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“A local delights galore in celebration of SG 50”
True blue Singaporean or not, with all the SG50 hype and campaigns, it would be odd not knowing that our nation will be turning 50 this year (2015).
Edge at Pan Pacific Hotel has launched a new Saturday lunch, “Makan Makan”, joining in the celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday. With a variety of local food and added Peranakan dishes, there is something for everyone at the Edge.
We were spoilt for choice so we first went to the station which was closest to us – Penang Prawn Noodle Soup and Homemade Laksa.
The laksa gravy was chock full of coconut milk, that you could even tell from the colour. However, it was surprisingly light yet creamy, and I could have eaten a whole bowl without feeling jelat. The noodles were smooth and paired with the broth well.
The robust prawn broth was tasty but a tad salty for us. And besides the broth, I had expected the star of the prawn noodle soup to be the prawns itself which seemed a little more lackluster. Nonetheless, a decent dish.
We moved on to the Indian food next and found the samosas to be delightful. Another was the vegetable biryani drizzled with fish curry. Fragrant and moist, the different spices came together perfectly.
For Perenakan fare, I liked the Kueh Pie Tee, something like a different version of popiah. The outer shell was thin and crispy, and the juices from the generous filling burst through as I bit into it.
There is much much more to eat, such as the Babi Ponteh (Braised Pork Belly), Lobster Ngo Hiang, and Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Noodle, but our stomachs were very nearly full, so we decided to move on to the desserts before we reached our limits.
There was a wide array of desserts, from Nyonya Kueh to Soya Bean Pudding. We went for the Portugese Egg Tarts first. They were smooth and had a very clear egg flavour, which I liked. The sweetness, balanced with a slightly charred aftertaste was just right. Crust could be a little flakier, but overall, great egg tarts!
Durian lovers should try their series of durian desserts – Durian Puff, Durian Mousse Cake and Durian Pengat. We had Durian Puff, and the filling was rich and packed with durian flavour. The puff itself was quite airy and balanced out the richness of it well.
However if you, like me, have taken to coffee, do remember to try their Coffee Panna Cotta. It had a wonderful, silky, melt in you mouth texture which contrasted with the crunchy, coffee-flavoured chocolate balls accompanying it. The aroma can be tasted with each bite.
I like how Edge does little twists to several dishes or includes different versions of the dishes available locally. Like the Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Noodles, Penang Prawn Noodle Soup and even the Beef Satay, which is a version different from the usual chicken and mutton ones.
These variations of local food close to our hearts could probably be what attract Singaporeans here. 90% of just Singaporeans make up the crowd for the Makan Makan buffet.
Also, fickle eaters can rejoice, as you have a sumptuous spread to pick and choose at your leisure; because who can eat just choose one dish, right?
