These stalwarts of the local Cantonese fine-dining scene continue to draw diners with their refined specialties. A couple of them went through refurbishments complete with updated menus.
Summer Palace
Summer Palace at Conrad Singapore Orchard embarks on a new chapter as it reopens its doors to diners with a bold and contemporary menu to match its grand and imperial space. When devising the menu, the team led by Executive Chef Liu Ching Hai was guided by the philosophy of food as medicine and the 24 seasons in Chinese cooking. This means every ingredient is used at peak freshness and dishes are meant to nourish from within.
Expect double-boiled soups that brim with flavour: a labour of love made with superior stock simmered for 12 hours with old hen and Jinghua ham. Stir-fried dishes are infused with the ‘dragon’s breath’, thanks to a cast iron wok specially forged in Hong Kong. Handcrafted items from the dim sum selection are impeccably executed. Just as delicious are the Peking duck, char siew, and other roast meats.
Part of the new dining experience at Summer Palace is the tea-focused beverage programme, showcasing the versatility of Chinese tea through unique offerings such as tea-infused cocktails. Highlights include the Summer Palace Martini (Brass Lion Summer Palace Edition Gin, Dancing Oolong, Pomelo, White Peony Tea, and house-infused goji berry liqueur) and the Tie Guan Yin Old Fashioned, which combines Rhy Whiskey, homemade Tie Guan Yin Whisky, Drambuei, Calvados, and bitters. Wine lovers are not left out, as there is a selection of high quality Chinese wines from boutique growers and artisanal vintners too.
Summer Palace is at Conrad Singapore Orchard, 1 Cuscaden Rd Singapore, 249715.
Yan Ting
Yan Ting at The St. Regis Singapore reopens with a fresh new look that embodies sophisticated elegance, and a menu that marries opulence and tradition. Newly appointed Executive Chinese Chef Chan Chung Shing brings his magic to the table, presenting diverse modern flavours while keeping true to the restaurant’s Cantonese culinary heritage. Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a transformed entrance crowned by a sophisticated dome, as well as a resplendent red marble reception table against a backdrop of brass lattice panels.
The new menu pays homage to the natural flavours of Cantonese cuisine. Guests can look forward to signature dishes like the succulent honey-glazed barbecued Iberico pork, pan-seared Hokkaido scallops, chilled abalone, and fried ‘pik fong tong’ radish cake. A welcome contrasts of textures can be found in dishes like the steamed Leopard Coral Grouper – sweet and flaky fish is complemented by the crispiness of dough sticks. Look out too for Chef Chan’s Crispy Beef Short Ribs whose meat is tender yet accompanied by a satisfying crunch.
Yan Ting is at Level 1U, 29 Tanglin Road, Singapore, 247911.
Madame Fan
Diners can look forward to a dose of nostalgia with Madame Fan’s new menu, which pays homage to timeless Cantonese classics, elevated with contemporary flair. The deep-fried queen crab and osmanthus egg combines rich and creamy eggs with the natural sweetness of the crustacean, while the stewed beef clear soup with conpoy and radish comes with a flavourful and nourishing soup packed with tender chunks of meat.
Meanwhile, items like the poached xin hui tangerine peel yellow croaker fish in salt water, celery and shallot oil, and the marinated free-range chicken in Chinese herbs, are perfect for sharing. There’s also the assorted seafood and tofu rice, which features handcrafted seafood beancurd and fragrant lotus leaf-steamed rice enriched with crab roe sauce and 20-year Gu Yue Long Shan rice wine, plus a dash of premium mullet roe.
Capping off the meal is Madame Fan’s Trio of Desserts, which reimagines beloved favourites through treats like the bird’s nest Portuguese egg tart, deep-fried Hokkaido milk curd with pearl sweet corn, and red date soft cake with desiccated coconut. This November, the menu shines the spotlight on hairy crab creations such as the salt-baked hairy crab and steamed hairy crab with perilla leaf.
Madame Fan is at The NCO Club, 32 Beach Road, Singapore 189764.
Hai Tien Lo
Since its inception close to four decades ago, award-winning restaurant Hai Tien Lo has remained a constant in the culinary scene, thanks to its brand of authentic Cantonese dishes that is kept fresh with modern twists. Its refreshed menu sees executive Chinese chef Ricky Leung returning to his Hong Kong roots with a harmonious blend of flavours that honour the classics while embracing contemporary techniques and ingredients.
Signature dishes include the roast barbecued whole suckling pig, smoked crispy chicken with tea leaves, as well as baked Canadian sea perch rolls, crab meat, and kumquat chilli sauce. There’s a wide variety of traditional dim sum too, which pair perfectly with a beverage menu of exclusive teas and exotic Chinese liquors.
Hai Tien Lo is at Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square Singapore 039595.
A version of this article first appeared in epicure.
