"The Art of Sundays" Champagne Brunch at InterContinental Singapore
The Art of Sundays Champagne Brunch at InterContinental Singapore's Lobby Lounge is served every Sunday from 11.30 am to 3 pm, great for those who are looking to end their weekend on a high note.
Free flow of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne
(served for a limited period in Magnum bottles)
This is a long overdue review as I was invited for a tasting just before my week-long Christmas holiday in Hong Kong, hence there's a cute Gingerbread House with Santa in many of my pictures.
For $158++ per person, guests are offered unlimited Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne in addition to bespoke cocktails by a dedicated mixologist, Pink Elephant Sparkling Rose, wine, soft drinks and Irish Coffee.
A berrylicious alcoholic cocktail
The non-alcoholic option, priced at $128++, comes with free flow of soft drinks and juices.
The price for children aged three to 12 years is $58++ per child. Hopefully, they'll be so enthralled by the soothing tunes of the piano and the syrupy vocals of the singer to let you eat in peace.
Chilled Seafood: Alaskan King Crab, Mussels & Marrons
Champagne Brunch is one of my favourite weekend indulgences (albeit sparingly) because of the alluring spread of food and the price tag. As many Singaporeans love to eat seafood, the variety offered in the chilled seafood section is often of great importance to local diners. The Art of Sundays Champagne Brunch offered Alaskan King Crab, Mussels, Marrons, Boston Lobster, Tiger Prawns and Scallops spread out on two chilled seafood counters.
Oysters
My favourite part of the chilled seafood spread is the oyster counter. Like most of the items on the line, the selection changes with the season. During our visit, there were oysters from the US, Canada and France (Fine de Claire).
Pot Steamed Mussels
(the shy chef ran away when I was taking a photo)
If you prefer your shellfish to be cooked, there's a "Pot Steamed" Mussels station.
"Pot Steamed" Mussels in Sauce à la Mirepoix
I love Moules Mariniere (traditional French dish of Mussels steamed in White Wine) so I enjoyed the "Pot Steamed" Mussels in Sauce à la Mirepoix (a buttery and wine-infused stock) very much. With just a little more wine, this would be a Must-Try in my book!
Assorted Sushi
The Japanese counters are amongst my favourite areas on a buffet line because the dishes offered tend to be lighter and seemingly healthier.
Sashimi Counter
I gave Sushi a miss and made a beeline for the Sashimi counter for a low-carb start to the meal.
Cha Soba, Somen & Zaru Soba (clockwise from top)
I love carbs, especially when they come in the form of noodles so I couldn't resist the three types of noodles that were laid out before me. However, I mixed all three varieties into a bowl as form of portion control.
Some of the appetizers
There was a pretty wide variety of appetizers but as I'd been eating a lot during that period, I tried very hard (and failed pretty badly) to restrain myself at this buffet.
Marinated Olives, Vegetables & Salad
There were temptations at just about every corner. I could never resist marinated olives, artichoke hearts, grilled aubergines and feta-stuffed tomatoes.
Olive Section
A tiny piece of Heaven on Earth for olive lovers. I loved the Anchovy-stuffed Olive, Green Manzanilla, Kalamata, Pistou, Sicilian Nocellara and Vinci Olives for their rich flavours and firm textures. This section is a Must-Try for olive lovers.
Salad Station
Toss your own salad at this Salad Station, which was located next to the marinated vegetables and olives station.
More salads & Duck Rillette
The next table held heartier salads, which included a prawn salad, Salade Niçoise with blocks of Salmon and a loaf-like mound of Duck Rillette.
Soup, Cured Meats & Cheese Counter
This has to be my favourite section of the buffet as I love cured meats, cheese and soup. They were serving Wild Forest Mushroom Soup and Chicken Consomme that day, which weren't particularly outstanding.
My favourite cured meats from the line
Clockwise from top left: Jamon Serrano, Coppa Ham, Smoked Pork Flat Pancetta & Rosett
These were my favourite cured meats from the buffet line. I generally prefer richer tasting cured meats with more fats because the fat adds moisture to the meat and makes the thin slices seem to melt on your tongue when eating them.
This is my platter of Cured Meat, Smoked Duck and Roasted Pork Belly with Caramelized Apple. The Roasted Pork Belly was fairly moist with a crisp crackling but I wished the apple was more caramelized for a smoky flavour.
Peranakan-Inspired Tapas
Beef Cheek Rendang on Rice Cracker, Homemade Seafood Otah Otah,
Chicken & Beef Satay and Braised Itek Sio in Mantou
In keeping with InterContinental Singapore's Peranakan heritage, Peranakan-Inspired Tapas is served at this Champagne Brunch. I loved the tender and flavourful Beef Cheek Rendang on Rice Cracker. The succulent Braised Itek Sio (Nonya Braised Duck with Tamarind & Coriander) served in a Fried Mantou (Chinese Bun) was excellent too. These two items are a Must-Try!
The cured meats, bread, soup and cheese counter ran parallel to the hot food section. I usually give the hot food section in the buffet line a miss in favour of the live stations.
Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon "Live" Station
I prefer dishes from "live" stations because they are prepared a la minute. I especially love it if there's one serving dishes such as Eggs Benedict on Toasted English Muffins!
Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon & topped with Caviar
served on a Toasted English Muffin
The Eggs Benedict served at The Art of Sundays Champagne Brunch are given a touch of luxe with a generous dollop of caviar on top.
Not one for a messy plate, I usually prefer to cut a corner of the poached egg so that the yolk flows out more slowly onto the fluffy toasted English Muffin that lay beneath. This was lusciously savoury with a creamy touch. Definitely a Must-Try!
Pan-Fried Foie Gras & Beef Carving Station
The Pan-Fried Foie Gras and Beef Carving Station was located next to the Eggs Benedict Station.
Pan-Fried Foie Gras with Toasted Brioche & Caramelized Onions
How could we resist Pan-Fried Foie Gras? The Pan-fried Foie Gras had a lovely crisp browned surface that imparted a smoky flavour and broke open to reveal a rich and creamy core. Served with sweet and smoky Caramelized Onions on toasted buttery Brioche, this is also a Must-Try!
Australian Beef Striploin
served with gravy, Bearnaise Sauce & 5 types of mustard
I'm usually not a fan of beef from the carving station as they tend to be on the dry side. The Beef Striploin was a little dry but that was helped by the gravy and gourmet mustards. I'm more of a Ribeye person than a Striploin person because I like my beef to have a little more fat and flavour.
Chef adding some White Truffle Oil to the pan at the Pasta Station
Pasta is one of my favourite comfort food so we had to try the 2 types of pasta that were served.
Lobster Cheese Ravioli
I'm generally not a fan of tomato-based sauces so I wasn't too hot on this pasta dish. Perhaps we should have ordered the cream-based, truffle oil infused pasta that the Chef was prepping when we stopped by.
Chilli Crab Linguine
The Chilli Crab Linguine is a specialty here. Although I'm Singaporean, I've never been a fan of Chilli Crab (an unofficial "national dish") because I hate the taste of tomato ketchup in my food. It was for the very same reason that I voted against Jumbo and for Gordon Ramsay's version of Chilli Crab (no ketchup, yay!). This might appeal to Chilli Crab fans as the flavour comes pretty close to the real deal, only this time there's pasta instead of Mantou.
Cheese Section
The Cheese section is one of my favourite parts of the buffet line too. I absolutely love cheese especially the soft ones.
Clockwise from top: Camembert, Morbier, Saint Nectaire
& Bleu d'Auvergne
I was getting pretty full so I picked a few favourites. I was first introduced to Morbier many years ago as a student on a language immersion programme in the Franche-Comte region of France. A semi-soft cheese with a layer of ash in the middle, Morbier is mildly flavoured so I started with it before moving onto the fattier and softer cheese. The Saint Nectaire had a slightly nutty and fruity flavour which I thought tasted pretty good with cranberries. I generally prefer to eat cheese on their own but sometimes dried fruits, nuts and celery sticks are in order. I love softer cheese such as Camembert and Bleu d'Auvergne because they have a creamy texture and fuller flavour.
This is just part of the dessert spread on the buffet line.
Complete with a Chocolate Fountain and an assortment of goodies on sticks waiting to be dipped into hot chocolate, this should be fairly popular with kids.
Straits Peranakan Nonya Kueh
If you're into traditional Nonya Kueh, there's a small selection available on the buffet line. If you look closely enough, you'll see a traditional Peranakan-style Tingkat (Tiffin Carrier) behind the kuehs.
Floating Island on Sarawak Pineapple & Ginger Coulis
These bowls caught my eye because from far, they reminded me of Chinese Longevity Buns. The traditional French dessert, îles flottantes, has been given a tropical interpretation with the use of sweet and spicy Sarawak Pineapple and Ginger Coulis.
Deulcey Blonde Chocolate Tart & Chocolate Pavé
In addition to a variety of cakes and cookies, these items should please those who really have a sweet tooth.
Exotic Panacotta Basil & Mint. Premium White Wine Jelly
Chocolate & Cognac
These were my favourite items from the dessert line as I do not have much of a sweet tooth and love chocolate. I loved the light Exotic Panacotta Basil & Mint, the fruitiness of the Premium White Wine Jelly and rich creaminess of the Chocolate & Cognac.
Fresh Fruits
If desserts aren't your cup of tea, there's a selection of fresh fruits for the health conscious.
The Art of Sundays Champagne Brunch also offers tableside preparation of Crêpes Suzette, one of my favourite desserts!
Crêpes Suzette
The soft, thin crepes in a buttery, orange juice, Brandy and Grand Marnier sauce were divine. Topped with blueberries, chopped strawberries and vanilla ice cream (that melted really quickly), this was my favourite dessert for the afternoon. Definitely a Must-Try!
Diners who have opted for the alcoholic version will be offered Irish Coffee, prepared tableside.
Baileys Irish Cream Coffee
Whilst I loved the alcoholic notes and the creamy notes in this drink, I thought that the coffee base was made from beans that were roasted a little too dark for my taste and was thus a little bitter. Even the sugar that was added in the preparation didn't do much to mitigate the bitterness of the coffee. You might like to ask for more sugar at the side so you can add more if required.
Lobby Lounge InterContinental Singapore, 80 Middle Road, Singapore 188966. Telephone: +65 6825-1008 Reserve Online: https://www.facebook.com/ICSingapore 'The Art of Sundays' Champagne Brunch is served from 11.30 am to 3 pm every Sunday. PS: Thank you, InterContinental Singapore, for the kind hospitality and for lovely Gingerbread House with my name on it!