Element Restaurant Tasting Session 2017

Element Restaurant Tasting Session 2017
165 Tanjong Pagar Road
Level 1, Amara Singapore

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6:30pm - 10pm (Buffet Dinner),
Sat - Sun: 11:30am - 2pm, 2:30pm - 5pm (High Tea)


http://singapore.amarahotels.com/dining/element/


This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from The Arctic Star, and Little Tiny Sun.

Mango Mousse Shooter

Modern International Buffet With Fresh Seafood

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $65 ++ per person.


.....


As the all-day, in-house buffet dining restaurant of Amara Singapore hotel, Element Restaurant first opened alongside in 1986, though the place has since refreshed its look. Situated in the heart of the Tanjong Pagar area of Singapore, Element Restaurant pays homage to tradition with its line-up of ambient decor and heritage dishes, but also looks forward with exciting Modern European and Modern Asian plates.

Element Restaurant Exterior

Element Restaurant Interior

Ambience at Element Restaurant is modern casual, with a touch of splendor. The spacious, open place is warmly lit with eclectic decorative lights overhead, and the polished marble floor gives it a classy feel. The comfortable brown cushioned booths, with sturdy wooden tables, is set against chairs of black and white. A wine chiller occupies the middle of the dining floor. Love the buffet display layout, the linear structure is neat and clean, well presented.

Decorative Lights

Seating

Seating

Service at Element Restaurant befits that of a good restaurant. Staff are friendly and proactive, greeting guests upon entry, and getting them quickly seated. They're able to accomodate and fufill simple requests efficiently. I like that staff come around regularly throughout the meal to clear away empty / dirty plates. The staff at the live stations will interact with you, as will the bartender, who can also make recommendations on drinks. During our visit, we had the opportunity to meet Chef Samuel Quan, the youngest member of the Singapore National Culinary team, which won 2 gold medals at the Culinary Olympics 2016.

Live Station

Salad Bar

Fruit Bar

Food at Element Restaurant will appeal to most. The varied buffet spread ranges from Asian to Western, and the line-up of dishes changes daily. Generally, the Modern Asian selections are good; but I prefer the tasty Modern European dishes and casseroles here. The seafood is fresh, and includes luxurious items such as lobster or king crab, making this good value for money. Prices for the dinner buffet are comparable to most other hotels, budget about SGD $65 ++ / $77 per person for a meal here. On weekdays, be sure to catch their happy hour from 4pm - 8pm!

Japanese Section

Bread Section

Bread Section

A decent range of wines and beers are available, during our visit, we had Prosecco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pure Blond, and Peroni Nastro Azzurro.

The Bubbly / Sparkling

The Red

The White

The Beer

The line-up of casserole dishes in the buffet spread change daily. This was among my favourites, most are generally well executed and tasty. Highlights for me include the Wok-Fried Scallops & Sea Whelk With XO Sauce, with its fresh seafood and sweet spicy gravy, the fresh Kai-Lan With Garlic Oyster Sauce with its crunchy texture and fragrant aroma, and the nicely cooked Rosemary Roasted Chicken, with its sweet savoury flavour, moist and tender texture.

Gyoza

Wok-Fried Scallops & Sea Whelk With XO Sauce

Kai-Lan With Garlic Oyster Sauce

Coq Au Vin

Prawns With Sambal & Trio Pepppers

Truffle Mashed Potatoes

Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Was very pleased with the quality of the fresh seafood here, this alone makes the buffet spread good value for money. It wasn't crowded during our visit, so these were replenished quickly. Of the selection, my favourite picks are the luxurious Fresh Boston Lobster, and the succulent Fresh Alaskan King Crab Legs.

Fresh Alaskan King Crab Legs

Fresh Prawns

Fresh Scallops

Fresh White Clams

Fresh Blue Mussels

Fresh Oysters

Fresh Moreton Bay Bugs

Fresh Boston Lobster

Fresh Spanner Crabs

The range of cold appetizers for the buffet are also pretty good. Loved the crunchy Black Fungus With Aged Vinegar with its sharp sour flavour, and the Herb Crust Smoked Salmon with its herbal salty smoky flavour.

Herb Crust Smoked Salmon

Black Fungus With Aged Vinegar

Chicken Salad

Felt the desserts here are average, no better or worse than elsewhere. The one item which stood out for me was the unique Cempedak Crème Brûlée, with its intense fruity sweet flavour, creamy smooth custard, and bits of cempedak fruit within.

Opera Cake

Cempedak Crème Brûlée

Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake

Glad to say the Ramen here is good, with a robust soup / broth and springy noodles. Hard fight though, as they're surrounded by several excellent ramen noodle stalls nearby.

Ramen

Ramen

Of the remaining items, these help to fill you up, and are of decent quality. The sashimi is alright, with average freshness, the only item I would get again is the salmon belly. The weakest item is the factory-made Siew Mai / pork and shrimp dumpling, which is uninspired. The pineapple fried rice and paella is pretty good, tasty and hearty.

Plate 01

Plate 02

Plate 03

Plate 04

Plate 05

Plate 06

Plate 07

Plate 08

Plate 09

Personally loved the dining experience at Element Restaurant, with its relaxing, casual ambience, friendly service, and tasty International food. Particularly loved the casseroles and fresh seafood, which makes the buffet dinner good value for money. Element Restaurant is a good choice for a buffet, when you're in the area.


.....







.....