鼎香阁火锅店 Sky-Dome Hotpot — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

If not because of the saxophone performance and the freshness of the food, I would have given 1 star! By far, this is the most unfriendly and calculative hot pot restaurant I have ever been. We took the premium buffet set which cost around RM50 to RM60 per person. So, the buffet does not come with drinks, dessert nor sauces. So, the foreign waiter suggested to pay additional RM5+ for tea and sauces. But all I need was not tea, we just wanted plain water as we can't take tea at night. The waiter insisted that they only serve tea, cannot give plain water. Then he said if serve tea, it will be free refill. He then agreed to serve plain water but only 1 cup each, no refill. I was a bit annoyed. I asked him whether I can see his manager. He said he is the manager in charge. Then this particular waiter/manager explained all the rules for ordering before we could even order our food. Eg. He said that out of the 14 items, we were only allowed to order 10 items from that section. Then, there is another portion which I believe the cooked item, we could only order once. Finally, there is this condition if you have a balance of food wastage of 100gm, you will be charged too. Well ,the last rule is quite common on food wastage but to tell the guests which item to order and how many times to order is really my first time and its supposed to be buffet! I totally lost my appetite! Later, he offered a jug of plain water. He said out of courtesy...... do we have to go through such a pain to ask for plain water instead of tea? Come on Sky Dome! This is not the kind of service I am expecting.

Next is the booking. Indeed, we were late due to heavy rain. So, our booking was released. I totally understood that we have to wait as they claim they were fully booked. Guess what? They were not fully booked. There were 2 table behind us which were vacant for the whole time. In addition to it, the attitude of the waiter and hostess in front jus make me sick! The hostess was on the phone for quite a long time making customers wait.

So, my experience with Sky Dome was...

1. Environment - place looks photogenic, albeit a little old. Best thing about it was the live saxophonist, but he was interspersed with very loud Chinese new year music which was jarring and made it hard to converse. We all ate in silence and left quickly.

2. Soup - more or less average, a little oversalted with MSG (Pumpkin and Mushroom)

3. Meat - pork platter was pretty good and was presented well. The beef and lamb slices were only average. These meats were likely not all prepared from fresh meat in the kitchen but purchased pre-sliced and frozen, so that is more or less the expectation of quality.

4. Fish was not very fresh - still ok to eat, but I would have expected better for hotpot.

5. Steamboat assortment - some came too frozen and it was difficult to gauge how long to cook for before eating. We had to cook for longer than we usually would in other steamboat restaurants. However I understand that they want to maintain the freshness + still, for the sake of a good dining experience, it would have been good to find the perfect level of thawed food or to prompt the customer to cook the food longer.

6. It was someone's birthday dinner, and we were eligible for a discount. Then, they wanted to take down the full name and IC number. I understand that it is for record keeping purposes, but not everyone is comfortable with that for privacy reasons. We decided to forgo the discount just to maintain our privacy.

Sorry to say that I would not come back, as the market for hotpot restaurants is really competitive in Malaysia. It was an average experience, and the price was quite reasonable - but I rather pay more to have a better quality of food and ambience.

Really hope this restaurant improves somehow so that they can make it in the future. Its a pretty good concept and I appreciate that they hired local...

Yeong，Hossan Excellent service and great experience given by Hossan and Yeong

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)

I would like to take a moment to commend the exceptional service provided by the staff at Yeong and Hassan. The level of hospitality and attention to detail truly made my dining experience memorable.

From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm smiles and a friendly atmosphere. The staff members were attentive, courteous, and went above and beyond to ensure that my needs were met throughout the entire meal. They were quick to offer recommendations, answer any questions I had, and made sure that I felt comfortable and well taken care of.

I was particularly impressed with their knowledge of the menu. They were able to provide detailed descriptions of each dish and were more than happy to accommodate any dietary preferences or restrictions. Their professionalism and efficiency in serving the food were commendable.

Moreover, the staff's genuine enthusiasm and passion for their work were evident in their interactions. They took the time to engage in conversations, creating a welcoming and personalized experience. Their dedication to providing excellent service truly stood out and added to the overall enjoyment of my meal.

In conclusion, the service at Yeong and Hassan exceeded my expectations. The staff's attentiveness, knowledge, and friendly demeanor made me feel like a valued guest. I would highly recommend this establishment to anyone seeking a dining experience where outstanding service is guaranteed.Excellent service and great experience given by...