Every time I hear the words “international buffet” and “seafood” in the same sentence, I feel conflicted. I love shellfish, but when raw food like oysters and sashimi are served at buffets, all too often they’re too frozen to taste good. Still, with Sakura’s reputation as a recognised brand, I decided to give it a shot.
Being a halal buffet, it’s an easy choice for class gatherings, and has been around for more than ten years. Sakura International Buffet Yio Chu Kang is the first of the Sakura brand to undergo a revamp, with changes to both its interior and menu.
Sakura’s new concept allows diners a culinary journey around the world, from France to America, Thailand, Japan, and Singapore, among other countries.
Note: The Sakura International Buffet has ceased operations in 2019.
I liked that the sea snails were sliced up sashimi-style for easy eating, and the consistency and taste was similar to that of abalone. The boiled prawns were also good – sweet, meaty and fresh!
Note: The whelks, boiled prawns, mussels and salmon are only available during dinner.
I was disappointed by the Baked Cheese Macaroni and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce. The meatballs were nothing fantastic, and the mac & cheese was cakey and rather tasteless. The other offerings may be better, with nachos and cheese, hot dogs, and chicken popcorn being on offer. I would skip this section and save space for other sides.
With the amount of fried finger food, this section is probably more for the kids to fill their stomachs.
The sashimi was fresh, and there was a selection ranging from tataki bonito to salmon and sweet shrimp. Unfortunately, sashimi is only available during dinner.
The liu sha bao was by far the best of the dim sum on offer. I’d skip them all for more of the molten custard bun! They also have dried scallop porridge if you want something healthier. One thing I like about this section is everything is kept in the traditional dim sum woven baskets, so they stay hot and fresh.
Besides Hokkien Mee and oyster omelette, there were also shark’s fin soup, Hainanese chicken rice, shrimp paste chicken, otah and satay! The quality of the chicken rice and shrimp paste chicken surprised me. The chicken rice was smooth and fragrant, and I liked how they used Japanese short-grain rice for a unique spin. The shrimp paste chicken was juicy with crispy skin and there was an umami flavour from the shrimp paste.
Note: This dish is only available during dinner.
This was another item I enjoyed. My companion was adamant that she didn’t like egg tarts, but I forced her to take a bite, and she finished one by herself. The pastry was well done, not too flaky or crumbly, and the egg was smooth and soft. The small bits of bird’s nest added to the sweetness of this dessert.
My only complaint was that the bread was slightly too thick, so it didn’t match up to the consistency of the lava. Still, it was fluffy and soft enough that I didn’t mind!
The oysters and prawns were fresh and good though, and there was a variety of vegetables, mushrooms, and egg tofu to add flavour to the soup. I felt the soup was rather bland at first, but after the addition of the vegetables and other ingredients, it was much better.
If you want something more local, there is bu bu char char and rainbow kueh lapis! For those who want to offset the amount of food you’ve managed to stuff into your mouth, they also have freshly cut fruits, yoghurt, and jellies.
There is also a live station that prepares Lava Cake with Haagen-Dazs Belgian Chocolate ice cream, almond shavings, and strawberries a la minute. I was let down by this, as the chocolate didn’t ooze out at all, despite me cutting the cake multiple times in an attempt to release the “lava”. Still, the cake was moist and chocolatey, and paired with the rich Haagen Dazs ice cream, was not beyond saving.
Sakura has managed to change my impression of seafood at buffets, as well as the standard of items – this is re-branding done right. With the quality of ingredients used, quantity available (over 100 varieties), and freshness of dishes, I will definitely be returning. Dishes that are a must try are the oysters, baked Argentine prawn, whelk, liu sha bao and egg tart!
This article was brought to you by Suki Group.
Original article published on 5th February 2015. Last updated by Raewyn Koh on 17th May 2022.
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