Makan Kitchen • DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

After attending a half-day industry forum on Level 10 of the Intermark building, I made my way upstairs — just one floor up — to Makan Kitchen at DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur. The lunch buffet was included as part of the forum package, and I arrived around 1:00 PM, right in the middle of the lunch hour. Despite the bustling time, the entire experience remained pleasant, well-organised, and satisfying.

Makan Kitchen is DoubleTree’s signature restaurant, formerly known as Crown Princess, and it’s well-known for serving authentic Malaysian flavours through its interactive live kitchens. The space is beautifully arranged, with show stations representing local cuisines including Malay, Chinese and Indian — each offering their own distinctive aroma, preparation style, and taste. It’s a great place to not just eat, but also to observe culinary craftsmanship in action.

Before diving in, I planned my buffet approach strategically so I could enjoy the variety without feeling stuffed too early: •   I started light with soups and fresh salads. •   Then moved on to sample small portions from each kitchen — tandoori chicken and naan from the Indian station, herb roast duck from the Chinese counter, and a variety of Malay kerabu salads, which were especially refreshing. •   I made sure to leave space for desserts — their durian tarts and assortment of traditional kuih lived up to the hype.

I also requested to be seated near the Chinese kitchen, just to enjoy the view of the live wok station. Watching the chefs cook fresh dishes added a nice touch of energy and authenticity to the whole experience.

What I Really Liked:

The Variety Was Excellent The spread was diverse — from grilled meats and aromatic curries to delicate Chinese dim sum and hearty Malay dishes. The representation of Malaysian heritage was not only comprehensive but also executed with great attention to flavour and presentation.

Comfortable Seating & Calm Ambience Despite being mid-service, there was ample seating and good spacing between tables. Whether you’re a solo diner or part of a group, it’s easy to find a spot. The soft background music and attentive service staff added to the overall relaxing vibe.

Smooth Flow & Cleanliness I found the layout intuitive and easy to navigate, with clear signage and a logical station arrangement. Used plates were cleared quickly, and staff were available to offer guidance or take drink orders. Everything felt efficient and professional.

Friendly Service I appreciated how the staff remained warm and responsive throughout. One of them even suggested pairing a certain curry with a type of naan — a small gesture that really stood out.

What Could Be Improved:

The only downside I noticed was the long queue at the satay station. By the time I reached it, the crowd had built up and the wait was noticeably longer than the other stations. The smell of freshly grilled satay was definitely worth the delay, but it did slow the experience down a bit. Perhaps adding a second grill or station could help manage this better during peak periods.

All in all, Makan Kitchen’s weekday lunch buffet was a well-rounded, halal-friendly culinary experience. It’s a great option whether you’re attending a nearby event, meeting clients, or simply want to treat yourself to a rich variety of Malaysian flavours in a comfortable setting. Just be ready to queue a little for the satay!

Would I return? Absolutely. And next time, I’ll probably head to the satay...

Had a worst buffet experience at Makan Kitchen, Doubletree KL. We arrive restaurant at 6.15pm slightly early than the dinner buffet time, checked with the counter with our booking number and were asked to wait in front of the counter with few groups of people without proper instruction or queue number etc. When it gets closer to 6.30pm, the whole lift lobby and front counter area was congested and have no idea how is the queue going. Queue management system was very poor. Looking at guest arrived later than us get ushered to their table at 6.30pm, I checked with the counter again and were asked for booking number then only a waitress ushering us to our table. We finally seated around 6.45pm and we are happy to be arranged at a little private table but the table feels so warm with no or minimal air-conditioned. After settle down we take a move to buffet line. Raw oyster were left just 1 piece and this is the last I have sighted the oyster on ice throughout the night and the same goes to snow crab. You will never have chances to grab any of them. It was lucky that the slow roasted wagyu beef leg was sufficient to feed the crowd and it was quite nice to be honest. That is the only food that worth to return. The earlier tiger prawn on ice was quite fresh but after 7pm the refilled prawns are not fresh and most of the prawn head was turned black in colour yet the chef is limiting the refills each time. It was a huge turn down everytime when you were to return to buffet line for the foods because the queue is crazy. You need to queue easily 15 mins just to get your food each time. Grilled oyster was using frozen oyster with lots of tiny shell. I can say it is lowest grade oyster with no quality control on the oysters as well as the cooking method. But the biggest disappointment was I booked the table not just for X'mas eve celebration but it was also for my anniversary. During phone call for booking, the receptionist was kind enough to offer a complimentary cake. 30 mins before we leave I asked for the cake to be serve. After 15 minutes of following up, I was told that the cake was not prepared and it will takes another 30 mins for the preparation. We are already fed up and decided to leave. During payment at counter, manager do apologize on that and offer us additional 15% off our bill. To be honest it really not helping much on our disappointment and frustration. With buffet price hitting close to Rm200/pax, you even limit your guest on normal seafood like tiger prawns and no refill for slightly luxury seafood like fresh oyster and snow crab. I can understand the crowd during occassions like this but they could have prepare sufficient amount of food to cater as they have already receiving bookings with deposit in advance. I really not hoping to write a long review like this but this time it really bring huge disappointment to me as...

I went there for breakfast. The place is divided into 3 sections serving Malay/international, Indian and Chinese foods. Not many varieties but it’s not that one can eat much in the morning either. At the Malay/International section, you can find nasi lemak, ramen, noodles, egg counter, cereals, pastries, bread, waffles, grilled vegetables, baked potatoes, salads, cheese and toasts. Cappuccino was good and you can opt for oat milk. Juices are the usual - orange, guava. The servers moved around with trays in hand to serve the patrons affogato. The espresso wasn’t too strong but the taste blends nicely with the vanilla ice cream.

Indian - biryani, puri, roti canai, chicken curry, kurma and chutney. The kurma was really good. There’s masala tea but it was thin and lack spices. Chinese - porridge, noodle, lotus pancakes and pau, and a few fried dim sums. All tasted fine. Choices for both Indian and Chinese are fairly limited.

All in, nothing really stood out. The food was good but not memorable. But I have to commend the staff. Pretty much all of them were attentive and moved efficiently to care for their guests. One in particular stood out ie Najwa. A pleasant lady who was friendly and despite many people, made time to have small and brief chats to make your morning pleasant.

Price is ok too. Adult was ~rm59. There’s no special rate for senior citizen but the lady at the reception was kind to charge half the price for my mom who’s in...