Review of Rose Veranda Hi-Tea Buffet, Shangri La Hotel Singapore.

  
It was my girlfriend's birthday and we decided we want to be tai tai (Singaporean slang for 'Lady of Leisure') for an afternoon, hence we sashayed down town for a hi-tea session. Over the years, I heard a lot about Rose Veranda, Shangri La Hotel. I bet many Singaporeans did as well. Some time back, I dined at The Line, which is another restaurant of Shangri La, and I absolutely loved the variety and quality of food there.

Thinking that a hi-tea session at a five star hotel will be a great thing to do for a birthday celebration, we went ahead to meet at the said destination.

Despite its location in town, Shangri La hotel isn't as accessible as the rest of the hotels along Orchard Road, mainly because it is not near to a MRT station nor bus stop. There is a walking distance from the main road. I hailed a cab from Ang Mo Kio and it took me 15 minutes to arrive Shangri La.

There is a free shuttle bus service that loops from Orchard Road to Trader's Hotel then to Shangri La Hotel. You can check out their website or call the concierge for more information.

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I'll first let photos tell my story, before I review the whole hi-tea experience.

A typical Saturday afternoon, full house.

Uniform of waitress fits the entire style of the restaurant

Red chandelier adds a nice touch to the ambience.

The very first stop from the left of the restaurant - bread & cheese

Dessert counter. M sweet tooth readers,  scroll all the way down for dessert photos!

The main food - a mix of cold & warm palettes

I was initially soooo thrilled by these cereal prawns!

Mee Rebus. Self service.

No one to serve the birthday girl, how can?! LOL

 

Japanese food - limited selection, and the rice was freaking hard.

These desserts make people drool...

Hidden in those pots are ice-cream and creme brulee

 

Quite a wide selection of cakes

Looking at chocolate fondue makes one happier

 Here comes the food closeup shots!

Before you tuck in, the staff will start serving you a complimentary drink and a bowl of pumpkin soup.

Even the serviette befits the rose theme!

 

I actually love dimsum a little lesser after tasting this plate...

The latte on my right is a redeeming factor for me in this hi-tea session. Free flow of latte = HAPPY FAITHY!

 

Mee rebus

Looks cute, that's about it.

Food: As you can see in my pics, the self-service buffet spread is considerably huge as compared to other similar ranking hotels' hi-tea menu. (Some places only serve a rack of cakes and a pot of tea!) The food look very palatable but it stays as that - pure good looks. There isn't a single dish that left behind any positive deep impression. I wonder if I have choosy taste buds? Usually, I am not particular with food quality, but this is a hi-tea buffet spread from a luxury hotel, hence I expected more.

Service: The chefs & waitresses are smiley and attentive. The chef didn't even mind helping us take a photo! The waitresses are well-groomed and a pleasure to look at but one distinctive point was the accent of some waitresses. I have no idea which Asian country one of the girls were from but seriously, it took some effort to make out what she was talking about. Besides that, when it comes to standard operating procedures such as how many cups of coffee/soup the customer can ask for, different waitresses have varied understanding. We ended up quite confused if we can order for another cup of tea or not?

Price:  SGD50 per person, taxes included. Not value-for-money with that quality of food.

Location & Ambience:  As mentioned earlier, the hotel is located off the main Orchard Road area, but it is relatively easy to get to if you hop on to their shuttle van at one of the shopping centres, like Ion.
The hotel is not new, but it is still well-maintained and the restarant does give off a luxe vibe with its beautiful decor and friendly staff. Fabulous for hungry girlfriends who wants to hang out, eat and chit chat over a cuppa.

Other Information

Phone : (65) 6213 4486

Location : Mezzanine Level, Tower Wing

Operating Hours : High Tea 

                                 11.30am - 6pm (Monday to Thursday)

                                 11.30am to 2pm and 3pm to 6pm (Friday to Sunday and public holidays)

Dress Code : Smart Casual

Smoking Policy : Smoking is not permitted at The Rose Veranda.

Website : http://www.shangri-la.com/singapore/shangrila/dining/bars-lounges/rose-veranda/

OVERALL RATING:

Will I revisit or recommend?

I personally will not return to Rose Veranda, especially if my loved ones or I've got to pay for it! I wouldn't mind if it's a treat though. Haha!
I'd say that there are more convenient places with better hi-tea food elsewhere in Singapore. This is definitely a stop you can afford to miss. Of course, if you have tons of cash to throw around, you can do so here (but I humbly recommend you check out its neighbour, The Line, just a level below.)

Happy birthday to my old friend!