Seasonal Tastes Tasting Session

Every Day A Different Highlight

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 9
Value for Money: 7
Budget about SGD $70 ++ per person.


.....


Located on the 32nd floor of the Westin Hotel, Seasonal Tastes is the signature in-house hotel restaurant, with a wide buffet spread ranging from Asian to International dishes. Offering an Interative Kitchen where each chef is dedicated to a particular speciality, Seasonal Tastes is a top quality hotel buffet, with panoramic views of the surrounding Marina South and Marina Bay area.

Seasonal Tastes Signage

Seasonal Tastes Seating

Ambiene at Seasonal Tastes is fantastic. Floor to ceiling length windows offer perfect view of the bay area, while decor is modern contemporary chic. The spacious layout even has semi-private alcoves, while furniture is not only eye-catching but comfortable as well. The buffet spread is well laid out in sections (Fresh Seafood, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Desserts), though the actual flow of the spread isn't linear. Overall ambient lighting is also rather dim.

Window View

Semi-Private Area

Service at Seasonal Tastes is outstanding. Staff are friendly and polite, offering greetings on entry. Efficient as well, clearing empty plates quickly, and topping up water glasses without being asked. I must also commend the Seasonal Tastes staff, on 1 anonymous visit I had left my camera behind, and only discovered the loss after I had departed the hotel premesis. Panicked, I returned, only to find the Seasonal Tastes staff holding onto it, and searching the hotel for me. Excellent, memorable service!

Table Placement

The Best Seats

Food at Seasonal Tastes is generally of high quality, with each chef having dedicated specialities. Helmed by German Executive Chef Sven Cepon, the team comprises both local and regional chefs, each specialising in their own cuisine. Dishes are freshly prepared daily according to traditional recipes, and the menu is rotated regularly to keep things fresh even for repeat diners. Prices at Seasonal Tastes are on the upper end, budget about SGD $70 per person for the dinner buffet.

Cookies, Candies, Chocolates

Jars Of Treats

Assorted Traditional Kueh

For August 2014, Seasonal Tastes is offering a daily rotating dinner buffet, highlighting a particular cuisine or speciality. During our visit on Monday, it was Mama Mia Pasta Night, on Tuesday are German Classics, Wednesday features Sweet Sweets dessert spread, Thursday are for Carving & Roasts meats, while Friday is Seafood Night.

Live Pasta Station

Mama Mia Pasta Night offers a Live Pasta Station, along with a Selection Of Hand Made Pasta, done to your liking. The buffet spread also features various classic Italian pasta dishes, given an International twist.

Selection Of Hand Made Pasta

The Greek Salad features clean, fresh flavours of cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, tossed and dressed lightly. Great as a starter.

Greek Salad

The unique Lobster Russian Salad With Vodka Mayonnaise features loads of fresh potatoes, peas, cherry tomatoes and dill, along with fresh, meaty, succulent lobster meat. The vodka mayonnaise is light, not too heavy or overpowering, and complements the freshness of this cold salad.

Lobster Russian Salad With Vodka Mayonnaise

The Waldorf Salad With Roasted Chicken features the classic trio of fresh celery, green apples, and crunchy walnuts, along with savoury roasted chicken that is slightly moist and tender. I especially love the textural contrast of the walnuts, apples, and chicken in this dish, alternating between soft and firm.

Waldorf Salad With Roasted Chicken

You can also Create Your Own Salad, with the various Assorted Salad Condiments, a la Garden Salad style.

Fresh Tossed Create Your Own Garden Salad

Assorted Salad Condiments

Loved the Fusilli Pasta Salad, Sundried Tomato Dressing With Shaved Prosciutto Ham! The ham lent a salty, savoury taste to the clean, fresh taste of the pasta, while the sundried tomato added a burst of juicy flavour in the mouth.

Fusilli Pasta Salad, Sundried Tomato Dressing With Shaved Prosciutto Ham

The Macaroni And Cheese Salad With Smoked Chicken features hand made macaroni, with a nice bouncy texture. The smoked chicken is done perfectly, lending a savoury, smoky taste and lifting the whole dish. But I couldn't detect the presence of the cheese at all.

Macaroni And Cheese Salad With Smoked Chicken

The rather interesting Japanese twist to pasta in the Mixed Butterfish With Soba Noodles And Miso Paste. The fish is soft and flakes when poked, while the miso paste is nicely balanced in proportion to the cold soba noodles. I didn't quite like the slimy texture though.

Mixed Butterfish With Soba Noodles And Miso Paste

The Vegetable Lasagna is decent, featuring a heaping amount of fresh vegetables within, including zucchini, eggplant / aubergine, and the use of fresh tomato paste. The noodles were unevenly cooked though, some parts were soft and pliant, others were hard and crisp.

Vegetable Lasagna

Was slightly dissappointed with the Cannelloni With Minced Beef. The filling was tasty and savoury, with the meat nicely cooked, and the cream sauce was rich and thick. But the Cannelloni pasta breaks apart too easily, and the bottom of the pasta stuck to the dish, making it difficult to scoop out.

Cannelloni With Minced Beef

Every night, the chef prepares a special hand out served to each table, and we got the Lobster Thermidor. Chunks of fresh lobster cooked with egg yolks, cognac, powdered mustard and gruyere cheese, the Lobster Thermidor is served in its own shell, and is a decadent dish. Eating it feels like an indulgent extravagance!

Lobster Thermidor

Ordered the Mushroom Tortellini Aglio Olio With Bacon & Crispy Garlic from the live pasta station, it was outstanding! The best part as the use of the crispy fried garlic bits in the aglio olio, which releases a burst of flavour! The dried red chili added some heat to the olive oil, while the addition of bacon on request lent a smoky, salty flavour to the pasta. The Mushroom Tortellini itself is hand made, and contains a small chunk of fresh mushroom within, I felt the skin was perfectly done, not too thick or thin in texture, and holding together well.

Mushroom Tortellini Aglio Olio With Bacon & Crispy Garlic

The hand made gelato ice cream at Seasonal Tastes is a house secret, and all their flavours are extremely good! The Hand Made Coconut Gelato is smooth and creamy, and you can actually taste the coconut flavour!

Hand Made Coconut Gelato

Hand Made Coconut Gelato

I thought the Hand Made Avocado Gelato was probably the best among the flavours here, simply because it's not a common flavour. The taste of the avocado is prominent in the gelato ice cream, and the texture is creamy, smooth, and somewhat light.

Hand Made Avocado Gelato

Hand Made Avocado Gelato

She claims the Hand Made Chocolate Gelato to be the best chocolate ice cream she's ever ate... The taste is really intense and rich, perfect when paired with a waffle!

Hand Made Chocolate Gelato

Overall, Seasonal Tastes offers great tasting, quality food for a high end buffet, with prices to match. The rotating menu keeps things fresh and interesting, making repeat dining a big attraction. And with fantastic views of the area and outstanding service, it's no surprise I've already visited Seasonal Tastes several times!

Reserve a table now @ Seasonal Tastes

.....