Sampling the New Oktoberfest Buffet at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport’s Azur

With my trips to Germany and Austria still fresh in my mind, the kind folks at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport incidentally offered me a sneak peek at their upcoming German menu over at their all-day dining restaurant, Azur. Having gotten used to schnitzel and hearty pork knuckles in my recent trips to Europe (it’s a staple in many European countries), I reckoned it would be a capital idea to see how Crowne Plaza Changi Airport’s offerings fared in the authenticity scale.

Azur is already well-known for having great sashimi and a wonderful assortment of Singaporean dishes in its buffets, and this Bavarian addition is meant to be the centerpiece of the spread from 19th September to 5th October – just in time for Oktoberfest! On to the food:

First came the Smoked Black Forest Ham, specially imported from Germany. It’s thinly-sliced, just enough to give a little bit more than a subtle flavor. It makes for a good appetizer and is most apt with Swiss bread.

This was followed by the German Potato Salad with Bacon Bits, Gherkins and Chopped Eggs. It was okay – there is after all, not much that can be done with potato salad!

Next came my second favorite dish of the night, the home-y Oven Baked Classic Meatloaf. It’s what I imagine a German grandma might cook in rural Bavaria in a traditional home setting. The meatloaf was tender and tantalizing – something which can’t be said of most meatloafs. I helped myself to two, or maybe three.

The Bavarian Kaese Spaetzle with Emmental Cheese was oozing with so much cheese that it’s sure to make lactose intolerant guys shudder and cheesy people (no pun intended) squeal in delight.

My personal favorite dish in the Bavarian menu – the Chouroute en Garnie with Mustard and Gravy – is enough reason to try out this buffet, especially if you’re a meat lover. The pork knuckle is an adapted version and doesn’t stay true to traditional German pork knuckles, which isn’t a bad thing. I actually found this superior to the ones I’ve tried all over Central Europe. This one’s less salty than the ones found in Bavaria, which allows the pork flavor to place more prominently.

For desert, Azur is adding two items to the buffet for its Oktoberfest menu. These are the Linzer Torte and Black Forest Trifle.  Having a sweet tooth, I gobbled both in no time.

Verdict

It is pretty clear that the highlight of the Oktoberfest menu are the Chouroute en Garnie and the Oven-Baked Meatloaf. The seasonal offerings here will be great for meat lovers or those who fancy something different from standard buffet items. Not a lot of places in Singapore can cook German food well, or much less attempt to reinvent it!

The Oktoberfeast buffet is available in Azur at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport over three weekends from $58++ per person for brunch (adult $58++, child $29++) and dinner (adult $68++, $34++) from 19 to 21 Sept, 26 to 28 Sept and 3 to 5 Oct.

This was a food tasting event sponsored by the property. However, all opinions are my own

Azur
2/F Crowne Plaza Changi Airport
75 Airport Boulevard
Singapore 819664
or +65 6823-5300