Text by Mei Kuan
Photo by Vivien Lian
You heard it first from Ipoh Echo: Cuisines of The Haven Resort Hotel now serves a standout line of burgers which are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. The alternative is a welcome break from eating fauna and you also get to eat it in a place set in nature – on the edge of a virgin forest and amidst the flora and fauna of a prehistoric site dating over 280 million years. With not a trace of meat and nixing the egg, the vegan burger incorporates almond milk as its sauce base while the vegetarian version opts for greek yogurt. Both have a thick but not too-thick, beet juice-basted patty crafted from pea extract. Made from scratch, the vegetarian sauce is a tad bit chili-spiked for extra acid yet still kid-friendly. You could split it with someone, but please don’t. The well-seared, plant-based patty tugs at your teeth in the way you’d expect from animal muscle with the chewable quality and tons of great feeling about health and sustainability. The cool culinary trick is a four-hour process that manages to transfigure the locally sourced natural ingredients into something just as good. Accompanied by a side of thick crispy chips and salad, the burger arrives simply enough with the usual veggie suspects squished inside a fluffy, toasted sesame bun made in-house to soak it all up. Priced at RM32 nett each, these hidden gems are yet to be rolled out in the menu but it is available for order all-day for a month.
While you’re at it, check out the other MSG-free, additive-free options at Cuisines (don’t worry, you’ll make room). Its diversified menu features Western, Asian (think the best of Malaysian) and Mediterranean dishes to suit every palate. All-time favourites include Green Curry Chicken Salad, Singapore Laksa, Ipoh Curry Mee, Haven Chicken Rice, Haven Fried Rice, Haven Seafood Char Kway Teow, Shish Tawook, Grilled New Zealand Lamb Rack, Lebanese Tabbouleh, Grilled Fish and Tabbouleh Salad, Moutabal, Beef Shawarma, Filet Mignon, Home-made Beef Patty Burger, Leng Chee Kang, Sago Gula Melaka, Oreo Cheesecake and Haven Baked Cheesecake among others.
Haven Chicken Rice (steamed selected ‘woo so’ (free range) chicken and served with crunchy bean sprouts, double boiled chicken soup and home-cooked premium chicken rice).
Singapore Laksa (rice noodles served in sweet, spicy and creamy coconut milk-based fish gravy, garnished with fresh prawns, shredded chicken, tofu puffs and hard boiled egg.
Indian Rasam (Indian spices herbal soup)
Green Curry Chicken Salad (grilled chicken pieces and assorted greens tossed in green curry dressing).
Shish Tawook (marinated skewered chicken served with french fries, pita bread and garlic sauce)
Haven Baked Cheesecake, Oreo Cheesecake and Sago Gula Melaka (sago, coconut milk and gula melaka syrup)
Grilled Fish and Tabbouleh Salad (pan grilled fresh garoupa fish slices on a bed of tabbouleh salad, served with grilled lemon)
Equally interesting is its drinks menu which highlights Haven’s all-natural drink and a range of halal wines (Espora Zero Red, Espora Zero White and Espero Zero Sparkling).
Opens daily from 7.00am till 10.30pm, call 05 5400000 or 1700-8-1700-0 for reservations. Certified halal. Swing by its Facebook page of the same name for more updates. Visit its website at www.thehavenresorts.com
