A Yuletide Season of Love and Peace at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

For this festive season, Marriott Tang Plaza Singapore has launched an exciting line-up starring 11 new items for this year's festive takeaway, such as traditional roast turkey, whole king crab, dry-aged Irish beef, log cakes and more. Pre-orders start on 6 November 2023, with collection and delivery available from 24 November to 25 December 2023.

Whole Roasted Turkey

Whole Roasted Turkey with Singapore Sling Marinade, Cherry and Pineapple Stuffing with Singapore Sling Sauce, and port Wine Sauce ($240/ 4.5 kg to 5 kg, serves 6 to 8 persons) draws inspiration from Singapore's famed cocktail, Singapore Sling. The exceptional crispy and caramelised turkey skin results from submerging into a brine solution for 72 hours before roasting, consisting of ingredients like orange, juniper berries, cinnamon, brown sugar, white wine and cherry liquor. This step gives it a good season while drawing out the skin's moisture. The meat was kept pretty tender. Cherry and Pineapple Stuffing is served on the side, with a tart sweetness to pair with the turkey.

Roast Pork Saddle

Roast Pork Saddle with Pancetta and Porcini Mushroom Stuffing with Spiced Orange Rum Sauce – $225 nett (2 kg, serves 6 to 8 persons). This famed Roast Pork Saddle is well-loved for its crispy, crackling skin. The meat was tender with a good ratio of fats, stuffed with pancetta, porcini mushroom and aromatic herbs that impart flavours to the meat during the roasting process. The accompanying spiced orange rum sauce helps to cut through the strong flavours for a savoury-sweet balance.

Smoky BBQ Dry Aged Irish Beef Mid Ribs

Smoky BBQ Dry Aged Irish Beef Mid Ribs (Bone-in) – $270 nett (1.8 kg to 2 kg, serves 6 to 8 persons) is sous vide for 36 hours to attain a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Specially sourced, John Stone's dry-aged Irish beef famed for its sustainable practices that focuses on the farm, environment and ageing process. This premium 39-day dry-aged Irish Beef Mid Ribs is known for its luxurious richness.

Baked Whole King Crab with Sea Urchin Gratin & Pasta

For seafood option, you can consider the stunning Baked Whole King Crab with Sea Urchin Gratin & Pasta – $325 nett (1.5 kg to 1.8 kg, serves 6 persons). The fresh crab roe and crab meat chunks are first separated and folded in with sea urchin, grated cheese and white wine before baking to achieve a glistening gratin crust. It is served on a bed of orecchiette pasta lightly sautéed with garlic and olive oil. While the flavours were there, I found it a tad too saltish for my liking.

For the sweets, Blue Pea White Peach Log Cake (1 kg, $90 nett) is designed specially for the ladies. Glazed in lovely hues of blue and white from all-natural butterfly pea, it is layered with peachy-goodness of fresh white peach puree, mousse and blue pea sponge cake sandwiched in between.

My favourite would be the berries-chocolate combination found in the Mulled Wine Mixed Berries Log Cake (1 kg, $90 nett), cute with a Santa suit. Layered with raspberry cream, red wine jelly, forest berry, chocolate mousse and crunchy chocolate biscuit, the hint of alcohol helps to cut through the sweetness.

A classic would be Signature Chocolate Fudge Log Cake (1 kg $85 nett / 500g, $45 nett), well known for its fluffy chiffon cake made of Belgian chocolate. It wasn't as rich a chocolate cake as I anticipated.

Caramel Popcorn with Apple Christmas Train

Caramel Popcorn with Apple Christmas Train (1 kg, $90 nett) allures with layers made of buttery popcorn biscuit base, caramel sponge and apple jelly.

Seafood Paella

Grilled Octopus with Chorizo

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Crossroads Buffet will be offering a scrumptious seafood fare featuring an assortment of Sashimi and Ceviche Live Station of Barramundi Ceviche, salmon carpaccio and tuna tartare, a selection of Spanish tapas like Grilled Octopus with Chorizo, Gambas al Ajillo, Dry-Aged Irish Skirt Steak with Garlic Puree, and more.

Pre-order* on https://celebratorydelights.com/christmas starts from 6 November 2023, with collection and delivery available from 24 November to 25 December 2023.

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.


Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
320 Orchard Road
Singapore 238865

Cai Lin Ji (蔡林记) @ Jurong Point - Exploring the Unique Flavours of Hubei Street Food

Cai Lin Ji (蔡林记), located at Jurong Point, introduces the unique flavours of Hubei cuisine, featuring a range of street food from this region, including the famous Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles. Service here is quick, reminiscent of a fast-food restaurant, making it a convenient choice for a satisfying meal.

Three Delicacies Dou Pi (三鲜豆皮) 3.5/5

My curiosity was piqued by the Three Delicacies Dou Pi (三鲜豆皮), priced at $4.50 for one or $8.50 for two pieces. This traditional Hubei snack is a multilayered dish, with potato flour forming the base, steamed egg or glutinous rice in the middle, and a top layer featuring bamboo shoots or minced meat combined with pork belly and mushrooms. It's somewhat akin to our local prata, with layers of ingredients that create a delightful texture.

Fresh Meat Soup Bun (鲜肉汤包) 4/5

The Fresh Meat Soup Bun (鲜肉汤包), priced at $5.90 for three pieces, closely resembles our beloved Xiao Long Bao. These little pockets are filled with juicy and well-marinated pork to be savoured with a side of vinegar dip.

Signature Shao Mai (重油烧卖) 3.8/5

The Signature Shao Mai (重油烧卖), at $3.90 for three pieces, offers a unique twist on the Cantonese-style siew mai we're familiar with. This peppery rendition features a mixture of sticky rice, raisins, rock candy, peanuts, osmanthus flowers, orange peel, and shredded carrots. It's a delightful blend that somewhat resembles our local Png Kueh.

Signature Zha Jiang Hot Dry Noodle (炸酱热干面) 3.8/5

The Signature Zha Jiang Hot Dry Noodle (炸酱热干面), priced at $7.90, was a novel discovery. Hailing from Wuhan, this dish holds the title of "Top 10 Noodles in China." It's served dry and coated with a secret black sesame sauce. While it's undoubtedly a good bowl of noodles, I needed time to adjust to the unique pairing of black sesame sauce with noodles.

Xiang Yang Beef Noodles/Beehoon (襄阳牛肉面/米粉) 4.2/5

The Xiang Yang Beef Noodles/Beehoon (襄阳牛肉面/米粉) at $10.90 is a staple breakfast in Hubei. I opted for the beehoon, which had a silky texture with a delightful bite. It came with crunchy bean sprouts and was served generously in rich beef broth laden with beef and offal. I found this bowl of noodles incredibly enjoyable and versatile enough to have for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Shrimp Wanton (虾仁馄饨) 4.8/5

We originally wanted to order the Han Kou Wonton, but it was sold out. We settled for the Shrimp Wanton (虾仁馄饨), priced at $9.90 for ten pieces, which were freshly made daily. These wantons featured fresh shrimp encased in tender, chewy skin and cooked in a flavorful broth.

Signature Osmanthus Paste Rice Wine (桂花糊米酒) 4/5

My culinary journey took an exciting turn with two Hubei speciality soups. First up is the Signature Osmanthus Paste Rice Wine (桂花糊米酒), priced at $3.90. This delight combines rice wine with glutinous balls in a sweet, slightly starchy broth. The second is the Egg Drop Rice Wine (蛋花米酒), priced at $4. It involves dropping a raw egg into boiling water at 100 degrees and adding rice wine. The more I indulged in these unique flavours, the more I appreciated the new tastes that graced my palate.

Signature Egg Drop Rice Wine (蛋花米酒) 3.8/5

In summary, my visit to Cai Lin Ji at Jurong Point expanded my culinary horizons. The menu featured dishes I'd never tasted before, emphasizing the vastness of the culinary world and the endless possibilities for exploration.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Cai Lin Ji
Jurong Point
63 Jurong West Central
#03-56
Singapore 648331
Tel: +65 9238 0368
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Nearest MRT: Boon Lay (EW Lne)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 9pm

Direction:
1. Alight at Boon Lay MRT station. Take Exit C, D or E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]