Atrium Restaurant @ Holiday Inn Atrium Singapore - Hawkerlicious Buffet + Durian Bazaar

While fashion trends, bloom and wither as our love for them diminishes, our attachment towards durians only seems to get deeper - the more the merrier. This almost 'unconditional love' for the King of Fruits is even more pronounced during this time of the year, evident in social media posts. To celebrate the advent of the Durian season, Atrium Restaurant at Holiday Inn Atrium Singapore has designed a Hawkerlicious Buffet, catering to your palate.

Started off the evening with my own plated Gado Gado. I was quite sceptical initially in dressing my ingredients with the peanut sauce as usually they can be quite heavy, oily or salty in taste, but how wrong I was! Their peanut sauce was robust with a fine balance of flavours, whetting my appetite instantly.  With such a good sauce, I had no doubt that the satay would satisfy me just as well. Indeed, the satay meat was tender with a sweet, smoky taste, and the peanut sauce simply makes them even more moreish.

Next up is their mouth watering Laksa. I love the fact that I get to cook it myself, hence I can have a huge portion of beansprouts and a heap of the Laksa leaves. Writing about it makes me crave for it instantly. I don't order Laksa when dining out honest, but for theirs, I actually need to make a conscious effort not to drink up the gravy.

Another must try local delight is Oyster Omelette. I like the chewy starch, which is a perfect contrast to the crisp omelette. The portion of oysters can be more though. Another key ingredient is the chilli sauce, and their did manage to up the taste a notch. It would have been a better experience, I feel, if the Oyster Omelette can be made a la minute. Imagine it on your plate hot and piping. Hence,if you have the patience, perhaps, it is worth waiting for a fresh batch.

Their Chilli Crayfish is also one of their signatures. Don't forget to grab some of the crispy fried Man Tou for the sauce.

One of the dishes that I would recommend is their Nonya Chap Chye, which sits quietly among the rest.  It is full of my favourite crunchy black fungus, with very soft and flavourful Tau Kee and cabbages. Stir-fry vegetables is seldom my choice in a buffet as they are usually soggy with sauces, but somehow, this dish works for me much better than I thought it would.

Apart from the traditional pastries such as chiffon cakes and nonya kuehs, you may also DIY your own Ice Kachang, which is always a fun thing to do.

After all these 'works' to get your appetite going, it is time for the real work! Durians time! From $15 nett per durian, you get to choose one type of durians D1, D13 or Red Prawn. The best thing is that, you get to enjoy it with a bunch of your loved ones under the moonlight and shining stars out in their terrace.

Indeed, as one brilliantly pointed out, eating durians is a communal ritual.  I recalled moments of such occasions, some were filled with infectious laughter, while in some, only the sound of individual drawing every bit of the durian flesh off the seed could be heard. Missing such moments? This Hawkerlicious Buffet may be one of the options for you to experience it again.

Hawkerlicious Buffet (Book now to enjoy 1-for-1 offer)
Date: 15 July to 31 August 2016
Time: 630pm - 1030pm
Price:
Sun-Thu: $78++ adult | $25++ child
Fri-Sat: $88++ adult | $25++ child

Durian Bazaar
Date: 15 July to 31 August 2016
Time: 630pm - 1030pm
Price: From $15 nett per whole durian

Written by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Atrium Restaurant
Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
317 Outram Road
Singapore 169075
Tel: +65 67317172
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiatrium
Website: http://holidayinn.com/sinatrium
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Operating Hours:
Daily: 6am - 1230am

Direction:
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tiong Bahru MRT station (Stop ID 10169). Take bus number 123. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes.  [Map]

Lim's Fried Oyster @ Berseh Food Centre - The Traditional "Tang Shan Chao", Wet Version Fried Oyster

Lim's Fried Oyster at Berseh Food Centre has been in my radar for the longest time after seeing so many postings from my foodie friends. Thanks to Tony Tee for introducing this stall, we are able to discover yet another great makan place. Hidden in the corner of the food centre, the stall has been around for almost 40 years starting as roadside stall before moving into the food centre. Currently the stall is man by second generation Mr Lim and his wife.

Fried Oyster 4.2/5

What stood out at Lim's Fried Oyster is the used of Korean oyster which is plump and juicy. Compare to other stalls, this is like giant oysters. The Fried Oyster ($5/$8/$10) is fried to a good crispiness with a lot of eggs. The homemade chilli that is used to fry the batter and egg mixture enhanced the whole flavours even more.

Fried Oyster (Tang Shan Chao) 4.5/5

What surprised me is the other style of fried oyster known as 唐山炒 (Tang Shan Chao), a wet version that is hardly seen nowadays. Instead of the crispy egg batter, the egg is fried to a delectable runny texture. I actually prefer this more than the crispy version.

Each plate of the fried oyster by default is fried with the chilli sauce so do let the stall owner know if you can't take spicy. However I would recommend having it with the chilli sauce for the extra kick.

Lim's Fried Oyster
Berseh Food Centre
166 Jalan Besar
#01-32
Singapore 208877
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line), Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Cut across the HDB estate to King George's Ave. Turn left on King George's Ave and walk to the end. Turn right onto Syed Alwi Road. Continue straight on Syed Alwi Road until Jalan Berseh Road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Cross the road and walk towards Mustafa at Syed Alwi Road. Continue walking down Syed Alwi Road until Jalan Beseh Road. Cross the road and turn right. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Sakura International Buffet @ Clementi Woods

Sakura International Buffet at Clementi Woods has undergone an interior revamp exuding a chic and modern city vibe. Located at the hill top of the Clementi Woods Park, Sakura has also introduced its latest offering, Seafood in a Bucket.

Sashimi and Cold Seafood 4/5

Sushi 3/5

The name of the restaurant already suggests that customers will get to enjoy a feast of Japanese food. Indeed on the buffet spread, customer has a wide variety of sushi, sashimi and even cold seafood to choose from.

Seafood In a Bucket 4/5

Seafood In a Bucket 4/5

In recent years, Louisiana style seafood restaurants have been opening one after another in Singapore. To be frank it is not cheap to dine at these restaurants. If you enjoy seafood, then not to be missed is Sakura's Seafood in a Bucket, with Boston Lobster cooked a la minute and it is unlimited servicing! It comes in two dipping sauce, Spicy Saucy and Class Garlic Herb Butter.

Grilled Prawn 2.5/5

Grilled Beef Steak 2.5/5

The grilled section at Sakura probably is the weakest link of all. I tried both the Grilled Prawn and Grilled Beef Steak. The grilled prawn was mushy although the flavour was there. The grilled beef steak was rather dry and tasteless.

Oyster Omelette 4/5

Laksa 4.2/5

Hainanese Chicken Rice 4/5

Catering for the local palate, Sakaura has a local section among the buffet spread. Not surprise, this is my favourite session. I tried the Oyster Omelette, Laksa and Hainanese Chicken Rice. All of them turned out pretty good. For those that missed our local hawker fare. you can find a decent offering at Sakura.

Dim Sum 3/5

For Dim Sum lovers, there is also a small selection of delectable bites to satisfy the diners too.

Bird Nest Egg Tarts 4.2/5

A must try is the Bird Nest Egg Tarts. Understandable you can't find a lot of bird nest in the egg tart, but the flaky and eggy tart is so good that you simply can't stop at one.

Molten Lava Cake with Haagen Dazs Belgain Chocolate 3.5/5

For those that has a sweet tooth, the dessert corner as a humble selection to wrap up the buffet feast on a sweet note. The Molten Lava Cake with Haagen Dazs Belgain Chocolate, a classic combination that will delight all.

Price
Mon-Fri
Lunch: Adult $25.80, Kid $16.80

Mon-Thu
Dinner: Adult $39.80, Kid $18.80

Fri-Sun, Eve of PH and PH
Brunch: Adult $39.80, Kid 18.80
Dinner: Adult $42.80, Kid $19.80


Sakura International Buffet
93A Clementi Road
Singapore 129781
Tel: +65 64748197
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 201. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to the park. Take the stairs in the park to the top of the hill. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel

If you can run the same Penang Hawkers' Fare buffet for the past 30 years, that means something isn't it? Yes the ever popular Penang Hawkers' Fare buffet at York Hotel's White Rose Cafe is back again from 04 September to 20 September 2015. 11 chefs from Penang has came all the way from Penang bring you the best of Penang's authentic street food.

During my visit, white rose cafe was fully booked with walk in customers forming a queue at the entrance. The different live stations around the restaurant has diners eagerly waiting for their food while chefs and cooks tirelessly prepared bowl after bowl, plate after plate of Penang's street food. Let me give you a quick tour of the different dishes presented by the 11 stations at the Penang Hawkers' Fare.

Penang Rojak 4/5

A combination of refreshing ingredients tossed in a robust prawn paste sauce and topped with nutty peanuts, the Penang Rojak is so addictive with a party of flavours, whetting up the appetite.

Oyster Omelette 4.2/5

The dishes were served in small portion which I do not mind because it allows me to pace myself and try all the different offerings. Starting with the Oyster Omelette that is fried to an exterior crisp with fluffy innard, this is one of my favourite dishes for the night which I gone back for a few more servicing.

Penang Char Kway Teow 4.2/5

One of the longest queue among the different stations is the Penang Char Kway Teow. A nice balance of wok hei and savoury with lots of prawns and cockles completes the indulgence.

Kway Teow Soup 4.5/5

A must try is the Kway Teow Soup that comes with silky smooth kway teow, delectable fish cake and bouncy fish balls. Besides the soup version, dry version is also available.

Cuttlefish Kang Kong 4/5

The Cuttlefish Kang Kong topped with peanuts and prawn paste allows the enjoyment of the crunchy kang kong and cuttlefish to the fullest.

Nonya Chicken Kapitan 4/5

For a substantial plate, the Nonya Chicken Kapitan will be a good choice with the nonya dry version curry filled with aromatic herbs and spices.

Penang Laksa 4.2/5

The slurping good Penang Laksa with its complex sourish and spicy broth with pieces of fish meat is just too good to stop with one bowl.

Penang Prawn Mee 3.5/5

The Penang Prawn Mee on the other hand felt a bit short of my expectation. I though the broth is not robust enough. Nevertheless it is still a good bowl to add on to the spread of indulgence.

Lor Bak 3/5

I actually welcome the break from all the carbohydrates with a plate of Lor Bak with a platter of other deep fried ingredients such as tofu, yam prawn.

Ban Chang Kueh 4.5/5

A must try at the buffet spread is the Ban Chang Kueh that is made freshly on the spot. The paper thin crepe, pancake or shell is filled with fragrant, nutty peanuts. This is definitely one of the best I have eaten.

Chendol 4/5

How can we not have the staple Penang Chendol with such a feast? This is the perfect dessert to end the night. The dessert station also offers Ice Kachang and Ice Ball.

The Penang Hawkers' Fare is definitely worth the money with the delicious spread of Penang street food. It is also reasonable priced at $25.80++ per adult on weekdays and $28.80 ++ per adult on weekends. Children below 12 years old is priced at $18.80++ on weekdays and $20.80++ on weekends.


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
All day dining: 6am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Oscar @ Conrad Centennial Hotel Singapore

In celebration of Singapore's golden jubilee, Oscar at Conrad Centennial Hotel Singapore is having a local theme buffet from 01 July to 31 August 2015. Besides the local fare, there is also the usual spread of seafood, cooked food and desserts.

Cold Seafood and Oysters 4.5/5

I started my dinner with some cold seafood and oysters. What impressed me is that there was 4 different varieties of oysters at the buffet spread. There were Canadian Oyster, Tasmanian Oyster, USA Oyster and Fwe De Claire from France.

Local Fare 4/5

One of the highlight for the local buffet theme at Oscar has to be the cooked food section. I felt like I walked into a local cze char stall with the array of local selection. There were Chai Tow Kway, Wok Fried Beef with Black Pepper Sauce, Braised Sea Cucumber with Mushroom, Deep Fried Pork Rib with Shrimp Paste, Oyster Omelette and Seasonal Vegetable. There were many other local delights such as the Chilli Crab and Curry Fish Head which is not in the picture.

Laksa 4/5

You would probably missed the live station which is located outside the restaurant. The Soup and Noodle Bar offers a choice of tasty broth like Tom Yum, Bak Kut Teh, Prawn Noodle Soup, Fish Noodle Soup Wanton Noodle Soup and Laksa.

For Singapore's 50th birthday, the hotel has created a special SG50 Bandung flavoured Kueh Lapis Cake, spotting the red and white colour of our national flag. It is also available at 1kg at $75.

On Monday to Wednesday, quote "Ice Kacang" to enjoy SG50 Buffet Dinner at $50++ per adult, $25++ per child. Dines of 60 years and above enjoy 50% off regular price for Buffet lunch and dinner, except on eve and public holidays.


Oscar
Conrad Centennial Hotel Singapore
2 Temasek Boulevard
Singapore 038982
Tel: +65 64327481
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon -Thu: 6am - 1am
Fri-Sun, Eve & PH: 24hr

Buffet Breakfast: 6am - 1030am
Buffet Lunch: 12pm - 230pm
Buffet Dinner: 6pm - 10pm
Sunday Brunch: 12pm - 3pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit B. Continue walking along Temasek Avenue to destination Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Ah Hock Hougang Fried Oyster @ Whampoa Drive Makan Place

Where is your favourite Fried Oyster or Orh Luak stall in Singapore? I actually not sure how orh luak originated but I do remember during my childhood days, my dad used to packet this delectable street food home for supper. I usually will open the packet of chilli sauce and poured it all over the fried oyster because I like the sourness from the chilli sauce. I find the combination very heavenly, even till now I still do it whether I have a plate of fried oyster.

Recently I visited Whampoa Drive Makan Place and ordered a plate of Fried Oyster ($4) from Ah Hock Hougang Fried Oyster. The stall signage says that it was formerly from Lim Tua Tow market since 1927.

Fried Oyster 4.5/5

When I got my plate of fried oyster ($4), I was initially quite disappointed as the portion was very little. To be frank, I felt cheated. The portion felt like it was a $2.50 servicing. My world turned around when I dig into the crispy orh luak on the exterior and with a slightly chewy texture inside. It has a nice wok hei complemented by the flavourful fish sauce. The  oyster was also fresh and plump. The chilli sauce is the other highlight here. It has that tangy sourness that accentuated the fried starch flour to a whole new enjoyment.

Fried Oyster 4.5/5

Every components on the plate seems to be the main cast and non is felt as just a supporting role. Compare to the popular Simon Road Fried Oyster, I find this less oily. This is really one good plate of fried oyster I would travel all the way just to have it.


Ah Hock Hougang Fried Oyster
Whampoa Drive Makan Place
Blk 90 Whampoa Drive
#01-54
Singapore 320090
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AhHockFriedOysterHougang
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line), Novena (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12noon - 11pm
(Closed on alternate Wed)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to bus stop outside Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple (Stop ID 07211). Take bus number 125 or 139. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road and walk to bus stop opposite Novena Church (Stop ID 50031). Take bus number 21 and 131. Alight 7 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]