For me, experiencing the Rediscover Türkiye at Carousel buffet was like a dream come true. The buffet at Carousel, Royal Plaza on Scotts never disappoints with its huge variety of fresh seafoods and sashimi, as well as a diverse selection of dishes, curated to cater to a multicultural audience.
There is always something for someone at the Carousel buffet and at the end of that, there is a lovely selection of dessert that everyone will enjoy.
Rediscover Türkiye, Carousel Buffet at Royal Plaza On Scotts
This month, renowned Chef Ahmet Akpinar was invited to create a Turkish feast for diners for Carousel and it’s definitely one of the highlights of the year at Carousel, Royal Plaza on Scotts. It’s no wonder it’s regularly awarded as one of the Best Restaurants including the best Muslim-Friendly Restaurant!
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The restaurant was decked with various decorations associated with Türkiye, such as a Turkish mosaic lamp, hot air balloons near the entrance and we were treated to a dance prior to our meal.
Those were nice, but I couldn’t wait to get right into the buffet and set out on a journey through Turkish cuisine curated by MasterChef Ahmet!
To say the spread was amazing would be an understatement.
Right at the start was a table filled with different varieties of dates, some other dried fruits and crackers for Muslim patrons to break their fast with.
We also took too long to walk past the whole large section of fresh seafoods and sashimi – those glistening fresh oysters and shellfish, plump and beautifully cooked crustaceans (including lobsters and snow crab legs!), and fresh, delicate and vibrant coloured sashimi slices called out like sirens of deep and I had to resolutely announce that I will definitely be back later! I did not want to miss the introduction!
Chef Ahmet started by introducing the Mezzes, a selection of appetizers, salads, dips, and bread. The sincerity of Chef Ahmet and his passion for cooking and promoting Turkish cuisine shone through as he took us through the dishes during the media tasting.
No effort was spared in recreating all of these traditional, authentic appetizers for the buffet. Each dish was excellent, as if straight out of a top-tier Turkish restaurant, simply presented but full of flavour!
The Şakşuka (Shakshouka), a stir-fried garden vegetables with yoghurt and tomato sauce delighted the palate with their combination of bold flavours coated in a rich tomato sauce. The cold cut station featured Turkish pepperoni and pastrami which were intense (pleasantly so) in flavour and worth a try.
Turkish dips have become a staple in homes as well as restaurants over the years for a reason – that perfect balance of textures, creamy, smoky, nutty flavours. The quality of the ingredients and preparation method makes a world of difference.
We couldn’t hold back from grabbing more bread and crackers to dip into the Acuka (Muhammara) which is made with roasted red bell pepper, walnut, and molasses, as well as the silky-smooth Hummus made with Chickpea puree with tahini and garlic.
Traditional Dishes
Moving on to the hot dishes, Chef Ahmet prepared an array of traditional Turkish dishes with family recipes that were unique, authentic and particular. You may not be able to find the dishes cooked the same way any where else even in Türkiye itself!
The Yumurtali Ispanak, a dish of Spinach with eggs and Keşkekli Kuzu Incik, Braised lamb shank with wheat puree were dishes that captured Chef Ahmet’s desire to capture the comforting, home-cooked flavors that exude warmth and nostalgia. Alevli Tuzda Balik – Salt-baked salmon in vine leaves was melt in the mouth tender. It was enveloped in a tangy, sweet orange sauce which complemented the rich, buttery flavour of the salmon beautifully. Definitely one of the stand out dishes!
Hünkar Beğendi, popularly known as Sultan’s delight, was another highlight. The lamb impossibly tender, the roasted eggplants soft but with a subtle bite and the cheese sauce amazingly rich and creamy were a winning combination of rich flavours, smokiness and textures.
That is not paella in the large paella pan, but Sehriyeli Pilav, a Turkish rice Pilaf made with vermicelli rice. It is an important and iconic Turkish dish that is often used to accompany their stews. This version was buttery and fragrant. So good you can even eat it on its own.
Carving Station at the Carousel Buffet
The carving station – this part of the buffet is not for the faint-hearted. The whole roasted lamb at the middle of the station was a suitable centrepiece. Seeing it presented in this way evokes a deeply primal sensation.
It reminds you of the way animals were consumed and continue to be consumed by people around the world first for survival, then for tradition and now as a much appreciated culinary experience.
The lamb was sliced on the spot for the diner and offered with some simple sauces. It would have been interesting to try all varieties of cuts of the lamb, but the skewers, the Kebabs and Chicken Döner Kebab required my attention as well. All grilled to perfection and thoroughly enjoyable.
During the buffet, I did return to the sashimi, cold seafood sections and visited the Chinese and Indian counters as well to enjoy the very decent selection of food. After all that joyful partaking of the spread, it was time for desserts.
Desserts
Turkish desserts are some of the most interesting desserts you can have. Fistikli Baklava, Cevizli Baklava, Künefe and Rahat Lokum are Turkish words that you have to get memorised. They are words that need to be uttered the instant at the end of a Turkish meal when the waiter asks you if you want desserts. Or in our case, the first things you must pick when you approach the desserts table.
The Fistikli Baklava is basically thin filo pastry layers filled with chopped pistachios soaked in a sweet syrup. The equally tantalising Cevizli Baklava is filled with walnuts instead of pistachios.
Künefe is a traditional dessert using fine dough threads or spun pastry dough soaked in a sugar-based syrup. This particular Kunefe contains walnuts and pistachios wrapped inside.
Rahat Lokum is otherwise known as Turkish Delight and this handmade confection was surely delightful! A very simple yet exquisite treat – subtly sweet, soft and chewy yet not sticky or overly sweet. It did not have a very strong perfumy aroma that some dislike either.
We ended the splendid meal at the live Turkish ice-cream stall, where I willingly suffered humiliation and mockery (Nah… just light-hearted fun!) to get my hands on a surprisingly delicious chocolate ice cream that was supposedly made with goat’s milk.
Overall Review of the Carousel Buffet at Royal Plaza on Scotts
What a meal! What a night! What an adventure! It is not too late! You can make your reservations here and schedule an evening of enjoyment brought to you by the multi-award winning Carousel together with the wonderful Chef Ahmet Akpinar.
