The holy month is upon us, and that means major preparations for a slew of back-to-back Ramadhan buffets for Muslim diners to break their fast. A popular feature in hotels, hosting buka puasa buffet feasts create the perfect opportunity for seasonal publicity and lets patrons experience dining at the various establishments.
To help you stay ahead of the game, we bring you some popular Ramadhan buffet offerings are guaranteed to keep your guests coming back for more!
Spit roast station
Nothing impresses diners more than the sight of a massive spit roast station upon walking in – an assuring sign that the hotel does not skimp when it comes to quality food offerings. Popular choices would be either lamb or beef, preferably accompanied by an assortment of dips and sauces to go with the meat. Additionally, having a chef on standby to accommodate carving requests as well as sauce recommendations could portray first-rate hospitality, reflecting positively on the hotel's image.
Salad station
Set up your station to offer popular Ramadhan options, and that means preparing the basic ingredients most commonly present in Malay salads. Be it kerabu mangga or basic ulam, it is best to offer flexible ingredients that can be whipped up into different kinds of salad. Don't forget the dressing to complete the dish – apart from the classic choices like mayonnaise and Thousand Island, why not offer a local favourite such as chilli lime?
Of course, there's bound to be some sort of meat offering as an additional garnish – dried shrimp and fish are excellent options, and a cost-effective measure to finish up extra stock as these ingredients are not used up as regularly as other ingredients.
Noodle station
A common sight in buffet settings, spice up your usual offerings of chicken soup with an additional choice for laksa, curry or tom yam base. Strike a perfect balance with spicy and non-spicy options for added variety, and patrons will surely be left with a positive impression.
Authentic local cuisine
Highlighting the head chef's background in your marketing plan may also be an excellent tactic to maximise buffet patronage. As the selection of local dishes typically fall under the head chef's purview, the locality of the cuisine served will also take after the same influence. For instance, if the chef is Northern-based, there's bound to be a high chance for a majority of authentic Northern Malaysian cuisines on the buffet table.
Street food
Incorporating much loved local street food fare in your buffet offerings taps into a nostalgia that reminds patrons of the humble beginnings of every big establishment. Reflect that very same impression through a delectable selection of pisang goreng and cucur udang – an invaluable method to associate a down-to-earth image to your hotel.
Of course, there's no need to fully shift the focus towards local fare in your selections. Ramadhan buffets typically comprise 80% local food and 20% international cuisines so there's just the matter of striking the perfect balance in between for added variety.
