Dessert Buffet, Coffee Lounge, Goodwood Park Hotel

Date Visited: 24th July 2008, Thursday
Variety: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Yum Factor: 9/10
Price: $15++ per pax

Comments:

Goodwood Park Hotel has been holding Durian Dessert Buffet around July to early August yearly. The event was marked by a huge durian right outside the hotel last year. There's been a new twist. Instead of Durian Dessert, it simply says Dessert Buffet this year. I've been wanting to try it out for a few years now but never did.

I finally went after a few colleagues tried & recommended it. I made my move fast coz the buffet is ending on the last day of July. An avid lover of durian & good dessert, I enjoyed the Durian Tarts with Hazelnuts, Durian Puff & Durian Pancake. Even though we went on an empty stomach, I was full after the 1st round where I took 2 puffs & 2 arts along with a small piece of Durian Pandan Cake. Despite that, we managed to try every dessert they have. They also have hot dessert like Tao Suan, Bread Pudding & "Ginko, Barley, Beancurd Sheet". Cold dessert includes Movenpick Strawberry & Vanilla Ice Cream.

Service wise, I find the crew more friendly & more "qin qie" than the manager. (I guess he's the manager coz he's the only 1 in jacket.) From the beginning, the manager gave me a "I'm high & mightier than thou" feeling. I felt like I'm being judged all the time by him & couldn't really enjoy my dessert. Then, this incident happened to reaffirm my feelings. He was extra friendly & personally showed the way for an ang moh but when a local couple approached him, he just pointed out the direction to them. Luckily, the experience was enhanced by the waitress who gave us our bill. Her smile was genuine & it made me feel good. So I gave them an 8 out of 10 for service despite my misgivings for the manager.

Bei Shan Chuan Steamboat Restaurant Vivocity

Date Visited: 21st July 2008
Variety: 4/10
Service: 2/10
Yum Factor: 2/10
Price: $16.90 ++ per adult

Comments:

This is a steamboat buffet restaurant. 3 soup bases, Ma La, Seafood & Chicken. Staff attitude was less than satisfactory & service was lousy. We should have taken our cue from the almost empty restaurant. There was just another table that was occupied when we went in. There was no meat at all. Jeff saw the staff brought the meat into the kitchen area to cut. But instead of serving it immediately, the few staff who were on duty sat down at a corner table to eat. It wasn't until I wanted to leave that Jeff insisted that we shouldn't be leaving without consuming any meat & asked the staff about it. Only then did they serve it up.

They didn't bother to check if our soup or chinese tea needed refilling but instead stood near the entrance chit chatting. After 10 mins of trying to get their attention, Jeff finally yelled out "Excuse me!" & even then, they took their own sweet time topping up our soup & tea. Soup is way below expectation. Give this place a miss. Don't waste your time & money. The only good thing about this place is the powerful air con.

Candy Empire Vivocity

Date Visited: 21st July 2008
Variety: 7/10
Service: 0/10

Comments:

I'm appalled by the attitude of the cashier. She practically snatched the money out of my hand & there was no "Thank You". I'm not so bothered about the "Thank You" part but it may have appeased me slightly. I know there were a lot of customers but that's no excuse for such poor service. This is not a place I'll ever step into again even if I can't get the confectionery I want anywhere else.