With Cassia, fans of fine Chinese dining have another restaurant to hit. Located at the six‑star, ultra chic, colonial‑like Capella Singapore (cab it there—it’s rather hard to get to), Cassia has an impressive interior that is elegant, tasteful yet warm. The restaurant is accented by lovely ornamental lamps, gorgeous screens carved with flower‑like motifs, stately windows, lush sofas and unique‑looking chairs; and dressed in delicate shades of gray and lilac—with touches of dark Chinese lacquer and bronze.
The menu is extensive—the cuisine is modern Chinese (with Western, local, Szechuan and Cantonese influences), but we were in the mood for meat. We started our meal with the barbequed boneless duck with mango in lemon sauce—which was awesome. The duck was firm and tender, with a crispy skin; and the mango was wonderfully soft and sweet. The lemon sauce’s tanginess enhanced all these marvelous flavors and left our tastebuds delighted.
Our happy mood continued with the five‑spice roasted Australian pork belly —nine cubes of perfectly cut and roasted pork belly. The skin was unbelievably crispy and the meat, although thick and interlaced with strips of fat; was firm and not too oily; yet tender and sinfully good. The wok‑fried Australian Wagyu beef tenderloin steak done Cantonese style was next. We were a little dismayed when we realized this pricey dish comprised only two small, finely‑cut steaks. Still, the beef was melt‑in‑the‑mouth tender and the plum sauce complemented it well. Service‑wise, the staff were discreet and attentive despite small slip‑ups (they need better English‑speaking skills and knowledge).
For desserts, we had the combination platter of chilled herbal jelly, homemade sorbet and Chinese petit fours, and the chilled lemongrass jelly; and loved both. For the first, the herbal jelly’s bitterness went well against the lychee sorbet’s refreshing sweetness, and the petit four ended it nicely. As for the lemongrass jelly, it was pure refreshment; and ended our meal on a high note. Cassia is expensive but it surpassed our taste expectations; and is definitely worth a try.
