During Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar (Monday, Jun 10), the main attraction is glutinous rice dumplings (zong zi or bak zhang) – regardless of whether or not you’re keen on the races.
Steamed or boiled to perfection, these delicious mounds are filled with premium-quality delicacies and meticulously wrapped in bamboo or lotus leaves. Ready to feast? Among this year’s offerings, you’ll find the traditional and the unique at the following places.
Cherry Garden, Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
Cherry Garden at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, honours time-honoured traditions with delicately wrapped Cantonese-style glutinous rice parcels: Kurobuta Pork Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Preserved Vegetables ($30), Traditional Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Salted Egg Yolk ($28), Black Truffle and Wild Mushroom Vegetarian ($28), and Duo Dumpling Specials ($52) with your choice of dumplings.
Order from its online shop from now till Jun 10.
Crystal Jade
Try the new Spicy Szechuan Pepper Chicken with Pearl Peanut Rice Dumpling ($8.50) at Crystal Jade. Returning favourites include Petite Red Bean Paste With Tangerine Peel ($9.59 for three), Jumbo-Sized HK Style Jinhua Ham & Conpoy ($28.12), and Classic Five Spice Marinated Pork ($10.68). There is also a Trio Gifting Bundle ($27.03).
Order at the e-store and participating outlets, while stocks last. Self-collection is available. Delivery is $20 per location (except Sentosa, Jurong Island and Tuas).
Dian XIao Er
Dian Xiao Er sells its rice dumplings – Traditional Salty Pork Dumpling with salted egg ($8.61), Nyonya Pork ($8.61), and Pork ($34.44 for four, with one free) – frozen to ensure freshness. In conjunction with the Dragon Boat Festival, the restaurant is also offering a bundle deal of Buy 4, Free 1 dumplings in any variation of flavours (while stocks last) presented in a free gift box.
Shop online or order from delivery platforms. Takeaway is not available at some outlets.
Hai Tien Lo, Pan Pacific Singapore
Hai Tien Lo‘s chefs have prepared Parcels of Abundance for sharing this year. With premium ingredients such as pork belly, roasted duck, whole dried scallops, and a whole abalone, the Supreme Rice Dumpling ($45) comfortably feeds four to six people. Other delicious options are Pan Pacific Black Pepper Foie Gras Sausages ($22), Black Glutinous Nyonya ($22), and Teochew Dumpling with Yam Paste, Chestnuts and Gingko Nuts ($13). The Premium Bundle ($150) or Classic Bundle ($110) includes six dumplings in a variety of flavours, packaged with Hai Tien Lo’s Signature Homemade Premium XO Chilli Sauce, and Sweet and Sour Spicy Bean Paste Sauce.
All prices quoted are nett prices. Self-collection is available at Pacific Emporium (Deli Counter), Pan Pacific Singapore, Level 1. To order, call 6826 8240 or visit panpacificsingapore.oddle.me.
Jia He Chinese Restaurant
Jia He drums up excitement with a steamed assortment of dumplings, including a new edition: Sambal Nonya Pork Dumpling with Salted Egg Yolk ($10.68). Favourites include Premium X.O. Braised Pork Dumpling with Chestnut ($10.33), Butterfly Blue Pea Nonya Minced Meat ($9.70), Hokkien Salted Egg Yolk ($10.36), and Traditional Roast Meat ($22.67). Can’t decide? Get the Jia He Dumplings Combo Set A ($75.21 for eight) or B ($94.83 for 10).
All prices quoted are nett prices. Pre-order is required. Visit the e-shop or Jia He Chinese Restaurant and Jia He Grand.
Kuriya Japanese Market
Kuriya’s Zong-nigiri returns for the third year, offering a modern Japanese twist on traditional Chinese rice dumplings. Each of the six flavours (from $4) – Premium XO Dried Scallop; Abalone Unagi Bak Zhang; Pork; Nyonya Pork; Nyonya Chicken; and Chestnut Mushroom (meatless) – are stuffed with goodies and wrapped in nori sheets. Also for sale are bundle sets in hexagon gift boxes to symbolise harmony and strength. The Bundle of 2 ($6.50 consists of any two regular flavours) and the Bundle of 6 ($22) has one of each flavour. Available till Jun 23.
Shop in-store or online. Heating is required. You’ll also find the Zong-nigiri at selected Ichiban Boshi and Ichiban Sushi stores.
Min Jiang at Goodwood Park Hotel, and Min Jiang at Dempsey
Made by the dim sum chefs of the hotel’s Cantonese and Sichuan restaurant Min Jiang, two unique new dumplings incorporate well-loved Singaporean classics: Black Pepper Crab ($32 for a set of two) and Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables “Mui Choy” ($20 for two). Also available are Mini Kee Zhang with D24 Durian Dip ($14 for three) and a Rice Dumplings Bundle Set ($56, seven pieces) with all three types. Exclusively available for dine-in and takeaway at Min Jiang and Min Jiang at Dempsey.
Pre-order at the respective restaurants or The Deli (self-collection only) or via The Deli Online Shop for delivery or self-collection. A three-day advance is pre-order is required with the final pre-order date on Jun 7.
Paradise Group
The Paradise Group’s 2024 line-up offers five classic Chinese dishes reimagined as Hong Kong-style rice dumplings by its chefs. These include Abalone with Salted Pork Belly Brown Rice Dumpling ($17.80), Braised Pork Belly with “Mui Choy” ($14.80), and Osmanthus Gula Melaka Red Bean Paste ($6.80). Returning favourites include the bestselling Pork with Conpoy and Chestnut ($13.80) and Black Truffle Honey BBQ Iberico Pork ($14.80). If you’re giving them away, the Rice Dumpling Gift Set ($69.80) comes in a special carrier and includes flavours such as Chinese Sausage with Conpoy and Mushroom Rice Dumpling and Braised Pork Belly with XO Sauce Rice Dumpling.
The rice dumplings (frozen at the point of collection; reheating before consumption) are only available for takeaway. Visit www.paradisegp.com for locations.
Peach Blossoms, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore
You can feed four people with Peach Blossoms‘ Premium XO Cantonese Rice Dumpling ($68.80, 1kg), packed with abalone, conpoy, and Kurobuta pork belly. A classic option is the Traditional Hakka Kurobuta Pork Belly ($35.80, 600g) with fermented bean curd, Japanese flower mushroom, dried shrimp, chestnut and salted eg yolk. For sweet tooths, there is the Hokkaido Sweet Lava Rice Dumpling ($24.80, 350g) that’s a combination of Hokkaido sweet potato custard encased in butterfly blue pea rice. Can’t decide? The Peach Blossoms Bundle Set ($118.80) has all three aforementioned dumplings.
All prices quoted are nett prices. Available from now till Jun 10 at Peach Blossoms or online here.
Feng Shui Inn, Resorts World Sentosa
A trio of gourmet rice dumplings “filled with decadence” is the order of the day at Resorts World Sentosa’s Feng Shui Inn at Equarius Hotel. This series includes the Imperial Abalone Dumpling, Double Delight (grilled unagi coupled with the piquant notes of smoky bacon), and Yuan Yang (black glutinous rice and high-fibre lotus paste). The Feng Shui Inn Signature Dumplings Set ($128 nett) comes in a dumpling-shaped reusable thermal insulated bag and comprises six dumplings (two of each flavour), a bottle each of Feng Shui Inn’s Signature XO Sauce and Osmanthus Sauce.
Pre-orders are available till 10 June, while stocks last. Self-collection is available at Hotel Ora’s lobby. Place your order here or or in-person at Feng Shui Inn and Hotel Ora.
*Unless otherwise stated, prices are subject to prevailing government taxes.
