Midori

Ahh, buffets. The economical route to satisfy those all-too-familiar sashimi cravings.

Fahrenheit 88's Midori features a fair selection of freshly sliced raw fish & oysters. Not top-notch, but decent enough to warrant multiple helpings.

Plenty of sushi too to stuff the stomach ...

... plus tempura & takoyaki (though these tend to get cold on the counter).

Shabu-shabu _ cooked at the table _ is worthwhile, though the dashi broth is a bit bland. Ingredients for the soup include prawns, bamboo clams & fish.

Butter crabs and other dishes prepared to order are also available, similar to other buffet outlets like Tenji and Jogoya.

Overwhelming quantity over quality, but at least nobody will leave this place hungry.

Service is efficient, but the restaurant imposes two different sessions for dinner: 5.30-8pm and 8pm-10.30pm. No overlapping allowed.

Booze is not a problem, with this small carafe of sake costing a reasonable 12 ringgit.

Midori,

Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Ritz-Carlton Lounge

We usually wake up too late for brunch on weekends, but someone's recent 30th birthday brought us here for a belly-busting celebration.

Kicking off the Ritz's Sunday Roast semi-buffet with fresh bread & Echire butter, addictive enough to keep us returning for seconds and thirds.

DIY Caesar salad, with sides of anchovies & beef bacon.

Fine de Claire oysters, shucked to order, so patience is essential.

Meaty crustaceans. A half-shell can fill nearly 10 percent of our eating capacity.

Salmon gravlax. Beautifully prepared, possibly the tastiest in town. Other excellent starters include a mighty fine mushroom terrine and scallops with kyuri.

Succulent veal sausages with potatoes.

Customers can choose a main course from three types available.

Roast lamb with all trimmings. Satisfactory but not sensational.

Black Angus prime rib with bone marrow jus & Yorkshire pudding. Tender, but maybe we should have requested the medium-rare, pinker slices.

Salmon coulibiac _ essentially fish pie with bits of eggs and rice. Also worthwhile, thanks to the moist, meaty fish and fairly flavorsome stuffing.

Desserts include a mountain of macarons, but these have a hard, biscuit-like texture that make them less than magical.

One caveat: forget ordering fruit juice unless you're OK to pay RM24++ per glass, since only plain water is complimentary for this Sunday roast.

Lobby Lounge,

Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur.