Garden Lounge

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Item: Garden Lounge
Rating: 4
Author: christychinam

299 Reviews

Taste

Decor

Service

Hygiene

Value

26133

Central

$401-800

International Seafood Buffet Hotel Restaurant

169

christychinam

Level4

297

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It's been catching my attention by the Murray simplistic design interior, focusing on the warm light contouring black and gold colour. Seeing there was promotion on semi-dinner buffet, we immediately decided to go.

This season was themed on seafood. The buffet part served variety of seafood, such as sashimi section, smoked fish section, shell fish section, even salads, they mixed in four types of seafood based salad. Apart from that they also served cheese platter, potato soup, roasted pork, roast beef tenderloin and smoked fish.

I would review most I had last night. Tuna sashimi wasn't as fresh or not sure if it's the cut issue. It fell apart easily while holding in chopstick. And some bites were a bit chewy. Salmon was a thick fattening cut that it melted in your mouth. Smoked salmon was personally found it the best. Not the salty dry one but herbed with dill. It wasn't an oily one but just easily tear apart. Very salmon-y with a hint of earthy dill.

I wasn't a seafood or shell fish person, so I didn't eat try out their cold plates. Even salad, I didn't pick the mixed seafood but the sides. I wouldn't comment much. Varieties of cheese on cheese platter were in big pieces or thick cut. It was a bit too big to consume as finishing whole was too heavy to eat rest of the food. Even I picked two, I couldn't finish them; not that the quality was bad, just portion size was too big. Trying out two types of their bread, both were pretty tough which possibly because of no heat up. Roast beef was the nicest. Tender and juicy. Cooked perfectly in medium rare. Even without gravy was flavourful enough.

Each guest was served with a double boiled soup, fish maw. It wasn't hot enough but flavour wise, it was very light and rehydrating. It was a hearty broth. The fish maw was in big pieces. Soft and chewy. Good to awake your palate before your main course.

I ordered the crab & orzo 'risotto'. It was plated delicately, with the bright crab cream sauce, whole risotto was very appetising. Orzo was cooked softer than actual arborio rice. Each bite was full of octopus pieces. Slight chewy but in a good way of adding extra texture. Scallop was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. Whole dish seems not as big, but enough to fill you up.

My family's boston lobster thermidor unfortunately tasted very tough. You would know just by cutting it. It was heavy seasoned and combining with the cheese, it was quite salty. Rigatoni with wild mushroom & black truffle was also on a strong seasoned side. It was a pretty heavy dish especially cooking with the heavy cream. All in all, it was still an al dante pasta dish with strong truffle umami mushroom flavour.

The only two desserts that caught my attention were the matcha loaf cake slice and the mini chocolate opera cake. Matcha loaf was light with pungent matcha flavour. Not sweet but not grassy. Nicely brought out a strong matcha flavour. Cake crust was slightly toasted which gave a baking buttery flavour. Chocolate opera cake was good to be in small pieces that even it's very rich, it's in a bite size. Very yummy with different chocolate flavour textures.

What I would like to highlight about tonight was the staff helpfulness. Apart from the efficiency, staff was patient and helpful. Seeing an elderly struggling to carry food with both hands, they nicely helped and guided them back to seats. One elderly was having a difficulty in walking under the dim lightings. Staff was nicely guiding her back to seat, helping her to carry the food while the other hand was holding her arm. It was a genuine loving move.

Food wasn't a big wow to me but the attitude from staff definitely is respectful.