STI: Feed the whirl

Apr 19, 2004

Feed the whirl
by Tee Hun Ching

DEPENDING on who you speak to, the first ever hotel buffet in Singapore was served either at the Belvedere at the former Mandarin Singapore or the then King's Hotel in the form of its famous Penang Buffet.

Though the former drew its shutters in 1989, it still has a place in the hearts, and stomachs, of many.

Set up in 1973, it offered a lavish buffet featuring mainly Western dishes at $8 per head and was the place to be, says veteran food writer and etiquette consultant Raelene Tan.

The food theme changed monthly, along with the decor and staff uniform.

'They would dress in Scandinavian, Italian, French costumes or Brazilian ones that came with hats full of fruit,' she recalls fondly.

'It was not just a buffet but a whole theatre of visual and gastronomical experience.'

But, while it is now a footnote in Singapore's culinary history, the famed Penang Buffet at the Copthorne King's Hotel lives on.

Having clocked 32 years, it may be the oldest surviving spread here.

It has gone through three sets of chefs, and still packs in the crowds at the 170-seater Princess Terrace for its daily lunch and dinner buffet.

Neither the Belvedere nor King's Hotel will lay claim, however, to being the first in Singapore's buffet history.

In fact, no one in the hotel or food and beverage industries here can say for sure who can.

SINCE the early 1970s, however, every hotel here worth its salt has been whipping up a spread - usually three times a day for lunch, high tea and dinner.

This includes soups, appetisers, main courses and desserts hailing from both Eastern woks and Western pans, a reflection of Singapore's cosmopolitan culture.

Today, prices range from about $18 for a salad buffet to more than $100 for a champagne brunch.

While some have fallen by the wayside, a few stalwarts from the 1970s are still doing brisk business.

The Pete's Place Salad Bar at Grand Hyatt Singapore, for instance, marks its 31st anniversary this year.

For a nation that drools at the thought of eating and bargain-hunting, nothing feeds Singaporeans' twin cravings better than a sumptuous buffet.

'The concept of a fixed-price meal that allows you to eat as much as you can offers great perceived value to customers,' says Mr William Tan, chief operating officer of the Tung Lok Group, which offers mainly a la carte buffets.

Good spreads draw crowds and help raise a hotel's profile among Singaporeans, who would otherwise have little reason to drop by.

They also contribute up to 80 per cent of a hotel's food and beverage (F&B) revenue, as in the case of Hotel Phoenix.

Its Phoenix Garden Cafe offers an international buffet for lunch and dinner that stars its award-winning roti prata, as well as a high tea spread of local fare.

Each session draws 100 to 180 diners daily.

INDEED, when it comes to buffets, Asia is way ahead of the West, where such feasts are offered mainly for breakfast, says Mr Juergen Doerr, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore's executive assistant manager for F&B.

Apart from his country of birth, the German has also worked in Britain, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

'Buffets suit Singaporeans because of the large variety of cuisines available to them,' he says.

'Living in a multi-racial society means one would be able to find a wide range of buffets catering to every taste.'

The spread of ethnic festivals also serves up opportunities to whip up culinary tie-ins, like buffets to break fast for Muslims.

Agreeing, Mr Ashish Verma, F&B director of the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel in New York, adds: 'The choices of cuisine are more extensive in the East compared to the West, and hotel dining is more a culture in Asia than in the West.

'In New York City, for instance, ours is more of a free-standing restaurant culture.'

But the buffet itself is not an Asian concoction.

The Encyclopedia Of American Food & Drink (1999) traces the word to 18th century France.

At formal mediaeval, Renaissance and Baroque dinners, a set of shelves known as a 'buffet' was built on one side of the dining hall to house the family silver.

Later, food was displayed as well so that guests could have a preview of their meal, and that was where the modern buffet concept evolved from.

Several Western cultures also have a tradition of serving big crowds from a common table laden with food, of which the Swedish 'smorgasbord' dating from the 18th century is best known.

IN SINGAPORE, such feasts are now available almost round the clock, with high tea and weekend brunch buffets being hot flavours.

Top-end hotels began serving Sunday brunches less than 10 years ago, and today, 'brunch is the new black, to mix my metaphors', notes food writer-consultant Christopher Tan.

Diners can wash down these eye-popping spreads with free flow of wine and bubbly at more than five hotels, including The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, Four Seasons Hotel and the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.

Prices are suitably high-end of course, and start from above $75 per head.

To spice up the scene, speciality spreads such as chocolate, curry, Mediterranean and yong tau foo have also been dished out in recent years.

Such novel themes help to hook the young, whom the hotels hope to convert into loyal customers, says veteran food writer-consultant Violet Oon.

FOR most Singaporeans, however, value for money remains the top draw - which also explains why even some non-hotel outlets, like restaurants and even stalls in heartland kopitiams, offer steamboat and Teochew porridge buffets.

Madam Molly Koh, 54, tucks into a spread at least twice a month, often at different hotels.

The dental assistant has sampled most of the major buffets in town but does not have a firm favourite.

'I enjoy trying many different types of food and as much of it as I like,' she says.

'Better still, I can sit down, relax and chit-chat with my family for a few hours each time without getting chased out.'

It's still not too late to pick up the phone to book a table if you fancy a buffet today.

OLD FAVES

Copthorne King's Hotel - Penang Buffet
Started:  1972 and charged $16
Where:  Princess Terrace (tel: 6318-3168)
When: 11.30am-2.30pm (3.30pm on weekends and public holidays) and 6.30-10pm daily
Cost: $28+++ (adult) and $20+++ (child);
What:  One of the best-known spreads around, this buffet used to feature 28 items but now offers about 40. These include must-have dishes such as Penang laksa, Penang Hokkien mee soup, and Penang char kway teow.

Grand Hyatt Singapore - The Pete's Place Salad Bar
Started:  1973 and charged about $9
Where:  Pete's Place (tel: 6416-7113)
When: 11.30am-2.30pm (Mon-Sat) and 6-10.30pm daily
Cost:  $16+++; It costs $19.50+++ if you throw in soup and dessert, and $26+++ with the pasta main courses. Children pay $19.50+++ and get the whole works.
What: Toss your own greens from the fresh selection of 20 main salads, nine toppings and five dressings. If you are going for the pasta, try the signature dish, Cioppino, a tomato-base seafood pasta.

Royal Plaza On Scotts - International Buffet High-Tea
Started:  1980s and charged $8.50+++
Where: Cafe Vienna (tel: 6589-7799)
When:  3-5.30pm (Mon-Fri); Noon-5pm (weekends, eves and public holidays)
Cost:  $18.50+++ (adult) and $9.25+++ (child) for weekdays and $24.50+++ (adult) and $12.25+++ (child) for weekends, eves and public holidays
What:  Launched in the 1980s, the spread includes more than 80 Asian favourites and Western treats, of which the bread and butter pudding is most famous. It is also one of the few eateries in town that serve halal buffets.

Goodwood Park Hotel - Local High Tea
Started: 1980s and charged about $10
Where: Coffee Lounge (tel: 6730-1746)
When: 2.45-5pm daily
Cost: $18.80+++ (adult) and $9.40+++ (child).   
What: What started as a Straits Chinese spread now comprises more than 20 items, including dimsum and local and Western fare. There are also cooking stations that whip up roti prata and popiah. The apom berkuah with banana sauce, a Peranakan dessert, has been the hot favourite since day one.

Hotel Phoenix - International Buffet Lunch & Dinner

Started: 1985 and charged $10.50+++ and $12.50+++ for lunch and dinner respectively
Where: Phoenix Garden Cafe (tel: 6233-6129)
When: Noon-2.30pm and 6.30-10pm daily; a Local Hi-tea Buffet is also served daily from 3.30-5.30pm.
Cost: $23+++ for lunch and $25+++ for dinner; children pay $16.50+++ and $17.50+++ respectively
What: There are about 50 items in the spread, more than double that when it made its debut. More soups and salads are now on offer, to suit the health-conscious palate of Singaporeans today. The signature dish - roti prata - is a must-try, as is the durian cake.

Hotel Royal - Tropical Peking-Style Steamboat Buffet
Started:  1985 and charged $9.90 and $12.90 for lunch and dinner respectively
Where: Jade Room Restaurant (tel: 6251-8135)
When: 11.15am-2.30pm and 6.15-10.30pm daily
Cost:  $13.80+++ for lunch and $18.80+++ for dinner. Children pay $9+++ and $12+++ respectively. On weekends, eves and public holidays, adults pay $16.80+++ and $19.80+++ respectively.
What:  The tangy dipping sauce, concocted from 13 ingredients including sesame, peanuts, chilli and vinegar, is the secret weapon here. Diners can take their pick from 32 items, including sea cucumber, fresh prawns and peking dumpling. There is also a choice of 10 cooked dishes such as fried chicken wings.

York Hotel - Penang Hawkers' Fare
Started:  1986; original price not available
Where: White Rose Cafe (tel: 6737-0511 ext 1156)
When: Held traditionally during school holidays in March and September for 17 days each time, the buffet sometimes has an extra run in December.
Cost: $21.80+++ (adult) and $17.80+++ (child) for lunch and dinner.
What:  The first-come-first-served spread is one of the most widely- anticipated culinary draws here. Hawkers from Penang's Gurney Drive set up stalls offering perennial favourites such as Penang laksa, cuttlefish kang kong and crispy lor bak.

Raffles Hotel - International Buffet High Tea
Started:  1991; original prices not available
Where: Tiffin Room (tel: 6331-1612)
When: 3.30- 5pm daily
Cost: $31.50+++ (adult) and $18+++ (child)
What: The high tea has earned a name for its indulgent spread and service. The scones with jam, butter and whipped cream, chicken pie and dim sum are top draws. Tiffin Room is also famous for its curry buffets.

Meritus Mandarin Singapore - International Buffet
Started: 1994 and charged $39.50+++ for lunch and $45+++ for dinner
Where: Triple 3, The Buffet Restaurant (tel: 6831-6271/72)
When: Noon-3pm and 6.30-10:30pm daily
Cost: Lunch costs $41.80+++ (adult) and $24.80+++ (child), while dinner is priced at $52+++ and $32+++ respectively.
What:  Formerly known as The Stables, the restaurant now offers more than 60 dishes, comprising 22 appetisers, 20 types of hot food and 20 choices of dessert. There is a different theme each month, but the baked honey-glazed ham, roast prime rib of beef, salmon sashimi and rock oysters are trademark items.

NEW SPREADS

The Fullerton Singapore - Gourmet Buffet Dinner
Where: Town Restaurant (tel: 6877-8128)
When: 6.30-10.30pm, Mondays to Saturdays
Cost: Starts from $28+++
What: Rolled out on April 8, the buffet allows diners to mix and match meals. They can pick from various main courses and help themselves to the Gourmet Appetiser Buffet and Gourmet Dessert Buffet, which cost $20+++ and $15+++ respectively on their own. There is also the Seafood Tower at $28+++ per person or $48+++ for two. Or they can opt for the Appetiser and Dessert Buffet ($25+++), Seafood Tower and Dessert Buffet ($65+++ for two) and Seafood Tower with Appetiser and Dessert Buffet ($98+++ for two).

Conrad Centennial Singapore - Big Breakfast Buffet
Where: Oscar's Cafe & Terrace (tel: 6432-7481)
When: 7am-3pm every Sunday
Cost:  $28+++ (adult); $14+++ (child)
What: Launched in March this year, it serves everything from muffins to dimsum and seafood fried rice. The highlight is the vitamin corner, which includes a juice bar. From 11am, pay $40+++ to combine the breakfast spread with the carving of the day.

M Hotel Singapore - Sunday High Curry
Where: Cafe 2000 (tel: 6421-6222)
When: Noon-3pm every Sunday
Cost: $28+++ (adult); $14+++ (child)
What:  What started off as a pure curry buffet in February this year now includes a Western spread. This includes roast prime ribs and Yorkshire pudding. The fish head curry is highly recommended.

Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort - Brunch 'N' Plunge
Where:  Sharkey's (tel: 6371-1071)
When: 12.30-3pm
Cost:$39.50+++ (adult); children 12 years and below are charged half price
What:  Enjoy a great sea view and free use of pool facilities as you tuck into the buffet introduced in June last year. Barbecue items such as pork ribs and tiger king prawns, and local favourites like fried oyster omelette and kueh, dominate the spread.

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel - Children's Buffet
Where: Cafe Brio's (tel: 6233-1100)
When: Noon-3pm every Sunday
Cost: Free for kids aged 10 and below, accompanied by adults paying for the Sunday brunch ($50+++ or $65+++ with free flow of champagne, wine and beer)
What:  The spread made its debut last year and offers such items as mini hot dogs, burgers and chicken nuggets. There are also activities such as magic shows and balloon sculpting.

Raffles The Plaza - Plaza Market Peranakan Buffet
Where: Plaza Market Cafe (tel: 6431-6156)
When:  Noon-2.30pm and 6.30-10.30pm daily; high tea from 12.30-5pm (Sat, Sun & public holiday)
Cost: Lunch costs $25+++ (adult) and $13+++ (child); dinner costs $30+++ and $15+++ respectively; high tea is $23+++ and $12+++ respectively
What:  The showcase of authentic Peranakan cuisine was introduced last year and the ayam buah keluak and durian pudding have won fans.

The Fullerton Singapore - Chocolate Buffet
Where: The Courtyard (tel: 6877-8129)
When: 8-11pm every Friday and Saturday
Cost: $24+++ (adult); $12+++ (child)
What: Since 2002, chocolate lovers have been indulging in treats such as the chocolate mango yoghurt mousse. The drink station with its premium chocolate-blended drinks is the highlight.

Shangri-La Hotel - Coffee Garden's Seafood Extravaganza
Where: Coffee Garden (tel: 6213-4275)
When: 6.30-10.30pm daily
Cost: $61+++ (adult) and $31+++ (child). It used to cost less than $25.
What:  The seafood buffet made its debut in 2000 as an occasional special and was made a daily affair in February this year. The over 100 items range from barbecue lobster to Norwegian salmon dishes. Italian, Indian and Japanese sections offer pizzas, curries and sashimi.

Meritus Negara Singapore - Local Delights Lunch Buffet
Where:  Claymore Cafe (tel: 6831-6686)
When:  Noon-2.30pm Mondays to Fridays, except public holidays. Brunch is served on weekends from noon-4pm.
Cost: $16.90+++ for weekdays and $19.90+++ for weekend brunch. Children pay $9.90+++ for both.
What:  It started off as the Yong Tau Foo Buffet in 1997 but local favourites like laksa were added last month. The duck noodles and prawn mee soup are big draws.

Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore - Buffet Lunch & Dinner
Where:  Ellenborough Market Cafe (tel: 6239-1848)
When: Noon-2.30pm, 6.30-10pm daily
Cost: $19.90+++ for lunch and $24.90+++ for dinner on weekdays, $25.90+++ for weekend dinner. Children pay $11.90+++ for lunch, $13.90+++ for weekday dinner and $14.90+++ for weekend dinner.
What: This spread with a strong nonya component has gained fame since 1997 and the star remains the durian pengat, a yummy mousse. Other must-haves include the slipper lobster in black bean sauce and abalone mushroom noodles.

The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore - Sunday Champagne Brunch
Where: Greenhouse (tel: 6434-5288)
When: 11.30am-3.30pm every Sunday
Cost: $88+++ (adult); $45+++ (child)
What:  The extensive spread launched in 1996 includes 25 appetisers, 50 types of farmhouse cheese from France and local, Indian and Western specialities. There are 16 sections in all, including the popular oyster, sashimi and souffle. Wash everything down with Moet & Chandon champagne.

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore - Sunday Brunch At One-Ninety
Where:  One-Ninety (tel: 6831-7250)
When:  There are two sittings: 11am-1pm and 1.30pm-3pm
Cost: $68+++ (adult) and $30+++ (child); Pay $98+++ to add free flow of Veuve Clicquot champagne.
What: This eight-year-old brunch has 20 hot and cold stations offering fresh oysters, sukiyaki, dimsum and pasta. The sinful dessert buffet station carries 25 sweet treats. Kids get their own spread and activities.

Hotel Inter-Continental - Olive Tree Mediterranean Buffet
Where:  Olive Tree Mediterranean Restaurant (tel: 6431-1061)
When:  11.30am-2.30pm for lunch (Mon-Fri) and 6.30-10.30pm for dinner (Sun-Thu)
Cost: $39+++ for lunch and $52+++ for dinner. Free for children under seven years. Those aged between seven and 12 years will be charged according to their age. For instance, a seven-year-old will be charged $7+++ and a 10-year-old will pay $10+++.
What:  It has attracted a strong following since 1995. The menu changes daily and offers more than 20 items, including the popular seafood on ice and pasta.