(Photos by Joanna)

I had been meaning to try Mr. & Mrs. Bund for a while. It’s close to the Westin Hotel where I always stay when in Shanghai. It has a bit of buzz. And the chef was the notable Paul Pairet from former fame at Jade on 36 (which has suffered since he left). Well, if I had known what I know now, I would have been beating a path to its door much, much sooner. I am not sure what I like more – the inventive French food with Asian flourishes, the sexy yet chill vibe or innovative serve-yourself wine bar? I suppose it’s all this and more that led to a recent roaring good time on my last trip to Shanghai. Say hello to my new fave in Shanghai, Mr. & Mrs. Bund (my favorite is still Stiller’s Paul ).

Inspired not just a little by the film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the linkage is obvious when you approach Mr. & Mrs. Bund’s entrance of twin red and green doors. The doors look like that of suburban manse and require the guest to ring a doorbell to enter. Already, this was not your typical French restaurant.

What lied behind the doors was a sprawling expanse of dining areas. It’s actually rare to see a restaurant so large that uses space so well. Fully of intimate nooks and crannies as well as larger tables for groups, the décor is a sexy blend of red and black.

The roof deck affords an amazing view of the bund and there is also a lounge area for relaxing before or after dinner. A separate bar area features over-size chairs reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and a special temperature-controlled, air-controlled, by-the-glass wine serving system. With 32 types of wine available by the glass, you can secure a card and serve yourself as you please…changing by the course or as the mood suits.

We were 12 people and so we ended up with a large table in the corner. The Lazy Susan carousel in the center of the table made it obvious that Mr. & Mrs. Bund advocates the spirit of sharing. With that in mind and after a quick chat with the congenial and gracious manager Rene, we decided to let the chef put together a range of house specialties for us to try. Considering that we represented a mélange of 7 nationalities and 4 of the diners were vegetarian, we upped the challenge for the kitchen. But what followed not only did not disappoint, it was inspiring. Before the food arrived there was no shortage of dynamic conversation, but once the food arrived…the group quieted. The focus was on, as it should be, the culinary creativity, whimsical presentations and quality represented. After the initial oohing and aahing stopped, conversation resumed…but it was all about the food. No more discussions of business or vacation plans, it was exclamations of surprise and delight. We laughed, we cried and the meal became a part of us.

What was so spectacular, you ask? Well, I suppose the only place to start is at the beginning. Our taste buds were awakened with an amuse bouche from the chef – a tuna mousse served playfully in a re-purposed tuna can with crispy toast points. The mousse was airy yet fully of peppery, tuna flavor, a perfect warm up for what was to follow.

Next we were greeted with two dishes, Large Steamed Asparagus with Foamed Hollandaise and the house’s signature Picnic Chicken, carved tableside and served with greens and garlic aioli. It was no mystery why the Picnic Chicken is so popular. It was perhaps the most succulent and tender chicken I have enjoyed in recent memory, and the flavour was subtly and expertly enhanced with a generous side of aioli.

Next followed the Foie Gras Crumble. Oh my! This was perhaps the table’s favourite. The combination of the green apple jelly accents, the perfectly executed foie gras and a crumbled fruit topping was haunting. My heart beats faster as I recall the sensual blend of flavours and textures in every bite.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the Steamed Prawns arrived. Not just any steamed prawns, mind you…these were steamed in a large glass Mason jar with citrus, lemongrass and vanilla. I am not sure what was more exciting the flavour or the presentation.

The vegetarians were delighted with the Risotto Truffle and Paris. A risotto with white truffles, Paris mushrooms, parmigiano and a light meuniere. In fact there was a tussle with the meat eaters over this dish and to keep the peace we ordered a second serving 

Next up was Meuniere Bread, a toasted bread dredged in a light meuniere with truffle and lemon foam. It was up there with the Foie Gras Crumble as an unexpected star of the evening. If I could enjoy this daily, I would. It was beyond mouthwatering…this high-brow comfort food was totally addictive. I surreptitiously eyed my neighbor who was also enamored with this dish in order to see if I could secure the last bite.

We were startled and amazed when the Beef Long Ribs with Terriyaki Glaze, Organge Reduction and Garlic Chips showed up. These were simply enormous ribs. The large bones protruding gave them a bit of caveman Flinestones feeling. I felt purely carnivorous digging into the tender, juicy yet toothsome meat.

Finally was the Black Cod in the Bag. Another creative and whimsical presentation of black cod steamed in a heat proof bag with Cantonese sauce and assembled tableside. The delicate flavours of the fish greatly enhanced with the sauce, made for an exciting rendition of steamed fish, which can normally be a bit boring. Yes, this dish was anything but boring.

Finally, dessert. We were stuffed, so we asked if they could keep it simple. The resulting answer was yes and no. While the tastes were simply, honest, bright and fresh, the presentation and sophistication was complex and impressive. First was Chocolate Very Melting – a steamed chocolate bun, vanilla ice cream, topped with a meringue and raspberry coulis and liquor. It is just a wee bit brispy on the outside and as the name suggests, melty on the inside – in a word, heaven.

Next up was the Lemon & Lemon Tart. This seemingly simple dish takes 72 hours to prepare. A candied lemon is filled with lemon sorbet, lemon curd and vanilla chantilly. Because the lemon is candied, its not just a vessel for serving, but is actually a part of the dish to be eaten. Loving lemon, this for me was the pièce de résistance of the  meal.

So the food was amazing, no doubt. But it was more than that which made the experience truly memorable. For one, the waiters were truly knowledgeable about all the dishes and actually seemed like they were having…gasp…fun. The serve yourself wine cooler was a huge hit and took a bit of the preciousness (in a good way) out of ordering wines. The music was a blend of Simon & Garfunkel, Michael Jackson, AC/DC, French Jazz, etc. which further contributed to the convivial and festive vibe.

In the end, we were 12 people (again with 7 nationalities represented), all with different culinary tastes, some drinkers and some non-drinkers…pretty much an impossible group to please. But there wasn’t one person that didn’t leave with a big smile on their face after dining at Mr. & Mrs. Bund. Many of my guests actually thanked me for choosing a place that inspired such a fun and memorable night.

This was the most unfussy French dining experience I have ever experienced – and I loved it. Who knew fine French dining could be so much fun! ?

PS – Mr. & Mrs. Bund stays open until 4am Tues – Sat, so if you are out having drinks and fancy a bite, keep the party going and head over late night.

Mr & Mrs Bund
Bund 18, 6th Floor
18 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road
Shanghai, China
Telephone: +86 21 6323 9898

“Fa cosi caldo qui o e la tua presenza?”

For those of you who don’t know, I’ll be entering a full-time culinary diploma program starting in April. I’m using my remaining months to continue to eat at great restaurants, travel, and take all the short-term cooking courses I can find. One of the more exciting courses I found while searching for classes in Singapore was offered out of Basilico’s at the Regent Hotel, Singapore. Each month they are focusing on a different Italian food region and teaching signature plates from said region. Having previously gorged ourselves enjoyed the sprawling Italian brunch, I knew that the chefs knew their regional foods and had the fresh ingredients required to pull something like this off. For February they went with a theme instead of a region… teaching a 3-course romantic meal that was every bit as indulgent as it was sensual. And as you prepare for your Valentine’s Day, you might consider cooking this rich, romance inspiring meal at home, rather than going out.

We were greeted upon arrival to Basilico’s with a refreshing drink (in appropriate Valentine’s Day color ).

As soon as our full group had arrived (classes are usually more intimate… only 5 in our class) Chef Angelo came out to make introductions and usher us into the cooking area. Chef Angelo is a bit more reserved than some other Italian chefs I’ve met in the past… quiet at first, but he quickly opened up and revealed a subtle sense of humor and dash of Italian flair.

The courses run in my favorite room at Basilico’s: The foie gras and cheese room from the Sunday brunch . The students surround the chef’s demo table and work at individual burners. These are the common kinds you’ve more than likely worked on if you’ve taken any kind of cooking class in the past.

With a brief introduction to our work environment, we were quickly started our first dish: Il Risotto Crab e Prosecco. This was a Southern Italian style risotto where pasta and risotto with fresh seafood is a must, we’re told. Mine turned out like soup a touch on the runny side… but it sure packed great flavors. I think if I had let it reduce a few minutes longer it would have been perfect.

A classic risotto starts with browning the onion in oil and adding the rice, toasting it. A stock is used and stirred in slowly and bit by bit so that the rice and other ingredients absorb the stock. In this case the recipe was made special with the inclusion of Prosecco and Crab and homemade fish stock. But really you can do any kind of risotto with this basic approach. Normally something like a Risotto would leave a lot of dead time in a cooking class due to the long preparation time. Chef Angelo took the time to teach us a handful of useful Italian “love phrases”. The subtitle above translates roughly to: “Is it hot in here or is it just me?”

The next dish on the menu was the Angus Beef Tenderloin. The description just doesn’t do this one justice however. For instance there’s no mention of the steak-sized portion of foie gras we cooked with the steak in red wine and a dab of truffle paste (mostly used for the potatoes underneath the steak, but I let mine mingle in the sauce a bit to bump the flavor). This was a hearty, soul-satisfying meal. If you can’t win a girl over cooking her a dish like this… she’s too fussy, find someone else   It was also quite simple – both the steak and the foie gras were sauteed in a pan and the sauce was made with a reduction of red wine and premade demi glace. Very nearly a one-pot meal, except for the potato, asparagus and tomato which were oven roasted. Chef Angelo showed us a trick when oven roasting – he put the tomatos and onions over a bed of rock salt. This infused both items with a lovely, savoury aroma and took them to the next level. He also said to try it at home with red onions in the skins.

For dessert was a surprisingly light tasting Zabaione Con Frutti Di Bosco. This dessert is historically served to give the one consuming more ” erotic power”… certainly another bonus to this Valentines meal. This was the most labor intensive part of the meal – we whipped 4 egg yolks, 2 spponfulls of sugar and a dash of Amaretto for what seemed like 15 – 20 minutes in a metal bowl held over a boiling water bath. I could actually see myself studying pastry full time if not for the treat of spending my life hurriedly whisking away. In reality it wasn’t that hard and the resulting dessert was well worth the efforts.

The class was great. It took just 2 hours to prepare and consume the 3-courses. Ingredients were top notch and while a lot of it was “dump and stir” (meaning the ingredients were pre-portioned and pre-cut)… there were elements left up to us. I like that instead of giving us perfectly measured amounts of salt and olive oil Chef Angelo had us instead pinch or pour out an amount that felt right to us… tasting as we went along. Little touches like that empower those who take the class, in my opinion, to have  the courage to try them again at home.

Also I loved the rustic nature of the dishes. These were elegant meals in taste, but simple in preparation. I can easily see myself making these dishes at home (maybe sans the foie gras). I’m already planning a pumpkin risotto with crushed black pepper as an adaptation of Angelo’s recipe. I’ll attend the classes in the coming months as well. According to Chef Angelo next month they’ll be covering Gnocchi… something I’ve been dying to make myself.

In the meantime, I can highly recommend the recipes above to you so you can make your special someone this fantastic 3-course Italian meal on Valentine’s Day.

Basilico’s
The Regent Hotel, 2nd floor
1 Cuscaden Road
Singapore
Telephone: +65 6725 3232

An elaborate tasting menu makes for a decadent fusion dining experience

We were delighted to be in Beijing…an unexpected detour on an extended business trip brought us to the former 2008 Olympic city. Immediately Paul, I and a colleague (Andy) set out to find the most distinctive of culinary experiences, and so it was that Blu Lobster emerged on our radars. The Spanish chef, Jordi Villegas Serra, had come from a distinctive background including a 2-starred Michelin restaurant in Barcelona and a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris. Rumour has it Chef Serra is now after his own Michelin star. We heard that tasting menu was not to be missed, and so notebook and camera in hand, we set off to the Shangri La Hotel to try for ourselves.

The tasting menu has several levels – from 3 courses at 388RMB / $57 USD / S$80.50  to 8 courses for 888RMB / $130 USD / S$184  . I choose the 4 course menu for 488RMB / $71.50 USD / S$101 , while the fellas chose the more ambitious 5 course menu for 588RMB / $86 USD / S$122.  We agreed to each choose different options so that collectively we would all have the opportunity to try 14 dishes from the restaurant – so in this way, basically we were able to sample at least half of the menu.

For the first course we enjoyed…

• Tomato salad: tomato, mango and wild leaves salad with hazelnut dressing

• Pea Soup: fresh garden pea coup with beluga caviar

• Seared foie gras: served with roasted peaches, pomelo chutney and Thai basil

The tomato salad was really standout. Despite its humble description, it was presented cleverly in a chopped “tartare” style and the simplicity of the flavours combined with the freshest ingredients, made for a thoroughly enjoyable starter. We all agreed the pea soup was a nice idea, although not particularly special in its execution or flavour profile…somehow it was a “bit milky” as noted by Andy, which we all agreed did not work in its favour. And the foie gras was the classic presentation of heavy fat of the foie gras with a citrus / fruit element to cut through…it did its job and it was generally agreed this was a very solid dish.

For the second course the guys enjoyed…

• Baby cuttlefish: served with crispy bacon
• Scallops: pan seared hand diver scallops with crispy pork belly and cauliflower

It was a draw between these two…each was equally succulent in its pairing of seafood and flavourful pork fat. I mean who has ever met a dish with bacon or pork fat and been unhappy

For the third course, we tried…

• Foie gras terrine: with pistachio crust and quince paste

• King Crab salad: with avocado, mushrooms and lemon dressing

• Suckling pig: crispy suckling pig, prepared confit for 24 hours

While the foie gras was again solid and the crab salad well executed, the real star of this course was the suckling pig. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the pork was expertly prepared. So far the suckling pig was the highlight of the meal.

For our fourth course, we sampled…

• Sea bass: pan seared with black olive, basil, parmesan and potato gnocchi

• Tortellini: mozzarella and artichoke tortellini with aged balsamic vinegar and Spanish iberico ham

• Wagyu beef: grade 8, prepared with strawberries and red chutney

The sea bass was excellent…cooked to perfection with all the Mediterranean flavours combining in a simple, yet sophisticated way.  And the waygu was also of note…a very unique combination of sweet fruit and buttery meat made the dish sing.

For our fifth and final dessert course, we tried…

• Raspberries: raspberries rhubarb millefeuille with lemon sorbet

• Strawberries “dulce lorena”: lavender, strawberries and coconut milk

• Chocolate: chocolate and walnut brownie with caramel and cocoa

The desserts might be where we were a little less wowed. Perhaps to be fair they were simply good, while the majority of the meal was great. So in comparison they did indeed suffer. However, the final bite was redeemed by a complimentary presentation of cookies and chocolates from the chef. The macaroons and chocolates with Sichuan pepper saved the day and ended the meal on a very sweet note.

We liked Blu Lobster…a lot. I wish it wasn’t it a sprawling big hotel in a not so convenient part of Beijing. In general, something about formal hotel dining experiences leaves me a little cold….I prefer a more boutique-y, individual setting with a distinctive charm (as opposed to international hotel gloss).  However, Blu Lobster and Chef Serra delighted our palates which means, we will be back again.

Blu Lobster
Shangri La Hotel
29 Zizhuyuan Road
Beijing, China
Telephone: +86 10 6841 2111

It was only a matter of time before our Sunday brunch group broke from the main island and ventured over to the Disneyland-like island of Sentosa. I was apprehensive at first. The island is almost too planned and organized, meaning there’s little to be found or discovered. Plus with the cost of rent on the island I’m sure there’s never going to be an undiscovered hole in the wall serving up great food at amazing prices. We decided to set aside our cynical nature and answer one question – could we find good value on the island (factoring in extra travel costs, entrance to island fees, etc)? Surprisingly we did.

Braise was a bit hard to find… or maybe that was just our horrible Comfort Cab driver (don’t get me started on these guys lately). After driving around for 45 minutes or so and actually calling the restaurant 3 different times we managed to be dropped off near the restaurant and had to walk about 5 minutes in the rain to the restaurant. To be perfectly honest this had set me back and I worried if the restaurant could possibly please at this point.

Braise shares it’s location with Silkroad and is located on the second floor. We stepped inside to find a simple, modern space. The architecture featured walls of glass with tables and benches in white, giving an open, bright feeling to the dining area.

As I looked over the menu my spirits began to lift a bit. Braise offers a combo buffet / meal. The menu is divided up into courses with the first course of Entrees all you can eat. Dishes off the Entree menu varied and came out in large portions for the table to share. Dishes included a lovely Caesar Salad (lots of crispy bacon here surprised me… I’m normally not a Caesar Salad fan).

Pan Fried Crab Cakes with Curry Aioli

Spanish Olive and Parma Ham

Soup of the Day

Charmoula Squid

Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Orange-Ginger Dressing. This dish was a slight miss. The soft shell crab wasn’t crispy… probably had been waiting to come out for a bit and was a bit mushy in texture (not in a good soft shell crab way).

And a Pan Seared Foie Gras with Carmalized Banana and Chocolate Sauce (you only get one of these, which is honestly enough as the banana combined with the foie gras is actually a bit heavy and rich together and lacks anything acidic to cut the fattiness of the foie gras).

Once you’ve decided you’ve had your fill of the Entrees, you move on to either Eggs or Pancakes. You can choose to have your eggs done in a number of styles including Benedict, Scrambled, Fried, or Crispy with Sausage, Bacon, or Cured Salmon. The sides actually come out for all to share and enjoy and are again refillable.

Everyone who ordered pancakes had theirs come out a bit burned. To be fair, they didn’t taste as burned as they look in these photos and were actually quite light and fresh tasting… with just a hint of char.

After breakfast its time to move on to the mains. There’s a nice selection of dishes going from seafood to beef, though nothing for vegetarians. Those at the table who ordered the Sauteed Black Pepper Slipper Lobster with Angel Hair all seemed to enjoy their dish more than anyone else.

The Roast of the Day that day was a Wagyu steak. I was excited to eat it until it came out. I like medium rare to rare steaks but this one came out looking a bit odd and had an almost tartar like texture. It was decent, but not what it could have been.

There was also an Oven-Baked Codfish with Tapenade Crust & Mustard Beurre Blanc

Duck Leg Confit with Gratin Potato & Orange Sauce

As if all that food wasn’t enough, after the Mains it’s time for desserts. There are standard dessert fairs including a lovely Chocolate Lava Cake with Coffee Ice Cream.

Classic Tiramisu

and a nice change of pace with a Cheese Selection from a Trolley. Careful, this isn’t a playing it safe cheese menu and features some truly stinky cheeses (to the delight of Dutch friend).

All of this totals out at only 68++ per person if you’re opting only for mixed drinks and juices. For 118++ you can make it a boozy brunch with a free flow of Diebolt Vallois Champagne. It was a great Sunday brunch, despite our initial troubles finding the spot and longer than normal travel times coming to the island. It was a joy to sit and dine, watching Singaporeans frolic on the beach or playing net ball. The staff was courteous and attentive without being overbearing, allowing us to dine at a leisurely pace. I’d recommend it as a brunch destination, particularly with larger groups.

Braise
60 Palawan Beach Walk
Level 2 Sentosa, Singapore, Singapore
+65 6271 1929

How to answer this question? I’ll go with Diplomatically – The Sunday Brunch at the Ritz is a great brunch if you’re a lover of seafood There’s tons of it and it’s good and fresh… with people freshly shucking oysters at the counter, boiling lobsters, pan-frying scallops, etc.

The problem is that’s about it. There are other things on offer for sure. I loved one of the Foie Gras dishes on offer, maybe a bit too much since I proabably ate 3 or 4 of the little plates. But there aren’t any real breakfast/brunch items out or around.

The other problem we had, and maybe we’re spoiled over doing so many of these, is that it wasn’t as fancy as the price would lead you to believe. There were kids and patrons running around in shorts and flip flops, older (but not cool vintage older) tables and fixtures, and it felt like a hotel brunch. Nothing stood out as awful or bad, but nothing was so unique as to warrant special attention either.

Despite stories we’ve heard to the contrary service was prompt and we were regularly treated to Moet refills – though maybe not as ninja-like as the servers at the St Regis. This might also have been our strategic seating choice of right next to the bottles

And to be fair there was more of everything at the Ritz compared to the St Regis. More seafood for sure. The cheese station was crazy big at the Ritz and covered many styles and regions, so if you’re a cheese lover there’s another reason to choose the Ritz.

Our Sunday Brunch at the Ritz was another indulgent affair. As a sort of joke I put my weight pre-brunch up on Twitter (85.1 KG) and after (89.9 KG) so I definitely enjoyed all they had on offer. I don’t think I’ll personally rush to return and I feel a bit pretentious saying that. I’m just a Texan from a poor family that grew up on Taco Bell… and here I am saying that the Ritz isn’t good enough for me

At the end of the day, to our particular group, the Ritz simply didn’t have the same value as some of the other options. Had we been huge seafood or cheese people this could have been our go-to Sunday spot.

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

7 Raffles Avenue,
Singapore 039799
Singapore
Phone:  (65) 6337 8888

According to historians, the term orgy didn’t have the sexual connotation it now possesses. “Roman Orgies” were actually parties of “unrestrained indulgences during which guests consumed copious quantities of food and drink to such excesses that they often relieved themselves by vomiting.” I said one step back earlier because thankfully at the St Regis people aren’t openly vomiting… though we have heard stories…

The free flow begins once through the door. This is a “one-seating” Sunday Brunch so reservations are necessary. You begin to imbibe immediately as you make your way to your seat with a warm up Mimosa. Once seated the free flow free-gush of Moet & Chandon vintage champagne begins.

Drink in hand or left at the table you are free to peruse the stations. These are standard Sunday Brunch stations – elevated. Freshly shucked Oysters, imported Japanese Sushi and Sashimi (though to be fair I feel the quality of fish was higher at the 4 Seasons), European deli meats, bread stations, etc. I made two different passes through the stations. Though the bread was obviously freshly baked and the green and yellow zucchini salad with pumpkin and sesame vinaigrette looked amazing… I stuck to my Sunday Brunch guns and skipped the fillers to focus on the meat and the Moet.

About an hour into service everyone decided it was time to order off the cook-to-order menu. This isn’t just a buffet brunch. Joanna had the Wagyu beef fillet and I, being a good Texan, ordered the Ribeye. To be fair both were good, but I would recommend neither as a stand-alone meal in a 5-star hotel.

The real treats of the afternoon were the passed plates brought directly from the kitchen to the table…sometimes by the chef himself. Little cups of miso soup, foie gras crème brulee (amazingly better than it sounds), and other delights kept us rooted in our seats – a good and bad thing. Good because we were able to try new, fresh food that was better than anything at the buffet lines or on the menu. Bad because we weren’t walking around anymore… and walking around is the only way to judge if you’ve slipped past light-hearted Sunday celebration into something slightly more sinister.

I say only way to judge here because the staff are Moet ninjas, staggeringly adept at keeping your glass full. I’ve been to plenty of “free flows” where the owners maximized profit by having the bar staff unavailable for refills. Not so at the St Regis. I swear, one time I had just taken a sip and was lowering the glass from my lip when I witnessed an amazing sight out of the corner of my eye – the bottle sailing into position over my glass to replenish the champagne that had just passed into my system. With two dedicated servers stationed to our group of 8, our table was never want for drink, cleared plate, or passed delight.

With our pants and bellies now waging a minor border feud we braved the sprawling dessert stand. Tarts, macaroons, cookies, brownies, cakes… all excellently presented and dangerously good… I had to step over two seizing diabetics to make it back to our table.

3:00 PM arrived, we paid and stumbled out the door of the St Regis, full to bursting, but completely satisfied. The Sunday Brunch at the St Regis is absolutely worth doing once… but I don’t know that anyone needs that regularly. A brunch best kept for anniversaries, celebrations, and special occasions.

A few tips to make brunch even more enjoyable:

• Don’t eat the night before ?
• Make reservations. There are not many tables inside the brasserie.
• As Joanna has stated before come with friends and don’t make plans after – you will be in no state to do anything important/intense after this.
• Use this as an opportunity to branch out into new foods/styles. Maybe there’s something you’ve been scared or too intimidated to try. When the chef visits your table ask him what’s good/how he prepared it/what he recommends. These buffets typically feature a smattering of “fine dining all-stars” like foie gras, sushi, wagyu, or anything else currently trendy.

Brasserie Les Saveurs at the St Regis
Chef : Julien Royer
Hours : 6:30 AM – 11:00 PM Daily;
Afternoon Tea 3:00 PM – 5:00 pm Daily;
Sunday Brunch 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Address: 29 Tanglin Road. Singapore 247911. Singapore
Phone: (65) 65066888

Brunch for 2 a bit over 350 SGD after taxes, service, etc.

A quite obvious choice for such an occasion is the Four Seasons Hotel on Rajadamri Road in Bangkok. In the center of the city, the Four Seasons is a colonial oasis tucked up on a hill away from the honking cars and pollution of Ploenchit Road. To visit the Four Seasons for any reason is to be transported into a world where understated elegance abounds. Yet aside from the rather subtle cues of elegance including overstuffed high-back chairs, an abundance of white potted orchids and white-gloved porters…make no mistake people, the Sunday brunch is all about gluttony.

The Four Seasons brunch features many international food stations and sprawls from multiple dining rooms into the courtyard and yes even into the pool. Stations range from a seafood bar overflowing with crab, lobster, river prawns and such…to American, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and Middle Eastern stations. My personal favourite is the foie gras station where seared foie gras is prepared to order. And of course, the brunch usuals are present – a robust cheese selection, bakery fresh bread selection, and an omelette station. But my personal advice would be to skip the usual suspects and go with seared foie gras, teppanyaki beef, the custom risotto station, steamed giant crab claws and made-to-order Crepes Suzette. I am personally not a fan of caviar and smoked lox, but my Swedish friend Ana is, and she swears by these two offerings at the Four Seasons. I just like to join her at the caviar station for the sheer spectacle of it – a Thai man stands in black thigh-high rubber boots in the courtyard pool serving the caviar from icy mother-of-pearl dishes. And Paul wanted me to be sure to tell you that the sashimi is superb, really notable in its freshness and quality for a buffet.

My only criticism is the quality of the champagne served. While it is widely known as a champagne brunch, they in fact serve…gasp…sparkling wine!  And a sort of average sparking wine at that – rather disappointing showmanship given the level of detail and planning they put into other aspects of the brunch. I mean they could step up their game with a relatively inexpensive Italian Prosecco or a Spanish Cava, but…in the end, after a few glasses, maybe we stopped noticing.

All in all, I would recommend the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok brunch. At 2,350THB ++ is really is not a bad deal considering the quality and quantity of the food presented. And if you are like me, I simply cannot find room for dinner after these extravaganzas, so when I do it, it serves as my main meal of the day.

A few tips to make brunch even more enjoyable:
•    Make a reservation:  there would be nothing worse than showing up in your Sunday-best and being in a cramped corner of the room, or worse yet with no seat at all. Ask for the courtyard area as this is where most of the action is. Besides, it just feels decadent to sit with legs crossed on a cushy sofa drinking champagne and nibbling lobster under the cover of palm fronds.
•    Wear something festive: this does not mean fancy necessarily….I like to wear a summery dress and heels while Paul likes to wear one of his favourite tailored shirts, jeans and black loafers.
•    Come with friends: take advantage of the party-like atmosphere of free-flowing champagne by bringing some friends. Good friends are great, but by the end of a 3-4 hour feast of food and bubbly, anyone will probably be a close friend by the time you leave.
•    Don’t make any other plans for the day: If you can, skip breakfast and don’t make any afternoon plans. To truly savor the experience you will want to be empty of stomach and not rushed with time. And who knows if you will feel like doing much of anything after a few mid-day cocktails.

Location:
155 Rajadamri Road, Bangkok, Thailand     Telephone: 66 (0) 2 250 1000

Brunch Hours:
11.00hr – 15.00hr, contact Madison restaurant for reservations

Website:
www.fourseasons.com