Refreshed Makan Makan Buffet at Edge, Pan Pacific Singapore (Saturday Lunch)

I arrived a few minutes before noon at Edge, the all-day dining restaurant at Pan Pacific Singapore on a Saturday to find a small crowd gathering by the entrance. The venue’s Makan Makan buffet – held every Saturdays during lunch – has been a hit for a number of years now, attracting diners seeking local food all in one roof. Recently, Edge has tweaked the buffet offerings a bit and added a couple of new sections.

Edge is a relatively large venue but I always prefer sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window for that extra bright atmosphere. I entered the restaurant and found myself passing by the teh tarik counter, with a staff member joyfully passing the tea from one cup to another in quick motion. I couldn’t help but get myself one right away – a frothy treat to start the weekend.

The kaya toast was a hit with everyone in the table but I skipped it in favor of the mains.

Those who have been to Edge on other days, whether it be Surf & Turf on Tuesdays or the decadent Sunday brunch, can easily spot the mainstays of the buffet. For instance, the seafood section always includes a couple of types of chirashi. I normally don’t go for carbs when having a buffet but did make an exception for the sushi-topped fragrant rice.

The focus of the Makan Makan buffet is on local food and as such you won’t find as many kinds of cold seafood during Saturdays as you otherwise would on other days. Nevertheless, I spotted a couple of shellfish and lobsters (but no oysters, understandably).

The pizza counter once again showcases various kinds of creative toppings but compared to the other days, I noted a heavier focused on Asian ingredients. For example, you have Bulgogi Pizza and Teriyaki Chicken and Leek Pizza during Makan Makan Saturdays.

One of my favorite parts of the buffet at Edge, generally, is The Little Nonya section. The Peranakan highlights are a must-try including the Babi Assam – juicy pork cheeks in a tangy tamarind sauce and the flavorful Nonya Chicken Curry which goes well when you soak a freshly-baked French Baguette into the piping hot curry.

There is a new claypot section at Edge that looks like a homage to the claypot promotion that neighboring Hai Tien Lo had last year. I quite loved the dishes in this section, especially the Mapo Eggplant with Minced Chicken. This dish in particular evoked wonderful memories of the claypot dishes at Hai Tien Lo.

Another mainstay of the buffet at Edge is the Malaysian-Indian section, the “Mamak Stall” which always has an interesting array of Indian and Indian-inspired dishes – I remember seeing Lobster Tandoori there once! During Saturdays, they have Mee Goreng, Prawn Vadai and Roti Prata with Curry.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a Balinese section for Makan Makan Saturdays as I’ve never seen it before in any of Edge’s past spreads. The station is a relatively healthy affair with plenty of traditional salads from the Island of the Gods done in an exquisite arrangement. There’s Lawar Kacang – a dish created from a mixture of vegetables, coconut and minced meat with herbs and spices as well as Terong Balado – eggplants fried in chili sauce. For something that’s more generic to Indonesia, the Ayam Bakar is a good choice.

Finally, what is a self-respecting buffet at Edge without a humongous dessert section? As I’ve mentioned time and time again, the sweet endings could very well be a separate buffet for Edge given the variety.

I fell in love with the Portuguese-style egg tarts the moment I laid my eyes on them. The tarts remained surprisingly crisp and flaky despite being laid in the buffet for some time.

There’s also plenty of traditional kueh to choose from, in varying sizes, shapes and colors. Just remember not to go too crazy here and make some space for chilled desserts such as Ice Kachang, Chendol as well as Edge’s famous Thai Milk Tea-flavored ice cream!

Overall, Edge’s Makan Makan buffet is well-priced given the variety offered. Many hotels in Singapore do offer locally-themed buffets but within the sphere of luxury properties, Edge at S$58 per adult may very well be the most affordable.

Prices: S$58++ per adult / S$29++ per child

Makan Makan buffet is available every Saturday for lunch from 12nn to 2:30pm

Edge
Level 3
Pan Pacific Singapore
7 Raffles Boulevard
Singapore 039595

For reservations: +65 6826 8240
Email: celebrate.sin@panpacific.com