Halal buffet restaurant The Landmark suspended for 2 weeks
A popular halal buffet restaurant has been suspended for two weeks by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for selling unclean food and failing to keep its premises clean.
The Landmark, located on the fifth storey of Village Hotel Bugis in Victoria Street, will cease operations from Tuesday to Sept 10.
NEA said in a statement on Tuesday that the restaurant was suspended as it had accumulated 16 demerit points over the past year. The restaurant was also fined $1,100.
The Landmark claims on its website that it serves the best halal buffet in Singapore. Lunch and dinner buffets cost between $30++ and $40++ for an adult.
Its spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that an item on its buffet spread, "Seafood on Ice", had failed a random check by NEA.
"We found oysters and scallops to be the contributing factor," said the spokesman.
The restaurant, owned by Singapore Hospitality, has since changed its supplier following customer feedback. "Seafood on Ice", which served raw seafood, will be replaced by a cooked seafood corner.
The restaurant has strengthened its standard operating procedures (SOPs) and conducted a thorough investigation.
The spokesman said: "In addition to the current food safety team, a new quality assurance manager with several years of experience in central kitchen food production and hygiene has been hired to ensure that SOPs will be strictly adhered to by all levels of staff."
The restaurant had previously posted videos on its Facebook page saying it would be closing for renovations. It clarified yesterday that the closure was mainly due to the suspension notice, though it will also undergo "uplifting work".
It added that guests can look forward to a wider buffet spread when it reopens.
"As a reputable food and beverage operator with years of experience, our promise to our guests is always to ensure that we provide the freshest foods with the highest standards of hygiene and the best service, nothing less," said the spokesman.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now