This is the Indonesian Food Fest and the restaurant is sparing no effort to make it as authentic as possible, from the staff costume to the decor and food.

Right from the doorstep leading to the restaurant on the first floor, Indonesian souvenirs such as rattan baskets, table mats, wooden jars and lamps with a stone base, are displayed.

The weekday promotion at Flavors, from noon to 2pm, is on till March 31 and offers delightful Indonesian dishes from Padang, Java and Sulawesi.

Nasi padang is well-known, with a wide range of dishes like fried fish and chicken as well as beef rendang to go with rice.

Java specialties include soto, mee rebus, pecel lele (fried catfish) and ayam goreng bumbu (spicy fried chicken). A lot of emphasis is placed on the use of spices, chili and pepper such as those used to make the tasty salmon fish head curry.

There is also a wide range of sambal and sauces, some of which are served in a stone mortar, like sambal belacan, cincaluk, sambal bilis and tempoyak which go well with ulam (fresh vegetables). The sambal is also great when taken with gulai pucuk ubi (tapioca shoot curry).

Most of the dishes are served in traditional village style with the use of red earthen pots and banana leaves spread over rattan trays. They are placed on striking Indonesian batik fabric to evoke that Indonesian ambience.

Traditional music, including the gamelan, charges up the air to heighten the nusantara feeling.

The buffet is priced at RM48 (adult) and RM28 (child). Call 03-2141 3333 ext. 506/517.

The hotel is located in Jalan Pudu, between Chinatown in Petaling Street and bustling Bukit Bintang.

[by JOHN TIONG. Travel Times, New Straits Times. 9 feb 2010]