By Eda Wong for Eat Drink Asia.
It’s late morning, and the light is doing most of the work.
It pours through the high windows of Colony, at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, spilling across white tablecloths and the vintage prints on the walls. Marina Bay hums somewhere outside, but in here the room feels a step removed from it — slower, quieter, held.
I go to the carving station first. I always do.
A roast rests under the warm lamp, its edges bronzed and crackling, the centre still pink when the knife goes in. Juices gather beneath the blade and pool on the board. The carver works without hurry, laying down slices thin enough to fold. The smell of it — that deep, fatty warmth of roasting meat — reaches you before you’re anywhere near the plate.
I take a slice, and then I wander to the cold seafood on ice and take a prawn. Sweet, clean, cold. I eat it without sauce, because it doesn’t need one, and that small fact tells me more than any menu could.
This is what Colony does. It builds a buffet around seven open kitchens, each one its own small world with its own team — Indian curries in one corner, Chinese dishes in another, local plates, Western grills, the seafood, the desserts. Nothing feels thrown together. You move through it the way you’d move through a conversation, one thought leading gently to the next.
And here is the thing I keep turning over. In the middle of all that international abundance sits Hainanese chicken rice. A pot of curry that could have come from a shophouse down the road. The food we grew up on, plated in a hotel dining room with linen and quiet service.
That’s not a small thing.
Because a hotel buffet, for many of us, is how we mark the days that matter. The anniversary. The graduation. The birthday where three generations pull two tables together and someone insists on paying. We don’t go to Colony for a Tuesday lunch. We go when there’s something to hold onto — and we bring our home food with us into the grand room, and eat it there, together, on the good plates.
For a broader look at how hotel buffets turn abundance into a celebration table, read top hotel buffets in Singapore
There’s a tension in that I’ve never quite settled. The abundance asks you to take everything, and something in me wants to take less — one perfect slice of roast, one sweet prawn, the chicken rice I could get anywhere but chose to eat here. The room offers you the world. What you reach for, often, is what already tastes like home.
Maybe that’s what’s worth noticing. Not the scale of it. The restraint inside the scale — the plate you build when you could build any plate, and what that plate says about you.
I finish the roast slowly. The light has shifted a little on the tablecloth.
Somewhere behind me, a family is singing, badly and happily, over a cake. Nobody minds.
Some meals feed you. A few mark the hour you’ll remember later, when the light was warm and the people were all still at the table.
Bandung Drink Recipe: A Singaporean Rose Syrup Drink Tradition
Eat Drink Asia Team | November 11, 2025
Step into any night market or hawker centre in Singapore, and you’ll spot a vibrant, glowing glass filled with a cold, beautiful drink-Bandung. Known for its iconic blush-pink hue and refreshing taste, this rose syrup drink is an integral part of Singapore’s beverages scene and a cherished tradition in Southeast Asian gatherings. More than just…
-
The Ultimate Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe: A Deep Dive
Eda Wong | November 8, 2025
To wander through Singapore’s bustling hawker centres on a humid evening is to experience a symphony of sights, sounds, and smells. Among the many other dishes sizzling away, one plate stands out for its elegant simplicity: Hainanese Chicken Rice. It arrives without fanfare-gleaming slices of poached chicken over fragrant rice, flanked by a trio of…
-
Bubble Tea Origins: How Taiwan Created a Global Beverage Phenomenon
Dio Asahi | November 6, 2025
From Taipei to New York, a single drink has captured the world’s taste buds: bubble tea. This beverage, known as pearl milk tea or boba tea, and also known as boba in many regions, is celebrated for its delightful combination of sweet, creamy tea and signature chewy tapioca pearls. What began as a novel creation…
-
A Food Lover’s Guide to the Taiwanese Oyster Omelet
Eat Drink Asia Team | November 4, 2025
As twilight descends upon Taipei City, a vibrant energy pulses through its streets. This is the hour of the night markets, bustling hubs of community, commerce, and some of the world’s most incredible street food. Amidst the steam from soup dumplings and the sizzle of Taiwanese fried chicken, one iconic dish reigns supreme: the Taiwanese…
-
Jamu: Indonesian Herbal Medicine for Modern Well-Being
Dio Asahi | November 1, 2025
Across the Indonesian archipelago, a vibrant tradition of herbal healing has flourished for centuries. This is jamu, a cornerstone of Indonesian cultural heritage and a sophisticated system of traditional herbal medicine. Far more than just a refreshing drink, jamu represents a philosophy of balance, a deep connection to nature, and a form of indigenous medicine…
-
Padang Beef Rendang: The Complex Process Behind Indonesia’s Most Famous Dish
Eda Wong | October 30, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. For full transparency, this article may contain affiliate links. To call Padang beef rendang simply a dish is to miss the soul of Indonesian cuisine. This legendary slow-cooked dry curry, a centerpiece of both festive tables and humble meals, has earned its fame as one of the world’s most…
-
Teh Tarik Malaysia: The Art and Science Behind Iconic Pulled Tea
Eat Drink Asia Team | October 28, 2025
In Malaysia, ordering a cup of teh tarik is about so much more than just enjoying a hot drink. Teh tarik, literally translated as “pulled tea,” is Malaysia’s national beverage, famous for its sweet, creamy taste, frothy top, and the spectacular pulling technique seen in bustling mamak stalls and coffee shops across the country. A…
-
The Legendary Penang Char Kway Teow: A Culinary Journey
Dio Asahi | October 25, 2025
The air in Penang is thick with anticipation, carrying the sounds and smells of Malaysian street food being crafted with expert care. Your attention is captured by one of the many street vendors, a master standing before a seasoned wok glowing over an intense fire. The rhythmic clanging of metal on metal is the soundtrack…
-
Traditional Korean Sikhye: Sweet Rice Punch Through the Seasons
Eda Wong | October 23, 2025
In the vibrant world of Korean food, beyond the fiery spice of gochujang and the savoury comfort of bulgogi, lies a gentler, more subtle delight. Meet traditional Korean sikhye (식혜), a beloved Korean sweet rice punch that holds a special place in the nation’s heart. With its cloudy, amber hue and delicate sweetness, this drink…
-
Authentic Jeonju Bibimbap: Why Korea’s Culinary Capital Makes It Best
Eat Drink Asia Team | October 21, 2025
Picture this: A steaming Korean rice bowl is placed before you in Jeonju, South Korea. Vibrant arcs of seasoned bean sprouts, glossy strips of Korean beef, a golden runny yolk resting atop perfectly cooked mixed rice, and a dollop of rich red bibimbap sauce invite you to mix it all together. As you stir, the…
