It’s December and almost every hotel in town has lined up special festive feasts for Christmas and New Year. Brain-stormed and concepts prepared months before, buffets and set meals menus are offered with special items included to bring out the festive cheer.
If there’s one buffet I would go for, then it has to be a Japanese buffet. Eyuzu, the Japanese restaurant in the Eastin Hotel, Petaling Jaya does offer a pretty extensive range. Eyuzu serves its popular Shumatsu Buffet Dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. This buffet dinner is also available for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve with special festive items included.
The buffet is spread out across many stations: Salads & Appetizers, Sushi & Sashimi, Hot Dishes, Tempura Action Station, Teppanyaki Action Station, Yakimono Station and a specially set-up Carving Station for Christmas – think roasted whole turkey and chicken with cranberry sauce, giblet sauce and braised vegetables.
My favourite station is undoubtedly the Sushi & Sashimi station – I can never resist fresh raw salmon, butterfish, oysters, octopus and marinated white tuna. Over at this station you can also have fresh maki rolls made on-the-spot for you. My favourites are the Salmon Avocado Maki and the Soft-shell Crab Maki.
Salmon Avocado Maki
Soft-shell Crab Maki
From the Hot Dishes, the Oven-baked Chicken Wings Yakiniku must be tried. The plump chicken wings dripping with thick honey-soya sauce call for bare-hands eating and the obligatory finger licking because they are that good! Indulge in all the grilled items here, from teriyaki chicken to eels and salmon heads. Deep-fried breaded prawn dumplings and salmon dumplings are unusual. I like the flaky salmon inside the dumplings and it’s good to note it’s not mashed up with some unidentifiable paste.
Deep-fried Prawn and Salmon dumplings
Oven-baked Chicken Wings Yakiniku
At the Teppanyaki Action Station, just for this festive season, check out the teppanyaki grilled turkey breasts with garlic butter sauce. The roulades of turkey breast are pretty good – tender and tasty and not dry as turkey breasts usually are.
Teppanyaki grilled turkey breasts with garlic butter sauce
Cold Soba – love the crunchy tempura bits sprinkled on top
The Desserts, Ice Cream & Coffee Station offers a lavish spread of Japanese sweets, fresh fruits, ice cream of various flavours and special Christmas desserts like yule logs, ginger bread pudding and assorted yuletide cookies. I love the soft fluffy Japanese pancakes served with a variety of toppings like honey, chocolate sauce, peanut butter and even kaya! My favourite is the Abekawa Mochi which squirts out luscious black sesame paste when you bite into it!
Matcha Icecream
The Christmas and New Year’s Eve Buffet Dinner is available on 24 & 31 December from 6.30pm till 10.00pm. Price is RM118++ (adult) and RM59++ (child).
For reservations, please call +603-7665-1111 ext.203.
Eastin Hotel
13 Jalan 16/11
Pusat Dagang Seksyen 16
46350 Petaling Jaya
Website here