The Orchard Cafe – The New Bicentennial Heritage Buffet is Impressive!

Jonathan Yeo
Jonathan Yeo
July 24, 2019

DSCF9800-4

After a multimillion-dollar facelift, The Orchard Cafe is now a stylish, and chic and spacious outfit dressed in vibrant hues.

Main Dining Hall

The Orchard Cafe captures the essence of a botanical orchard, revealing a sprawling garden-lounge that imitates an inviting garden oasis.

The Orchard Cafe will be serving up mouthwatering ethnic cuisines in their enticing Signature Class Buffet. Expect heritage-inspired local creations and chef-curated dishes from all around the world!

From now till 19 August 2019, enjoy a Lunch or Dinner Buffet (Weekdays and Weekends) where 1 dines free with every 3 paying adults, by quoting “Miss Tam Chiak”!

DSCF9816-7

DSCF9814-6

Whenever I pay good money for a premium buffet, I expect the fresh seafood to be amazing. Naturally, the first station that caught my attention as I walked into The Orchard Cafe was the seafood on ice station which promises premium Alaskan King Crabs, Blue-Lip Mussels, Fresh US Oysters and Fresh Poached Prawns!

DSCF9822-8

Fresh and plump oysters will be the downfall of me. Before adding any condiments to my oysters, I had one au naturel to truly appreciate its fresh and robust flavours. After nudging each oyster loose from its shell, I bit into it and was greeted by a burst of sweetness and a distinct taste of the sea. I’m not going to tell you how many oysters I had. Too many, just too many.

DSCF9810-5

DSCF9826-9

Another station that looks exceptionally inviting is the Japanese section! There are 4 types of Assorted California & Maki, served on a rotational basis, alongside a live bar serving freshly cut slices of Salmon, Tuna, Tako and Izumi Dai on ice! I especially love the bite-sized Kani Sushi and smooth sashimi.

DSCF0178-71

After making my money’s worth by gorging myself silly at the seafood and Japanese section, I moved on to upscale versions of heritage-inspired local dishes such as Wok-Fried Madagascar Tiger Prawn in Sarawak Black Pepper Sauce, Stir-fried Snapper fish with black bean and young garlic, and Singapore Local Mussel with Deep Fried Man Tou!

DSCF9859-17

A popular dish among Singaporeans, Popiah, is a common snack in both Malaysia and Singapore. At The Orchard Cafe’s Popiah Station, especially thin, homemade Popiah skins which sit in bamboo steamers are rolled with rich ingredients to make excellent rolls of Popiah! The Chef ensured that the jicama was well pressed before being rolled together with other ingredients. Hence, my popiah was not soggy at all, and was chewy and crunchy!

DSCF9961-35

Noodle fans will be pleased to know that The Orchard Cafe’s renowned Live Noodle Bar has made a comeback as well. Expect bowls of slurp-a-licious Asian favourites such as the Singapore Laksa with Cockles!

  • There is also Bak Chor Mee, Fried Sliced Fish Noodles, Penang Chicken Curry Noodles, Satay Bee Hoon, Hokkien Lor Mee, and Prawn Noodle Soup on rotation.

DSCF0008-42

The buffet also has a Kou Rou Bao (扣肉包) station. Each bun had just the right amount of flavourful gravy, and a slab of fatty stewed pork belly which was tender and juicy. I was so happy to find this at The Orchard Cafe, as it’s a treat that I only get to savour during Chinese New Year, when my family has time to make it. No prizes for guessing how many I had!

DSCF0011-43

Another local favourite served at this Signature Class Bicentennial Heritage Buffet is the Oyster Omelette! The aroma halted me in my tracks, off my intended path, and drew me towards a giant wok. I had to place an order before making my way to the other stations.

DSCF0125-61

Fresh from an enhancement, The Orchard Cafe unveils tech-savvy amenities such as the automated touch-panel barista machine (as part of the Bicentennial Heritage Buffet menu there are three local heritage drinks on offer: Bandung, Soya Bean with Grass Jelly, and Traditional Pineapple Drink), charcoal-grill with adjustable grilling panels, and the AUSCA (Automated Service Chef Associate) egg-chef robot which cooks up perfect sunny-side-up eggs or omelettes at the breakfast buffet!

DSCF9916-24

The top-of-the-line flame and charcoal grill allows the chefs to perfect flame-licked barbecue items such as Chicken & Mutton Satay, Sambal Whole Sotong on Banana Leaf, and Grilled Otar Otar!

DSCF9911-22

For those who fancy their meats char-grilled to perfection, you’re in for a treat. Tasteful morsels of house-cured and marinated meats are also a new feature of the all-new buffet! Right beside the charcoal grill is a dedicated area for Western-style carved meats showcasing a rotation of premium beef and pork cuts alongside seasonal greens. Think Braised 5 Spices Beef Short Ribs served with Garden Vegetables, Grilled Angus Striploin, and Grilled Lamb Chop.

Sambal Chilli

Diners are encouraged, or rather, challenged, to match their dishes with The Orchard Cafe’s selection of eight fiery, yet mouth-watering, Signature Class Sambal dipping sauces — Sambal Udang Kering, Sambal Belado, Sambal Ikan Bilis, Sambal Ijo, Sambal Balachan, Sambal Mango, Sambal Nanas, and Sambal Calimansi.

The specially curated selection of spices and herbs used at The Orchard Cafe is prepared according to decades-old, tried-and-tested recipes.

DSCF9838-13

Diners also get to savour signature dishes such as Oven-baked Farm Fed Chicken Thigh and Crispy Ginger in Teriyaki Jus, Wok-Fried Sliced Kurobuta Pork in XO Sauce, Braised Soy Chicken, Steamed Pandan Chicken, and Crispy Pork Belly!

DSCF0194-73

The buffet’s delectable grilled lobster was one of the dishes that I gobbled down the moment I got my hands on it. The fleshy meat, which was unbelievably tender and juicy, came off the shell easily! You also have the choice of either Laksa Sauce, Sweet Sambal or Gong Po Sauce to go with your grilled lobster.

DSCF0071-53

Heeding the national call to keep Singapore’s unique heritage alive, The Orchard Cafe also presents a revival of golden favourites.

Orchard Hotel Chicken and Rice

Fans of roast meats will also find a mouth-watering selection of dishes including Crispy Pork Belly and Braised Soya Sauce Chicken accompanied by Fragrant Chicken Rice, on rotation. Personally, I have loved chicken rice ever since I was little, and the chicken rice served at Orchard Cafe really brought me back to my childhood days.

DSCF0108-59

The restaurant’s tech-driven enhancements also make an appearance in the dessert department. A soft-serve ice-cream machine features well-loved flavours such as Horlicks, Milo, and Pandan Kaya!

On top of being able to twirl your own cone of ice-cream, you may also bedazzle your ice-cream with fanciful sweet toppings from marshmallow and waffle wafers to rainbow sprinkles and chopped nuts!

DSCF0206-75

The Orchard Cafe recognises our love for Gula Melaka, and the ingredient takes centre-stage at the new dessert bar, in the form of Peranakan and Malay cakes and kuehs.

DSCF0202-74

The chefs have also taken dessert to Signature Class level, with creations such as Gula Melaka Crème Brûlée, Kaya Pandan Swiss Roll, and an indulgent, must-try Chendol featuring Gula Melaka-flavoured ice shavings!

DSCF0238-80

From now till 19 August 2019, enjoy a Lunch or Dinner Buffet (Weekdays and Weekends) where 1 dines free with every 3 paying adults, by quoting “Miss Tam Chiak”! On top of that, each group of 4 may either choose to share a free bottle of Orchard Hotel’s house wine, or have one free milkshake each! Please note that for High Tea dining, only the former promotion is available on the weekends. This offer is not valid in conjunction with ongoing promotions, offers, on the eve of, and on public holidays, unless otherwise stated.

On National Day, diners dressed in Red and White clothing items can dine in at a special price of $54 (Aug 9, dinner only).

DSCF9748-1

There are 5 new and decadent milkshakes. If you’re a fan of Milo, go for the Milo Mudslide milkshake which is topped with whipped cream, pretzels, and brownies. The Kar-Mel Buttercup, Saccharine Gula, Creme Matcha, and Nutella S’mores Overload are great options as well. There are also two special cocktails that are only available as a part of the Bicentennial Heritage Buffet Promotion – Gula Melaka Mojito, and Laksa Sour, both priced at $15++ each.

The Orchard Cafe has so much to offer, so be sure to check out their new space, and the spanking new heritage buffet!

Signature Class Buffet Pricing

ADULT
Breakfast: $32.00
Lunch: (Mon – Fri) $58.00
Lunch: (Sat, Sun) $62.00
Dinner: (Mon – Thu) $78.00
Dinner: (Fri – Sun) $88.00
High Tea: (Sat & Sun) $42.00

CHILD (5-12 years old)
Breakfast: $16.00
Lunch: (Mon – Fri) $29.00
Lunch: (Sat, Sun) $31.00
Dinner: (Mon – Thu) $39.00
Dinner: (Fri – Sun) $44.00
High Tea: (Sat & Sun) $21.00

All prices are subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes.

Available only in the months of July and August up to 19th August 2019, enjoy their Bicentennial Heritage Buffet which is a celebration of Singapore’s rich history. In addition to the existing Signature Class buffet, there are promotional items such as Oyster Omelette, Char Kway Teow, Popiah, Kueh Pie Tee and Fried Carrot Cake.

Operating Hours

Open Daily: Monday – Sunday: 6.00am – 11.00pm
Breakfast Buffet: Monday – Sunday: 6.00am – 10.30am
Lunch Buffet: Monday – Sunday: 12.00pm – 2.30pm
Dinner Buffet: Monday – Sunday: 6.00pm – 10.00pm
High Tea: Saturday and Sunday: 3.00pm – 5.00pm

For reservations or further enquiries, please call 6739 6565 or email orchardcafe.ohs@millenniumhotels.com.

The Orchard Cafe

Address: 442 Orchard Road Lobby Level, Singapore 238879

Phone: 6739 6565

Website: https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/offers/asia/orchard-hotel-singapore/dining/orchard-cafe/bicentennial

Email Address: orchardcafe.ohs@millenniumhotels.com

Area: Orchard Road

Opening Hours: 6am to 11pm daily.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrchardHotelSingapore/

This post was brought to you by The Orchard Cafe.