Seah Street Deli, Raffles Hotel
I'd been craving mac & cheese all week. We'd actually tried going to Seah Street Deli (coz they have one of the heartiest mac and cheeses in town) on Monday but it was closed, so it was only at the end of the work week that we managed to satiate my craving.
You know, that's one thing I don't quite understand about Raffles Hotel. Seah Street Deli, like most of the in-house restaurants at Raffles Hotel, is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Save for the Steakhouse, Courtyard, Royal China and Tiffin Room, the remaining 10 other restaurants all take turns being closed for lunch and/or dinner on Sundays, Mondays and/or Tuesdays! I'd assume that, being a hotel of such caliber and history, most of their in-house restaurants would be open all week, instead of the other way around. It's like how Pontini at Grand Copthorne Waterfront is closed on Sundays, and Saturday afternoons. Seriously, what's that about?
Also, Raffles Hotel restaurants now apparently have a no-takeaway policy, so you better make sure you finish your food then and there in the restaurant because that includes doggie-bagging the food. I just don't get it, why can't we takeaway or doggie-bag food? Even if it's for conservation reasons, surely we can use recycled paper bags? If it's the cost of such recycled paper bags that's of concern, I'll be most happy to pay a small fee for that. For the life of me, I can't fathom the rationale behind such a policy.
Another thing we noticed, Seah Street Deli has raised its prices significantly (it's about a 60% increase across the board). I don't quite get the need for such a drastic increase in pricing. In all fairness, the portions have increased. But, I never really thought their portions were puny anyways. Further, the portion sizing may have swelled, but certainly not by 60%, which would have somewhat justified the corresponding increase in pricing. I use the word "somewhat" because it's not like the standard of the dishes has suddenly shot up. The food tastes pretty much the same. So at the end of the day, you just get super duper stuffed, without a similar increase in enjoyment, and with a disproportionate increase in price. Diners end up paying 60% more for an experience that doesn't have a corresponding increase in satisfaction. This just doesn't make much economic sense. Maybe that's why the restaurant looks a lot more empty than it used to. I say, go back to the old pricing and portion sizing instead.
I got my Mac and Cheese ($29, this used to be $17.50) with roasted chicken and additional Portobello Mushroom ($9, this used to be $5). This is a lot more generously portioned than the last time I had this, I was actually full halfway through! The elbow pasta was done perfectly al dente, chewy with the slightest bit of bite, topped off with juicy portobello slices and flavoursome roasted chicken, then finished off with a slathering of rich luscious cheese. This is as good as before, but what's the point of an upsized portion if I can't finish it? I just end up paying more for a portion sizing that I can't finish, and to compound matters, I can't doggie-bag the remains to finish later. I think, I'm going to have to head to Pique Nique for my mac and cheese cravings from now on.
The Hubs, who's staying away from carbs, ordered the Broadway ($40, this used to be $25), a combination of quarter roasted chicken and half rack of baby pork ribs served with seasonal vegetables and sauteed mushrooms. The increase in sizing for this was a lot less than with the mac and cheese. Chicken was flavoursome but could be more moist. Ribs were nicely marinated but could be more tender and fleshier. Chili's does a much much better version of this combo at a much more attractive pricing (at $25.90). Seah Street Deli needs to do a lot better to stay competitive in today's culinary climate.
Update 17 October 2012: Seah Street Deli has closed and may be making way for a halal eatery
Seah Street Deli
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
Tel: 6337 1886
Open Sundays to Thursdays and Public Holidays from 11am to 10pm, Fridays, Saturdays and eve of Public Holidays from 11am to 11pm
You know, that's one thing I don't quite understand about Raffles Hotel. Seah Street Deli, like most of the in-house restaurants at Raffles Hotel, is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Save for the Steakhouse, Courtyard, Royal China and Tiffin Room, the remaining 10 other restaurants all take turns being closed for lunch and/or dinner on Sundays, Mondays and/or Tuesdays! I'd assume that, being a hotel of such caliber and history, most of their in-house restaurants would be open all week, instead of the other way around. It's like how Pontini at Grand Copthorne Waterfront is closed on Sundays, and Saturday afternoons. Seriously, what's that about?
Also, Raffles Hotel restaurants now apparently have a no-takeaway policy, so you better make sure you finish your food then and there in the restaurant because that includes doggie-bagging the food. I just don't get it, why can't we takeaway or doggie-bag food? Even if it's for conservation reasons, surely we can use recycled paper bags? If it's the cost of such recycled paper bags that's of concern, I'll be most happy to pay a small fee for that. For the life of me, I can't fathom the rationale behind such a policy.
Another thing we noticed, Seah Street Deli has raised its prices significantly (it's about a 60% increase across the board). I don't quite get the need for such a drastic increase in pricing. In all fairness, the portions have increased. But, I never really thought their portions were puny anyways. Further, the portion sizing may have swelled, but certainly not by 60%, which would have somewhat justified the corresponding increase in pricing. I use the word "somewhat" because it's not like the standard of the dishes has suddenly shot up. The food tastes pretty much the same. So at the end of the day, you just get super duper stuffed, without a similar increase in enjoyment, and with a disproportionate increase in price. Diners end up paying 60% more for an experience that doesn't have a corresponding increase in satisfaction. This just doesn't make much economic sense. Maybe that's why the restaurant looks a lot more empty than it used to. I say, go back to the old pricing and portion sizing instead.
I got my Mac and Cheese ($29, this used to be $17.50) with roasted chicken and additional Portobello Mushroom ($9, this used to be $5). This is a lot more generously portioned than the last time I had this, I was actually full halfway through! The elbow pasta was done perfectly al dente, chewy with the slightest bit of bite, topped off with juicy portobello slices and flavoursome roasted chicken, then finished off with a slathering of rich luscious cheese. This is as good as before, but what's the point of an upsized portion if I can't finish it? I just end up paying more for a portion sizing that I can't finish, and to compound matters, I can't doggie-bag the remains to finish later. I think, I'm going to have to head to Pique Nique for my mac and cheese cravings from now on.
The Hubs, who's staying away from carbs, ordered the Broadway ($40, this used to be $25), a combination of quarter roasted chicken and half rack of baby pork ribs served with seasonal vegetables and sauteed mushrooms. The increase in sizing for this was a lot less than with the mac and cheese. Chicken was flavoursome but could be more moist. Ribs were nicely marinated but could be more tender and fleshier. Chili's does a much much better version of this combo at a much more attractive pricing (at $25.90). Seah Street Deli needs to do a lot better to stay competitive in today's culinary climate.
Update 17 October 2012: Seah Street Deli has closed and may be making way for a halal eatery
Seah Street Deli
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
Tel: 6337 1886
Open Sundays to Thursdays and Public Holidays from 11am to 10pm, Fridays, Saturdays and eve of Public Holidays from 11am to 11pm
Comments