Tablescape @ Grand Park City Hall - Welcome Year Of The Rabbit With An Array of New Lunar New Year Set Menus for Dine-in and Takeaway

Tablescape is a modern European restaurant on the third level of Grand Park City Hall. To welcome the rabbit year, Tablescape and Grand Park City Hall have joined hands to introduce new Lunar New Year set menus that start from $88/pax. As for small group gatherings and celebrations at home, you can tuck into their sets that are ready for delivery and takeaway.

Prosperity Yu Sheng 皇府捞起 4/5

Tablescape’s Yu Sheng is a lighter rendition. I enjoyed that it was not too sweet nor too tangy, and the vegetables were fresh with a crunch. Other notable ingredients are abalone, smoked salmon, crispy fish skin, gold leaf and avruga caviar.

Double Boiled Fish Maw Soup with Cordyceps 冬虫草炖花胶 / 招财进宝 4.5/5

While Double Boiled Fish Maw Soup like this tends to carry a thicker consistency, this bowl was lighter but still extremely flavourful. The base chicken stock is made by boiling a whole chicken with pork bones, Yunnan ham, mirepoix and dried sole fish before the fish maw and cordyceps are placed in it to steam.

Combination Platter of Josper Charred Char Siew with Honey Sauce and Truffle Duck 双星报喜 3.8/5

In this Combination Platter, you can enjoy Joseph Charred Char Siew with Honey Sauce and Black Truffle Duck. We enjoyed the sweet char siew more between the two, for its more tender texture, while the truffle duck leaned more bony - though it could be due to the parts I had.

Soya Braised Chicken with Ginger and Scallion 桶子豉油鸡 百鸟朝凤 3.8/5

The next dish we tried was the Soya Braised Chicken with Ginger and Scallion. It is stuffed with Chinese wine, ginger and scallion. The chicken is further marinated and braised. The meat was tender, but it did leave us hoping that the flavours of the braising stock could come through more.

Sautéed Asparagus with Scallops and XO Sauce XO 酱芦笋炒扇贝, 富贵花开 4.2/5

The Sautéed Asparagus is done in XO sauce, garlic and Chinese wine, served with lightly seared plump Hokkaido scallops. The asparaguses were firm and tender.

Wok Fried Yee Fu Noodle with Tiger Prawns, Scallops and Baby Abalone 海鲜焖伊面 丰衣足食 4.5/5

The Yee Fu Noodle is first blanched in a housemade chicken stock that is made by boiling a whole chicken, pork bones, Yunnan ham, mirepoix and dried sole fish for a day. It's then wok-fried with a generous amount of vegetables, mushrooms, deshelled tiger prawns, yellow chives, scallops and baby abalone. It was fragrant and flavourful, a favourite among my dining companions.

Yam Paste with Ginkgo Nut 白果芋泥 | 甜甜蜜蜜 4.5/5

Tablescape's Yam Paste with Ginkgo Nut checks all the boxes for a good bowl of yam paste. After steaming the yam and blending it into a puree, it is further steamed with shallot oil, sugar and ginkgo nuts. The result is a thick and smooth paste that is mildly sweetened. Finally, housemade coconut cream is drizzled on top of the yam paste to finish it off.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tablescape
Grand Park City Hall
10 Coleman Street, Level 3
Singapore 179809
Tel: +65 64325566
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall MRT (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 230pm
Sun Brunch: 12pm - 3pm
Afternoon Tea
Mon-Fri: 230pm to 530pm
Sat-Sun: 3pm - 5pm
Dinner
Daily: 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit D. Turn left and walk to junction of Coleman Street and North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to Peninsula Plaza. Continue down Coleman Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ya Ge (雅阁) @ Orchid Hotel - New Modern Chinese Restaurant Serving Fine Traditional Chinese Cuisine With A Modern Taste

Newly opened at Orchid Hotel is Ya Ge (雅阁), led by Executive Chef Tse Chi Leung, who has 25 years of professional culinary experience. He has worked in kitchens of top hotels and restaurants across Hong Kong, Singapore and Jakarta, including Imperial Treasure at Marina Bay Sands and Yan Restaurant at Park Hotel Group.

The restaurant recently launched a new eight-course 'Taste of Ya Ge' menu ($268++, U.P $360++) that features a selection of the restaurant's signature dishes. The menu is suitable for four to five persons, available from 11 July to 30 September 2022.

Chilled Hua Diao Chicken Roll 4/5

We had the Chilled Hua Diao Chicken Roll kickstarting our eight-course meal. Unlike many places that chopped the chicken into pieces, the culinary team painstakingly rolled the chicken into a roulade. Fifteen years old Hua Diao has been used to give the succulent chicken an aromatic finish.

Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste 4.2/5

The eight-course menu includes two dim sum items in the Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste and Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme. The Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste is crispy on the exterior and soft on the inside, fragrant by fried eggs and dried shrimp paste.

Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme 4.5/5

The Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme has a delightfully chewy texture stuffed with savoury filling consisting of minced chicken and mushroom. Adding thyme to the filling gives it a touch of minty earthiness, lifting the taste profile.

Fish Maw with Crab Meat in Superior broth 4.2/5

Unlike most Chinese soup that uses pork or chicken as a stock base, the Fish Maw with Crab Meat Soup uses duck and chicken instead. It is a delicious change from the usual, bringing out the sweetness of the chunky crab meat.

Deep-fried Marble Goby with Supreme Soya Sauce 4/5

For the fish dish, diners have a choice of having it deep-fried or steamed. We went for the Deep-fried Marble Goby with Supreme Soya Sauce. Of course, the star has to be the supreme soya sauce, complementing the crispy and moist fish.

Sauteed Diced Beef with Black Garlic 4.5/5

At first glance, the Sauteed Diced Beef seemed to be cooked in black pepper sauce, but it is cooked with black garlic, giving it a coat of sweetness on top of its tender texture.

Roasted Floral Tea Infused Chicken 4.5/5

One of my favourite dishes is the Roasted Floral Tea Infused Chicken. The tender chicken with its crispy skin is perfumed with the floral tea aroma, fire-roasted to perfection and garnished with fried tea leaves for a satisfying crunch.

XO Egg White Seafood Fried Rice 4/5

We had the XO Egg White Seafood Fried Rice for the carbo dish packed with 'wok-hei' smokiness. I enjoyed the firm texture for its delightful bite.

On top of the new eight-course menu, business professionals looking for a lighter meal may appreciate Ye Ge's ongoing lunch and dinner sets priced from $48.80++ per pax for two or more persons daily.

Note: This is an invited tasting


Ya Ge (雅阁)
Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Link
Level 3
Singapore 078867
Tel: +65 68186831
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight towards Orchid Hotel. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

JUMBO Signatures @ Marina Bay Sands - JUMBO Group’s New Premium Dining Concept

Stepping into JUMBO Signatures at Marina Bay Sands, you will notice a difference in ambience and decor from the other familiar Jumbo Seafood restaurants. Opened in January this year, JUMBO Signatures is also JUMBO Group’s first premium dining concept. The 76-seater restaurant houses 3 VIP rooms suitable for meetings, intimate gatherings and celebrations.

Three different menus were curated to cater to various groups of diners. Besides the Signatures Ala-Carte Menu, the Executive Set Lunch offers 3-course at $58 per pax and 4-course at $62 per pax. During this visit, we tried their Signatures Tasting Menu ($158 per pax).

You will enjoy an 8-course meal, amuse bouche, and a palette cleanser. In addition, a wine pairing is available for a top-up at $118 per pax. Menu items are refreshed every couple of months to ensure that the best-quality ingredients are used.

Marinated Jellyfish, Seafood Cone 4/5

We started the meal with two appetising amuse bouche, the Marinated Jellyfish and Seafood Cone. The marinated jellyfish was tangy and crunchy. The seafood cone, which comes in a charcoal cone, has a tasty mouthful of prawn, mango, cucumber and salad cream.

Shelled Prawn Fried with Seaweed and Pork Floss 4/5

Moving on to starters, we had the Shelled Prawn Fried with Seaweed and Pork Floss. I was excited to try this, as this is a creation inspired by Baoshifu 鲍师傅, a China pastry shop that specialises in seaweed meat floss cakes. I enjoyed the crisp pork floss and seaweed mix here. The prawn was fresh with a slight crunch.

Scallop Wrapped in Yam Ring 4.2/5

The Scallop Wrapped in Yam Ring had smooth yam purée around a juicy scallop, served with a house-special sweet sauce. The thin exterior had a delightful crisp.

Chilled Hand-Shredded Live Australian Lobster with Fruit Salad in Sesame Dressing 3.8/5

The last starter was the Chilled Hand-Shredded Live Australian Lobster with Fruit Salad in Sesame Dressing. The lobster meat was firm and fresh, but the dressing was a touch too heavy. I would have liked it done lighter to allow more of the meat's natural sweetness to come through.

Collagen Soup with Fish Maw and Bamboo Pith 4.8/5

There's no additional starch used in the Collagen Soup with Fish Maw and Bamboo Pith. Instead, it's lightly peppered and thickened through hours of simmering chicken bones, pork fat and pork skin. You will find dried scallops, fresh fish maw, goji berries and bamboo pith in it as well. It was extremely comforting and nourishing, and the slices of fish maw were very tender.

Chilli Mud Crab Pincer 4.8/5

Singaporeans would definitely be familiar with JUMBO Seafood's award-winning chilli crab. Here they offer the Chilli Mud Crab Pincer that is thoughtfully deshelled for you to sink your teeth right into. There's a good heat in the chilli crab sauce made with ten over spices, perfect with the side of crispy fried mantou.

Pomegranate Soda

Before the next course, we had a palate cleanser of Pomegranate Soda.

Sliced Luffa Melon in Collagen Soup 4.5/5

In the Sliced Luffa Melon in Collagen Soup, the luffa is carefully hand sliced into noodle-like strips and served in yet another comforting collagen soup, with fried shredded conpoy, Jin Hua ham and Sakura ebi. I enjoyed the smart addition of crispy ebi that gave extra texture and flavour.

‘Yuan Yang’ Fried Rice with Cod Fish and Fresh Mushroom 4/5

There are two carbs options for the next course. First is the 'Yuan Yang' Fried Rice with Cod Fish and Fresh Mushroom. It's a hearty dish studded with scallop bits, cod fish, king oyster mushroom, tobiko and crispy rice.

Udon with Sliced Abalone 3.8/5

The Udon with Sliced Abalone is much lighter in comparison, which uses a dashi base.

‘Cheng Teng’ with Bird’s Nest and Peach Resin 3.5/5

We had the mildly sweetened 'Cheng Teng' with Bird's Nest and Peach Resin for dessert. You can choose to have this hot or cold.

Signature Fragrant Rice in Rich Seafood Broth 4.8/5

From the a la carte menu, we had the Signature Fragrant Rice in Rich Seafood Broth ($38). Jasmine rice, crispy rice, fresh mud crab meat and botan ebi is served in a hot stone bowl before the umami-rich prawn broth is poured over. On the side, you also get to enjoy a fried botan ebi prawn head that's lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. I loved the rich seafood sweetness here!

Durian Tart paired with Ice Cream 4/5

The Durian Tart paired with Ice Cream ($14) comprises handmade Mao Shan Wang durian pureé, coconut ice cream and pandan sauce. I thought the tart worked sufficiently well on its own. I expected it to be very rich and sweet, but the well-balanced pureé was quite a delight.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


JUMBO Signatures
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Singapore
B1-01B
2 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018972
Tel: +65 66887023
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Bayfront (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch
Mon-Fri, Eve of Public Holidays: 11.30am - 3pm
Sat-Sun, Public Holidays: 12pm - 3.30pm

Dinner
Sat-Thurs, Public Holidays: 5.30pm - 10.30pm
Fri-Sat, Eve of Public Holidays: 5.30pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bayfront MRT station. Take Exit C or D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.  [Map]

藝 Yì by Jereme Leung @ Raffles Hotel Singapore - Exquisite Lunar New Year Specialties

藝 Yì by Jereme Leung at Raffles Hotel Singapore welcomes this Lunar New Year with dishes that embody traditions with an artistic flair, available from 17 January to 15 February 2022.

Toss to abundance with auspicious Yu Sheng specials. Available for dine-in and takeaway, each Yu Sheng comes with a unique Yunnan rose dressing crafted by Master Chef Jereme Leung. For takeaway orders, the ingredients will be presented in an assembled multi-tiered red box that is both convenient to carry and aesthetically pleasing on the home dining table. We tried the Longevity Yu Sheng ($198++), which features premium ingredients such as arctic shellfish and Japanese sweet shrimps.

Braised Beancurd with Yunnan Golden Fungus & Pine Nuts 4/5

After the Yu Sheng, we began the evening with a nourishing Double-Boiled Fish Maw, Morel Mushrooms & Nostoc Pearls Broth.

Steamed Spotted Garoupa & Fresh Lily Bulbs with "Mao Er Duo" Black Fungus 4.5/5

For the main Lunar New Year feast, savour specialities such as the Steamed Spotted Garoupa & Fresh Lily Bulbs with "Mao Er Duo" Black Fungus. Artfully presented on the plate, I enjoyed the crunchy elements of the dish that complemented the fish.

Braised Beancurd with Yunnan Golden Fungus & Pine Nuts 4.5/5

Another main dish we had was a wholesome Braised Beancurd with Yunnan Golden Fungus & Pine Nuts.

Steamed Jasmine Rice with Chinese Goose Liver Sausages & Preserved Meats 4.8/5

The Steamed Jasmine Rice with Chinese Goose Liver Sausages & Preserved Meats was the highlight for me - fluffy steamed rice flavoured with unctuous, savoury-sweet Chinese goose liver sausages & preserved meats. It was simple yet indulgent and satisfying.

Organic Eggplant with Japanese Sea Urchin in Vinegar Dressing 4/5

Fresh Scallop & Spinach Roll with Sesame Sauce 4/5

Apart from the more traditional dishes, there are some which deviate from the usual, such as this Organic Eggplant with Japanese Sea Urchin in Vinegar Dressing. I appreciate how the ingredients have been treated with restraint to bring out their flavours. The same goes for the Fresh Scallop & Spinach Roll with Sesame Sauce.

Cantonese Sponge Cake, Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Nian Gao 3.8/5

Our dessert comprised a warm and comforting Cantonese Sponge Cake infused with Dried Tangerine Peel, as well as an auspicious looking Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Nian Gao.

From 3 January to 28 January 2022, guests may enjoy 20% off* online orders on Auspicious Delights, including selected home dining sets, Yu Sheng specials and a la carte takeaways, and enjoy 15% off* online orders of Bountiful Gift Sets & Hampers.

*Valid for AMEX, Citibank, DBS/POSB, HSBC, Maybank, OCBC and UOB cardholders.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


藝 Yi By Jereme Leung
Raffles Arcade
328 North Bridge Road
Singapore 188719
Tel: +65 63371886
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 2pm, 6pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Junction of North Bridge Road and Bras Basah Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Jiang Nan Chun @ Four Seasons Hotel - Celebrate New Beginnings Over Sumptuous Feasts And Elegantly Crafted Menus

Celebrate new beginnings over sumptuous feasts and elegantly crafted menus from Jiang Nan Chun at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. 

Prosperity Yu Sheng 4/5

Toss to wealth and good health with the luxurious Prosperity Yu Sheng, bursting with fresh ocean flavours of lobster, abalone and salmon. It is complemented by hand-shredded root vegetables and a healthy crunch of pumpkin, melon, and sunflower seeds.

Braised Sea Treasure Broth with Fish Maw and Dried Scallop 4/5

The Braised Sea Treasure Broth with Fish Maw and Dried Scallop is comforting and flavourful, packed with essences from the braised sea treasure, accentuated by the dried scallop.  

Braised Imperial Chicken 4.2/5

Similar to pen cai is the Braised Imperial Chicken with Six Head Abalone, Fish Maw, Sea Cucumber, Dried Scallop and Black Mushrooms. It is a luxe gourmet indulgent, delicately balancing the best of land and sea.

Wok-fried Australian Lobster with Chilli Sauce and Crispy Noodles 4.2/5

This year, making its debut is the Wok-fried Australian Lobster with Chilli Sauce and Crispy Noodles. It is a true indulgence of the senses, complemented by the tantalising tangy and spicy sauce drizzled over the succulent lobster paired with crackling crispy noodles.

Stir-fried Glutinous Rice with Preserved Sausages 3/5

We end our meals with a rice or noodle dish like every Chinese dinner. Unfortunately, the Stir-fried Glutinous Rice with Preserved Sausages was too moist for liking.

Chilled Peach Resin with Snow Fungus with Wolfberries 4/5

Wrapping up our dinner is the light and refreshing Chilled Peach Resin with Snow Fungus with Wolfberries.

Mandarin Cremeux Delights 4/5

Besides the sumptuous menus at Jiang Nan Chun, the restaurant has put together a range of Lunar New Year takeaways and goodies such as Pen Cai, Yu Sheng, Cookies and more. Customers can order at https://fourseasonssingapore.oddle.me/en_SG/

Note: This is an invited tasting


Jiang Nan Chun (江南春)
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Second Floor
190 Orchard Boulevard
Singapore 248646
Tel: +65 68317220
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 11. Walk straight down Orchard Boulevard Road. Walk to destination. Journey time is about 6 minutes. [Map]