Zafferano - Semi Buffet Lunch in the CBD

When you arrive at Ocean Financial Centre, at the lift lobby you'll see that there's a lady at this booth/valet-like thing which has the sign Zafferano! Then you tell her whether you have reservations or you'd like a table for how many then she'd tap you in through the "gates" (you need an access card) then the level for Zafferano will already be pressed for you, like magic haha, don't be swa ku (muddleheaded) like us and think that the lift wont go to the right level! Its level 43 anyway, in case you're scared haha.

So when you reach, the wait staff will show you to your seat and present you w the lunch menu + explain it to you! Basically, you choose whether you want the appetiser buffet OR minestrone soup (srsly who would choose minestrone soup??), then you choose from a selection of main courses (the lady told me they change it weekly or biweekly) then there's a dessert buffet! All for $33++. (July/Aug promo) If you're lucky, you get a table w amazing views. OR you can choose to dine outside! Which has even better views imo. Anyhow, the interior is very well-lit by natural light and you just feel cheerful + happy eating there. Its mostly the working crowd so there's some sorta atas feel to it.

Assortment of bread served when we were seated - focaccia, tomato bread and white bread. Think they're studded w olives? Werent warm at all :/

From where we sat

Olive oil for Zafferano! I love how its more viscous vs normal olive oils and more fragrant! This features VERY prominently in the antipasti buffet cos almost everything contains it!

Antipasti buffet: 

Smoked salmon w grapefuit

Salad leaves on the left

Cucumber + special tomato on the right

The tomato is FRIKKIN sweet! I ate lots of it, must try if you're a tomato fan!

(L-R 1st row then 2nd): Roasted eggplant, potatoes?, not sure, beet!, broccoli, carrots

Artichokes, chicken salad

Gorgonzola Mousse

This was not bad

Seafood salad w celery

Mmmmmm I took many many helpings of this!! Fresh seafood w crunchy celery, I was a happy girl. Tho just prawns and squids (if I'm not wrong) this was a light and fresh salad that I'd be happy to have more servings of!

Gazpacho was thicker in texture than I'd like but not bad just that it wasnt cold enough for me

Octopus, potatoes + long bean salad

Anchovies

Not bad

Grilled eggplants

Grilled capsicum

Yellow stuff = olive oil haha

My plate :)

Spoon thing - Crab salad (q average!)

Caprese salad

Cold cuts + olives

Main: Astic
Homemade tagliolini, Boston lobster & cherry tomato (supplement $14)

The boy and I both thought this was not worth the $14 supplement as it wasn't as flavourful as my pasta below. The pasta was almost like aglio olio style but had some hints of flavouring from a seafood/tomato base but it was barely discernible. Lobster was fresh no doubt but that was about it. 3.5/5

Main: Tagliatelle
Homemade tagliatelle with seafood and cherry tomatoes

We both loved the sauce that coated this pasta, brimming w flavour and fragrance! This had clams, squid and prawns if I'm not wrong and yknow what I did? I took the seafood from the antipasti buffet and added it into this ;) hehe. Of course I mixed it up w the yummy sauce so I had a ingredient-packed lunch that was super good!! Finished everything down to the v last bite. At first I was like omg the portion is so small but turns out it was just nice! 4.6/5

Psst: saw someone ordering the beef tenderloin w foie gras and the piece of foie gras given is q big D:

Raspberry cheesecake + choc cake in background

Cheese counter and nuts!!

I loved the cheese in the middle, made from goat's milk

Fruits platter

But this was before it was refilled!

Choc + mint mousse & biscotti

Didnt try this so not sure how it tastes like!

Fruits - watermelon + honeydew (and later I tried the rock melon): ALL FRIKKIN SWEET. I took numerous servings #thickskin but nevermind. I had to have my fill of sweet fruits yknow. Oh the pineapple was sweet too!

Choc cake: probably the only decent cake that day, tho this was nth special either

Raspberry cheesecake: average? Not strong raspbery taste/creamcheese taste

Banana cake:  too dry + coarse for me!

Strawberry panna cotta: this was not bad! Barely taste the panna cotta cos was overpowered by the strawberry coulis on top that was v sour!

Nuts: werent fresh anymore :(

Jelly (think it was champagne jelly?) but this was light and not bad!


The view from outside:

Outdoor seating area

Service-wise it was slightly lacking in some parts like we had to keep asking for our water to be refilled but service in terms of clearing, serving, helpfulness + friendliness - all good and fast!

Ambience - think night time would be q special but lunch has its advantages too!! Lots of pretty natural light :) and not to mention the lunch buffet!

Well I say for $33 its arguably okay for the ambience + quality of food, especially if you order a good main! Cos the desserts well, honestly I'd just go back again for the fruits haha cos they were so yummeh! Perhaps they could put some rock melon next to the parma ham in the antipasti buffet? Mm antipasti buffet was good, selection was not bad too. This promo price will end in Aug so do go if you have the chance!

Zafferano

Lvl 43 Ocean Financial Centre

Website (their menus are online! And can reserve there too)

Spanish Promotion at Carousel

Spanish guest chef, Esmeraldo Oteruelo (a very friendly and cute ol' chef) is here at Carousel to showcase his dishes such as seafood paella! There are different types of paella on rotation but its always a seafood one and a vegetarian one on offer! There are also Spanish touches here and there in the buffet, like appetisers & starters that have a more Spanish slant like lentils, beetroot, potatoes, grilled veg, churros etc. Also the tags have Spanish names! Makes it more Spanish-like :)

Orange Olive Oil cake in the foreground: ok only, passable

Lemon tart in the back left: Not your usual tart w curd, this is more like a tart shell w hints of lemon

Plum & apricot tart to the right: this was good, though a thicker and crispier shell would've been better!

Baked stuffed apples to the left: okay-ish, I didnt really like it

Cake w hazelnut spread +  hazelnut on top: this was q good!

The green cake tasted weird to me

Cheesecake at the back was good w the berries

Cold seafood

Oysters - q fresh cos the chefs were shucking them at the back but not all sweet

Mussels, clams, some unidentified shells, crabs, all not bad!! Quite good spread :)

The whole atlantic salmon in the foreground was superb! Fresh and sweet and soft :)

Lobsters at the back were good too, some had lots of roe!!!

Dates (I assume medjool the most common ones?) and these were yummy!!!! Sweet but not overly so :) couldnt stop munching on these

Lobster and the eggs + salmon!

Appetisers - smoked duck, beef etc

Sushi!

Sashimi - salmon, swordfish, tuna, octopus and idk whats in front but all very sweet, thick cut and fresh!

Cheese

Salads - lentils, couscous, Spanish orange, beetroot

I loved this paella more than the seafood one! It was more flavourful and drier for me

Vegetable stew in the left background

Baked sole fish in the foreground

This v interesting sweet & savory pie in the right background - contains minced duck and chicken in a sweet cinnamon-y pie! V interesting!!

Some local dishes on offer, there was also cereal prawns, glutinous rice, chicken feet (As in the dimsum kind), bak kut teh, kueh pie tee, chicken rice, duck rice, Indian station w curries and prata, chinese soups

Fried carrot cake

Churros! The boy said this was v good! Freshly made on the spot

Mains on offer. There was also lamb shank, duck confit, fish, this savory puff pastry and vegetables

Lentil soup on the left was not bad! They also had bandung for you to drink!!

Chocolate pudding - a little dry I think! There's also bread & butter pudding here, purple rice w longan too

Fruits - watermelon, rock melon, honey dew, grapes, longan, guava etc

That flowery thing was made on the spot too along w the churros and it tastes like the CNY fried thing we have. 

There's a credit card promo, 15% on weekdays and 10% on weekends so if you go on a weekday its abt $78 aft discount including gst & service charge. I think the price is kinda ex for the food so make sure you spam the cold seafood!!! 

Carousel
Royal Plaza on Scotts
Spanish Promotion ends 18 Aug
$78++/person before discount
6.30-10.30pm