Organised a farewell lunch, small budget, but still want a nice environment and good food – go to a semi-buffet. Ash and Elm caters to the nearby lunchtime crowd with a semi-buffet, offering 4 choices for mains (rotation) and buffet appetiser and dessert bar.
Ash and Elm at Intercontinental Bugis occupied the space that used to be Olive Tree. Olive Tree was pretty good (and pretty expensive) for a while, and then the financial crisis hit. The location was not ideal to get your usual business lunch crowd (just inside the CBD) and it was in a lot of competition to really good eating place around it. The ending was inevitable.
The choices of the buffet was reasonable for $38++ for lunch (including a main). The ladies loved the dessert bar, I had nothing of it. But the cured meats and cheeses were quite generous, although it would have been perfect if prosciutto or jamon is included.
The mains were reasonable, I find the duck confit a bit to the dry side, but the skin was crisp and it wasn’t oily. It would be ideal if the vegetables on the side were cooked a bit softer. The salmon a la plancha was quite moist when it was served, I didn’t order it so would not know what it tasted. I wasn’t a big fan of salmon in the first place. Other choices were a vegetarian lasagna and for additional $10, a beef stew in red wine sauce.
Executive Sous Chef Philippe Duc got his baptism of fire working in the 3-sater under Alaine Ducasse in the restaurant of the same name in Paris, and was behind the IHG HK Michelin 2-stars Spoon. We all have high expectation given the reputation. I had dinner here before, the steaks were excellent.
But still, it was a bit pricey for a normal day lunch, it wasn’t crowded, there were only 10~15 customers including our group of 8. Hopefully it would not go the way of its predecessor.
Ash and Elm
80 Middle Road, Singapore 188966
Tel : 6825 1008
https://singapore.intercontinental.com/dine-drink/ash-elm
Date Visited : Jul 2018
Michelin Table 2018
live2makan 
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