The Orchard Cafe
After a major facelift, this iconic buffet restaurant – The Orchard Cafe – is now looking swanky with its naturally-lit indoor bar with floor-to-ceiling windows. With this new enhancement, they are now welcoming diners with their new signature buffet, featuring heritage-inspired local creations to chef-curated cuisines from around the world. Some of the local dishes are amped up with exquisite ingredients to excite our local tastebuds.
The chef behind this new buffet lineup is none other than Executive Chef Bryce Li who used to head the kitchen at Beast and Butterflies, which has been ranked among the world’s top 10 restaurants in the 2017 Great Hotel Restaurants by HOTELS Magazine.
The new signature buffet menu at The Orchard Cafe is inspired by Chef Bryce’s hawker food explorations in Singapore. He visited our local hawkers’ centres across the island to source for inspirations.
In fact, their buffet menu is considered to be one of the most comprehensive buffets which featured many of our local favourites – from Satay (skewered meat), Tau Kwa Pau, Roti John to Satay Bee Hoon. And I don’t think I’ve tried Duck Heart Satay before!
Beef Tripe and Duck Heart Satay
There were simply too many signature dishes to try and I might have to make another trip there again to cover all. As of now, here are my recommendations and highlights for this buffet special.
Signature Dishes
Singapore Laksa with Cockles, Satay Bee Hoon, Penang Chicken Curry Noodles and Bak Chor Mee
These noodles are served at their live noodle bar on a rotational basis. On some days, you get laksa and on other days, you get Bak Chor Mee. This is another reason why I should make a trip down again.
Lobster Roti John
Their Lobster Roti John is worth a try. Who would have thought that Roti John could go well with some seafood in it? This is as good as the Lobster rolls you get at western cafes and restaurants.
Special Sambal Sauces
For all your spicy-lovers out there, be sure to head over to the sambal section where there are 8 different types of sambal sauces to go with the main dishes! The eight fiery sauces are – Sambal Udang Kering, Sambal Belado, Sambal Ikan Bilis, Sambal Balachan, Mango Sambal, Pineapple Sambal and Lime Sambal. Ready to ‘samba’ with these sauces?
Other Must-Try Delights
Prawn Noodle Soup
I enjoyed this bowl of classic prawn noodles served at the live Noodle Bar. It’s true to its taste and it did evoke feelings of nostalgia.
Sushi
Sushi is one of the staple buffet dishes you should because it’s one of those make-or-break dishes in a buffet. The sushi here is a delicacy!
Rojak
I’m a big fan of this Asian salad, Rojak and I’m happy with the rojak sauces and toppings they have prepared at the buffet.
Salads
I did not have stomach for salads but some of the diners at my table were complimenting their salad sauces. I guess it’s worth a try too!
Old School Delights
Want to take a walk down memory lane and relish those good old times? Treat yourself to some of these White Rabbit Candies, Chupa Chups and gem biscuits.
Local Nyonya Kuehs
For desserts, you will be spoilt for choice. I had a difficult time choosing which dessert to try at their ‘Kueh’ station because, in addition to the kueh, they also offer Gula Melaka-flavoured desserts. Gula Melaka crème brûlée and Chendol (featuring Gula Melaka-flavoured ice shavings) are just some of their must-try sweet-tooth creations.
Verdict: What truly sets this buffet apart from the other buffets I’ve tried is probably the innovation behind some of their dishes. That evening, they served Pandan Kaya soft serve ice cream at the dessert station! On top of that, there are attractive tourist-friendly visuals with informative descriptions about each local dishes. I always appreciate such efforts by the restaurant to share the story behind each dish. You know, buffets aren’t always about eating.
Rating: 4.0/5
The Orchard Cafe
442 Orchard Road
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 6739 6565
Email: orchardcafe.ohs@millenniumhotels.com
Operating Hours
Open Daily: 6.00 am – 11.00 pm
Lunch Buffet: 12.00 pm – 2.30 pm
Dinner Buffet: 6.00 pm – 10.00 pm
