Since it appears to be rather trendy to do food reviews on blogs these days, I thought I should start my own review column. Righto, without further ado, I present:

TODAY'S MENU

Ok, so I could have thought of a better title for my review but I'M writing it so if you have better suggestions, flooble me and I'll consider them. Today's review will be on the swanky new outfit by Shangri-La. Here we go:

What: The Line

Where: Shangri-La Singapore, Lower Lobby, Tower Wing

Opening Hours: 24hrs

Dress Code: Smart Casual

Price: Cringe-worthy.

You know you're at The Line when the service staff are decked out in black and white stripes. Good call by the designer. First thoughts as I surveyed the huge variety of options laid out before me - trendy. So immaculately trendy. The clean lines and colours were perfectly subtle, leaving the food to take centrestage. And rightly so. The many counters seemed to be neverending in their quest to satiate the hungriest man on earth. Making your rounds is akin to a trip to the Louvre. You can't sample everything. You just have to focus on a particular cuisine or course (eg. appetiser, entree or dessert) and then conquer the rest at another time. If your wallet and waistline so permit, that is.

As a rough guide, expect the counters to offer fresh seafood, pasta, sushi, noodles, Indian food, salads, soups, dim sum, desserts, fruits and drinks.

Not to be missed items include the fabulous lobster salad, presented in lovely clear glasses. The tender lobster meat is perfectly paired with a smooth dressing and fresh garden greens. The petite serving size also means you won't fill up at the expense of other food. At the same time, you're free to help yourself to as many glasses as you wish. They do really believe you are the hungriest person on earth.

The beef tenderloin with mushrooms was, simply put, tender. A pleasant surprise came in the form of a potato cake (think fish cake size) with golden brown hints on the outside, held together with a rich cream and butter. Heaven.

Dessert is a must-have. Go for the crepes with chocolate brownie centres and the tiny cups of rich liquid chocolate. The ice cream counter is filled with varieties of toppings ranging from gummy bears to chocolate balls and Oreo cookies. Kids will love the everflowing chocolate fountain with skewers of huge crimson strawberries and sticks of pink and white marshmallow twirls, all on hand to coat lovingly with velvety chocolate.

The only downside - be prepared to fork out about S$50 per person for the buffet lunch. But for the sheer amount and variety of food made available to you, it's not a bad price to pay. What's more difficult than parting with your cash is probably parting with the excess weight you'll put on after a trip to The Line.

Verdict: Great. Go if you are hungry.

That's all for today folks. Check back tomorrow for a special update and yet another installment of Today's Menu on up-and-coming Corduroy and Finch. Bye for now!