Chinese New Year (2019) Menu Highlights from Racines (Sofitel Singapore City Centre)

Racines at the Sofitel Singapore City Centre will be offering a series of festive set menus for the upcoming Lunar New Year from 21 January 2019 to 22 February 2019. Last month, I was invited down to the restaurant to check out some of the menu highlights and there were a couple of standout dishes (some of them are available for takeout too and there is an Early Bird Offer if you act fast!) that I would be sharing here. It is also worth noting that all Chinese New Year dining specials at Racines comes inclusive with Yu Sheng.

Click HERE to check out the festive takeaway items from Racines!

Auspicious Yu Sheng With Black Garlic Dressing
Racines - Sofitel Singapore City Centre

It goes without a doubt that the first dish at any Chinese New Year lunch or dinner is a Yusheng - Racines introduces an Auspicious Yu Sheng With Black Garlic Dressing (S$138++) this year and it combines both Eastern and Western flavours with a delicious (and also somewhat intimidating-looking) fermented black garlic dressing.

Chef Andrew’s Magnifique Pen Cai
Racines - Sofitel Singapore City Centre

My personal favourite dish has got to be Chef Andrew’s Magnifique Pen Cai (S$298++ for Small and S$488++ for Large) which comes with a wide variety of premium ingredients. This seafood abalone treasure pot comes with a delicious braised sauce with braised cabbage and black moss - the most brilliant aspect of this dish is probably the subtle but noticeable hint of black truffle that does not overpower this classic dish.

Clay Pot Royale Braised Duck with Sea Cucumber
Racines - Sofitel Singapore City Centre

The Clay Pot Royale Braised Duck with Sea Cucumber (S$168++) is a signature dish here at Racines (as far the Chinese menu goes) and the whole braised duck is prepared with premium ingredients. Visually, the dish is stunning and I love the contrast between brown and green (something that you will see in the next dish as well). The duck is cooked beautifully and it goes without saying that the braised sauce is to-die-for.

Caramelised Black Cod Fillet with Soy Glaze Edamame and Bonito Flakes
Racines - Sofitel Singapore City Centre

A crowd-favourite is the Caramelised Black Cod Fillet with Soy Glaze Edamame and Bonito Flakes and unfortunately, this dish is not available as a takeaway (in any case, you will probably want to enjoy this dish while it is hot). The cod fillet is done beautifully with and the fish flakes effortlessly with a fork. I do like the Japanese influence with this dish and the addition of bonito flakes is a nice touch.

Slow-cooked French Corn-fed Chicken Breast with Abalone Chicken Mushroom and Foie Gras
Racines - Sofitel Singapore City Centre

Another dish that cannot be taken away is the Slow-cooked French Corn-fed Chicken Breast with Abalone Chicken Mushroom and Foie Gras. While it was delicious on its own, this was probably the least impressive dish out of all that I savoured during the session.

Steamed Fragrant Rice with Chef Selection of Waxed Meat and Choy Sum
Racines - Sofitel Singapore City Centre

If you are a fan of Lup Mei Fan, you will love the Steamed Fragrant Rice with Chef Selection of Waxed Meat and Choy Sum (S$98++) which comes with a good selection of premium waxed meats (which is a lot harder to source that you would imagine) and Bok Choy on the side. Seriously, even someone with a severe case of OCD will approve of this dish - not only is the presentation unreal, the different waxed meats in this dish made all the difference. If you are planning on taking this dish come, you will also walk away with the claypot which can then become a kitchen staple.

Chilled Avocado with Shredded Coconut and Steamed Koi Fish Nian Gao
Racines - Sofitel Singapore City Centre

Finally, for dessert, we sampled the Chilled Avocado with Shredded Coconut and Steamed Koi Fish Nian Gao. Orders for festive takeaway items must be placed at Racines or online via the Boutique Magnifique by 20 February 2019. There is a minimum requirement of 3 working days between the confirmation of order and pick-up so make sure you book early. In fact, there is currently an Early Bird Offer of 10% going on and you can take advantage of it by submitting your orders before the end of 20 January 2019.