More gastronomic recommendations

There are several hotels offering buffets for food lovers but I really like the lunch buffet at Hotel Phoenix next to Somerset station.

It costs $24.80++ approximately and discounts are given according to the credit cards one holds. It is worth paying this price for so many dishes offered at the buffet.

The range of dishes offered is good. It encompasses my 3 meals for the whole day. There are salads and soups as starters. The Herbal Chicken Soup is really good. There are also Sushi and sashimi. Sometimes there are mussels too. There is bread with either plain butter or garlic butter as well.

The main dishes are a mixture of local, Chinese and Western in origin. Laksa is the healthier version, with more beansprouts and a more diluted gravy. Roti Prata is the speciality of the buffet. It is fattening however, because it uses a lot of oil in the cooking process and the curry accompanying it, either mutton or chicken, is oily by nature too. It is better to be shared between two people. There is Hainanese Chicken Rice too and the Laksa alternates with Mee Siam.

The Western dishes consist of those like Butter Rice, Roast Pork or Beef and Barbecued Chicken. As for Chinese dishes, there are those like Kai Lan in Oyster Sauce and Steamed Fish with Salted Vegetable. There is plain rice to accompany the dishes too. As can be seen, this hotel is more health-conscious in its selection of dishes, which is a trend nowadays.

For dessert, there are fruits ranging from dragon fruit, watermelon, honeydew to apples and papayas. There is also ice-cream in various flavours and accompanied by toppings for the children.

It is the dessert rack in the centre however, that offers divine creations such as Bread and Butter Pudding, Strawberry Shortcake, Cinnamon Peach Cake, Chocolate Layered Cake, Durian Moose, Mango Pudding, Red Bean Soup and Chocolate Eclairs. I always look forward to having dessert for these reasons but sometimes I have to forgo it because my stomach cannot take in any more food. *Blush*

Fish and Chips is a Western favourite with both children and adults. There are 2 types of batter coating the fish fillets. There is the crumby version and the smooth version. I prefer the latter though.

Secret Recipe's Fish and Chips is worth eating. Though it costs $11, its smooth batter is not oily and does not make one feel full even after eating the chips, granted that I asked for less oil. In turn, the fish is juicy and moist when it is bitten into. The 2 fillets are of quite a substantial size and the tartare sauce accompanying it is sweet and smooth, rather like mayonnaise, instead of the usual sour one with gherkins mixed into it.