Buffet Breakfast @ the Carousel Cafe

Buffet breakfasts are usually the highlight of my stay at hotels. The idea of waking up to an unlimited supply of bacon, eggs, hash browns and waffles - among many other things - is a feeling that brings me so much of joy, words simply can't describe it.

I stayed at the Palace of the Golden Horses, located on Jalan Kuda Emas, at the Mines Resort City - over the summer. The buffet breakfast here was served at the Carousel Cafe. In the ornate cafe, were huge brightly coloured horses on golden poles - just like those on a carousel. The designs of the plates and cutlery were intricate.

The buffet spread was of reasonable variety, and was separated into different sections - such as the asian, western, bread and cheese sections. Depending on when you stay, the buffet breakfast here can get pretty crowded. As I was there during the summer, there were plenty of tourists from the Middle East staying there, and the cafe was incredibly packed.

Some of the western items on the spread included Beef Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Chicken Sausages, Baked Beans, Hash Browns and Turkey Ham.

The western dishes were commendable, as the beef bacon had a nice crispness to it and the chicken sausages were succulent, though not undercooked. The baked beans however, seemed like the ones in Heinz cans, with bits of capsicum added to it to make it look good, though I liked the fact that the hash browns were bitesize pieces, and in being so - they were a hit among children.

The variety of types of eggs available were of a reasonable amount, though I only stuck to the scramble eggs due to the fact that the omelettes came with a standard filling, and that I generally do not fancy half-boiled eggs with soy sauce.

As for the Malaysian delicacies, some of the dishes available included:

Nasi Lemak, with Chicken Rendang. Nasi Lemak is loved by Malaysians for its combination of wonderful flavours. The aroma of the rice, the sweetness of the sambal and the saltiness of the anchovies makes it the renowned dish it is. Though, the taste I got from the Nasi Lemak here was simply that of salt. The anchovies, the sambal and the rendang were all salty in flavour, and tasted nothing like those available in mamak stalls.

I also sampled the Congee with Condiments and the Roti Jala with Chicken Curry. These dishes too, were a disappointment to me. Firstly, the Roti Jala was dry and hard, the chicken curry was as salty as hell - the hard, overcooked chicken pieces didn't help change my impression either. The congee was of a nice consistency, though the condiments provided were not replenished, and so only the spring onions remained for me when I was there.

The other Malaysian dishes that I did not try included the Noodles with Condiments in broth, and Roti Canai with Dhal Curry. For a Malaysian hotel that has featured so many prominent guests, I was let down by the fact that the hotel was certainly not giving its visitors an authentic taste of Malaysian food.

Other features of the buffet included the Fruit and Juices Corner which contained freshly squeezed juices with pulp, and tropical fruit such honeydew, watermelon, papaya and mango. There was also the Cereal Section which contained cold milk and standard cereals such as Coco Crunch and Cornflakes, along with yoghurt and muesli - among other things.

There was a Bread and Cheese Section with varieties such as Cheddar and Gouda, and the breads came with a wide Selection of Spreads such as strawberry and apricot preserves, peanut butter, honey, blueberry jam and those small packets of butter.

Apart from the bread, there was a wide Selection of Pastries that tasted incredibly warm and fresh, though only after they were placed on the conveyer-belt like toaster located in the bread section. If not properly heated up, they were a bit tough and cold.

On the whole, the buffet breakfast at the Palace of the Golden Horses' Carousel Cafe had a satisfiable amount of variety that you would not be disappointed with. If you are staying there however, I would strongly recommend that you stick to the western section when you go down for breakfast. The quality and taste of the western food is far more superior than the asian varieties available.

Presentation: 5/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 4/10

Overall Taste: 4/10

General Impression: 5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic