[Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia] The Castle Restaurant | A Middle-Eastern Restaurant
By Elin Chow - Monday, January 29, 2024
The Castle Restaurant is a Middle Eastern Restaurant located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, along the busy Jalan Tun Razak. Housed in a castle-like building, the restaurant offers a wide variety of delicious Middle Eastern delicacies to choose from.
Stepping inside, I was wowed by the decor and grandeur of the restaurant. The spacious interior was luxuriously decorated in Arabic style, with gold-ornamented ceilings and shining marble floors. With an inviting facade, a nicely decorated interior, and chandeliers with warm lighting, the Castle Restaurant is a perfect place for gatherings, whether with friends or family.
The menu is extensive, ranging from traditional Middle-Eastern dishes like Kabsa and Mandi rice dishes to seafood and grilled meats. If you are unfamiliar with Middle-Eastern cuisine, the menu can be a little overwhelming, especially when you are unsure about what some of the dishes are.
The cuisine of this region is varied, and is dominated by the foods from Arab, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Turkey and Israel. Many of the food from these countries share similar ingredients such as olives, sesame seeds chicken peas, parsley, and local spices like cumin, mint and turmeric.
LAMB MANDI
We ordered Lamb Mandi to share among the three of us. Mandi is a traditional Yemeni rice dish made with fragrant basmati rice topped with chucks of lamb or chicken meat and cooked in a tandoor with a variety of aromatic spices.
Served with slices of fresh cucumber and a mild chili sauce, the Lamb Mandi was absolutely delicious. The lamb was slow-cooked until the meat was tender and fell off the bone at the slightest touch. Marinated with spices, the meat were aromatic and full of flavor. It is a taste sensation that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
The rice was equally good as well. It was dry, fluffy and packed with flavor. The rice is yellowish in color due to the saffron spices. which gives it a delicious aroma. Each grain of rice was perfectly seasoned, and is delicious even when eaten without any sides.
HUMMUS & TAHINI
Hummus is probably one of best known Middle Eastern food. It is basically a dip or spread made of a blend of chicken peas, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice and garlic. Then it was topped with a drizzle of olive oil, a dusting of smoked paprika and Kalamata olives before serving.
The drizzle of olive oil makes the hummus look more aesthetically pleasing. It was served with soft flat bread, but it can also be used as dip or spread for almost any dish. Nutty, garlicky and tangy, it has a creamy and almost melt-in-mouth texture. However, the hummus was a little bland, so we have to season it with a sprinkle of salt when eating.
I love the Kalamata olives. It has a deep complex fruity taste with a mild salty taste, which adds a savory flavor to the hummus.
CHICKEN KEBAB
We also ordered Chicken Kebab, which is basically marinated chicken meat grilled on skewers over a fire until golden. It was served with french fries. shredded ice berg, grilled veggies and flat bread. For the dip, it was just mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce.
The dish can be eaten in any way you want. But I enjoy eating it as a kebab roll with the chicken wrapped up in the flat bread with some shredded ice berg, mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce. The chicken kebab were lightly charred on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside. Although it was flavorful, the spices were a little overwhelming to my liking.
CONCLUSION
As this was my first time eating Middle Eastern food, I cannot comment whether the food are authentic or not. But overall, the food was good. My favourite dish was definitely the Lamb Mandi.The portions are hearty, so it's best to come with an empty stomach.
THE CASTLE RESTAURANT
No. 83A, Jalan Tun Razak
Off Jalan Mayang Sari (Beside Hempshire Place)
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
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