This is an extension for the Shutterwhale who will now be featuring Food Reviews and credit card tips/promotions for the local dining scene. I also aim to feature local independent F&B establishments in support of the local scene.
The Grower Champagne & Dim Sum Pairing Menu at Summer Pavilion is one of the best-value weekend lunch experiences you can get right now (especially if you have an eligible American Express card).
The signature Cantonese restaurant of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, Summer Pavilion, has received a one-star rating (2016-2018) in the Michelin Guide Singapore for three consecutive years. Led by Chinese Executive Chef Cheung Siu Kong and Restaurant Manager, Gery Lee, Summer Pavilion has established itself as one of the best Cantonese restaurants in Singapore that not only offer amazing food, great personalised service but also one of the most beautiful interiors in the country. From 21 January 2019 to 19 February 2019, indulge in a selection of exquisite dishes this year with six- to eight-course set lunch and dinner menus. Diners who celebrate the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year at Summer Pavilion will also receive a set of exclusive Ritz-Carlton red packets and a pair of Mandarin oranges, per reservation.
When I first checked out Madame Fan at The NCO Club, I was completely won over by the brilliantly-executed dishes, the ambiance and more importantly, the juxtaposition of old world nostalgia and new world charm. This is the first year that Madame Fan is celebrating the Lunar New Year festival (since the fine-dining restaurants only opened its doors last year) and they have crafted a series of Set Lunch and Set Dinner menus which are available from now until 19 February 2019.
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.
The Mandarin Oriental, Singapore was one of the first few hotels that I have stayed in when I relocated back to Singapore a number of years back. Last year, I stayed in a Club Marina Bay Room to check out the newly-refurbished Oriental Club and ever since I have gotten my American Express Platinum Card, I have been thinking about another staycation since the FHR Benefits for this property seem pretty good. Located near the Marina Bay, this luxurious property has just unveiled a brand new dining concept - MO BAR, which occupies the previous space where Axis Bar and Lounge used to sit, is the latest addition to the bar scene in Singapore. Led by Bar Manager Michele Mariotti who was previously as The Berkley and The Savoy in London, the cocktails here are not for the fainthearted and the inventive food will leave you craving for more.
Shang Palace at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore has just introduced the first of The Chef's Table series and this monthly affair will feature different dishes that are based on the inspiration of the award-winning Executive Chinese Chef Mok Kit Keung as well as the supply of seasonal produce. Priced at S$128++ per person, The Chef's Table series will be hind in Shang Palace's private dining room (with a private lounge area) where guests can embark on a six-course epicurean journey with Chef Mok as he shares personal stories and inspirations behind his cooking.
The NCO Club is one of the latest lifestyle destinations in Singapore this year and it houses four distinctive F&B concepts - Madame Fan (Chinese restuarant), Cool Cats (jazz bar), Fish Pool (Champagne and Oyster Bar) as well as Stags' Room (wine bar). Located on 32 Beach Road, The NCO Club is located in between the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach as well as the distinctive Raffles Singapore. I was recently invited down by the team to check out Madame Fan which in their words, is a 'etiquette-free entertainment lifestyle concept' - this means that while the food is authentic, the dining experience is different from what is typically associated to traditional Chinese restaurants.
The Summer Pavilion at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore needs no introduction - it was the first Cantonese restaurant in a hotel to receive One Michelin star in Singapore and the food has always been consistently good. I have been to the restaurant on multiple occasions (usually in the day) and the lighting has always been great but unfortunately this time, I was stuck with a dinner tasting of the Chinese New Year menu and therefore the images do not do the food any justice.
Since Carlton Hotel Singapore’s grand opening in 1988, Wah Lok (the hotel’s award-winning Cantonese restaurant) has continually been ranked as one of “Singapore’s Best Restaurants” as well as “Singapore’s Top Restaurants” by both Singapore Tatler magazine as well as Wine & Dine magazine respectively. If you are looking for the most delicious Pen Cai (or Treasure Pot) in Singapore, look no further - it is here at Wah Lok in Carlton Hotel Singapore!
When Jiang-Nan Chun at the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore was re-introduced approximately two years ago, it brought along a wave of new dishes that combines the best of Cantonese-cuisine with a modern interpretation. One of the most memorable dishes for me personally was the Signature Peking Duck that is served with caviar even. This year, with a new chef at its helm, the culinary team over at Jiang-Nan Chun has once again reinvented itself to serve not only delicious food but one that is intricately-plated as well.
The Lunar New Year celebration at InterContinental Singapore's Man Fu Yuan is always something that regulars would look forward to each year. I was fortunate enough to be invited down by the team at the property for a preview of some of the new dishes and surely enough, it did not disappoint.
The rooms at the Conrad Centennial Singapore have undergone a massive refresh and they are now looking great! In fact, the Executive Lounge in the property is currently going through a series of refurbishment to ensure that it stays in line with the new brand standards and global image. In spite of these changes, one thing that stayed constant throughout is the quality of food at Golden Peony - the luxury hotel's signature Chinese restaurant. For the Lunar New Year ahead, Chinese Executive Chef Ku Keung has once again created a series of creative dishes that combines the best of traditional Cantonese cooking techniques with a much more modern presentation.
The Sofitel Singapore City Centre officially opened just over two months ago and Racines has already established itself as a prominent restaurant in the central business district. I was completely won-over by Racines since my first visit and I have been back on multiple occasions for lunch and dinner (in fact, I even considered getting an Accor Plus membership at some point because I really enjoyed the food!). While the French kitchen in Racines (led by Chef Jean-Charles Dubois) has been objectified as one of the best places in the area for well-executed French cuisine, most diners have not tried many dishes from the Chinese menu. As such, the Sofitel Singapore City Centre wanted to make up of the upcoming Lunar New Year (2018) to showcase some of the culinary highlights from the Chinese kitchen and from what I have seen so far, it is looking pretty good!
The White Rose Cafe in York Hotel Singapore is famous for the Penang Hawkers' Fare which happens three times each year (it's coming back this weekend!). What a lot of people do not realise however is that it actually does not operate as a buffet restaurant for lunch and dinner on a regular day. Instead it serves up local dishes at a relatively affordable rate (especially when you are sharing) and the restaurant has recently added a number of new specialties into the a la carte menu.
Jade at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore has unveiled a refreshed interior in May 2017 alongside a refocused culinary direction. Following the success of this revitalisation but more importantly, to concentrate on serving quality food and great service, Jade has steered away from the two-seating weekend dim sum buffet menu to introduce the one-seating Gourmet Dim Sum Treasure menus set instead.
One of the most highly-anticipated hotels to open in Singapore this year is the Sofitel Singapore City Centre. The flagship Sofitel property will officially be opening her doors on 02 October 2017 (even though there are paying guests staying in-house already) and alongside this opening will be the introduction of a brand new restaurant, Racines, which is helmed by the award-winning Executive Chef Jean-Charles Dubois.
Singapore is a foodie heaven and especially so if you enjoy Cantonese food - there are no lack of restaurants here that offer quality dim sum. When I stayed over at the ONE°15 Marina Club in Sentosa Cove last month, I was surprised to find out that the WOK°15 Kitchen actually offers a really affordable weekend a la carte dim sum lunch buffet for only S$38++ per adult (half price for children). I have passed by the ONE°15 Marina Club on multiple occasions (like when I last stayed at the W Singapore - Sentosa Cove) but I never knew the restaurants were actually open to public - you do not need to be a member to dine in them!
If you have been following me on Instagram, you would have already known that the season for mooncakes (i.e. Mid-Autumn Festival) is coming up really soon and in the spirit of good fun, I have compiled what I would like to call a Mooncake Price Index (even though if we were to be pedantic, it is inaccurate to term it as that) for 2017. What I have done is basically gone through the price lists of all the hotel mooncakes that I have tasted so far to find out what the average price (GST inclusive) per baked and snowskin mooncake is - I have included both normal-size and mini-size ones for the sake of completeness. Do note that when there are multiple prices for different flavours, the cheapest price is utilised in this calculation.
When I visited Beijing last month in the summer, I stayed at the newly-built Hotel Jen Beijing which is a 5-star property located in the heart of Beijing's Guomao Central Business District (CBD). If you are thinking about getting from Singapore to Beijing, I highly recommend the SQ802 flight (check out my experience in Business Class HERE!) which will get you there by 2:40PM. One of the things that truly impressed me during my stay was the existence of a microbrewery within the hotel - these beers are then served in the Beersmith Gastropub ((鲜啤吧) which is connected to the main lobby of the Hotel Jen Beijing.
The Tower Wing of the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore has only quite recently completed a massive refurbishment that saw the re-introduction of a newly-designed lobby, new restaurants (including the impressive NAMI which I was at a couple of weeks ago) and brand new rooms. During my recent stay at one of the brand new rooms in Tower Wing, I decided to check out the Lobby Lounge after hearing quite a bit about it.
Ash & Elm at the InterContinental Singapore has just relaunched a new Sunday Champagne Brunch experience that spans over three culinary theatres. Apart from an array of fresh seafood selection, a caviar bar, an extensive selective of charcuterie and cheeses as well as mains and desserts, diners over at Ash & Elm will also be able to enjoy unlimited orders from the special Tasting Platters menu which integrates the different components of breakfast into a la minute dishes.
The Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore has quite recently unveiled a refurbished Tower Wing with a striking new lobby, rooms, Horizon Club lounge as well as the introduction of a couple new dining concepts. The long-standing Japanese restaurant, Nadaman, which has been opened since 1984, has now been removed from the property and a brand new Japanese fine-dining restaurant, NAMI, is now open on Level 24 of the Tower Wing.
Having just spent a weekend at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, I dare say that it is one of the most luxurious hotels that I have ever been to in Singapore. Offering spectacular views of the iconic Marina Bay waterfront through 10 metre-high floor-to-ceiling windows, La Brasserie has just recently undergone a refurbishment process to to feature refreshed furnishings and new drapery by the famous Jim Thomson. The interiors have been revitalised with a more contemporary influence and a brand new Set Dinner menu has been unveiled to showcase some of the restaurant's best dishes.
It has been slightly under a year since my last visit to the Hilton Singapore's rooftop Italian restaurant, il Cielo, and so I was very excited to check out the new dining experience with newly-appointed Chef de Cuisine, Yohhei Sasaki. Chef Sasaki has culinary experience across one-to-three Michelin-starred Italian restaurants in Tuscany and Lombardia where he perfected his skills to combine the seasonal Italian and Japanese gourmet produce to create unique Italian dishes with a touch of Japanese flair. Two degustation menus (wine-pairing available) for dinner (also available during lunch) have been created by Chef Sasaki to showcase some of his signature dishes.
The One-Ninety Bar which is located within the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore has only quite recently unveiled a brand new Weekend Afternoon Tea experience where diners can select from a variety of TWG Teas and specially-brewed Lavazza Coffee. Available from 2:00PM to 5:00PM on weekends only, the Weekend Afternoon Tea experience is best enjoyed alongside unlimited servings of a curated sweet and savoury selection.
The Lobby Lounge at the InterContinental Singapore needs no introduction and especially since the completion of its multi-million dollar refurbishment back in April 2016, this place is looking better than ever. Created by the talented Pastry Chef Ben Goh, the brand new Spring-inspired Afternoon Tea: Au Jardin presents a carefully curated culinary journey through the lavender fields of Provence and the sakura cherry blossoms of Japan. This special Afternoon Tea creation which is both pleasing to the eye and satisfying to the tummy will only be available until 31 July 2017 at The Lobby Lounge.
Oscar's at the Conrad Centennial Singapore has just relaunched the Sunday Brunch experience with a greater variety of quality meats and seafood, Champagne, premium wines, beers (including unlimited Hitachino Nest craft beers) and access to the craft Gin & Tonic Bar. While there is no lack of Sunday Brunches in Singapore, Oscar's differentiates itself from the competition by offering not just variety but quality that you do not normally associate with buffets - the roasts, seafood and beverages especially are all proof to that. If you are serious about quality drinks and food, this is the Sunday Brunch to be at!
I spent the weekend at the ultra-luxurious Capella Singapore over the weekend with my family to celebrate a number of birthdays and occasions. As one of Singapore's only pet-friendly hotels, Capella allows pet owners to bring their fur kid along for a stay - your pets are still not allowed in the restaurants for obvious reasons being able to be with family (pet included) is an amazing experience indeed. During my stay, I decided to check out the Weekend Dim Sum Afternoon Tea experience at the property's fine dining Cantonese restaurant, Cassia.
Jade Restaurant at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is one of the longest-standing Cantonese restaurants in Singapore. The restaurant has recently undergone a revamp of the interiors as well as a refocused culinary direction with an anchor around a dramatic work from the Tang Dynasty - A Variety of Tunes from the Story of the West Wing. Decking pastel blues and greens, the brand new colour scheme deviates away from the warmer feel to create an ambience of elegance and intimacy.
Indulge in one of the most highly-prized delicacies in Chinese cuisine - the Hairy Crab - at Yan Ting from 26 October 2020 to 30 November 2020. Available for a very limited time for lunch and dinner, Yan Ting (located within The St. Regis Singapore) is currently offering two separate menus that feature the seasonal hairy crab.