Located
about 15mins by taxi ride,45RMB from Millennium Hotel Hong Qiao
Shanghai. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai is currently the
world's second largest behind that of Japan.
Click here for ABBA location of Starbucks Reserve Roastery 星巴克臻选上海烘焙工坊 The food selection looks wide, but in reality its just repeated stuff on either side of the barista counters which has a sweet and a savory section. There is a retail section but generally the food there is pricey and not worth the hefty price tag. Coffee pretty average too.
Visited on 27Sept2019
A bit of a let down to be hones. Considering the hype around this place, the place was a let down. Just an overly priced coffee/dessert joint to people watch with friends and hang for the day. World's Second largest after Japan completed theirs. Maybe Japan does it better?
Colony Dinner on Thur evening at SGD 84.75 After 10% Discount per pax 400m from Esplanade MRT Station
The Ritz Carlton
The Ritz always has some beautiful architecture.
The glass sculpture, timeless as are their hexagonal like panels which adds some geometric shapes and grandness to the place.
Colony maybe not be that obvious with the lack of entry signage but its located on the third floor of the main lobby.
*The queue waiting to enter when doors open strictly at 630pm. They were however very prompt to move people to tables with multiple staff with the reservation list attending to the guest in the queue.*
The cold section was pretty decent and surprisingly the Poh Piah was amazingly good! One of the best ones had really. Loaded with a mix of textures and flavors and not to be missed. The sweet asparagus from the anti pasta section were a nice touch and the cured ham and cheeses were fairly decent. The Japanese Sashimi section could have been fresher and more variety of fish. Skimpy on the cheese selection but best buffet option and variety for that still stays with Bascilico. Their oysters, king crabs, clams and prawns were good as well. However for about the same price for fans of lobsters at good value, J65 Singapore has a pretty sweet deal.
The hot section with various live stations
Being local, we didn't really go for the 'local sections'. From the western section, the impressive, massive bone in rib eye was tender, and done a beautiful medium rare. Ask for the more fatty flavorful cuts. The prime rib did however need the sauces for a little more seasoning. Western food section was pretty decent. The slight disappointments were the Chinese and Dim Sum Section. The Chinese pork ribs were cold and on the salty side. The Chili Crabs though impressive weren't that fresh and the accompanying Man Tao's weren't crispy. The sauce however was spot on flavor and heat. Dim Sum Section looked pretty but a boring selection. Dessert Section
This section probably the least lack luster event. Yes they had a little song and dance with the nitrogen cooked dessert, but flavor wise nothing much. By way of variety and interesting desserts it lacked the fan fare like the rest of the Cold and Hot sections. Still decent if you aren't a sweet tooth kinda person but could have been better. Total fed 2 at SGD84.75/pax on a weekday after 10% discount Food 3.5/5 Value 3.5/5*Over the years prices keep going up but at this time, fairly valued with the discounts in-tow.* Ambience 4/5*Really nice seating arrangement though the flow of traffic around the food stations and certain areas could be better. Some human traffic flow congestion. The colonial feel and wait staff was a nice touch in the warm lighting environment in such a classy place.* Service 4.5/5 *Service was superb. As each section had its own dedicated server they were quick with clearing dishes, filling up empty glasses and offering crab crackers and fresh finger bowls. Fantastic experience with Connie Huang. Super attentive, replaced dropped napkins quickly and outstanding service recovery. It made the whole experience absolutely enjoyable *
Overall a balanced spread to get a taste of varied international cuisine and featuring local ones as well. Where some section lacked others covered for it. The dining experience was overall very pleasant with lots of interesting sampling from the various counters which also makes diners explore the space. The sections were constantly being refilled and the excellent sound system added to the whole ambience as though there was a live band on going.
Ordered On: 22Sept2019 Mandi Rice 150Peso Mixed Grill 550Peso
*Both dishes came recommended. The Mandi Rice portion was HUGE! Very fragrant, not oily and surprisingly light. It was great on its own, better with some chili sauce or with the slightly roasted meat patties. As for the mixed grill platter, apart from the disappointing fries, the meats were nicely spiced and flavored. The chicken was a little disappointing but the red onion roasts and salad was fantastic with a mix of everything.* Portion for two meals. Total 700Peso
