The Year of the Rabbit is upon us and the Lunar New Year means a grand celebration with close family and friends to herald new beginnings. Reunion dinners are par for the course, and the list we’ve put together promises an epic feast fit for royalty, from unique yu sheng (Cantonese-style raw fish salad) to luxurious dishes loaded with auspicious symbolism. If you’re preparing to celebrate with your family and friends, this list has got you covered. Not to fret if you’re looking for a stay-home reunion instead as some of these dining establishments offer takeaway options as well.
1. The Atelier at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore
Set within the elegant confines of The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, The Atelier will offer an exquisite range of special Chinese New Year set menus that are perfect for reunion lunches and dinners. The lunch set menu ($138) begins with a hearty drunken chicken with sea jelly and smoked duck breast followed by a braised sea cucumber with black moss – a dish that symbolises the new year and good fortune. Seafood lovers can also look forward to dishes like steamed red garoupa with garlic sauce and braised noodles with crab meat. And for dessert, you’ll be treated to a sweet walnut cream soup. You can also opt for the six-course dinner menu ($168) which includes a crispy soft-shell crab with green wasabi and mango and contemporary Asian creations like the richly flavoured 10-head abalone and dried oysters with stir-fried vegetables. There’s also an even more lavish eight-course Chinese New Year set dinner which includes The Capitol Kempinski’s signature abalone yu sheng platter with an auspicious selection of ingredients.
15 Stamford Road, The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore. Nearest MRT: City Hall. Available from 9 January to 5 February 2023. For more information, visit their website.
2. Estate at Hilton Singapore Orchard
Hilton Singapore Orchard has unveiled their lineup of Lunar New Year offerings at Estate, a modern Asian restaurant that’s the perfect spot for your much-awaited reunion dinner. The Buffet of Abundance at Estate will begin with a salmon yu sheng presented to each table, after which you can savour a wide range of offerings including roast suckling pig, pork belly and roast duck and live carving stations. Other classic dishes include Teochew-style steamed fish and steamed kampong chicken in lotus leaf. The lunch ($128) and dinner ($158) buffets are available from 20 to 22 January 2023. If you’re hosting a large group of 30 guests or more, banquet packages are also available from 16 January to 10 February 2023.
333 Orchard Road, Hilton Singapore Orchard. Nearest MRT: Somerset. Available from 16 January to 10 February 2023. For more information, visit their website.
3. Jade Restaurant at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
Jade Restaurant‘s executive chef Leong Chee Yen has created a spectacular yu sheng to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with a flourish. Delicately crafted into an image of a playful bunny, the signature Gold Rush Yu Sheng is dressed with a champagne jelly, shallot oil and kumquat dressing for a refreshing mouthfeel. You’ll also get to choose between Norwegian smoked salmon or plant-based salmon.
Don’t miss dishes such as the highly popular braised bird’s nest with crab meat, crab roe and truffle jus in superior broth; the poached black truffle with Chinese cabbage and pork dumpling; the intriguing sautéed king tiger prawn with superior soy sauce, passion fruit and crispy milk; and the roasted Peking duck with pancakes. The dishes come a la carte or in a variety of family or individual set menus. Takeaway festive bundles are available as well.
1 Fullerton Square, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. Nearest MRT: Raffles Place. Available from 3 January to 5 February 2023. For more information, visit their website.
4. Man Fu Yuan at InterContinental Singapore
Expect nothing short of perfection from this modern Cantonese restaurant at InterContinental Singapore. This Lunar New Year, Man Fu Yuan are offering seven prix-fixe menus (for two to ten guests) and a collection of specialty dishes that are steeped in auspiciousness to bring in good fortune for the year. If you have a big group, you can’t miss the eye-catching Prosperity Rabbit yu sheng that’s replete with premium seafood like mini abalone, lobster, sea urchin, ikura, salmon and more.
To truly impress your relatives, consider the lavish six-course Prosperity prix-fixe menu, which includes yu sheng with salmon and honey pink guava dressing, steamed dragon tiger grouper fillet with preserved leek sauce and braised South African five-head abalone with Japanese spiky sea cucumber. There’s also a crowd-pleasing wok-fried glutinous rice with Kurobuta pork, Chinese sausage, mushrooms and caviar. If you prefer to dine at home, there are also takeaway options like Dongjiang-style salted baked chicken, roasted London duck, suckling pig and an array of traditional Lunar New Year sweets.
80 Middle Road, InterContinental Singapore. Nearest MRT: Bras Basah. Available from 3 January to 5 February 2023. For more information, visit their website.
5. Madame Fan at The NCO Club
This year at Madame Fan, Lunar New Year feast is themed after “An Ethereal Garden of Blooms”. Emblematic of the theme is the Full Blossom of Fruits yu sheng with New Zealand Blackgold abalone ($238). This unconventional take on the dish was crafted by executive chef Pak Chee Yit and features an abundance of premium fruits including Japanese Harumanis mango, South African blueberries, Fuji apple and Spanish persimmons as well as specialty Black Gold abalone.
The restaurant is also doling out a series of masterfully executed Lunar New Year menus comprising mod-Cantonese dishes and festive desserts. Diners can expect a la carte specials like the pan-seared A4 Wagyu with morel mushroom and black miso sauce along with ume wasabi prawns. Set menus featuring highlights like the charcoal grilled Kurobuta pork neck with plum sauce and Boston lobster with wonton noodles are also available. For a more intimate celebration with your loved ones, opt to have your reunion dinner in its private dining rooms. You can also opt for a takeaway set menu if you prefer to dine at home.
32 Beach Road, The NCO Club. Nearest MRT: City Hall. Available from 9 January to 5 February 2023. For more information, visit their website.
6. Yàn
Yàn ushers in the Year of the Rabbit with a trio of enticing Lunar New Year menus. The dim sum menu, available on weekends from 9 January to 5 February showcases authentic Cantonese dim sum in an a la carte format. Expect classic options like steamed and fried pork and prawn dumplings, carrot cake with Chinese sausage and the moreish steamed salted egg yolk custard buns. You’ll also find elevated takes on classic dim sum offerings like the steamed xiao long bao with duck liver and black truffle gravy. Additionally, there are seven set menus available that include a vegetarian option and a lavish harvest pen cai (a layered casserole of sought-after ingredients) that’s only available for takeaway. The set menu includes Chinese New Year requisites like steamed cod fillet, stewed ee-fu noodles and desserts like the deep-fried sesame ball filled with lotus seed paste. You can also opt for the a la carte menu to pick your favourite festive dishes.
1 Saint Andrew’s Road, #05-02 National Gallery. Nearest MRT: City Hall. Available from from 1 January to 5 February 2023. For more information, visit their website.