RISE @ Marina Bay Sands (MBS) - A Taste Of Shanghai, Limited-Time Shanghainese Cuisine Takeover Until 3 November

Shanghainese cuisine has something especially comforting about it, from delicate soup dumplings and rich braised dishes to the much-anticipated hairy crab season. For a limited time, RISE at Marina Bay Sands is bringing these familiar flavours to its buffet spread with a special Shanghainese Cuisine Takeover, led by Master Chef Li Yaozhen.

With more than 50 years of culinary experience, Chef Li brings a wealth of knowledge and tradition to the table. We dropped by to explore the special menu, sample the seasonal highlights and discover which dishes are worth making room for.

Hairy Crab

The Hairy Crabs were undoubtedly one of the main attractions of the evening. While we were excited to tuck in, the crabs were relatively small during our visit, which meant there wasn’t quite as much of that prized, rich roe as we had hoped. Chef Li shared that the crabs should be plumper come November, so timing your visit a little later in the season might make all the difference.

Shanghainese Fried Bun with Pork Filling

Shanghainese Fried Dumpling

Xiao Long Bao

The Shanghainese Fried Buns and Dumplings were among our favourites from the special menu. We particularly enjoyed their juicy fillings and beautifully pan-fried, crisp bottoms. The Xiao Long Bao were another pleasant highlight, with reasonably thin wrappers and a satisfying amount of savoury broth tucked inside. These are definitely worth saving some stomach space for.

Crab Roe Tofu

Shanghainese Salted Chicken

Steamed Yellow Croaker in 20-Year Aged Huadiao Wine

Fish Fragrant Eggplant

Shanghainese Braised Pork Belly with Abalone

The selection of Shanghainese hot dishes offers plenty to explore, from Crab Roe Tofu and Salted Chicken to Steamed Yellow Croaker in 20-year-aged Huadiao wine, Braised Pork Belly with Abalone and Fish Fragrant Eggplant. As with most extensive buffets, we found some dishes more memorable than others. Still, I’d recommend taking small portions of a few different dishes first. It’s the best way to discover your own favourites without filling up too quickly.

Peking Duck

Peking Duck may not be a Shanghainese speciality, but it’s certainly a familiar crowd-pleaser. The beautifully roasted ducks looked incredibly tempting on display. Unfortunately, the meat was a little dry during our visit, and the skin lacked the crispness we were hoping for. That said, if you’re a fan of duck legs, you can still help yourself to one (or more!) at the buffet.

Eight-Treasure Rice

Fermented Rice Dumpling

Jasmine Chinese Pastry

Tangerine Chinese Pastry

For something sweet, the Shanghainese-inspired dessert selection includes Eight Treasure Rice, Fermented Rice Dumplings and beautifully presented Jasmine and Tangerine Chinese Pastries. These traditional-style treats can be rather filling, especially after working your way through the savoury spread. My advice? Pace yourself, share a few portions if you can, and leave enough room to sample the ones that catch your eye.

Moutai Cocktail

There’s also a specially created Moutai Cocktail to complement the takeover, combining Moutai with orchid gin, passionfruit purée, lemon juice, flower blossom and sparkling tea. You can order it directly from the bar or enjoy a little tableside theatre as it’s prepared in front of you from the roaming cocktail trolley — a fun touch to round off the dining experience.

If you enjoy Shanghainese cuisine, this limited-time takeover is a lovely opportunity to sample a wide range of familiar favourites alongside RISE’s buffet offerings. Not every dish was a hit, but the variety makes it worth exploring, especially if you enjoy trying a little of everything.

Prices start from S$98, with lunch and dinner available. As pricing and menu selections vary by day, do check RISE’s official website for the latest details before making plans. The Shanghainese Cuisine Takeover runs until 3 November.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


RISE
Marina Bay Sands (MBS)
Hotel Tower 1, Lobby
10 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018956
Tel: +65 66885525
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Nearest MRT: Bayfront (CC, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 630am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 630an - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bayfront MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to the destination. Journey time is about 3 minutes. [Map]

Food Capital @ Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore - Seafood Mania Buffet featuring Vietnamese Specialities by Chef Hien Minh

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore recently launched a new edition of Seafood Mania Buffet at Food Capital, running from now to 1 November 2026. This time, the buffet spotlights Vietnamese cuisine, with Guest Chef Hien Minh presenting a selection of specialities inspired by the country’s culinary traditions alongside an extensive seafood spread.

GCW Signature Laksa

Pho with Beef

At the live station, the iconic Pho with Beef is served alongside GCW Signature Laksa. The pho broth was light but had good depth of flavour, though the beef slices were a tad too tough for my liking. The laksa, on the other hand, was robust with spices and definitely worth returning for a couple more helpings.

Vietnamese Beef Stew

Vietnamese Fried Prawns

The Vietnamese specialities counter offers a selection of regional dishes, including Vietnamese Beef Stew, Vietnamese Fried Fish, Vietnamese Fried Seafood, Vietnamese Fried Prawns and Vietnamese Pork Ribs Soup.

Vietnamese Fried Fish

Vietnamese Pork Ribs Soup

They had a homely appeal, reflecting a different side of Vietnamese cooking beyond the more familiar pho and spring rolls.

Australian Beef Striploin

Herb-crusted Whole Lamb Leg

Moving on to the Western selections, the carving station presents a hearty spread of Australian Beef Striploin and Herb-crusted Whole Lamb Leg.

The European cuisine counter also features several seafood dishes, including Classic Seafood Stew and Pan-seared Seabass with Mango Salsa and Ginger Cream. I particularly enjoyed the seabass for its distinctive tropical flavours, with the creamy ginger sauce adding an interesting dimension. The Chicken Roulade was elevated by a prawn mousse filling, adding another layer of flavour.

Lobster Thermidor

For dinner, each guest is also entitled to half a Lobster Thermidor.

Garlic Butter Prawns

Among the cooked seafood options, the Garlic Butter Prawns were another crowd-pleaser, with their garlicky, creamy sauce.

Seafood on Ice

Seafood on Ice was undoubtedly the star of Seafood Mania, with freshly shucked oysters disappearing within seconds. The counter was laden with Snow Crab Legs, Baby Lobster, Chilled Tiger Prawns, NZ Green-lipped Mussels, Spanish Black Mussels and more.

Japanese fare at the Japanese counter includes fresh sashimi, assorted maki rolls, aburi sushi and Ebi Tempura.

Che Ba Ba

Che Thai

For me, however, one of the more interesting highlights was the selection of traditional Vietnamese desserts. Vietnamese sweets span a wide range of hot and cold preparations, and it was nice to see both represented here. The warm and comforting Chè Bà Ba (Ba Ba Sweet Soup) reminded me of our local bubur cha cha. Each spoonful came with soft yam and sweet potatoes, complemented by the contrasting textures of jellies. In contrast, the icy-cold Chè Thái (Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail) was refreshing, with crunchy jackfruit and coconut strips, sweet, meaty lychees and my favourite chewy jellies.

Coconut Jelly

Three-colour Steamed Cake

Other sweet treats included Coconut Jelly (Rau Câu Dừa), Three-colour Steamed Cake (Bánh Bà Lai) and the much-loved Vietnamese Coffee Crème Caramel (Bánh Flan Cà Phê), rounding off the buffet with a taste of Vietnam’s dessert traditions.

Pricing: Lunch (Monday to Saturday) Adult $72++ | Child $36++
Dinner (Sunday to Thursday) Adult $106++ | Child $53++
Dinner (Friday and Saturday) Adult $116++ | Child $58++
*Child aged between 6 and 11 years old; complimentary dining for children aged 5 and under.

Quote/input the code at the time of booking (SGFOODONFOOT30) to get 30% off the buffet. The promo code is valid for reservations from 5 October until 1 November 2026.

Photos and words by Si An. A homebody who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, the smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Food Capital
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore
392 Havelock Road
Singapore 169663
Tel: +65 8168 1539
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Nearest MRT: Havelock (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 1030am, 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Havelock MRT station. Take Exit 4. Turn left and walk to the traffic junction of Havelock Road and Kim Seng Road. Cross the road. Turn left and walk down Kim Seng Road. Walk to the destination. Journey time is about 5 minutes. [Map]

Town Restaurant @ The Fullerton Hotel Singapore - ‘Treasures of the Sea’ Dinner Buffet, Featuring 29 Seafood Selections Prepared in 27 Different Styles

Seafood lovers, this one’s for you. Town Restaurant at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is going big on seafood with its ‘Treasures of the Sea’ Dinner Buffet, featuring an impressive 29 seafood selections prepared across 27 different styles — from seafood on ice and charcoal-grilled favourites to curries, local dishes and more. And before you even start attacking the buffet, every table receives a Crispy Fried Whole Barramundi to share, served straight to your table. 

On Fridays and Saturdays, there’s even more to look forward to with a Charcoal Barbecue Station set up just outside the restaurant by the river.

Grilled River Prawn

Grilled Scallop

Grilled Satay

Here, you’ll find Grilled River Prawn, Grilled Scallop, Chicken Satay and Sambal Stingray, the latter wrapped in aluminium foil and served piping hot. We got excited when we spotted the stingray, although the sambal wasn’t quite the spicy, flavour-packed version we’re used to. Thankfully, the fish itself was tender. The Chicken Satays, on the other hand, were a pleasant surprise. They are nicely seasoned and even better with a generous dip into the rich peanut sauce.

Boston Lobster

Poached Sea Prawn

Green Mussel

Snow Crab Leg

Babylon Snail Hard-shell Clam

Of course, what’s a seafood buffet without a glorious seafood-on-ice spread? There’s plenty to pile onto your plate, including Boston Lobster, Poached Sea Prawns, Green Mussels, Snow Crab Legs, Babylon Snails, Hard-shell Clams, and Half-shell Scallops.

Assorted Cheeses

Parmesan Cheese Wheel Salad Bar

Compound Salad Bar

Oelek Chilli Jelly Fish Salad

Pesto Potatoes Salad

Alongside the seafood spread is an Assorted Cheese selection, plus a Salad Bar where you can build your own plate or pick from prepared salads such as the Oelek Chilli Jelly Fish Salad and Pesto Potato Salad.

Saffron Seafood Chowder

Don’t walk past the Saffron Seafood Chowder without getting yourself a bowl. Rich and creamy without being overly heavy, the chowder is loaded with crab meat, although much of the good stuff likes to settle at the bottom. Give it a good stir before ladling it into your bowl; there’s plenty of crab meat hiding down there. This was easily one of our favourites of the night.

Peruvian Spice Roasted Beef

Meat lovers aren’t forgotten either. Make a stop at the Carving Station for the Peruvian Spice Roasted Beef — that beautiful pink centre was simply too eye-catching for us to walk past. Served with Pimento Caper Chimichurri and a house-made spice blend, it’s a worthy detour from all that seafood.

Good Chance Popiah

The Live Station features Good Chance Popiah and Fish & Chips on Fridays and Saturdays, but the popiah deserves an honourable mention of its own. Freshly wrapped to order by the experienced auntie behind the counter, each roll is packed nice and tight with a generous amount of filling. The chilli has a proper kick too, so ask for more if you like yours spicy. These were so good that we nearly stuffed ourselves with popiah before making it through the rest of the buffet. In fact, I’m craving one again as I write this.

From Tuesday to Thursday, the Live Station switches things up with Royale Seafood Congee.

Slipper Lobster Pumpkin Curry

Ginger Scallion King Prawn

Sweet Chilli Garlic-Butter Snow Crab

The seafood feast continues in the cooked food section, where choosing what to eat — and how much stomach space to sacrifice — gets difficult. Among the dishes are Slipper Lobster Pumpkin Curry, Ginger Scallion King Prawn and Sweet Chilli Garlic-Butter Snow Crab. With so many different preparations across the buffet, you can quite literally go back for seafood again and again without eating it the same way twice.

Abalone Truffle Soba

At the Japanese section, go beyond the usual fresh sashimi and look out for the Abalone Truffle Soba. Served in petite portions, it’s just the right size for a taste without filling yourself up too quickly. It is important when there’s still so much more waiting around the buffet.

Laksa

We also love the DIY Noodle Station, where you can choose your own ingredients and exactly how much noodles you want. At a buffet this extensive, portion control is a survival skill! We deliberately went for a smaller serving of Laksa so we could still make our way through everything else. Prawn Soup is also available if you prefer something lighter.

Chocolate Lava Cake Salted Egg Crispy Fish Skin

Before we move on to the dessert spread, one creation deserves a mention simply because of how unusual it sounds: Chocolate Lava Cake with Salted Egg Crispy Fish Skin, prepared à la minute. Chocolate lava cake and fish skin isn't exactly a pairing that immediately makes sense, and yes, it tastes every bit as intriguing as it sounds. A little unusual, definitely interesting, and worth trying at least once.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Morello

Ivory Pistachio Mascarpone

Ondeh Ondeh Cake

Strawberry Lavender Vanilla

Yuzu Jasmine Mousse

Oozy Toffee Praline

Now, please leave stomach space for dessert. Seriously. The dessert spread sits right at the front of the restaurant, which meant we had already mentally mapped out what we wanted before dinner even properly began. With creations such as Dark Chocolate Cherry Morello, Ivory Pistachio Mascarpone, Ondeh Ondeh Cake, Strawberry Lavender Vanilla, Yuzu Jasmine Mousse, Oozy Toffee Praline, OMG Lemon Praline and Durian Gula Melaka Shooter, everything looks almost too pretty to eat.

As with any huge dessert spread, there will inevitably be hits and misses depending on personal preference, but we’d say there were definitely more hits than misses here.

OMG Lemon Praline

Durian Gula Melaka Shooter

Assorted Nonya Kueh

Treasures of the Sea Dinner Buffet is available until 7 November 2028.
Tuesday to Thursday: S$98++ per adult | S$49++ per child aged 6–11
Friday and Saturday: S$118++ per adult | S$59++ per child aged 6–11

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Town Restaurant
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
1 Fullerton Square
Singapore 049178
Tel: +65 68778188
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT Station. Take Exit H. Turn right and walk towards the river. At the river, turn right again and walk to the destination. Journey time is about 5 minutes. [Map]