ATAS at The RuMa Hotel has built a reputation for thoughtful cooking and polished execution, so our expectations for its Sunday Brunch were naturally high. What we found, though – to our delight – was not a predictable buffet spread. Instead, the kitchen leans into a hybrid format that blends à la carte signatures with a broad selection of self-serve stations, giving the experience a clear sense of intent. It feels curated rather than crowded, with dishes prepared to order and a relaxed pace that we feel suits the hotel’s understated elegance.
A word must be said, too, about the beautiful ambiance at ATAS. Comfortable, inviting, and exuding warmth and refinement, it remains among our favourite places to dine. Subtle nods to local design and heritage grace the open-plan restaurant’s walls and lighting choices, and the layout of the dining area and buffet area never feels awkward. It truly is a classy, and well-thought-out place to enjoy upscale, yet casual, dining in the city.
The meal begins with a tempting list of made-to-order plates, quite a few prepared in the restaurant’s Mibrasa charcoal oven. The Angus striploin sets a confident tone, served with hand-cut fries, asparagus, and a classic Béarnaise. It is joined by plates that show a bit more flair, such as the fish curry tacos with coconut reduction and garlic. This dish was excellent, though we’d never characterize it as a “taco” – more of a tostada if anything. High points for creativity and local flair, though!
There’s also a seasonal oyster Rockefeller layered with mushroom, spinach, and mozzarella. The dry aged Penang duck breast, meanwhile, finished with pumpkin and a pomegranate gastrique, brings a touch of refinement without feeling overwrought.
A second cooked-to-order section keeps things playful. The bao bun lamb ribs glazed with Sarawak black pepper arrive with just enough heat to register, while the Ireland fish and chips offer a neatly executed comfort dish complete with mushy peas and tartar sauce.
More indulgent options appear in the foie gras egg cocotte, enriched with streaky beef, forest mushrooms, and a whipped hollandaise, and the Wagyu beef waffle that pairs shredded beef with sauerkraut, mustard, and Gruyere. There is of course far too much to sample everything, so we just did our best, and guessed about the rest!
Each guest also selects one “star” item, and both choices justify their placement. The river lobster pasta combines homemade pappardelle with a rich crustacean bisque, delivering depth without heaviness. The Borneo lobster Thermidor, meanwhile, paired with mushrooms and an heirloom tomato salad, leans classic but remains well-executed. With two of us dining, we tried one of each, and can genuinely say either would be a fine selection to choose!
Alongside the à la carte options, the buffet stations add breadth without slipping into excess. The salad counter keeps things bright with Boom Grow greens, neatly arranged condiments, and a small range of dressings. There is a respectable cheese station with brie, Manchego, artisan cheddar, and nuts and fruit for pairing. The Japanese section, which we loved, includes sashimi, nigiri, and maki, while the charcuterie section offers bresaola, smoked duck, smoked chicken ham, and beef pastrami with all the usual accompaniments.
Seafood lovers will appreciate the lovely spread featuring tiger prawns, slipper lobster, mussels, sea clams, and Alaskan queen crab. Warm dishes, presented on a counter right by the open kitchen, rotate through comfort favourites, including crab and lobster chowder, beef lasagna, poached mussels with garlic butter, and skillet vegetables. The Mibrasa makes another appearance in the Asian-marinated whole barramundi and a well-made beef Wellington served with Yorkshire pudding, mash, sautéed spinach, and au jus.
An outdoor BBQ live cooking station adds tiger prawns, scallops, baby lamb racks, and Spanish sausages, all matched with a tidy list of sauces. It’s a seriously impressive spread, and we appreciated that the hybrid format, paired with smaller-sized selections on the buffet portion (replenished, of course) helps to mitigate the food waste issue that always accompanies any such feast.
What we found as kind of a mixed bag was the beverage add-on option. On the one hand, the beverage option (RM100+) is quite keenly priced, especially when considering that the brunch extends from noon to 3.30 pm. However, we might suggest that the alcoholic package on offer of draught beer (Carlsberg) and a red and a white still table wine does not match Ruma’s prestigious positioning in the market nor the quality of the food items on offer.
Both the Cabernet Sauvignon (red) and Chardonnay (white) are entry-level Wolf Blass wines from South Australia, frequently found in local supermarkets. While both are well-made, bulk-produced, flavoursome wines – and we do think they still elevate the meal – they somewhat fail to match the high-standard RuMa brunch package. We sampled both wines and can confirm they are good examples of accessible Australian wines – affordable, easy-drinking, fruit-forward in style, but pitched at everyday drinking as opposed to a premium Sunday brunch at ATAS.
As previously stated, the price is most reasonable, and we believe that certain customers will truly benefit from the value-priced add-on. While sipping the slightly sweet, young Cabernet Sauvignon, we pondered why a more high-quality beverage package is not offered in addition to the value choice, with more prestigious wines and perhaps a sparkling wine, such as Italian Prosecco or Spanish Cava. We feel this could easily be made available for those seeking something more upmarket and more befitting the otherwise exemplary ATAS brunch experience.
On the whole though, we found the Sunday Brunch at ATAS to be outstanding. It truly is a fine value given the superb quality of the dishes on offer. Service was gracious and efficient, and as noted already, the atmosphere at ATAS is incredibly beguiling and enjoyable. This is an easy brunch to recommend (well, more of a lunch, really) – and the fact that it runs from 12 noon to 3:30pm makes it all the more alluring!
Additional text by David Bowden
Location and Details
ATAS
The RuMa Hotel and Residences
7, Jalan Kia Peng
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Sunday Brunch
12:00 to 3:30pm
RM228+ per person
RM100+ free-flow beverage add-on (wines and beer)
