I was recently at The Regent Singapore for a workshop. Lunch time came, and I had expected that it would be a standard buffet setup in the reception outside, or perhaps in an adjacent function room. That’s the typical lunch arrangement for most IT events. However, we were instead led to Basilico, a refined dining restaurant in the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised. It is nice to sit down to a nice lunch once a while, and Basilico certainly sounded like a nice place to have an extended lunch break.
The dining experience at Basilico was superb. As you step into the restaurant, you’re greeted by a stunning centre piece. Appetizers and cold dishes were laid out on a bed of ice, lighted up from below, sitting in a circular counter with a flower arrangement in its centre, under an elegant chandelier hanging from above. It was a visual treat, and it is sure to make a great first impression and psyche you up for a great lunch ahead.
The buffet menu was exquisite. It’s Mediterranean fare. The names on the tags for the food were all so exotic-sounding. The food was no less exotic too. Take, for example, “Beef Carpaccio”. That’s raw beef slices.
The mains section was not as varied as the appetizers and cold dishes. But there was still plenty to choose. Some of the highlights include Wagyu beef, which was really very good. The pork ribs were so tender, they could almost pass off as some other meat. The Lasagna was more “beefy”, with generous amounts of meat sauce of just the right consistency, unlike what you usually get in Singapore that tend to be too wet and cheesy.
I was already quite filled by the time I was done with the mains. But there were some highlights from the desserts that I just had to try. Creme Brulee is one of my favourite. The caramelized sugar on top of the custard was not quite as hard as I had expected it would be, but it was still delicious. The biggest surprise? Oo, there was plenty of alcohol in the custard. There was alcohol in many other dessert items too.
I’ve no idea how much lunch cost, so I cannot comment about value-for-money. But it was a very nice lunch.
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