Let’s take a dinner dine-in today at Town Restaurant at Fullerton Hotel at the Marina Bay district. The hotel restaurant is known to offer tad an extensive buffet spread served akin to a nod to the Singapore hawker scene. Notably, the establishment was featured in the Heritage Hawker Stories for bringing Singapore’s local hawker cuisine and dining experience to the masses.
Fullerton hotel has a history as old as Singapore itself. Originally completed in 1928, It served as Singapore’s General Post Office, a ministry building and has since been transformed into a luxury hotel by the Far East group. Notably, most of the building’s original structure was preserved with modern touches, with a large indoor central atrium greeting you at the Town Restaurant entrance.
Also, the restaurant’s interior tad has a modern yet sophisticated feel. Decked with large windows offering panoramic views of the Singapore River and passing bum boats.
Interesting, there is both outdoor and indoor seating options are available, with the outdoor offering views of the adjacent Asian Civilisations Museum across the Singapore river. Despite this, all diners during my dine-in were all sitting within the air-conditioned premises.
Furthermore, Town Restaurant occasionally hosts thematic dining events that spotlight specific culinary traditions. The “Let’s Meat” dinner buffet is one such event, focusing on grilled meats and seafood.
Food is served across two main islands, with a dessert section on the upper level. This is flanked by noodle, Japanese, and seafood sections. The main lower section houses cooked foods, including grilled meats. The spacious seating provides for a comfortable ambiance, while attentive staff promptly clear your plates so your table remains ready.
Grilled Meat selections
You can’t call it the “Let’s Meat” buffet without a generous meat selection. The so-called meat-focused buffet offers a curated range of grilled meats such as herb-roasted prime beef, Asian cooked food and a large dessert island to boot. Also, the grilled skewers section highlights Thai street food classics like Moo Ping and Ping Gai. Each skewer is marinated with regional spices and grilled to juicy perfection for rich, charred flavours.
Furthermore, the Butcher’s Block features pickled and freshly grilled meats. Cold cuts take centre stage with a charcuterie spread of Prosciutto Ham, Rosette de Lyon, Milano Salami, Mortadella, and Beef Pastrami. These are served with condiments such as Dijon mustard, horseradish, cornichons, and caper berries for bold, savoury flavours.
Also, besides the Butcher’s Block, the meat live station serves Australian Marble Score 2 Portoro Beef Cubes, cooked fresh. These are paired with colourful sides like mango, pineapple, strawberry, tomato, asparagus, cucumber, kale, and frisée, finished with a sweet chilli vinaigrette.
Despite the meat focus, I found the meat selections slightly underwhelming for the price. The roast section only offered one option of Black Angus ribeye done medium rare, with sauce choices like a tiger beer marinade. However, I found Chinese roast cabinet was one of the better meat offerings. It features Pork Char Siew, Roast Pork Belly and Roast Chicken. You can also pair it with Crispy Bottom Shanghai Pork Bun, which bring us to the Asian selections of the buffet.
Asian dishes
Furthermore, the Asian selection comprises of Chinese and Indian dishes all found on the lower floor island. The soup station offers warm, hearty options such as Peranakan Fish Maw Soup or mixed cabbage soup to start your meal. Also, the soups are rich in umami, these soups offer traditional flavours that evoke nostalgic comfort. Also, the Asian Delights section celebrates regional heritage.
You can find dishes like Beef Rendang, Mutton Masak Merah, and Kay Pachok roasted chicken. Other highlights include pork ribs with salted fish. Also, there is also roast duck with chilli plum sauce, sichuan braised eggplant, smoked duck kimchi fried rice, and steamed otah-otah.
The Indian cuisine station is a tiny minor section allowing you to have an Indian food taster with a few pots offering staples like Lamb Tikka Kadai and Chicken Tikka Masala. You can have them served with flavourful biryani rice, naan, and crispy papadums. Condiments like Mango chutney and pachranga pickle complete the Indian spread here.
Moreover, the buffet also features local favourites such as Hainanese Chicken Rice and laksa. The laksa is made to order, keeping noodles bouncy and broth rich. At the noodle counter, Town’s signature laksa allows customisation with prawn, lobster ball, fish cake, quail egg, bean curd puff, beansprouts, and laksa leaf.
Strangely, there was no Italian selections, nor a pasta station during my visit, which was odd. Also, noodle selections are rather limited too. Other noodle options include a fragrant pork rib herbal bak kut teh broth. It is served with mushrooms, bean curd puff, fried tau kee, crispy pork lard, and coriander.
Underwhelming seafood section
Moreover, the Seafood and Japanese sections were disappointing. The Seafood on Ice station features prawns, clams, and mussels. But there are no fresh oysters or even lobster during the weekend dinner, which usually command more premium menu offerings.
Offerings included poached sea prawns, green mussels, purple half-shell scallops, and snow crab legs. The snow crab is the only seafood highlight and is served fresh, best enjoyed by stripping the meat out of the fleshy long legs.
Additionally, the Japanese station felt quite like an afterthought. The sashimi counter on the buffet upper floor features a small selection of fresh salmon, tuna, and swordfish. You can pair them with condiments soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger. Besides sushi, the self-help corner also offers a variety of maki, and soba noodles at a DIY soba station with soy sauce.
Also, the sashimi don’t get replenished very often and are all pre-sliced. You self-help them from an enclosed chiller- a nice touch to keep the food fresh and free form pests. There are also small plate of Pork Tonkatsu, Tori Karaage, and Yakitori skewers, with condiments like wasabi and miso mayo.
Salads and cheese
Furthermore, there is a Mediterranean salad and cheese section. You can find greens, nuts, grains, and smoked hams, salmon, and tuna, along with a self-serve bread counter. The cheeseboard includes cheeses paired with honeycomb, grapes, and dried fruits, along with sourdough, multigrain, and baguette. Spreads include chicken floss, pandan kaya, and azuki red bean. This section seemed less popular, likely appealing more to western or vegetarian guests, which contrasts with the buffet’s meat focus.
There is a parmesan wheel allowing you to toss your own custom salad mix. Condiments here includes romaine, quail eggs, bacon, croutons, smoked duck, chicken, and chorizo in grated parmesan, finished with creamy Caesar dressing. A healthy salad bar and compound salads section here. It offers fresh vegetables and pre-mixed options for balanced plates full of colour and texture.
Moreover, the cheeseboard here offered an interesting platter selection of cheeses. These are paired with fresh honeycomb, grapes, dried apricots, prunes, almonds, and walnuts. This is served alongside a small spread of artisanal breads to start your dinner. This includes sourdough bread, multigrain, and baguette, with bread spreads like chicken floss, pandan kaya, azuki red bean, and assorted butters and jams. Despite this, I found it hard to pair these breads with a lack of creamy soup, other than clear Asian soups.
Impressive Sweet desserts counter
The desserts here at Town Restaurant is one of their better offerings. The dessert section sits on its own island at the restaurant’s entrance. Here, the sweet indulgences offers a playful mix of heritage and innovation. Interestingly, there’s a flowing chocolate fountain to go with a selection of marshmallows, strawberries and even fruit.
Also, there is a reasonable range of mini desserts. These include egg tarts, Pulut Hitam, and other cakes with local ingredients like pandan, calamansi, and coconut. Sweets are fresh and balanced, especially the Nonya kuehs.
Furthermore, Cakes and Tarts are a highlight offering here too. You can find it lined around the perimeter of the dessert island station. Notably here you can find Charlotte Cake, Matcha Red Bean, Gianduja Mocha. I particular found the Crunchy Peanut Chocolate, and Strawberry Shortcake a sweet delight.
Also, the lychee cake an interesting take of the local favourite. This is on top of other local favourites like Ondeh Ondeh and Pandan Kaya Tart are placed alongside French-style desserts such as Cassis Chestnut and Mango Jivara. Nyonya kuehs and Portuguese egg tarts add nostalgic flair.
Moreover, standout dessert selections here include Sweet Corn Crème Brulée with maple-candied bacon. There are also hot local favourites such as Tau Suan with You Tiao, Cheng Tng, Bubur Cha Cha. There is also a Nyonya Durian Chendol cup section, topped with coconut milk and Gula Melaka.
Additionally, the Dessert Shooters station offers bite-sized items like Durian Pengat, Bubur Cha Panna Cotta, and Nyonya Trifle. Local Kopi Goat Milk Tiramisu adds a twist, while a Yuzu Chocolate Fountain allows you to dip fruits, cookies, and marshmallows. The four types of ice cream offered, chocolate, vanilla, matcha green tea, and red bean offers a sweet, creamy finale.
Could do better with more cooked food variety
Town Restaurant meat dinner buffet is available from Tuesday to Saturday evenings, priced at S$88+ per adult from Tuesday to Thursday, and as in this review, costs S$98+ on Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays (About $117 nett/adult). One child ($49) aged six to 11 years dines free with each paying adult. Complimentary parking coupons are offered on request.
I found Town Restaurant offer less value for the disappointing lack of food variety offered as opposed to other hotel buffets in the similar sub-$100/pax price range, in the likes to Edge Restaurant buffet at Pan pacific (with has a more extensive food and drink selection), as well as Oscars at the Conrad Centennial Hotel with a better meat, roast and grill offerings. Even the more expensive Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Colony food offerings are much wider than Town restaurant, despite Colony just being marginally more expensive at ~S$130/pax.
Town restaurant could consider expanding a larger selection of seafood (oysters, lobster), roast meats (turkey, ham) and Asian cooked food (e.g. fish, vegetables), as well as a dedicated European section offering pizzas and pasta to keep up with the competition.
Also, it is also worth noting that sometimes, Town Restaurant offers discount with credit cards and dining partners where you can get up to 10-20% off your bill (~$94/nett). This might improve the value of dining here, though for the spread on my dine-in, a sub S$80 price point be more reasonable.
Wrapping up
Wrapping up, do note that the restaurant has a semi-casual dress code. So shorts (including Bermuda shorts), active wear, and slippers are not permitted. Though not enforced, I had seen dining guests walking around in berms and slippers during my dine-in visit.
Notably on other menu offerings, Town Restaurant also serves a breakfast buffet mainly for hotel guests from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. It includes a mix of local and international dishes catering to traditional and modern palates. Their lunch buffet runs on weekdays from 12pm to 2:30pm. It offers a smaller sashimi selection of salmon and tuna, as well as a curated peranakan dessert corner with items such as Ayam Buah Keluak and Babi Pongteh. Lastly, their Sunday Brunch from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. It includes free-flow offerings and a curated menu of meats, seafood, and desserts.
All in all, dining at Town Restaurant buffet in The Fullerton Hotel offers a refined yet inviting experience. It blends classic architecture, attentive service and heritage charm by the riverside. The quality of the food is adequate, though let down for the lack of variety of the international and local spread for the relatively steep asking price with a lower value proposition as to the competition.
This review is not sponsored by the establishment nor did they provide any editorial input or reimbursements into the content and outcome of this review. All meals were paid for in full out of my own pocket as a regular and anonymous patron.
Verdict:
Must Go! | Actually pretty Good | Worth Trying | Shortlist Optionally | Should Avoid
Town Restaurant Buffet Fullerton Hotel Makan Place Locality Map
(Reservations are required)
Town Restaurant
Ground floor, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore,
1 Fullerton Square,
Singapore 049178
Opening Hours: 6:30–10:30am (breakfast), 12–2:30pm (lunch), 6:30– 10pm (dinner)
