Chinese New Year: Royal Pavilion

Known for its new-world Cantonese delicacies and classic dishes, Royal Pavilion ups the culinary ante with its first selection of CNY creations. We were lucky to indulge in the premium festives from Royal Pavilion, located with Park Regis Hotel.

What is CNY without louhei and with that, we kickstarted the night with:

Royal Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng, the yusheng was served in the auspicious art form of a fish the unique condiments in the likes of ground cinnamon powder and 5 spice Chinese powder and the brand’s fruit apple-plum sauce certainly throws in more flavor than what a typical yusheng would taste. I particularly like the fruity apple-plum sauce which is sour-sweet and hence every bite of the yusheng is with a tinge of tangy zest. This Yu Sheng is priced at $68++ for small serving (4 to 6 pax) and $88++ for large servings (6 to 8 guests) and one day advance order is required.

 

Braised 4 –Head South African Abalone in Superior Pumpkin Broth- laid atop freshly made bean curd and a bed of blanched spinach, the abalone heraids the Cantonese style of braising that tenderizes it and enriches the flavoursome texture of abalone with a sweet aftertaste. The pumpkin broth is smooth and flavourful and complements the prized seafood really well that we were left craving for more of the broth! This is priced at $68++ per serving and one day advance is required.

4-Head Abalone

 Royal (fried) Lamb Shank priced at $48++ per serving

In tune with the year of the goat, this royal fried lamb skank, after a long process of (boil-marinate and deep-fry), came served on a marble slab. We later learnt that the lamb would be served as wrap, just like the way we would eat Peking Duck. The meat is wrapped in paper-thin pancakes and eaten with sliced spring onion, hoisin sauce coriander and fermented beancurd! The meat was moist and tender all thanks to the long cooking process of boiling, marinating and lastly, deep-frying! My partner, who doesn’t really take lamb could not stop at two wraps but ended up with four!

Royal Fried Lamb Shank

Lamb Wrap

My echoes for Peking duck seem to be answered when the next dish was served! Not in the form of Peking Duck but Royal Smoked Duck which is voted one of the top 10 dishes of 2014.

Royal Smoked Duck with Lychee-wood and Leaves ($35 for half duck and $68 for full duck)
 

This has got to be the most impressive roast duck I ever had. The duck has a smoky flavour from lychee-wood and the plum paste serves as the best companion for the dish. The meat was tender and juicy with glistening crispy skin. This is hands down my favourite dish at the tasting and I had more slices than I should. Greedy I definitely am, but I kid you not, this is really that good that I wish I could have a plate just to myself! nom nom nom
 

Royal Smoked Duck

And lastly, we have desserts to end off the night:

Sweet Potato, Taro and Pumpkin

Chinese glutinous rice cake

Royal Pavilion Cantonese Restaurant is not only classy and elegant with comfortable chairs, its Chinese New Year Menu impresses with its elegant touchmark of fine Cantonese cuisine, and yes to that Royal Smoked Duck; I am drooling at this instance, I kid you not! I could not emphasize more how delish that was !!

The Chinese New Year creations at Royal Pavilion are available from today to 5 March 2015. Prices start from $5.80++ for ala carte dine-in and $18+ for takeaways.

Thank you for having us, Royal Pavilion Group for the good food and warm hospitality!

Address:

Level 1, Park Regis Singapore

23 Merchant Road

Singapore 058268

Tel: +658188851

Email: reservation@rpguandi.com

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 1130- 1430 & 1830 – 2230

Instagram: royalpaviliongroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/royalpavilionsg

Website: http://www.royalpaviliongroup.com/

Chinese New Year: Quayside Seafood Restaurant

Quayside Seafood welcomes the year of sheep with fresh quality ocean picks and diners can delight in the ala-carte dishes or reunion set. Located along the bank of Singapore River, Quayside seafood makes a perfect place to enjoy the night breeze and while overlooking the Singapore River as you indulge in the ocean delights.

Overlooking Singapore River

 

Snap this while waiting

 

First up on the CNY Golden Trove Menu, we have:

Some appetizers; Fried Taro Sticks and Cucumber with thai chilli sauce, these light bites came in good to fill my slightly famished stomachs as I had an early lunch that day. Taro stick was very addictive and we wiped out the plate in just minutes!

Taro Sticks

 

Cucumber

 

“Prosperous” Deep-fried Air-flown Australian Fresh Oysters in Cantonese “Bi Fung Tang” Style which means anchored and safe at bay. The oysters were deep-fried and sprinkled with cut red chilli and spring onion. I was lucky to enjoy two pieces since one of the dining partner who don’t take oyster gladly offered his piece to me! Deep fried isn’t that healthy but who cares since the oysters really pack a perfect punch! This is priced at $58.80 and serves good up to 6 pax.

 

“Prosperity and Completeness” Pan seared Healthy Pipa Tofu with fresh crabmeat and diced prawn with finely diced mushroom and minced waterchestnut - $68.80. It was love at first bite as it was almost equivalent to that of eating hei zor (atas one). So if you love hei zor, I bet you would love this dish!

“Toss to longevity, Tuimphant harvest and joyous contentment” “Lou Hei” yu-sheng. This is yet another beautifully plated lobster yu-sheng with fresh tuna and crisp shredded radish. I didn’t stop at one serving of it but two servings as it was that good!

 

“Completeness & overflowing wealth” Pen-cai. This festive pot might be the most opulent one I have seen this CNY, it comes with an entire lobster, 10 head abalone, chicken, Alaskan crab claws, king prawns, south African sea cucumber, fresh whole scallop, whole shiitake mushrooms, taro, tender wawa vegetables and dried oysters. It is savoury decadence in a pot! This premium pot package is priced at $328.80 and serves up to 6 diners. (Additional diners at $53 each).

“A wealth of Good Fortune” Baked Rack of Lamb (grass-fed) Marinated for 1 hour with garlic, spring onion, coriander, honey and Japanese Shoyu seasoning sauce, it is pan seared for 30 seconds on each side to seal the marinated flavor. The lamb rack was not overly hard and I like how it is seasoned with truffle oil and the thin strips of fried yam stick that came along with it, so crispy and addictive! It is one another of the most liked dish of the night!

 

 

“Prosperity All Year Round” Baked Turbot Fish with whole garlic in claypot. Fish is often held in high regards in the CNY season as it represent wealth and abundance of luck. The fish has a sweet and firm texture and was doused with roasted garlic and garnished with chives to intensify its overall taste.

“Harmonious” claypot prawns with crystal rice vermicelli. The auspicious al dente crystal rice vermicelli is fried in premium oyster and fresh garlic to welcome longevity! Every strand of the tanghoon is soaked with the garlicky gravy, very moist and wet and is one of favourite dish of the night.

Tang Hoon!

Set menu prices start at $98 for 2 diners, $298 for 4 diners, $438 for 6 diners and $598 for 10 diners! So, faster book a table for this year CNY reunion at this alfresco seafood restaurant.

Thank you for having us, Quayside Seafood!

Address: BLk 3A Clark Quay Singapore 179021

Opening Hours: 3pm to 12am Sunday to Thursday; 3pm to 1 am Friday to Saturday

Website: http://www.quaysidedining.com/

Chinese New Year: TAO Seafood Asia's Yaorawat Creations

Tao Seafood Asia specializes in its unique Thai-Teochew Yaorawat seafood delicacies. If you are familiar with Bangkok, you might have heard about Yaorawat [ถนนเยาวราช] (a.k.a. Bangkok’s Chinatown) where tourists flock to for cheap birdnest. It is one of the better-known street food destination and the local favorite dining district.

And specially for this coming Lunar New Year, it serves some of the CNY classics with a Yaorawat spin to usher in the year of the goat.

TAO supreme Prosperity Yusheng (Lou Hei a.k.a raw fish salad) One could spot not only the greens, nuts, seafood, but also FRUITS. (mango, strawberry and blueberry) Additionally, peanuts and dried fish skins which are favorites of Thai is part of the beautiful plated yu-sheng. I like particularly, the addition of mango (where else but Thailand to find the best mango right?) to the Yu-Sheng as it packs a sweet-sour yet zesty punch that perks up my appetite for the remaining dishes.

The beautiful plated Yusheng

 

三羊开泰

This is priced at $128++ and serves good up to 10 guest.

Deep Fried Fish Skin with Salted egg sauce- $10++
There was nothing but praises from everyone upon first bite. Each fish skin fried to golden brown was coated uniformly with salted egg sauce. A simple dish executed perfectly. I guess this phrase is most apt than anything in describing this dish: The simplest things in life gives the greatest pleasures!

The crispy golden fish skin!

Yaorawat Pen Cai – What sets Tao’s Pen Cai to be different from others is the thick gravy soup and its spongy Thai fish maw all the way from Yaorawat. Personally, the premium sea cucumber is worth a mention as it was so soft and succulent, soaked of the noble gravy. Not to be forgotten is the housemade Tao’s special green chilli blend that seems to go so well with the Pen Cai and even all other dishes. This special Yaorawat-style green chilli unparalleled spiciness would probably bring out the spice girl in you but its oh-so-addictive that you would not stop dipping the fish maw or roasted pork in it despite the burning sensation you would feel on your tongue!

This is priced at $318++ for 6 guests and $488+ for 10 guests and 2 day advance reservation is required.

Golden Soon Hock with Mango Slices. – The Soon Hock fish, a staple for Teochews during CNY, was deep fried to a golden crisp before the showering of Tao’s specially concocted fruity sauce and mango slices. Very Thai touch to it! The mango work its magic in this dish as well and it was a wonderful marriage of the fish and the mango made possible by the skillful hands of TAO culinary chefs.

Soon Hock Fish

TAO Thai-Teochew Curry Crab – Definitely not to be missed. It was not spicy, more of leaning towards the sweeter side and the curry sauce was very fragrant, enhancing the freshness of the wok-fried crab. And, it goes super well with fried mantous. How could anyone resist this dish right! The crabs each at least weighing a heft kilogram was simmered over slow fire and doused in the curry potion which the chef concocted. Not to forget, the green chilli blend goes on well with the crab to escalate the spicy level for spicy lovers!
This is priced at $6++ per 100 grams.

TAo Thai Curry CRABB

 


Sauteed Sea Prawn with Macademia Nuts

 TAO Seafood Asia delivers a thai twist to your usual CNY menu with the infusion of thai sauces and Thailand-flown ingredients in their dishes. Their CNY creations are available from 3 February to 5 March 2015 and guests can call the restaurant at 68449969 to place pre-orders for take-aways or reservations for dine-in.

Pretty Interior of Tao (Picture from Tao Seafood Asia Facebook Page)

 

Address: 12 Marina View

Asia Square Tower 2 #02-10 Singapore 018961

Opening Hours: 1130 – 1430 and 1800 – 2200

Instagram: taoseafoodasia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAOSeafoodAsia

Website: http://www.taoseafoodasia.com

Chinese New Year: Eight Rhapsodies of Spring at Peony Jade

Peony Jade presents delectable offerings this CNY with their “eight Rhapsodies of Spring” delights, two new dessert creations, and eight other signatures, from 6 January to 5 March 2015.

Lunar New Year Treasures:

Peony Jade’s Instant Enormous Windfall, Good Health and Longevity” Bonsai-Shaped Monies Tree Yu Sheng was not only spectacular and full of goodiness. Its enriched with premium seafood such as lobster, Alaskan crab claws, salmon and urchin, infused with citrusy yuzu juice and  a sprinkled of truffle oil! Priced at $198.88, this yusheng serves up to 15 guests and is available for dine in at Keppel Club only. 

To welcome the year of the Sheep, Peony Jade’s festive creations showcase a dash of culinary flairs in their goat-shaped pastries. This Goat-Shaped Deep fried Hum-soi-kuok is definitely Instagram-worthy and might be too cute to be eaten. Each is filled with glutinous rice, diced savoury pork and shitake mushrooms. Outer layer is fried till crispy gold while retaining its chewy mochi-like texture.

If you are hankering for traditional flavour, the Hong Kong Roast USA Goose with “facai” broth might be the one dish to look forward to. The pre-marinated goose is infused with Angelica root and spices like star anise before roasting roasted for 2 hours to succulent perfection.

One of the most ordered dishes at CNY: Poon Choi is available as well and is escalated to culinary heights with 18 Premium ingredients when other restaurants only have 11 to 12. One can savour: 1. 10-head Australian abalones (原隻 10 頭澳洲发财鮑) 2. Whole Sakura Chicken (原隻樱花雞) 3. Whole pork knuckle (豬手 1隻 ) 4. Golden oysters (蚝 豉 ) 5. Roast pork (腩仔肉 ) 6.  South African spikes sea cucumber (海參) 7. Fresh whole scallops (鲜帶子) 8. Pork tendons (蹄根) 9. Fatt choy (發菜) 10. Fish maw (魚肚) 11. King prawns (大蝦) 12. Whole shiitake mushrooms (北菇) 13. Homemade sea-grouper mousse cake (大海班魚球) 14. Whole golden dried conpoy (柱甫) 15. Taro (芋頭) 16. Beancurd skin (枝竹) 17. Radish (蘿蔔) 18. Broccoli (西蘭花) steeped in a savoury superior stock.

This Poon Choi pot is priced at:

1.  $468.88 for Mini Premium (serves 6); . 2.  $598.88 for Premium (serves 8 to 10)

Peony Jade’s version of Slow-Fired Stew Lamb serves as an alternative to the classic Poon Choi and has a melt-in-your mouth velvety texture. Why not try this unusual creation in this Year of the Lamb?

Peony Jade continues to wow us with its skilful pastry chef rendition of snow skin goat – “Huat Ah!” Prosperity Goats Gift Set. Each goat comes with mixture of peanut, orange peel, salted egg custard fillings that will send your tastebuds to Nirvana.

Chinese New Year goodies are a must at every household during CNY. Apart from the usual pineapple tarts and love letters, why not go for Peony Jade’s homemade deep-fried thin lotus root chips and the roasted pine nuts which are equally addictive. You can’t stop once you start munching on them.

Take-away reunion lunch & dinner set menus are available as well, priced at $368 for 6 Persons and $568 for 10 persons and the “Bonding Bliss & Contentment” consists of ‘Lou hei’, Fa-Cai Soup, Dluxe Poon Choi, Deep Fried Soon Hock Fish, Reunion Steamed Jasmine Rice and Deep-fried Homemade Nian Gao. Enjoy early birds discount of additional 5% if orders are fully paid by 22 January 2015.

For a dim sum twist, opt for the “Unlimited” FA-CA ala carte buffet lunch & dinner from 19 January to 12 February and 19 February to 5 March 2015 priced at $70.88. Guests can call Peony Jade @ Keppel Club (6276 9138, 6375 5562), and Peony Jade @ Clark Quay (6338 0305) to place pre-orders for take-away orders and reservations for dine-in. Advance orders of 1 working day is required for take-away orders and the last order date is 5 March 2015.

Address:

Peony Jade @ Keppel Club (Open to Public)

Bukit Chermin Road (Off Telok Blangah)

Keppel Club, (Level M)

Singapore 109918

Peony Jade @ Clark Quay

Blk 3A Clark Quay

#02-02 (Walk in from Liang Court)

Opening Hours:(Open throughout CNY)

Monday to Friday (11am - 230pm; 6pm - 11pm)

Weekends (10am - 3pm; 6pm - 11pm)

Instagram: peonyjadesg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeonyJadeRestaurant?fref=nf

Website: http://www.peonyjade.com/