Element Restaurant at Amara Hotel

Being in the Central Business District, Element is very popular with executives wanting lunch in spacious air-conditioned comfort rather than having to sweat it out at the packed lunch hawkers nearby. Apart from being an enochophobe’s dream, the main draw here is the international buffet which features several culinary sections, and, of course, the extensive wine list, even though there are no by the glass selections. My picks from the cold section were some excellent sweet prawns and grilled Mediterranean vegetables marinated in good olive oil, fresh herbs, vinegar and their own savoury, smoky juices. After that I visited the Japanese section where I found some half-decent sashimi and tempura, although the tempura was rather soggy, as it always is if left out of the fryer for more than a minute. For dessert, I went for some good, moist chocolate cake with lots of icing and a little fruit salad from the buffet. A new a la carte menu was on offer when I went, and offered Western and Asian favourites, including a baked cod fillet in bonito sauce — also available as a buffet item — which looked good, and a generous looking grilled lamb cutlet. All in all, a great place for a quick, no-fuss lunch.

Element Restaurant at Amara Hotel

Level 1, Amara Singapore, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Tel: 6879 2607 / 6879 2555
Operating Hours: Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm(Mon-Fri) High Tea: Noon – 5pm (Sat, Sun & PH) Dinner: 6pm – 10pm (Daily)