Brunch Buffet @ Bird's Nest Cafe & Bar

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Dim Sum Delicacies Galore @ The Bird's Nest Cafe & Bar

Mum recommended me this place after having her lunch there a couple of days back, and so I thought why don't we try it today since they are having their Brunch Buffet (1130 - 1700) on the Weekends and Public Holidays.

The walk to the cafe was not too far from Somerset MRT station (next to Centrepoint), and rather convenient (though it is hidden from street view).

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My first step into the cafe gave me a very cozy atmosphere. The manager, Sammy, attended to us with his warm and polite gestures. We were immediately served with a unique appetizer : Organic Bittergourds with honey dip.

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Organic Bittergourds (very thinly sliced...)

The bittergourds did not taste very bitter on its own and paired very well with the honey. Crisp and refreshing, it whetted my appetite for what was to come. 

Ambience : 4/5

Service : 4/5

Now to the real deal. Buffets always had the tendencies of keeping the quality below par as a way of keeping costs low. However, the food (especially the dim sums and desserts) served in this cafe, proved to be excellent. I was impressed with almost all the dim sums (the steamed ones were the best), with their silky smooth texture and crunchy savoury filling.

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Serving of Steamed Siew Mai, Ha Kao, and Steamed Jiu Cai Dumpling 

Top of my recommendation if you visit this place is to try out their Steamed Siew Mai (pork and shrimp dumpling). Nice and big, the filling was very well done with the prawn pieces so fresh, you could actually taste the ocean. The Siew Mai was garnished with a drop of prawn eggs and bird's nest. A nice compliment to the overall dish.

Steamed Siew Mai Rating : 4.5 /5

The Ha Kao (prawn dumpling) was nice and tender, and it proved an equally appetizing dumpling. Though my only gripe would be that it lacked a little more juice in it for that absolute punch. The Steamed Jiu Cai (Vegetables) Dumpling was quite good with a firm texture that did not have the vegetables falling out. Good quality, excellent dim sum as starters.

Ha Kao Rating : 4/5

Steamed Jiu Cai Dumpling Rating : 3.5 /5

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Oolala...Steamed Seafood Beancurd

Now this is a unique creation from the world of Dim Sum. Sliced Egg Tofu (beancurd) topped with seafood mix and steamed to perfection. The crunchy seafood and the soft tofu were miles apart in texture but brought very well together in this fine dish. The sweet and savoury sauce in which it was soaked in (ok not really soaked...but rather placed in) added that lovely hint of sweetness as you bit into the dim sum.

Steamed Seafood Beancurd Rating : 4.5/5

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Double Boiled Soup of the Day : Corn with Pork Ribs Soup

What is the first thing most Singaporeans will avoid when it comes to buffets? That is soups!

Soups make you full and you usually won't have enough space in your belly for that dish to maximise your money. But this is one special I won't want you missing. (For the hard core buffet goers..you can share 1 serving with everyone..that way it is still a win-win solution)

The clear soup of Corn with Pork Ribs was refreshing and tasty. It was very well prepared and each sip leaves you wanting for more. There is a generous serving of Pork Ribs (which were soft and tender), slices of corn, red dates, and the little herby crunchy flat thingy that are found in Cheng Tengs. It was herbal soup at its finest.

Double Boiled Soup of the Day Rating : 4.5/5

For the uninitiated, Cheng Tengs are a local herbal dessert and not a place, or a collective noun. When I say collective noun, it can mean a flock of birds (flock is a collective noun). So the crunchy flat thingy that are found in Cheng Tengs are not a collective noun...Get the joke?

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Penang Laksa

Penang Laksa is a rare commodity at a Dim Sum Buffet, but this is another dish that is not to be missed. The gravy was excellent with it being thick and sour (asam...mmmm=) The noodles were not overcooked and the garnish of mint leaves went very well with the sourness. Must try.

Penang Laksa Rating : 4/5

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Fried Sweet Potato Cake

Now this is one dim sum I don't usually see at High Tea. When I ordered this, I thought it would be sliced Sweet Potato and fried. Never did I expect Sweet Potato Cake to be this soft and jelly like. Very good actually, and with the spiciness (a tad spicy I must add) , it actually startled me when I had the first bite. Nonetheless, a unique and excellent dish, though I must say it is still a little too spicy for my liking.

Fried Sweet Potato Cake Rating : 4.5/5

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Nonya Style Spicy Noodles - Belachan Lovers, come and get it!

My first reaction with this serving was "ho hum...nothing too fantastic" Well that was my reaction until I found the sambal belachan (chilli prawn sauce) carefully hidden under all that topping. Once you mix the sambal belachan into the noodles and topping, you obtain an excellent gravy base and noodles that are very very very tasty. It's like your own chemistry experiment where you get a new product once you mix the reactants (which in this case are the sambal belachan and all the rest of the dish)

Nonya Style Spicy Noodles Rating : 4/5

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The Buffet Desserts (some of them). Milo Chocolate Mousse(left), Oreo Cheesecake (front), Mango Mousse (right) and another Cheesecake at the back which I cannot remember the name. Wow that's a long name.

These little 4 tartlets, mini pastries, mini cakes, whatever you call them are very good. Hand made and prepared by chef pâtissier Belinda, they were fine edible artworks ("Ahhh! Who will eat ART!" : screams the hard core art enthusiasts ). Each one of those delicacies were not too sweet, and they simply melted in the mouth. I think I ate more than 6 of them!

 The Mini Desserts (I conned this cumulative name as these were found in the buffet servings) Rating : 4.5/5

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The Final Send Off to an Excellent Meal : Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo and Bird's Nest

The name sounds ordinary (apart from the Bird's Nest) but the serving was extraordinary. It was Mango Sago, with 'frog eggs' ( that's what the dessert aunty at the Kopitiam calls them but its not frog eggs..duh) and a beautiful serving of Mango Ice Cream. The pomelo bits paired the sweetness of the mango very well with its delectable crunch, bitter sweet taste, and they were in generous portions. A fantastic way to end the meal! Oh, how could I forget the fresh mango in it as well. Mmmmm...I had 2 servings =)

Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo and Bird's Nest : 4.5/5

Conclusion

What I have shared with all of you are only some of the highlights which this cafe's Brunch Buffet has to offer. There were other delicacies which you should take up the challenge and explore as this is one buffet not to be missed. Priced reasonably at $18.80++(adult) and $11.80++(child), I believe this is one of the more value for money buffets around. They also have an A-la-Carte menu which I have yet to try (But my mum did, and she says its excellent), but for the Brunch Buffet at this restaurant, I give a rating of 4.5/5.

 

Overall Rating : 4.5/5

Eat All You Can - Weekend High Tea Brunch (Every Sat, Sun, and Public Holidays)

Price :

  • Adult - $18.80++
  • Child (below 10) - $11.80++

Address : 160 Orchard Road Orchard Point #01-13 (beside OCBC Bank) (Orchard point is next to Centrepoint)

Contact : 6836 6218

3 comments:

At June 22, 2008 at 7:17 AM Anonymous said...

This looks kinda interesting and mouth-watering. Great work done there, definitely tempted me to go there

 
At June 24, 2008 at 9:04 AM Anonymous said...

Tried it and it kept me going back. The dim sums are made fresh daily.. no wonder they are so juicy and tasty! I've loved every dish I tried there. We my bf and I splurged the other day and had the big abalone - FANTASTIC! Thanks for the recommendation!

-J

 
At June 24, 2008 at 9:17 AM Justin D. Pereira said...

Hi guys. Thanks for the comments. Yeah, the dim sum there is definitely mouth watering.

To J, I am glad you enjoyed it =)

J2K3

 

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