Picnic Review: Marche-Like Food Truck Buffet At $39.90++ At Orchard

Picnic at Wisma Atria

Dining at Picnic is a unique affair, with a slew of food trucks pushing out different cuisines. To ensure you get a taste of everything, they recently launched a buffet, where you can get free-flow of full portion mains from all stalls. It’s awesome if you love variety.

Priced at $39.90++ for weekday lunch, and $55++ during dinner and weekends, this 90-minute buffet is totes worth your buck, considering that they are priced at around $15++ a dish when bought on an a la carte basis.

Food at Picnic

We started off with a plate of Spanish Garlic Prawn Rösti, from Rösti Haus. Rosti means crisp and golden in swiss, and this disc of shredded potatoes certainly lived up to its name. It was done well, while the prawns were crunchy and fresh.

You can also go crazy and pile it up with toppings such as garlic pork sausages, bacon and mint yoghurt chicken.

Some of the stalls at Picnic are run by famous eateries. For instance, the Mexican station is run by Mex Out. Here, you can design your own taco with fillings such as Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Salsa as well as Braised Beef and Fire Roasted Salsa. If you’re crazy about avocado, get a side of tortilla chips with guac.

At the Flour & Water food truck, you can look forward to scrummy pasta creations including a Summer Truffle Pasta consisting of shaved truffles and truffle sauce.

We are fans of anything mentaiko, so the Mentaiko Pasta was an easy decision. Glazed in mentaiko-butter with a heaping of fresh mentaiko, the dish offered a subtle briny tang. We also added sakura ebi for some crunch and an explosion of rich savoury flavours.

No buffet is complete without a Japanese station. And while sashimi is not on the menu, you will find a selection of ramen and donburi to fill up on.

As a true buffet-goer, I know that carbs are the devil, making me fuller than I need to be. So I went for the gyoza instead. Fried to crisp perfection, juices squirted into my mouth as I bit into these meaty parcels. They offer both chicken or pork fillings, suiting to everyone’s diet.

Roast chicken is my weakness, especially when it’s not dry and super succulent. And the French Roast Chicken from Le Coq Roti French Rotisserie did not disappoint. It’s seasoned with traditional herbs and spices, and features a tender flesh. If you’re coming in a big group, you can even order an entire chicken!

Sides to go with your chicken include ratatouille, street style corn, fries and mashed potatoes.

Omakase Burger is also based here. The buffet doesn’t entitle you to free-flow burgers – you only get one choice. Make it worth your while and order the Deluxe Cheeseburger, which normally costs $19.90 a pop.

We recommend preparing some wet wipes, as the juices were dripping down our hands when we devoured this hearty piece of beauty.

There are plenty of sweet treats to choose from too, including this delicate strawberry shortcake. Aside from cakes, they also offer ice-cream and fresh crepes.

Fillings for the crepes include nutella and mascarpone. If you ask nicely, they will add off-the-menu toppings into your crepes such as sliced bananas.

Ambience at Picnic

Nearly all the stalls at Picnic are prepared and served out of food trucks. The area is neater than Marche’s maze-like setting, as all the food stations are tucked away to the side, except for the dessert and drink counters.

The dining space is unique too, with plants hanging off the roofs and walls. But that’s not the interesting part; the lightings change according to time and season, giving a different vibe each time you dine here.

Note that everything here is self-service, and you have to order via an electronic buzzer system. How it works might be a tad confusing to first-timers, but just holla for help from the friendly staff, who will be more than happy to assist you.

The verdict

Picnic makes for a real value-for-money buffet. On top of that, you also get free-flowing drinks including coffee and tea. All the dishes were well-executed and did not disappoint. If you love to try a bit of everything, we recommend you come in a big group to share!

Address: 435 Orchard Road,  #03-15-49, Wisma Atria, Singapore 238877
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 10pm (dinner buffet starts from 6pm)
Tel: 6734 8352
Website
Menu

Photos taken by Pepita Hope Wauran and Katie Boon.
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg