(LOADS OF) FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I love buffets.

But it's got nothing to do with my love for food...it has more to do with my love for variety.

Or rather, make that my greed for variety.

It's pure bliss to know that you can savour all kinds of cuisine and feast on any amount you like, and yet pay just one fixed price.

Sadly, these days, that blissful feeling tends to last only between the time of making that phone reservation to after the first few plates of food.

While hotel buffets have gone all designer decor and multi-station these days, their fare failed to impress.

At least, I can say that of The Line at Shangri-La and Carousel at Royal Plaza on Scotts.

The Line was ok, but for the kind of money one has to pay to dine there, I expected the food to be warm, if nothing else. But sadly, no such luck. And, service was pretty s-l-o-w.

As for Carousel, despite the many positive comments from friends and netizens, the standard of its fare really left much to be desired (though service was relatively swift and sharp).

It wasn't awful. It just simply wasn't good enough.

The seafood wasn't fresh enough, and the prawns were really overcooked.

The pasta prepared by a chef at the station upon my order was almost on par with those that I attempted to prepare on my own at home. Which is not good news.

And the desserts were either way too sweet or way too sour. Either way, I shuddered involuntarily in shock at first bites.

I heard Melt at Oriental Mandarin is not worth getting excited about too.

Anyway, I think I will stay off buffets for a little while. Pleasant or otherwise, I have already gotten the cravings for buffets out of my system with the two recent experiences at The Line and Cayrousel.

Or perhaps not. As I was typing the last sentence of the previous paragraph, an image of a Champagne Brunch session flashed before my eyes....me sipping bubbly and tucking into loads of brekkie/lunch fare in a sun-drenched dining hall over the
lovely late-morning-early-afternoon period.

Hmmm...now that's indeed food for thought.

I had read and heard some pretty good reviews of Champagne Brunches at Ritz Carlton and Beaufort Hotel (or some other hotel in Sentosa...I can't be certain which).

And in the event those reviews turn out to be disappointing again food-wise, at least I am sure the free-flowing bubbly from good labels will more than make up for it.

HMMMMMMMMMMMM...let me know if you are keen.