SINGAPORE: Basilico

rocket leaves, cherry tomatoes, artichoke, grilled mushroom, buffalo mozzarella, grilled seabass and grilled salmom

Here's my personal opinion on how to attack a buffet without feeling sick after (of course if you're one of those people with a second stomach for these things then feel free to ignore the next two paragraphs):

Go for the food you appreciate but don't get to eat on a regular basis, maybe the buffalo mozzarella or truffle oil dressing. Take only enough for at most three mouthfuls. Remember that every consecutive mouthful gives you less satisfaction than the previous one. Wouldn't you prefer the first bite of creamy, pillowy tiramisu to the tenth bite of sinfully rich chocolate cake? 

Bread, rice and pasta should be kept to a minimum; you won't savour that succulent roast duck and perfectly grilled seabass as much if you're filled up with carbohydrates. Buffets aren't about eating until your buttons burst, their selling point is the sheer variety of cuisine on offer - capitalize on this by eating a little bit of everything and only help yourself to a second portion of that grilled sea bass if you truly believe it's one of the best things in the buffet. 

scallop, roasted pumpkin, asparagus, smoked salmon, roast duck and grilled salmon

On the rare occasion that I go for buffets, I've found myself at Basilico at The Regent Hotel more often than others. While the array of food on offer seems to have decreased somewhat over the years, it has remained of unrelentingly stellar quality. Set up elegantly on a number of slenderly curved islands, Italian cuisine comprising food like nutty ravioli in silky cream sauce, subtle but creamy buffalo mozzarella and heart-stoppingly scrumptious mushrooms tempt even the most weight-conscious. Prosciutto, parma ham-wrapped rock melon, crisp salad leaves and tender, exquisitely dressed artichoke are some of the antipasti on display that make for perfect appetizers. 

Mouth-wateringly alluring savoury food aside, the desserts are not only thoughtfully prepared but exceedingly well-executed. The chef had perfected the level of citrusy sourness in his lemon meringue curd in a way that I hadn't managed to in my attempt (see previous post). I was pleasantly surprised when I sank my teeth into the crunchy biscuit of what I believed to be a miniature croissant and discovered velvety pistachio-suffused cream within. 

Basilico

Level 2, The Regent Singapore Hotel
One Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249715
Tel : +65 6725 3232

Weekday Lunch Buffet $42++ 
Saturday Lunch Buffet $46++
Sunday Brunch Buffet $69++ 
Daily Semi Buffet Dinner $69++