You know how much foodies rave about the buffet at Cafe Carousel. Being a fan of the cafe myself, I was quite looking forward to the buffet dinner. At $88 per pax, my expectations were running high. However, truth be told, the food was so-so. Nothing near the spread or quality of the buffet at the first floor cafe. At about $45 per pax at Cafe Carousel, it was much better value for money.
As usual, I went for the cold cuts for my first round.
The Jelly Fish and Mango Salad was surprisingly tasty. It was tangy and carried a spicy zing. The crisp semi-ripe mango slices complemented the chewy strands of jelly fish. The Brie Cheese, Aubergine and Tomatoes drizzed in Olive Oil was also one of my preferred dishes. Too bad there was no camembert cheese. Surprisingly, the dish that I really enjoyed was the salad with pine nuts. There was a smoky aftertaste to the nuts which was absolutely delightlful.
On the left of the plate are the Seared Tuna Slices and Smoked Salmon, both of which were pretty average.
The hot trays were rather limited and held no surprises. Give the fantastic range at Carousel, I felt that the hotel could have provided a more interesting menu. Here's what I took for my second round. Detoured back to the appetizer table for more jelly fish, pine nuts and cheese.
The tomato-based stewed beef was dry and tough. I took one mouthful and left the rest on the plate.
The Morrocan Lamb was better, but still rather sweet for my liking.
Dessert was the usual fare: Fruits, eclairs, cakes. The two items that stood out were the creme brulee and the coconut panna cotta. The fruit crepe with vanilla sauce was not bad too.
Average dinner, but nonetheless a highly enjoyable one due to the lively (and rowdy) company.
