And So To Raffles

Having left Burnt Ends without room for even a wafer thin mint, Chief and I had just a few hours to find enough tummy room before indulging in a Sunday brunch at Raffles hotel.  This proved a challenge as eight of those hours were taken up sleeping off our dinner in a soporific stupor.

Visiting one of the world’s most iconic hotels was cause for a new frock (naturally) and Chief and I arrived at Raffles suitably donned in our best bib and tucker.

The Bar and Billiard room was the venue for the brunch.  In a separate building from the main hotel and built in 1896; it was a step back to the colonial days.  The bar also boasted to be the first bar in the country to have a female bartender which caused quite a stir back in the 1920’s.

The billiard tables had been transformed into buffet tables as well as a buffet lining the outskirts of the bar.  I have never seen such an extravagant selection of food in one place at one time; there was seafood (lobster, oysters, prawns, sea urchin), cold cuts, hors d’oeuvres, fois gras, roast meat selection, salads, bread selection, vegetables, pasta dishes – cheese to satisfy every palate and  a rainbow of desserts.  All this washed down with champagne, wine and a Singapore Sling or two – pure and sheer indulgence and quite frankly a guilty pleasure.  Enough from me, I’ll let the photographs tell the rest.

Raffles Hotel

Raffles Courtyard Fountain

Bar & Billiard Room

Standing to Attention

Oysters

Tortellini all in a row

Sea Urchin

Billiard Table

Step Back in Time

Something Chocolate & Fancy

Dessert on the Billiard Table

Cheese Buffet

Say Cheese

Dessert Selection

Billiard table back to the day job

Sunday Brunchers

Bar

Hard at Work