Problem
Where to eat for a Saturday brunch in Singapore?
Answer
Since our friend was staying at the Shangri-La hotel for one night before a cruise, she had breakfast included and didn't want to go anywhere else. Settled. I was satisfied because it's a lovely hotel and I wanted to see it again. The only negative is finding it. I found the street on a map of Singapore which I picked up at Changi airport. The hotel is not convenient walking distance of any MRT station, so we caught a Grab cab, which is cheaper than a taxi and very fast.
Happy Arrival
The hotel entrance is a delight. So is the lobby.
Sculptures of playing children on the floor.
Birds sculptures overhead.
A bride-to-be group was sitting in the hall lounge by the window overlooking the gardens. I don't know whether the bride had brought her balloons, bride-to-be, or whether the hotel had provided them, on request and for free or for a fee. Either way, I thought the balloons were delightful. They make the bride-to-be feel important and cherished. They add amusement to the scene. They remind staff to take extra care with bigger smiles and indulgence.
Come on, be honest, I can hear you saying. Is anything missing? yes, a souvenir shop with swimming costumes, sarongs, souvenir tee-shirt, souvenirs for the family back home? The hotel is a long walk from the shops. Our friend wasn't even planning to leave the hotel. Her transfer to the ship was within two hours.
I asked the girl serving in the shop if there were any other shops. She said no. I remembered a shop. So I double checked with one of the porters.
He told me, in typical Singlish, "No more already." That sounds like a direct translation from Mandarin. Easier than you think to translate into Mandarin.
What would we say in Engish? "Not any more."
We had to queue for the breakfast. My impatient husband wanted to leave and go to the club. However, our friend was adamant that she wanted her free breakfast.
The Buffet At The Line Restaurant
Finding plates or bowls and cutlery, was the first challenge. They had run out.
I went for the juices and spotted a typed sign about sparkling wine.
"Where is the sparkling wine?" I asked. Coming.
I waited. It arrived.
I chose a mixture of Western and Indian food. I could have had Chinese.
I started with yogurts. Assorted sausage and baked beans. Indian breads. Lots of pastries. Mango juice.
Prosecco. Juice.
Finally, double espresso coffee with milk.
By this time we were all full. So we called for the bill.
The price was S$100 - yes, one hundred Singapore dollars for two. Sounds a lot. Convert that into £75 for two. Call that £37 per person for a buffet brunch all you can eat including unlimited Prosecco. (I had trouble finishing one small glass.) That's about standard for Singapore for a buffet breakfast including sparkling wine and coffee in one of the top hotels.
Perhaps not good value, compared to lunch in Petrus in London - on special offer - including waiter service. But we weren't in London.
Service
What about the service? Nobody looked pleased to see us. The man managing the queue was rushed. He was efficient. What more could he have done/ He could have beamed and said, "Thank you for waiting so patiently," Or, 'Welcome to the Shangri-La!'
It's good to remember where you are. I nearly typed Sheraton.
The two serving girls and the boy were sweet and shy, but slow. Like school leavers. Nobody told us where to find the cutlery and plates nor the drinks such as water and coffee.
In America the cheapest restaurant has staff anxious to get tips which make up their wages. 'My name is. The water is there. The drinks are here.' I can get you anything you want. And so on. I admit that sometimes it's good to be left alone, unobtrusvie service, no need to tip. On the other hand, sometimes some help would be useful.
One of them wondered around cluelessly holding coffee looking for the right table. I wanted to write a comparison with a hawker centre. However, my husband says I am damning it unfairly and going over the top. The service was adequate, but intermittently slow.
We waved down the manager and got instant attention.
We got our moneys worth from the entertainment of a walk around the grounds. See next post with
more photos of a walk through the grounds around the swimming pool.
Useful websites:
visitsingapore.com
http://www.shangri-la.com/singapore/shangrila/dining/restaurants/the-line/
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
Where to eat for a Saturday brunch in Singapore?
The Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, door man is his colourful uniform.
Photo by Angela Lansbury.Answer
Since our friend was staying at the Shangri-La hotel for one night before a cruise, she had breakfast included and didn't want to go anywhere else. Settled. I was satisfied because it's a lovely hotel and I wanted to see it again. The only negative is finding it. I found the street on a map of Singapore which I picked up at Changi airport. The hotel is not convenient walking distance of any MRT station, so we caught a Grab cab, which is cheaper than a taxi and very fast.
Happy Arrival
The hotel entrance is a delight. So is the lobby.
Sculptures of playing children on the floor.
Birds sculptures overhead.
Spherical sculptures echoing the moon shape door.
A bride-to-be group was sitting in the hall lounge by the window overlooking the gardens. I don't know whether the bride had brought her balloons, bride-to-be, or whether the hotel had provided them, on request and for free or for a fee. Either way, I thought the balloons were delightful. They make the bride-to-be feel important and cherished. They add amusement to the scene. They remind staff to take extra care with bigger smiles and indulgence.
Come on, be honest, I can hear you saying. Is anything missing? yes, a souvenir shop with swimming costumes, sarongs, souvenir tee-shirt, souvenirs for the family back home? The hotel is a long walk from the shops. Our friend wasn't even planning to leave the hotel. Her transfer to the ship was within two hours.
I asked the girl serving in the shop if there were any other shops. She said no. I remembered a shop. So I double checked with one of the porters.
He told me, in typical Singlish, "No more already." That sounds like a direct translation from Mandarin. Easier than you think to translate into Mandarin.
What would we say in Engish? "Not any more."
We had to queue for the breakfast. My impatient husband wanted to leave and go to the club. However, our friend was adamant that she wanted her free breakfast.
The Buffet At The Line Restaurant
Finding plates or bowls and cutlery, was the first challenge. They had run out.
I went for the juices and spotted a typed sign about sparkling wine.
"Where is the sparkling wine?" I asked. Coming.
I waited. It arrived.
I chose a mixture of Western and Indian food. I could have had Chinese.
We were sat at the back. Alongside a blank wall. No view.
I started with yogurts. Assorted sausage and baked beans. Indian breads. Lots of pastries. Mango juice.
Prosecco. Juice.
Finally, double espresso coffee with milk.
By this time we were all full. So we called for the bill.
The price was S$100 - yes, one hundred Singapore dollars for two. Sounds a lot. Convert that into £75 for two. Call that £37 per person for a buffet brunch all you can eat including unlimited Prosecco. (I had trouble finishing one small glass.) That's about standard for Singapore for a buffet breakfast including sparkling wine and coffee in one of the top hotels.
Perhaps not good value, compared to lunch in Petrus in London - on special offer - including waiter service. But we weren't in London.
Service
What about the service? Nobody looked pleased to see us. The man managing the queue was rushed. He was efficient. What more could he have done/ He could have beamed and said, "Thank you for waiting so patiently," Or, 'Welcome to the Shangri-La!'
It's good to remember where you are. I nearly typed Sheraton.
The two serving girls and the boy were sweet and shy, but slow. Like school leavers. Nobody told us where to find the cutlery and plates nor the drinks such as water and coffee.
In America the cheapest restaurant has staff anxious to get tips which make up their wages. 'My name is. The water is there. The drinks are here.' I can get you anything you want. And so on. I admit that sometimes it's good to be left alone, unobtrusvie service, no need to tip. On the other hand, sometimes some help would be useful.
One of them wondered around cluelessly holding coffee looking for the right table. I wanted to write a comparison with a hawker centre. However, my husband says I am damning it unfairly and going over the top. The service was adequate, but intermittently slow.
We waved down the manager and got instant attention.
We got our moneys worth from the entertainment of a walk around the grounds. See next post with
more photos of a walk through the grounds around the swimming pool.
Useful websites:
visitsingapore.com
http://www.shangri-la.com/singapore/shangrila/dining/restaurants/the-line/
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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