Treasured Flavours Buffet Lunch at York Hotel Orchard

-
3 years.

intro
That's how long it took for me to finally find the one. That one and only Curry Fish Head that I can say I totally love! You see, aside from the famous Hainanese Chicken Rice and Chili Crab, one thing that everyone has to try when in Singapore is a huge claypot of Curry Fish Head. It's such a yummy dish to share with a big group where everyone gets to have a plate of rice and you should scoop up big amounts of curry sauce and that big slice of fish meat to enjoy. My first taste of Curry Fish Head was when I went out for lunch with my colleagues. We had a really spicy one and it didn't help that we were dining at an al fresco zi char place so I ended up burning my tongue and sweating like crazy all throughout the meal. It sure was a fiery experience and it took me while before I got the courage to try it again. More tries after that and I still couldn't get myself to enjoy more than one serving as it was just too spicy.

A few weeks ago, I had lunch with Paul at York Hotel's White Rose Cafe and I was surprised that we were having Fish Head Curry for lunch. Uh oh! I was scared but I told myself that at least we're dining at an air conditioned restaurant. However, after my first serving of the fish head, I have to say that this is the BEST Fish Head Curry that I've ever had. It's perfect for people like me who loves the curry flavor but can't take the intense heat. It's loaded with veggies and the fish head itself is so big that 4-5 people can probably share this.



york hotel lunch 1
Apparently, White Rose Cafe is famous for their Chinese-style Fish Head Curry and for lunch, they actually have an on-going a la carte buffet where one can order the Fish Head Curry and more dishes to accompany it. The best part is, you get to take part of this promotion for only S$25! What a steal!

As we all know, a great, yummy dish needs its side kicks too so here are some side dishes that Paul and I tried for lunch that day. Let me share my top picks with you:

york hotel lunch 5
Beef Rendang 
Another local favorite of mine! I love the tender cubes of beef cooked in coconut cream and a bit of chili. This, together with the Fish Head Curry, will surely make you want to ask for that extra cup of rice. 

york hotel lunch 6
Black Ink Sotong
Among all our dishes that day, I loved the Black Ink Sotong! It reminds me of our Adobong Pusit minus the sour notes as I don't think they added vinegar in this dish. Nonetheless, it was yummehh!

york hotel lunch 2
Deep-Fried Ngoh Hiang with Pickles
 There's really something about these Chinese-style meat rolls that I love since I was a kid. Back in Manila, we call it "ngoh hiong" or "kikiam". Minced meat wrapped in thin beancurd skin and fried to perfection. It was served with some achar which was really delicious! We loved the achar so much that we specifically requested for an extra serving later on.

york hotel lunch 7
Deep-Fried Curry Drumlettes
I love chicken, fried chicken and chicken wings! One order comes in 4 pieces but if you're a fan too then I have a feeling you'll be getting an entire order all for yourself.

york hotel lunch 8
Chendol and Ice Kachang
Just the best way to end this delicious meal is by having some of White Rose Cafe's local desserts. I love the Chendol while Paul things the Ice Kachang was yummy! They also got some more options like the Cheng Tng and the Chin Chow with Palm Sugar too. Wish they also serve my favorite Bo Bo Cha Cha.

There are about 10 or more side dish options and these three were the favorites. Not only did they went well with the Fish Head Curry, they're really delightful too even eaten alone. We also tried some more dishes which were just a-okay for me.  

york hotel lunch 3
Silver Fish Omelette
I have to admit though that I wasn't too crazy about this as the flavor was pretty weak as compared to all the other dishes. 

york hotel lunch 9
Chap Chye
Not really crazy about this type of veggie dish.

I couldn't stop raving about the yummy Fish Head Curry and I can't wait for my family to come and visit for me to take them here. You see, when Mommy came to visit last year, she specifically requested that she wanted to try Fish Head Curry and I brought her to the same zi char place that served that extremely spicy version. Let's just say, Mommy had one small bite and I think she somehow regretted requesting for it since it was just too hot to be fully enjoyed. I'm sure she'll love White Rose Cafe's version too. 

Here's another piece of good news! From 25 to 29 April, the hotel is celebrating Administrative and Professionals Week so, for lunch this week, all diners will get to enjoy 10% discount when they availed of the S$25 lunch buffet. Plus, you can also try their King Prawn with a 1-for-1 deal. Now, you probably know where to head for lunch!

Photos by Paul Ang

White Rose Cafe is located in York Hotel Singapore, 21 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 228516.

Popular posts from this blog

Franny Mommy Finds : Happy Noz Sticker Patch

-
Image
As a parent, I have one thing that I dread the most and that's when any of my kids fall sick. From the moment we detect the faintest sniffle followed by sneezes and runny nose, we know one thing is for sure -- we will be having a couple of sleepless nights. For twins, it is very common that when one falls sick, expect the other one to follow suit in just a matter of days, sometimes within hours even.  A few years ago, my twins would catch a cold and we really would struggle because they'd become very fussy and cranky at night. They're sleepy and tired from the cold but with a clogged nose, they can't really have a restful night and this means, either one of us will have to sit up and carry them all throughout the night. It came to a point wherein both kids were sick and Paul and I eventually caught the bug too. It was just so hard to care for the kids while you're not in the best condition as well. This got me researching on remedies on how we can have a good night ...
Read more

Bag of Beans (Charito) in Tagaytay

-
Image
I can't believe that we have been frequenting Tagaytay for more than a decade now and not once have I written about Bag of Beans ! I tried searching all over this blog and I found..nothing. To think that not a single trip to Tagaytay, back then, would ever be complete without stopping by Bag of Beans for lunch or merienda. I must have been to engrossed with their coffee and bread that I wasn't able to take photos of the place and their food thus no blog entry. They, after all, have one of the best brewed coffee in Tagaytay and the yummiest bread to go with it too. Bag of Beans has been an institution in Tagaytay. Just like us, other tourists and visitors would make sure to drop by in order to grab a bite or to take home some of their homemade goodies every time they find themselves in Tagaytay. Bag of Beans started with one branch along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Main Road across Residence Inn Zoo and it wasn't even overlooking the Taal. While they may lack in having a scenic ...
Read more

IKEA Singapore Pyjamas Party

-
Image
For those who have watched the movie 500 Days of Summer starring Zooey Deschanel and my ex-boyfriend Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you probably also loved this scene: Paul and I are regular shoppers of IKEA . It's highly possible that someday, we will be able to furnish our future home with IKEA furniture pieces and items as it has been our go-to place since our 1st day here in Singapore. We would joke that if only we can live in IKEA, we probably would go for it. Well, who would have thought that the opportunity would come for us to "spend the night" in IKEA? A week ago, Paul and I were chosen to be one of the lucky few to join the exclusive IKEA Pyjamas Party . It was a 4-hour event starting at 11PM and we were told to come in..what else?!...our PJs. We were too shy though so we just went in our comfy t-shirt and shorts. Well, some were really brave and came in their full PJs complete with fluffy bedroom slippers! This event was to launch the 2015 IKEA catalogue also...
Read more