The Living Room — Restaurant in Labuan Island

Was looking for our favourite Indian eating spot in Labuan (Mehfil), however unfortunately the original outlet had closed down. After some searching on the Internet, we found out that the chef had moved to The Living Room which is located inside Dorsett Hotel. Apparently the owner of Mehfil had opened this restaurant with another partner.

The restaurant can be divided into 3 areas. Your typical dining area setup which house the buffet line (this was during Ramadan), a lounge area where the chairs are sofa with low tables and an outdoor area. There is also a cigar room available.

We were expecting (and hoping) for the same choice of food which Mehfil had to offer and the menu was almost the same. Even the bowls and serving spoons were what was used in Mehfil before. The food however was quite different than what we had remembered. The butter chicken was not as red (the gravy) as before and the Alo Gobi didn't have the same taste. The Naan bread (butter & garlic) was great and makes for a good companion especially with the sauce from the dishes. We ordered the plain Briyani rice and it was also very nice with the taste of spices quite distinct. When we were paying, we commented on the taste and found out that the chef had apparently altered the taste a bit to suite the comments of the other customers to make it less spicy.

So we decided to return the next day to verify that the food was still the same by ordering the same dishes but informing the kitchen that we wanted it to be the same as it was done in Mehfil. This time we could taste more of the spices and it felt very similar to the original taste of Mehfil. However it did seem that the spiciness was a bit exaggerated (more heat compared to spice).

All in all, it tasted almost 80% of the original restaurant and I think is still one of the best places that offers Indian cuisine in Labuan. Definitely...

Such a great restaurant in the Dorset Hotel. But not affiliated withe the hotel. So eat at your own risk! The bar has an excellent selection of whiskeys, wine and you can bring in your cigars! Great lounging area! The smash burger… do not order! The steak or meat they use is not properly grinded so you get big chewy pieces of tough ligaments you can’t chew through. Don’t get it. Save the trouble of ordering it and get something else. Oh and don’t get the salted egg chicken spaghetti either. It is not good. The chicken wings are crispy and perfect but needs a touch of salt. The mango lassi I drank had lots of fiber and stringy pieces of mango that I spit out as well. Oh and my friend ordered the watermelon juice and it was so bitter. Don’t bother getting ketchup from here either. It smells like vinegar. Totally spoiled. You’re safer eating in the bar lounge of the hotel. If you just want to have a drink and smoke cigars, then yes! The living room is a great gathering place! But don’t eat anything from the kitchen. Your tummy with be mad with you later! Besides the terrible food, the service is as excellent! The servers are friendly and they are so kind! Too bad the chef can’t perfect his cooking to match this atmosphere! The restaurant is super clean, and cozy! Just not to dine in. Good luck to anyone that eats here! Let me know if you try anything on the menu that...

A modern cafe which serves western style dishes and an assortment of drinks. Layout of the place is comfortable and there is both indoor and outdoor sitting. Place is extremely clean and beautiful.

There is a long bar at one of the walls. Beer on tap is available. The wall at the bar is actually completely filled with whiskey bottles. 😃

The drinks menu here will satisfy a wide range of tastes from soft drinks, juices, craft beers, cocktails, mocktails, whiskeys, brands, liqueurs, red wines and white wines.

This place should be the place where you can kick back and enjoy your time...