Whisky Weekend Brunch: Whisky Highballs + Comforting Laksa & More Buffet Dishes At Hotel Jen Tanglin

It’s the weekend, and you just want to treat yourself to an indulgent meal. What better way than to head out for weekend brunch? Add in some booze to lift your spirits, and you’re all set for a fun weekend!

And if you think champagne brunches are too basic, what about a whisky brunch buffet? J65 in Hotel Jen Tanglin offers the first ever Whisky Weekend Brunch (S$55++ without alcohol, S$88++ with alcohol), putting a spin on the usual brunch with booze.

You can try out a bunch of whisky highballs during the Whisky Weekend Brunch. I was a little apprehensive about having whisky so early in the day, but the beauty of highballs is that they’re actually quite light and refreshing.

I headed over to the al fresco dining area of J65 for some brunch cocktails, and to check out the whisky booth. (Psst, they’ve shifted to the indoors section so you can enjoy your whisky highballs in air-conditioned comfort!)

They have a range of flavours like Mint, Cassis and Raspberry for the highballs, so feel free to switch things up and alternate between them.

Of course, you shouldn’t be drinking on an empty stomach, especially this early in the day. After grabbing a whisky highball, I hit up the buffet selection.

One of the highlights from J65 is the seafood on ice, with huge snow crab legs, succulent Boston lobsters, juicy prawns and fresh mussels. In true Singaporean fashion, I loaded up my plate with these premium seafood dishes.

Delicate in flavour, the snow crab legs are a lesson in patience because it took a while to extract the meat from them. The Boston lobsters were much easier to consume, because they’re already cut in halves. Just scoop the fresh and succulent meat out, and pop it in your mouth!

Another really Singaporean thing to do is to load up on salmon sashimi, which I gladly did as well. It’s one of those dishes that have become a must-have at buffets, and I liked that the salmon sashimi came in decently thick slices, for a firmer bite.

If you’re looking for hot dishes, there’s a Laksa Live Station where you get to pick the type and amount of noodles before passing the bowl over to the chef. He’ll then whip up a fragrant bowl of laksa for you!

I chose a mix of thick yellow noodles and rice noodles, for the perfect balance of chewy texture and flavour. Served with the usual tofu beancurd, fishcake and hard-boiled egg, the noodles soaked up a fair amount of the soup.

I really enjoyed the thick and hearty laksa soup, which had gritty hae bee hiam bits at the bottom of the bowl. It’s the perfect bowl for a cold rainy day, with the comforting warmth of homecooked food, and it was my favourite dish at the buffet.

One of the other highlights is the Baked Whole Norwegian Salmon, cooked to perfection on the outside while still pinkish on the inside.

I was really impressed by the baked salmon, which was so soft that I could just cut into it with a fork. The pieces flaked off easily, with a subtle briny flavour and a slightly sweet taste that lingered on my tongue.

For their festive season, you can even enjoy the crispy Roasted Pork Knuckle! This hefty portion of meat was juicy, with a good amount of fats which melted in my mouth.

I was stuffed from the savoury dishes, but I always say there’s a second stomach for dessert. From the white chocolate fondue, to the various cakes and kuehs, to DIY chendol and Durian Pengat, there’s something for everyone at the Whisky Weekend Brunch.

I particularly enjoyed the Durian Pengat. It’s one of those desserts that you’ll either love or hate, depending on how you feel about durians. As a durian lover, this was really heavenly for me.

Thick and creamy, each spoonful of the sticky dessert tasted basically like durian puree. I’d recommend sharing a bowl of it with a friend, because it might get too jelak after a while.

If you’re looking for a new brunch spot, gather your friends and head over to J65 at Hotel Jen Tanglin this weekend. Once you’ve tried their Whisky Weekend Brunch, you may not want to go back to plain ‘ol champagne brunch!

Expected Damage: S$55++ – S$88++ per pax

*This post was brought to you in partnership with Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore.