Chinese New Year is always a special time of the year, filled with reunion, traditions, and meaningful meals shared around the dining table. This year, we were honoured to be part of the Prosperity Lunar New Year Feast preview at Dine@8, Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre (JBCC), where the hotel unveiled its festive offering beautifully themed as the Auspicious Blossoms Feast.

The Lunar New Year feast is served in a classic round-table setup, known as the Reunion Set, accommodating 10 guests per table. Diners may choose between two thoughtfully crafted options: the Abundant Happiness Reunion Set or the Longevity Blessing Reunion Set, both designed to encourage sharing, togetherness, and abundance.

During the preview, we had the opportunity to sample several menu highlights, starting with refreshing appetisers such as the Chuka Kurage Salad, followed by the elegant Dragon Silk Bali and Chicken Seaweed Roll, setting the tone for a delightful culinary journey.

We then enjoyed the comforting Braised Fish Maw Soup with Crab Meat and Sweet Corn, carefully served by the hotel’s attentive F&B team to ensure every guest received a warm and satisfying bowl.

The Nyonya Curry Steamed Red Snapper was a crowd favourite, thanks to its incredibly appetising aroma and well-balanced flavours. The moment it arrived at the table, everyone was impressed, making it one of the most memorable dishes of the meal.

The set menu also included Lotus Leaf Fried Rice with Chicken and Dried Shrimps, a comforting staple that complemented the richer dishes perfectly. The feast concluded on a sweet note with Red Bean Soup with Glutinous Rice Balls, symbolising togetherness and completeness—just right for the Lunar New Year season.

For this Chinese New Year preview, the Yee Sang tossing session marked a meaningful milestone for Holiday Inn JBCC, symbolising prosperity, unity, and their readiness for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations 2026.

Chinese New Year is a season that brings families, friends, and colleagues together to celebrate prosperity, harmony, and new beginnings. For Chinese New Year 2026, St. Giles Hotel Southkey, Johor Bahru welcomes the festive season with an impressive banquet menu preview that captures both tradition and comfort in a celebratory setting.

The banquet menu we sampled was thoughtfully curated, offering a balanced selection of classic Chinese New Year dishes that are familiar, comforting, and ideal for sharing. Each dish carries symbolic meaning while delivering satisfying flavours suitable for long reunion meals.

Menu Highlights We Tried:·   

The Chinese New Year banquet will be hosted at Key 1–4 Ballrooms on Level 7, providing a spacious and elegant venue that comfortably accommodates large groups. This makes it an excellent choice for companies planning annual dinners, business partners hosting festive luncheons, or families organising extended reunion celebrations.

St. Giles Hotel Southkey delivers a Chinese New Year banquet that focuses on tradition, togetherness, and comfort, making it a reliable and well-rounded option for celebrating Lunar New Year in Johor Bahru. With a thoughtfully prepared menu and a spacious ballroom setting, it is well-suited for both intimate family reunions and larger corporate celebrations.

Ramadan is a time that brings families and friends together, and food plays an important role in creating meaningful moments during this blessed month. For Ramadan 2026, the Trove Hotel Johor Bahru presents “Sajian Senja Ramadan,” a buka puasa buffet that celebrates Malaysian heritage, timeless kampung flavours, and community unity that defines the atmosphere of Ramadan.

The buffet opens with an impressive display of ulam-ulaman, paired with a variety of homemade sauces that enhance the freshness and authenticity of each bite. Prepared using local, home-based recipes, these traditional accompaniments highlight the simplicity and beauty of Malaysian flavours. A selection of ikan masin is also available, alongside fresh greens and salads for a light and refreshing start to the meal.

Seafood lovers will be pleased to find a seafood-on-ice station, offering a generous selection of fresh seafood that completes the buffet spread. The variety allows diners to enjoy different types of seafood throughout the evening.

Guests can also visit the Som Tam Counter, where they can customise their Som Tam with a selection of condiments. Friendly F&B attendants are on hand to prepare each plate fresh, ensuring every diner gets a personalised experience.

To enhance the authenticity of the buffet, a variety of fried items are included—dishes commonly found in Malaysian street food culture. Prepared in-house, these crispy and flavourful selections add comfort and familiarity, making the buffet feel complete and satisfying.

To end the meal on a high note, the buffet offers a delightful dessert selection. From traditional local sweets to indulgent treats, the dessert spread provides the perfect sweet finish to an already fulfilling dining experience.

Ramadan is always a special time for family gatherings, meaningful moments, and of course, good food. This year, Grand Paragon Hotel Johor Bahru returns with its signature Ramadan buffet, Santapan Rasa Paragon 2026, offering a well-curated spread of local favourites, comforting classics, and exciting live action stations that truly capture the spirit of the season.

The buffet experience begins with a refreshing selection of appetisers featuring assorted fresh garden greens paired with various salad dressings. Guests can also enjoy traditional ulam-ulaman, complemented by a delightful display of assorted homemade sambal belacan. This appetiser section sets the tone perfectly, offering light yet flavourful bites to awaken the palate before moving on to the heartier dishes.

Following the appetisers is an impressive lineup of main dishes that showcase both local and international inspirations. Highlights include Ayam Bawang Goreng, Lamb Chop Bakar Sambal Getok Merah, stir-fried chilli crab, and baked prawns prepared with garlic, herbs, and cheese, served alongside a creamy pineapple sauce. Vegetable selections such as stir-fried broccoli with Japanese tofu and black mushrooms add balance to the spread.

Local favourites are well represented, with dishes like Siput Sedut Masak Lemak Cili Padi with Belimbing Buluh, a must-have during the Ramadan season. Guests can also enjoy Kerang Sambal (half-shell cockles), followed by a dedicated ketupat corner featuring lemang, ketupat palas, pulut kuning, and other traditional accompaniments that truly enhance the buka puasa experience.

One of the highlights of Santapan Rasa Paragon 2026 is its variety of live action stations. Guests can enjoy freshly fried Ayam Gunting and jumbo sausages, prepared on the spot for maximum flavour. The Beef Shawarma station is another crowd favourite, served with assorted condiments and freshly assembled according to diners’ preferences, with attentive F&B staff always ready to assist.

Taking centre stage at the buffet is the beautifully presented roasted whole lamb Kuzi, served with fragrant Kabsah rice, saffron, and boiled eggs. The lamb is well-marinated and slow-roasted to perfection, with an F&B attendant on hand to carve and serve each portion. This station easily becomes one of the most talked-about highlights of the evening.

To complete the dining experience, a dedicated beverage section offers a variety of specially prepared drinks curated by the hotel exclusively for the Ramadan buffet. These refreshing beverages pair well with the wide range of dishes available.

Beyond the food, Santapan Rasa Paragon also offers a comfortable dining ambience with well-arranged seating and a pleasant atmosphere. It is an ideal setting for family gatherings, catching up with friends, or even corporate buka puasa events during the Ramadan season.