from Paranoid Android
(no pork served)
Located right in the heart of KL, Hotel Maya is very beautifully designed with a lot of water based themes and caters to a lot of business guests due to it's location near the KLCC. Their Chinese restaurant, Still Waters, offers menu that runs on a fusion theme and they offer bento sets as well.
Still Waters is located one level below the lobby area and is an open restaurant. The Waterfall is a real beauty. As the water flows down, there is a pattern of clouds etched into the water as it flows down. It was rather hypnotic for me, and I could have spent hours watching it flow. The restaurant area is dimly lit and with the central water wall, it offers a calm respite from the Buzz of the city. My lunch that day was courtesy of somebody who was trying to pitch something to me. Please forgive the lack of photos as I do not want to seem to preoccupied with the meal during the pitch.
Fusion Chinese Cuisine is not new in KL. Chef Alex combines mainly Japanese influences in his Cantonese Cuisine. The food comes in individual portions like western dining and not a big common plate. Lunch Prices are pretty reasonable, at RM 50++, 55++ and 60++. Be forewarned that the dishes are served pretty slowly, therefore, allow at least 90 minutes to complete lunch. We had the RM 60++ lunch which includes an Amuse Bouche, 5 set dishes (no choices) and a dessert from the dessert menu.
The amuse bouche which was spring roll like with some seaweed. The next dish was Lobster fruit salad which came smothered in some mayonaisse which was not too impressive except that the lobster was of the right consistnecy. Not over cooked. The double boiled shark's fin soup was nothing extraordinary and perfunctory. Veges were stir fried asparagus which was one of the best I have tasted in a hotel, crunchy and not overcooked and coated with a light layer of oil.
The best dish has to be the Home Style Steamed Chilean Sea Bass. Not terribly fond of fish, this Sea Bass had me screaming for more. Tender and fragrant, the sauce and the fungus shrooms enhanced the taste if the fresh Seabass exquisitely. This dish was so good, I actually stopped my dining companion and excused myself to take a shot of the fish.
The Miso with rib eye was also a beautiful noodle based filler. And the dessert was good. Coconut Ice Cream with Avvocado Cream that was rich and flavourful and served with some fresh coconut meat.
The food here is generally good, but not to the point of epiphanic. All of the dishes were well prepared with fresh ingredients. Service was faultless and the ambiance a bit stark, but I liked it. But parking is horrendous at the Hotel, which makes me wonder, why are most hotel car parks in KL so horrid? My dining companion was successful with his pitch.
Still Waters
Hotel Maya
138, Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
+6.03.27.11.88.66
