went with my OPS primary school classmate for lunch at the line on 28.9.2016. ^^

the line is a new inclusion in amex lovedining, so we have 50% discounts for 2pax for the S$62pax buffet lunch.

this maybe the second time i came here. the first time probably like maybe 5yrs ago when there was also some 50% discounts. didn’t leave an impression then, didn’t leave an impression this time round too.

the cold appetizer station quite limited  oysters, mussels, clams, prawns.

oysters freshly shucked, sweet, plump but left a bit metallic taste on the palate.

prawns were good, like most buffets. mussels, clams can do without.

there’s only salmon, maguro (tuna) & tako (octopus) at the sashimi station.

& sushi no attraction for me, so i just took the atlantic surf clam & the reverse maki, ignored the scallop entrails & seaweed, no unagi sushi.

the salmon belly sashimi was very good though, very fresh, nice cut, sweet.

the sushi rice here quite good, tako so so la…

i had a second helping of oysters & salmon belly.

ebi sushi no attraction for me. adegashi tofu mediocre, cha soba poor.

the roasted lamb was tender & moist, should be quite good, but i forgot to get sauce & did not bother to go back for it, so taste quite bland.

baked salmon quite ok. took just tiny bits to try.

the grilled vegetables were good, reminded me of pontini eons ago.

har gao was good.

my friend took the siew mai. i tried abit. it was good.

i took the orange skin dumpling. this was quite poor not worth trying, skin was thick & fillings were not tasty.

satay was good. i took only 1 chicken satay.

tried the sambal seafood items.

good tasty if robust dish. a competent dish quite ok if no other food.

indian station probably the best food.

lamb was especially good. very well marinated & properly chargrilled, very flavourful.

i took a bit of paneer (cottage cheese), always good, a prata with dahl & chicken curry.

the roast duck was poor, like an average hawker standard,

not even flavourful like chinatown stall or roast duck at joyful palace 怡乐坊, clementi coffeeshop stall,

and so no comparison with (a) canton paradise, (b) house of roasted duck or (c) tunglok signature etc….

laksa also poor. & too sweet.

prima laksa sauce standard or poorer.

popiah was good.

skin was good, thin, firm, not broken up. good chilli, nice wrapping & cutting (inconsistent, some i saw were quite poor). the trick is to ask for smaller amount of ingredients. then it will be manageable, neat & tidy.

cheese was ok not fantastic.

i had the brie, english blue stilton, nuts, jam/compotes, dried fruits.

small amounts. i like cheese, this nothing too great but i enjoyed it nonetheless.

i took only the lapis sagu.

ignore the cakes. my friend took the chocolate mousse. i tried a bit it was good.

& i had to try the choc lava cake.

very ordinary, nothing to look at, good chocolate taste, no much lava so not that exciting.

soft yogurt ice cream ok, not my favourite.

we had 3 flavours ofice cream, mango sherbert, sallted caramel (the best!!) & a pecan one.

& rounded off with a nice creamy cappuccino.

overall for me the buffet was quite mediocre, nothing that attracts me. likely even at 50% discounts=S$31++pax, i still would not be interested to come back.

& at S$62++pax for this food if no discounts, then it is to me overly expensive & not much meaning…

i guess that applies to most buffets for me.

i used to quite like equinox. but now the buffet like reduced 1/2 in size at the same price (S$59pax 50% discounts for 2pax).

the only attraction for equinox is it is a semi-buffet, meaning you order a fine dining main course dish.

here at the same, there is hardly any good standard main course except the indian station.

the point, 2 of us were saying, is that it is not that the standard of dishes here are poor, but they are mostly mediocre.

so if i rather go to eat good/top quality sashimi or pasta or roast duck or laksa or western main courses in small amount than to eat a lot of mediocre food here, & some poor ones like the roast duck & laksa.

not sure i would come back at all. if i do i will just do a bit oyster, sashimi, indian food, a bit dimsum, cheese & enjoyed the few i like.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++