Indulgence Restaurant, Ipoh

Hands up who would say NO to free food? ;) None right? The 1st time I dined in Indulgence was a year ago, half expecting the food to be brilliant, from various raves and rants. However, that time I was sorely disappointed as my dish of chicken breasts rolled in 'something' (so long ago, how to remember? hehe) were dry and tasteless. But Ms L's cod fish was delicious, but slightly pricey at RM45+. From that day onwards, I shied away from this highly acclaimed restaurant, possibly the ONLY fine dining outlet in Ipoh.

That was then. One fine day I got the news from Eelektra (can't reveal real name, rite? =P) for an invitation to a talk at Indulgence, food provided. Well, if there is any good time for redemption, this may be it I supposed. So, off we went. Nothing to lose right?

Prying hands attacking the array of dishes

First off, apologies for the really bad image quality. The lighting inside the dining hall was pretty dark, and my trusty 5610 does not function well under poor light condition. I tried turning on the flash, but the resulting photo was, erm, let's say more or less resembled a blank piece of white paper. hehe...

First serving of gluttony

We were expecting to be served, as there were at least 70 of us cramped in the dining hall, and the tables and chairs were arranged quite closely together. But to our surprise, dinner was served buffet style. Typical Malaysians, even the older ones jolted up and 'flew' to the buffet counter, attacking mercilessly. We had to wait for out turn. Oh, before that, during the talk, coffee and tea was served to prevent the participants from dozing off probably? ;)

Second plate of greed

I was astonished as the spread were pretty mind boggling. From fresh oysters on rocks to various types of pastas, cold soba noodle salad with seared tuna and fried onion rings, roasted duck meat, cheese and mushroom bruschetta, smoked salmon salad, and crackers with blue (I think) mouldy cheese. Drinks were nothing special, only Coke, and the usual beverages.

Baked Cheese and Mushroom Bruschetta

Especially memorable was the bruschetta, or I think they were, or mini pizzas. Melted cheese on toast never tasted so tempting. The crust was crunchy, and soft at the same time. The smoked salmon was slightly salty, but very fresh. Imagine UNLIMITED sashimi. Hmm ....

Seared tuna served with cold soba noodle

The seared tuna was nicely done, but lack the flavour, probably overshadowed by the other stronger tasting dishes. The cherry tomatoes were surprisingly juicy and sweet, complementing the soba noodle well. The fettucine in tomato sauce was cold, possibly because left on the counter for too long, and the same goes for the penne as well. There was another spaghetti with clam meat which fared slightly better, lightly tossed in garlic and oil.

We may look blazing hot, but we are cold :(

Another shot of the bruschetta/mini pizzas

The oysters were fresh, juicy and plump. Slurped 2 of them. Haha ... Should've taken more, but paiseh la. But there were other dishes I did not touch, such as roasted chicken served with potato wedges etc. The cracker with cheese was nice, but not prone to strong smelling cheese, I ate a piece and left another as decoration for my plate. Muahaha ... time for dessert ...

Strawberry Meringue and Mango and Passion Fruit Trifle

Desserts were amazing. Especially the mango and passion fruit trifle. Soft, fluffy and light, sandwiched between layers of mango slices and passion fruit, the trifle resembled a sponge cake initially. Only after consulting the owner of the restaurant did we know it was a trifle. Hehe, not a full-grad foodie yet. The strawberry meringue was cute, came in small dainty portions, but a bit too sweet for my taste. Thought the texture was amazing, melt-in-mouth sensation. Not unlike pavlova though. Wonder what's the difference?

The trifle was so good, we went for 2nd helpings ...

All in all, a very enjoyable meal. And it was FREE to boot. Where else can you get free buffet? Hmmm .... I love this job. As we were leaving, we saw a bread and butter pudding type of dessert, and small chocolate (?) tarts. If only they were served earlier.... Hahahha!!! Definitely changed my initial opinions of this restaurant. Who knows? I am willing to come again for a proper meal, as I eyed the Foie Gras and Wagyu Steak on the SPECIALS board. C'mon already, where's our honorarium? =P

Location : 14, Jalan Raja Di Hilir, 30350 Ipoh. Tel : 05-2557051. Opens on Wednesday to Sundays only. From 9am to 11.30pm. Specifically, coming from Jalan Tambun towards town area, you'll pass by Heritage Hotel on your left and Ipoh Specialist Centre on your right. Indulgence is further down on the right side, before the round about. Easily missed as there are a lot of trees, and the restaurant looks more like a white bungalow. You'll have to make a U turn at the round about to reach this place.