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Fans of Malaysian cuisine, Salam Sejahtera! From March 27th to April 5th, the Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel and Tourism Malaysia are proud to host the Malaysian Food Festival, which presents an impressive spread of dishes from Malaysia's rich and multifaceted cultural heritage. If you've yet to try such delicious treats as nasi lemak or mee goreng, this is the perfect opportunity to sample a wide range of what Malaysian cooking has to offer. Various traditional dancers, musicians and craftspeople are also on hand to further accent the cultural festival with charm and enthusiasm.

Malaysian food is a wild fusion of Chinese, Indian, Southeast Asian and local Malaysian traditions that inject a spicy wallop to the taste buds. Making full use of various traditional pastes and spices, the seasoning of typically fresh and vibrant ingredients is both familiar yet exciting. Each night during the festival, the buffet spread showcases many of these Malaysian favorites in the lobby-level Cafe Bistro, all with authentic ingredients imported from Malaysia.

Entering the dining area, various stations greet curious diners with live cooking demonstrations. The aroma of satay skewers sizzling on the charcoal grill wafts past the chopping board at the Chinese-influenced Hainanese Chicken Rice cart and the bubbling layers of crisp and flaky roti prata bread. The festival also offers Nyonya-style laksa lemak, a spicy coconut-based soup with shrimp and rice noodles. Topped with shredded chicken, lemon grass, fried tofu, egg and an inspired assortment of spicy sauces, this is a classic Malaysian dish that is a must try.

The buffet area is a modest guide through Malaysian cuisine, focusing mainly on saucy chunks of meat and vegetable that pair nicely with the Nasi Minyak (rice cooked in ghee, an Indian clarified butter). This smooth rice is perfect for cutting through the ginger and fresh chili in dishes like Ayam Masak Kicap (chicken braised in sweet soy and tomato ketchup), Udang Berlada (prawns in spicy chili sauce), and Asam Pedas Ikan (hot and sour fish with tamarind and lemongrass). Real Malaysians might not be satisfied with the heat quotient, which has been tailored to spare newcomers from a mouthful of fire. However, rest assured: these dishes are still hot enough.

Executive Chef Marco Pigatto and Executive Sous Chef Nge Aik Tee are no strangers to Southeast Asian cuisine: Chef Marco has resided in Asia for 15 years and Chef Tee is originally from Singapore. They recommend a few personal favorites, which are both delicious. Chef Marco likes the Beef Rendang, cubes of beef liberally covered in a thick coconut and chili sauce. Seasoned with a comforting blend of fragrant cinnamon, star anise, cloves and tumeric, the coconut cream sauce blends with the sharpness of lemongrass, galangal, coriander and kaffir lime leaves. The combination of fiery spice, sour herbs, sweet cream and savory meat is a hit. Chef Tee suggests the duck in Japanese-inspired rib sauce. Comparably lighter in flavor and texture to the rendang, these delicate slices of tender duck are soaked in a sweet and salty marinade with red peppers. After mouthful upon mouthful of hot curry and spicy sambal sauce, this dish may give your tongue a rest before delving into the next plate.

There is also an assortment of cooling salads, such as Karabu Udang and Karabu Ayam (shrimp or chicken tossed with cucumber and shredded cabbage in a hot and sour sauce), Ahcar Sayur (tossed vegetables in a sweet and sour mix of pineapple, vinegar, lemongrass and crushed peanuts), and Ayam Pelalah (shredded chicken in chili and lime juice).

Dessert is decidedly more international, with the superb cheesecake and tiramisu, yet you can still find some pandan-based treats. There is also a selection of Italian-inspired antipasti, fresh bread, cheese, fruits and even some chilled shellfish to round out the overall buffet spread.

The Sheraton's 20-year history in Shanghai has certainly established it as a reliable and trusted presence. Their five-star professional staff provides great service and add to the experience; for the current event, they are dressed in colorful and traditionally-patterned Malaysian clothing. With four restaurants spread throughout the building, the Sheraton is also an affordable option for fine dining in the city, offering Chinese, Japanese, Italian and contemporary fare. Their regular Sunday brunch buffet is 238RMB per person, not including service charge.

The Malaysian Food Festival
March 27th to April 5th, 2009
128 RMB for lunch; 228 RMB for dinner

-by Neil Yeung

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