Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant Presents Eight Festive Menus For An Auspicious Lunar New Year

Indeed, the period of Lunar New Year celebration seems to be a season to showcase chefs' creativity, and the team behind Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant at Holiday Inn Atrium shall show you theirs through their festive dishes specially crafted by Executive Chinese Chef, Chan Shun Wong.

While the ingredients of the Yu Sheng stay more or less the same, Chef plays on the dressing. Gone is the usual dense and sweet plum sauce and what replaces is a all natural, tangy Passion Fruit Yogurt Dressing. Yu sheng that has a slight tang and refreshing on the palate before a feast is always delightful and I feel Chef has managed to achieve that successfully.

BBQ Suckling Pig with Foie Gras, Yam and Japanese Cucumber 4.2/5

Foie Gras, being such a strong ingredient, can easily overpower others if the dish is not done right. However, when paired with Xin Cuisine's signature BBQ Suckling Pig, the result is surprisingly outstanding. The thin layer of foie gras underneath the crisp pig skin is almost like a layer of that luscious fats under a well roasted duck skin.

Festive dim sum selection 4.5/5

If you are in for a afternoon celebration, do have a go at their Festive Dim Sum Selection created by Dim Sum Chef Cheung Kin Nam. I'm not a dim sum person as I always feel I'm eating the same meaty filling that disguised itself in different skins. What I love about this festive selection is that I get to try three meaty snacks that stand out from one another. You get a Steamed Pork Dumplings with Truffle, Pan Fried Motel Mushroom & Pork Paste Bun and a Deep Fried Crab Claw Dumpling with Fish Roe wrapped in bacon. My favourite is the pan fried pork bun for its juicy filling and chewy bun.

Xin's Traditional Treasure Pot 4.2/5

While its refreshing to inject new elements into traditional dishes, old and familiar flavours remind you of the season. Xin's Traditional Treasure Pot is an all time favourite takeaway ($248 for small). It consists of 14-headed Whole Abalone, Fresh Scallop, Prawn, Dried Oyster, Soy Chicken, Roast Duck, Roast Pork, Pork Rind, Fish Ball, Dried Bean Curd Skin, Ling Zhi Mushroom, Lotus Root, Baby Corn, Flower Mushroom, Black Moss, Baby Chinese Cabbage and Radish

Fried Fragrant and Brown Rice 3.8/5

Somehow, the Asian part of my palate tends to call for a wholesome bowl of rice after all the meats and dishes. The Fried Fragrant and Brown Rice didn't disappoint with its dried-out yet chewy texture, flavourful with roast pork, diced shrimp and crunchy peanuts. The sweetness of the raisins balances all the savoury components of the dishes.

D24 Durian Nian Gao and Lemongrass Jelly with Lime Sorbet 3/5

Dessert is Xin Cuisine's latest creation D24 Durian Nian Gao, made with real durian flesh, accompanied with Lemongrass Jelly with Lime Sorbet. While it has a nice gooey texture, I still very much prefer the traditional nian gao taste. If you really love it, the D24 Durian Nian Gao is also available for takeaway ($58).

At Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant, there are 8 special menus available from 12 January to 3 March 2018 to usher in the Year of the Dog. Private room menus start from $1,298++ for 10 persons. For enquiries and reservations, please call 6731 7173 or email xin.sinhi@ihg.com.

Words and photos 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.


Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
317 Outram Road
Singapore 169075
Tel: +65 67317173
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Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tiong Bahru MRT station (Stop ID 10169). Take bus number 123. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Get Off To A Rousing Start For The Year Of The Dog At Park Hotel Clarke Quay

Have you plan your reunion dinner with your family or Chinese New Year dinner with your business associate? At Park Hotel Clarke Quay, Chef James Wong presents a line-up of reunion feasts comprising of 4 different set menu - Prosperity, Fortune, Harmony and Success.

Ultimate Success Premium Abalone Yu Sheng 4.5/5

A staple for any reunion feast is the yu sheng. Taking centre stage at Park Hotel Clarke Quay is the Ultimate Success Premium Abalone Yu Sheng that comes in a rainbow medley of shredded vegetables, premium gold dusted abalones and kaffir leaves. Last but not least, tossed everything together with Chef's homemade sauce. A lot of time, the sauce may be overly sweet but this is well balanced, complementing the different flavours and textures.

Superior Braised Shark's Fin with Crabmeat and Homemade Stuffed Crab 4.2/5

A luscious enjoyment is the Superior Braised Shark's Fin with Crabmeat and Homemade Stuffed Crab. What I enjoyed most is the stuffed crab, whereby you can get chunky bits of the crab meat within the paste mixture.

Steamed Red Garoupa with Fresh Asparagus Roll in Superior Light Soy Sauce 4/5

Steamed to perfection is the Red Garoupa with Fresh Asparagus Roll in Superior Light Soy Sauce. I have to applaud the effort of the kitchen for deboning the fish and plating it beautifully. Best to dip the fish meat with the superior light soy for an enhanced appreciation of the freshness and sweetness.

Golden Crispy Chicken with Fresh Button Mushroom in Cream Sauce 4/5

Rather unique is the Golden Crispy Chicken with Fresh Button Mushroom in Cream Sauce. Seldom did I come across the unconventional combination of using cream sauce with crispy chicken in Chinese cuisine. Not only that, the dish is covered by a nice aroma from the curry leaves.

Stir Fried King Topshell with Chinese Greens 3.5/5

What stood out in the Stir Fried King Topshell with Chinese Greens is the quality and texture of the king topshell. I have eaten topshell before but not of this texture, which is very close to abalone.

Tiger Prawn Toast with Tomato Salsa 3.8/5

Another beautifully plated dish is the Tiger Prawn Toast with Tomato Salsa. It is like prawn in two ways. You have the prawn paste toast sitting on top of the succulent prawn. While I appreciated the use of the tomato salsa to pair with the toast, I thought it lacked the sharpness to scintillate the dish.

Fragrant Fried Rice with Crabmeat, Egg White and Crunchy Root Vegetables 3.5/5

Served in a vermicelli basket is the Fragrant Fried Rice with Crabmeat, Egg White and Crunchy Root Vegetables. After all the rich flavoured dishes, it is kind of comforting to have the fried rice, which is not heavily seasoned. Light on the palate, it was fragrant and fluffy. I only wish there were more diced root vegetables for more crunchiness.

Mango Peach Jelly 4.2/5

Wrapping up the dinner is the Mango Peach Jelly. Besides the peach, what I enjoyed most is the accompany mango sago puree which liven up the whole experience.

The CNY set menus are available from $338++ for a table of four to five diners, to $628++ for a table of nine to 10 diners. It is inclusive of free-flowing red date tea and soft drinks, alongside Lunar New Year carrier bags with red packets and mandarins. Three dining sessions are available: 12noon, 6pm or 830pm. For reservations, please contact 65938825/59 or bqt.phcq@parkhotelgroup.com.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Park Hotel Clarke Quay
1 Unity Street
Singapore 237983
Tel: +65 65938888
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight At Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Ave. Cross the road and turn left onto Clemenceau Ave. Walk down Clemenceau Ave. Turn right onto Unity Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]