Tiffin Room @ Raffles Hotel Singapore - Celebrates The Rich Traditions Of The Festival of Lights

From 20 October to 3 November 2024, Tiffin Room at Raffles Hotel Singapore celebrates the Festival of Lights with a special Diwali set menu curated by award-winning Chef de Cuisine Kuldeep Negi. The menu showcases a vibrant array of dishes that represent the diverse flavours of India, spanning from the North to the South, East to West. Complementing the culinary experience, Raffles' resident sommeliers have curated a selection of alcoholic beverages to pair with the meal.

Makai Matar Chaat 4/5

The meal commenced with two appetizers. From West India came the Makai Matar Chaat, a delightful medley of sweet corn, green peas, onions, and tomatoes, brought to life with tangy tamarind and herbaceous mint chutneys.

Khumani Mugh Kebab 5/5

Next was the Khumani Mugh Kebab, a tandoor-grilled chicken leg from Uttar Pradesh in North India, tender and rich in spices with a smoky finish, served alongside refreshing yoghurt rice for balance.

For the mains, the dishes were served in the Tiffin Room's signature tiffin boxes, accompanied by an assortment of Garlic Naan, Butter Naan, and the moreish Kashmiri Naan. Nutty and sweet-savoury with pistachios and cranberries, the Kashmiri naan was the perfect pairing for the flavourful curries.

Murgh E Lazeez 4.5/5

The main courses featured regional specialities. From Hyderabad came Murgh E Lazeez, a stuffed chicken breast in a light, well-balanced gravy of onion, chilli, tomato, and cashew nuts. The chicken was tender and infused with the aromatic stuffing.

Erachi Ularthu 4.5/5

Next was Erachi Ularthu, a Keralan-inspired lamb chop stir-fry with caramelized onions, coconut, fennel seeds, and curry leaves. The rich and onion-sweet gravy paired harmoniously with the tender lamb.

Kadhai Lobster 4.2/5

Kadhai Lobster, inspired by Punjabi cuisine, featured a robust tomato curry infused with bell peppers and coriander. Although slightly salty, the lobster was succulent and satisfying.

Moradabadi Fish Biryani 4/5

The Moradabadi Fish Biryani, a take on the biryani from Uttar Pradesh, presented slices of fried pomfret fish buried in fragrant rice, garnished with mint and coriander. While delectable, the version from last year, featuring fresh tomatoes, was preferred for its simplicity and enhanced the rice's flavour.

Diwali Sweets 4.5/5

Dessert was a well-balanced trio of traditional Diwali Sweets paired exquisitely with 1985 Dalva Port wine. The Akhrot Halwa was a sweet, nutty indulgence made from walnut pudding with mixed nuts. The Kaju Strawberry Katli, a slightly creamy cashew fudge blended with strawberries, offered a Southern Indian twist, while the Besan Till Burfi, a chickpea flour and coconut confection, delighted with its comforting sweet finish.

The Diwali dining experience will be available for lunch and dinner in both non-vegetarian (S$122++ per guest) and vegetarian (S$110++ per guest) options from 20 October to 3 November 2024, with a wine pairing option to elevate the dining experience (S$88++ per guest).

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.


Tiffin Room
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 63371886
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12pm - 130pm
Dinner: 630pm - 9pm

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]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit F. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Song Yue Taiwan Cuisine (松悦台式料理) @ Kallang Leisure Park - Launches Banquet Dishes (辦桌菜)

Song Yue Taiwan Cuisine at Leisure Park Kallang has recently launched a new menu based on the culinary tradition of 辦桌菜 (bàn zhuō cai) or 'banquet dishes'. Originating in the 17th century, 辦桌 are gatherings typically held to celebrate occasions.

Celebratory Lobster Combination Platter 5/5

We started with Song Yue's Celebratory Lobster Combination Platter ($88.8 – Medium / $128.8 – Large) featuring five distinct dishes that synergised well with one another with their different flavour profiles and texture - Lobster and Fruit Salad, Chicken Tossed in Sesame Oil, Soy Braised Duck Wings, Spring Onion Marinated Abalone and Century Eggs in Shrimp Paste. Each dish had its merits, but what stood out for me were the flavourful and tender duck wings as well as the century eggs done in the style of a classic scotch egg.

Traditional Chicken with Pig's Stomach and Abalone Soup 4.5/5

Next was a nourishing Traditional Chicken with Pig's Stomach and Abalone Soup ($98.8). The chicken, stuffed with pig stomach, ginkgo nuts, and baby abalone, is stewed in a superior pork and chicken broth for five hours, resulting in a collagen-rich broth, as reflected in its yellow hue. Unlike a typical Pig's stomach soup, which may occasionally be quite gamey, this is more of a chicken soup with added benefits of a pig's stomach soup.

Steamed Live Lobster Rice Cake 5/5

My favourite dish of the evening was the Steamed Live Lobster Rice Cake ($88.8 for medium, $158.8 for large). Beyond the succulent lobster, the Taiwan glutinous rice, infused with pork belly, dried conpoy, shiitake mushrooms, and dried shrimp, was deeply flavourful and aromatic. Topped with garlic oil and fried garlic, it had a perfect balance of richness and savoury notes, and each bite of it just got more and more delicious.

Golden Phoenix-Tail Tiger Prawns 4.5/5

The Golden Phoenix-Tail Tiger Prawns ($35.8 for medium, $55.8 for large) were another highlight. Giant tiger prawns were wrapped in beancurd skin with a seafood mix, salted egg yolk, century egg, and coriander filling. Skillfully fried to a crisp golden brown, they were paired with a well-matched homemade sweet and sour sauce.

Braised Pork Knuckle with Homemade Mustard Greens 4/5

The Braised Pork Knuckle with Homemade Mustard Greens ($58.8) was a rich, fork-tender dish. The pork knuckle was braised for three and a half hours. However, I felt the mustard greens could have been more bittersweet to better balance the richness of the pork and gravy.

Handmade Crispy Duck with Taro 3.8/5

Lastly, the Handmade Crispy Duck with Taro ($48.8) featured duck slices encased in creamy yam paste and deep-fried to a light and crispy finish. While the flavours were good, the dish could have benefited from a thicker yam layer, as the portions without enough yam felt a little dry.

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.


Song Yue Taiwan Cuisine
(松悦台式料理)
5 Stadium Walk
#01-38/39
Singapore 397693
Tel: +65 6988 3322
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Nearest MRT: Stadium (CC Line), Tanjong Rhu (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 1130am - 3pm, 530pm - 930pm
Fri-Sat, Eve PH: 1130am - 330pm, 5pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Stadium MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tanjong Rhu MRT station. Take Exit 2. Walk towards the river. Cross the bridge to indoor stadium. Cut across the open air carpark towards Stadium Crescent Road. Walk to Kallang Theatre. Turn right onto Stadium Walk. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

The Lobby Lounge @ InterContinental Singapore – Reimagined Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea

Timeless elegance with teatime affair at The Lobby Lounge as Executive Pastry Chef Jason Goh and his talented culinary team bring back the crowd-favourite Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea following its successful debut last year. The updated menu reimagines classic Japanese sweet and savoury delights that marries traditional Japanese flavours with modern culinary artistry.

Japanese Lobster Salad Sandwich 4/5

Seafood Inari with Shoyu Ikura 3.8/5

There are 4 savoury items, and our favourite was the Japanese Lobster Salad Sandwich, which was really flavourful, and we loved the overall texture. The Seafood Inari with Shoyu Ikura has great potential with Hokkaido Scallop, Jumbo Lump Crab, Octopus, Seasoned Wakame, Salmon Roe and Wasabi-Yuzu Dressing but the sweet tofu pocket overpowered all the ingredients. The other 2 items were the Baked Miso Black Cod, which was a little too salty for our liking, and the Charcoal Barbeque Eel Quiche, which has a nice flavour but is a little dry.

Scones: English Buttermilk and Ichida Hoshigaki / Charcoal Barbeque Eel Quiche

Scones are one item we always look forward to during an afternoon tea. The classic Buttermilk Scones are buttery and perfect with clotted cream. The other 2 condiments to go with the scones are Sakura Peach Preserves and Strawberry-Mint Marmalade. Even though we can't taste the mint, we prefer the Strawberry-Mint Marmalade over the Sakura Peach Preserves. As for the Ichida Hoshigaki Scones, made with dried Japanese persimmon, have a slightly bitter aftertaste, which we are not a fan of.

The afternoon tea set includes a good selection of TWG Tea or Coffee. However, note that it is only one serving. If you order a tea, you may refill hot water.

Yuzu Kumquat Mame (in shot glass) 3/5 and Japanese Matcha Roll 3.5/5

Okinawan Tartlet 3/5

The Sweet Fancies look so pretty we didn't know where to start! Our favourite has to be the Kurogoma Ryokucha Mousse, which actually is just a simple black sesame cream on a genoise sponge, but it is so soft and light, and the fragrant black sesame is such a delight; it was unexpected! Chef Jason told us that he was trying to mimic soba for the black sesame cream part, it's cute. The Japanese Matcha Roll made with roasted almond sponge was rolled with a light hojicha mascarpone cream but sandwiched with 2 pieces of white chocolate, which made it a little too sweet.

Mizu Shingen Mochi 3.5/5

Kurogoma Ryokucha Mousse 4/5

The Okinawan Tartlet has good potential, but the tart shell was too bitter for our liking, overpowering the Okinawan sweet potato crème, and the caramelised macadamia wasn't sweet enough to balance it out. Mizu Shingen Mochi, the once viral raindrop cake, was paired with Japanese black honey (we thought it was Okinawa's famous black sugar at first) and kinako (soybean powder). It was fun to eat but nothing surprising. You may adjust your preference for sweetness with the amount of black honey.

Enjoy the free flow of sorbet and gelato, with two flavours rotating daily. We had the Mixed Berry Sorbet and Vanilla Gelato.

Flavours of Japan Afternoon Tea is available daily till 12 November 2024 at $65++ per person on weekdays and $70++ per person on weekends. Add on $28++ for one flute of champagne. There are 2 seatings available at 1pm-3pm and 3.30pm-5.30pm.

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


The Lobby Lounge
InterContinental Singapore
Level 1
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 68251008
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1-3pm, 330pm - 530pm

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

Crossroads Buffet @ Marriott Singapore Tang Plaza - Step Into Lobster Haven on Thursday to Sunday with Lobster Nights

With so many hotels offering lobster theme buffets, step into a lobster haven with Crossroads Buffet's Lobster Nights, which had our bellies smiling. Crustacean lovers can expect over 15 unique lobster and crab dishes across multiple live stations. Available till 30 September (Thursday-Sunday) at $128++ per person.

Mentaiko Grilled Lobster 4/5

Other than the Boston Lobster on ice, there were 2 types of grilled lobster on rotation. We tried the Mentaiko and Curry Mayo flavours, and they are divine! The lobsters are really fresh, and the flesh is plump with a good bite. Another honourable mention will be the Snow Crab Legs on Ice, which are super sweet!

Lobster and Sea Urchin Risotto 3.5/5

Black Truffle Lobster Risotto 3.8/5

At the Lobster and Crab Market station, there were three types of Lobster Risotto made to order. We tried the Lobster and Sea Urchin Risotto and Black Truffle Risotto, and we preferred the latter as the truffle flavour stood out better. The sea urchin was somewhat a dried version, where the chef shaved it onto the risotto upon serving. We also asked for a smaller serving to taste more of the items.

Crab Brioche Roll 3/5

Another item at this station is the Crab Brioche Roll, which comes in three flavours: Signature Salted Egg, Truffle Crab, and Mentaiko Mayonnaise. We found the brioche bun too dry, and the crab meat was in chunks instead, so we didn't really enjoy this.

Lobster Mac & Cheese 3/5

We got excited when we saw Lobster Mac & Cheese, but unfortunately, it lacks the umami flavour of lobster, and the cheese sauce is mediocre.

Oven Roasted Lamb Leg and Oven Roasted Bone-in Ribeye 3/5

Western Cooked Food

Pizza

There was a good spread of Western-cooked food, such as Roasted Lamb Leg, Roasted Ribeye, Pizza, and more. We really like the Italian-style lobster Bisque, which is a clearer and lighter version but packed with umami seafood flavour.

Chinese Roasts 3/5

The Asian cooked food line also has a wide variety of dishes, but we didn't have enough stomach space to try them all. We tried the Chinese Roasts, but they failed to impress us. We recommend skipping them and keeping your stomach space for more lobsters!

Cold Cuts 4/5

Japanese Section 3/5

The Cold Cuts selections were good, but we could only sample a minimal amount. The Japanese Section was labelled, but fresh sashimi was nowhere to be found. This is probably one of the rare buffets we went to that doesn't serve sashimi.

Noodle Station

We typically like to have a bowl of Laksa before we start on the desserts. The Noodle Station also has Golden Chicken Collagen Soup with assorted condiments, which you can pick yourself and hand over to the chef to cook. We were impressed by the noodles available as well.

An array of desserts was available, such as mini cakes, pastries, verrines, puddings, and Movenpick ice cream. There is supposed to be a live dessert station where they serve French Crepe with Nutella, but the crepes were made and displayed in the open. We find the crepe too thick for our liking. There is also a Chinese dessert, which we believe is on rotation.

All in all, Crossroads Buffet's Lobster Nights truly stayed true to the theme of lobsters along with many other seafood. There is just too much to eat; we wish we had a bigger stomach capacity. There is also an Ultimate Seafood Feast Buffet from Sunday to Wednesday at $88++ per person if you aren't a big lobster fan.

You can also get free flow of non-alcoholic beverages at $22++ and $42++ for alcoholic beverages such as draught beer, prosecco, and house red and white wine. We are already planning our next visit before the Lobster Nights end!

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


Crossroads Buffet
Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
320 Orchard Road
Singapore 238865
Tel: +65 68314605
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Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 10pm

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

One Morning Catch Seafood (一品鲜 活海鲜) @ KINEX - A Seafood Haven Relocated from Bartley to Tanjong Katong

Previously located in an industrial area in Bartley, The Morning Catch Seafood found its new home within the KINEX mall, serving fresh live seafood at reasonable prices. As we stepped into the restaurant, we were captivated by the fresh, live seafood tanks on full display for the customers. Interestingly, many seafood options here are priced per piece, unlike most seafood restaurants that charge by weight. Lobster, abalone, scallops, Dungeness crab, and more - if you can name it, they have it.

Lobster “Sha Cha” Vermicelli 4/5

The showstopper to kick off our meal was the Lobster "Sha Cha" Vermicelli ($198), cooked in a rich broth reminiscent of lobster bisque. The lobster was incredibly fresh and meaty. Although the "Sha Cha" flavour in the broth was subtle, and the thin vermicelli could have absorbed the broth better for a more flavourful bite, we still thoroughly enjoyed this dish.

White Pepper Collagen Soup Vermicelli with Red Flower Crab 4.2/5

Similar to the lobster dish, the White Pepper Collagen Soup Vermicelli with Red Flower Crab ($78) is cooked in a rich collagen soup infused with white pepper. This time, it's paired with Red Flower Crab, which is less meaty but noticeably sweeter than the lobster. The white pepper flavour is distinctive and aromatic without being spicy. You can also choose other types of shellfish to be cooked in this flavourful broth.

Golden Collagen Soup with Star Red Grouper 4.2/5

Another soupy dish we enjoyed was the Golden Collagen Soup with Star Red Grouper ($88). The silky-smooth meat had been de-boned for easy consumption, which we truly appreciated. Despite its name, the golden collagen soup tasted richer than Suan Cai Yu. Sweet potato noodles and enoki mushrooms nestled underneath were a delightful addition to the slightly spicy, rich broth.

Salt & Pepper Mantis Prawn 4/5

Next, we have the Salt & Pepper Mantis Prawn ($12.50/pc) garnished with bits of fried garlic that elevate its flavour. Despite the challenge of peeling them, the Mantis Prawns were exceptionally sweet and chewy!

Hometown BBQ Lamb Rack 3/5

They offer a variety of meats in addition to seafood. We tried their Hometown BBQ Lamb Rack ($38), seasoned with a distinctive cumin spice. While we didn't find it exceptionally unique and quite fatty/oily for multiple pieces, the manager assured us it might just be this particular rack. Nonetheless, it was nicely grilled with a crispy crust.

Salted Egg Chicken 3/5

Our last dish was the Salted Egg Chicken ($16), a Singaporean favourite. The salted egg sauce was nicely balanced — sweet and savoury with the fragrance of curry leaves. This dish pairs perfectly with rice. While it may not be unique, it is definitely a must-order for salted egg lovers or kids at the dinner table.

The Morning Catch offers a total of 7 beautifully decorated private rooms suitable for all occasions. The smaller rooms can accommodate up to six seated guests, while the largest room can host 22 seated guests and up to 40 guests with a very reasonable minimum spend of $1988.

Two private rooms come equipped with karaoke systems for you to sing your heart out. The largest room even features a 'living room' area with a comfortable sofa and an automated mahjong table! Open until 1am, The Morning Catch is the perfect venue for your next family party.

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


The Morning Catch Seafood
一品鲜活海鲜
KINEX
11 Tanjong Katong Road
#02-21
Singapore 437157
Tel: +65 88580101
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Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to Sims Ave. Cross the road and walk to Tanjong Katong Road. Walk down Tanjong Katong Road to Kinex Mall. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]