I’m pretty sure that I’ve eaten enough to keep me going till 2012. But somehow it is impossible for me to say no to Korean BBQ.

Ssikkek Korean Grill at Novena Ville is one of the places on my list of Korean BBQ Buffet in Singapore that I’ve always wanted to try. At just $12+ for lunch, and $22+ for dinner, it is one of the cheapest Korean BBQ Buffets in Singapore.

The diet can wait till I’m done with the buffet!

Like most places, the Korean BBQ Buffet at Ssikkek comes with an assortment of meat and seafood, as well as cooked food like fried rice, soup and banchan (Korean side dishes).

Nothing about the food is extraordinary. It was decent, but nothing was so exceptional that I’d dream about it at night. That being said, Ssikkek Korean Restaurant offers a value for money buffet, making it an ideal place to go if you are on a budget.

From what I understand, Ssikkek Korean Grill is the sister restaurant of the popular 2D1N Soju Bang at Tanjong Pagar. Between them, Ssikkek is definitely the better choice since the queue is relatively short.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ
275 Thomson Road
#01-01/02 Novena Ville
Tel: +65 6254 8123
Daily: 11.30am–2.30pm, 5pm–10.30pm

Weekday Lunch $12.00+, Dinner $22.00+
Weekend Lunch $22.00+, Dinner $22.00+

Read my list of Korean BBQ Buffets in Singapore, and Best Korean Restaurants.

Many people love a good buffet as it offers a wide selection of food, and allows them to eat all they can. That aside, you will be surprised by the things you can learn by going for a buffet.

Here are 5 life lessons learned from eating buffet.

#1 Don’t be greedy; it is important to know what you want. In a buffet, there are so many things to choose from, and it is very tempting to go for everything. We need to know what we want, and focus on getting there.

The same logic applies in life. There are plenty of temptations out there. There will always be someone/something better out there; be it a prettier girl, or a better job. Instead of chasing after something that does not exist, we must cherish the important things in life.

#2 Good buffets come at a price, the same goes for everything in life. There is no such thing as a cheap and good buffet. Period. In life, not everything cheap is bad and not everything expensive is good. However, as a general rule, good things come at a price. And by price, I mean working hard for what you want.

#3 Know what you need to do, you are here for a reason. When you are having the buffet, don’t feel guilty about indulging in good food. Eat first, worry later. You can always exercise to burn off the calories after the dinner. In life, things always happen for a reason. You are meant to do something at each stage of your life. Stop looking elsewhere, do what you have to do, and move on to the next level.

#4 Buffets show you the ugly side of humans. If you ever want to learn more about someone, bring them to a buffet.

#5 Taking a break is absolutely necessary for the well-being of our stomachs & minds. Round 1: eat and take a break. Round 2: eat and go to the washroom. Round 3: eat, eat and eat. There are techniques on how to eat at a buffet (more on that in another post), but the point is, it is important to know when to take a break. In life, everyone should take a break once in a while. Go for a short weekend getaway, spend some time with your loved ones. Taking a break helps to keep us alive.

Read my post on 5 Life Lessons Learned from Food.

With the opening of the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), we have seen the addition of a dozen new restaurants to the Singapore food scene. While it is good that we have more options now, deciding on a place for dinner can also be quite a headache.

We were choosing between Starz Restaurant (Hard Rock Hotel) and Fiesta Restaurant (Festive Hotel), and we went for the latter because I’ve heard about their BBQ buffet.

Unfortunately, we were there on a Wednesday and the BBQ buffet dinner is only available from Fridays to Sundays. On weekdays, Fiesta has a semi-buffet dinner where the appetiser and dessert buffet is included in the price of a main course.

It was getting late and we didn’t want to find another restaurant, so we settled for the semi-buffet and ordered from the ala carte menu.

I know we shouldn’t complain about the complimentary appetiser/dessert buffet since we are only paying the price of the main course, but they were pathetic. It makes me wonder why the restaurant even bother to offer the semi-buffet in the first place.

That said, the main courses which we had were pretty decent.

There are eleven dishes on Fiesta’s ala carte menu, and it has a good mix to satisfy everyone. Meat lovers will be tempted by the Ribeye ($32), Pineapple Pork Ribs ($32) and Grilled Spring Chicken ($38). I find it funny that the chicken is actually more expensive than the steak. That aside, other interesting choices include the Feijoada ($32) – traditional Brazilian black bean stew with pork & beef; and the Brazilian mix platter ($36) – combination of sausage, ribeye steak and spring chicken.

As we were in a big group, we managed to try quite a few dishes. Most of them were not bad, but they were not outstanding enough for me to stop and really take notice of it.

I might go back to Fiesta Restaurant to try the BBQ buffet dinner ($55++/pax) from Fridays to Sundays, but if I am at Resorts World Sentosa on weekdays, I’d probably give the ala carte menu a miss.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Fiesta Restaurant
8 Sentosa Gateway
Level 3 Festive Hotel
Resorts World Sentosa
Tel: +65 6577 8899
Daily: 7am – 10am, 6.30pm – 10.30pm

The Song of India by award winning Chef Milind Sovand is one of the best Indian fine dining restaurants in Singapore. So imagine my surprise when I found out that DEAL.com.sg has a deal that offers 35% off a scrumptious weekend buffet brunch at The Song of India for only $29 NETT (usual price $44.75).

While I love going to nice restaurants, it is impossible to spend so much on food all the time. That’s why I think DEAL.com.sg is doing a great job providing consumers with dining deals at a huge discount.

Even though I haven’t tried many Indian buffets in Singapore, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that you must try the buffet brunch at The Song of India.

From buying the coupon to using it in the restaurant, the whole process was pretty smooth. The purchased e-Vouchers were sent via email and could be conveniently downloaded as PDF to print out. When I went to The Song of India for the buffet brunch, the manager brought me to my table after confirming the e-voucher.

To be honest, I felt that the deal from DEAL.com.sg on the ala carte weekend buffet brunch at The Song of India was a steal.

For just $29 NETT, we got to dine at the gorgeous Indian restaurant, and the buffet even came with free flow of soft drinks. It even includes a $15 cash revisit voucher that can be used for lunch and dinner set menus (no minimum spending required)

I’m a scaredy cat when it comes to spicy food, so it was really a good thing that we had free flow drinks. Alternatively, you can add on $19/person for free flow of Tiger draft beer, or $29/person for free flow of red/white wine.

And we started our Indian feast like kings and queens.

What I liked about the ala carte buffet at The Song of India was all the starters and main courses were plated nicely and served to our table.

The Indian buffet has a bit of everything: from two soups like slow simmered chicken soup and tomato corrainder soup; to seven starters like tandoori chicken, lamb kebab, tandoori fish tikka, tandoori cottage cheese, tandoori grilled broccoli/cauliflower, and dahi papdi chaat; seven main courses like chicken tikka masala, lamb curry, fish curry and dal makhani; free flow of naan, biryani and basmati rice; and three desserts to choose from.

We ate and ate and ate. It felt so good to punish myself by eating all the spicy food. Everything was deliciously spiced and I really enjoyed the tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, and fish curry.

I know it’s probably not very wise to eat too much naan at a buffet, but they were the perfect vehicles for soaking up the curry gravies.

The buffet deal at The Song of India (usual price $38++ without the coupon) was so popular that 635 deals were sold out! So be sure to drop by DEAL.com.sg everyday and look out for the best dining deals in Singapore.

Established in 2010, DEAL.com.sg is one of the top online shopping platforms in Singapore and it offers daily deals on travel, food, spa and entertainment.

Singapore Food Blog Review
The Song of India
33 Scotts Road
Tel: +65 6836 0055
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm

Brasserie Les Saveurs at The Regis is easily one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore. It offers all-occasion dining, serving set lunch, afternoon high tea, degustation dinner menu and of course, Sunday champagne brunch.

Even though I’ve been to Yan Ting restaurant many times, this was my first visit to Brasserie Les Saveurs at The St Regis Singapore and I instantly fell in love with the French restaurant.

But the problem is, it’s very easy to make me fall head over heels. Just give me two (maybe three) glasses of champagne and a platter of desserts and I would be screaming “baby, I am in lurveee with you!” So is it because of the champagne or is the Sunday brunch buffet at Brasserie Les Saveurs really good?

I was here for their Sunday Champagne Brunch buffet. For $138++ (non alcohol) or $170++ (free flow of champagne and juices), you get a main course with semi-buffet: antipasto counter that has tiny nibbles like smoked duck tartar and mini crab salad; seafood counter with fresh prawns, oysters and crabs; and a very impressive dessert buffet that has Isaphan, chocolate tart and creme brulee.

Besides having free flow of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, you can also order some of the St Regis signature cocktails like bloody mary.

But that’s not it. Plenty of beautifully plated appetisers – fresh crab roll with papaya mustard, yellowfin tuna tartart, creme brulee foie gras, traditional lobster bisque, calamansi sorbet and 36 hour braised pork belly – would appear on the table every now and then.

Besides the semi buffet of appetisers, cold cut and desserts, the champagne brunch has a choice of main course, and you can also have eggs done in any style.

From our table, we could smell foie gras. What a lovely smell. Brasserie Les Saveurs has a few ala minute stations and boy am I glad there is a counter pan-searing foie gras on the spot. Next to the foie gras station, there was another chef preparing stir-fried black pepper lobster.

I think I am in love. Or maybe it’s just the champagne.

From the seafood buffet counter: Fresh oysters (Royale oyster, Gillardeau oyster, Tarbouriech oyster), live prawns and Sri Lanka crab.

From the cold cut buffet counter: Iberico ham, parma ham, chorizo, air fried beef and selection of bread.

From the antipasto buffet counter: Vegetarian Soba salad, Organic Grilled vegetables salad, Caprese, Thai asparagus salad with black truffle vinaigrette, Organic “oriental” couscous, Achar Vegetables, Mini crab salad with avocado salsa, Mini “Datterini” tomatoes stuffed with ratatouille Smoked salmon pancakes, Smoked duck tartar, Caesar salad, Nicoise salad, Rocket salad, mix green salad, Lemon and balsamic dressing.

As mentioned, everyone is entitled to one main course, so it was fortunate that we had a big group and managed to try quite a few items on the menu. Among the ones that we’ve had, the Roasted Brittany Turbot stood out for its flavour, while the grilled USA beef ribeye was a little too dry.

The other main courses include: Black Angus beef tartar, free range sakura chicken breast, roasted Welsh lamb, pan seared red snapper, roasted Atlantic cod, and pan fried john dory. Like the other items in the buffet, they are changed from time to time.

Eggs done in any style: eggs benedict, omelette, scrambled, hard-boiled, over easy, sunny side up. I don’t think I can ever live without eggs!

Hello from cheese heaven!

And of course, what’s buffet without desserts?

Chocolate crunchy mousse, Chocolate tart, Lemon meringue tart, Strawberry sable, Banana cheese cake, Raspberry tart, Opera cark, Chocolate Manjari cake, Madeline, Chocolate choux, Mango éclair, Assorted Macarons, White chocolate cassis, Pistachio & cherry with apricot jelly, Orange jelly & Chantilly with ladyfinger sponge, Triple chocolate shooter, Mango & lime creameux with coconut dacquoise, and Cappuccino crème brulee – I’m really in love.

In fact, I’d go as far to say that the selection of the dessert buffet at Brassserie Les Saveurs is one of the best among the buffet restaurants that I’ve been to.

I don’t know how others do it, but I suck at multi-tasking. I always admire how some people can do a few things at the same. It was only when I was eating the desserts, then I realised how lucky I am not to be able to multi-task. Focus on one dessert at a time, eat it and repeat the process for maximum pleasure.

At $170++/pax, the Champagne Brunch Buffet at Brasserie Les Saveurs is not cheap. But what you get is a superb brunch experience in one of the most beautiful restaurants in Singapore. I would definitely save up and come here during a special occasion.

Mains selections from the ala carte menu during dinner are available from $35 for a pan roasted wild snapper to $55 for a grilled US prime grade beef ribeye. For a special indulgence, try their 6 course degustation menu at $138++.

After a fabulous champagne brunch, it’s probably a good idea to go home for a nap. If not, you can always get a suite in St Regis and enjoy a nice weekend staycation.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Brasserie Les Saveurs
29 Tanglin Road
The St. Regis Singapore
Tel: +65 6506 6888
Sunday Champagne Brunch
$138++ (Non-alcohol)
$170++ Free flow Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut & juices

Note: This was an invited media tasting.

For more recommendations, please read my list of buffet restaurants in Singapore

If I had a dollar every time someone asked me to recommend a cheap and good buffet, I’d be a millionaire by now. There are many buffet restaurants in Singapore, but most of them are only average, while the really good buffets usually come with a relatively hefty price tag.

So listen up guys, I’m just going to say it once. The buffet lunch at Basilico restaurant is one of the best, if not the best, in the $40-50 category.

Bascilico at level 2 of The Regent Singapore is a huge restaurant. It can easily accommodate up to 200 guests indoor and 30 by the poolside. I lurve (read: not love, but lurveee) the centrepiece of the Italian restaurant, a gorgeous space which houses the antipasti counter. To the left and right of the antipasti counter, you have the hot and dessert kitchens.

I eat desserts first.

People always stare at me whenever I start the buffet with desserts. I don’t know about you, but I think it makes sense to start a meal with something that you like.

Basilico restaurant has a decent array of authentic Italian desserts and a very good selection of homemade gelato.

The Antipasti counter, at the middle of the restaurant, serves an assortment of antipasti.

The appetisers like prosciutto, cold cuts, salads, cheeses and seafood were fantastic. If you ask me the formula for love while I’m eating at the restaurant, I’d reply: parma ham and rock melon.

Cheese. Lots of cheeses. Cheeeeseeee!

From freshly made pizzas to pastas, grilled meat and fish items, the Hot station offers not just Italian food, but also a small local spread.

Obviously, you will not expect good Italian pasta and pizza like the ones you get from the best Italian restaurants in Singapore, but hey, you are paying just $42++ for free flow of everything your heart desires. It is a good deal.

It’s somewhat strange to see that the Italian buffet actually has a corner dedicated to local food like chilli crabs and roasted duck, but I guess it caters to those who want something familiar. I wouldn’t waste any space on that, though.

I like the buffet lunch at Basilico Italian restaurant. Though the buffet spread is slightly limited, the restaurant more than makes up for it with the quality of the food. The antipasti counter, in particular, has fantastic choices.

On Saturday, Basilico has a full Italian buffet (without local spread) for $46++/pax, $56 (free flow juices & soft drinks) and $98++ (free flow prosecco & wine). And on Sunday, they have a Champagne Brunch at $139++ for free flow of champagne and wine. During dinner, it is a semi buffet where you can enjoy the same antipasti & desserts buffet with the choice of 1 main course at $69++. And one more thing, reservations are absolutely necessary.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Basilico Restaurant
1 Cuscaden Road
Level 2 The Regent Singapore
Tel: +65 6725 3232
Weekday Lunch Buffet $42++
Saturday Lunch Buffet $46++
Sunday Brunch Buffet $69++
Daily Semi Buffet Dinner $69++

Note: This was an invited media tasting.

For more recommendations, read my list of the best buffets in Singapore

Fish lovers will be happy to know that Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal on Beach Road has a fish buffet promotion: Best of Asia Buffet with the Freshest Catch from July 5 to Aug 31. The buffet is available from Mondays to Fridays for $45++/head, and it offers an amazing variety of fish on top of their usual buffet spread.

Freshest catch of the day: Promfret, Sea Bass, Baby Snapper, Sea Bream, Kee Fish, Milk Fish, Red and Black Tilapia Fishes, Song Fish, and Norwegian Salmon Fish Head.

Preparation styles: Hong Kong Cantonese, Teochew, Nyonya, Thai Lime & Chilli, Sweet & Sour, Black Bean, Indian or local curry.

It is important to note that Plaza Brasserie serves an entire fish for each order. Just to clarify further, the fish is not from the buffet counter, it will be served directly to your table.

That means to say, if you order three different types of fish: Curry Fish Head, Steamed Teochew Promfret, and Deep-Fried Sweet & Sour Kee Fish; you will be getting one (huge) fish head, and two whole fish.

It is impossible to try the different types of fish and preparation styles if there is only two people. Unlike other buffets, it is necessary for you to gather more than four to fully enjoy the fish buffet, unless you have the appetite to eat a few whole fishes by your own.

The four of us shared five different types of fish. The Deep Fried Sweet & Sour Kee Fish was my favourite among them. I am a scaredy cat when it comes to spicy food, so both the Deep Fried Nyonya Chilli Kee Fish and the Malay Curry Fish Head were too hot for me.

The Indian Curry Fish Head wasn’t too spicy and the gravy was perfect to go along with white rice. And oh, did I tell you about the Steamed Sea Bass in Hong Kong Cantonese style? It was excellent.

Beyond that, the buffet comes with a salad counter, an ala minute ‘live’ cooking station, main course section, and desserts. Some of the hot varieties include Deep-Fried Prawns with Almonds, Stir-Fried Beef with Ginger and Spring Onion, and their signature crispy soft shell crabs & Braised Sea Cucumber with Roast Pork.

At the ‘live’ cooking station, there’s laksa, roti prata, chilli crab with mantou, tempura, and an assortment of sushi and sashimi to choose from. The tempura was really good – one of the best I’ve had. The sashimi, on the other hand, wasn’t that fresh. We ended our meal on a sweet note with desserts. Plaza Brasserie has a fantastic Chocolate Truffle cake.

On its own, Plaza Brasserie’s buffet is decent for its price, but not what I would call a must-try buffet. It is a different story for the ‘Best of Asia Buffet with The Freshest Catch‘. The 2 month special feature provides enough oomph to elevate the buffet to something better, making it an extremely value for money buffet (especially for fish-lovers).

The Freshest Catch Buffet (Adult $45++, Child $27++) is available at Plaza Brasserie from July 5 to Aug 31 on weekdays dinner.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Plaza Brasserie
7500A Beach Road
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
Tel: +65 6505 5710
Note: This was an invited media dinner.

For more buffet recommendations, read my list of buffet restaurants in Singapore

When it comes to Sunday Brunch, there’s nothing better than the Pink Champagne Brunch Buffet at Equinox Restaurant. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this is definitely one of the best brunch in Singapore.

On the last Sunday of each month, the fine dining restaurant at Swissotel the Stamford has a special Pink Champagne Brunch.

From free flow of Moet & Chandon Rose Brut and pink cocktails, to pink chocolate fountain and staff dressed in hot pink, the Pink Themed Brunch will most definitely lift your mood. Trust me, it almost feels like heaven when you are sipping champagne on the 70th level.

Anyone who has been to Equinox knows how beautiful it is. At 70th level of the Equinox Complex, it is one of the restaurants with the best view in Singapore.

I have a love-hate relationship with buffet as I tend to overeat. But it is impossible to say no to a luxurious Sunday brunch. There is an appetiser section where you can start with parma ham & rock melon, as well as an assortment of salads.

There is also a corner with shooters like cured smoked duck and chilled gazpacho.

Moving on, the Salmon showcase will definitely wow you with the varieties of gravlax, cured, smoked salmon tartar and salmon rillette. But I was distracted by the Seafood Counter on the rather magnificent ice sculpture.

All you can eat seafood: tiger prawns, mud crabs, green lip mussels, fine de clair oysters, white pearl oysters, gillardeau oysters, and slipper lobsters.

The Japanese Station is conveniently located beside the seafood area. With Sashimi (Kingfish, Tasmanian Salmon, Yellowfin Tuna, Japanese Scallops, Surf Clam and Octopus) and a selection of Sushi and Maki to choose from, it felt like a mini Japanese buffet.

Oh my god. There goes my diet plan.

Carnivore alert! The Carving & Live station offers roasted USDA beef rib eye (too dry), roasted turkey (it’s Christmas already?) and leg of lamb (excellent).

The highlight of the dessert buffet was definitely the pink chocolate fountain. The nitrogen sorbet that came with the crepes, was equally impressive.

Opera cake, raspberry chocolate gateau, maple tree financier, panna cotta, macaron, cream brulee — how did desserts steal all the lovely words?

Looking for a birthday venue to throw a pink themed party? Equinox Restaurant is definitely the perfect place!

The $148++ Pink Brunch is not cheap, but I think it is worth splurging for that special occasion. Besides the fantastic view of Singapore’s skyline and waterfront, there’s also free flow of champagne with lots of yummy food. The Pink Brunch at Equinox is very popular, please make a reservation before going.

Singapore Food Blog
Equinox Restaurant
2 Stamford Road
70F Swissotel The Stamford Singapore
Tel: +65 6431 5669

Weekday Semi Buffet Lunch $59++
Afternoon high tea international buffet $43++
Sunday Brunch Buffet $128++
Pink Champagne Brunch Buffet $148++

Note: This was an invited media tasting.

Be it a simple thank you note, or getting recommendations of new places to eat in Singapore, it makes my day when I receive emails from everyone.

Here are the 5 frequently asked questions that I get on my food blog:

“You are always making me hungry!”

1. Where can I find a cheap and good buffet in Singapore?

I’m afraid there isn’t any cheap and good buffet. The good ones are usually quite expensive, read my list of Buffet Restaurants in Singapore.

2. What camera are you using, and how can I improve my photography?

I’ve written a post on my food photography equipment. The only way to improve your photography is to practise more. Do read my post on basic food photography tips.

3. Can you recommend me a suitable restaurant for throwing birthday parties?

Take a look at my list of Birthday Party Venues in Singapore. For a romantic yet simple dinner, read: Best Cafes in Singapore, and Romantic Restaurants with a view.

4. What are the things you must-do in Singapore?

For a start, read my post on 10 Things to do in Singapore. You must also eat all the hawker food from places like Chomp Chomp and Old Airport Road Market. Do not leave Singapore without trying chilli crabs, chicken rice, and kaya toast.

5. Where can I find your review of ___ restaurant?

To find a particular restaurant review on my food blog. Google “ladyironchef __ restaurant” (where __ refers to name of restaurant).

There’s another method. Click on the INDEX page which is located at the top right hand corner. It is a list of all the restaurants categorised from A to Z.

The easiest way to reach me is via twitter. I’ll be happy to give you some suggestions on where to go for dinner, just drop me a tweet (make sure your account is not locked).

The new Sentosa Boardwalk is a great way to travel to Sentosa on foot. Featuring tropical landscapes, the garden-themed boardwalk has a stunning view of the bay as you take a leisure stroll from VivoCity Shopping Mall’s waterfront promenade, made easy by two-way canopy-covered travellators.

From 9th to 26th Jun 2011, Sentosa Boardwalk has a Crab and Durian Buffet for $38++/pax. I think that this is a value-for-money buffet, especially so if you like crabs and durian.

The Ultimate Crab and Durian Buffet at Sentosa Boardwalk has more than 40 items available, and the crab dishes highlights include: Salted Egg Yolk Crab, Nonya Curry Crab, Wok-Fried Chili Sri Lanka Crab, Black Pepper Sri Lankan Crab, Masala Mud Crab, and Ginger Scallion Flower Crab.

The durian highlights are Durian Pengat, Durian Cheesecake, Durian Mousse, and ‘Live’ Durians. Besides crabs and durians, there are also other dishes such as Fresh Oysters, Sashimi and Sushi, Poached Tiger Prawns, Slippery Lobsters, Shrimp Paste Chicken, Roast Beef Rump, Whole Bake Salmon and more.

At a media tasting last week, they served us some of the dishes (actual plating will be buffet style): chilli crab, pepper crab, salted egg yolk crab, roast beef rump and durian desserts.

Whilst the salted egg yolk crab was not exactly warm, I thought that the taste was competent. The others preferred the (extremely) spicy wok-fried chilli crab and black pepper crab. Given that the crab buffet is only $38++/pax, I’d think that it is worth trying even though the crabs chosen were slightly smaller.

This is an all-you-can-eat-buffet. You know what this means? You can feast all you want, and blame it on me for introducing you this Sentosa for arranging the crab & durian buffet.

For reservations, please call 6279 1767 or email to carla_cardona@sentosa.com.sg.

// Latest update: The Ultimate Crab & Durian Buffet is fully booked, you can still try your luck by calling and see if there are any last minute cancellations.

Sentosa Boardwalk Crab and Durian Buffet
Date: 9 – 26 Jun 2011
Time: 6pm – 11pm
Venue: The Promontory, Sentosa Boardwalk
Prices: $38++ per adult; $21++ per child (5 – 11 years old)
(price excludes drinks)
Note: This was a media tasting.

At the ground floor of Link Hotel in Tiong Bahru, is Blue Garden Korean BBQ Restaurant. It currently occupies the space which was used by the now-defunct Persimmon Restaurant. Much of the interior remains intact: the black and white tiled floor, and the kopitiam-style furniture.

Korean food lovers will be happy to know that Blue Garden restaurant offers Korean BBQ buffet during lunch ($19.90) and dinner ($26.90).

My definition of buffet: be prepared to eat a lot.

The Korean BBQ Buffet offers free-flow of Korean dishes like Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup, Kimchi Pancakes, Korean Spicy Rice Cakes (Ddukbokkie), and a variety of Kimchi (Spring Onion, Cabbage, Leak, Cucumber).

The truth is, Blue Garden’s appetisers are pretty run-of-the-mill. We tasted a bit of everything as we were saving our stomach for the highlight of Korean BBQ Buffet – MEAT!

… And of course, we were there for the meat. The Korean BBQ Buffet has free flow of Pork Collar, Beef Belly, Pork Belly, and three different types of Bulgogi (beef, chicken and pork). Read my lips: this is an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

Amongst the four of us, we ate enough meat to last us for a week. We ate, and ate and ate. We totally threw the diet plan out of the window – it was crazy! If you are not a big meat-eater, the Korean BBQ Buffet also has seafood and vegetables.

But trust me, you’d want to just go for the meat. Wow, I think I am very good at giving advice! Remember, just go for the meat.

I had some white rice to go along with the meat, but mostly I wrapped the BBQ meat in lettuce leaves. After a while, I was too lazy to put it nicely into the lettuce so I ate the meat directly from the BBQ pit. The bulgogi is delicious!

Considering that places like Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant charges $18 for a plate of marinated meat, I think that Blue Garden’s Korean BBQ Buffet is very reasonably priced. Looking for a cheap and good buffet? Find a group of friends who love meat and go for the Korean BBQ Buffet!

One thing to note though, the air ventilation was almost non-existence; our clothes smelled like Korean BBQ after we were done.

For more recommendations, read Korean Restaurants in Singapore | Buffet in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant
50 Tiong Bahru Road
#01-07 Link Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6224 0700

Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $19.90++/pax
Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $26.90++/pax

Easter is coming! Easter is coming!

If you are still looking for Easter Chocolate gifts, or trying to make a reservation for Easter Sunday brunch - here are some suggestions for your Easter Holiday celebrations:

Global Kitchen

Indulge this Easter with a sumptuous feast at Global Kitchen. Choose from an unlimited selection of premium crustacean, meats, cold cuts and platters. Highlights of the Easter Brunch Menu include a chocolate fountain, a crepe station, a salmon counter as well as a spectacular array of chocolate creations. Children will also receive Easter bunnies as a memento for the Easter Sunday Promotion.

$98++ per adult
$128++ per adult with free flow of Veuve Clicquot champagne
$28++ for children below 12 years old
24 April 2011, 12noon to 2.30pm

Level 3 Pan Pacific Hotel
7 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square
Tel: +65 6826 8240

Basilico Italian Restaurant

Enjoy a sumptuous Easter spread at Basilico. The Sunday brunch has different stations like seafood, antipasti & coldcut, grill, rotisserie & carving to satisfy everyone. Some of the signature items are Smoked Salmon with Caviar and Cream, Roasted Italian Baby Lamb, Hot Cross Buns and Simnel Cake. Kids will be thrilled with the Egg hunting activities with the Easter Bunny too.

$128++ with Free flow of Soft Beverages and juices
$198++ with Champagne, wine, martini, beer
$68++ for kids
24 April 2011, 12noon to 3pm

1 Cuscaden Road
Level 2 The Regent Singapore
Tel: +65 6725 3232

Artichoke Cafe & Bar

Not to worry if you are not a fan of brunch buffet. Artichoke Cafe at Middle road (the intersection with Waterloo Street) is a nice place to enjoy your Easter Sunday brunch. Try the ‘Self-destruction’ – big breakfast with crispy hash browns, melted cheddar, mushrooms and two fried eggs.

Sculpture Square
161 Middle Rd
Tel: +65 6336 6949
Weekend Brunch: 11am – 3pm

Recommendations: Easter Chocolate Gifts for kids (small & big)

Jewels Artisan Chocolate

With a new egg-tastic treat this Easter season, Jewels Artisan Chocolate presents their own take on the proverbial Easter Chocolate egg. Available in two flavours, the Praline Café and Maracaibo Gianduju, each individual egg is lovingly hand-crafted by Chef Then Chui Foong, the resident Chocolatier, using only the finest ingredients and chocolates.

181 Orchard Road #02-31/32
Orchard Central Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 8998

Laurent Bernard Chocolatier

Famed for its premium chocolate, Laurent Bernard Chocolatier has a few Easter chocolate special in store for everyone. Choose from Jojo the rabbit ($43), Medium Size Chocolate Hen ($48) or the Large Chocolate Hen ($78). They are the ideal Easter Chocolate gifts for your loved ones.

80 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-11
The Pier @ Robertson Singapore
Tel: +65 6235 9007

Truffs

My friend had the chocolate truffles from Truffs recently, and she couldn’t stop raving about it.

For those of you who are working in the Tanjong Pagar area, it is very convenient to drop by Truffs during lunch time. A box of 9 truffles (choice of 1 variety) goes for $25 while the bigger box of 18 (choice of 2 varieties) is $45.

179a Telok Ayer Street
Tel: +65 9088 2736

I don’t know about you, but I think the Easter Holiday (24th April 2011) is a very good excuse for us to indulge in champagne, chocolate, and brunch.

For more ideas, read my list of brunch places and buffets in Singapore.

Have a good Easter Holiday!

UPDATED: The Regent Singapore Weekend High tea Buffet Giveaway is now closed. I will be announcing the results on twitter later in the evening. Thank you for participating.

The winners of Weekend High Tea giveaway are: #90, #454, #1061, #174, & #730.

The Regent Singapore’s Tea Lounge is well known for their afternoon tea in Singapore. On weekdays, they serve the traditional English Afternoon tea on a 3 tier stand. They also have a very popular Weekend High Tea Buffet which is always fully reserved.

The Tea Lounge has recently revamped their weekend High Tea Buffet selections with more tantalising choices. I am partnering The Regent Singapore to giveaway five pairs of the Weekend Afternoon Buffet High Tea ($44++/pax) at The Tea Lounge.

It makes sense to go for the Weekend High Tea Buffet if you are a big eater. Besides the assortment of finger sandwiches, home-baked scones, freshly baked pastries and cakes, the afternoon tea buffet also comes with a scrumptious spread of food.

Check out the Asian corner which has sushi, satay, spicy chicken wings, and dim sum. Okay, this is a secret between us: you MUST TRY the confit of salmon at the Carving station when you are there. It is out-of-this-world, trust me. Besides the salmon, there is also the slow roasted leg of lamb on Saturday and English roast beef on Sunday. Not to forget that there is also a gelato station with a selection of ice cream and sorbet. Here’s the best part, they have a waffles and crepes station too! You can have as many waffles and crepes as you want, and you should also know that the Tea Lounge is famous for their Passionfruit Souffle with caramel sauce. Amazing isn’t it?

The Regent Singapore Weekend Afternoon Buffet High Tea giveaway is exclusive to the readers of my food blog. All you need to do is answer a simple question:

HOW TO ENTER SINGAPORE FOOD BLOG WEEKEND HIGH TEA BUFFET GIVEAWAY

1. Five winners will each get to bring a guest along (worth $88++ per pair) to try the new weekend afternoon buffet high tea.

2. Answer this question by leaving a comment: Which Hotel’s Tea Lounge is giving away the weekend high tea buffet?

3. Weekend afternoon buffet high tea giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.

4. A random generator will be used, everyone has an equal chance to win.

5. Giveaway ends on Friday 12 noon 1st April 2011. All winners will be notified by email.

// Note that comments are moderated, they will appear after I approve it, so please do not submit more than once.

I have been wanting to try Japanese Buffet for very long. After doing my research, most people seemed to agree that Ikoi Japanese Restaurant at Hotel Miramar, Irodori Japanese restaurant at River View Hotel and Senki Japanese Restaurant at Killiney road are amongst the best Japanese Buffets in Singapore.

As my friends have been to Ikoi and Irodori Japanese restaurant before, we ended up at Senki Japanese Restaurant for the buffet dinner.

With over 100 items on the Japanese buffet menu, it’s probably a good idea to skip lunch if you are going there for dinner. Most importantly, come with a group of friends so that you can order more things to share.

Under normal circumstances, it is a sin to order so much food. But since we were already at Senki restaurant for their Japanese buffet, we would be fools if we didn’t eat to our hearts’ content. I could imagine the number of rounds that I have to run the next day just to burn off the calories — oh whatever, the diet can wait.

Amongst the Sushi/maki available on Senki’s menu, we tried the Floss Karashi and Mango California. The former was surpsingly good, the tasty chicken floss had a slightly spicy sauce. While the latter was not too bad, it came with the appetising mango topping on top of the typical California maki.

We were proceeding on a rather slow pace. Mindful of the fact that there were many items that we wanted to try, we only had a hand roll each. Senki Japanese Restaurant has quite a selection of different hand rolls: California, ebi tempura, salmon skin, chopped tuna, tamago, tuna, salmon.

My friends’ eyes were glittering when the Sashimi platter arrived. This is probably the highlight of the Japanese buffet since you can eat as much sashimi as you want. Tuna, sword fish, salmon, yellow tail sashimi were devoured in an instant. We kept asking for salmon sashimi throughout the night – free flow sashimi is joy.

From the appetisers, we had chawanmushi, and goma tofu. We continued to fill our stomachs with the grilled dishes: sticks of Yakitori which were so-so, the seemingly healthy grilled shiitake, the Saba Shioyaki, and the delicious Jagaimo Mentai cheese yaki (potato with fish roe and cheese).

Deep-fried food always tastes good. Needless to say, we had an assortment of tempura (prawn and vegetables). Another favourite was the Agedashi Tofu, fried beancurd that was crispy outside and soft inside.

Forget about Senki Restaurant’s tonkatsu, it is not worth the calories. If you like deep-fried food, go for the Tori Karaage – juicy chunks of fried chicken that were good and sinful.

I cannot remember how many items we tried out of the 138 selection on Senki’s Buffet menu, but we definitely ordered at least a few dishes from each category.

For those of you who are keen on the Japanese buffet, the different selections include: appetiser, salad, sashimi, maki, nigiri sushi, hand roll, Itamemono (pan fried dishes), Owan Mono (soup), Agemono (deep fried dishes), Yakimono (grilled dishes), Menrui (noodle), and Gohan (rice).

Between bites, we stoned for a few moments, and stared at the empty plates on the table. We ate, and ate, and ordered some more. We chatted, and took toilet breaks to rest our stomach for even more food. It felt as though we were feasting for three days long.

The Japanese Buffet at Senki Japanese Restaurant is $30++ for lunch, and $33++ for dinner. Prices are the same for weekday and weekend. For eve/public holidays, it is $39++ for the buffet dinner.

Which is your favourite place for Japanese Buffet in Singapore?

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Senki Japanese Restaurant
109 Killiney Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 5565

Rise Restaurant at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is an all day dining restaurant with an international buffet spread. Even though the Rise buffet prices are not cheap ($45++ for lunch, and $68++ for dinner), it has been extremely popular with buffet lovers.

The question on everybody’s mind: is this the best buffet in Singapore? Is it worth spending eighty bucks for a buffet dinner?

One thing to note first, Rise restaurant at Marina Bay Sands does not take phone reservations, so if you are going for the MBS buffet during a weekend, it will be wise to go earlier (buffet dinner starts at 6pm) to get a table, especially for big groups.

Like what I did at Melt the World Cafe, and The Line Buffet, the first thing that I ate at Rise Restaurant was not appetisers or salad — I went for the desserts straight away. I love the feeling of exhilaration that you get from desserts – it helps to get my stomach going.

Why end the meal on a sweet note when I can start with a bang?

It was a case of hits and misses for the dessert buffet, with the Bread & Butter Pudding, Chocolate Cake, Mini Cream Puffs, and the Pineapple Anise receiving ‘As’, while the Madeleine and Matcha Financiers were a little too dry. The highlight of the dessert buffet was definitely the little squares of Lemon Meringue Tart – they tasted like love!

Rise Buffet Restaurant has surprisingly good sweet and sour pork. I know it’s a little silly to stuff myself with sweet and sour pork when there’s more expensive items like beef, sashimi and oysters around, but hey, you must try their sweet and sour pork when you are there for the buffet.

From the Asian Section of Rise MBS Buffet, the Roasted Duck was equally good. We particularly enjoyed the crispy skin with a layer of fats beneath, dipped with the sourish-sweet plum sauce — who cares about calories and fats?

There’s also Stir-fried beef Vietnamese style, prawns, deep-fried spring roll if you like your Chinese food. We sampled Indian Pulao rice, Achar, Yellow Dhal, Mango Chutney, and Chicken Masala from the Indian Buffet Section.

There is a chef at the Asian corner to prepare laksa and soup noodle, and another chef at the Pasta Station to cook pasta ala minute. It’s probably not very wise to have so much carbs, so we shared the noodle items: the famous Singapore Laksa was pretty decent, and I also enjoyed the crab meat tomato spaghetti.

The Cold Cut section of the MBS buffet was very impressive, they actually have a huge ham-cutting machine to slice it on the spot. Whoa! Iberico, anyone?

Meat-lovers will love this corner at Rise Marina Bay Sands: pinkish-red beef rib eye, the ravishing rack of lamb, oh-so-tender oxtail and my favourite prime ribs. Allow me to have second, and third helpings of that delicious ribs.

The Sushi & Sashimi counter is also extremely popular: all you can eat sashimi and sushi!

While I appreciated the fact that diners could actually grab as much sashimi as they want in one go, the nicely sliced sashimi left out in the open air was at the mercy of everyone (who might squeeze or cough). Maybe it’s a better idea to put the sashimi in the chiller and allow the chef to serve whenever someone wants the raw fish.

At the Seafood Buffet Counter, there are many who took at least a dozen of oysters and piled them on the plate. Me? I choose three of the nicest ones, and a few mussels. There’s also cold crabs, but I was too lazy to dirty my hands that day.

By now, it’s almost the end of round 1 for the international buffet. Repeat everything: starting from the dessert (again).

After a couple of rounds, it’s time to reflect: Oh god, what have I done?

This is what happens when you eat at a buffet: excellent roasted duck, fresh oysters, lots of sweet & sour pork, many slices of salmon sashimi, a meaty combination of oxtail, rib eye and prime ribs, spaghetti & laksa, and of course, serving (s) of dessert and cheese.

I think I am finally full.

The Celebrity Chef restaurants at Marina Bay Sands have been making headlines in the Singapore food scene. But if you are not into fine dining restaurants, maybe you can check out Rise Restaurant at Marina Bay Sands.

The Buffet at Rise Marina Bay Sands has a good selection of food, but at $68++, the price isn’t cheap. If budget is an issue, go for the lunch buffet which is more affordable at $45++.

Dessert lovers will also be happy to know that there’s a new alternative to the Chocolate Buffet at Fullerton. With a stunning view on the 57th level of Marina Bay Sands, the MBS club offers Chocolate Buffet ($38++) every evening from 8pm onwards.

My favourite buffet in Singapore is still Melt the World Cafe because of the memories I had there, but Rise Restaurant is definitely worth a try for special occasions. Oh ya, remember to pick up some macarons from Sweetspot Patisserie before you leave.

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Rise Buffet Restaurant
10 Bayfront Avenue Tower 2,
Lobby Level Marina Bay Sands Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6688 5525

// Buffet at Rise Marina Bay Sands is available daily: $45++ for lunch, and $68++ for dinner.

I think it’s a shame that Korean food in the Singapore food scene isn’t as strong as its Japanese counterpart. For those of you who have been craving for Korean Food, I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes, it’s quite frustrating not knowing where to go for good Korean Food even though we have quite a few Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I’m currently on a hunt for the best Korean Fried Chicken in Singapore, and I also want to try a few Korean BBQ Restaurant. I am going to round up a few friends for a Korean BBQ Buffet and have a crazy night of eating. Okay, one of my new year resolutions is to eat more Korean food – bibimbap, Korean Ginseng Chicken, kimchi and pancake, here we come!

Here’s a list of the Best Korean Restaurants in Singapore:

Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant

Fans of the Korean cuisine will be familiar with Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant, which has been around for some time along Upper Thomson road. This will be my next stop when I explore the Thomson area!

265 Upper Thomson Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6452 2112

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant

This new Korean restaurant at Link Hotel belongs to the same owner of Kko Kko Nara Korean restaurant. The Korean BBQ buffet is priced at $19.90 for lunch and $26.90 for dinner.

50 Tiong Bahru road
Link Hotel #01-07
Tel: +65 62240700

Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ restaurant

Just in case you are wondering, Chang Korean Restaurant does not have Korean BBQ Buffet. But they have a proper ala carte menu for Korean food in addition to their BBQ selections. If you are in the Dempsey road area, now you know where to go for Korean BBQ.

18C Dempsey Road Tanglin Village
(Dempsey Road) Singapore
Tel: +65 6473 9005

201 Victoria Street #04-04
Iluma @ Bugis Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 8900

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ

Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that too before starting my food blog), so I can understand that they prefer to go to somewhere reliable, and Crystal Jade is evidently one of them.

We went to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City for their Korean BBQ recently, and it was surprisingly good (and affordable of course). The Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup is also a must-order, okay more on that when I blog about it.

391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

Hyang-To-Go! Korean Restaurant

While I haven’t been to Hyang-To-Gol! Korean BBQ Restaurant, I heard that they have good Korean Food. Has anyone been there before?

165 Tanjong Pagar Road 2F
The Amara Singapore
Tel: +65 6220 7160

Jang Shou Korean BBQ

It’s a little tricky when it comes to Jang Shou Korean Restaurant. Their branch at Katong Village only has Korean BBQ Buffet (around 15 kinds of BBQ selections) and they operate during dinner. The Weekday Korean BBQ Buffet is $28.8++, while Weekend Korean BBQ Buffet is $33.8++. I’m going to check out their Korean BBQ buffet soon, let’s hope that it’s good enough to make it for my list of buffet restaurants in Singapore.

As for the Jang Shou Korean Restaurant at Esplandae Mall, they only serve ala carte Korean food (no BBQ Buffet).

86 East Coast Road #02-11/20,
Blk B Katong Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6344 8880

8 Raffles Avenue #01-13B
Esplanade Mall Singapore
Tel: +65 6337 8880

4 Fingers Bonchon Chicken Wings

4 Fingers Bonchon is a fastfood restaurant at the basement of Ion Orchard that serves the famous Korean Fried Chicken. Trust me, you can easily have a dozen chicken wings on your own – they are that addictive!

2 Orchard Turn #B4-06A
ION Orchard Singapore

Jang Won Korean Restaurant

Mosque Street is another popular place for good Korean food, with both Jang Won and Togi Korean restaurant located on the same street. If you tried Togi’s before, why not check out Jang Won Korean Restaurant the next time?

44 Mosque Street #01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6532 6949

Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ Restaurant

Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ Restaurant has been around for as long as I can remember. I used to pass it all the time when I was having my favourite chilli crabs at NoSignboard along West Coast road (now closed). For those of you living in the East, you may familiar with their East Coast Parkway branch.

For lunch, the Korean BBQ Buffet is served daily at $29++, while for dinner, the Korean BBQ Buffet is only available from Monday to Thursday. If you are not keen on having the buffet, go for their Korean BBQ ala carte selection.

27 West Coast Highway #01-18/19
Yess Centre Singapore
Tel: +65 6464 0872

1018 East Coast Parkway #02-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6447 9279

Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine

For cheap and good Korean food in Singapore, Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine will immediately come to mind. Prices for the Korean food there range from $4.5 – $7.5.

100 Orchard Road Level 1
Food Court Concorde Hotel Singapore Singapore

Kim’s Family Restaurant

My favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore is still Kim’s Family Restaurant. I like it because they always serve ten side-dishes (I like to call them appetizers) no matter how many main dishes you ordered, I like the tasty and affordable Korean food there, and the bonus — they are just ten minutes away from my place!

17 Lorong Kilat #01-06
Singapore 598139
Tel: +65 6465 0535

Kko Kko Nara Korean Fried Chicken

Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant on Tras Street (Tanjong Pagar) is a mom-and-pop chicken place that has been around for a while. They are famous for their Korean Fried Chicken, and the best part is they are opened till late night 4am. Look out for my blog post on it next week!

57 Tras Street #01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6224 8186

Koryo Korean Restaurant

If you are working at the Buona Vista area, you may want to check out Koryo Korean Restaurant at Fusionpolis for lunch.

1 Fusionpolis way
#02-10 Fusionpolis (Connexis tower)
Tel: +65 6469 1079

Ming Jia Korean Food

Other than Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine at Concorde Hotel, Ming Jia is another place to go for cheap and good Korean food. I have been there on several occasions, and it is good to see Korean students eating there all the time.

1 Jalan Anak Bukit
#B1-07 Bukit Timah Plaza

Nolboo Hangari Galbi

With close to 680 restaurants in Korea and across Asia in China, Japan, Nolboo Hangari Galbi at Orchard Central is the first of the Korean restaurant chain’s BBQ outlets in Singapore.

181 Orchard Road #08-04/05
Orchard Central Singapore
Tel: +65 6884 9151

Sarang Korean Restaurant

Another Korean Restaurant at Orchard Central (level 7), Sarang has a pretty affordable menu with main courses like Bulgogi priced at $12.8. They have a good view overlooking Orchard Road too.

181 Orchard Road #07-01
Orchard Central Singapore
Tel: +65 6773 1322

Togi Korean Restaurant

Judging by the crowd on a weekday dinner, Togi Korean Restaurant is definitely one of the more popular places for Korean cuisine. I’ll probably go back again for their Korean BBQ.

11 Mosque Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6221 0830

Woori Nara Korean Restaurant

After trying the Korean Fried Chicken from Kko Kko Nara at Tras Street, my next target is Woori Nara Korean Restaurant at Lorong Kilat beside Udders Ice Cream and Kim’s Family Restaurant. I’m hoping that they live up to the reputation for their Korean Fried Chicken. Hoho, if that’s really the case, it sounds too good to be true – two Korean restaurants near my place.

19 Lorong Kilat #01-02 Singapore
Tel: +65 6464 9282

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Tell me: which is your favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore?

When I started this Singapore Food Blog, I would have never expected it to become what it is today, for that I’m extremely grateful for all the opportunities that I have been given. Even up till now, I’m still amazed that there are people who actually want to read about how hungry I am every day.

In the past twelve months, I travelled quite a bit. I made new friends, and lost some. I learned many new lessons, and grew up a little. My new mantra in life is to experience all the new things in this world. What’s there to lose when I don’t have anything?

To summarise everything that I ate and blogged in the past year, I’ll like to share with you the top 10 most popular posts on ladyironchef for 2010.

It is actually quite interesting to see the search terms that people used to find my blog. Instead of ladyironchef, there are some who typed ironladyironchef.

10. Japanese Restaurants in Singapore

I’m not surprised to see my list of the Best Japanese Restaurants in Singapore as the tenth most-read pages on my food blog. Japanese cuisine has always been very popular in Singapore, and I know a lot of my friends can eat Japanese food everyday without being sick of it. I think I’m starting to appreciate this popular cuisine.

9. Guide to Dempsey Hill Restaurants

This year, I started a few guides to introduce some of the well-known dining destinations in Singapore like Holland Village, Rochester Park, Greenwood Avenue. Among the Singapore restaurant guides, Dempsey Hill was by far the most popular. Many people know of the atas restaurants at Dempsey road even though some of them have never been there before. Whenever people want a nice restaurant with ambience for dinner, I’m sure Dempsey road restaurants are definitely among their consideration.

8. Melt the World Cafe Buffet at Mandarin Oriental Singapore

I am not exactly sure how to approach this topic, so I am going straight to the point – Melt the World Cafe at Mandarin Oriental is the best buffet in Singapore.

My opening paragraph for Melt the World Cafe sums up everything you need to know. The prices are not cheap, but it is definitely a top-quality buffet restaurant.

7. Afternoon High Tea Places in Singapore

I need to blog less on Afternoon High Tea Places and desserts in Singapore, otherwise people will always assume that I’m a tai-tai in her mid 30s who has afternoon tea every day.

6. Gong Cha Bubble Tea

Gong Cha has been extremely busy this year. From their original outlets at City Square & Novena Square, they have added many new branches within a short period of time. Their strategy is slightly different from KOI Cafe. Most of the KOI outlets are in the heartlands area, while Gong Cha has been opening in shopping malls like Plaza Singapura, Vivocity, Raffles City, Orchard Central, Bedok Point & The Central.

5. The Singapore Food Blogger Saga

Everything you need to know about truth of this Singapore Food Blog has already been said. I learned valuable lessons from this incident, and at the same time, it showed me who are my real friends.

4. Dim Sum Restaurants in Singapore

When I blogged the list of Dim Sum in Singapore back in January, my original intention was just to use it as a reminder post. I hope that the list is useful whenever you need to satisfy your dim sum craving.

3. Brunch Places in Singapore

It is heartening to see that the All Day Breakfast trend is picking up in Singapore this year. With new breakfast restaurants like Wild Honey, Hatched & Strictly Pancakes — we have more options for breakfast food during anytime of the day.

2. Buffet Restaurants in Singapore

To be honest with you, I was expecting my list of Buffet Restaurants in Singapore to be the most-read post on my food blog. After all, it is a fact that Singaporeans love their buffet.

What is the #1 post on ladyironchef for 2010?

1. KOI Bubble Tea

Is KOI the best bubble tea in Singapore? It’s very subjective, but there’s one thing I can tell you for sure, KOI Cafe is the #1 search page on ladyironchef for 2010.

* * *

So many things have happened this year, and I’m thankful for the help and support from my blogging partners: Mr Gadget, Dweam, Monoxious and all the nuffies from Nuffnang.

Most importantly, I’m very grateful to all my readers – without you guys, I’m nothing. It is a joy to be able to do something that I really like, and it has been a fantastic year for my food blog. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything, and have a great 2011!

All my friends who have been to the Tea Lounge @ The Regent Singapore’s for their afternoon tea, have been raving about it. Many of them even go to the extent of calling it one of the best afternoon tea in Singapore. Naturally, I’m curious if The Regent Tea Lounge is worth all the hype.

In my previous post on Jewel Artisan Chocolate’s Afternoon Tea, I’ve mentioned that there’s a difference between Afternoon Tea and High Tea.

At The Regent Singapore’s Tea Lounge, they have both the traditional English Afternoon Tea ($38++) with the desserts/pastries/sandwiches on a 3 tier dessert stand during weekdays, and a local high tea buffet ($45++) on weekends.

It may seem very expensive to pay $38++ for the 3 tier dessert afternoon tea. After all, there’s only a couple of petite sandwiches, scones, mini cakes, and a pot of tea, right? NO, the afternoon tea set is much more than that, and there’s definitely more than enough food. Having an afternoon tea is an indulgence in life, it is about the feeling of sipping a cup of tea, nibbling finger sandwiches and tasting the petite desserts, while enjoying a leisure afternoon in the tea lounge with your friends or loved ones.

If you get the Afternoon Tea Set for yourself (no sharing), all the items are replenish-able and you can eat as much as you want. BUT, if two of you choose to share ONE afternoon tea set, it is an one-off thing, and the items will not be replenish-able.

There’s a good selection of English tea to choose from, otherwise you can always have coffee or homemade hot chocolate. Among the petite sandwiches (they change from time to time) that we tried, I love the Egg Salad & Cucumber on white toast which was light and delicate. The organic smoked salmon on Sunflower seed bread was equally tasty. The good thing about mini sandwiches? I can have as many I want without feeling guilty.

The gorgeous scones at The Regent Singapore Tea Lounge were wonderful. They could barely sit still around the soft strawberry jam and clotted cream, so I had to finish two of them on my own.

From the petite four desserts, the Chocolate-Yuzu Tart with pecan nut had a flavour that combines citrus with chocolate — it tasted like love. We also had a pear-flavoured financer, and chocolate madelaine.

Personally, I like the comfort of sitting down to enjoy the afternoon tea without having the need to jostle and fight with other people at the buffet counters. For the weekday afternoon tea set, everything is served to your table, and it will be replenished with a wave of the hand.

But if you prefer to have more variety of food, go for The Tea Lounge’s Weekend High Tea Buffet which has a local theme. They have the usual sandwiches, pastries and cakes, with the additional buffet counter of sushi, Asian corner, savoury items, dim sum, and gelato & crepes. Mind you, it’s a lot of food for an afternoon tea buffet!

The Regent Singapore Tea Lounge’s Afternoon Tea Set selection varies from time to time, they may not be serving exactly the same cakes and sandwiches, but each set will definitely comes with fresh finger sandwiches, Petite Four cakes/pastries, freshly baked scones and a pot of tea.

Note: This is an invited tasting session.

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Tea Lounge Regent Singapore
1 Cuscaden Road GF
The Regent Singapore
Tel: +65 6725 3246

Afternoon Tea Set ($38++):
Mon to Fri 12.30pm – 5pm

Weekend High Tea Buffet ($45++):
Sat & Sun 1.30pm – 5.30pm

“I know a place that has the potential to be the best dessert buffet in Singapore, but I’m not telling anyone until I check it out.”

I tweeted this about two weeks ago, and I think it’s time to let the world know about the Dessert Buffet at One Ninety Restaurant Four Seasons Singapore. If you are lazy to read this post, just know two things: a) the dessert buffet is $12++ $18++/pax, and b) it is available from Monday to Friday 12.30pm – 2.30pm 2pm – 3.30pm.

Even though the dessert buffet at One Ninety Restaurant Four Seasons Singapore doesn’t have a wide variety of desserts, I think it is one of the best dessert buffets in Singapore for a number of reasons:

One. It is only $12 $18++/pax.

Do I really need to explain this? A slice of cake at Canele Patisserie will easily cost $8++. Just a word of caution, the root of all problems is expectation — don’t expect too much. Almost all the desserts for the buffet are shown in the first photo.

Two. This is Four Seasons Singapore.

We are talking about having lunch (okay, desserts) at a Five Star Hotel in Singapore. It is a nice feeling to enjoy an afternoon tea buffet in the dimly lit One Ninety Restaurant at Four Seasons Singapore, and watch the world go by.

Three. There’s no need to rush, take your time and indulge in the desserts.

Unlike the Japanese Dessert Buffet: Let’s Sweet at Bugis Junction which has a 60 min time limit for buffet lunch, and 80 min time limit for buffet dinner, there’s no need to rush to finish your desserts at One Ninety Restaurant.

Four. I think I’m wasting my time if you are still not convinced by now, so I shall tell you about some of the desserts that we had at the dessert buffet.

I’m not going to elaborate much on the cakes since the selections change every now and then. But some of the items that we had at the dessert buffet are: Chocolate Pot de Creme which is somewhat like a chocolate mousse with yummy whipped cream, the pretty but dry Fruit Cake, Caramelized Pineapple that tasted like fruit punch, Macanese Sarradura Pudding otherwise known as the tofu-cake-that-has-digestive-biscuits, the unexciting and soggy Tiramisu, the christmassy Cinnamon Star and Stollen (loaf-shaped cake), squarish Pumpkin Tarts that are arranged nicely on a wooden board, amazing Chocolate Praline Cake which is beside the equally good Grandma’s Chocolate cake (moist and sweet), simple and cute mini fruit tarts, the oh-my-god-so-good Lingon Berry Cheese Cake, and a few desserts shooter which I can’t remember now because I ate them before noticing the name.

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Is the Dessert Buffet at One Ninety Four Seasons Singapore worth taking a day of leave? Well, if you are trying to clear your leave before the year ends, I think it will be a great idea to have a whole day of feasting (it’s the Christmas festive period after all).

Eat Kaya Toast in the morning, and head to Four Seasons at Orchard road for the dessert buffet, enjoy an all day breakfast at Wild Honey, and go to Koh’s Grill & Sushi during dinner for some Japanese food.

LATEST UPDATE: Come on, why are you thinking so much? It’s only $12 $18++/pax! If you cannot have just desserts for lunch, the One Ninety Lunch Buffet with unlimited appetizers & dessert, which comes with a choice of main course is at $48++/pax.

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
One Ninety Restaurant
190 Orchard Boulevard GF
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 1110

// Read my list of dessert places in Singapore.

Champagne Dim Sum Brunch buffet at Cherry Garden

After I took sip(s) of champagne, someone stared at me for giggling, but ten seconds later, she did the same thing. Champagne does funny things to people, and you know what? Weekends are meant for Champagne Brunch!

I never liked the idea of Dim Sum Buffet. Before my virgin attempt at Cherry Garden’s Champagne Dim Sum Brunch, that is. It seemed ridiculous to me that I’d have to fork out 50 bucks just to gorge myself silly, when I could have treated myself better by going ala carte style and probably pay a lot lesser.

But I know better now. Weekend brunch is indeed different from the usual Dim Sum Lunch. On our regular sessions, the practice is to savour a few baskets of our preferred dim sum over a pot of good tea. But everyone should deserve something special for a weekend brunch.

The brilliant minds behind Cherry Garden created a whole new sensation by introducing the pairing of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut champagne with dim sum! The idea of sipping champagne together with the partake of dim sum may come across as peculiar. But hey! Think about it this way – Everyone loves dim sum, and nobody will refuse champagne. Won’t having them together make an extraordinary Weekend Buffet Brunch? Sounds like a splendid way to go, yes?

You can have any excuses for drinking champagne. Allow me to toast a glass in your honor, allow me to toast another glass because it’s the weekend!

… And Oh my juicy Xiao Long Bao, steamed har gau, and steamed dumplings!

With over 50 dim sum items on their menu, Cherry Garden takes pride in presenting their buffet in an orderly fashion for optimized dining pleasure. The items are dished out in individual portions with every allowance for slow appreciation and indulgence in each delicate piece of dim sum. Coupled with free flow of champagne, what better way to spend a lazy afternoon than enjoying the goodness of Cherry Garden’s Champagne Dim Sum Brunch Buffet with your loved ones?

Feel free to make your second, and third orders of the same items that you enjoyed. Technically speaking, this is an all you can eat buffet since there’s endless flow of dim sum. But you probably want to go easy on the dim sum since there’s other main courses to choose from too!

It was a shame that the famous Cherry Garden’s roasted pork wasn’t available on the Champagne brunch dim sum buffet menu. Luckily, there’s the Honey-glazed Kurobuta pork char siew, which was a very competent replacement for the roasted pork. It was sweet, and tender, and extremely juicy. Yum! The braised soya chicken was not too bad, but it was largely overshadowed by the fantastic kurobuta pork char siew.

We also had the Roasted pork ribs in spicy Sichuan sauce from the Poultry section of the Buffet Brunch menu. The portion of the Wok-fried Kurobuta pork was pretty substantial, but it was slightly over-done and had this rubbery taste.

Other than the dim sum items, the Champagne Dim Sum Brunch Buffet at Cherry Garden also offers Sour & Appetizers. Their soups include: Hong Kong style minced pork and shrimp dumpling soup (very delicious), Double-boiled fish broth (light, and refreshing), Imperial hot and sour seafood soup, and the Double-boiled trio mushroom soup.

We didn’t order all of the appetizers as we really had too much food. But some of the signature ones that we had: Crispy eggplant tossed with chicken floss and Braised beef fillet with five spices & Sea Salt.

For completeness sake, they also have a Congee/Rice/Noodle section: Shredded pork and century egg congee, Kurobuta pork char siew egg fried rice and Braised Ee-fu noodles. But no one in their right mind would want to order them. Skip the carbs, and save the stomach for the other good food!

The Crisp Wasabi-aioli prawn with fresh mango and fish roe was excellent. The prawns were fresh and crunchy, while the mango and wasabi sauce added to the intensity of the flavor — it was so difficult to stop eating them!

The Beauty Blogger enjoyed the Steamed scallop with silken tofu in black bean sauce, which was surprisingly meaty. We didn’t order the Crisp-fried shredded squid and Steamed patin fish from the Seafood menu, so be sure to check them out if you are there for the buffet brunch!

The Deep-fried potato dumplings are available on their normal ala carte menu. Stuffed with cheese crab meat and onions, the potato dumplings were crispy outside, and mushy inside. You like the combination of fried food and cheese? You’d like the Deep fried potato dumplings.

The Steamed radish cake is among the 20 items on the dim sum buffet menu.

Joy has many interpretations and comes in all aspects. To some, it may mean a hearty bowl of Cereal with Milk or a sinful slice of Chocolate Cake. To others, it can be having a drink after a long day of work, or having the girlfriends over for a Girls Night In. But to me, Joy is having Champagne Dim Sum Brunch Buffet at Cherry Garden.

If you don’t drink champagne, or find that the $118++ Champagne Brunch is too pricey, you may choose the normal Dim Sum brunch buffet at $48++ per head. Note that the dim sum brunch (without champagne) comes with endless flow of dim sum, but only one order of soup, appetizer, main course and dessert per person, which is available for two seating: from 11am to 1 pm. and from 1.30pm to 3 pm. While the Champagne dim sum brunch has essentially the same menu plus champagne, and the fact that there’s endless flow of everything, and you can feast from 12 noon to 3pm.

// Read my list of buffet restaurants here, brunch places here and dim sum restaurants here.

Singapore Food Restaurants Review
Cherry Garden
5 Raffles Avenue
5F Mandarin Oriental
Tel: +65 6885 3538
Note: This is an invited tasting session.