Once in a while, a lazy Sunday brunch is the perfect recipe for unwinding. Throw in free flow of Champagne and you are talking unwinding at its decadent best. Having sampled most Sunday brunches in Singapore, I haven't been able to find the one of which I could become a regular patron. A friend highly recommended the brunch at MELT and on a cool Sunday, off we set to sample it. On calling for reservations, I was informed Veuve Clicquot champagne was being served that Sunday (champagne brand served keeps changing so please enquire beforehand if you are picky). This already earned MELT one brownie point as VC is my preferred bubbly and its tough to find it at brunches where usually the more popular Taittingers and Mumms rule.
Given it was a long weekend when most people leave Singapore, the place was not full to capacity as brunches are wont to be. MELT has a circular layout which offers more privacy than sitting in a large living room kind of layout at Greenhouse (Ritz Carlton) or Oscar's (Conrad Centennial). We chose to sit outdoors closer to the grill. Our table attendant informed us apart from the Champagne, house wines and beers, free flow of Martinis and select other cocktails are also included in buffet price. Now that is a first for any brunch I know of in Singapore.
This is a true world cafe and there are over 100 dishes to choose from. Having made a mental note of what I wanted to sample, I decided to focus on those and not bite into everything on offer. By the end of it, we did not even get around to the pasta station or the local Asian delights. But then, there is only so much one can have in a single sitting. I started with fruits and cheese. The cheese board is delightful with quite a few farm house cheeses and you can tell they are fresh. Moving on to the Japanese counter, the sushi and sashimi were good but not extraordinary. I'd rate Oscar's at Conrad higher on the Japanese fare scale. Another problem with the Japanese food counter was that it is not freely walkable. Some tables are set too close to the counter and you have to walk in a U-turn which means jostling with people coming to and fro the counter. Also, the staff does not seem to be doing a thorough job of keeping the counters clean as you see bits of wasabi, soya sauce, noodles, chopsticks lying about carelessly.
Next to be sampled was the Indian fare which was surprisingly quite good. The prawn curry was delicious and choice of naan breads was impressive. The chicken tikka kebab is another recommended item. You can skip the biryani and lamb curry : too bland by North Indian food standards. My final food stop was the barbeque hut. You have to walk upto the station and select from among the steak, lamb, sausages, satay etc and the barbequed items will be sent to your table. Given the large amount of seafood available on the ice bed indoors, it was a big surprise to be told there is no barbequed seafood available. I reckon having some chargrilled prawns and lobsters would earn MELT more brownie points. However, if you prefer chilled seafood, then MELT will not disappoint you. Their large selection is displayed smack in the middle of the restaurant and is loaded with crabs, lobsters, oysters, prawns, mussels, squids, etc. I was in half a mind to try the oysters but I need them to be shucked. Not spotting anyone around to request to, I gave the chilled seafood a miss save some prawns which were juicy.
As stuffed as we were, we couldn't have left MELT without trying a couple of items from the mammoth selection of desserts available. If you have a super sweet tooth, then you'd be better off going to MELT for a dessert brunch. Waffles are the fastest moving items here. We settled for home-made caramel and chocolate ice cream along with a portion of Tiramisu and chocolate mousse. Top notch.
At SGD 138++ for the Champagne brunch, MELT is not cheap. But then again, lifestyle spending is relative. Greenhouse at Ritz Carlton and several others charge more for their champagne brunches and in my opinion, they are not half as good. The service at MELT is quite good. I'd give them full marks not so much for being efficient as for being discreet. Whenever I left my table for a helping, I'd return to a neatly folded napkin, topped up Champagne and a full glass of drinking water. Our check took a long time to come and thats where I'll withhold some marks for service. Overall, MELT is recommended though my search for the best brunch didn't end here. Nonetheless, if you are hunting for a relaxed Sunday venue and think your appetite can do justice to large spreads, MELT should definitely be on your check list.
Given it was a long weekend when most people leave Singapore, the place was not full to capacity as brunches are wont to be. MELT has a circular layout which offers more privacy than sitting in a large living room kind of layout at Greenhouse (Ritz Carlton) or Oscar's (Conrad Centennial). We chose to sit outdoors closer to the grill. Our table attendant informed us apart from the Champagne, house wines and beers, free flow of Martinis and select other cocktails are also included in buffet price. Now that is a first for any brunch I know of in Singapore.
This is a true world cafe and there are over 100 dishes to choose from. Having made a mental note of what I wanted to sample, I decided to focus on those and not bite into everything on offer. By the end of it, we did not even get around to the pasta station or the local Asian delights. But then, there is only so much one can have in a single sitting. I started with fruits and cheese. The cheese board is delightful with quite a few farm house cheeses and you can tell they are fresh. Moving on to the Japanese counter, the sushi and sashimi were good but not extraordinary. I'd rate Oscar's at Conrad higher on the Japanese fare scale. Another problem with the Japanese food counter was that it is not freely walkable. Some tables are set too close to the counter and you have to walk in a U-turn which means jostling with people coming to and fro the counter. Also, the staff does not seem to be doing a thorough job of keeping the counters clean as you see bits of wasabi, soya sauce, noodles, chopsticks lying about carelessly.
Next to be sampled was the Indian fare which was surprisingly quite good. The prawn curry was delicious and choice of naan breads was impressive. The chicken tikka kebab is another recommended item. You can skip the biryani and lamb curry : too bland by North Indian food standards. My final food stop was the barbeque hut. You have to walk upto the station and select from among the steak, lamb, sausages, satay etc and the barbequed items will be sent to your table. Given the large amount of seafood available on the ice bed indoors, it was a big surprise to be told there is no barbequed seafood available. I reckon having some chargrilled prawns and lobsters would earn MELT more brownie points. However, if you prefer chilled seafood, then MELT will not disappoint you. Their large selection is displayed smack in the middle of the restaurant and is loaded with crabs, lobsters, oysters, prawns, mussels, squids, etc. I was in half a mind to try the oysters but I need them to be shucked. Not spotting anyone around to request to, I gave the chilled seafood a miss save some prawns which were juicy.
As stuffed as we were, we couldn't have left MELT without trying a couple of items from the mammoth selection of desserts available. If you have a super sweet tooth, then you'd be better off going to MELT for a dessert brunch. Waffles are the fastest moving items here. We settled for home-made caramel and chocolate ice cream along with a portion of Tiramisu and chocolate mousse. Top notch.
At SGD 138++ for the Champagne brunch, MELT is not cheap. But then again, lifestyle spending is relative. Greenhouse at Ritz Carlton and several others charge more for their champagne brunches and in my opinion, they are not half as good. The service at MELT is quite good. I'd give them full marks not so much for being efficient as for being discreet. Whenever I left my table for a helping, I'd return to a neatly folded napkin, topped up Champagne and a full glass of drinking water. Our check took a long time to come and thats where I'll withhold some marks for service. Overall, MELT is recommended though my search for the best brunch didn't end here. Nonetheless, if you are hunting for a relaxed Sunday venue and think your appetite can do justice to large spreads, MELT should definitely be on your check list.
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