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2012-01-21
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https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/10-at-claymore-pan-pacific-orchard/Ambience is probably a deciding factor when it comes to hotel buffets. For me, how sleek it looks, how calming and soothing it makes me with its lighting and furnishing, matters. And for 10 At Claymore, it is sleek, neat, cozy, and not as congested, the whole buffet spread area, as some that I’ve been to.They say first impression counts, and I am a believer of that like many others. On the day of the dinner itse
Ambience is probably a deciding factor when it comes to hotel buffets. For me, how sleek it looks, how calming and soothing it makes me with its lighting and furnishing, matters. And for 10 At Claymore, it is sleek, neat, cozy, and not as congested, the whole buffet spread area, as some that I’ve been to.
They say first impression counts, and I am a believer of that like many others. On the day of the dinner itself, I got a call, double-confirming if we’ll be there for the buffet. Well who cares if their main purpose is just to make sure that the reserved seats don’t go to waste – because at least they go an extra mile in asking, ‘do you know how to get to the restaurant’. Needless to say, I was pleased with the service, already, even before meeting them physically.
Located at the lobby of the more-so for business travelers Pan Pacific Orchard, the restaurant can be easily located once in the hotel vicinity. Upon being greeted by the host and taking a first look at the spread (together with pre-visit reviews reading), I’d already pre-empt myself not to expect a widespread of food choices. True though people say, quality over quantity.
Let’s first feast on a course of salad, and then a series of main courses.
There were 3 different kinds of salad in there (I can’t remember their names except Niçoise Salad with Tuna). Being a not-really-salad-for-me person, my advice is – don’t try them, lol. Oh of course though, go ahead with the Taco & Salmon Sashimi, they’re awesome the way they are. I think they have Tuna Sashimi on the platter too. Besides that for the Japanese Counter, they do not have sushi available.
Like I told my friend, damn, their Duck Breast tastes better than a duck drumstick one can find outside. Some pieces of the meat have tendons, so if you might want to watch out for that if you aren’t up for some tough bites and slicing. Other than that, this is undoubtedly one of the winning dishes for the night.
The Nyonya-Style Steamed Snapper at the foreground was a let down. Or maybe nyonya-style food isn’t for me to begin with. The Seabass, on the other hand, was a white meat deserving of a return visit.
The freshly off the pan steak, matched with the warm slices of potato, was heavenly, and oddly enough, addictive (I went back to get mine for 3-4 times). You can have your order cooked the way you like (well done / medium / medium rare). Eat it while it’s still hot – I’m salivating already as this is being typed.
I went to get a portion of the Roasted Pork (cover in something like a big meat cover) when my friend who has tried it gave it a thumbs up. However, I thought I’ve tasted better roasted pork in some random coffeeshops.
The seafood spread was a true and major disappointment. Having read that their specialty is the BBQ-meat & Seafood section, I was expecting way more than just oysters, mussels and prawns. Nevertheless, the oysters were actually palatable. I was really just wandering, whatever happened to the ‘tantalizing barbequed meats that include ‘Australian-Raised Farm Lamb’, ‘St. Louis Pork Ribs’ & the likes Whatever happened to the lobsters, because I didn’t see any. I thought I was missing out on something, so I decided to check with the waitperson if there’s any lamb around, but was told there isn’t.
We were later served with a lobster each. Not a very meaty lobster, but I thought the strong baked mushroom and cheese taste on it was pretty unique. After having a go at Carousel @ Royal Plaza At Scotts, I was kind of craving for some crayfishes and lobsters. But what do you expect from a half the price of Carousel right
This time round, as the buffet spread wasn’t too extensive, I had some stomach space for cheese and crackers – a perfect combination for a relaxed evening. There were about 4 – 5 choices of cheese ready to be sliced and tasted. I had my usuals – bleu and brie cheese.And then we move on to the dessert spread (after skipping quite a number of Chinese food – they rarely appeal to me).
Summarizing the dessert line of buffet, the chocolate fondue was pretty typical. Same goes for the ice cream, undistinguished, nothing to rave about. The macarons were surprisingly distasteful. Probably it looks too good to taste like that – hard and seemingly done with no effort. To put it bluntly, it’s the worst macarons I’ve tasted of the so many places that serve macarons. The pastries, on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise. A lot of unique dishes – the wraps, the tarts and the mousse. They are worth a try.If you ask me if I’ll come back for the buffet, I’d say, I really have no idea as of now. For $45++ (before 25% discount if you’re paying with MasterCard), only the duck breast, seabass, ribeye beef and oysters are worth endless plates of servings. So I guess it boils down to the company I’ll be having for the night. The service is one of the best, hands down – the attentive waitpersons clear plates and refill your iced water without being asked. And that is commendable. Based on the pictures, you decide if it’s worth going.
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