Eat All You Can Eat – Buffet Tips

So you guys are already planning to go and enjoy a meal at a fancy buffet. With buffet prices going upwards in the range of $80-$150, what should you do to make the most value of your time and money and not ruin your health (too much)?

We had the chance to Grand Copthorne King for a buffet under the guise of celebrating my brother-in-law’s birthday 🙂 We used to go for buffets pretty often, as much as once in two months! However recently in the past couple of years, it’s been a really long time since I had a buffet because it is expensive and quite unhealthy because of over-eating. But this is my first time at Grand Copthorne King’s Food Capital and it was quite impressive!

Actually it is not much of a review. Just an excuse to post mouth-watering food porn and also some buffet tips!

Before the buffet tips: Don’t Fast!

1. Don’t fast! From experience, starving yourself hours before a buffet only makes your stomach smaller and, therefore, less able to cram much of the buffet goodies into you.
2. Exercise and be active: Have you ever felt really hungry after an hour of swimming or cycling? Using up your stored reserves in the energy bank will increase your appetite.
3. Make No. 2: It’s not really rocket science (unless you ate something fiery). Emptying your bowels of previous meals means more space for the next meal.
4. Clothing: Yet another obvious tip that people tend to overlook. Dress loosely and warmly! Most buffet restaurants turn up the A/C as the cold makes people lose appetite. Sneaky!

Starters: Salads & Fruits

Small teeny portions of salad and fruits with light sour vinaigrette dressing (not thick Thousand Island etc) starts up your digestive organs and makes it easier for food to be processed.

I have to confess that I have a very bad habit of starting with desserts first. They look so good! But honestly, the high sugar content will make you feel full before you even start on the other dishes.

Entreés: Cold Seafood: Clams, Scallops, Mussels, Crab and Oysters

Undoubtably, the most popular items in the entire buffet. Seafood costs a bomb in Singapore. It is nice that the crabs and oysters are refilled often and kept fresh. I love the oysters!

Oh and there’s sashimi too!

Once again, take tiny portions of what you can eat and go back for more after you have tried something else. If you are afraid of it running out, it is probably the restaurant you picked isn’t good enough! We don’t need that kind of stress.

In-between: No water, just hot soups or fizzy drinks

Cold drinks will make your stomach shrink. Hot soups keeps it expanded and stretchy, and fizzy drinks help you burp out excess air. Mind-blown? Another tip: Coffee energizes you and actually makes you want to eat more. As with all of the food, take little sips between dishes and not gulps. You don’t want to feel full of liquids.

Eat What You Like, Not What Costs the Most!

Your final takeaway from a buffet should be the delicious food, rather that “eating your money’s worth”. If cost is a problem, it probably means you should avoid a buffet in the first place because they are super expensive affairs in Singapore and you’ll be stuffed before getting your money’s worth. 

That said, I avoid buffets nowadays because they are very unhealthy and taxing on the digestion. Occasionally they are very enjoyable, especially if it is as nice as Grand Copthorne King’s!