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2013-05-19
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This was the first time I dined at the legendary Peninsula Hotel and the ambiance at The Verandah did not disappoint. It was everything you would expect, from the plushly carpeted staircase to the smart, elegant dining room. It felt spacious and private, unlike many other hotel buffet venues, and undeniably romantic. In fact, we were witnesses to a marriage proposal! But we were there for the food and less about making life-long plans, so onto the spread... I'm going to state right away the hig
I'm going to state right away the highlight of the buffet here is definitely the desserts. So leave half your stomach for the sweets, which that night included mango sticky rice (Thai cuisine is featured at the buffet at the moment), pistachio mille feuille, cheesecake, sacher torte, mango pudding, four flavors of ice cream, succulent strawberries, and countless others. I don't have the biggest sweet tooth so for me to eat two plateful of desserts here is really vouching for their quality. I mean, how bad could it be when the hotel has its own CHOCOLATE ROOM??? We later learned you could get a tour of the room and the kitchen if you're dining at the chef table at Gaddi's, the restaurant upstairs. Someone please take me.
You will also be served a lemon souffle at the end of the meal, but I would skip it. Not being the biggest fan of souffles, I thought it was too sweet and tasted too heavily of egg whites. But maybe that's just a personal preference.
Other highlights include the decently fresh sashimi, the salad selection which presents you with 8 different olive oil and balsamic vinegars to choose, and the cheeses. The hot food selection -- featuring some roasts, made-to-order ravioli, and some Thai dishes -- was small and not too memorable. I didn't have much of it at all. I had a gift certificate for that night, but I think the normal dinner price is around the order of $698. I personally think it's a bit pricey (let's face it.... buffets never serve the top-notch stuff) but may be worth it for a special occasion when atmosphere is the focus.
Saving the best for last.... My favourite of the entire evening is the tom yum kung (a Thai spicy and sour soup) flavoured chocolate truffle served at the end with coffee. I know it sounds so strange but it really works! I can't explain but it just does, and definitely had that spicy kick in the end like after taking a slurp of the soup. It was a limited version made to complement the Thai theme, so unfortunately we were unable to purchase more. I wonder if they would make a tikka masala one for an Indian theme one day, or zaatar flavoured one for Middle Eastern?
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