DISH Brilliant Brunch

March 2010

I don’t think highly of buffets. I tend to believe that they are put together with whatever that’s left over in the kitchen from the night before mixed with whatever’s going to expire soon. That’s just me – cynical. Imagine my surprise when I walked into DISH’s new Brilliant Brunch (which comes with free flow of Verve Cliquot champagne) and discovered that the spread read like a gourmet menu.

For once, in a buffet, I felt like a kid in a candy store; I felt hungry and greedy and gluttony. I wanted everything. There was an extensive chilled seafood spread of tiger prawns, salmon sashimi, crabs and freshly shucked oysters. The live cooking egg station could whip up a hot fluffy omelette filled with turkey ham, mushrooms, peppers, cheese and yes, even lobster. The carving station was decked out with roast prime beef rib and roast chicken, while the BBQ station had all the variety of meat cuts, fish, squid and ocean trout. On top of all that, you have the cheese, pasta, salad and antipasti, fruit and juice, sundae, and dessert stations.

My advice is to take everything in sampling portions and have the pan seared foie gras with Muscat dressing in between every dish. It’s that good. The fact that it’s cut into small canapé-size pieces means you only get enough to tease your palate but never enough to satisfy the craving if you are a fan like me. And since it’s cooked upon order, you get that buttery texture melting warmly in your mouth. The scallop on shell with herbed dressing is light and fresh while the mozzarella, tomato and basil skewer provides a nice mix of tasty flavours in your mouth all at once. Just remember to wash them down with champagne.

While most of the dishes were well done, it was the desserts that really stood out for me. The earl grey cream managed to be a little on the heavy side without making you jelak, thanks to the tea infusion. And the three different varieties of truffles – green tea, homemade chocolate and white chocolate blue cheese (I know what you think but it works – strangely) – are so soft, smooth and velvety when your mouth closes around them.

Another good thing about the spread is a lot of the things are made to order, such as the pasta and the salads and the yummy foie gras. So it felt less like a buffet and more like a kitchen at your beck and call. Despite the decadent food, the setting managed to remain casual and relaxing without becoming too high brow and intimidating. It had an anything goes attitude in here. And partly because the restaurant shares the same space with fine food deli and a florist, the ambience was lively and fun, which made for a leisurely and really enjoyable Sunday outing.

Excessive? Maybe. But DISH aims to be unabashedly decadent and they do that very well with this champagne brunch. So, pardon my over zealous enthusiasm but with all that bubbly swimming in my tummy, I can’t see how I can not be, well, bubbly. Lim Chee Wah