Lisette’s Sunset Buffet: A Vegetarian-Friendly Spread Even Meat-Eaters Can Appreciate

The buffet at Lisette’s never lets anyone feel left out.

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Let’s face it, almost every buffet spread offered that we know of is rarely vegetarian-friendly, let alone fully vegetarian.

Vegetarians who do visit buffets usually have very limited options ranging from salad to bread, or fruits to some type of pasta dish.

What’s a shame is that many people are missing out on excellent vegetarian food that’s not only tasty, but also very satisfying.

Lisette’s is one place that we think has found just the right formula that caters to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian palates.

A buffet that leaves nobody out

Typically, the buffet at Lisette’s Cafe & Bakery opens from 11am to 2pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays depending on the outlet.

But since we are now going through the holy month of Ramadan, the eatery has shifted their buffet to dinner time.

We think that’s a pretty generous move, so that Muslims who are fasting won’t have to miss out on their delicious spread for a whole month!

Besides, it’s a pretty nice change to enjoy their buffet for dinner instead, when the weather is cool.

When two culinary worlds collide

TRP visited Lisette’s Sunset Buffet at Sunway 163 Mall in Mont Kiara recently to check out what the spread is like, and boy were we pleased.

After we settled in at our table, we made a pass through the buffet line to see what was on offer. It was a fair split between both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes which included both Western and Asian fares.

As the sound of the Azan (call to prayer) from a prayer app at another table signaled the time to break fast, we dug into our dinner collected from the buffet line earlier.

For appetisers, we highly recommend the hummus (mashed chickpeas) or moutabal (mashed eggplant), which is a staple dish at any Lisette’s buffet. Both have a delicate, creamy texture with just the right amount of seasoning that doesn’t diminish the taste of chickpeas or eggplants. They can be eaten as is, or dip some crispy flatbread in them like Middle-Eastern Doritos.

The Fusili Truffle Salad next to the Hummus Chickpeas is also exquisite. The taste is strong and satisfying if you’re a truffle-lover.

Next, we snacked on the Fried Spicy Cauliflower, which is also a mainstay at their buffets. The cauliflowers are thinly-breaded so you don’t feel cheated with an overload of flour, and the spiciness is not overwhelming either.

The dip next to it tastes like a mayonnaise-based sauce with sprinkles of paprika powder, which nicely complemented the spicy cauliflowers.

If they’re available, don’t miss the Vegetable Spring Rolls, which are fried to crispy perfection.

Non-vegetarians might want to try the Spinach Quiche, which offers savoury flavours despite being meatless.

If you remember a certain Pixar film, you’ll recognise this dish and we can tell you, it tastes as great as it looks. It has a rich, savoury flavour combined with some sweetness and tanginess.

For the non-vegetarians

The Ayam Percik was the highlight of the evening as we could taste the rich santan and spices in it. We were feeling adventurous so we paired it with the Couscous Salad, and it actually went well together.

One dish we’ve not come across before at a Lisette’s buffet was the Daging Salai Masak Lemak Cili Api. Just from the name, we could already tell that it’s going to be bursting with flavour, and we were right!

The beef was thinly-sliced and tender, making it a pleasure to eat, while the coconut milk broth was rich and creamy, similar to the Ayam Percik only different in flavour.

Prawn, duck, and chicken are also popular in the masak lemak style of cooking.

Sweet, sweet ending

What’s a buffet without dessert to wash down all the savoury flavours?

At Lisette’s Sunset Buffet, they offered some traditional treats in conjunction with Ramadan this time around, and there’s nothing more aligned with traditional Malaysian desserts than Onde Onde.

However, since this is an honest review, we think the Onde Onde could have had more palm sugar filling, as it wasn’t bursting with sweetness after we bit into it.

Perhaps the lack of palm sugar is good to keep our waist lines in check, but who goes to a buffet to count calories, right?

However, the Pulut Manis lives up to its name and was sweeter than the Onde Onde, so that kept us happy.

A signature sweet dish always present at a Lisette’s buffet is the Bread and Butter Pudding.

The British dessert has a rich, custardy taste with a slightly sweet flavour, a soft bread-like texture, and a buttery, slightly crispy top. Have it with a dollop of custard that’s served on the side and you have the ultimate sweet ending to your culinary journey at Lisette’s.

So, if you’re looking for a dinner buffet both you and your vegetarian friends (or vice versa) can enjoy, give this Sunset Buffet a try.

There’s no way we could have tried everything, so share what we missed in the comments!

Lisette’s Cafe & Bakery

Opening hours: 8.00am – 9.00pm

Buffet hours: 6.30pm – 9.00pm

Buffet price: RM65++ per pax

Bangsar (buffet on Tuesdays) – No. 8, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (03-2201 7772)

Subang (buffet on Wednesdays) – GK09 G Floor, Empire Shopping Gallery, Jalan SS16/1, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor (03-8604 1762)

Mont Kiara (buffet on Thursdays) – GF-18, Ground Floor 163 Retail Park, 8, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (03-9775 1727)

Make a table reservation online or by calling them at their outlet numbers.

Note to readers: This restaurant does not have a halal certificate from Jakim. However, according to Lisette’s, their food is sourced from halal-certified suppliers and are pork-free and alcohol-free.

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