What better way to celebrate the weekend than with a bottomless brunch buffet? BY AMANDA JAYNE LEE.
What better way to celebrate the weekend than with a bottomless brunch buffet? BY AMANDA JAYNE LEE.
KWEE ZEEN, SOFITEL SENTOSA RESORT AND SPA.
2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa, tel: 6708-8310. $138++ for adults with free-flow soft drinks and juices; add $30 for free-flow Taittinger champagne, wine and non-alcoholic drinks; $58++ for kids aged five to 11. Every Sun, 12.30-3.30pm.
Tucked away amid lush greenery, this tranquil paradise featuring wandering peacocks overlooks the sea from its perch on a cliff. Kwee Zeen is mostly alfresco dining, so patrons can enjoy the view. The Magnifique buffet is a mix of Asian, French and Western food.
The highlights:
- Hot food. There are many must-try items on this list. Start with the beef rendang: generous chunks of tender beef in a creamy, coconut-rich spicy sauce – the aroma wafts towards you as you draw nearer. The fried foie gras is a livecooked dish served with an apple compote and crisp crackers. Eaten warm, it’s a delightful balance of textures and flavours. Its French specialities, beef bourguignon, chicken cordon bleu and ratatouille stand out for their homey, rich flavours.
- Lobster bisque. The generous, fleshy chunks of lobster are sweet, while the bisque is creamy and rich.
- Pralines. Made in-house, the chocolate shells hide a myriad of beautiful flavours. Ask them for their D24 pralines, gold-dusted and filled with an intoxicating durian centre.
- Special creations. Sous chefs walk about on occasion, offering their recommendations on what to eat. They may even indulge your off-the-menu request – my dining partner casually asked if they had xiao long bao, and the chef said he’d make us some right away.
MEATLIQUOR SINGAPORE.
99 Duxton Road, tel: 6221-5343. $90++ a person with free-flow alcohol; add $30 for free-flow champagne and shots. Held one Saturday a month, 1-4pm. Log on to www.facebook. com/meatliquor for dates.
An unabashed brunch-time party, Meatliquor offers up platters of hearty burgers, finger-lickin’ fried goodies, and free-flow beers, cocktails and prosecco – set against a soundscape of sultry R&B tunes spun by a live DJ. It’s an a la carte-style buffet, so just tell the waiter what you want from the menu, and specify the amount.
The highlights:
- Burgers. Go for the Parma Chicken Burger. The salty fried chicken patty went splendidly with the mozzarella and parmesan, topped with tangy marinara sauce to seal the deal. Equally good was the Bacon Cheeseburger, a gratifyingly thick, juicy beef patty wedged between usual suspects like cheese, pickles and onions, drizzled with mustard and ketchup for a classic burger that hits the spot. And don’t forget the HDB, Chicken Tower Burger. The hefty, aptly named burger comprises a fried chicken fillet stacked with a chunky hash brown, slathered in cheese, slaw, jalapenos and Russian dressing.
- Deep-fried pickles. A surprising favourite, they were savoury and crisp, instead of sour, like I was expecting.
- Sambal prawns. The prawns were coated in a deliciously subtle, sambal-like sauce that had me ordering round after round.
- Drink the Sloshy. It’s a mango-pineapple slushie that evokes a margarita, but with a mix of rum instead of tequila. Other refreshing cocktails include the Raspberry & Grapefruit – lemon vodka with fresh raspberry, grapefruit, sherbet and fresh lemon juice; and the Rum & Ginger, a concoction of rum, fresh ginger, lemon and sherbet. – Priscilla Kham, sub-editor.
DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE!
Soothing tea blends for your post-buffet tummy.
THE LINE, SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE.
22 Orange Grove Road, tel: 6213-4275. $108++ a person with free-flow juices and soft drinks; add $50 for free-flow champagne. Every Sun, noon to 3pm.
After years of offering the same spread, the new executive chef of The Line has made changes to the line-up, which make a huge difference to this landmark buffet spread.
The highlights:
- Foie gras station. This extremely indulgent station will thrill foie gras lovers. There are the classics (foie gras torchon, foie gras terrine), the interesting (foie gras with apple or pineapple) and the unusual (foie gras with chocolate chips). Go for the foie gras with berries – the sweet jam complements the savoury goose liver.
- Local food. The chilli crab had a thick sauce with just a hint of egg, which we slurped up with warm, crispy mantou. The laksa and wonton were excellent.
- The new range of roasted meats. a leg of beef the size of a small child takes centre stage and the meat, with juices running down the sides, is tender and soft.
- Dessert bar. Gone is the chocolate fountain, and in its place are a spread of chocolate desserts. Take particular notice of the strawberry chocolate tower – juicy berries coated in a crispy shell of milk and white chocolate. Or try the champagne jellies and creme brulee – perfect ways to end the meal.
OPUS RESTAURANT, HILTON SINGAPORE.
581 Orchard Road, tel: 6730- 3390. $88++ for adults with a welcome drink, and free-flow juices and soft drinks; add $20 for free-flow sparkling wine, white and red wine, and beer; add $50 for free-flow Louis Roederer champagne, white and red wine, and beer; $39++ for kids aged five to 12. Every Sun, noon to 3pm.
The hilton’s Sunday brunch buffet just got a facelift with new live-cooking stations and more gourmet stations, making it great value for money.
The highlights:
- A la minute speciality dishes. Stop by these chef stations for freshly made pan-fried foie gras served with apple and passion fruit, and homemade pasta with lobster meat and yabbies. a must-try: the Scotch egg with black truffle hollandaise sauce. cushioned by a juicy layer of fried sausage, the yolk is nice and runny on the inside.
- Oysters. Flown in from different parts of the world, the oysters were the freshest we’ve tasted.
- Charcoal grill. Wagyu flank steaks, lamb chops and other cuts of beef are cooked over a charcoal fire. Served straight from the grill, you get a warm, smoky flavour in each bite.
- Nitrogen-cooked meringue. There were plenty of delicious desserts, but what stood out was a little frosted metal container smoking slightly at the top. a chef prepares the bite-sized meringues “cooked” in liquid nitrogen, gives it a spritz of creamy foam and serves it smoking on a little glass dish. Bite into the light and sweet morsels, and you’ll see smoke coming out your nose and mouth as you chew – so fun.
ZAFFERANO.
Ocean Financial Centre, 10 Collyer Quay, tel: 6509-1488. $88++ a person, add $20 for free-flow prosecco; add $50 for free-flow champagne. Every first and last Sat of the month.
The Italian buffet is served to your table in four “courses”. Think of it as an expanded set menu where you can order unlimited portions of your favourites, with the mains served individually (choose from fish, chicken or pork). Done this way to keep the food hot and fresh, head chef marco Guccio wants diners to experience an Italian family meal.
The highlights:
- Antipasti: Burrata. The simple dish of burrata cheese and tomatoes shines. Each scoop of mild burrata was soft and smooth, and made even more delightful with the fresh tomatoes and flavourful olive oil drizzled over it.
- Pasta and rice dishes. Served together in four small castiron pans, the homemade lasagne, gnocchi, ravioli and risotto, smell absolutely divine. The lasagne is covered in a rich beef ragout, while the gnocchi is light with generous chunks of grilled octopus, scallops and other seafood. The two richest dishes – the veal-stuffed ravioli, served with a mushroom sauce and truffle emulsion, and the warm saffron risotto – will have you begging for seconds.
- Main: Pork belly. This was slow-cooked to melt-in-the mouth perfection.
