Heritage Breakfast @ Shangri-la Hotel Orchard's Lobby Lounge
Breakfast buffet's in a hotel setting is usually associated with your typical egg station, sausages, baked beans and fresh pancakes. But, the preservation of the local cultural heritage is important to Shangri-la Hotel and so they have worked together with the prominent local food advocate, Dr Leslie Tay to curate six signature national breakfast favourites apart from the other local delights that are served as part of the semi- buffet! They have also collaborated with popular local food brands to bring you the best of Singapore.
According to Singaporeans, no breakfast line-up is complete without the most iconic local dish which is the Kaya Toast! Walk up to the mini buffet spread and the chef will whip you up a fresh toast to order with a choice of white or multigrain bread!
The toasted bread is then carefully spread with a thick layer of homemade kaya, made from scratch using the hotel's Executive Chef Franco Brodini's recipe! This also comes with a portion of soft boiled eggs (not shown here) when ordered as a main dish. I must say we enjoyed this very much and there is a true art of knowing how to make the perfect kaya toast and they have certainly nailed it!
When it comes to Nasi Lemak made in Singapore, I generally do not fancy the style, condiments and taste presented in local eateries. Being a typical Malaysian, I personally believe that the best Nasi Lemak still comes from my homeland. However, after tasting this dish from The Coconut Club which is part of the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Singapore 2018 awardee, I can proudly say that this is a true representation of the iconic dish! The deep fried Maryland chicken is juicy and crisp till golden brown accompanied with the sambal chilli that has a kick to it. Gobsmackingly delicious!
Another favourite is the Wanton Mee that has al dente egg noodles tossed in a special black sauce made by Shang's Palace Chinese Executive Chef Mok Kit Keung. The noodles are served with crispy fried wanton dumplings, char siew, slices and vegetables with a side of soup dumplings.
Next we tried the Roti Prata with Dhal Cha and Fish Curry. This dish comes from the famous Springleaf Prata Place, the iconic Indian flat bread was fluffy and the curries were cooked to perfection with just the right amount of spice. A common street food eaten by locals as a daily staple!
For something light to start your morning, dig into the Hainanese Porridge, a comfort food to most locals with homemade meatballs and sliced pork. Traditionally, the Youtiao (chinese fried doughnut) on the side is dipped into the silky porridge. I personally am not a fan of porridge, but the taste and consistency of this was perfect.
Indulge in The Lobby Lounge's very own Fried Carrot Cake prepared by Chef Yong Jia! This turnip cake is steamed then stir-fried with pickled radish, egg, spring onions and a generous amount of dark soy sauce. The portion seemed a little small but turned out to be rather filling and the homemade chili sauce on the side gave the dish a nice spicy kick!
The buffet also features other side dishes that rotate on a seasonal basis including this delicious mee siam above! This fried noodles come with tofu, sambal, lime, hard boiled eggs and also a soup on the side which goes into the bowl. I prefer my noodles dry but some do like it soaked in the gravy. This was a winner for me and I found myself going back for more.
The four different types of kueh here has been brought in from famous local eateries in Singapore. Starting from HarriAnn's Yam Cake (bottom), moving on to Ah Yee's Soon Kueh (right), Tiong Bahru Jian Bo Shui Kueh's signature Shui Kueh (top) and the Chee Cheong Fun (left). All these mini savoury treats represents Singapore's heritage and culture that is still intact up till today. These recipes have been passed down from generations and made fresh by hand. My favourite was the Shui Kueh, a steamed rice cake topped with preserved radish!
We ended our breakfast on a sweet note with the Nyonya Kueh Lopes from Lina's Confectionary made from glutinous rice coated with shredded coconut drizzled with sweet gula melaka syrup. This was also one of my top favourites and goes well with a hot cup of teh tarik.
The other side dishes that can be enjoyed as part of the weekend's semi-buffet include lontong with sayur lodeh with beef serunding, fried glutinous rice, tau hay and many more. Choose one signature dish and enjoy it alongside of the free-flow side dishes in the buffet spread together with unlimited local beverages such as Kopi Tarik, Teh Tarik and Milo.
Shangri-la Hotel has pledged support for the nomination of Hawker Culture in Singapore for UNESCO's Representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Lobby Lounge has brought a unique concept where top hawkers are brought together in a beautiful hotel setting! This serves tourist, business travellers from all over the world something truly authentic to the dining heritage of Singapore.
The Lobby Lounge is somewhere where I am able to relax and unwind on weekends and also the perfect place to have business meetings during the week! This is one of the very few places in Singapore that makes me feel right at home, as if I'm sitting in my very own living room! I do keep coming back for the amazing service, excellent quality in food and fully appreciate the whole aspect of the concept which stays true to its Peranakan and Nyonya cultural roots.
Breakfast Buffet @ The Lobby Lounge
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
22 Orange Grove RoadSingapore 258350
Available Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 7am - 11am
Price: Adult: S$29.50++, Child S$14.75++
Breakfast A la Carte
Monday - Friday: 7am - 10am
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays from 7am - 11am
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