Travel, Itineraries & Guides, Hotel Reviews
I still recall my first Christmas dining experience at St. Regis Singapore – 2008 in LaBrezza. Throughout these years, the property has consistently come up with imaginative festive delights during the most wonderful time of the year and 2015 is no exception. I was invited to preview some of the Christmas and New Year offerings which are set to color the menus of LaBrezza, Brasserie les Saveurs and Yan Ting in late December and for New Year’s.
…
One of Singapore’s most established and go-to place for hotel buffets, The Line at Shangri-la Singapore has recently upped the ante by revamping their Sunday champagne brunch offering. I’m amazed at how this place manages to keep itself so popular over the years despite the many competitors that have tried to outpace it in terms of variety, opulence and theme. While The Line can no longer boast of having the most extensive hotel buffet in Singapore, it stays within the minds of diners by offering exciting themes from time to time while maintaining freshness and high quality in the food. I last visited some 2 months back when the restaurant featured creative interpretations of Singapore dishes in the buffet and that was a hit among local diners. Most recently, I was invited to The Line to check out the new food offerings brought in by the recently-appointed chef de cuisine, Vincent Wong.
Regulars at The Line will be pleased to note that old favorites such as the satay counter, wide variety of sushi as well as fresh seafood are still there. But there are many new highlights. Here is a review of what to expect at The Line’s Sunday Champagne Brunch:
…
Brasserie les Saveurs, the French restaurant at St. Regis Singapore Hotel needs no introduction. Known for its elegant dining hall and decadent Sunday champagne brunches, this dining outlet definitely sits at the apex where hotel buffets are concerned.
I managed to try the Sunday brunch at Brasserie les Saveurs during my weekend stay at St. Regis Singapore. Though this was not my first time trying a hotel champagne brunch in Singapore, I was bowled over by the quality of food this brunch had to offer.
…
While many of Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s food outlets – such as Iketeru and Chynna – are already well-established in the KL foodie scene, their European restaurant, Graze is relatively newer but quickly emerging as a go-to place for casual dining. Having been open for just about 2 years, it was nevertheless well-patronized during the Thursday night that I dined there.
The overall look of the restaurant matches the casual dining proposition that it aims to convey. Sleek chairs, low-hanging light fixtures and floor-to-ceiling windows with amazing views of the greenery of the lake gardens immediately create a soothing ambiance to dining at Graze. A quick glance at the menu reveals a selection of light and earthy appetizers juxtaposed against hearty and rich main dishes. Being undecided on the path to take, I went for a bit of both.
…
It has been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of dining at The Line at Shangri-la Singapore. Called as such due to its elongated 16 theater kitchens, the buffet here has the distinction of being one of the longest in the city state. I returned just last week due to an innovative menu presented for SG50, a futuristic twist to traditional Singapore favorites. This in effect differentiates The Line’s SG50 selection from the rest.
…
As with any major Asian capital, Japanese restaurants have somewhat become an ubiquity in Kuala Lumpur. Practically every mall has one with competition fierce for premium sushi and quality ramen. It is thus quite remarkable that Iketeru, which is housed inside Hilton Kuala Lumpur in KL Sentral remains jampacked with people even up to this day, around 11 years since it first opened its doors. I was there on a Wednesday night, traditionally quite slow as it’s midweek yet still found all tables occupied – practically unheard of for an upmarket Japanese restaurant housed inside a hotel.
A quick glance at its menu reveals just why Iketeru remains highly popular – the food offerings are subject to constant reinvention in line with the season and to diners’ preferences. The food items also read like a walkthrough to nature. For dinner, I chose to have Fubuki or “Snow Storm,” a special teppanyaki set menu. With dishes such as sushi, wagyu beef and foie gras within the set; it also served as a rundown of the house specialties all in one meal.
…
A contender for the most underrated hotel buffet in Manila has got to be the Cafe Ilang Ilang, the all-day dining restaurant inside Manila Hotel along Roxas Boulevard. Though a deserving 5-star hotel buffet in its own right, it doesn’t get as much buzz as Makati or Ortigas hotels. During my staycation at Manila Hotel, I finally got to try out the dinner buffet at Cafe Ilang Ilang. Here is what to expect.
Entering the restaurant for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised to see modern and almost hipster-looking decor. It’s certainly not what I had in mind for a traditional sounding name like Cafe Ilang Ilang.
…
If I based my choices on what my family or friends recommend, I probably wouldn’t have come across Kitsho, the unassuming Japanese restaurant located inside the recently rebranded Hotel Jen Manila (former Traders Hotel Manila) along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City. The Ermita and Malate area is of course, quite famous for standalone Japanese restaurants which on paper sounds like a good location for another Japanese eatery.
I managed to try Kitsho during a recent stay at Hotel Jen Manila and I must say, this is one undervalued place for Japanese food! Entering Kitsho for the first time, I noticed the interiors were pretty humble – just the standard that one would expect for a Japanese restaurant sans the fancy lighting or artwork. The main thing to focus here is the food, without the other distractions.
…