THERE is only one thing in my head when I check in to one of Kota Bharu four-star hotels, Grand Riverview Hotel - its Dim Sum!
I secretly wished that I would be put at this business class hotel with a Dim Sum brunch included in my Kota Bharu itinerary, and imagined my excitement when I got my itinerary for this trip.
Dim sum is my favourite Chinese food, and while it's not difficult to find halal Dim Sum in Kuala Lumpur, I just have to try the dim sum at the hotel's Chinese restaurant, Chao Yuan Restaurant.
Especially after looking at those Dim Sum photos - spread of fine-looking Dim Sum dishes in Chinese bamboo steamers - shared by my friend on her Facebook account!
WAITING GAME
But I have to hold my excitement a little bit longer because the itinerary planned for the day puts Dim Sum for lunch, and my friends and I are to have a quick, small breakfast at the adjacent D'Brasserie Restaurant.
Well, it is actually a day of makan. The first item in our itinerary is a quick breakfast at the restaurant before we go out to hunt for Kota Bharu's breakfast goodies at Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah and a floating market at Pengkalan Chepa.
But I have it all planned out - to have stronger self-control especially at the legendary wet market so that I have more places in my stomach for the Dim Sum.
Meantime, how's the stay? As for this morning, the Grand Riverview Hotel looks everything a business class should be - grand but with a clean-cut, straight to the point design and well-equipped.
The lobby is minimally designed but yet still elegant and inviting, and same goes to the D'Brasserie Restaurant - simple, not pretentious and spacious.
As for the room, our room looks quite new - later we're told we're staying on a newly renovated floor, ample and well-appointed with the basic amenities.
LUNCH TIME
Then, it's time. Chao Yuan Restaurant takes a slightly more elegant and lavish look than its neighbour.
Though it doesn't really look typically Chinese, one can tell it is a Chinese restaurant thanks to the gold tablecloths with typical Chinese symbols and the arranged cutleries on the round tables.
Like working on a cue, shortly after my friends and I sit down, the serving staff come out with two big trays of stacked bamboo steamers. They gingerly place the steamers one by one on the lazy susan on our table.
I just can't blink my eyes. There are over 20 steamers in front of us, each Dim Sum item - steamed and deep-fried - comes in two steamers. Super!
For the record, the restaurant has a long list of Dim Sim items up its sleeve, of which it offers over 30 items in its weekdays' a la carte menu and over 40 items on its buffet brunch on weekends (Friday-Saturday) and public holidays.
The a la carte menu items are priced from RM5.50 per steamer, while the buffet brunch is RM36.80 (per adult) and RM19.80 (per child).
I am told that the house signature items are the crispy shrimp roll and the braised chicken feet. While I'm not a big fan of chicken feet in any form, the shrimp rolls get my nods.
In fact, I have to agree with the staff's recommendation to try hot-selling items like fried radish cake and steamed rice roll with shrimp. Lucky me that these items come in two steamers each!
These Dim Sum items definitely look better than those photos my friend posted and are probably the best I have ever tasted.
All this while, whenever I thought of Dim Sum, my mind would bring me back to a canteen in Hong Kong. But now, I know Chao Yuan Restaurant will be in my head each time that crave for Dim Sum hits me.
FAST FACTS
GRAND RIVERVIEW HOTEL
Jalan Post Office Lama
15000 Kota Bharu
Kelantan
TEL 09-743 9988
FAX 09-743 8388
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE http://grv.com.my/
STAY The hotel offers three room categories - premier, suite and executive suite. The rooms are well equipped with standard amenities. If you could, request to have a room with the Sungai Kelantan view.
EAT Three outlet - the all-day dining D'Brasserie Restaurant, the elegant Chao Yuan Restaurant and its vibrant lounge The View.
DO For those who like to stay indoor, the hotel has an outdoor swimming pool and a well-equipped gymnasium. But why stay indoors when there's a whole city of Kota Bharu to explore.
GO Its central location puts the hotel within walking distance to the city's major tourist attractions. Take a leisurely walk to Kota Bharu Trade Centre, Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah and Cultural & Heritage Zone.
HIGHS It is probably one of the highest star-rated, business-class hotels in the city. This assures the quality of service, facilities and hospitality it's offering.
LOWS Sitting at the quiet Jalan Post Office Lama and fronting a not-so-appealing looking building has somewhat a disquiet mood to the location which may scare first-timers or female travellers to especially walk the street at night.
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