Buffet again?!!??! I know, i know, i know; my continuous complaints of getting a bit too 'weighty' in recent years seem to have no effect whatsoever on my eating habits.
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I do have a valid excuse this time.
A birthday boy was given the powerful role as the ultimate decision maker and his food wish was to visit the famous Peach Garden for its Chinese dinner buffet! So, i didn't have a choice okay!
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To make it easier for everyone, i am grouping my review according to the menu (i shall show it towards the end of this post) even though i have to mention beforehand that we managed only 19 out of 40 items.
Shark's Fin / Soup
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Limited to only one order per person, i went with the braised baby superior shark's fin soup with fresh crab meat and crab roe (darn, that was a mouthful of words). Not amazing in my opinion; i could have had a nicer tasting one from pasar malam. Furthermore, it seemed to be a bit too orangey looking!
Appetizers
Chilled Fresh Scallop with Fruit and Plum Sauce
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Scallops that were cold to the touch would not have appealed to me if not for the tiny bits of chilli padi that gave them a spicy twist that i quite enjoyed.
Chilled Drunken Chicken
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Too cold, too tough although Vanessa liked it enough to have a second serving all for herself.
Seafood
Deep Fried Soon Hock Fish
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Mom would have attacked this dish ferociously! On second thoughts, she might have preferred the fish steamed. Anyway, it was served freshly fried and the benefits were of course the extremely crispy exterior coupled with a meaty interior that were perfect in that concoction of flavourful garlic and superior soya sauce.
Sauteed Live Prawns in Marmite Sauce
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The taste of marmite sweetness that was apparent even after i de-shelled the prawns was the key factor for loving them! I realised recently i am not the only weirdo who would remove the sinful heads and eat the rest of the prawns, including their calcium-rich shells. Yes, i am referring to you Elizabeth!
Live Prawns in Indonesian Style
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Prawns were the same type of prawns; i admitted the curry was flavourful but my vote would still lie with the marmite prawns.
Deep Fried Prawns with Wasabi Salad Cream
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With so much prawns cooked in different styles, this was seriously an overdose! The prawns were over laden with tear-inducing wasabi (which might be a good thing for some of you) and could have been more manageable for weaklings like me by the addition of more mayonnaise.
Steamed Fillet of Pa Ting Fish
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Swimming in a pool of sauce similar to the Soon Hock, this would win my mom's heart for its healthier rendition teamed with simple freshness.
Meat
Sauteed Venison in Cantonese Style
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Honestly, i liked the sauce more than the deer meat which i have always thought to be too tough for my liking.
Baked Spare Ribs with Coffee Sauce
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Something's wrong with me. Or, something's wrong with other members of the Gang of Four. Lightly coated with coffee sauce, these bite-sized ribs were great i thought! Okay, i agreed they could have performed better with a stronger dose of coffee essence and in bigger, satisfying pieces.
Sauteed Kurobuta Pork Cubes
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Didn't like; they were too mildly seasoned!
Sauteed Chicken with Satay Sauce
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Hm... should be deep fried instead of sauteed. Despite the tenderness of the chicken meat, this was a disappointment. They were tasteless and the satay sauce lacked the basic peanut-curry flavouring that could have bloody rescued the dish.
Barbecued Char Siew
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Sauce was palatable and that's the only positive comment i have. Negative feedback; the lack of fats has resulted in a hardness that i personally detest.
Poached Emperor Chicken
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Like the chilled drunken chicken, this was served cold!!! :( That saucer of minced garlic improved the taste marginally even though still insufficient to entice me to take the third piece!
Seasonal Vegetable / Beancurd
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The men's love for meat in buffet means that vegetables would generally be overlooked. We ordered only one out of four available items; poached local spinach with century egg and salted egg! This was one of the rare occasions i actually liked the combination! p.s. picture showed only a portion i brought to my plate.
Desserts
Chilled Jelly Royale with Julienne of Coconut
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The strong taste of coconut was evident as the liquid trickled down my throat and the jelly was the softer type with a flavouring that was thankfully not overpowering.
Chilled Fresh Mango Sago with Pomelo
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This was so common that my sole criterion was the level of sweetness. More often than not, sour mangoes would wrinkle my expression. This was fortunately not the case here although it was not exceptional either.
Chilled Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream
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Reserving my comment on this since i have never been a fan. To be fair, Kon loved it and i think he downed at least two bowls!
Chilled Osmanthus Jello
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What's most important for this dessert is the fragrance that hit you as your teeth sink into the jelly! This didn't disappoint and was as good and as visually pleasing as it should be.
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Overall, i have a mixed opinion of Peach Garden's dinner buffet. Maybe i am too biased for cheaper, apparently healthier fare offered by quality steamboat buffet restaurants like Suki-ya.
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Oh, must remember to add that service was really one of the better ones i have in Singapore so far.
Location
401, Havelock Road,
Level 3, Miramar Hotel
Price
Weekday Dinner for Child - S$30.80
Weekday Dinner for Adult - S$21.80
Weekend Dinner for Child - S$35.80
Weekend Dinner for Adult - S$24.80
[Subject to GST and Service Charge] By the way, child is defined as person between 5 to 12 years old.
Dinner Buffet Menu
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As above. :)