Kuali- The Asian Kitchen

Ever since I walked past the humongous promo-poster on my way to work, I have been meaning to try out Kuali's Soup Salad and Dessert buffet*.

*What they should have included in fine print:

"YX Chen, this buffet was specially created for YOU! You who care naught for main courses. You who believe dessert should be taken more seriously than entrees. You who on a daily basis operate on a sugar high derived from tangible sweet somethings."

In order of importance: The salad bar, while not extensive, had the basics used for Caesar salad. If you are one who somehow manages to screw up a salad (hah! Even I don't do that), there is actually someone stationed behind the counter ready to prepare and toss a salad for you. In addtion, there was a sausage salad, doused in mayo dressing and corn tuna salad, which were passable.



I like the smoked pepper salmon and the fact that someone was slicing the fish right before my very eyes enhanced the pleasure of dining! Just don't as kme why.. There were also mussels and prawns but I gave that miss.

There were two types of soups: old cucumber soup and asparagus soup. The asparagus soup was good, relieved of a cream overkill. I was a good girl today- I resisted the breadbasket FOR ONCE.



It is an understatement to say it was a pleasant surprise to find pizza. The thought of "hey which category does this fall under?" crossed my mind and lingered for a good 2 seconds before a Cheshire-cat grin broke out on my face. Like who cares.. There was a high turnover rate and the pizza was freshly made. Although the pizza was more "pizza toppings on a flat thin bread", than "pizza toppings on baked pizza dough", it was easy to overlook the teeny boo-boo. The pizza was substantially topped with bell peppers, onions and either seafood or chicken. I liked the seafood version better.


Case in point: check out that huge prawn.


Moving onto the dessert counter...

Though it wasn't quite the never-ending array of choices, it was ample. There were flans, puddings, puffs, tarts, cakes and mousse of bite-size portions. Now I really appreciated this because too often the pretty facades of desserts mask an unfamiliar huhwhatsinit choice of filling, thus these sizes are great for 'trial-runs'.

On your mark, get set.. ATTACK!


Lemon Sponge Cake

The lemon sponge cake, layered and covered with zesty cream and fresh fruits, was airily good. The blueberry tart warranted some attention with its cacheful of blueberry bits littered throughout the pastry.


Blueberry tart.


Mango Flan


Eclairs

The mango flan possessed the makings of a delicious mango flan- tantalizingly smooth, soft and rich with tangy mango essence. Their signature durian puffs, pulp-rich and custardy, were utterly sublime. On the other hand, the fruit tartlets would have been divine with an extra shot of custard.


Durian puffs.

"Whee I am on sugar high.. WHEEE"


Fruit Tartlets.

Debuting as arts of craft, the thumb-size cakes (not shown) were almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Haha. Most were literally gone in sixty seconds but it was difficult to differentiate them as all possessed matching amounts of sweetness and cream.



Then there was the Made-In-Front-of-You Belgium waffles counter. Checks pulsating heart rate. Belgium LIEGE waffles, to be exact. Haha.. That's one thing I learnt from my trip to Belgium. Hot and toasty, it was great on its own. But plunk on a scoop brandless ice cream, drizzle on the hot chocolate fudge and prepare to swoon in your very own DIY-treat. There is no way you are stopping at one..



The restaurant borderline formal, though noone was scruffily dressed since most patrons looked to be participants of conferences or seminars. Service was quick and amiable- they could give the food court aunties a run of their money. For $13.80 and on an intern's paycheck, Kuali isn't the most refined of eateries but you would be hard pressed to find better value eslewhere.

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