By Vincent D’Silva

JOHOR BARU: A hotel in Iskandar Puteri here will be embarking on a bold move by offering 100 local dishes daily during the fasting month.

With the start of Ramadan in just two weeks time, Ibis Styles Johor Iskandar Puteri has showcased its buffet serving themed “Juadah Tradisi Johor”.

The buffet is inspired by the concept of Ramadan’s true spirit of togetherness and unity.

One will be spoilt for choices as you can enjoy an array of food with delicious Malay cuisine to indulge to your heart’s content.

Ibis Styles Johor Iskandar Puteri general manager Charanita Gill said the management deliberated at length and decided to go ahead and launch the Ramadan buffet this week, ahead of Ramadan.

“The hotel industry needs to stay afloat, so we took up the challenge by offering the Ramadan buffet with a wide spread of traditional and local cuisines at a reasonable price,” she said when met during the media preview.

Charanita said the hotel had continued its tradition by offering, among others, specialities such as its eight briyani and six asam pedas dishes. Topping the list is the biryani nadia, biryani gam, asam pedas daun kesum and asam pedas daun kari.

According to the hotel’s head chef Azhar Abu Bakar they have created an extensive spread of homely cooked dishes.

Azhar said, “The dishes are rotated daily together with the traditional cakes and assorted desserts including the much loved bubur pulut hitam.

“We have not cut down any of the dishes as most of them were also available in previous Ramadan buffets,” he said.

Meanwhile, Charanita said the hotel will be carrying out its CSR during the fasting month by inviting the needy children for a Ramadan buffet.

“Despite trying times, we will continue to provide a quality culinary experience to our guests and diners,” she said.

She expected tourists and other visitors who want a smart, simple and comfortable place to rest to make the new hotel their first choice of stay.

She said the imminent arrival of Ramadan presented the hotel with an opportunity to attract visitors to the Buka Puasa fare that will offer the delicacies that Johor cuisine is famed for.

She would like to see the Ibis Styles Johor Iskandar Puteri  brand to leverage this membership base to give tourists and visitors an experience that would be something to relish.

With the borders now open, the hotel with a unique design concept built around a precise theme and a confident, optimistic approach is able to deliver simple, trendy and economical hospitality.

Charanita said Johor Baru is an important city and acts as a connecting hub between Singapore and Malaysia.

“Our hotel concept will enable even more business and leisure travellers to experience a smarter way of travelling, in providing what matters most to travellers,” she said.

“We welcome every traveller to our modern hotel. The interior design is inspired by the cocoa pod and features happy colours with an industrial feel that compliments its surroundings,” she remarked.

The hotel, located in Iskandar Puteri district has 152 rooms which is bright, colourful generously sized rooms, stylishly decorated boasting the signature ibis Styles sweet bed. It is a stone’s throw away from world class themed parks and Second-Link connecting Malaysia and neighbouring Singapore.

Ibis Styles Johor Iskandar Puteri general manager Charanita Gill (left).

Main pix: Authentic traditional Johor delicacy for buka puasa at Ibis Styles Johor