Azur

Out with the old and in with the new is what Azur at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport is striving to offer after a revamp of their menu. The new menu features local delicacies such as chicken rice, a spread of fresh seafood and of course an international selection boasting pasta and carved meat.

From their fresh seafood counter, be sure to hit up the fresh succulent and plump oysters which are shucked fresh on-the-go. Besides oysters, the they also offer poached chilled prawns and mussels, which pairs nicely with the sauces available. If you are not a seafood fanatic, head for the salad counter which features a selection of fresh greens to be paired with dressings of your choice.

The international spread at Azur features Indonesian dishes such as Ayam Penyet, an extensive spread of freshly hand-crafted Japanese sushi, an Italian pasta section where you get to DIY your own pasta, as well as a live meat carving station which offers seasonal meat.

On the local spread, one can expect to indulge in local treats such as steamed chicken rice, rojak and stir-fried slipper lobsters, just to name a few. We definitely enjoyed the rojak, which allows you to choose specific ingredients you want to create our very own version of the local dish.

Of course, the best part of the meal and also the reason why you have to save space and eat in moderation has to be dessert. The dessert spread at Azur definitely does not shortchange. On the huge counter top, you will be able to find popular favourites such as cheesecake and bread butter pudding. Our favourite however, was the durian cake which we (durian lovers) enjoyed the most.

The spread at Azur indeed is value for money given the fact that the buffet line is pretty extensive. To us, seafood is pretty much the main factor of a buffet and we were glad that the seafood section offered fresh seafood. Definitely a place to be at if you want to indulge in a yummy yet wallet-friendly meal. Note though that parking however can be a bit ridiculous as it is at Changi Aiport after all.



Azur
75 Airport Boulevard
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport
Singapore 819664
+65 6823 5354
www.crowneplaza.com/changiairport


This was an invited media tasting.

Peach Blossoms

Chinese New Year is a time of the year when no one should be on a diet. This year, one can expect a line-up of extravagant dishes put together at Marina Mandarin's Peach Blossoms, specially created for this joyous occasion by their executive chef.

For a start, the Marina Mandarin Xi Qi Yang Yang Yu Sheng is a dish that's bound to whet your appetite. This colourful dish is generously topped with salmon sashimi and has a lot of textures from the carefully selected ingredients to be tossed. Next up, we enjoyed the Double-boiled Superior Bird's Nest with Morchella in Clear Soup which was double-boiled for hours to bring out every bit of goodness from the ingredients in it. The flavourful soup had of a whole piece of bird's nest in it and the broth was clear yet flavourful at the same time.

A dish not to be missed is the Peach Blossoms Imperial Sea Treasures Pot. The huge pot that is enough to at least feed 5, consists of whole abalones, fish maw, sea cucumber, dried scallops, mushrooms, pig trotters, dried oysters and goose web is braised over low heat to slowly cook the delicate treasures that can be found within. The end result was an extremely delectable dish that was filled with collagen goodness - so much so that we felt less guilty after finishing a huge portion of it.

If you like your roasted meat, be sure to go for the Roasted Crispy Goose, which came served with crackling crispy skin on the outside, roasted to perfection and juicy within. The meat was extremely tender, except the fact that it was a tad too salty. The saltiness however, covered up the gaminess of the goose.

For dessert this year, Marina Mandarin has created a modern version of the Chinese flour cake. The Steamed Cheese Nian Gao, shaped in fishes, has a sweet yet savoury flavour to it which we couldn't quite describe. A good rendition of this traditional dessert, we however thought that the taste is pretty acquired.

The dishes at Peach Blossoms never fails to impress each time we are there. Cooked using traditional Chinese cooking methods such as roasting and double-boiling, we like how they keep their dishes as original and simple as it should be, without modifying them - definitely a place we recommend to get your Chinese food fix.



Peach Blossoms
6 Raffles Boulevard
Marina Mandarin Singapore
Singapore 039594
+65 6845 1000


This was an invited media tasting.

Shabu Shabu Ramen

Well known for their variety of ramen, Ramen Champion's new addition to their extended menu is Shabu Shabu, also known as Japanese hot pot to some. The menu is only available at their Great World City outlet at the moment, and unlike most places that serve you a buffet, they serve set meals that emphasise more on quality more than quantity.

Each pot comes with a choice of 2 soup bases - Paitan, Miso, Kelp or Tom Yum Soup. We were recommended the Paitan (pork broth soup), as well as the Tom Yum, which had a mild kick and was packed with lots of spices. We think this is a good combination if you are in a group and if you have different preferences. 

The menu (set meal and ala carte) features a range of ingredients from premium meat such as pork belly and beef loin, to seafood platters consisting of fresh prawns and scallops. Of course, if you are going as a group, we recommend the set meals which are more value for money and has a balance of ingredients such as meat, seafood, ramen and vegetables. The set meals vary, some for 1-2 person, while some can feed 3-4.

Apart from their hotpot menu, there are a few side dishes you won't want to be missing out on. The Philadelphia Roll, Okonomiyaki Gyoza and the Tebasaki (chicken wings) were extremely delectable and are worthy to rave about.

As a whole, we are glad that Ramen Champion has added Shabu Shabu Ramen to what they have to offer. Apart from the flavourful soup broths, we enjoyed every bit of the shabu ingredients that were served fresh. Their signature ramen stores are still available at Ramen Champion, Great World City.



Shabu Shabu Ramen
1 Kim Seng Promenande
Great World City, #01-22
Singapore 237994
+65 6235 1295
www.ramenchampion.com.sg


This was an invited media tasting.