melt – the world café, town (part 2)

this is literally and metaphorically the sweet section of a review on the buffet at melt. part uno on the savouries here.

rather fantastic desserts at this buffet in the mandarin oriental. if you’ve been hanging a while here – why hello there – then you know I have a sweet tooth. the long of the short is that the desserts here span cakes, mousses, little mignardises and modernesque dessert-in-spoons, fruit and a cheese board. and a waffle maker.

fresh on-the-spot when-you-want-it piping-hot waffles from a live waffle-maker. why, hello there. 

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to say I love pancakes is an understatement, and waffles are like the crispy older brother of the fluffy still-with-baby-fat pancake. the best ones are freshly made, still steaming from the machine, and topped with some ice cream – just as these ones were. or perhaps you’d prefer a smear of nutella from that array of condiments over there?

it’s like this place knows me.

if you’re less a waffle person – I suggest rethinking that – then perhaps the array of cakes might entice you a little better. layered mousse cakes, apricot tea cakes, american-type carrot cake, a berried trifle and local kueh kuehs – this place had everything. and if you’re into something warm, they had trays of bread pudding and apple crumble, with requisite dishes of creme anglais alongside.

my sister went a little nuts over these tiny spoonfuls of jellies and tiny petit-fours – I think there must have been more than ten variants on offer.

I was very impressed with the cheese counter. it was small – perhaps only 4 cheeses on offer – but satisfying, especially since none of us had much space left for cheese anyway. that smoked mozzarella might be very seventies, but it was plenty tasty – and went well with the dried fruit and crackers on offer.

the bulk of my meal was fruit – which is why buffets are wasted on me. they had a pretty good range here that was frequently replenished; I overloaded on passion fruit, which I haven’t had for a while and almost never see around at buffets. that tangy sourness does a great deal for digestion.

and so, impressive. it was a huge spread, and I was rather pleasantly surprised that they could maintain decent standards for most of what was on offer (the sushi bar was pretty meh, but inoffensive). worth the money if you have a huge appetite, and a great option if dining in a crowd – there’s got to be something for everyone.

Melt – The World Café at Mandarin Oriental
Level 4, Mandarin Oriental Singapore
5 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039797
tel +65 6885 3500
$$$$: (I think) eighty-plus-plus per person