Charming Cola @ Alva House
We went to Alva House for a buffet dinner! Returning to the restaurant still feels exciting because the buffet items here are very much to my taste, and I always look forward to the surprises the food brings.
As soon as you step in, you're greeted by a sweet dessert fridge! Inside, there are Italian cheesecake, matcha red bean milk pudding, mango Napoleon, hibiscus honey jelly, honey yuzu mango cheesecake, fresh mango pudding, jelly candies, goji berry osmanthus cake, mango coconut cake, and cheesecake. The variety is so extensive that it definitely triggers my choice paralysis.
Another dessert fridge is a paradise for durian fans! It contains durian cream puffs, durian lava cake, durian pandan mousse cake, durian sawdust mochi cake, durian panna cotta, rock sugar durian egg custard, and durian coconut pudding. This night, we durian lovers can eat to our heart's content.
There are four flavors of homemade Italian ice cream! Including lime Coca-Cola sorbet, durian ice cream, pistachio ice cream, and apple white peach sorbet.
Then there are many Coca-Cola-themed desserts! Including banana chocolate cake, chestnut chiffon cream cake, Coca-Cola bubble jelly cup, gem opera cake, Coca-Cola caramel nut tart, German Christmas bread, Christmas cookies, waffles, and Portuguese tarts.
On the other side, there's a fruit buffet! I love that they offer both whole and cut fruits to cater to different guests' needs.
In addition to homemade Italian ice cream, the buffet also offers up to eight flavors of Häagen-Dazs cup ice cream.
In the cold weather, let's start with hot international dishes! Leading the way are Asian-flavored yellow curry chicken, Indian mixed vegetable curry, Indian flatbread, Indian crispy bread, and Thai shrimp chips.
Since it's a Coca-Cola-themed buffet, there are also dishes made with it! Coca-Cola soy sauce chicken and Coca-Cola wagyu beef ribs.
Next is a series of Western dishes! Including roast beef, roast lamb leg, Greek yellow chicken, roast pork ribs, black truffle corn cakes, grilled vegetables, various fresh breads, tomato cream soup, pan-fried fish fillets, porcini risotto, roast pork tenderloin, and cheese-baked eggplant.
Of course, there are also many Chinese dishes! Including dried vegetable soup, DIY spicy hot pot, lotus leaf vermicelli mixed seafood, lobster crab porridge, and the daily stew of codonopsis, fig, and lily bulb with pork shank.
The roast meat station is also very rich, including marinated tofu, honey-glazed char siu, Peking duck, and Hainanese chicken rice.
Then there are ginger pig's feet, salt and pepper lobster claws, braised fish maw with duck feet in oyster sauce, and poached seasonal vegetables in superior broth.
The refreshing salad appetizer area also has a lot of choices! Including various fresh salad greens, various salad toppings, Caesar salad, and ready-made salads.
Next are four creamy cheeses, various cold cuts, smoked salmon, and prosciutto.
The chilled seafood includes sea snails, bread crabs, lobsters, mussels, and crab legs, as well as freshly shucked American oysters.
There are also many sashimi options! Argentine red shrimp, salmon, tuna, octopus, and my favorite seasoned whelk, of course, there are also sushi and rolls.
The Japanese hot food station offers many Japanese-style dishes! Including tempura, skewers, and around the corner, there are pan-fried foie gras, teppanyaki crab, and black truffle wagyu fried rice.
The self-service drink area offers hot water and hot black tea, as well as cold drinks like mint orange Coca-Cola special drink, sugar-free lemon tea, iced lemon tea, and fruit punch for unlimited refills.
The freshly shucked American oysters are very fresh and sweet, a must-eat for oyster lovers.
I selected a plate of cold appetizers for myself! The Argentine red shrimp in the sashimi section is sticky and sweet, the lobster roe in the chilled seafood section is plump and tempting, and a bit of prosciutto and my favorite seasoned whelk make my mouth very satisfied.
If you like crab roe, don't miss the bread crab.
Peking duck is always an attractive item, and being able to eat it to your heart's content is even more delightful.
For hot dishes, you must try the Coca-Cola soy sauce chicken. The chicken is tender, and the sweet flavor of the Coca-Cola soy sauce is very delicious. The teppanyaki crab is also my target. I grabbed it as soon as the chef finished cooking it, and it was full of wok hei and flavor. I also ate the well-braised beauty-enhancing fish maw and ginger pig's feet to replenish collagen.
Beef lovers shouldn't miss the roast beef. The pink meat is very charming and will definitely satisfy beef fans.
During the buffet, there's a limited-time live slicing of a whole Japanese yellowtail weighing about 6 kg, freshly sliced and eaten. Fish lovers should look forward to it.
For desserts, start with the homemade Italian ice cream! The rich durian ice cream is a must-try, and the pistachio ice cream and apple white peach sorbet flavors are also very charming. Ice cream lovers shouldn't miss it.
Next, of course, you must try the durian desserts first! Sharing these durian desserts with friends is really joyful. Each one is filled with the sweet aroma of durian, very attractive. It's hard to pick a winner; they all get full marks.
The Coca-Cola-themed buffet is available until February 28, 2025.