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Great Catch IF I had to choose one international buffet spread from the many served at the hotels in town, then Shangri-La's Coffee Garden would be on top of my list. The eclectic spread there never fails to amaze, beckoning each time with an extensive range of well-prepared and consistently good dishes. To me, it's essential that buffet food is continually replenished and kept fresh or warm. And that's what I get at Coffee Garden - among the many delightful offerings, of course. I was particularly bowled over by the Seafood BBQ Buffet (available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday brunch), which features a mind-boggling variety of seafood dishes. You would know what I mean if you take a walk around the various stations - Western, Japanese, Indian, local and desserts. The spotlight evidently shines on the outdoor barbecue spread. Prepared to order are juicy king prawns, plump lobsters and black pepper crabs. There is a long queue for these items, so it's probably wise to order first and come back for your catch. Can't get enough of fresh oysters? You will adore the huge ones from Canada, shucked right in front of you. Otherwise, dive into the aromatic tandoori prawns, fish tikka or whole-baked fish. Worth trying from the Western section are bountiful sea produce such as lobsters in fruity cream sauce, cod fish with cilantro and parmesan and seafood paella with a hearty mix of prawns and rice. If local flavour is your cup of tea, then zoom in on sambal seafood or yellow fish curry. I loved the deep-fried baby squid; highly crispy and addictive, it is definitely worth a second or even third helping. Interesting too was the ginseng prawns infused in a nutritious stock. You can never wrong with the well-executed Indian spread. Aim for the prawn masala, fluffy warm naans and mango chutney. Alternatively, the Japanese side is laden with a medley of pristinely fresh sushi and sashimi. The dessert selection is a haven for the sweet-toothed. A specialty is the super bread and butter pudding drizzled with lush vanilla sauce. Save room for other sinful delights such as chocolate mousse, creme caramel, cheesecake and brownies. According to executive sous chef Robert Blackborough, a new menu will be introduced on July 17. 'Guests can enjoy fresh breads - about 20 flavours including pesto, sun-dried tomato, garlic and olive, truffle, parmesan, bacon as well as sweet breads, doughnuts and warm yeast buns,' says the Australian chef. Also, look out for pizzas, calzones, carved beef and roasted veggies. Besides these, there will be 20 new items featured at the barbecue station and a terrine and traditional salad section (guests can mix their own Caesar salad). 'We will also include taster items such as small glasses of gazpacho soup. Many items will be in small, tasting portions; more creative and finer, and majority of the dishes will be prepared a la minute.' Chef Robert adds: 'Essentially, we want to create more interaction between our chefs and guests. The idea is to be more personalised and make our guests feel comfortable.' The top-notch, quality-guaranteed fare is priced at $56+++, but with so much to indulge in, it's no surprise that the perennially popular venue is often brimming with diners who come back for more. Opening hours: 24 hours Address: Shangri-la hotel, Lower Lobby, Tower Wing, 22 Orange Grove Road Tel: 6737 3644 / 6213 4275. |