Singaporeans will queue for a few things: buying 4D, Korean pop concert, and Japanese buffets. Kiseki Japanese Buffet Restaurant which used to be at Heeren (and didn’t exactly get the best of reviews), opened up with new life at Orchard Central.
New location, new fengshui, new view, new chef, new food = very good business, so good that the queues can reach the elevators at the usually unoccupied mall.
Let’s agree on this. Not every buffet is good, and not every item on the buffet menu can be good. We have seen how some buffet restaurants, while selling substandard quality items, can get pretty brisk business.
With more than 200 buffet items over 29 item categories, Kiseki took me by surprise – most of the food actually tastes decent, like I would pay for them as individual items in a restaurant. Plus with a price of $19.80++ during weekday lunch, it does not exactly hurt your wallet.
I don’t encourage overeating. If you are like me, who wants to make both your money and calories count worth it, here are 5 recommended items to get the most satisfaction. (Read: 5 Ways to Avoid Overeating at The Buffet Restaurant )
Number 1 – Yakitori
The yakitori selections were so yummy that I went for three, or maybe four rounds of this. The chicken meat, chicken balls, pork belly and shitake mushroom skewers were of a reasonable standard – tender meat, nice bite and goes so well with the goma sesame sauce. I would gladly pay $1.20 for each outside, and after taking 15 sticks, I figured I got my money’s worth.
Number 2 – Waffles with Japanese Gelato
Girls on my table went ga-ga over the waffles, which I was initially skeptical about. I mean, it was just waffles right? That was before I had it with the Japanese gelatos of black sesame and white yuzu, smooth and rich, unlike the other cheap-tasting icy ice creams at other buffet restaurants. Though it is slightly sweet, it should promise a happy ending (or intermission) to your buffet meal.
Number 3 – Teppanyaki Pork
Live cooking stations are always my favourite. This is the Teppanyaki station where you can order from the chef in action items such as Beef Cubes with Garlic, Assorted Vegetables, Pork Slices, and Fried Fillet Fillet. This reminds me of the good old Shokudo Japanese Food Bazaar back in its glory days.
Number 4 – Curry Ebi Tempura
The tempura, is every deep fried food fans’ baby. The curry ebi was fried crunchy with crisp batter, with a delicious twist of slight curry flavour. My friend’s boy had 6 prawns, and he is only that small-sized.
Number 5 – Pasta with Wafu Sauce
The pasta station is where you can choose your own toppings such as shitake mushroom, vongole and poached eggs, with a base sauce of cabonara or wafu. While the egg did not come exactly perfect, the speed of delivery, the portion and the addictive spicy sauce made this a pleasurable dish.
The other items of nabemono, chawanmushi, rosti and match cake that almost made it into my Top 5, but they were happily in my tummy anyway.
Though I am not the biggest fan of buffets, Kiseki does show that good food and service is still the way to peoples’ heart.
And since my AiMakan dining partner dared me to do a stupid Sumo pose…
Kiseki Buffet Price
Weekday Lunch – $19.90++ for adult, $12.80++ for children
Weekend Lunch – $27.80++ for adult, $17.80++ for children
Weekday Dinner – $31.80++ for adult, $15.80++ for children
Weekend Dinner – $34.80++ for adult, $18.80 for children
Kiseki Japanese Buffet Restaurant
Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road #08-01/02/03 Singapore 238896 (Somerset MRT) Tel: +65 6736 1216
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3:00pm (lunch), 6:00pm – 10:30 (dinner)
Other Buffet Entries
Chiso Zanmai (Clarke Quay Central)
Sakura International Buffet (Admiralty Park)
Silver Shell Café (Shangri La Rasa Sentosa)
10 at Claymore (Pan Pacific Orchard)
Plaza Brasserie (Park Royal Hotel)
