Ellenborough Market Cafe

Level 1, Swissotel Merchant Court Hotel
20 Merchant Road
Tel: 6337 2288
Opening Hours: 7am to 10.30am (breakfast), Noon to 2.30pm (lunch) & 6.30pm to 10.30pm (dinner)
Website:http://www.swissotel.com/singapore-merchantcourt/z963/dining_01.html

Located on level one, this cafe is reminiscent of a traditional eatery in the early days of Singapore. Enjoy a delectable selection of all-time local favourites and international cuisine. The Ellenborough Market Cafe is synonymous with Peranakan cuisine - a cuisine so unique, one can only sample it in this part of the world. Choose to dine indoors, surrounded by old-world charm, or dine al fresco-style by the riverside promenade.

Must try items at this buffet is definitely the durian pengat (a sweet concoction of durian mousse) and their slipper lobster in black bean sauce. Don’t forget to try the kueh pie tee (bite sized “top hats” filled with turnip, egg, and prawn with sweet chili sauce (optional)) which is freshly made on the spot (meaning they put the ingredients into the kueh pie tee on the spot; not cook the ingredients on the spot).

Price is:-

1. Lunch: $26.90+++(adult) and $17.90(child)
2. Dinner: $32.90+++(adult) and $19.90+++(child) (weekdays)
3. Dinner: $33.90+++(adult) and $20.90+++(child) (weekends)
4. Please click here to see the cafe’s latest promotion.

• If you pay using UOB credit card, you get one free with every 3 paying adults (valid for buffet dinner from Monday to Thursday only) and one free with every 3 paying adults (valid for buffet breakfast and lunch from Monday to Sunday).
• If you pay using HSBC credit card, you get 15% off food bill. Valid until 31 December 2007.

Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant

Level 3, Quality Hotel
201 Balestier Road
Tel: 6254 0090
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3pm (lunch) & 6pm to 10pm (dinner)
Website: http://www.qualityhotel.com.sg/index.html#top

Indulge in a lavish banquet that features an attractive spread of dishes, mostly handmade, for its buffet lunches and dinners. Savour the flavours of the wide range of Taiwanese vegetarian cuisine, which amazingly, remains creative and unique despite its variety. Make a pit stop at their “Dian Xin” Corner and revel in a sumptuous spread of “Dianxin” in Hong Kong, Taiwanese and Japanese styles. Don’t miss their weekend “eat-all-you-can” buffet lunches and dinners comprising of over 100 delicious varieties of cooked food. For those who prefer the homely aroma of wholesome soups, they would appreciate the painstakingly prepared stewed herbal soups. A bonus is that food is prepared avoiding deep frying methods, perfect for the health-conscious.

There is also an ice-cream station to which you can help yourself to unlimited servings. Free-flow beverages are also self-service. Available are a variety of soda, hot coffee, tea, and Chinese tea.

For a non-vegetarian like me, I truly enjoyed the cuisine that they served here. It's so tasty you wouldn't believe it's vegetarian. Personally, I really love their dianxin. A die-die must try would be their soup in puff pastry. Be fast... once the bowls of soup leave the kitchen, they disappear in a blink of an eye. Oh, you should also try their Japanese handroll. Yummy!

Jade Room Restaurant - Tropical Peking Style Steamboat Buffet

#02-01 Hotel Royal
36 Newton Road
Tel: 6251 8135, 6254 8587, 6254 8603
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3pm; 6.30pm to 11pm
Website: http://www.jaderoom.com.sg/profile.htm

Diners can choose from 32 items, including sea cucumber, fresh prawns and peking dumpling, which they then cook steamboat style. The dipping sauce in particular stands out. For those who want more, 10 cooked dishes are also available.

Prices are unbelievably good value for money:-

1. Lunch: $13.80+++(adult) and $9+++(child) (weekdays)
2. Lunch: $16.80+++(adult) and $9+++(child) (weekends, eves and public holidays)
3. Dinner: $18.80+++(adult) and $12+++(child) (weekdays)
4. Dinner: $19.80+++(adult) and $12+++(child) (weekends, eves and public holidays)

• If you pay using UOB Credit Card, you get 10% off a-la-carte menu.

Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant

133, New Bridge Road #B1-02
Chinatown Point, Podium A
Tel: 6339 9993
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm, Tue to Sun; 6pm to 10pm, Monday; closed on Monday mornings
Website: http://www.annalakshmi.com.sg/index.htm

Ok, this is an Indian vegetarian restaurant but before you dismiss it as another Indian restaurant, read again. In this restaurant, their motto is “Eat what you want and give as you feel”. This means that you can eat as much as you want (provided you finish every morsel that you order otherwise you sin?) and you pay whatever amount you feel. For e.g. you finish 10 plates of food and you feel like you should pay only S$1 (shame on you if you do that), you can be sure that you won’t be hounded by the police.

So if you feel like having Indian vegetarian food, why not pop into this restaurant and experience dining in a different way?

They also have an outlet at Amoy Street with slightly different opening hours. Check their website for details.

Sakura, International Buffet Restaurant

Opening Hours: 12 Noon to 2.30pm (lunch) & 6pm to 9.30pm (Dinner), Daily
Website: http://www.sukigroup.com.sg/sakura.htm

They have 4 outlets over in Pasir Ris, Clementi Road, Orchard Road & Jurong West. Check their website for details (look under the heading “Subsidiary”).

Buffet prices are:-

• Lunch (Weekdays): S$21.40
• Dinner (Weekdays): S$25.68
• Kids (Weekdays): S$11.66
• Lunch (Weekdays - Orchard Outlet Only): S$23.54
• Dinner (Weekdays - Orchard Outlet Only): S$27.82
• Kids (Weekdays - Orchard Outlet Only): S$12.73
• Add additional S$2.14 for weekends, eve and public holidays

For the prices you pay above, you will get up to 100 different varieties of Japanese, Western and Oriental foodfare everyday. To briefly entice you, appetizers include baked oysters, lobster salad, mussels, cold prawns and sashimi. The main entrees encompass an assortment of dim sum, Teppanyaki (including lamb chop, salmon and beef, etc.), tempura and grilled items. A wide selection of mouth-watering sushi will also be prepared for all consummate sushi fans. Last but not least, deserts such as cheesecakes, fruits, ice cream and beverages complete the buffet with a satisfying touch.

• For holders of Diners Club credit card, spend a min. of S$80 and get a S$5 voucher for your next visit; spend a min. of S$150 and get a S$10 voucher for your next visit. This promotion is valid from 15 Aug 2007 to 15 Sep 2007. The voucher is valid until 15 Oct 2007.

Anatolia Turkish Restaurant

#02-58/59 Far East Plaza
Tel: 6836 3352
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm daily

Many people are familiar with the antics of the Turkish Ice-Cream man from Anatolia Turkish Restaurant. With his pretense to be dropping the ice-cream and hitting the bells, the Turkish Ice-Cream man has gotten nothing but laughs from his patrons. Anatolia Turkish Restaurant, which is located on the second floor of the popular youth hangout in Far East Plaza , has been dishing out popular Turkish delights, like kebabs, for over 10 years now.

Unlike Indian food or local dishes that can get pretty spicy, Turkish food is not very spicy as they use tomato bases for their gravy. Iskender ($8) which is quite a popular dish at Anatolia , consists of slices of shredded beef and pieces of Pide bread, drenched in a tomato based sauce. When served with scoops of yoghurt, this dish can taste too sourish for the majority’s preferences. In addition, the shredded beef was a little tough to chew. Diners have the option of chicken or beef for this dish, though according to the owner, Mr Ur, in Turkey , they only serve beef Iskender.

The Lahmacun ($3), which looks like a fusion between a pizza and naan bread, is a crispy bread which is topped with chicken and some vegetables. It tasted slightly salty so do dip it into the different salad mixtures that is available or squeeze a little lime over it. However, this dish on its own is pretty filling as the portion is quite generous. However, Mr Ur pointed out that in Turkey , one piece is never enough and people can eat five pieces of Lahmacun in one sitting.

For those looking for a full meal, opt for the Mix Kebab Special ($16). Served with butter rice, this dish comes with a mixture of chicken, beef and lamb kebabs. The chicken and lamb kebabs are much tenderer compared to the lamb. The butter rice also brings out the taste of the kebabs and affords it more flavour. The downside was that the Mix Kebabs were dry because of the way it was cooked, so do consider adding on some sauces or salads when eating this.

If you are going to have Turkish food, then you cannot miss the dessert. Your best bet would be the Dmado Ice-Cream but of course, you have got to be patient and let the ice-cream man amuse you with his antics.

Dining area at this restaurant is small, so be prepared to wait and wait. The portions are also quite big so make sure you check how many the portion serves before ordering.
Note: The above review was extracted from StreetDirectory.

Riverside Indonesian Restaurant

#01-04 Riverside Point
Tel: 6535 0383/6735 7544
Website: http://www.riverside.com.sg/
Opening Hours: Noon to 3pm, 5.30pm to 11pm

For S$10 (excluding all taxes) per pax, you can have 6 dishes served with free flow of white rice. Some sample dishes are charcoal grilled snapper fish/cuttlefish/chicken (restaurant specialities), kangkong belacan, etc. For the full list of items, please click here. Please note that you can get this super value meal if you have a minimum of 4 persons or you pay the price for 4 persons even if 2 are eating.

But if you don’t like sweet stuff, ask the restaurant not to dip the food into the sweet black gravy.

They also have an outlet @ Plaza Singapura’s Kopitiam (Level 6, Stall 10) (see my other entry on this).

Gorkha Grill

21 Smith Street
Tel: 6227 0806
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3pm (Lunch) & 5.30pm to 11pm (Dinner)

This small gem of a dining room, situated in the busy eating area of Smith Street, is Singapore’s first authentic Nepalese restaurant. Small and friendly, with large murals of mountain scenery, the menu is a superb sample of the spices and flavours of Nepal. Filling without being heavy and greasy, momos (meat or vegetarian steamed or fried dumplings) are an excellent way to start. Recommended dishes include the soup consisting of beans simmered with herbs and green vegetables (also known as dahl); Jheenge papita (prawns marinated with vegetables and herbs) served in a papaya boat, and kukhura so makhani (chicken marinated with butter gravy and herbs). Gorkha Grill is delicious and reasonably priced – made more economical by bringing along your own wine.

To find this place, look out for the row of street hawker centre in Chinatown. It’s located behind one of the stalls. What I love about this place is that the service is excellent and the dishes are served in tiny copper plates like the ones shown in the pictures above.

• If you pay using your DBS Amex Credit Card, you get 25% discount on a-la-food bill weekdays, 15% off food bill on weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
• If you pay using your HSBC credit card, you get 1-for-1 main course during lunch or 15% off food bill on ala carte menu. Valid until 31 December 2007.
• If you pay using your OCBC credit card, you get 1-for-1 main course during lunch or 15% off food bill on ala carte menu.
• If you pay using your UOB credit card, you get 25% off food bill on weekdays, 15% off food bill on weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and if it’s your birthday, you get complimentary 500gm of cake and a S$50 voucher (valid for use during the next visit).

Note: This review was extracted from TravelPuppy with some of my personal comments added in.