October 20, 2015

Pontini Italian Restaurant @ Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel ~ 5 Reasons To Go For Their Semi Lunch Buffet!



My friend was so looking forward to the Italian semi lunch buffet at Pontini Italian Restaurant, she skipped dinner the night prior to our visit so that she can go all out to indulge without a care (to the diet plans) the next day. I tried to do the same but failed lol. #notkidding

You see, I've tried the delectable creations by head chef Daniele Sarno before, so we're pretty sure that constraining ourselves to yummy food is the last thing we want to do. Authentic Italian cuisine with a modern twist..... make that an endless supply. Won-won-wonderful!!!

If you've yet to check out Pontini's Italian Semi Lunch Buffet which is happening every Saturday, as well as on Public Holidays, from 12pm to 3pm (Adults $58, Child $29), here are 5 reasons why you should do it soon!

(Update on 23 Oct 2015: This post is based on my dining experience on 10 Oct 2015, and I was informed today that chef Daniele Sarno has left the organization. Do also note that Pontini will be closed from 21 Nov 2015 for refurbishment. Reopen date to be confirmed.)


1. Antipasti Buffet

Antipasti (meaning "before the meal" in Italian) refers to the starters of an Italian meal. Looking at the variety that Pontini offers, it can very well fill up a petite appetite before we even get to the mains.

The counter spread consists of an assortment of Italian Cold Cuts, Handmade Bread and Breadsticks, a variety of Salads including Octopus, Marinated Italian Baby Mushroom in parsley, garlic & olive oil (which I enjoyed tremendously), Home-cured Scottish Salmon, Anchovies, Olives, Frittata, Chilled Oysters, Chilled Tiger Prawns and much, much more.

Cheese lovers, do not miss the "Cheese Room" which houses an array of hard and soft artisanal Italian cheese like Black Truffle Pecorino, Burrata, Parmesan, Mozzarella.


2. Free-flow of Foie Gras

I was sooooooo excited over the FREE-FLOW of PAN-SEARED FOIE GRAS that I told my friend I want to park myself next to the live cooking station and gorged myself silly hahaha.

(If you've read my 33 Different Foie Gras Dishes In Singapore post, you'd know I'm a huge fan of foie gras.)

But seriously, who wouldn't appreciate foie gras that are of premium quality and seared ala-minute to luscious goodness? I'm glad that Pontini did not sacrifice quality even though this is part of the buffet offering by using higher-costing goose liver instead of the cheaper duck liver.

Best enjoyed with some brioche and fruit chutney by the side.


3. Customized Pasta & Pizza

Another part of the buffet which really impressed us was the Pasta & Pizza which we can customized to our preference. Just a simple indication of our choices on the order chit provided, and the food came out of the kitchen fresh and piping hot soon after.

Standouts include Wagyu Cheek Ragout which we paired with Tagliatelle, Premium Cheese Fondue with Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli and Sautéed Prawns & White Asparagus in lemon-flavored sauce with Tagliolini. Not only are the sauces lip-smacking good, the al-dente texture of the pastas were perfectly spot-on!

We ordered 2 pizzas and were surprised by the generosity of each portion. There are 15 toppings such as pancetta, salami, shredded chicken, smoked salmon, artichokes, capers, mushrooms and green zucchini which you can choose from to design your own unique creation.


4. Main Course Selection

There are a total of 5 main courses for our selection. My favorite was Roasted New Zealand Lamb Rack which pleased greatly with its medium-rare tenderness, and there was no gamey flavor at all. Served with roasted baby vegetables, celeriac & truffle mousse and grain mustard sauce.

Other mains include Pan-seared Norwegian Salmon Fillet, Tuscany-style Mixed Seafood Soup, Braised Short Ribs and Roasted Spring Chicken from the rotisserie.


5. Unlimited Dessert

Lastly, my advice is paced yourself and not go overboard with the food above because there is an array of desserts lined-up to end off your meal on a sweet note. Well, you can start off the buffet with desserts too if you want haha!

Highlights include Chocolate Balls, Raspberry Profiteroles, Chocolate with Lemon Curd & Apricot Compote Shooter, Vanilla Pana Cotta with Fresh Berries, Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, as well as a variety of Cakes and Macarons.


We were asked how Pontini can improve on this semi lunch buffet. I thought for quite a while because everything was quite faultless really.

So in the end I said, "please extend the buffet duration. 3 hours is not sufficient for me to have enough of the delicious food". Haha!

Pontini's Italian Semi Lunch Buffet is available on Saturdays and Public Holidays, from 12pm to 3pm.

Price is at $58 for Adults, and $29 for Child.

Reservations are highly recommended.


Pontini Italian Restaurant
Address: Grand Copthorne Waterfront, 392 Havelock Road, Level 2, Singapore 169663
Contact: Tel +65 62331133
Website: http://www.millenniumhotels.com.sg/grandcopthornewaterfront/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrandCopthorneWaterfrontHotel
Opening Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm & Sat 12pm-3pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 6.30pm-10.30pm, Closed on Sun

Prices stated are subject to 10% service charge and 7% GST.


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