Nothing pleases Singaporeans more than a meal that is easy on the palate and wallet. That’s why buffets are a popular dining option – the more value for money the better.
A dining establishment that serves food that is both good in value and taste is Spices Cafe’s Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch. It is known for its wide selection of Peranakan delicacies and other local food.
Glorious spread at the Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch
The Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch regular crowd – majority Peranakans and those of a certain age (with a senior citizens’ concession of $21.50, who can resist?) – is a good indicator of the quality of food. After all, where it comes to food, Peranakans exalt Grandma’s cooking so everyone else’s Peranakan food pales in comparison.
Standing before the buffet spread one Friday afternoon, we found ourselves thoroughly spoilt for choice – as a Peranakan Grandma would spoil her grandchild.
As the name “Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch” suggests the fare is not limited to Peranakan food only. You also get to savour Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka, Hainanese and Hokkien dishes. Its all-inclusive menu makes it uniquely Singaporean.
Peranakan preferences
We started off with rojak. We were told Peranakans love their rojak with more fruits and rojak flowers . True enough our rojak came with copious amounts of fruits (honey dew, jambu air, pineapples, mango, turnips and guava) and a generous sprinkle of finely chopped rojak flower for a unique and refreshing lemony taste and fragrance. The tartness and crunch of the dish was a great appetiser and the chilli was unsuspectingly spicy!
Peranakan style popiah also differs from regular popiah. Its wrap has higher egg content and its turnip filling is crunchier. Keeping turnip crunchy is a feat made possible thanks to sheer dedication: turnip is hand-cut into strips rather than grated by a machine, keeping the vegetable’s juice in tact. A little more effort goes a long way.
Ambassador for authenticity
At the Singapore Flavours Buffet, it is not just the food that makes the experience.
Baba Jolly Wee, Culinary Consultant to Spices Cafe, 83, can be spotted milling around the buffet spread unobtrusively, observing the taste preferences of customers and ensuring everything is done with authenticity.
Baba Jolly Wee
It is thanks to Baba Jolly that turnips remain crunchy because they are hand-cut not machine-grated, rojak is served with lots of fruits and if a dish is meant to be spicy you can expect it to be nothing but that way!
He said, “I picked up cooking from watching my mother cook. I have been experimenting with food since I was a young boy!”
Regulars would chat up Baba Jolly or ask for his recommendations. The atmosphere at Spices Cafe is warm and service staff is hospitable; you could even get a culture crash course from the kebaya-clad hostess or Baba Jolly himself! Feels almost like dining at someone’s home.
Keeping up
Baba Jolly Wee realises that for a buffet that draws a regular crowd, they cannot afford to keep serving the same fare hence new dishes are introduced every few months and dishes are rotated every week.
The day we were there was the day two new dishes were rolled out: buah keluak fried rice and sambal beancurd. We were lucky.
Buah keluak is an acquired taste but we happen to have acquired the taste for buah keluak and so enjoyed Baba Jolly’s fragrant buah keluak fried rice with tender pork rib buah keluak (the restaurant alternates between serving the chicken and pork versions of the dish).
Chicken Buah Keluak
Regular dishes to look out for are bakwang kepiting soup (a peppery and hearty meatball soup; the taste of real crabmeat is unmistakable), kueh pie tee (for the crunchy turnip and wonderfully spicy chilli), satay (served traditionally with pineapple puree), laksa (made with less coconut milk so you can eat with less guilt) and Hakka rice wine soup. Desserts are good too; don’t miss the apong bok kuah, or little pancakes eaten with delightful durian or banana sauce!
For a wide variety of Peranakan cuisine and more, drop by Spices Cafe for the Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch. We approve!
Upcoming Spices Cafe promotions you can look forward to
Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch at $21.50 (U.P. $26++) for ALL*!
Promotion period: 21 Feb – 31 Mar 2011
*Senior citizens (aged 55 and above) dine at the usual concessionary price of $21.50.
Peranakan Yu Sheng Promotion
Promotion period: 24 Jan – 17 Feb; available from 12pm to 10.30pm
The Cafe will be ushering in the festive Lunar New Year with a Peranakan Yu Sheng. Choose either salmon or ikan parang to be tossed with a Spicy Peranakan Sauce, specially concocted by Baba Jolly.
The Peranakan Yu Sheng dressing is made from plum sauce, sambal belachan, lime juice, chopped lime leaves, rojak flower and coriander leaves.
Order the Salmon and Ikan Parang Yu Sheng at the Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch or Harvest of the Sea Buffet Dinner and enjoy special rates of $15++ (small), $25++ (medium) or $35++ (large). Choose either the Plum Sauce or Spicy Peranakan Sauce.
For Takeaway & Normal Price: $28++ (small), $48++ (medium), $68++ (large)
For more Chinese New Year 2011 promotions, go here.
More pictures of Singapore Flavour Buffet:
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- Chicken Buah Keluak
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- Baba Jolly Wee
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- Glorious spread at the Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch
Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch
Monday to Friday: 12 noon to 2.30 pm
Adult: $26++ *Child: $13++ (3 – 12 years old) Senior Citizens: $21.50++ (above 55 years old)
For reservations, please contact 6739 8370 or 6733 8855 Ext 8133 | email: spices.chs@concorde.net
Spices Cafe is located at Concorde Hotel, 100 Orchard Road Singapore 238840.
Silver Lining Says 
March 2nd, 2011 → 3:45 am
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