Roast turkey & honey baked ham with 12 sauces

Together with misstamchiak, Justin, Keropokman, Hungry Cow, and Jasper & Saunders, we checked out the Christmas lunch buffet at Plaza Brasserie at the invitation of PARKROYAL on Beach Road.

I was most impressed with the juicy roast turkey, as well as the tasty honey baked ham. And to top it all, they have 12 different kinds of traditional and Asian-inspired sauces to go with the meats:

1. Traditional Giblet
2. Cranberry
3. BBQ
4. Black Pepper
5. Mustard
6. Laksa
7. Rendang
8. Thai Mango
9. Satay
10. Tong Gui Herbal
11. Sichuan
12. Pineapple

My favorites were Traditional Giblet, Cranberry, and zesty Thai Mango for its sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors!

Chilled prawn & mussels on ice

Lunch buffet also has a small chilled seafood selection. The prawns were supremely fresh and succulent.

There were several live stations featuring Christmas roast meats, Japanese sushi & sashimi, Indian food, and local Asian favorites.

Japanese selection

At the Japanese station, besides the usual sushi, there’s also sashimi that’s only sliced upon order to ensure freshness.

Oyster omelette

The oyster omelette was excellent! Juicy, tasty, with a hint of chilli and wok hei — this was similar to Penang-style oyster omelette. Definitely one of the highlights of this buffet!

Laksa

The laksa was another winner with its fragrant and lemak (coconutty) gravy.

Hainanese chicken rice

Another popular local dish is the Hainanese chicken rice. I found the chicken rice here to be rather old-school in style. The rice isn’t heavily flavored with ginger; instead it has the subtle flavor of chicken stock. The succulent chicken is chopped into large chunks with bone-in, the old-fashioned way. I like!

There’s also Indian curries and freshly made prata. Sorry, no pics, but the range of prata was rather creative. There’s both savoury and sweet pratas like ham & onion and even banana!

Salads & canapes

There’s also a decent selection of salads. They look simple but taste very nice! Same for the bite-sized canapes.

Desserts section

Being a Christmas-themed buffet, there’s Christmas fruitcake, gingerbread, and of course, log cake! There’s also the usual buffet selection of miniature cheesecakes and mousses.

For local desserts, there were sago pudding with gula melaka, mango pudding, and also fruit cocktail jelly.

Fresh fruits

There’s also fresh fruit and a DIY ice cream counter with various toppings (not pictured).

Amazing chocolate cake!

Psst! Grab this chocolate mousse cake if you see it. It’s definitely worth the calories! *wink*

Plaza Brasserie’s buffet would probably satisfy the tastebuds of those who are looking for a Christmas-themed buffet with an emphasis on Asian and local dishes. For instance, this menu would suit my parents-in-law as their palates are still very Asian.

The buffet range isn’t too extensive, but it should be sufficient for smaller eaters. Also, it’s attractively priced for a Christmas-themed buffet.

*Child below 3 dines for free. Child prices applicable for those aged 4 to 12. Prices are subject to 10% service charge & 7% GST.

Plaza Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 6505 5710

Many thanks to PARKROYAL on Beach Road for the invite.

Sashimi (foreground) & canapes (background)

Since we were already planning to take mom-in-law out for high tea, we thought we’d take advantage of this promotion. I flipped through the brochure and saw that The Dining Room at Sheraton Towers has this offer where the 3rd diner dines at S$10 for weekday lunch, weekend high tea and dinner.

The Dining Room’s Saturday high tea is an Asian-themed buffet (12pm to 3pm). We got there late, about 1pm. It was full house. No doubt many were also there to take advantage of the promotion.

Live sandwich station

The first station I saw was the live sandwich station, offering a variety of breads with tuna mayo, otah, and egg mayo.

Hot savoury dishes

The hot savoury section didn’t look very promising. The items looked kinda, hmm, not so posh.

Gado-gado (Indonesian salad)

The gado gado didn’t look very appetizing either……

Nonya kuehs

For desserts, besides these Nonya kuehs — which I didn’t try — there was a mini chocolate fountain, assorted mini cakes and pastries, Movenpick ice cream, durian pengat, red bean soup, bread & butter pudding.

There was also a live station preparing chocolate lava cake, aloe vera jelly, and soy beancurd (tau huay) for dessert.

Dimsum + otah sandwich

First round: Started with open-faced otah sandwich and dimsum.

Otah sandwich: The otah was mushy, like a paste. Tastes like otah mayo, is there such a thing?! Hmm, sounds strange but tastes better than it looks.

Dimsum: Shouldn’t have bothered! Siew mai and glutinous rice barely passable, but har gau (shrimp dumpling) was EPIC FAIL! The tough har gau skin was nearly 1/2 inch thick!

Clockwise from bottom: Mantou (fried bun), chilli crab, unidentified fried thingy, fried prawn, fried squid, assorted satay

Second round was better.

Chilli crab + mantou: Interesting presentation. Crabmeat in chilli crab sauce made for convenient eating.

Fried items: Reminded me of those fried items from Old Chang Kee.

Assorted satay: Nice blend of spices and aromatics. Beef was ok, lamb a bit tough, chicken was the most delicious of all three.

Roast beef & sashimi

This was hubby’s plate. I don’t eat roast beef and sashimi, so I asked for his verdict.

Roast beef tenderloin: Excellent! Very tender and juicy.

Sashimi: Salmon and prawn were good. The rest were ok. The yellow thingy is tamago.

Fried ee-fu noodle & grilled salmon in hoisin sauce

Ee-fu noodle: Very ordinary.

Grilled salmon: Surprisingly good. Mom-in-law went for second and third rounds.

Laksa

The Dining Room’s laksa is quite famous. Indeed, it was superb. The laksa gravy was very smooth and creamy, with well-balanced flavors and aromas.

Other items we tried but didn’t like: sushi (dry and not fresh), Indian rojak (hard and oily), and raisin scone (dry).

Mini pastries

Perhaps this was high tea, so the focus was more on pastries rather than savouries. Indeed, we found the desserts to be much better. In fact, all the chocolate items were good. Starting from top left row:

Chocolate praline with crunchy layer: Divine! We all loved the rich bittersweet chocolate with crunchy wafer.

Chocolate mousse in cone: Nice mousse, but the cone had already “lau hong” (lost its crunch), possibly due to moisture from the mousse.

Almond jelly with longan: Nice but ordinary.

Unidentified Nonya kueh: I didn’t like it.

Marble cheesecake: Nice!

Banana and chocolate cream puff: Very nice! Like I said, all the chocolate items here are safe choices.

Durian pengat

Another popular item at the buffet was durian pengat. Thicker and more flavorful, I thought this was marginally better than Merchant Court’s version.

Warm chocolate lava cake

I only discovered this live dessert station later. Was already very full at this point, but luckily I persevered in trying the ala minute chocolate lava cake (waiting time 5 mins).

Not the most delicate lava cake I’ve tried, but definitely one of the high points at this buffet spread!

Chilled aloe vera jelly with assorted condiments

The aloe vera jelly was extremely refreshing! A variety of condiments were provided — sweet sea coconut, soursop, strawberry, etc. A good choice to wash down all that rich food.

There was also fresh fruit, but very limited — only slices of watermelon, rock melon, honeydew, and decorative pieces of dragonfruit.

The Dining Room @ Sheraton Towers

The Dining Room’s weekend high tea is priced at S$35.80++ per person, which works out to about S$42.15 after taxes.

With the 3rd diner paying S$10++, we paid S$96.05 for 3 people, which averaged out to S$32 per person.

Even with the discounted price, I didn’t feel it was worth it. The lack of quality control over several dishes was just unforgivable.

The sweet items were decent, but the savoury items were disappointing. Only the laksa, roast beef, sandwiches, sashimi, and satay were worth the tummy space. The worst were dimsum (tasted factory-made) and Indian rojak (cold, hard, and oozing with oil). The canapes and sushi didn’t look fresh either.

I wonder if the $10 promo has caused corners to be cut, for the quality of the food doesn’t reflect the status of a 5-star hotel.

With each subsequent visit to The Dining Room, my impression of it seems to be going downhill. That’s such a pity as I really like the ambience here, with its tall windows, lush outdoor greenery and waterfall.

Mini waterfall in the mini garden

Hubby got bored while waiting for me and MIL to finish eating, so he went out to the garden. He took this photo. Nice or not?

The Dining Room
Sheraton Towers Singapore
39 Scotts Road
Singapore 228230
Tel: +65 6839 5621
URL: www.sheratonsingapore.com

3-tier afternoon tea set, S$38

Anyway, prior to that, we both had a somewhat trying time (work + family issues). So we said, hey, why not splurge a bit and reward ourselves? And what’s more indulgent than leisurely afternoon tea at the glitzy Ritz?

On weekdays, Chihuly Lounge at the Ritz Carlton serves traditional afternoon tea (S$36.00++ per set). It’s presented in an elegant, gilded 3-tiered tray stand. Each set has 12 pieces of dainty savouries and pastries (the tray above holds 2 sets of afternoon tea).

What's afternoon tea without tea?

You get to choose from a variety of gourmet teas. Tea is free-flow, and you can opt for another blend after finishing a pot. Alternatively, there’s coffee. Camemberu and I tried three different kinds of tea: vanilla, Earl Grey, and jasmine.

Condiments for tea: lemon wedge, heart-shaped sugars, cream

Look at the elegant table setting! It’s a bit hard to see, but the sugar (white and raw) cubes are heart-shaped. They are, literally, little sweethearts!

Mini pots of Hediard honey and jams

More luxury, in the form of Hediard honey and jams (strawberry, apricot, marmalade). The jams were delicious!

Top tier

We couldn’t wait to start on the food! The selection is probably rotated day-to-day. The top tier was sandwiches. From foreground:

1. Egg mayo on herbed roll — Egg mayo sounds plebeian, but a sprinkle of caviar gave it a touch of aristocracy. The soft, aromatic bread roll was also lovely.
2. Pastrami with tomato on tomato bun — We weren’t expecting an explosion of intense flavors from the tomato! It was possibly marinated or roasted tomato. Immensely juicy, and went very well with the pastrami. My fav of the three!
3. Smoked salmon & roe on brioche — Can’t go wrong with smoked salmon. Loved how the roe “popped” and released their briny sweetness in the mouth.

Smoked salmon & roe on brioche

These mini sandwiches were rather ordinary. But they tasted extra good with the use of premium quality ingredients. The fresh, artisan breads made a big difference as well.

Middle tier

Second tier wasn’t as impressive. From left: raisin scones (would have tasted better if warm), crab croquette (rich with crabmeat, but didn’t quite like the mushy interior), chicken wrap with cream cheese & fresh fig (ok), and potato truffle tart (also ok).

Bottom tier

The mini pastries (from foreground): coffee mille feuille, lemon custard tart, chocolate cake, and cheesecake.

When we tasted the lemon custard tart, both Camemberu and I wondered out loud, “Eh, it smells like salted egg yolk!” How strange!

Actually, the tart was my favorite item cos of the tangy custard and buttery crust. But that salted egg yolk scent was still surreal!

Mini cheesecake

Perhaps we were expecting to be blown away, but the sweets were just alright. Definitely more than decent, but not wow.

We thought the dainty morsels wouldn’t fill us up, but surprising, they did. Guess three pots of tea helped too.

It was indeed a very relaxing and indulgent afternoon. Chihuly Lounge is spacious and airy, with tall windows and lush greenery outside. The decor is classy, but feels cozy. I especially enjoyed the soft sunlight streaming in through the glass roof.

Service was excellent as well. The wait staff refilled our tea cups frequently, always attentive but never intrusive.

This was certainly a very extravagant outing. If you consider just the food, it might seem overpriced. But if you take into account all the details that make up the whole experience, it was absolutely worth it. Well, at least it was for us. We had a fabulous time!

Any suggestions where should we go for our next tai-tai outing?

Chihuly Lounge
The Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799
Tel: (65) 6434 5288, 6337 8888 (main line)
URL: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Singapore/Default.htm

Daily: 9.30am – 1.30am
Traditional afternoon tea is served Mon to Fri: 2.30pm – 5pm
Weekend afternoon tea buffet is served on Sat & Sun: 2.30pm – 5pm

Rick and I got there early for dinner so I could take photos of the food before other diners messed them up, heh! Here are some pics of the various stations.

DIY rojak station

Here’s the DIY rojak station. This version is fruit-based, as compared to hawker-style rojak that has you tiao (fried doughsticks) and taupok (tofu puff).

Selection of Peranakan salads

I was amazed at the wide selection of Peranakan and Indonesian salads, some of which I’ve never seen before, eg. jantung pisang (banana bud salad), sayur ulam (mixed vegetables), and kachang bendi (lady fingers in sambal belachan).

Kueh pie tee and popiah station

Under the warmer are kueh pie tee shells, and in the steamer are popiah skins. Further on the right are hot Peranakan dishes like ayam buah keluak and babi pongteh.

Mee siam station

Here are the condiments for mee siam.

Seafood on ice

For variety, there’s also chilled seafood, like fresh oyster (dinner only), blue swimmer crab (above pic), tiger prawn, river prawn, and NZ green-lip mussel.

Cold soba and sashimi

There’s a small selection of sashimi, and cold soba.

Whole suckling pig

There’s even a whole roasted suckling pig! Initially, I wanted to try it, but later, I was too full and had no more tummy space left for pig.

Hot sweet soups section

Of all the buffets I’ve been to, EMC serves the widest variety of hot Asian desserts/sweet soups, like almond cream, peanut cream, pulut hitam, bubur cha cha, ah balling, and tau suan.

Other desserts (not pictured) available were assorted Nonya kuehs, assorted pastries and cakes, DIY chendol, chocolate fountain (with a very small selection of dipping items), and fresh fruit. And not forgetting, their famous durian pengat.

Iced lemongrass tea and Ros Selasih

The prelude to our meal was lemongrass tea and Ros Selasih (rose syrup with selasih/basil seeds and lime). Both were very refreshing. We like!

Ok, time to attack the buffet!

Clockwise from bottom: oysters, river prawn (with big head), NZ green-lip mussel, tiger prawn

First stop: chilled seafood. Very typical Singaporeans, we are. I didn’t try the oysters, Rick did. He said they were fresh. We also didn’t try the crab. Too lazy to peel crab.

Here’s my report in brief.

River prawn: Bland.

Mussel: Not bad. Not chewy nor fishy.

Tiger prawn: Very sweet, juicy, and crunchy!

Hee Peow (fish maw) Soup

Fish maw soup: Excellent! The meat ball was a bit dry, but more than redeemed by chunky fish maw and super robust stock!

Nonya Mee Siam

Mee siam: Another winner! Tofu cubes were overfried (too dry), but the rich gravy was a harmonious symphony of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Loved the sweet, fat prawns too. Wanted to go for second round, but had to save space for other dishes.

Kueh pie tee & popiah

Kueh pie tee/popiah: Turnip filling for both was well-stewed, but seasoning was rather light-handed. Kueh pie tee shells were fresh and crisp.

Salads and satay

Chicken satay: Tender and well-marinated meat. Would go for second round. Beef satay also available, but didn’t try.

Rojak: Hae ko (shrimp paste) is quite light. Would prefer the thick, sticky Penang-style hae ko.

Sayur ulam: Refreshing, but rather bland.

Tauhu goreng: Ok.

Gado gado: Pleasant.

Jantung pisang (banana bud salad): My first time trying this! Banana buds taste like dried golden lily buds. Not bad, but unremarkable. Rick said it’s an acquired taste for him.

Hot foods

Ngoh hiang: Tasted a bit factory-made.

Nonya mud crab: Very fragrant blend of herbs and spices, but crabs were rather skinny.

Black pepper crayfish: Tender meat, great seasoning.

Otak otak: Aromatic with good spicy kick. Very popular item!

White clams in XO sauce: Nice sauce, but clams not very meaty.

Steamed seabass Nonya-style: Don’t get which part of it is Nonya, but it was a gorgeous fish dish! It was a HUGE, whole seabass. Flesh was silky-smooth and tender, accompanied by flavorsome sauce.

From top: Babi pongteh, ayam buah keluak, Nonya chap chye

Babi pongteh: Chunky pork belly cubes stewed till melt-in-mouth tender. Mmmh…!

Ayam buah keluak: Strangely, the chicken wasn’t stewed with the buah keluak (black nut). Instead the buah keluak paste was separately served. Maybe it’s to cater to those not used to the strong taste of buah keluak.

Nonya chap chye: Reminds me of  home, but in a heartwarming way.

Nonya kuehs and pastries/puddings

By this time, Rick and I were already very full, but how could we skip dessert? For myself, I picked the mini items, skipping more substantial items like durian Swiss roll and sweet soups.

Nonya kuehs: Competently executed.

Mango pudding: Not bad, but can skip.

Pandan panna cotta(?): This was very nice! The texture reminded me of creme brulee, but scented with pandan, and topped with melted gula melaka.

Chocolate truffle: Divine! Very rich, with lovely bittersweet, complex notes.

Durian pengat and fresh fruit

And of course, how could we miss Ellenborough Market Cafe’s famous durian pengat? While still good, it wasn’t as satisfying as I remember it from last year. Perhaps it’s because durians, while available now, aren’t at their prime season, so the durian pengat didn’t taste as rich and flavorful.

I also think it was whipped till too airy. Personally, I’d prefer a denser durian pengat. But since it’s so light, it means you can indulge in more of it and not feel so jelak (cloying)!

On the whole, the buffet spread was an excellent representation of Peranakan cuisine. The Peranakan dishes were prepared with quality ingredients and had a homely touch. Taste-wise, I would have preferred bolder flavors, but Rick, who likes his food on the light side, thought the seasonings were just right.

*Dishes are rotated on a daily basis.

An Authentic Peranakan Gastronomy Buffet @ Ellenborough Market Cafe
2 to 18 April 2010
For enquiries/reservations, call: (65) 6239 1848

Buffet lunch: S$35.00++ (adult), S$17.50++ (child)
Buffet dinner: S$45.00++ (adult), S$22.50++ (child)

*Child price applicable for children aged 4 to 11 years old.

For HSBC cardholders: One dines for free with every three paying adult diners.

Ellenborough Market Cafe
Swissotel Merchant Court, Singapore
20 Merchant Road
Singapore 058281
Tel: (65) 6337 2288
URL: www.swissotel.com/singapore-merchantcourt

Save the airfare to Penang and come here instead!

Sounds luxurious? The reality: Buffet was hawker fare, and the shopping was just wistful browsing. “Ooh, look! So gorgeous! Wah, so ex!”

We are, after all, merely HDB tai-tais. Still, it was fun!

Back to the food, which is the main reason for the outing. Ever since my Penang trip, I’d been unable to forget the delicious street food. Besides, I’d been wanting to try York Hotel’s legendary Penang hawkers’ buffet. Ongoing since 1986, the hotel flies in hawkers from Penang 3 times a year (in March, September, and December) for this theme buffet.

Compared to usual hotel buffets, this one has considerably less variety. The focus is on hawker food. Each dish is prepared a la minute at live stations. The whole set-up is like a food court!

Lor bak (fried meat roll)

Let’s start with my favorite item of the spread. Lor bak = Singapore’s ngoh hiang. Served with other deep-fried items like prawn fritters, beancurd, battered taro and sweet potato.

The batter was very light and crispy, and nearly grease-free. Even the prawn shell was crispy enough to be devoured. This was really addictive!

Hokkien mee (prawn noodles)

Penang Hokkien mee = Singapore prawn mee. The prawn and pork broth was flavorful and tasty, and the pork ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender. But why did they use such small prawns? Crunchy they were, but not particularly sweet.

Koay teow thng (fish ball noodle soup)

Not a terribly exciting dish, but this was well-executed. The soup was very clear, and tasty but light at the same time. The dry-tossed version is also available.

Assam laksa

I actually enjoyed this version more than the one I had in Penang, probably because the broth here is less fishy and sour. I liked the balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Very appetizing!

From left: Ban chang kueh (peanut pancake) & apom balik

Another “hot” stall was the pancake station. The apom balik is a new addition. There’s a small piece of banana hidden in the fold of the soft pancake. We were pleasantly surprised by coconut shreds in the batter, which gave the pancake a wonderful fragrance and texture. The apom balik was so popular that there was no more when we went back for seconds!

The peanut pancake was just as more-ish! Filled with crushed peanut and sugar, the wafer-thin pancake was very light and crispy. There’s a slight drizzle of melted Planta margarine inside, which gave a subtle kick!

Penang fried koay teow

Without doubt Penang’s most famous dish, the fried koay teow station had the longest queue! According to Camemberu who did the queueing, there were two chefs, each frying a wok of koay teow. One is the master and the other is the disciple. She got a plate from each of them.

The difference in taste was heaven and earth! The disciple’s version tasted flat, and the noodles were broken and looked unappetizing. But the master’s fried koay teow was full of wok breath, and the flavors were robust and complex. So now you know whose koay teow you should queue for!

Fried oyster

Penang fried oyster egg is more “wet” in style. I’m not crazy about oysters, so this was just ok for me. The eggs were very tasty.

Penang rojak

Penang rojak is fruit-based. The thick hae ko (shrimp paste) was delicious, but I’d have preferred it to be more piquant.

Ju her eng chye 鱿鱼蕹菜 (cuttlefish & water spinach)

Ok, I’m not a fan of ju her eng chye, so no comments.

Cendol & ice kachang (background)

The cendol was sorely disappointing! I was so looking forward to it, but it isn’t authentic. The green bean jelly isn’t the soft, pale green type, and there’s no distinctive gula Melaka taste. Even the ice kachang was lacklustre. I really miss the awesome cendol we had in Penang.

So, did this satisfy the Penang food craving? Well, I was very happy up to the point of the cendol, which shaved many points off the overall grade! I was also hoping to see more items, like satay, curry mee, or even curry chee cheong fun, but no such luck. Some might say 30 bucks is too much to pay for hawker fare, but hey, it’s still cheaper than the price of a plane ticket to Penang!

The buffet also includes free-flow bandung (rose syrup and milk drink).

Penang Hawkers’ Fare (4 to 20 September 2009)
White Rose Cafe, York Hotel Singapore
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: (65) 6737 0511

Lunch: 12 noon – 2:30pm
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10pm
Price: S$25.80++ (adult), S$18.80++ (child below 12 years)
No table reservations.

The Peranakan dishes on bain marie section.

82-year-old Baba Jolly Wee, a renowned Peranakan cooking expert, was specially invited to helm Spices Cafe for this authentic and traditional Peranakan spread.

From left: Beef rendang, sambal sotong, ayam buah keluak, sambal ikan tenggiri, babi assam.

I’m not an authority on Peranakan food, having tried it at most 5 times in my entire lifetime. With the exception of the tenggiri (mackerel) which was a tad overcooked, I enjoyed all the items above. The sotong wasn’t rubbery, and all the meats were fragrant and tender. The flavors and spices were nicely balanced too.

Nyonya rojak and otah

The appetizing rojak and spicy otah was great for perking up the tastebuds in between courses! There’s a live rojak station, and otah is also freshly grilled. Nyonya rojak is slightly different as there’s no you tiao or tau pok. It’s distinctly more refreshing with more use of fruit like jambu (rose apple).

Duck noodle soup

Although the focus is on Peranakan dishes, there are also other local Singapore dishes available, like this Teochew duck noodle soup. Prepared at a live station, yellow Hokkien noodles, kway teow, and bee hoon are available.

Hungry Cow was also there, and we both LOVED this! Slurped up every bit of that hearty broth! It was deliciously flavorful and didn’t have an overpowering herbal taste. They were very generous with the tender braised duck too!

Loh kai yik and lontong

Baba Jolly Wee told us that he wants to introduce the younger generation to foods that he ate in his younger days which are no longer available now. One of them is loh kai yik — a brownish-pink stew of chicken wings braised in nam yu (fermented tofu). He told us that many years ago, he and his parents would eagerly await a hawker who would peddle loh kai yik door-to-door. The hawker would carry a big pot on a charcoal stove in bamboo baskets, and then set them down and start cooking when residents came out to order.

What an interesting anecdote! This was really exciting for me cos I’ve never tasted loh kai yik before. The gravy stew itself is sweetish and slightly savoury. Chicken wings, pork belly, and chicken liver give depth to the gravy. There’s also kangkong and taupok for extra texture. Mmm…yummy! Why don’t people make or sell this anymore?

Chilli crab and chicken satay

Other “hot” items are the chilli crab and chicken satay. We had to go back a few times before we finally got our hands on this plate! The crab is alright; but the satay is really addictive. Tender, juicy chicken leg is used, and the marinade had thoroughly penetrated the meat. The peanut gravy was just right – sufficiently flavorful and chunky. There’s supposed to be grated pineapple for the peanut gravy – a signature touch for Nyonya satay – but there was no more. *sad*

Nyonya kueh and pastries

Maybe I have more of a savoury rather than a sweet tooth, but I was more impressed with the mains rather than desserts. Or maybe I was just too full to appreciate them. On this plate, starting clockwise from 12 o’clock: sago with gula melaka and coconut cream; durian puff; kueh lapis; kueh dadar (the skin is strawberry flavored); apong (pancakes with banana sauce); and center, pandan-flavored pancake (sorry I didn’t get the proper name).

There were other dishes I didn’t try or photograph, like cabbage rolls, baby octopus (starter), stir-fried beef slices, pork chop (nice and crispy), macaroni soup, sambal stingray, fried sesame balls, bubur terigu, and fresh fruit. See my Flickr set for more photos.

The buffet is a modest spread, but I think for a weekday lunch, it’s more than sufficient. Prices are pocket-friendly too. Most of all, I think it’s a great introduction for those of us unfamiliar with Peranakan cuisine.

There’s actually many more items on the Peranakan menu, but only a few are highlighted each day. Dishes are rotated weekly every Tuesday. Should I return next week to try the pineapple prawns, tauyu bak (braised soy sauce pork), sayur nangka masak lemak (young jackfruit in spicy coconut milk), and itek tim (duck in salted vegetable soup)? What a tempting thought!

Many thanks to Evelyn of Concorde Hotel for the invitation and hospitality, and Baba Jolly and Rosemary for sharing their interesting stories on Peranakan history and food.

Singapore Flavors Lunch Buffet: Focus on Peranakan dishes (July & August 2009)
Spices Cafe (Lobby Level 3)
Mondays to Fridays, 12 noon to 2:30pm
$25++ per adult, $12.50++ per child (3-12 years old), $19.65++ per senior citizen (above 55 years old)
Tel: (65) 6733 8855 ext. 8133

Concorde Hotel Singapore
100 Orchard Road
Singapore 238840
Tel: (65) 6733 8855
URL: www.concordehotel.com.sg

Note: Since October 2008, Le Meridien Hotel in Orchard Road has been rebranded Concorde Hotel. Cafe Georges has also been renovated and renamed Spices Cafe.

Both media and food bloggers were invited for food tasting sessions prior to the launch. Besides being a preview, it was also a feedback session. Hence, some dishes may be fine-tuned; taste and presentation may differ slightly from what you see here.

Black pepper Sri Lankan crab

As it was a private tasting session, dishes were presented ala carte. Let’s start with an all-time Singaporean favorite: black pepper crab!

Actually, crab done black pepper-style has never been a favorite of mine. Most versions I’ve tried tend to go overboard on the black pepper. But Ellenborough Market Cafe’s version has won me over! The zingy black pepper packs a pleasant punch that doesn’t overpower the sweetness of the crabmeat, and you can taste other flavors in the seasonings as well.

Sri Lankan chilli crab

Another classic — chilli crab! Again, I was impressed with the chilli gravy. It’s not too spicy, but I like! Sweet, spicy, savoury — the different flavors harmonized to create a balanced and pleasing result. Very shiok!

Deep-fried mini mantou (Chinese bun)

Here’s the perfect sponge to mop up that thick, scrumptious chilli crab gravy! They used to serve full-sized mantou, but now, these mini ones are served instead because previous customers indicated their preference for smaller buns.

Nyonya curry crab

On to the Nyonya curry crab! For this dish, instead of Sri Lanka crabs, the sweet, delicate flower crab is used as it’s better suited to the spices of the curry gravy. Again, another winner!

Fragrant Thai sauce crab

Of the four, my personal favorite is the Thai sauce crab. There’s a certain allure about this aromatic sauce that I just can’t quite describe. Sweet, tangy, spicy, and redolent of herbs and spices…mmm, there’s a complexity about it that’s simply intriguing.

Salad of Hokkaido crabmeat with apple & walnut

Actually, we started our session with this refreshing salad. This was presented individually. We were told that the original plan is to serve this in a big bowl for diners to help themselves to at the buffet. But all the bloggers commented that perhaps a better alternative would be to portion the salad out into small portions, like in shooters or Chinese spoons.

Crab risotto

There was also crab risotto, but after the spicy crabs, I couldn’t make out the flavors in it! So here’s a useful tip. At the buffet, try the risotto first before attacking the spicy crabs!

On top of the crab items, there’s a spread of both local and international fare normally available at the Ellenborough Market Cafe buffet. But do note, the crab buffet is available only for dinner.

Bubur chacha

We also got to help ourselves to the dessert spread at the buffet. There’s chocolate fountain, cakes and pastries. But Ellenborough Market Cafe is renowned for its Straits Chinese, or Peranakan cuisine. That’s because the Peranakan section is helmed by the famous Nyonya chef Shirley Tay.

Kueh dadar

Just like a traditional Peranakan matriarch who doesn’t believe in shortcuts to cooking, Chef Shirley Tay insists that the kueh dadar has to be freshly made at a live station. In fact, you can see her personally making the kueh dadar, unless it’s her day off. That’s true Nyonya dedication for you!

This has got to be the softest kueh dadar I’ve ever tried. What a BIG difference from store-bought ones!

Durian cheesecake

This isn’t your usual New York cheesecake. It’s infused with durian! Don’t worry, the durian taste is actually very subtle. I didn’t expect cheese and durian to go together, but the light cheesecake with a faint durian scent turned out better than I expected.

Durian pengat

Saving the best for last, here’s Market Cafe’s legendary durian pengat! It’s creamy and rich, but light as air so that you can go for seconds. It’s mindblowingly divine!

Unlimited crab and durian pengat, this must be a Singaporean foodie’s fantasy come true! Just these two are enough to entice me to try out the buffet.

Many thanks to Sok Hoon and Yvonne for their invitation and gracious hospitality!

Ultimate Crab Buffet Dinner
25 June to 12 July 2009
Adult S$46++, Child S$23++
Enquiries: 6239 1848

Ellenborough Market Cafe
Swissotel Merchant Court
20 Merchant Road
Singapore 058281

Kicking off our dimsum marathon was Hai Tien Lo on level 37 of Pan Pacific Hotel. Even before we were wowed by the food, we were already blown away by the breathtaking view of Marina Bay, the Singapore Flyer, and the Singapore city skyline.

Special steamed crab meat & shark's fin with Jin Hua stock wrapped in dough

Currently helmed by Master Chef Lai Tong Ping, Hai Tien Lo has long been a name synonymous with fine Cantonese cuisine. The most impressive dish we sampled must be the dough-wrapped crab meat and shark’s fin in stock. I love the paper-thin, silky dough and sweet crab meat, as well as the light but flavoursome stock that’s infused with the natural goodness of Jin Hua ham and dried scallops.

Just as impressive is the Imperial Lobster Dumpling (pictured in the background above). About 3 times the size of a normal har gow, it looks like a giant har gow, except that it’s stuffed with luxurious lobster meat instead of shrimp.

Deep-fried sea perch in vermicelli

We chomped our way through many more dishes, but there are too many pictures, so I’ll just post some of the more memorable ones. Like this very irresistible-looking plate of crispy vermicelli bundles. I like the contrast of the crispy noodles against the delicate fish inside.

Pan-fried rice flour rolls with crispy conpoy

Another elegantly presented dish! Instead of the usual steaming method, here the rice rolls are lightly pan-fried and topped with a very addictive-tasting crispy shredded dried scallop. We’d actually prefer the rolls to be more charred, and the rolls seemed quite dense. But we spent a lot of time taking photos, so this could be the reason they turned cold and stodgy.

Deep-fried crispy yam patties layered with mashed golden pumpkin

I thought I’d like this, cos there’s yam and pumpkin, which are two ingredients I adore! Unfortunately, the taste of five-spice powder was just a little too much for my preference.

Steamed carrot cake with preserved meat

Another very healthy-tasting item. Now, I love carrot (more accurately, radish) cake, whether it’s steamed or fried. This was very soft and smooth, but it’d have been even better with a more pronounced taste of preserved meat.

Stuffed vegetarian rolls with bamboo pith, pine mushrooms, carrots & bean gluten

The chef and his team have thoughtfully created a number of vegetarian dishes for non-meat eaters. But I think meat eaters will enjoy the veggie options, too, like these stuffed rolls that were crunchy, juicy, and flavorful! The flavors and textures of all the ingredients complemented one another perfectly. I didn’t expect that something so healthy and light could taste so fabulous!

Bird's nest egg tart

These precious little egg tarts luxuriously topped with mounds of pure bird’s nest provided a sweet ending to our first dimsum session. We were truly spoiled!

Overall, I find that Hai Tien Lo’s dimsum is delicately prepared and with a strong emphasis on clean-tasting and light flavors. The food here will please those who find that Chinese food is too oily and salty.

Tempted yet? All these items and many more are available at Hai Tien Lo’s Exquisite Cantonese Weekend Brunch at S$48++ per adult. This ala carte buffet features up to 60 dishes.

Check back as I update on the subsequent sessions of our dimsum extravaganza!

Many thanks to Cindy Lim and Merissa Chong of Pan Pacific Hotel for hosting us, and feature writer Jackson Sim and photographer Danny Lim of Cuisine & Wine Asia for arranging this event.

Also read: Cuisine & Wine Asia dimsum feature: Si Chuan Dou Hua @ Top of UOB Plaza

Fellow bloggers at this session were: Camemberu, Hungry Cow, and ieatishootipost.

Scallops & mussels

Either there were other families who were celebrating Mother’s Day in advance, or the buffet at Cafebiz is popular, cos it was full house!

Chilled prawns

Like any other self-respecting Singaporean, our buffet strategy was: Attack the seafood counter first, load up on meat items, avoid fillers like rice and bread, and save space for desserts!

Fresh oysters

There was quite a decent selection of chilled seafood. The scallops and mussels were tiny, but the oysters were fresh and HUGE!

Chilled seafood selection

The Boston lobster, crab claws, and scallops were significantly smaller than those at MELT. Quite tough as well! Overcooked, perhaps?

Sushi

I wasn’t impressed with the Japanese selection at all. The sushi rice was dry and grainy, and the cha soba sauce wasn’t tasty at all. Only sashimi available was salmon, which I didn’t try cos I don’t like raw fish.

Chinese roast duck, chicken, pork

There’s a Chinese roast meats carvery station. Pretty decent stuff, with crispy crackling and relatively juicy meats. Unfortunately the roast duck was a bit too salty.

Kueh pie tee

The DIY kueh pie tee station was very popular. Quite a lot of condiments available, like prawn, chicken, and crushed peanuts. The overall taste of the kueh pie tee was not bad. But the turnip and cabbage stuffing could have been more robust in flavor.

Har gow & siew mai

I’ve never had high expectations for buffet dim sum, like the har gow whose skin tore too easily. But the chicken siew mai was surprisingly good, with smooth and springy meat.

Fried Hokkien prawn mee

I know what I said about staying off fillers, but I just can’t resist fried Hokkien prawn mee! Furthermore, this was a freshly cooked batch.

Though bordering on being salty, this was really flavorful. I like!

Western hot food selection

By now, I was getting full, no thanks to the sushi, which was a complete waste of tummy space.

For the Western hot foods, the good stuff was the oxtail stew (so rich and tender!), Dory with lemon cream sauce, and baked potato in butter sauce.

Just average were the breaded chicken fillet (with a strange-tasting sauce), breaded mushroom, spaghetti with tomato sauce, and mixed veggies.

Hot Asian food selection

The Asian dishes scored more hits than their Western counterparts. Every item was delicious: stir-fried pork with black fungus, spring onion and ginger fish, stir-fried kailan, and pineapple rice.

But the best was the chilli crab! The sweet-spicy, tomato-ey chilli sauce was absolutely addictive! Pity they used such small crabs. It was a pain getting the crab meat out. Still, I went back for another helping!

There was quite a lot of stuff I skipped: cold appetizers (only about 4 items), DIY salad bar, soup, bread bar, cheese platter (pathetic selection), roast beef, and Indian grilled meats and naans. There was also a passador who came round with grilled meats on a skewer, a ala churrascaria.

Ok, on to desserts!

Dessert section

Upon closer scrutiny, the pastries selection isn’t that remarkable, in terms of both quality and quantity.

Mini cakes

These three mini cakes were so forgettable I don’t even remember what they were.

Mango pudding, raspberry mousse, chocolate mousse

I was surprised to see quite a number of mousse and puddings featured. Rich and bitter, the chocolate mousse was excellent. On the other hand, the mango pudding tasted artificial. The raspberry mousse was just so-so.

Durian pengat & creme brulee

There’s just one word to describe the durian pengat: phenomenal. Yes, it was the only dessert that blew me away! No wonder I didn’t see it on my numerous trips to the dessert counter. Luckily, I managed to grab one shooter glass when they brought out a final batch!

I can’t remember if that’s creme caramel next to the durian pengat, but it was pretty good too.

Coffee, coconut, and jackfruit ice cream

The ice cream selection has about 6 or 8 tropical flavors, like durian and mango. Of the three I tried, my favorite was the coffee ice cream.

There’s also DIY ice kachang, which I skipped. I wanted to save space for the chocolate buffet, but unfortunately, they had already stopped topping up the dipping items like strawberries and marshmallows. In fact, they stopped topping up many of the desserts after 9pm. I thought that’s kinda mean, especially since the buffet closes at 10pm, and there are late-comers or slow eaters like me who hadn’t started on the desserts.

In the end, I only tried the chocolate buffet with a piece of left-over waffle (very thin and hard) and a couple of strawberries which were garnish that I “stole” from the cheese platter!

Final thoughts: There’s a little of everything, like Western, Japanese, Indian, and Chinese dishes, but with an emphasis on local cuisine. Although not very comprehensive in variety, it was sufficient for me. However, certain items could certainly have been better executed. The wait staff were very efficient, quickly clearing our plates once we finished.

With our credit card, there was 10% discount off the bill. I also found out later that some other credit cards have this “3 dines for the price of 2″ promotion. Wonder if this could have affected the quality of the buffet?

Melon & ham

Here’s a shot taken by hubby who was playing with our camera. It’s a cold appetizer of melon and ham. It looks far more impressive than it tastes.

Cafebiz’s dinner buffet is priced at $50++ per person.

Cafebiz
Traders Hotel
1A Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249716
Tel: (65) 6831 4374

Just as it’s named, MELT – The World Cafe’s Sunday brunch is a melting pot of delectable cuisines. In just three hours, hubby and I sampled Japanese, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Peranakan, Italian, French, Scandinavian, and American food!

Sushi & maki

Kicking off our marathon meal, I tried the inari, unagi and California maki. Not bad, except that the rice on the maki was a little dry on the edges, probably because of exposure to the air-conditioning. But this is something commonly experienced at buffets; nothing beats freshly prepared sushi.

As I don’t take raw fish, I didn’t try the sushi or sashimi, but hubby said the sashimi tasted fresh and was generously sliced.

Chilled somen

What I enjoyed even more was the cold noodles! There’s soba, cha soba, and somen, which I went for. The somen was slippery smooth, and the soba sauce wonderfully chilled and not too salty.

Smoked salmon

From Asia, let’s go to Europe! Here’s a platter of beautifully arranged smoked salmon, with a choice of bagels to go with (not pictured). The extensive appetizer section also has a wide variety of cold salads (eg. creamy potato salad, Thai papaya salad, etc.).

There’s also a funky DIY salad bar, artisan breads, and a spread of Italian cold cuts and French farmhouse cheeses. For the pics, please view the slideshow or my Flickr set. As I wanted the page to load more quickly, I didn’t post all the pics (total 47!).

The cheese platter has to be the most comprehensive of all buffets that I’ve been to. There’s also dried fruits and nuts for the cheese. Pity I’m not a cheese fan. But what I really enjoyed was the saffron cheese fountain!

"Can I just drink up all that yummy cheesy lava?"

No, that cute guy’s not my hubby! But he seems to be crazy about the saffron cheese fountain as much as I am, heh! I really enjoyed munching on crunchy, delicious breadsticks dipped in molten cheese.

Seafood counter!

Moving on to the most eagerly anticipated section – the chilled seafood counter! With the exception of fresh oysters, all the seafood are cooked. Items are frequently topped up, and there’s about 6 kinds of sauces and dips to go with.

Mine, all mine! *bliss*

My favorite has to be the Alaskan king crab leg! Soooooo sweet, firm and succulent! Gosh, thought I’d died and gone to heaven!

Perhaps my appreciation of the Alaskan king crab is heightened by watching the intrepid crew on Discovery’s Deadliest Catch risk their lives in the treacherous Bering Sea to bring us this delicacy. Are you a fan of Deadliest Catch too? My fav heroes are the Hansen brothers!

Ok, back to the food. Loved, loved, loved the meaty crab claw! Thumbs up for the Boston lobster, scallop, and tiger prawn too. But I didn’t really enjoy the slightly fishy-smelling sweet clam and chewy green-lipped mussel. Then again, I’ve never liked green-lipped mussel, so you probably shouldn’t take my word for it.

Free-flow Moet & Chandon.

Seafood and champagne pair really well! You can opt for Moet & Chandon, or the more expensive Dom Perignon. Strawberries are thoughtfully provided with champagne. Such a Pretty Woman moment!

Eggs Benedict & sausages.

What’s brunch without eggs and sausages? Hubby couldn’t stop raving about the veal sausage! There’s also grilled a la minute burgers, which I didn’t get to try.

Hot Western dishes

As with most buffets, the hot dish section ain’t the most inspiring, but a necessity for people who crave their comfort foods. There was osso bucco, pan-fried fish fillets, and a variety of roasted vegetables – potatoes, French beans, and mushrooms. I liked the flavorful clam chowder and shepherd’s pie.

Chinese roast pork

You must absolutely try the Chinese roast meats! That day, only the roast pork (siew yoke) and cherry-wood roast duck were available, but both were divine! I think they came from Cherry Garden upstairs.

The rest of the hot Asian dishes were just ok. The prawns with asparagus were fresh and crunchy, while spring onion ginger frog legs were meaty. I also remember fried rice, Japanese chawanmushi, and a very spicy tom yum soup.

Tandoori fish, lamb, and chicken with naan.

On to the live stations! There’s actually a tandoori clay oven where a chef bakes the meats and naans on the spot. The tandoori chicken was rather spicy; I much prefer the milder saffron chicken. But on the whole, the tandoori meats and naan were of respectable quality.

Maple-glazed ham (foreground), baked seabass (background).

Next to the tandoori section is the carvery. Available that day was maple-glazed ham, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and baked seabass. I enjoyed the ham very much, but not so much the dry seabass.

Unlimited foie gras!

Didn’t try the roast beef (pic in slideshow), cos I’m cutting down on red meat. I also wanted to try the live homemade pasta station, but somehow I forgot! Arghh! There’s also a foie gras station, where they’ll pan-fry your foie gras for you. Can you believe this? Unlimited foie gras!!

Mini macarons & desserts in shooter glasses.

On to the dessert section, which probably deserves a post all on its own. I didn’t manage to capture or try out everything, cos I was already bursting. Next time, I should start with desserts first!

Mango cheesecake, opera, mille feuille, fruit flan, tiramisu, panna cotta, macarons – yes, all the “usual suspects” and more are available, thoughtfully cut into petite squares or presented in shooters so that you can try as many as possible. Psst! Look out for the creme brulee!

Chocolate fountain

By now, any self-respecting hotel buffet would have a chocolate fountain. Choose from fresh fruit, marshmallows, and waffles to dip into the bitter chocolate.

Nyonya kuehs.

Cos I took so much time taking photos, I didn’t have time for the live waffle and crepe station. *sob!* Also didn’t try the Nyonya kuehs. There’s also fresh fruit and freshly squeezed fruit juice. You can even create your own fruit juice blend!

Parents can dump leave their kids at Little Fan Land.

For those with young-uns, you can relax and enjoy your luxurious brunch. There’s a playroom set up with toys and cartoon movie screenings, with a child minder to take care of your kids’ needs. Yippee!

Kid-friendly yummies the little tikes will love.

There’s also unlimited mini sandwiches, pastries, cookies, juice, and candy for the kids. Oh, and ice cream too!

"Yum, hot bod!"

The kids had so much fun they didn’t want to leave! And Christophe, the manager of MELT, mentioned that in the past, some parents enjoyed themselves so much (without the kids) that they had to be reminded to collect their children! LOL!

Conclusion: MELT’s Sunday brunch is truly outstanding in terms of quantity and quality. Of course, not everything was perfect, but there was far more I enjoyed than what I didn’t. Ingredients were fresh and dishes were immaculately presented.

Though I expressed my disappointment that I didn’t see hawker favorites like laksa being featured, I had to agree with Christophe when he explained that the direction was to present a more international focus, with dishes that we don’t normally enjoy. Indeed, all the items we had were high value, and this is really the point for diners who expect value for what they’re paying.

At about S$100 per person (without champagne), MELT’s Sunday brunch is extravagant, but a luxury well worth it for that special occasion! Mother’s Day is coming up next week, why not pamper Mom with a special Mother’s Day brunch at MELT?

A big THANK YOU to Kelly of Mandarin Oriental for the generous invitation, and to Christophe and all the staff at MELT – The World Cafe for making us feel so at home with their warmth and graciousness!

Sunday brunch at MELT – The World Cafe is available every Sunday from 11:30am to 3pm, priced at:

S$88++ per person – inclusive of free-flow juices & soft drinks

S$118++ per person – inclusive of free-flow champagne, wine, martinis, beer, juices, & soft drinks

S$288++ per person – inclusive of free-flow Dom Perignon champagne, wine, martinis, beer, juices, & soft drinks

S$48++ per child

Special Mother’s Day 2009 champagne brunch is S$148++ per person and S$48++ per child.

View all the pictures and those not posted here at my Flickr set.

Melt – The World Cafe
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Singapore
Raffles Avenue
Marina Square
Singapore
Tel: (65) 6885 3082
Hotel URL: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/singapore/