Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
This was my firm's buffet dinner at the hotel ballroom during our trip to Vietnam. We'd organised the inaugural HEP's Got Talent Competition, as the main entertainment of the night, which brought out a lot of shy bathroom-crooners. Also, the EPs put up a dance number for us, which was incredibly cool and clearly a crowd favourite. Beeps and I were in stitches watching CC perform on stage. He was so adorable with his earnest dancing! The BF commented that no other firm would the senior partners, including the managing partner, go up onto a stage and dance in front of the whole firm. How cool was that??
Some of the following photos were taken by Mr J, our resident photography fanatic, with his hardcore DSLR camera. His photos really do turn out much prettier (obvious from the glaring difference in his and my photos). Many friends have asked me if I'm intending to get a "proper" camera, but I loathe the idea of lugging around a heavy and bulky camera on my lack-of-muscles arms. I like my camera small (and cute!). Plus, my bags aren't big enough to stuff a DSLR camera.
Overall, the buffet was alright, mostly ordinary fare with a couple of stellar items. No different from any other run-of-the-mill buffet. The Roasted Chicken was my favourite main. It was juicy, well-marinated and had fatty and wonderfully flavoured skin.
The Steamed Broccoli with Diced Eggs was also pretty good. I got seconds of this as well.
The Diced Chicken with Cashews and Peppers was alright. Chicken cubes were tender and juicy, good but standard fare.
The Crepes with Prawns and Dill was also pretty good, but it was marred by the mayonnaise-based sauce slathered all over it. I had to scrape off the sauce to enjoy the crepes.
The Stir-Fried Seafood Noodles was loaded generously with green leafy veggies, prawns and eggs.
The Vietnamese Spring Rolls were ordinary at best. They were slightly cold and the skin was soggy as a result of standing in the open. Sheraton's room service spring rolls were better.
I didn't like the Roasted Lamb, it was very gamey and chewy.
I didn't really like the Prawns with Olive and Tomatoes. The taste of olives just clashed with the flavour of the prawns somehow.
The Breaded Chicken was also a little dried out, probably from being left out in the open.
The Duck with Pepper Sauce was also similarly dry and tough.
The Salad Bar was not bad. Vegetables were fresh and accompaniments were varied.
I didn't really take to the German Potato Salad, the addition of sour cream made it taste a little rancid.
The Prawn and Pomelo Salad was not very good as well. The stale boiled prawns were a little powdery and the pomelo was a little too tart.
The Mixed Vegetable Salad was simply mixed vegetables tossed with mayonnaise, which I don't like.
The Pasta Salad was simply the Mixed Vegetables Salad with the addition of macaroni.
The Smoked Mackerel was a little too fishy for my liking.
The Sushi Platter was ordinary at best. Fish used in the sushi wasn't as fresh as I would have liked.
The Chilled Boiled Prawns was not bad. Fresh and sweet.
The Mushroom Soup with Assorted Breadrolls was alright, but unspectacular. The soup was a little thin and watery and the Bread was a little stale and too crusty.
The desserts generally fared better. My favourite was the Passionfruit Cheesecake. The creamy cheese was balanced by the tart passionfruit.
The White Chocolate Cake was little too sweet for my liking, but I'll admit that I've never been a fan of white chocolate anyway.
The Caramel Creme was also a little too sweet for my tastebuds.
The Assorted Fruit Tartlets were pretty good. Fresh and sweet fruits set atop a buttery crumbly base.
The American Cheesecake was also yummy. Light and creamy, without being too rich.
The Chocolate Muffin was moist and rich.
The Chocolate Layered Opera Cake was also not bad. Sweet and not too overwhelming.
The White Chocolate Sponge Cake was a little too cloying. The BF had to help me finish this.
The Black Forest Cake was also pretty good.
This was the first time I'd ever seen Passionfruit being served at a buffet Fresh Fruits Selection (from left to right: Passionfruit, Watermelon and Dragonfruit). Fruits were fresh, refreshing and sweet.
Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers
88 Dong Khoi Street
District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Tel: (84)(8) 3827 2828
Website
Some of the following photos were taken by Mr J, our resident photography fanatic, with his hardcore DSLR camera. His photos really do turn out much prettier (obvious from the glaring difference in his and my photos). Many friends have asked me if I'm intending to get a "proper" camera, but I loathe the idea of lugging around a heavy and bulky camera on my lack-of-muscles arms. I like my camera small (and cute!). Plus, my bags aren't big enough to stuff a DSLR camera.
Overall, the buffet was alright, mostly ordinary fare with a couple of stellar items. No different from any other run-of-the-mill buffet. The Roasted Chicken was my favourite main. It was juicy, well-marinated and had fatty and wonderfully flavoured skin.
The Steamed Broccoli with Diced Eggs was also pretty good. I got seconds of this as well.
The Diced Chicken with Cashews and Peppers was alright. Chicken cubes were tender and juicy, good but standard fare.
The Stir-Fried Seafood Noodles was loaded generously with green leafy veggies, prawns and eggs.
The Vietnamese Spring Rolls were ordinary at best. They were slightly cold and the skin was soggy as a result of standing in the open. Sheraton's room service spring rolls were better.
I didn't like the Roasted Lamb, it was very gamey and chewy.
I didn't really like the Prawns with Olive and Tomatoes. The taste of olives just clashed with the flavour of the prawns somehow.
The Breaded Chicken was also a little dried out, probably from being left out in the open.
The Duck with Pepper Sauce was also similarly dry and tough.
The Salad Bar was not bad. Vegetables were fresh and accompaniments were varied.
I didn't really take to the German Potato Salad, the addition of sour cream made it taste a little rancid.
The Prawn and Pomelo Salad was not very good as well. The stale boiled prawns were a little powdery and the pomelo was a little too tart.
The Mixed Vegetable Salad was simply mixed vegetables tossed with mayonnaise, which I don't like.
The Pasta Salad was simply the Mixed Vegetables Salad with the addition of macaroni.
The Smoked Mackerel was a little too fishy for my liking.
The Sushi Platter was ordinary at best. Fish used in the sushi wasn't as fresh as I would have liked.
The Chilled Boiled Prawns was not bad. Fresh and sweet.
The Mushroom Soup with Assorted Breadrolls was alright, but unspectacular. The soup was a little thin and watery and the Bread was a little stale and too crusty.
The desserts generally fared better. My favourite was the Passionfruit Cheesecake. The creamy cheese was balanced by the tart passionfruit.
The White Chocolate Cake was little too sweet for my liking, but I'll admit that I've never been a fan of white chocolate anyway.
The Caramel Creme was also a little too sweet for my tastebuds.
The Assorted Fruit Tartlets were pretty good. Fresh and sweet fruits set atop a buttery crumbly base.
The American Cheesecake was also yummy. Light and creamy, without being too rich.
The Chocolate Muffin was moist and rich.
The Chocolate Layered Opera Cake was also not bad. Sweet and not too overwhelming.
The White Chocolate Sponge Cake was a little too cloying. The BF had to help me finish this.
The Black Forest Cake was also pretty good.
This was the first time I'd ever seen Passionfruit being served at a buffet Fresh Fruits Selection (from left to right: Passionfruit, Watermelon and Dragonfruit). Fruits were fresh, refreshing and sweet.
Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers
88 Dong Khoi Street
District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Tel: (84)(8) 3827 2828
Website
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