Buffet at Beach Road Kitchen, JW Marriott Singapore South Beach

Beach Road Kitchen, the all-day dining restaurant of JW Marriott Singapore, does not immediately occur as a hotel dining concept. The venue has its own entrance off the restaurant row in South Beach, with an elegant facade and floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal just what’s inside. This is where hotel guests have their breakfast. Outside of these hours, Beach Road Kitchen attracts a steadily growing clientele made up mostly of residents looking for the latest buffet concepts.

Recently during my stay at the JW Marriott Singapore, I got to check out exactly what Beach Road Kitchen has to offer. A sign by the entrance shows the prices for different timings and at first, it may seem like another one of those usual hotel buffets. However, after having my dinner there, I must say that there are quite a number of differentiating factors here compared to other buffets in Singapore.

The interiors are elegant with yellow being the dominant color. Set against marble surfaces and hanging light fixtures, the ambiance really does remind one of a kitchen, albeit an upscale one at that. There are several buffet stations here spread across the entire venue. The place mat which has a map serves to guide diners to what’s on offer.

One of the counters that really surprised me was the seafood section. Here, you’ll find a variety of crustaceans such as crab and lobster and a wide assortment of oysters but what really sets it apart are the cured seafood. I never imagined that octopus, fish and crustaceans could be cured or marinated in so many ways such as how it was presented here. If you like your raw tuna done spicy, they have it here like how they do it in Japanese restaurants. At the other end of the spectrum, most of the cured seafood are prepared Western style such as with the delightful scampi.

As with any buffet of this magnitude, the roast section has a large slab of beef as its centerpiece. This is complemented by the roast lamb. When it comes to food, they always say that the secret is in the sauce and such was definitely the case here. Don’t forget to slather the meat onto the delightful gravy to bring out its flavor.

My favorite section however, has got to be the grill. This is where items are cooked a la minute – including whole fish and prawns. While hotel buffets elsewhere such as with the Sunday brunch at Melt Cafe in Mandarin Oriental Singapore have also adopted grill section, of note here are the generous portions of premium meats. Iberico pork and Korean short ribs (galbi) are also included in the grill station.

For purveyors of South Asian cuisine, there is also a modest Indian section. There are also a couple of hot items under the Chinese station. From time to time, staff members will also distribute dishes which are not available in the buffet. At the time of my visit, I was served Kimchi Soup to go along with my dinner.

Those who prefer local food instead won’t be disappointed with the small but delightful local section. Here, you’ll find dishes such as Sambal Squid and the perennial favorite, Chili Crab.

Given the number of hot items here, you definitely have to save some space for desserts. Beach Road Kitchen places strong emphasis on its desserts and you’ll find quite a number of items here you won’t find elsewhere. I visited in August when there was a Singaporean theme to the sweet endings and I saw chocolate as well as other pastries made in the shape of the Merlion and other symbols of Singapore. Also don’t miss the caneles – fantastic to have especially when served warm. It’s not exactly the right combo but I enjoyed having these with the gula melaka ice cream. Other desserts I enjoyed were the fruit tarts, matcha tart as well as the fluffy pandan cakes.

Verdict

This was my first visit to Beach Road Kitchen so I did not really know what to expect initially. While I did enjoy the food at JW Marriott Singapore’s other restaurants – namely Akira Back and Madame Fan – I didn’t really expect much from a buffet. But I must say this was one of the more stellar buffets I’ve tried as of late. My personal picks here would be to go for the delicious grilled items, seafood as well as the roasts. I also heard the truffle pizza here is a must-try but it was something I learned after my visit. I’d have to try it next time.

Beach Road Kitchen Buffet Prices

Lunch

Monday to Saturday – S$60 per adult / S$30 per child
Sunday brunch – S$118 per adult / S$59 per child

Dinner

Monday to Thursday – S$80per adult / S$40 per child
Friday to Sunday – S$90 per adult / S$45 per child