(April 27, 2026 Singapore) Though I have been in Royal Plaza on Scotts many times I had never enjoyed a meal at Carousel the iconic, multiple award-winning buffet restaurant until just recently. Generations of Singaporeans have marked their milestones: first birthdays, wedding anniversaries, reunion dinners.  As, later this year, Carousel will be closing temporarily for renovations as it prepares for an exciting new chapter it was time to learn why it has been so popular over the years.   

For a celebratory look back, Executive Chef Darren Ong and his team have created Carousel Remastered a limited-run culinary showcase that revisits over 50 years of flavour - one decade at a time. The dishes Singaporeans grew up with are back but now elevated with contemporary flair and premium ingredients. 

Executive Chef Darren Ong

Beginning with the bold kampung spices of the 1970s and moving through the Western classics of the 1980s to the present, each menu captures the spirit of its era. 

Opened in 1974, this is where Singaporeans have celebrated for decades and Carousel Remastered showcases family favourites and traditions that have made the buffet dinner an iconic venue. Tapping into a deep sense of emotional and food nostalgia, the journey unfolds by era, beginning with 1970s "Kampung Roots" and 1980s Western classics. Each menu captures the spirit of its decade, bringing the tastes you remember back to the table.

You need time to fully appreciate the many dishes at the numerous stations, so don't be in a rush to leave. Sushi – absolutely. Cheese and pickles and olives. Always. Think Wagyu Beef Cheek Rendang slow-braised for 12 hours with herbs and served with blue potato mash.  

A thematic kampung display at Royal Crowne Plaza, circa 1980s

A Kacang Puteh Cart, a nod to Singapore's beloved pasar malam vendors who brought affordable goods “to the doorsteps of people” serves spiced peanuts, chickpeas and lentils in paper cones — recalling the roaming vendors who were once common outside cinemas and markets. 

The opening chapter looks to the warmth of kampung dining, where bold spices, communal flavours and local ingredients shaped everyday meals. Kampung Curry Lobster, with braised slipper lobster in a turmeric leaf curry accompanied by smokehouse baguette will bring back memories.

The menu also includes Smoked Ayam Panggang, a banana-leaf chicken roulade finished with sambal belado, and Ikan Goreng Berempah “Pasar Malam”, a crispy halibut fillet served with calamansi aioli.

Desserts continue the nostalgic theme with Ondeh Ondeh Chocolate Lollipops, featuring a liquid gula Melaka centre, and there is a Pulut Hitam Cheesecake layered with coconut cream. Be tempted by the Lemon Basil with Strawberry Cremeaux, and for those who plan to waddle out, Heritage Sweets of Singapore includes Pengol Pisang. 

A Dining Journey That Comes Full Circle 

Carousel Remastered reflects how Royal Plaza on Scotts has grown alongside Singapore, and how dining at the hotel has evolved with the city’s changing tastes, traditions and celebrations.

When the property first opened as Holiday Inn Singapore, it was the first Holiday Inn in Southeast Asia and Orchard Road was emerging as a new centre of commerce, tourism and modern city life. In those early years, dining at the hotel reflected the aspirations of a growing Singapore, with venues such as Baron’s Table, known for its provincial German cuisine and European classics, offering the kind of international restaurant experience that felt both novel and indulgent. 

                                                                                                                    Royal Plaza on Scotts opened in 1974 as Holiday Inn - the first in SE Asia

As Singapore became more cosmopolitan, so too did the hotel’s culinary identity. Over the decades, restaurants such as Café Vienna and Paolo & Ping mirrored the city’s widening palate, bringing different influences, dining styles and flavours to the table. When Carousel was introduced in 2007, it marked a new chapter — one that brought together the variety, abundance and global perspective that had come to define modern dining in Singapore.

“For many of our guests, Carousel is where celebrations became traditions. As we enter a new chapter, we’re bringing back some of our most iconic dishes — so guests can experience the flavours they grew up with, once again,” said Dharmik Kumar, General Manager of Royal Plaza on Scotts.

Carousel Remastered forms part of the restaurant’s continuing evolution – a celebration of the flavours that shaped its identity and the guests who have made it part of their own stories over the years. 

Before the next chapter begins, guests are invited to experience Carousel as it comes full circle, revisiting the tastes and memories that helped define its journey.

Royal Plaza on Scotts 

1974 — Hotel opens as Holiday Inn Singapore, the first Holiday Inn in Southeast Asia

1999 — Property becomes Royal Plaza on Scotts

2007 — Carousel buffet restaurant launches following a major renovation

Voted Best Buffet Restaurant in Singapore at the AsiaOne People’s Choice Awards for seven consecutive years and the only restaurant inducted into its Hall of Fame, Carousel is also a 2025 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Top 20 winner worldwide, and a 2025 World Luxury Restaurant Awards winner for Best Buffet Dining (Global Winner), Best Buffet Variety (Asia) and Best All-Day Buffet Dining (South East Asia).

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