By Sara Chan | Nov 24, 2009
Shop for furniture while dining at Max @ iHaus
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A cozy area to relax and dine at Max @iHaus
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Would you like to shop for furnishings while you dine? It sounds like an unlikely combination, but you can do just that at Max @ iHaus in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
The structure that sits on 26,000 square feet of land is a show house cum restaurant that offers German furnishings as well as fine culinary masterpieces by Max Chong, head chef and proprietor of Max @ iHaus.
Although iHaus – a German Interior Showhaus that offers international brand name furniture – was established in Kuala Lumpur four years ago, the partnership with Chef Max four months ago merged the task of shopping for furniture and dining.
Custom-made furniture by iHaus
All furniture pieces in the show house are for sale. Customers can either buy the pieces on display or have them custom made. The custom-made German furniture and cabinets are crafted with a variety of materials – from the affordable cloth to classic woods and modern upscale leather.
The element of art is also not excluded from the show house. Adorning its walls is a myriad of locally-made art pieces, all of which are also for sale. However, if browsing for furniture isn’t your cup of tea, visit Max @ iHaus for a sumptuous meal.
Delicious food from Max
The man behind the mouth-watering fare is also a man of many stories. Chef Max enjoys mingling with his regular customers and is well known among food bloggers for his affordable fine dining menu. His impressive résumé includes a stint as the Food & Beverage Director at The Regent Hotel Kuala Lumpur (now known as Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur).
When asked how the collaboration with iHaus came about, his answer was simple: over a glass of wine and a handshake.
Max @ iHaus is just like home
The iHaus architecture was not changed much from the original. Fraymond Lew, the initial owner and architect responsible for refurbishing iHaus decided to maintain the colonial structure and only transformed its interior.
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Chef Max
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Nonetheless, the staircase and some of the floor tiles were preserved. The rest of the interior is filled up with iHaus furnishings.
“We want our customers to feel as if they’re entering a homely atmosphere, to feel as comfortable as they are at someone’s home,” says Max.
The food and furniture partnership also eliminated some of Max and Lew’s concerns for their respective business. “It kills two birds with one stone,” says Max. “More customers come to see the furnishing and experience it during a meal, and the restaurant’s furnishing is always top notch!”
Max @ iHaus also caters for events and private parties. Take the stairs to the second floor and you’ll find yourself in a private dining hall – a cosy spot for partiers to sit, dine and relax. There is even a pool room nearby if they fancy a game or two.
Max relates this story: “One of our customers initially came to the show house to look at furniture for his home and ended up staying for lunch. Before the end of it he was buying a full furniture set!”
Ed Latiff, the show house and restaurant manager agrees. “After Max @ iHaus, the number of customers has increased substantially. If they don’t come for the furniture, they come for the food first and are attracted to the furniture.” Not surprisingly, the dining chairs are the hottest-selling items.
With its tantalising menu and wide range of furniture, Max @ iHaus not only offers to fill (up) one’s stomach, but one’s home too.
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Wide range of furniture at the show house cum restaurant
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