Our taxi pulled up to the front door and we emerged onto the gravel driveway. Hesitantly, we approached the entrance, disregarding the polite sign indicating the route we desired was for hotel guests only. Still, we were warmly greeted upon entering the original, historic Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
We came here for brunch, because we wanted European cuisine, which our hotel in Chinatown did not offer, and we wanted to take my mother, visiting from half a world away, someplace special.
A professionally attired and composed young lady discreetly checked if it were possible to accommodate our request. In short order she was informed that we could be shown to the Tiffin Room. Along the way, we drank in the hotel lobby’s splendor: its beautiful tapestry, elegant woodwork, and lustrous marble, all in quiet repose.
Upon entering the Tiffin Room, we marveled at the crisp, mint-colored tablecloths and the selection of antique tiffins on display behind the ample buffet. From a previous posting on the subcontinent, we knew the important role these containers play in feeding millions of Indians their lunch each day. We had read about the marvelous efficiency with which bicyclists pick up millions of tiffins each day from homes around Mumbai, transport them to downtown offices, then return them home, with an astonishing 99 percent success rate.
Besides fresh honey, danishes, cheeses and other enticing items, we found plump blueberries, quite rare in this part of the world, where the fruit more often than not comes in the form of jelly or in a can.
A la carte items were also available. My spouse ordered french toast, which was the best I ever tasted - lightly crispy on the outside and fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth-delicious on the inside, topped with real maple syrup.
The service and presentation were exquisite. Our server anticipated our every wish, promptly pulling out the chair for us whenever we returned from the buffet tables. The fine bone china and sterling silver service added an appropriately elegant touch to the affair.
Sublimely sated, we walked over to St. Andrew's Cathedral, to burn calories and to seek forgiveness for our gluttony.
We came here for brunch, because we wanted European cuisine, which our hotel in Chinatown did not offer, and we wanted to take my mother, visiting from half a world away, someplace special.
A professionally attired and composed young lady discreetly checked if it were possible to accommodate our request. In short order she was informed that we could be shown to the Tiffin Room. Along the way, we drank in the hotel lobby’s splendor: its beautiful tapestry, elegant woodwork, and lustrous marble, all in quiet repose.
Upon entering the Tiffin Room, we marveled at the crisp, mint-colored tablecloths and the selection of antique tiffins on display behind the ample buffet. From a previous posting on the subcontinent, we knew the important role these containers play in feeding millions of Indians their lunch each day. We had read about the marvelous efficiency with which bicyclists pick up millions of tiffins each day from homes around Mumbai, transport them to downtown offices, then return them home, with an astonishing 99 percent success rate.
Besides fresh honey, danishes, cheeses and other enticing items, we found plump blueberries, quite rare in this part of the world, where the fruit more often than not comes in the form of jelly or in a can.
A la carte items were also available. My spouse ordered french toast, which was the best I ever tasted - lightly crispy on the outside and fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth-delicious on the inside, topped with real maple syrup.
The service and presentation were exquisite. Our server anticipated our every wish, promptly pulling out the chair for us whenever we returned from the buffet tables. The fine bone china and sterling silver service added an appropriately elegant touch to the affair.
Sublimely sated, we walked over to St. Andrew's Cathedral, to burn calories and to seek forgiveness for our gluttony.
No comments:
Post a Comment