The Dining Room at Sheraton Towers, or How to Annoy Others in a Restaurant with Excited Kids
Dining with kids is a wild card affair.
You never know if they are going to be on their best behavior, where others are commenting on what little angels they are - and of course you take pride and ownership of that with a little, "yeah, i know it! I did that!" kind of bravado.
See? Little angels, right?
Then there are days where they decide to spill the soup on the table, stand up, sit down, knock the chairs over, get in the way of service staff as you chase them down, and end up standing on the table with one foot in the ice cream and the other foot in your salad while they scream/sing the pledge of allegiance to the god of anarchy.
Yes, parents have all had days like this. And if you haven't - let your kid out of the basement once in a while and let them build some character! If nothing else, it makes for hilarious stories as they become adults and are trying to bring their girl/boyfriend home to meet you.
Now - back to my experience at The Dining Room in Sheraton Towers. My kids were somewhere in the middle of the above scenarios. I was running late to our reservation, and i told my husband to go ahead and meet us there. I was doing my best to keep my calm in the parking lot that traffic had made most of the roads at that time, while my kids decided it was the best time to ask me existential questions like, "What does this song mean?" for the umpteenth time. I was really just trying to drown out their bickering with the volume up on the radio. Boy, did THAT backfire.
Anyway, my kids had every reason to be excited. They rarely get to leave the house after 6p b/c of a regimented schedule designed to have them happy and eager for school the next morning. But they were seeing lights and darkness and it was like injecting them with caffeine. "But maaa! Everything looks so... different!"
Yeah yeah. As luck would have it, we decided it was a good time to check out more of what our Triple Benefits as SPG Members could get us as we made our booking for The Dining Room. And we invited my best friend Zurina and her two darling children to join us.
As soon as i walked up the stairs and into the restaurant, i felt my nerves ease. The ambiance was calm, the lighting gorgeous, and a huge waterfall was in the background. My kids were quiet, and we were in awe for just a still moment. The sound of water trickling, and light music was somewhere in the distance... and it made us take a deep sigh. Ahhhh!
Little devils ignore waterfall. It messes with their destructive streak.
We were all shown to our seats: 3 adults and 4 kids. And a sumptuous buffet was lined up to our immediate right. The kids sat down and we all got juices or water, then we took turns with the kids inspecting the courses on offer.
Well, the kids wandered aimlessly.
Every night has a theme, and tonight was local delights. You saw mutton curry, chicken rice, and fruit rojak to name just a few. A roast pig somehow made it onto my plate - yum! As well as a lovely assortment of raw veggies for salad. I found chinese style meats and helped my son to some of the chicken rice. My daughter ate EVERYTHING i gave her, but her favorite was the prawns. I had to go back twice for those.
The beauty of a buffet with kids is that - there are no wait times. My kids were hungry, and instant gratification was a great way to keep them happy, and for me to get a bite or two of a warm meal at the same time. I went for the fresh salad, the savoury meats, sushi bites, and was even tempted by the dessert buffet - that was so kid friendly it made me yearn for the days when my dad would fix me up a little ice cream sundae from a similarly stocked bar.
Whaddya mean i can't eat my dessert first?!
We were then blessed with two dishes that The Dining Room is famous for: crabmeat fried rice and the Sheraton Towers Laksa.
The fried rice was an ordinary affair upon viewing, however, with one bite an explosion of local flavors danced on your palate. It was light and delicate, airy almost, with the tumeric rice really holding the spotlight. There was not one bit of heaviness, or oiliness - just a lovely rice dish with a faint hint of chili that was perfect for me and the kids to share. LOVED IT. Very satisfying.
The laksa was another matter. I'm scared of spicy dishes. Most times i find chili overwhelming, as if whoever prepared it was masking the so-so flavor of the dish itself. Laksa is a real joy if done properly - and i've only had a couple on the island that didn't send me to instant fits of weeping and chugging massive amounts of water, milk, or alcohol to quell the displeasure.
The presentation was curious - the laksa was served dry, and gravy was in a separate side dish. How come, chef?
The chef informed me with a twinkle in his eye that his laksa could be enjoyed dry or with the gravy, and it was up to the individual to decide how much gravy to use... if any at all.
The presentation was nice! I'm not a fan of sauces and gravies, so i finally met my match: a chef who understood that i wanted to sample the dish without any coverup, then i could add it afterwards to enhance my appreciation of the dish. YES! I just hope everyone appreciates this the way i do.
My daughter took a bite.... and went straight for the water.
I was getting concerned. I took a bite.
I sampled it dry: ok yes, marriage of flavors already happening... good good. then with a bit of sauce: woah! If you want a peppy dish, this is the one to try! The chili had a definite presence, but i was enjoying myself so much that a bit of burn was part of the pleasure, and didn't feel like a sucker punch to the face that most chili dishes deal me. Yum! One of my new fave places to get laksa!
Side by side: perfect accompaniments - the Crabmeat Fried Rice and the Sheraton Towers Laksa (The gravy is being passed around the table...)
By now the kids were getting restless, so it was off to the dessert bar. Chocolate fondue with marshmallows and fruits, strawberry cheesecake with a healthy dollop of jam on top (homina homina!) and a chocolate cake that my son gobbled up before i could get more than a crumb. And an impressive array of ice cream that was delightful and delicate in the mouth - great flavors without heaviness. How do you make ice cream without being heavy?! Great find...
Durian pancakes were also on the menu, but i admit, i'm not a fan of durian. Luckily, if you are, then this could be a real treat for you. Lots of toppings and all freshly made. Frankly there wasn't even a hint of durian in the air at all!
Then we were presented with an awesome delight: the ice cream hamburger, another Sheraton Towers highlight. The "buns" were really soft cookies, kind of what you would find on a whoopie pie, the "meat and mayo" was a thick slice of chocolate ice cream with a thin layer of vanilla ice cream, with frozen kiwis and strawberries for the pickles and tomatoes, and drizzled with a raspberry sauce for the ketchup. THIS. WAS. SPECTACULAR! We would have ordered another had we not been so stuffed from the buffet!
The best "burger" i've had! Introducing the Dining Room's Ice Cream Burger.
Then, my kids lost the plot and couldn't keep behaving like the angels i knew they were, and had to unleash the fidgeting little devils that were hopping around impatiently inside them. After they form tackled Oli, we figured we had better leave before things really got out of hand.
I'm not lying. It really happened.
The Dining Room was an experience my kids loved, and Oli and I had a great time with them. My friend Zurina and her kids also had a bit of a ball, and we all agreed that shaking up their routines is totally worth a bit of hilarious photos and loud and unpredictable behavior.
After all, it builds character. ;)
Lots of character building in progress. (photo courtesy of Zurina Bryant)
Triple Benefits enjoyed on a dining experience like this are:
Tasteful savings. Enjoy 15% discount on food when you join us for lunch or dinner.
Shoot for the Starpoints. Boost your benefits. Dine with three or more guests and get an additional 100 Starpoints® per person - like bringing along a best pal and their kids!
Young and free. It pays to be young! Kids six and under eat free and kids seven to twelve get 50% off. That's what we call one big, happy family. And i call lots of happy tummies and deep sleeps. Ahhhh!
The Triple Benefits promotion is going on from now until 30 September, 2013 and members can enjoy ‘Triple Benefits’ - three exclusive perks whenever you drink or dine at one of 336 restaurants and bars in Asia, and any of the 6 participating F&B venues in the 3 Starwood properties in Singapore: Sheraton Towers, W Hotel, and St. Regis. I'M GOING TO TRY THEM ALL!!!
Wait, what? You AREN'T a member?! Well its open to EVERYONE and you can apply online right now! Do it! What are you waiting for?! Here is the hyperlink: BE A MEMBER!!!
Also - if you are going to hit the same buffet to have your own experience of The Dining Room, Women Only Wednesdays are a highlight - all women (even kids) get to enjoy the buffet at HALF OFF! That's a deal! Be sure to check out the crabmeat fried rice, laksa, and ice cream burger - WOW indeed!
