Contango — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

Booked a table for 3 for lunch here to celebrate my friend's birthday through an offer apps. Called a week ago to request for a simple surprise cake and candle for my friend. I even called a day before I came to remind on the surprised cake. The person in charged at this restaurant assured her colleague has put a note in my reservation on that.

Our reservation was for 12.30pm, the restaurant opens at 12pm. We arrived at the hotel at 11.50am, and approached the restaurant front desk at 11.55am. My guests and I were told to wait, and can only enter at 12.30pm. Luckily there was an empty seat at the lobby, one of my guest is an elderly. We had to wait for 30mins. I cannot imagine if there was no empty seats, the lobby was quite crowded on this particular day, how could an old lady stand and wait for so long. I have been to a lot of buffet restaurants, none of them were as "rigid" as this. Was it because we booked through an offer apps, we were given a double standard treatment by this place?

Before we started our meal, we had to pay for the buffet first. We did read the fine print on the T&C on payment. But we were just curious onto why we had to, when other guests only pays after their meals. Was the restaurant worried we might scoot off without paying? Cause we were under offer booking apps? The front desk supervisor told us to complain to the offer apps if we are not satisfied. To my understanding, payment is totally under the restaurant's policy and control, what has it got to do with the apps company?

We were ushered to our table after payment, the table was not for 3 pax. One of the seat could not be pushed back as behind was a big pillar. We complained about this, a captain came to change our table, no smile on his face, no sorry. Nothing. We were still fine with that.

We proceeded to get our food. Food palates were almost finished. Replenishment of food was slow. I walked two rounds. Food was limited. Variety got lesser, as compared to my last visit here, Feb last year. The Chinese selection was pathetic. White tofu, egg omelette, sambal eggs, etc. There used to be stir fried kailans, steamed fish, roast chicken. What happened? Japanese section tempuras ran out most of the time, prawns were not replenished. Pizzas were slow too. Almost empty all the time. Even chocolate ice cream was finished and not replenished at all!

We ate whatever we could salvage from the sections. As my guests moved on to dessert, I was waiting for the last thing I could hope for, the promised surprised cake for my birthday guest. Cakes were served to the tables around us with birthday song sang. I still waited for my turn for my guest. Nothing happened. A waiter came to tell us it was last call at 2.30pm. My guests finished their dessert and we had to leave.

As they went to the toilet. I walked to the front desk supervisor at the restaurant to ask her what happened to the little surprise for my guest. She informed me that I didn't cue the waitress to serve. I told her is a surprise and I have reminded the restaurant twice! She still insisted I didn't cue her staff. How am I supposed to know I need to cue them. I expressed how disappointed I was at their service. She offered to give the cake at that point, but my guests have left the restaurant and at the toilet. What is a surprise if it was not given when we were dining?

It is not my first visit here, today I am truly disappointed with the front desk supervisor, table, food, service, and most of all the surprised that was supposed...

Since 2015 I've been dining in contango from time to time. Their buffet price also keep on increasing while quality is dropping.

Price from rm100 nett to 125nett and now 145nett.

At rm100 era There is a live grill station which you can order the level of cookness that you get to choose few type of meat which is lamb and beer etc. Sashimi section offer over 4 types of sashimi like tuna, salmon, octopus leg, butter fish etc. Cold platter section offer fresh crab , big prawn, green mussel , and oyster!!! Desert section offer huge range! Used to be one of the best in KL, offer ice cream and fruit section as well.

At rm125 era Cut off the oyster! No more live grill station, only pregrill in a big pot. Desert is less than before. Overall still acceptable.

At rm145 era, which is today that i tried.

I've decided this is my last time that i will visit here. They decided to cut off a lot of thing to save cost, teabag from TWININGS to DILMAH which smell terribly etc. No more fruit station, desert selection is less than half compared to before. Cold platter now left SMALL prawn and SMALL green mussel! Japanese sushi n sashimi section left 2 types of sashimi which is trout and not so fresh low cost yellowfin tuna, and even widely available red sause seasoned baby octopus is no more. Even the icecream is not solid and melting like they set the fridge temperature higher to save electricity. I suspected that they cut all the good food and do cheap room package which including the buffet dinner to attract all the customer to bring in more cash flow.

Worst is that used to be no time limit and now there is 2 hours time frame which is lousy. Noticed that most of the worker is foreign worker as well. Parking charges increased from rm10 per vehicle to rm15 as well.

Really huge disappointment that consider I'm a fans of contango and support them for so...

This is a beautiful restaurant in one of Malaysia's most charming hotels.

The dinner buffet at Contango is an amazing abundance of international cuisine, and we are always spoilt for choice. In our opinion, Contango has one of the best buffet services in KL.

The Asian station is extensive with plenty of local Malaysian favourites and an astonishing abundance of fresh local herbs and salads. It's one of the best arrays I've ever come across - there was even a DIY Pie Tee station! In addition to Malaysian favourites, we had the opportunity to enjoy fresh Japanese sashimi, sushi, and tempura, Indian dishes, some Thai dishes ( a fabulously authentic tom yum), and Chinese stir fry staples.

The Western station was an island of pizza, pasta cooked to order, seafood (fresh mussels, prawns, and flower crab), lamb sausages and other hot dishes like ox tail soup, cream of vegetable soup, and more. The star dish, in our opinion, is a roast beef that was tender and juicy chef's kiss

Finally, the buffet gives access to the Contango Cafe and a wide choice of coffee, tea, juices, and desserts on a dessert bar that always blows our minds.

Fresh local fruits are lined up alongside cabinets of tarts, entremet, scoop ice cream, macarons, puddings, and jellies. This is the stuff of our fantasies, and we never tire of the variety.

Contango is an impressively well-maintained restaurant that feels intimate for two but can accommodate big groups, too. The wide ceiling to floor windows look out onto one of KL's prettiest city scapes at Jalan Sultan Hishamudin.

We love every meal we have here and will return again and again. The hotel is absolutely...