Seri Melayu - a rich cultural experience
September 1st 2007 07:47
The Seri Melayu Theatre Restaurant, on Kuala Lumpur’s Jalan Conlay aims ‘to provide a holistic cultural experience enriched by authentic cuisine, décor, music and dance and Malay hospitality ….” (Restaurant brochure)
Architecturally, the Seri Melayu is a showcase of Malay traditions. Made entirely from local timbers, it is styled on the rumah kampong or old Malay house, with elongated windows and wide eaves. The gabled roof, with the traditional Tunjuk Langit at its apex, is inspired by the dwellings of the Perak and Malacca. A tiled Malaccan stairway leads up to a wide verandah with carved rails. Tall wooden doors, thick with intricate carvings, open into the restaurant’s richly paneled lobby. The huge dining hall is designed and decorated in the luxurious style of the Malay Istana or palace. Its walls are paneled in wood and along its centre are four elaborately carved columns, or Tiang Seri . At the ceiling the carvings merge and blossom into giant hibiscus. The central column is another feature of the traditional rumah kampong and in the old Malay home it was of great importance and significance as the mainstay of the house.
If the Seri Melayu’s décor evokes the ambience of the Istana, its buffet of gourmet Malay cuisine evokes the generous traditions of palace hospitality. Presentation, variety and abundance are hallmarks of this extensive, colourful, sumptuous feast. Catering to local gourmets as well as foreign tourists, there are dishes to tempt and please all palates, from the afficiando to the initiate. There are satays, laksas and redangs, in a dozen different forms, and as many other ikan, goring and acar dishes. The delicious and plentiful desserts include kueh mueh (little local cakes) and tempoyek (fermented durian) Choice is difficult at the Seri Melayu buffet and over-indulgence a real hazard.
The cultural performance is another kind of feast. Featuring a range of famous old Malay folk dances and accompanied by traditional string instrument and drums, it is a breath-taking spectacle of sound, movement and colour. The wide range of traditional costumes show the full splendour of Malaysian textiles in gorgeous colours and patterns.
The staff, in traditional national dress, add more to the restaurant's authenticity and further enhance that luxurious, other world ambience of the Istana.
For the total, traditional Malaysian cultural and culinary experience, in a setting typical of old Malaya, you can’t go past the Seri Melayu
Architecturally, the Seri Melayu is a showcase of Malay traditions. Made entirely from local timbers, it is styled on the rumah kampong or old Malay house, with elongated windows and wide eaves. The gabled roof, with the traditional Tunjuk Langit at its apex, is inspired by the dwellings of the Perak and Malacca. A tiled Malaccan stairway leads up to a wide verandah with carved rails. Tall wooden doors, thick with intricate carvings, open into the restaurant’s richly paneled lobby. The huge dining hall is designed and decorated in the luxurious style of the Malay Istana or palace. Its walls are paneled in wood and along its centre are four elaborately carved columns, or Tiang Seri . At the ceiling the carvings merge and blossom into giant hibiscus. The central column is another feature of the traditional rumah kampong and in the old Malay home it was of great importance and significance as the mainstay of the house.
If the Seri Melayu’s décor evokes the ambience of the Istana, its buffet of gourmet Malay cuisine evokes the generous traditions of palace hospitality. Presentation, variety and abundance are hallmarks of this extensive, colourful, sumptuous feast. Catering to local gourmets as well as foreign tourists, there are dishes to tempt and please all palates, from the afficiando to the initiate. There are satays, laksas and redangs, in a dozen different forms, and as many other ikan, goring and acar dishes. The delicious and plentiful desserts include kueh mueh (little local cakes) and tempoyek (fermented durian) Choice is difficult at the Seri Melayu buffet and over-indulgence a real hazard.
Folk dance - Seri Melayu restaurant
The cultural performance is another kind of feast. Featuring a range of famous old Malay folk dances and accompanied by traditional string instrument and drums, it is a breath-taking spectacle of sound, movement and colour. The wide range of traditional costumes show the full splendour of Malaysian textiles in gorgeous colours and patterns.
Magnificent costumes - Seri Melayu cultural performers
The staff, in traditional national dress, add more to the restaurant's authenticity and further enhance that luxurious, other world ambience of the Istana.
For the total, traditional Malaysian cultural and culinary experience, in a setting typical of old Malaya, you can’t go past the Seri Melayu
| 62 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Lara M
Love Speaks
Food Slate