fennel seeds. Whatever it is, a proper masala chai made is made with loose tea and whole spices, resulting in a pungent and rich brew. Sip it and be glad to be alive!
The Sunday Tiffin Lunch is priced at RM78++ per person and is available for lunch only on Sundays at Colonial Cafe, The Majestic Hotel KL. It is served from 12pm to 2pm and comes with beverage options of salted lassi, masala tea or fresh juices as you prefer.
For more information call 03 – 2785 8000 or visit www.majestickl.com.
I enjoyed your fairytale beginning to this story.
LOL thanks!