Sunday 4 April 2021

A Fabulous Birthday Lunch at Serai

Last Saturday I treated my brother to a belated birthday lunch. We had planned to celebrate earlier but his car was sent for service and would not be ready in time for our date.

Our sole purpose for choosing Serai at Jaya Shopping Centre was to eat the Middle Eastern Medley - Moroccan lamb shank served with spiced rice, cucumber raita and Turkish relish. 

The last time we were there was in 2016 with our mum who was most impressed with this dish.


We were early as usual to avoid peak hour. Especially under current circumstances, it is best to avoid the crowd.


By default, our beverage of choice is more often than not a Long Black for me and a Latte for him.


My brother ordered another drink for himself, an iced Latte. All our three coffees were wonderful. 

For our mains, it was the long anticipated Middle Eastern Medley.


Does that not look magnificent?


The plating is even more gorgeous than before.



The rice was aromatic and delicious and the meat tender and falling off the bone.


Everything on my plate hit all the right spots. The cucumber raita and Turkish relish (warning : it is spicy hot which is why my brother gave his to me) were both perfect accompaniments to the meal.

My only complaint (and so was my brother's) is that the portion of rice was a tad too small. We would have appreciated a little bit more rice to match the portion of meat.


What's a birthday celebration without cake? At the cake counter there were only two cakes available - Pavlova and Hazelnut Roche. So we picked one slice of each.


We loved the Pavlova - creamy, berrylicious and not too sweet. Maybe this is not the conventional Pavlova because my brother told me he disliked the Pavlovas he tried before as he found them hard and dry.


We also loved the Hazelnut Roche, a chocolaty and creamy cake with wafer-like bits for textural contrast. 


I would love to come back for another similar experience. Perhaps for my birthday hee..hee..


Not exactly a pocket-friendly lunch but one worth every Ringgit spent - I would never slave in the kitchen to cook those lamb shanks and I am definitely not up for baking such fancy cakes. Hah!


Besides, it's a birthday lunch for my brother where his sister would spare no expense to ensure that it is a proper treat!


A little update on Belle Belle. This is her, early Saturday morning taking a snooze at Girl's favorite spot outside my room. That is why I have to put her inside her cage (in the evenings) to prevent territorial disputes.


I took her to the vet for a follow up where she received two jabs which would hopefully clear her ear infection once and for all.


There was a whole lot of hissing at the vet's and she finally settled down back in the office.

22 comments:

  1. Wow! Now I want to eat at Serai, lolx! The lamb shank sure is tasty when I ate it last time. Good to see they keep up their standard for the food.

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    1. It is still as good as the first time, you must go back and eat this.

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  2. Normally Pavlova are crispy outside but soft inside. This cake is all soft n no crispy outside?

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    1. There were crispy parts but it is mostly soft.

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  3. Thank you for taking good care of Belle Belle. She knows it too so that's why she sleeps outside your bedroom. Just hissing at the vet is not too bad. No more Lai liew. Fingers crossed that her ears infection get better. Is it due to ear mites?

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    1. Yes, ear mites and the infection is clearing up nicely. Fingers crossed she will be all good in the next few days,

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  4. Ah Girl went out in the morning for her morning walks? Once both of them are familiar with each other, both can sleep together outside their beloved mommy's door.

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    1. Ah Girl loves to go out a lot hah..hah... I hope that they can get on much better.

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  5. I would be impressed by that dish too. Mid-Eastern? Looking at the name, I was expecting a Malay/Malaysian restaurant.

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    1. They also serves nasi ulam etc but this is the best one on the menu.

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  6. Haha, there aren't many things you like that I don't...but one of it is lamb shank! ;) Ya, the traditional pavlova doesn't look like that. That's more like a strawberry cake where as a pavlova is mostly meringue and that's made predominantly with egg whites and lots of sugar. That's also the reason why I don't like pavlova as they can be very sweet. The ones your brother ate and disliked may have been overbaked till hard and dry...it should be light, crisp and airy.

    Female cats are not known to be territorial (at least not that I know). So, Belle being outside your door was just a case of her wanting to be as near as mommy as possible or simply waiting for you to come out. I would find Cookie outside my door too when I wake up from my naps. I'm glad you finally got the jab option for her ear mites problem (not sure why there was two jabs though) and hope it clears soon. Haiz, the vet should have given you that option earlier which is so much easier to handle than trying to put medicine in her ears.

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    1. Is it because of the gamey smell? The lamb shank here is not gamey at all and is delicious.

      Both of them love that spot, and when I first took Belle in, Girl was very upset when Belle took her spot outside my room. There is a major improvement in Belle's ear. No more pus and residue coming out of her ear. And she is not stinky anymore hah..hah... The two jabs are for the ear mites and antibiotic for the infection.

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  7. What a wonderful birthday treat. Nice to go out dining with your bro.

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    1. My bro is my favorite dining companion!

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  8. wonderful birthday treat! good to hear that Belle is all good at home!

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    1. Thanks, Belle is recovering very well.

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  9. Your birthday treat at Serai makes me drool. The cakes too look so beautiful and delicious. Hope one day Girl will allow Belle to share her favourite napping spot. Hope no more ear infection for Belle.

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    1. Belle's ear infection is healing very nicely. I also hope that she and Girl can get along and be good friends.

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  10. I supposed the lamb shank rice is sharing portion as it looks rather big in your photo but both of you had one plate each and followed by two desserts.... =.=" Salute your appetite!

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    1. The portion is actually not that big but maybe small eaters need to share.

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  11. Wow That's look really delicious, cool you have birthday lunch :) Thanks for sharing
    Marie!

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