Happy 10 years together

Happy 10 years together

My temptation to splurge on food comes whenever I start to make enquiries to restaurants and hotels. Having to source out for a Chinese restaurant for a farewell lunch and that my 10th anniversary with Yuan is approaching, everything seems to fall in place to celebrate this special occassion at Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore.

Have been very busy with the recent renovation work but a good meal coupled with romantic ambience and a wonderful slice of cake, this is going to be equally memorable when Yuan proposed to me.


Most Singapore hotels will not disappoint in terms of service and Ritz Carlton gladly caters to Yuan's request for a slice of cake. The flavour is chosen by the chef and viola, it turns out to be good.


A simplistic combination of white chocolate mousse and pistachio, the mild flavour of both strikes well on the palette. Instead of an exceedingly sweet white chocolate, the use of almond in the white chocolate mousse neutralizes the sweetness and provides some texture to the white layer. Pistachio is prepared in a similar manner as the almond frangipane, leading to Yuan giving an extra nod to each mouthful. Though the milk chocolate sheets served as a decoration, these thin sheets melt perfectly in the mouth. Hmm...


For those who have been to Summer Pavillion or have read the online reviews, this is going to be no exception. Although I mentioned to Yuan that the crepes are alittle thick as compared to Man Fu Yuan 满福苑 (Hotel Intercontinental), these thin, crispy duck skin with a thin layer of fats simply melts in your mouth. For half a duck, there are a total of 12 servings of duck skin with crepes and for once, we indulge without the slightest worry of calories and cholesterol.


Unlike the regular Chinese restaurant, the ambience this place offers is very close to a dimly lit fine dining restaurant. All the diners are appropriately dressed and what surprise us is the way the Chef recommendations were served. I guess it is a misconception that Chinese restaurants are brightly lit, noisy and the food are served in huge portions. Not the case for Summer Pavilion's Chef recommendation (at least for the next two dishes).

Baked Sea Perch was wonderfully seared with the Hoi Sin Sauce with the interior nicely coated with the fats.


As for the wok-fried beef fillet, the "wok hei" (镬气) is sufficiently felt till the extent one serving is not enough.


The amazing thing about the few dishes we have ordered is that these are items Yuan will seldom order but all of them turn out to be unique and delicious in his opinion. This dish caught us by surprise for its slight chewy skin and soft, silky interior.


The remains of the Peking duck was fried with the XO fried rice. As seen in the picture, each rice grain is nicely seasoned so I will leave the photo to fill you in the details. For your information, the restaurant would recommend having the duck braised in Chinese wine sauce and we kind of regret not sticking to his recommendation. Though the fried rice is good, the smell whiffing from the claypot when served to our adjacent table sent my salivary glands activated. Definitely going to try that on my next visit.

For the first time, we have decided to celebrate this special occassion in a Chinese restaurant. The experience is very different from the regular buffets; and I am glad that this meal is so memorable. Having seated beside the window, the entire setting is lovely since Summer Pavilion is set amidst a picturesque garden. The service is fantastic and makes us feel welcome. I have indeed enjoyed myself greatly and now I am definitely looking forward to my next visit (Right? Yuan).

Summer Pavillion
The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799
Tel: 6434 5286

Operating hours:
11:30pm to 2:30pm (Lunch - a-la-carte & dim sum)
6:30pm to 10:30pm (Dinner - a-la-carte)

[ ... ]

Triple 3 - Japanese Sunday Brunch

Triple 3 - Japanese Sunday Brunch

Triple 3's Sunday brunch is slightly different from their weekend buffet dinner. While the weekend buffet dinner focus more on International cuisine, Sunday brunch focus alot on Japanese food. So, if one prefers international spread, their weekend dinner is a better bet but if you are fan of Japanese-style dishes, then the Sunday brunch is not going to disappoint you.


Instead of serving Indian curry and Tandoori cuisine, one can expect lighter appetizers such as Jelly Fish , Cucumber Seaweed , Grilled Mushroom, etc, in either pickled, salted or dressed.


Similar to their weekend dinner, seafood on ice offers an extensive spread of oysters, mussels, prawns, crabs, etc. A selection of smoked fish such as salmon and tuna are added to the selection.


Wok-Fried Station has been replaced with Japanese grill and this station offers a wide selection of seafood, beef, chicken and vegetables. Instead of the Hong Kong styled noodle served with roast, soba / udon noodles (served with clams and grated sticky Japanese yam with raw tuna) is available in their brunch.


Japanese version of Yong tau foo (Oden) and Shabu-shabu (served with beef and salmon; and 3 type of soup bases, Shoyu, Miso and Clear) are also the highlights of this buffet. This is no doubt Yuan's and my favourite sections in this brunch, so much so that we have neglected the Japanese Curry located at the end of this section. In Yuan's words: "After eating all the heavy food, it feels good to have hot soup"


The highlight of the live station is Pan-fried foie gras with rounds of white radish - a rare sight on buffet spreads even though we are personally not a fan of foie gras. The pasta station is often neglected, so do give the aglio olio a shot with an option of extra garlic.


The mouth-watering live stations I have mentioned in my earlier post are also found in their Sunday brunch and one will be spolit with choices. Recall my praises for their Kushiage (Japanese deep-fried skewers), Sashimi, Teppanyaki, Tempura and Roasted Wagyu Beef. As I always say for Triple 3, so many selections but yet so little tummy space.


Coming to my favourite section, instead of the regular selection of "westernized" desserts described in my previous entry, Pastry Chef Ivan Liew presents a series of Japanese-theme desserts for a lovely finale. Instead of the regular cream puffs, Yuzu Profiteroles serves as a refreshing tangy treat. Umeshu Jelly and Kantan Jelly are also included in the selection for a lighter alternatives.

The dessert bar also offers all-time favourite Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Fondue. But instead of serving the hotel's signature cheesecake, we are delighted with the Japanese cheesecake that is light and addictive on the palette.


The most memorable desserts of the entire selection is the Green Tea Panna Cotta and the Red Bean paste served with glutinous rice balls. Pair the latter with a scoop of delightful homemade vanilla ice cream and you will be surprised by the perfect match of hot and cold.

Having seen the satisfied look of my family members with the nods and smiles after all the dishes, I know I have not made the wrong choice. It is no doubt steep on the pocket but I am pretty sure this is one buffet most will be curious about. Be it weekend buffet dinner or the Sunday Japanese Brunch, the quality and quantity are of no doubt.

Many thanks to Sous Chef William Tan for making this meal so memorable.

Buffet Breakfast
$33++ (A), $16.50++ (C) per person

Buffet Lunch
$62++ (A), $31++ (C) per person (Mon-Thurs & PH)
$68++ (A), $34++ (C) per person (Fri, Sat & Eve of PH)

Sun Brunch
$110++ (A) (with free flow of alcholic drinks, soft drinks and juices)
$90++ (A) (with free flow of soft drinks and juices, NO alcohol)
$45++ (C) (with free flow of soft drinks and juices)

Buffet Dinner
$80++ (A), $40++ (C) per person (Sun-Thur)
$86++ (A), $43++ (C) per person (Fri, Sat & Eve of PH)

Credit Card discount as follows:
For now the current promotion is
1) DBS : Dinner 1-for-1 is available from Mon to Wed.
2) DBS : 3 dine for the price of 2 available for the entire week
3) OCBC : 4 dine for the price of 3 available during dinner for the entire week
Please note that the above promotions end at the end of June.

Amex & Citibank - 15%
HSBC & UOB - 10%

Triple Three
Mandarin Orchard Singapore
333 Orchard Road
Singapore 238867
Tel: 6831 6271

Operating Hours -
6.30am – 10.30am (Breakfast)
Noon – 2.30pm (Lunch)
6.30pm – 10.00pm (Dinner)
Website

[ ... ]

Saltwater Cafe

Saltwater Cafe

Note: Don't miss out on the new Kampong Lunch buffet available on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

To most, travelling to Changi Village Hotel can be a chore. For those who don't drive, here are some directions to Changi Village,
- From Tanah Merah MRT, take 2
- From Tampines MRT, take 29
- From Pasir Ris MRT, take 109

I have my reasons for including directions to come by this hotel. Having situated away from town, the rustic location offers a idyllic alternative for a nice weekend dinner. Upon entering saltwater Cafe, the mood changes despite braving through the rain and hassle to come. The effect of high celling with glass panels does provide a calming effect as opposed to the busy restaurants in town.


If one is expecting the usual suspects on a buffet bar, you will be disappointed. Given the pricing of the buffet and its patrons, this buffet focus more on local fare with a personal touch of Executive Chef William Soh.

As Changi Village Hotel is located very near to Changi Airport, the hotel patrons are mainly delayed flight guests and regulars. The main highlight of this cafe is floor-to-ceiling glass panels to allow diners to feel close to nature while the stylish interiors and comtemporary lighting provides a minimalist yet comfy ambience for both couples and families.


A quick glance of the buffet bar presents a few D.I.Y. counters for diners to prepare the local Rojak, Kuih Pie Tee and Laksa.

Executive Chef William Soh explains that Singaporeans prefers customising their food and likes the idea of self-service, thereby introducing a few of these stations. Having worked in Copthorne King’s Penang buffet, it is interesting to learn from Chef William that the Penang rojak he adored is not mixed in with the rojak sauce but rather drizzled on it so that the water will not be extracted out from the vegetables and fruits. Moreover, Penang rojak focus alot on fruits and that You tiao (fried bread stick) and Beansprouts are not found in this variation.

Anyway, back to D.I.Y rojak we had in the buffet. While I like my rojak to be thinly coated with sauce, Yuan prefers it thickly coated with the prawn paste. The verdict? This pleased me more with me finishing the entire plate of rojak as the sauce concocted by Saltwater Cafe is milder and less viscous.


It is a known fact that Singaporean cannot opt out sashimi in a buffet and seafood lovers will feel something lacking since oysters and crayfish are not found in the buffet line. Chef William is one that is particular with the quality of food and since this buffet is priced less than $40 on a weekend dinner, it is hard to balance a continuous flow of good quality oysters with an affordable price tag.

However, unlike the regular salmon and tuna sashimi, the sashimi served are cuts from snowfish and salmon trout (a hybrid of salmon and trout). While snowfish having defined flakes with a less fishy smell (which Yuan define it being a good alternative to tuna), salmon trout sashimi is amazingly sweet and tender.


Hot food sections focus on a selection of local dishes and hot favourites such as Tumeric Dory fish where hand-chopped spices such as lemongrass brings a maximal flavour to the succulent fish. Apart from that, one can expect comfort food such as porridge, South Indian favourites and a selection of Stewed Chicken, Braised Duck and Prawns Fritters.


There are a couple of signatures in this buffet which the regulars come back for and one of them is the Penang Char Kway Teow. I am no local-styled Fried Kway Tiao fan, those oily rice noodles with sweet sauce just don't work me but Penang style is different. Instead of using the thick rice noodles, this is fried using the thinner Ipoh Kway Teow noodles that is soft and smooth. Although Yuan felt that it was ordinary, we both agree in sync that the Kway Teow was not oily and does not clump to each other. What I like about it is the slight crispy exterior, the soft and springy interior Kway Teow that is light and wok seared with lard.

The other more sought-after dish is the peppered pig stomach soup. The soup is so rich and has no traces of dreadful "porky" smell. Chef William emphasized on the importance in blanching the pig stomach well and it is no surprise why this dish is requested when regulars make their buffet bookings at Saltwater Cafe.


Next to the gardo gardo section is a live pasta section whereby you can get the chef to prepare a plate for pasta for you.


In my opinion, the main highlight of the buffet is probably the outdoor grill section next to the poolside which is available on Friday and Weekend buffet dinner.


Cooked using stone grills, the live grill station offers a selection of Sirloin Beef, Chicken Chop, Chicken Sausage, Squid and Prawn to choose from. Sirloin Beef was done medium well, though thin but not tough. Chicken Chop and Chicken Sausage were tender while the Squid is slightly thick to our liking (prefer squid rings). Overall, the meats are well-seasoned and I liked the slight smoky aftertaste.

A point to note, this station left a very deep impression as we have opt for a poolside BBQ for our soleminization held last month at Traders Hotel. Since some of the items served at our soleminization event were chicken thigh and ribeye, we can comfortably say that the standard Saltwater Cafe offers is on par with what was served during our soleminization event at Traders Hotel.


Laksa, another Singaporean favourite. Although Chef Willam has experience in making Penang Laksa, he choose to serve the local version in this buffet as Singaporeans prefer to have their laksa served in the lemak style with Hay Bee Hiam (Spicy Dried Shrimps). Apart from the regular prawns and fish cakes, diners have the option of incorporating roast duck and char siew into their laksa. Indeed a virgin experience of eating roasted duck and char siew with laksa.

Laksa gravy was alittle spicy for me, considering my threshold for spiciness is close to zero. Although the laksa gravy is not exceptionally rich with coconut milk and Hay Bee Hiam, it is flavourful enough to coat the bee hoon in every mouthful.


Dessert section is something we often used to benchmark a buffet but note that Saltwater Cafe does not have an in-house pastry chef, thereby the desserts are mainly outsourced, apart from the shooters, Pear and Chocolate Pudding, Apple Crumble, Barley water and Chin Chow with Aloe Vera. Since the desserts are mainly outsourced, it will not be appropriate to comment much here. As for the Apple Crumble, it is tad too sweet with sugar visible on the crumble. However, we must give the credits for the crumble served warm and crisp.


Yuan's opinion
My overall impression of Saltwater Cafe is that it is a good weekend getaway to bring your family for dinner. However, if you are expecting an extensive spread of lobsters, crayfish, oysters etc. you will be sorely disappointed.

Fen's opinion...
Personally, it has been awhile since I feast in a buffet and I was indeed surprised by how much I have ate for this dinner. There are some buffets which I stopped short at just 2 rounds and headed straight for the desserts. Although the spread may not be extensive to frequent buffet-goers, my personal take is that this place is good for unwinding after a hard day of work. Moreover, the variety this buffet offers is decent for its price tag, given its selection of grilled western food, locals favourites, Indian food and pasta. The most important factor that makes this dinner memorable was to have Executive Chef William Soh chatting with us. Indeed an honour and an enriching evening to hear him talk about his gastronomic experience.

The cafe seems to be pretty short-handed and hence some of the utensils (e.g. dessert spoons and sauce dish) are not available at the buffet bar. The staff needs to be prompt for refill of water but apart from that, they are generally pleasant and polite.


Many thanks to Executive Chef William Soh for the complimentary meal; his time to chat with us and introduce the food on the buffet spread. Also, this photoshoot would not have been possible without the help of Ms Julie Lock, Marketing Communications Manager of Far East Hospitality.

Pricing of the buffet is as follows,
For Weekdays, lunch is priced at $32++, dinner at $36++
For weekends, lunch is priced at $22++ (local cuisine & high tea menu), dinner at $40++
Children below 12 years old are entitled to 50% discount while kids below 6 years old dine for free.
There is a 20% discount for UOB and DBS cardholders.

Saltwater Cafe
Changi Village Hotel
1 Netheravon Road
Singapore 508502
Tel: 6379 7018

Operating hours:
6:30am to 11pm (Sun to Thu),
6:30am to Midnight (Fri and Sat)
Website

[ ... ]

Triple 3

Triple 3

Named after Mandarin Orchard's address, 333 Orchard Road, Triple 3 is another commonly mentioned buffets in Singapore. For those who has visited Triple 3 some time back, this restaurant has gotten a complete makeover and instead of a casual dining area, the ambience this place offers is classy and contemporary.

What makes this buffet distinctively memorable from the rest is the amount of live stations this buffet gets to offer.


Like most buffets, seafood on ice has always been a highlight and Triple 3 makes no exception with its wide and fresh selection.


The sashimi station offers freshly cut sashimi which includes a selection of Salmon, Meikijiki (Swordfish), Tako, Prawn, Hamachi, etc. In addition, there is also another chef stationed beside the sashimi station, providing a continuous fresh supply of sushi made with Unagi, Amaebi, Soft Shell Crab, Hokki Clam, etc.


Pasta live station with an option of cream, aglio olio or tomato style are cooked upon ordering and if the chef is tied up with several orders, this will be served to your table.


Apart from the regular salads and cold cuts found in most hotel buffets, Triple 3 includes a nice selection of Kushiage (Japanese deep-fried skewers). The crispy breaded exterior were not oily at all and all 3 types of meat (i.e. scallops, chicken or squid) served that day were juicy and tender. Apart from that, one can also expect juicy Chilean Sea Bass Pan-Roasted with Miso and juicy Scallops wrapped with Fried Vermicelli.


One of the highlights of the buffet is the luscious, slow-roasted Wagyu Beef and the accompanying truffle sauce. Roasted Lamb Leg and Split Roasted Marinated Spring Chicken with Cajun Spices and Fresh Herbs are other highlights in the carving station.


One of our favourites in the entire buffet is the tender, juicy Beef Fillet served in thick cubes. Apart from that, this station also offers Tiger Prawn, Salmon in Foil, Bean Sprout and Mushroom.


This is one station which we didn't try. Anyway, this station offers a choice of 3 types of noodles (e.g. Wan Tan Noodle, Mee Pok, Spinach Noodle), served with Fish Dumpling, Vegetable Fish Ball, Sze Chuan Vegetable, Snow Vegetable with Minced Chicken.


Not that the noodles aren't tempting but rather we were overwhelmed with so many choices and the dilemma of going for a second round. Wok-Fried Station serves Assorted Seafood with either Chili Crab Sauce or Honey Black Pepper Sauce; and Wok Fried Rice with Crabmeat, served with Crispy Soft Shell Crab.

Kudos to the Fried Rice for its strong Wok Hei flavour. I don't have to emphasize how good it is judging from the drama this picture got to say.


The steam section also serves fantastic Steamed Cod Fish, delicately seasoned with sake and shoyu. The Herbal Black Chicken Soup and Chawanmushi are other highlights of the buffet. The latter has a silky texture topped with prawn roe and a light sauce made from bonito flakes.


Of course, the Tempura live station features deep-fried Shitake Mushroom, Brinjal, Japanese Sweet Potato, Kisu Fish, Prawn and Lotus Root served with tentsuyu sauce and also a mixture of powdered green tea and salt.

Frankly speaking, if I were to put up photos for the entire spread, the list will go on and on and what is uploaded on this entry is only 60% of the entire buffet. Thus, one can imagine the amount of spread Triple 3 gets to offer.


The desserts offered by Triple 3 are generally light and refreshing, thus there is always room for desserts. Signature Mandarin Cheese Cake is something not to be missed for its smooth texture. Lemon meringue tart is worth a mention for its crisp tartlet shell topped with light fluffy meringue and tangy lemon curd. Apricot Pana Cotta with Peppermint is something unique as it bears resemblance to having a hint of salted caramel in its aftertaste.


Other desserts served in the buffet includes Wine Swiss Roll, Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch, Blueberry Yoghurt Mousse, Mango Mirror Mousse, Dark and White Chocolate Cake, Apricot Almond Tart, Pear with Almond Filo, Poached Pear in Red Wine, Cherry Jelly, etc.

Apart from desserts, the ice-cream served in the buffet, uses Triple 3 very own recipes, with interesting flavours such as Saffron Pistachio. The ice-cream is not sweet and is smooth to our liking.


Introducing Sous Chef William Tan & Japanese Executive Chef Shigeru Akashi of Triple 3. A big thank you to Assistant Marketing Communications Manager, Ms Low Shi Ping and Sous Chef William Tan for making our phototaking possible.

A memorable dinner, with good food, fantastic service and warm hospitality. No doubt, top of our buffet list.

Buffet Lunch
$45++ per person (Mon-Fri & PH)
$48++ per person (Sat & Eve of PH)

Sun Brunch
$68++ (No beverage)
$98++ (include free flow of sparkling wine)

Buffet Dinner
$68++ per person (Sun-Thur & PH)
$72++ per person (Fri, Sat & Eve of PH)

Credit Card discount as follows:
OCBC - 20%
Amex & Citibank - 15%
HSBC & UOB - 10%

Triple Three
Mandarin Orchard Singapore
333 Orchard Road
Singapore 238867
Tel: 6831 6288/71

Operating Hours -
6.30am – 10.30am (Breakfast)
Noon – 2.30pm (Lunch)
6.30pm – 10.00pm (Dinner)
Website

[ ... ]

Christmas Eve Buffet Lunch @ Greenhouse

Christmas Eve Buffet Lunch @ Greenhouse

Well illuminated by its high ceiling, Greenhouse at Ritz Carlton is one of the more mentioned buffet in Singapore. Note that this is a festive menu for Christmas Eve buffet lunch, featuring the hotel's Traditional Honey Glazed Gammon Ham, Roasted Turkey and 2 of the hotel's log cakes .


Overall, the buffet offers a decent treat of International, Asian and Japanese cuisines. Local delights such as Mee Siam and Mee Rebus can be found at the noodle live section while the Japanese section focus on an array of sushi; salmon, tuna and swordfish sashimi; edamame and hiyayakko cold tofu.


Since this is a lunch buffet, there isn't oysters in this section but the regulars namely Chilled Tiger Prawns, Mussels and Scallop are available.


The star of the buffet is the Roasted Turkey that is so tender that it is easily mistaken as chicken. There is an option to enjoy this festive dish with apple or mushroom sauce. The Traditional Honey Glazed Gammon Ham is on the salty side and has a thick layer of fats that melt in your mouth.




On the other live carving section, there is tempura, roasted beef and salmon wrapped in filo. There is nothing to shout about for the tempura but the roasted beef is well-sheared on its exterior with a medium raw core. If you prefer your beef to be served well done, this maybe too raw to your liking.


Salmon in filo, served with a generous slab of salmon, wrapped in light flaky filo pastry, is a must-try in our opinion. However, live section changes and may not be available everyday. Do check with the hotel if this dish catches your attention.


Having ordered 2 cakes from Ritz Carlton and that they have not disappoint, I hold a high expectation of the dessert bar. Selection is limited when compared to Oscars, The Line and Cafe Biz.

Apart from Nonya Kueh and Thai Sweet, the desserts bar has an ice-cream bar, whole cakes, dessert shooters and Chinese desserts. Chocolate and Hazelnut Royal Feuillatine Mousse Cake outshines the Tiramisu and New York Cheesecake for its extremely high chocolate content.


Shooter desserts didn't strike the right chord as the raspberry sauce topped on the panna cotta was very sour while the lemon curd of the meringue tart was very sharp in taste. Though the orange chocolate cake and chocolate mousse is bitterish due to its high chocolate content, our preference is inclined towards the hotel's Chocolate and Hazelnut Royal Feuillatine Mousse Cake.

Special mention to the hotel's Almond Frangipane Tart with Mixed Red Berries for the nice tart base and almond filling. As for the “SUNSET” Pistachio and Raspberry Mousse with Pistachio Pain de Gene, the only impression gotten was it being very sour.


Overall, the dining experience was very pleasant. Service was prompt and attentive with our plates cleared and water re-filled at a regular basis. Greenhouse seems to focus more on the quality of food so will be alittle disappointing if you are looking for spread.

Greenhouse
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799
Tel: 6434 5288

Operating hours:
6:30am to 10:30pm (All-day á la carte)
6:30am to 10:30pm (Buffet Breakfast)
Noon to 2:30pm (Buffet lunch)
6:30pm to 10:30pm (Buffet dinner)
11:30am to 3pm (Sunday brunch)

As there are many pricing for their buffets, please call to re-confirm the pricing.

Buffet lunch (26 Dec 2009 to 31 Dec 2009)
$48++ (A), $24++ (C)

Buffet dinner (26 Dec 2009 to 30 Dec 2009)
$59++ (A), $29.50++ (C) [Sunday to Thursday]
$76++ (A), $38++ (C) [Friday and Saturday]

Oyster Night Buffet Dinner [29 Dec 2009]
$68++ (buffet dinner only)
$97++ (inclusive of free flowing vintage sparkling wine, house pour red or white wines, beer, juices and soft drinks)
$34++ (C)

Vintage Champagne Brunch [27 Dec 2009]
$148++ (A), $74++ (C, 6 to 12 years), $37++ (C, 3 to 5 years)

New Year Eve International Buffet Dinner [31st Dec 2009]
$128++ (A, inclusive of a glass of cocktail)
$64++ (C)

New Year Champagne Brunch
$148++ (A), $74++ (C, 6 to 12 years) $37++ (C, 3 to 5 years)

New Year Buffet Dinner
$79++ (inclusive of a glass of festive mocktail)
$39.50++ (C, 6 to 12 years), $19.75++ (C, 3 to 5 years)

[ ... ]