During our last stay here at Goodwood Park Hotel, my husband and I didn’t get to dine at Coffee Lounge and check out the ambience as it was packed during breakfast. In addition, having heard many positive reviews of the Taiwan Porridge Buffet served here, an inevitable visit has been at the back of my mind for the longest time. It was rather timely then that I chanced upon a HSBC WOW weekend promotion which offered a 1-for-1 Deluxe Tier buffet for $48++!
I invited my best friend and her husband along too since we were due for a meal together (: As the promotion was applicable for all days except Saturdays and for both lunch and dinner, we decided to do a Sunday night dinner.
- Our order:
- Taiwan porridge a la carte buffet (deluxe tier) for 2
- Spent: SGD$56.50
The restaurant has a few seating areas: The main one in the middle, and two narrower ones on each side. I thought it would’ve been nice to sit on the side facing the road as it was brighter with the natural light streaming in. Alas, we were ushered to the middle section, which was dimmer but still very comfortable. It didn’t feel like there were many diners around (or maybe the staff spaced us out quite well) and noise levels weren’t an issue. Great atmosphere for coffee and conversations!
The HSBC promotion we undertook only applied to the Deluxe Tier buffet option, the more expensive option as opposed to the Value Tier ($33++ per adult). This tier came with additional premium items that we could order from the menu. At the time of writing when I checked the website again, it seems they have completely removed the tiers to just have one option, which I guess simplifies everything. All items are free-flow all-you-can-eat except those from the Chef’s Special, where you’re limited to selecting only one from the four choices per table.
On to the food! Out of the many dishes we tried, we really liked the chilled beancurd in Japanese soya sauce, the deep-fried white pomfret with black bean sauce and the braised pork belly. They were flavourful with textures that were enjoyable. There were some nays though, such as the braised duck leg and the minced pork with salted egg yolk. The duck was tough and dry while the minced pork was overly sweet for a savoury dish. Everything else was quite okay, although we could’ve had a greater variety if we brought along a bigger group to share with.
Surprisingly, there was actually a dessert plate included for every diner! This wasn’t indicated anywhere on the menu (or maybe I didn’t know where to look) but I completely didn’t factor this in and sadly, had no stomach space left. As a result, I could only admire it from afar ):
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. The food was pretty good, with most dishes faring above average. We were truly spoilt for choice with so many items to choose from and I wished we’d brought more friends along so that we could savour more dishes. The restaurant’s ambience was also comfortable and relaxing with a soothing neutral colour palette and a generally quiet environment. With the HSBC 1-for-1 promotion, this became a sweeter deal and even more value for money. Unfortunately, the service here was the weakest link as it was unmemorable and lukewarm at best. Don’t get me wrong, the staff were still cordial and carried out their due diligence, but that was about all there was to it. Anyway, if such an offer comes up again, I’d definitely consider coming back and bringing along more friends or family to share the joy (and calories) with 😛
Dania Experiences 