To all foodies out there in Malaysia, here is your chance to indulge in Turkish cuisine for a whole week at restaurant Lemon Garden, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The buffet at Lemon Garden will serve 35 types of dishes that consist of appetisers, main courses and desserts.
Turkish Cuisine Week has been officially launched here, in collaboration with the Turkish Tourism Board. It will be held simultaneously around the world, from 21 – 27 May 2022.
I felt very excited about our invitation, perhaps since the Hari Raya celebration was still going on and this specially created week is definitely worth the mention. As a world cuisine that offers potential to respond to all dining trends, it is time to promote and celebrate its legendary flavours.
What do you know about Turkey?
Let me ask you a question: what do you know about Turkey? Apart from the famous capital Istanbul, where people from all over the world love to absorb its rich east-meets-west culture and history, and visit gems such as the monumental Hagia Sophia or go crazy on shopping at the Grand Bazaar, what else do we know about the country? And how much do you know about its cuisine?
Turkish cuisine
Influenced by the Ottoman cuisine, the Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Eastern European, Armenian and the Georgian cuisine, indeed the Turkish cuisine is a fusion and refinement from all these combined cuisines spanning a heritage of thousands of years.
Apart from its healthy and creative aspect, most Turkish food is prepared with the intention of utilising every element of its ingredients, without waste. The zero waste attitude has been in practice for centuries, with the principal that nothing should be wasted. It is a perspective that comes with effort, wisdom and patience, since most dishes take one to two days to prepare.
What’s more, the Turkish cuisine offers various options to all eaters, including vegetarians and vegans.
My favourites
Please look out for dishes such as the Kadinbudu kofte (fried mince lamb and rice), Saksuka (eggplant with tomato salsa) & Yaprak Sarma (stuffed vine leaves with rice). They are absolutely delicious!
As an ultimate coffee lover, the Turkish coffee accompanied by the Fishtikli Baklava (baklava with pistachio) was truly the highlight of my evening. Not only I have a thing for its cup and the way it is presented, the taste of the coffee and the baklava together is divine. Turkish coffee is possibly one of the best coffees I’ve ever tasted.
Timeless recipes
With the aim of boosting and promoting the gastronomy tourism of Turkey globally, a gastronomy book titled “Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes” has been published under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdogan and the auspices of the Presidency.
So if you’re attending the buffet, you will not only get to taste an incredible Turkish buffet, you will also get to bring home an impressive collection of 218 delicious and healthy recipes, including dishes that are waste-free, fermented, regional, local and gluten-free. Uniquely created for chefs at home and at work or even would-be chefs, it also discusses healthy storage and cooking techniques used in Turkish gastronomy. What a thoughtful effort!
Useful info
The lunch buffet at Lemon Garden, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur is priced at RM168 during the week (Tuesday – Thursday) and RM188 nett on the weekend (Friday – Sunday).
The dinner buffet is priced at RM188 nett (Tuesday – Thursday). Premium buffet dinners cost RM248 nett (Friday – Sunday), whereby guests can also enjoy an array of seafood and local Malaysian cuisine as well.
You can email the restaurant here for reservations or you can call them at 019 3902 257.
If you would like to read more about Turkish food, do log on here. Happy Turkish Cuisine Week!
