Sunday, August 03, 2014

Breakfast at the Royal

If you remember my trip to Singapore last year, you will remember that one of my favorite things about the Royal on Scots hotel is their amazing breakfast.  It is not just a buffet or even like one of the fancy buffets you would get at an upscale hotel.  Probably because of the location, they have six very unique buffets: Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Malaysian, British, European, American.  It is amazing to go around and try some curry, congee, Belgian muesli, roti canai, dim sum . .   The problem is knowing when to stop, which I usually get totally wrong.  An hour later I am pretty ill, but not regretting it at all - I must admit.

I love it when I see something that really breaks with stereotype.  Like this morning there was a table of Muslim women in full black burka, barely slits for their eyes, and they had plates of British sausages (halal issues aside) and baked beans, chocolate cereal . . .

But then on the other hand, I think it is a shame when people stick to their stereotypes - Americans having only Fruit Loops or Indians having only curry.  It could be that they don't do this often and are having their first "reminds me of home" meal in ages, but I kind of doubt it. 

Related to this last point, I got kind of insulted by the woman doing the freshly made noodle soups.  She saw me getting some congee and asked if I wanted to "try" some soup, as if I were a sheltered American who had never tried real Chinese food before.  When I declined, she even tried goading me a little - "oh just try some, I will just give you a little bit to taste."  Her tone made it clear what she meant.  Almost out of spite I ordered the most un-American mix I could think of - full of pickled items, hot chilies, tofu and then no basic tame ingredients.