RISE Restaurant at Marina Bay Sands: A Buffet Spread Even the Pickiest Little Eaters Will Love

A buffet with chocolate fountains, unlimited nachos, jars full of M&Ms and an actual honeycomb. Are we there yet?

There are tons of dining options within the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, so it’s easy to dismiss the hotel’s international buffet restaurant as a worthy choice. However, if you have little diners in tow, the mind boggling variety of eats at RISE will fill up even the fussiest little belly. We sampled their dinner buffet spread (Daily, 6:30-10:30pm) and found several things the kids will love.  Mamas, here is a meal you will actually be able to eat while the littlies get busy with a few activities. We give you several reasons to book a date here with your kids (besides the fact that children under 5 eat FREE!).

Did you know Marina Bay Sands has their own edible garden? We sure didn’t, and it is right in RISE Restaurant’s backyard. The herb garden grows about 30 to 50 varieties, and the most commonly used are mint, basil, thyme, oregano, sage and rosemary. A walk around the herb garden with the kids will help work up an appetite, and teach them a little about where their food comes from.

All the usual child-friendly amenities can be found here, including high chairs, space for strollers to move, and activity pages and crayons to keep them busy. Should the need arise there are baby changing facilities and nursing rooms nearby.

The spread is exhaustive (to say the least). Mamas of picky eaters: even the pickiest will find something they love in this spread. Indian curries, Asian noodles, pasta a-la-minute, a salad bar, sushi, a bread station, seafood, desserts and so much more!

We are yet to come across a little tot who doesn’t like nachos, and Rise has a station dedicated to these crispy corn chips with all sorts of toppings—salsa, cheese, sauce, guacamole, beans and sour cream. Load up, eat up.

Bread! Baked loaves of all kinds are available at the bread station. Dunk it in soup, spread butter, relishes and preserves or pair with the dizzying selection of cheese.

The cheese selection has something special that will leave kids enthralled. A honeycomb stand, and fresh honey, dripping onto the nuts and dried fruit below. Cheese-wise, amidst the top notch exotic stuff (French brie, pungent gorgonzola and more) there are even good ol’ child-friendly cheddar cubes.

We love the salad bar for its selection of cut up fruit (steer them this way first mamas). Easy for kids to grasp — we spotted everything from papaya to cut up halves of passionfruit.

Ah, desserts! It will be hard to keep kiddos from making a beeline for this station There is a dual-flavoured chocolate fountain, ice-cream with toppings like sprinkles, granola and chocolate pearls, all-you-can-eat M&Ms, marshmallows, egg tarts and colourful kueh. Be prepared for a mammoth sugar rush mamas!

All of the above is only part of the everyday spread. RISE also offers special themed nights with additional specials; there is seafood on Tuesdays, an American Feast on Wednesdays, and a Backyard Barbecue on Thursdays (with the most delicious Lamb T-bone and whole roasted cauliflower). Fridays they serve Mediterranean delights and local favourites on Saturdays. The way we see it, that’s a few weeks’ worth of happy family dinners — and full tummies.

Prices: $72 per adult | $38 per child; No charge for children under 5 years.

Opening hours: Breakfast buffet 6:30am to 11:00am; Lunch Buffet 12pm to 2:30pm; Dinner buffet 6:00pm to 10:30pm. 

RISE, Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Lobby Tower 1, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956, Tel: (+65) 6688 5525,  www.marinabaysands.com/restaurants/buffet/rise.html