Art de Noël Holiday Traditions @ Sofitel Singapore City Centre - A Gourmet Affair For This Holiday Season

From 1 November to 1 January 2023, celebrate this Christmas season with your loved ones with Sofitel Singapore City Centre's festive feasts. Immerse yourself in the joyous mood with their specially crafted set lunches, dinners, exquisite afternoon tea, festive decadent buffet spreads, or feast at home with their gourmet takeaways.

Roasted Turkey with Truffle Butter

Racines gives a touch of French flair to your celebratory dinner with its Weekday Semi-buffet Dinner ($98++ per adult) featuring classics such as Seafood Shepherd’s Pie, Gammon Ham, or Duck Breast in Mulled Wine alongside unlimited servings of salads, soups, appetisers and desserts.

Miso Glazed Halibut with Beurre Blanc Sauce

Christmas Eve Dinner ($138++ per adult), Christmas Brunch ($148++ per adult) and Boxing Day Brunch ($148++ per adult) entice you with an even more indulgent spread, including Roasted Turkey with Truffle Butter and Miso Glazed Halibut with Beurre Blanc Sauce.

Hay-smoked Magret Duck Breast with Christmas Spice

A quick but equally sumptuous option will be their Festive Set Lunch (from $39++) or Festive Set Dinner (from $65++) with delights such as Hay-smoked Magret Duck Breast with Christmas Spice, Soy Baked Cod Fish with Seasonal Vegetables and Chestnut Mousse.

Sweet Treats

Chestnut Berry Financier

Pecan Cinnamon Cheesecake

Another great way is to chill out at 1864 with its Festive Afternoon Tea and Yuletide Cocktails. The Festive Afternoon Tea ($128++ for two persons) offers savoury finger sandwiches alongside dainty sweet treats. The latter includes Chestnut Berry Financier, my favourite of the selections, and Pecan Cinnamon Cheesecake for a touch of Christmas flavour.

Mrs. Claus’ Cosmo, Papa Noël’s Mule

Two Yuletide Cocktails of very different characters were created - Papa Noël’s Mule ($20), a concoction of Rémy Martin VSOP, Campari, ginger beer and angostura bitters, and Mrs. Claus’ Cosmo ($18), which is pretty in pink with Ketel One Vodka, Limoncello, cranberry juice and lime juice.

Soy-glazed Turkey

Takeaway Gourmet Delights from Sofitel Singapore City Centre also offers Turkey with Truffle Butter ($172 nett). If you wish to try a more Asian flavour, the Soy-glazed Turkey ($172 nett) checks the boxes with a sweet and savoury Japanese-style rub comprising soy sauce, sugar, sake and mirin.

Framboise Mousse Cake

For sweets, the vibrant Framboise Mousse Cake ($96 nett) is made of almond sponge layered with raspberry jam, raspberry inspiration cream, raspberry jelly, and Opalys vanilla mousse.

Noisette Noir Chocolate Hazelnut Log Cake

The Noisette Noir Chocolate Hazelnut Log Cake ($96 nett) is a cute pencil-shape log cake with a rich chocolate roll as the base. It is filled with delicious Manjari dark chocolate crémeux, hazelnut praline, hazelnut chantilly cream, and Manjari dark chocolate mousse.

Homemade Stollen

Chocolate Panettone

If log cakes aren't your piece of cake, get their Homemade Stollen or Chocolate Panettone. I wish there were more liqueur in them, but both were delicious.

Celebratory gifts and treats from Sofitel Singapore City Centre are available for purchase via https://bit.ly/sofitel-xmas22 from now until 23 December 2022. Guests can enjoy 15% early bird savings using promo code “EBXMAS15” before 9 December 2022. For reservations, guests can call +65 6428 5000 or email HA152@sofitel.com.

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.


Racines
Sofitel City Centre
9 Wallich Street
5th floor
Singapore 078885
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT Station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

The Marmalade Pantry Downtown @ Oasia Hotel Downtown - ‘Once Upon A Christmas'

This yuletide season, The Marmalade Pantry at Downtown Oasia presents 'Once Upon A Christmas' feast featuring a sumptuous lineup of delicacies like succulent roasts and new log cakes. The festive highlights are available online for takeaway and delivery, or you can choose to celebrate with your loved ones at the outlets with their 3-Course Festive Set Dinner or Jovial Afternoon Tea & Moscato Set.

Roasted Turkey

From the takeaway and delivery selection, the Carvery provides the perfect centrepiece of your dining table - Roasted Turkey with Honey, Lavender, and Peppercorn ($128+, 3.6kg). The turkey is house-brined overnight before being slow-roasted till golden brown. Then, to enhance the aromatic flora notes of the lavender, the turkey is brushed with a finishing touch made of apple honey, a blend of toasted spices including peppercorns, and dried lavender.

Lavender Honey Pepper Chicken

For smaller gatherings, you can still enjoy the flavours with this Lavender Honey Pepper Chicken ($58+, 2kg), which is done with the same technique.

Rosemary-Infused Roasted Ribeye

Beef up your spread with the Rosemary-Infused Roasted Ribeye ($128+, 1kg). To retain its flavours, the Argentinian grass-fed ribeye is seared on a hot plate before being sous vide overnight with rosemary. The ribeye is then roasted to a turn in the oven with a simple seasoning of salt and pepper.

Lemon & Thyme Slow-Baked Salmon Fillet

My favourite is this Lemon & Thyme Slow-Baked Salmon Fillet ($78+, 0.8kg). Overnight cured Norwegian salmon is marinated in lemon zest and thyme before being slow-baked. It was incredibly moist and tender and flaked easily with a fork. I love its elusive lemony flavour as well.

Maple and Clove Glazed Gammon Ham

The sweet and savoury Maple and Clove Glazed Gammon Ham ($98+, 1.5kg) is a well-loved delicacy of many. The boneless gammon ham is marinated with a mellow sweet maple glaze overnight before roasting.

Chilli Con Carne with Cornbread

For some mouthwatering sides, new this year are the Chilli Con Carne with Cornbread ($28) and Impossible Beef Lasagne ($32). The former features a chilli con carne, a stew of minced beef, red capsicum, onions, carrots, and kidney beans seasoned with warm spices, covered by cornbread. The cornbread is sweet and very buttery, which beautifully complements the chilli con Carne's heat.

Impossible Beef Lasagne

The latter is a plant-based lasagne with layers of Impossible Beef 'Bolognese sauce', pasta sheets, mozzarella, and grana padano cheese. It's a beautiful meatless option, but I find it a tad too highly flavoured. I much prefer the simple Mac & Cheese ($25), a signature recipe of maccheroni pasta coated with a cream-base sauce of truffle paste, truffle oil, cream, and three kinds of cheese – cheddar, mozzarella, and grana padano.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

The sides are purely delightful. There are Roasted Vegetables ($22), a medley of brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli lightly charred for an elevated smokey flavour; and very comforting Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Vanilla and Maple Glaze ($18) that is reminiscent of warm fluffy hotcakes.

Quinoa Salad with Prawns

A very wholesome offering is this Quinoa Salad with Prawns ($26). It is bright and zesty with a piquant pineapple and chilli dressing and full of textural enjoyment with quinoa, seared prawns, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and cashews.

Classic Chocolate Truffle Log Cake

For log cakes, this year The Marmalade Pantry presents two new flavours. The Classic Chocolate Truffle Log Cake ($68) allures with a rich 60% dark chocolate truffle core enveloped in a chocolate crème of melted chocolate ganache and whipped cream.

Tangy Lemon Pistachio Log Cake

The Tangy Lemon Pistachio Log Cake ($68) is wintry and elegant with a lemon white chocolate truffle core wrapped in a pistachio frosting of pistachio paste and Chantilly cream and rolled with a fluffy vanilla sponge.

Jovial Afternoon Tea & Moscato Set

For dining in, The Marmalade Pantry Downtown also offer a 3-Course Festive Set Dinner ($42) comprising a starter, main and log cake for dessert; and the menu is also available for takeaway and delivery. Or, sip away the afternoon with the Jovial Afternoon Tea & Moscato Set ($86++ for two persons, $78++ for two persons without Moscato) featuring thoughtfully created sweets and savouries along with two glasses of NV Corvezzo Moscato Dolce.

The Marmalade Pantry’s ‘Once Upon A Christmas’ festive gourmet highlights are available for orders from now till 23 December 2022, 12pm at all outlets – The Marmalade Pantry ION and Downtown, The Marmalade Pantry Petite Bugis, as well as via the online store. Takeaway (self-collection) is only available at The Marmalade Pantry Novena, while delivery is available from 1 to 26 December 2022.

*The Novena outlet only offers takeaway (self-collection). Pre-order with Mastercard® by 30 November 2022 to enjoy 15% off festive à la carte orders (not applicable for Festive Bundles) – use promo code for online purchases.


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.


The Marmalade Pantry Downtown
Oasia Hotel Downtown
#01-01
100 Peck Seah Street
Singapore 079333
Tel: +65 63850741
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am – 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjang Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to destination. [Map]

Monte Risaia @ Duxton - A Contemporary Italian-Japanese Omakase Experience

Monte Risaia is a contemporary Italian-Japanese Omakase restaurant located on Duxton Road, helmed by Chef Taizo Yamada, whose forte lies in Japanese-inspired Italian cuisine prepared using premium and seasonal ingredients from Japan. We had a $98 Omakase Course consisting of 2 antipasti, 1 pasta, 1 meat and a dessert.

Wagyu Ham with Burrata Cheese 5/5

The first appetiser was Wagyu Ham with Burrata Cheese, whose rich mouthfeel and luscious texture bowled me over. The fats of the wagyu ham bind the ham and the cheese together as it melts away, with shredded parmesan cheese lending some sharp saltiness to the dish. I'm genuinely surprised by how well these ingredients harmonise with one another.

Lobster Bisque Cartoccio Style 4.8/5

The 2nd appetiser did not disappoint as well. The Lobster Bisque Cartoccio Style was rich and intensely flavoured, but it wasn't overly creamy or buttery.

Japanese Chiayu Confit 3/5

The 3rd appetiser is a seasonal dish - Japanese Chiayu Confit. I didn't quite know how to approach this dish as there wasn't any side dish I could use with the flavoured oil. The Chiayu had a hint of bitterness, but it wasn't unpleasant. Interestingly, that bitter nuance brought out the sweetness of the corn and tomatoes.

Signature Triple Dashi with Shiso Leaves Pasta 4/5

Chef Taizo's pasta left an impression when I had it a couple of years back. I love the addition of shiso leaves that permeates the pasta with this distinctive herbaceous scent and the intensity of the tomato pasta sauce. The Signature Triple Dashi with Shiso Leaves Pasta (hamaguri dashi, Kani dashi, konbu dashi) was just as delicious this time round.

Roasted Beef Tenderloin 4/5

For main, we had Roasted Beef Tenderloin. The meat was simply prepared, but Chef Taizo layered it with small touches of ingredients such as horseradish, parmesan cheese, balsamic and tomato sauce, seasoning the meat with tiny bursts of acidity, sweetness and some sharp saltiness. Even bits of chicken soft bones were added to give it a textural crunch.

Genmaicha Gelato 4/5

Dessert was a refreshing Genmaicha Gelato, which I thought was a deviation from the usual Matcha ice cream. There were even bits of roasted brown rice that had become chewy in its current form, giving an additional texture to the ice cream.

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.


Monte Risaia
59 Duxton Road
Singapore 089523
Tel: +65 69700067
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line), Maxwell (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm – 230pm, 5pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Orchid Hotel. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road, cross the road. Walk to Craig Road. Turn left onto Craig Road. Walk down Craig Road. Turn right onto Duxton Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 3. Turn left and walk to Neil Road. Cross the road. Walk to Duxton Road. Walk down Duxton Road. WAlk to destinaton. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Kwee Zeen @ Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa - Christmas Mega Safe Brunch

Paying homage to the Christmas traditions of old, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa presents a full-fledged Christmas Town in this season of merry-making. Over at Kwee Zeen, guests can look forward to spectacular holiday buffet spreads. Besides the traditional holiday classic, guests can also look forward to an eclectic lineup of fresh seafood, international cuisines and a full dessert counter with quintessential panettone, chocolate fondue, log cake, stollen and much more.

The highlight of the Christmas Mega Safe Brunch at Kween Zeen has to be the Seafood of Ice and oyster counter. The Oyster counter has four different varieties, while the seafood of ice has a massive selection of crustaceans and shellfish. You can eat to your fill.

In every festive celebration, the festive roasts such as Turkey, Beef Ribs, Tomahawk, Sausages and Ham are not to be missed. Best to have them together with sides like roasted potatoes and vegetables.

The huge paella pan brimming with seafood and the various ham on the buffet spread caught my eyes. It brings back memories of my Spanish trips.

Diners can also look forward to other Asian and Local cuisines, such as the popular Japanese section for sashimi and sushi. My personal favourite is the noodle station where I can have the local laksa. I even asked the staff to add a few pieces of roasted duck from the Chinese's section. There is even an Indian section where you can indulgent in an array of aromatic dishes, curry and naan.

What is Christmas without the sweet treats? So do save your stomach to a full dessert counter with quintessential panettone, chocolate fondue, log cakes, stollen and much more.

Festive Sunday Brunch
Date: 5, 12, 19 December
Time: from 12pm
Price: $128++ per pax ($218 for TWO) | $60++ per child

Magnifique Hawker Yuletide Dinner
Date: 24 December
Time: from 6pm
Price: $88++ per pax

Christmas Mega Safe Brunch
Date: 25 December
Time: from 12pm
Price: $228++ per pax | $88++ per child

Boxing Day Brunch
Date: 26 December
Price: $228++ per pax ($248 for TWO)  | $88++ per child

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Kwee Zeen
Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa
2 Bukit Manis Road 
Singapore 099891
Tel: +65 67088310
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Nearest MRT: Harbourfont MRT (CC Line, NE Line)

Beach Road Kitchen @ JW Marriott Singapore South Beach - Reopening The Weekend Before Thanksgiving Just In Time For the Festive Celebrations

Beach Road Kitchen at JW Marriott Singapore will be reopening the weekend before Thanksgiving with a lineup of delicious menus bringing back the signature Chefs-on-Show Buffet available from Friday to Sunday. Diners can look forward to an eclectic spread ranging from traditional festive roasts, signature seafood specialities and more. It is timely for the festive seasons since gathering of five from the same household is allowed to dine in now. You can make a reservation at https://www.sevenrooms.com/reservations/beachroadkitchensinjw

A staple for every Christmas feast is turkey and ham. From the Christmas carvey live station, customers can savour the Traditional Whole Roasted Turkey and Honey Glazed Ham, with accompaniments such as Brussel Sprouts, Sweet Potato Au Gratin, Roasted Mushroom, Smashed Baby Potato and more.

For the seafood lover, head to the Seafood On Ice section for an ocean of fresh seafood such as prawn, mussel, clam, snow crab, Alsakan king crab, Boston lobster, Normandy oyster and Fine de Claire oyster. Assorted of sushi and sashimi, as well as house-cured salmons, are available too.

For the carnivores, the Charcoal Grill section will delight you with an array of meat selections such as the Marinated Peri Peri Chicken, Iberico Pork Secreto, Roasted Beef Tomahawk, Salmon Wellington and Grilled Catch of the Day. I highly recommend you to go for the grilled catch of the day. You can have a whole live fish grilled to perfection.

A highlight at Beach Road Kitchen is the Chef's Passarounds. The chef will push around a trolley and go around the restaurant serving each table. Look out for them, especially the Pan Seared Foie Gras and Roasted Truffle Duck with Black Lentil.

For the sweet tooth, the buffet also features a patisserie of sweet treats from White Chocolate Citrus Log Cake and Sweet Raspberry Log Cake to holiday favourites Maple Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Cheese Cake.

Many of their festive items are available for takeaway and delivery too. If you are still uncomfortable dining out, you can check out the vast festive menu on its e-store at https://shopatjw.oddle.me/en_SG/

20 November 2021 - 2 January 2022
Sat Lunch (12pm - 230pm): Adult $78++ | Child $39++
Sun Brunch (12pm - 230pm)*: Adult $118++ | Child $59++
Fri-Sun, Thanksgiving Day Dinner(6pm - 9pm)*: Adult $98++ | Child 49++
Fri 24 Dec, 31 Dec Dinner (6pm - 9pm)*: Adult $148++* | Child 73++
Brunch 25 Dec, 26 Dec (12pm - 230pm)*: Adult $148++* | Child 73++
*Supplement of $60++ per person for free flow champagne, wine, beer & juices

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Beach Road Kitchen
JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
30 Beach Road
Singapore 189763
Tel: +65 68181913
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Website
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]