straits cafe at hotel rendezvous, bras basah

ok, so I promise this the last of chinese new food-related posts for this year at least; but this post was sitting forlornly in the drafts folder, and I thought to share.

I’ve reviewed this place before, and I pronounced it decent – which I would like to iterate now. what I should say in addition, though, is that while it may not be the best buffet in singapore, I think it the best for its utility-to-price ratio.

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most the photos here are of the yusheng we ordered separately in celebration of the new year, and it was an averagely pedestrian version (good enough for the significance of it, but unassuming in and of itself), but this was a small part of the meal itself.

this place does a more local-oriented buffet, with hawker classics like laksa and popiah (if I’m you’re lucky) and mee rebus done very well – as well as hot peranakan dishes and a diy-rojak station. the laksa is pretty rich and lemak (coconut-fragrant), and it’s easy to go through a serving very quickly.

there’s a decent spread of everything – even if it’s not large, it’s more than sufficient for most purposes: a sushi counter, freshly shucked oysters, a plethora of hot dishes, a nominal roast meat/seafood, salad stands and a decent dessert and fruit spread (the last often becomes mere afterthought at many buffets).

they’re known also for their shooter-style durian penyets (essentially durian puree enriched with coconut cream), of which my uncle had nearly 10 in a sitting – skip the other durian-filled things like the crepes and puffs, as they just aren’t as good.

don’t come expecting a giant of a spread, but a feast suited to family dinners with its good food and relaxed atmosphere. my two most-visited buffets in singapore is this one, and melt at the mandarin oriental – which is posher, more expensive, and more extensive; so it boils down to what you require.

Straits Cafe
Hotel Rendezvous Singapore
9 Bras Basah Rd
Singapore 189559
tel +65 6336 0220
$$$: averagely, 60ish