I do love salmon, and I do love fancy restaurants, but I just could not bring myself to spend over $70 for a piece of salmon at the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. Instead, I found an alternative nearby that ended up working very nicely.
Great Salmon In Kuala Lumpur…And At A Great Price
The Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur has a high-end restaurant called Merdeka Grill. The restaurant offers a “modern grill experience on Level 75, where premium meats, sustainable seafood, and locally sourced produce take center stage, complemented by a curated beverage program” (yawn). The menu is here. One of the specialties is salmon roasted on cedar wood, served with cucumber, grape, caviar, and smoked butter sauce at a cost of 295 Malaysian Ringgit, or about 71.50 USD. I didn’t pay that much for fish even on at The Brando in French Polynesia! But as I looked through the menu, I suddenly had a taste for fish.
Funny enough, One Mile At A Time was there around the same time and actually went to the restaurant and ordered it… and yes, it looks wonderful.
Over the years, I’ve found that reviewing high-end restaurants in hotels does not meaningfully add to the overall review, and if I spend $150, for example, on dinner, I’m not going to make an extra $150 in terms of the review.
Had Ben come a day earlier, we could have had salmon together. But instead, I noticed while having coffee at Kaffee 16 (a cool coffee shop and café in Chinatown, about five minutes by foot from the hotel), that there was salmon on the menu. It was late afternoon, I had not eaten since breakfast. With salmon already on my mind, I ordered it.
And look at it: 
It was delicious. Very delicious. Now granted, I love cedar plank salmon and this did not have that smoky taste, but everything in life is a cost/benefit analysis.
The cost for my salmon?
35 Malaysian Ringgit, about 8.50 USD.
Somehow, there was just additional satisfaction that I enjoyed a delicious salmon dinner without having to pay more than I pay for fish in Los Angeles or New York City.
I’m sharing about my whirlwind trip through Asia.
If only the Park Hyatt had offered Mexican salmon…
Are you still ‘a big fan of the Grand Hyatt’ and want a ‘quick comparison’ between it and the PH? (I remembered.)
Yes, the Grand Hyatt rocks and I’d love a comparison.
I was hoping someone would respond with the King Of The Hill quote about there being salmon in the fish tacos.
That’s hilarious that Ben was there recently, too. (Ben’s looked better (on the wooden plank).
When it comes to fish, I prefer fresh, and I often think of how far away it had to travel to get there. (I know, a lot of it is frozen anyways.) The closest salmon to Malaysia… like Japan, maybe, Russia, Alaska, Norway, Faroe Islands. Oof.
Nitpcik but you might want to edit. Kaffe 66 is Kaffe 16 (see your own photos).
Good post, enjoyed reading.
Never, EVER eat or drink at a Hyatt because you are almost 100% guaranteed NOT to receive points. Unlike IHG and Marriott, Hyatt properties do NOT consistently award points for F&B spend.
Goodness crazy pricing for a place where the general cost of other things is often much lower
How much was a dog to eat?
Dog and cat meat sales have been outlawed in Malaysia since at least 1950.
Oh, Dave… you aren’t one of those so-called ‘passport bros’ are ya?
If your comment isn’t a joke, then it’s pure ignorance. If you think it sounds like a joke, then it’s bad taste and being ignorant as well.
This is such a great post. You did not just complain and sulk about it as you ate it but actively sought out an alternative. Well done, Matthew.
Nice! Will have to visit Kaffe 16 on my next visit to KUL. Very cheap.
Goodness. I just looked at the download menu. I love caviar, but caviar ice cream would be a hard pass. You made a smart move.
Matt, come to the Pacific Northwest! I can’t stomach ordering salmon overseas, when I can eat a fresh salmon caught today. Most salmon served is farm raised and dyed. Keta salmon often served in the UK and Europe is simple Chum or Dog salmon rebranded as something pretending to be high end. It’s hard to find a high end restaurant truly serving chinook/king salmons.
I see you enjoyed the white coffee! Big fan of it myself, even though I make do with the satchets at the import grocer.
Chuckling about the presentation: On a big plate with lots of garnish. When did this become a “thing”? I know it’s the standard now, but I don’t recall it growing up. I suppose people see a big plate and even if the food is small, it’s somehow justified because the plate is big? When we eat normally, we shove a LOT of food onto small plates. Probably encourages overeating though…
Do you mean mine or Ben’s?