Where could I go for a birthday lunch? We are members of the Tanglin Club. The Tanglin Club has several options for eating. For a moderately priced meal with lots of choice at lunch or dinner, there's the pub called the Tavern. My favourite.
Upstairs is a small Oriental restaurant. We had a table for two once. Such a tiny table. Cramped. A bit like eating on a train. But no window. Claustrophobic. A huge price for a mushroom with a fancy name. Still hungry.
Down by the poolside, noisy, a lot of coming and going, more casual dining and lots of exuberant children distracting you.
Over in the sports area, bright and airy and informal. Expensive sandwiches and waiter service. But no service. Play hunt the waiters. You feel abandoned, like you are eating leftovers on a table tennis table. Need a fork? Jog to the other end and around the corner.
None of these venues was right for my birthday. I had a better idea.
The Churchill Room
The Churchill Room with its grand piano. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
For a grand meal, choose the Churchill Room. It is a grand, high-ceilinged, wood-paneled room with a grand piano. On one side is the bar, and window, on the other side, a stage for a band in the evening, or a presentation at the AGM.
The dining room used to be too big and half empty often at lunch times. However, they have divided it off so that most of the tables are occupied and it seems cosier.
We had a wonderful lunch. A set meal with limited choice, but perfect.
Set Meal Prices
I like a set meal. Too many choices takes up time and makes my impatient husband get impatient. Predictable price. Drinks extra.
I like the French system of making it legal requirement for every restaurant to have a set meal, giving the price including one drink and the service. They can have a second meal at a higher price. That way, you know exactly what you will have to pay.
I was given a menu without prices. That's a nuisance The lamb cost an extra ten dollars. I was quite happy to save ten dollars and eat something else.
The napkin is arranged like a fan on the table.
Elegant and inviting table setting. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Best of all, the napkin has a buttonhole in the corner so you can wear it to protect your clothes.
The Churchill Room
The Churchill Room is the grand, large restaurant, usually with waiter service (occasionally a buffet on a family day). The name honours Winston Churchill and reflects the age of the club and the fact that the original membership was mainly British.
The waiters appear fast and catch your eye when needed.
The free bread and butter arrives first. Hot bread. Black bread. White bread.
With a tiny tub of hummus. Another of tomato sauce. A third of oil. The bread disappears fast.
Free hot bread and hummus. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Drinking A Glass Of Prosecco
To accompany the drinks we ordered Prosecco for me. I am what is known as a Cheap date. I like Prosecco. From Italy. It is usually cheaper than Champagne, which is made in the Champagne region of France. (Except that the French region has now expanded into the USA.)
Champagne is made in the bottle, whilst Prosecco is made in tanks. Prosecco has smaller bubbles and less alcohol. I can drink Prosecco and rely on my own wit to make myself smile.
Champagne is stronger and, after only two sips, I am dipping towards the diagonal. Champagne contains an h for hiccups. Save money and avoid embarrassment by giving me Prosecco.
Two small two choices of starter. One contained shellfish, and I am allergic to shellfish.
That makes ordering easy. I'll have the soup.
Tomato Soup at the Tanglin Club. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Red Tomato Soup
So I had the tomato soup. It arrived in one of those plates with a huge rim and a small bowl- -like centre. Looks very grand.
The white rim contrasts with the red tomato soup. The red accentuates the pristine white. The white accentuates the vibrant red.
Just the right amount of soup. Enough. But not too much.
I asked the host, my husband, "How do they make tomato soup taste so good?"
He is a keen cook. He answered, "Probably not ordinary tomatoes. Sundried or roasted tomatoes."
About four main courses to choose from.
Gleaming domes concealing the main course at the Tanglin. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
The domes over the main course keep it hot. If the waiters co-ordinate you get to see your plate of food before looking across to see somebody else's.
Main course in a bowl. Churchill Room. Tanglin Club. Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Main Course
My chicken and al dente asparagus was just right. Not exceptional. But just right.
However, the piece de resistance was the dessert. Irresistible!
Light baklava dessert at The Churchill Room, Tanglin Club, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Delightful Dessert
No choice. Only one dessert on the menu. Only one - but what a dessert.
I had queried whether I could change the vanilla ice cream for something more interesting. They had chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Or lemon sorbet. But the waiter suggested that the desserts came ready prepared with the vanilla ice cream on top - did I want it removed to one side - and the flavours were matched. I agreed to stick with the vanilla ice cream.
Although I could not taste vanilla, I cannot speak too highly of the dessert. We concluded that it must be a Greek style baklava. But not like the usually gritty shredded wheat. Something finer, more delicate visually and texture wise as well as taste-wise, a melt in the mouth hair-fine crunch. Nuts and syrup - whatever it was, it was gorgeous.
Finally, we ordered a single espresso coffee which arrived with a small biscuit.
Single espresso coffee with biscuit.
Perfect.
When prompted, they brought along a dessert with happy birthday writtEnd in chocolate. Two members of staff sang happy birthday.
Happy Birthday cake with candle at the Tanglin Club's Churchill Room. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Useful Websites
singaporeair.com
https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
Upstairs is a small Oriental restaurant. We had a table for two once. Such a tiny table. Cramped. A bit like eating on a train. But no window. Claustrophobic. A huge price for a mushroom with a fancy name. Still hungry.
Down by the poolside, noisy, a lot of coming and going, more casual dining and lots of exuberant children distracting you.
Over in the sports area, bright and airy and informal. Expensive sandwiches and waiter service. But no service. Play hunt the waiters. You feel abandoned, like you are eating leftovers on a table tennis table. Need a fork? Jog to the other end and around the corner.
None of these venues was right for my birthday. I had a better idea.
The Churchill Room
The Churchill Room with its grand piano. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
For a grand meal, choose the Churchill Room. It is a grand, high-ceilinged, wood-paneled room with a grand piano. On one side is the bar, and window, on the other side, a stage for a band in the evening, or a presentation at the AGM.
The dining room used to be too big and half empty often at lunch times. However, they have divided it off so that most of the tables are occupied and it seems cosier.
We had a wonderful lunch. A set meal with limited choice, but perfect.
Set Meal Prices
I like a set meal. Too many choices takes up time and makes my impatient husband get impatient. Predictable price. Drinks extra.
I like the French system of making it legal requirement for every restaurant to have a set meal, giving the price including one drink and the service. They can have a second meal at a higher price. That way, you know exactly what you will have to pay.
I was given a menu without prices. That's a nuisance The lamb cost an extra ten dollars. I was quite happy to save ten dollars and eat something else.
The napkin is arranged like a fan on the table.
Elegant and inviting table setting. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Best of all, the napkin has a buttonhole in the corner so you can wear it to protect your clothes.
Angela Lansbury wearing the Tanglin Club napkin which has a handy buttonhole. Photo by Trevor Sharot.
The Churchill Room
The Churchill Room is the grand, large restaurant, usually with waiter service (occasionally a buffet on a family day). The name honours Winston Churchill and reflects the age of the club and the fact that the original membership was mainly British.
The waiters appear fast and catch your eye when needed.
The free bread and butter arrives first. Hot bread. Black bread. White bread.
With a tiny tub of hummus. Another of tomato sauce. A third of oil. The bread disappears fast.
Free hot bread and hummus. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Drinking A Glass Of Prosecco
To accompany the drinks we ordered Prosecco for me. I am what is known as a Cheap date. I like Prosecco. From Italy. It is usually cheaper than Champagne, which is made in the Champagne region of France. (Except that the French region has now expanded into the USA.)
Champagne is made in the bottle, whilst Prosecco is made in tanks. Prosecco has smaller bubbles and less alcohol. I can drink Prosecco and rely on my own wit to make myself smile.
Champagne is stronger and, after only two sips, I am dipping towards the diagonal. Champagne contains an h for hiccups. Save money and avoid embarrassment by giving me Prosecco.
Two small two choices of starter. One contained shellfish, and I am allergic to shellfish.
That makes ordering easy. I'll have the soup.
Tomato Soup at the Tanglin Club. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Red Tomato Soup
So I had the tomato soup. It arrived in one of those plates with a huge rim and a small bowl- -like centre. Looks very grand.
The white rim contrasts with the red tomato soup. The red accentuates the pristine white. The white accentuates the vibrant red.
Just the right amount of soup. Enough. But not too much.
I asked the host, my husband, "How do they make tomato soup taste so good?"
He is a keen cook. He answered, "Probably not ordinary tomatoes. Sundried or roasted tomatoes."
About four main courses to choose from.
The domes over the main course keep it hot. If the waiters co-ordinate you get to see your plate of food before looking across to see somebody else's.
Main course in a bowl. Churchill Room. Tanglin Club. Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Main Course
My chicken and al dente asparagus was just right. Not exceptional. But just right.
However, the piece de resistance was the dessert. Irresistible!
Light baklava dessert at The Churchill Room, Tanglin Club, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Delightful Dessert
No choice. Only one dessert on the menu. Only one - but what a dessert.
I had queried whether I could change the vanilla ice cream for something more interesting. They had chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Or lemon sorbet. But the waiter suggested that the desserts came ready prepared with the vanilla ice cream on top - did I want it removed to one side - and the flavours were matched. I agreed to stick with the vanilla ice cream.
Although I could not taste vanilla, I cannot speak too highly of the dessert. We concluded that it must be a Greek style baklava. But not like the usually gritty shredded wheat. Something finer, more delicate visually and texture wise as well as taste-wise, a melt in the mouth hair-fine crunch. Nuts and syrup - whatever it was, it was gorgeous.
Finally, we ordered a single espresso coffee which arrived with a small biscuit.
Perfect.When prompted, they brought along a dessert with happy birthday writtEnd in chocolate. Two members of staff sang happy birthday.
Happy Birthday cake with candle at the Tanglin Club's Churchill Room. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Useful Websites
singaporeair.com
https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
No comments:
Post a Comment