Afternoon Tea is a guilty pleasure of mine. They have me at scones and clotted cream. Plus all the dainty sweets accompanied by specially brewed tea and there goes the weekend and the diet plan. I'm sure you've had that guilt creep up on you after one of those indulgent sessions, plus that lethargy after the sugar rush! Well, now you can have your cake and eat it sinlessly. Capella Singapore's designer kitchen, Chef's Table has added a healthier option to its Capella Tea Experience – Wellness Tea Time, which is available every Friday afternoon from 3 to 5pm.

The menu is conceptualised by Chef Sandra Lim of Live Fruitfully, a certified raw food chef, and Chef David Senia, the Culinary Director of Capella Singapore, and together they have produced a unique five-course menu of gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free sweets. 

Savories before sweets. The Tempeh portobello slider with green goddess cream is full of 'meaty' flavors and textures. This tempeh was certainly more enjoyable than the Nasi Padang stereotype and we love the herby coconut yogurt cream and onion chutney that were layered in the mini burger.

If you intend to 避年 (skip Chinese New Year) like I do, but don’t wanna miss out on the festivities, may I suggest a staycation at the lovely Capella, on the Singapore tourist island Sentosa (haha new branding), and tossing your way to prosperity at their onsite Chinese restaurant Cassia. 

Well the highlights for Chinese New Year is the Lou Hei ($38/pax min 2pax) and this you can’t get it overseas. This colorful pyramid of vegetables, designed by the Executive Chef of Cassia, Chef Lee Hiu Ngai, uses a medley of premium ingredients. The sauce for 2018 is a hawthorn sauce, which adds a lovely berry tartness to the crunchy salad.

Lobster, salmon, North Pole clam adorn this salad. These are sashimi grade seafood btw, so it’s understandable if you don’t want them mixed into the salad but to enjoy them on their own.

Do not miss the Double-boiled thick chicken broth with sea cucumber, fish maw, duo of scallop and flower mushroom soup. The rich, creamy soup contains all the goodness from the poultry and the seafood were succulent and sweet. I’m such a fan of Cassia’s soups!

We all love a home-cooked Christmas feast but honestly who looks forward to the cleaning?! How about glamming it up at one of the best hotels in Singapore a.k.a. Capella Singapore and have the chefs be at your beck and call while you chill to the view of the South China Sea? The Chef’s Table, a private dining affair at Capella Singapore, is the answer to your perfect Christmas party!

The #alldayerrday semi-buffet Private Brunch Affair caters to a party of 10 and more, and you could do it any time of the day. What's best is the 2 hours of free-flow Taittinger champagne and other alcoholic beverages of your choice to start. Mulled wine sounds perfect to us too!

Hone in on the cold seafood section for the freshest oysters shucked to order (we had both US and Canadian varieties on the day we went), lightly poached Boston lobsters, succulent prawns and juicy scallops.

A brand new dining experience has been introduced at Hard Rock Hotel Singapore by Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). Get your savory, sweet, and Masterchef desires satisfied here with their crab and seafood dishes, elaborate patisserie, and cooking classes with their celebrity chefs. 

The highlight here is really the cooking studio, named Cooking Sessions. I don't know about you but i absolutely love cooking classes even though i never cook at home. So don't worry if your cooking skills are less than stellar, you'll be under the good hands of the celebrity chef or the resident culinary expert. Plus there are a variety of cooking programmes - from decorating cupcakes and baking cookies for the little ones (for children four years old and above at $18 nett per child) to a fine-dining 3-hour multi-course menu cook-off competition which makes for an exciting team-building activity (from $120 nett per person).

Chef Forest Leong took us through the preparation of her Fried Fish Slices with Salted Egg Yolk Cream which is served at Forest. Her husband Chef Sam Leong is one of the instructor chefs at Cooking Sessions, along with Chef Douglas Tay from Osia Steak and Seafood Grill, and Chef Yew Eng Tong from Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora.

Love meeting your relatives for reunion dinner, but hate the stifling environment and conventional dishes on offer at traditional Chinese restaurants? Looking to usher in the Year of the Rooster with the sea breeze in your face? Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House, which prides itself as a new age Chinese Restaurant, offers 3 communal-style set menus this festive season priced at $68, $88, and $108 per pax. 

Each set menu starts off with the signature “Perfect” Tea-Smoked Norwegian Salmon Yu Sheng. An exhaustive list of 20 ingredients including fried silver bait and crispy salmon skin make up this 十全十美 (Shi Quan Shi Mei) Yu Sheng platter, which translate to mean “perfect 10”. Dressed in spring onion infused olive oil and house special wild honey yuzu dressing, the “Perfect” Yu Sheng is an unique anomaly from the usual overly-sweetened yu sheng that we are used to, and had us going at seconds (and even thirds). 

Instead of the usual double-boiled herbal soups, Blue Lotus has introduced the Truffle Wanton Lobster Bisque. The vividly colored soup is rich in crustacean flavor, and the thin, silky wanton skin envelops a substantial number of crunchy fresh prawns infused with heady black truffle. 

The Steamed King Oyster with Garlic and Shallots showcases gigantic (palm sized!) oysters steamed with soya sauce topped with garlic. The freshness of the shellfish and the rich flavors of the ocean are preserved with the gentle steaming, with the sweet and light soya sauce being a discrete supporting actor.

Blue Lotus is very proud of their signature chili pomelo crab, and rightly so. For CNY, they have on offer the Blue Lotus Chilli Pomelo Crab Claw. Chunks of crab meat are packed into a crab claw which is then drenched in their signature chili pomelo crab sauce. The prominent taste of fresh herbs and spices, and the right degree of fieriness without the overpowering sweetness from tomato sauce (a common ingredient in other chili crab sauces) would have you shoveling spoonfuls of the sauce into your mouth. Eating a whole crab is not usually a graceful or glam affair hence the crab claw makes for a great and fuss-free experience.

The Rooster is likely to cry “fowl!” that we are welcoming it by eating a member of its species- but the Salt Baked Herbal Spring Chicken with Chinese Wine & Herbs is too good to be missed. The chicken is well marinated and expertly prepared such that it absorbs all the flavors from the wine and herbs and also retains all its moisture. 

No Chinese dinner is complete without the carb dish, and the Josper Grilled Jumbo King Prawn with XO Mee Pok certainly does not disappoint. The huge king prawns (filled with lots of unctuous goodness in the heads!) are grilled to perfection and served with the very local Mee Pok with a twist. In fact, the dark, sweet yet savory XO Mee Pok (reminiscent of KL hokkien mee) is so good, it’s hard to tell which one was the star of this dish.

Rounding up a fantastic meal is the Double Boiled Ginger Tea with Black Sesame Rice Dumplings. The ginger tea is simple, yet comforting, while the chewy glutinous rice skin lovingly encases the black sesame filling to ensure an auspicious, sweet ending to the meal.

Dining at Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House feels a lot like eating at your favorite hipster Uncle’s home. We enjoyed the creative dishes in the comfortable al-fresco setting. Check out their Chinese New Year set menus that are available till 11 Feb 2017. 

Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House

31 Ocean Way #01-13 

Quayside Isle, Singapore 098375

Tel: +65 6339 0880

Wouldn’t it be lovely if Chinese New Year gatherings are not always about stuffing the poor tummy with 8/9/10 course meals? We love the auspicious plates of CNY delicacies, but after a few sessions (‘coz Ms. Popular), the novelty simply wears off. Since it is basic courtesy not to decline invitations (and food, really), I’ll be generous and share a win-win solution: Have Dim Sum at Avenue Joffre!

Before your party gets to the special Chinese New Year Dim Sum menu, do request for the Lychee-wood Roasted BBQ dishes, which are specialities of Avenue Joffre. While I do enjoy the Roasted Cantonese Duck 挂炉烧鸭 (Reg $22/Half $39/Whole $75) for its tender and juicy London duck meat and glistening crispy skin, I am swept off my feet with the restaurant’s Honey-glazed Barbecued Pork 滋味蜜汁叉烧 (S $18/M $26/L $32). 

Look at the beautifully glazed char siew! Melt-in-the-mouth pork and en pointe on flavours, I just could not stop at a slice. 

Expect nothing less for “Snow Mountain” BBQ Pork Buns 雪山叉烧包 ($6)— loads of awesome char siew packed in sweet-crusted soft buns. Think HK Pineapple Bun (菠萝包). I feel doubly loved since I adore my bread carbs.

Tucked in a corner of Festive Walk, Resorts World Sentosa, Fratelli is an Italian Restaurant run by two brothers from the second generation, family-run 3 Michelin-starred Da Vittorio in Lombardy, Italy. Triple twinkles! Fratelli offers two different dining experiences—a Pizzeria and an evening Trattoria. While Fratelli Pizzeria has a cozy and relaxed ambience good for a hangout with family and friends and serves gourmet pizzas, pastas, antipasti and desserts; Fratelli Trattoria is elegant and has an open-kitchen concept and offers only a dinner menu that has a modern take on Lombardy cuisine.

Presenting the flavors of Italy is Chef de Cuisine Davide Bizzarri, who takes the reins when the Chef brothers are not visiting. Some of the items at Fratelli:

The bright pop of apple and capsicum compote and sweet masala with balsamic highlights the pan-seared 150g foie gras escalope in Scaloppa di Fegato Grasso, salsa al Marsala, Composta di Mele e Peperoni ($48).

If you're looking for a restaurant with the most out-of-Singapore vibe and view, then it's definitely The Knolls at Capella Sentosa! The South China seafront setting and the Mediterranean fine dining experience help to trick your mind into thinking you're on a holiday (a good enough alternative if we really can't escape the island). 

What i like about The Knolls is that on top of the regular offerings, they also provide diners with exclusive culinary experiences from around the world. I previously had the chance of sampling the dishes created by British 2 Michelin Starred Celebrity Chef Tom Kerridge of The Hand & Flowers. This weekend, one-Michelin-starred Chef Alain Llorca from Nice will dish out a slice of Provencal Michelin together with Capella Singapore's Culinary Director David Senia, presenting diners with a line-up of contemporary French Mediterranean cuisine. The events include gourmet lunch (4 course $78/pax) and dinner set (5 course $98/pax) menus at The Knolls for the public as well as an intimate MasterClass at Chef’s Table perfect for group sessions. For Sunday Brunch, there would even be a live demonstration by  Chef Alain. Here's a look at the dinner set menu with wine pairing ($198).

The meal started proper with the starter of a Hot Foie Gras from Chalosse cooked on embers to give it that lovely sear all around. The creamy slice was then topped with a crunchy hazelnut crumble, and glazed with an intense bittersweet coffee jus for that kick. Dig right through the liver to reach the tangy earthy mushrooms and send the whole spoon of goodness into your mouth.

The berry component as with most foie gras dishes came in the form of a Churchill's 20years old Tawny Port. Port is typically served at the end of the meal but it works here too due to the light sweetness.

Next, the Langoustine cooked with a sweet crunchy chutney of peppers and fruits. The tangy juiciness complemented the salty-sweet crustacean and the crispy sesame tuille provided an added fragrant crunch to the dish.

There is a new buffet option for you island-life loving folks! Latest Recipe at the newly refurbished Le Meridien Hotel Sentosa has launched their Taste of Discovery Buffet: Seafood and Singapore Flavours. Available for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, this Singaporean-themed buffet is looking to entice your tastebuds and excite your palate.

I always zoom in on the seafood at buffets- but the selection here is somewhat limited when compared to other buffets in town with sashimi being screamingly absent (no, sushi does not replace sashimi) but they do make up for it with the freshly shucked and tasty oysters and sweet emerald prawns.

There is also a selection of Asian-influenced salads including Thai glass noodles salad, Masala chick pea salad and Vietnamese cabbage salad with beef. But honestly, who comes to a buffet to eat salads? Instead I would focus your attention on the DIY Singapore Rojak station where you can customize and toss your own rojak (yes, you can make an all-youtiao rojak if that is your rojak fantasy!). There is even finely chopped rojak flower, how thoughtful is that! Or perhaps bites of grilled satay, deep fried beancurd rolls, otak neatly presented in bite-sized parcels, and deep fried egg floss with beancurd cubes?

The roast station also caught our attention! Just look at the glistening skins of those meats! The roast duck was our favourite of the lot- the meat was moist and tender while the skin was crispy!

If you love black pepper and also smelling like that, then snag a table near  the Char Kway Teow live station. It tastes like a full on carb version of a black pepper crab dish, sans crab. Well I prefer my Char Kway Teow the usual fashion :P 

As part of the buffet, all adult diners are also entitled to one serving of the restaurant’s specially created dishes. You may choose either the Baked lobster with Hollandaise, Black pepper lobster or the pan fried foie gras with dark cherry compote. The lobster with Hollandaise did taste more like lobster with mayonnaise (and that is always a good idea) but definitely have the punchy black pepper gravy crustacean. Or perhaps a chilli flower crab with mantous if you must have more seafood.

Reflective of the multicultural heritage we are so proud of, other dishes include tandoori chicken, Mattar paneer, Indian lamb curry with spinach and beef rendang.

Remember to save some space for desserts! There was a fairly comprehensive selection of Asian-influenced desserts including Pulut hitam, Nyonya kueh, pandan chiffon cake as well as a Chendol station and a selection of cakes and tropical panna cotta. Chendol tip: ask for less ice and more gula Melaka and coconut milk because that’s the soul of any good chendol!!

We really liked the Pandan Kaya éclairs, as well as the Raspberry coconut ones. These choux pastries were light and a good way to round up the meal! We implore you to make space for some of that American cheesecake (that little mound of a piece of crunchy biscuit) because unlike other hotel cheesecakes, this was surprisingly light yet tasty!

Overall, the Taste of Discovery Buffet: Seafood and Singapore Flavours at Le Meridien Sentosa is definitely an option to consider if you happen to be on Sentosa island, be it for a staycation, showing off your beach bodies or just catching pokemons. Available Fridays and Saturdays for dinner, the buffet is priced at $65 for adults and $29 for children and Starwood members enjoy 25% off.

Latest Recipe

Le Meridien Singapore, Sentosa

23 Beach View Singapore 098679

Tel: +658183305

-Truffles

Looking to have a great piece of steak without breaking the bank? Then it has to be SKIRT at W Hotel at Sentosa Cove for you. Every Mon to Thu, enjoy the new Route 88 menu which consists a 3 course signature steak dinner for only $88. 

Well of course there are other options for your mains such as pork, lamb, or fish, and vegetarian as well. But hello.. You did not go to SKIRT for that did you? 

Bread is a highlight here! The finishing charcoal grill yields a crusty blemished exterior which gives way to a fluffy pillowy inside. This loaf came with a creamy artichoke purée and a lightly spiced chorizo oil! Yes.. We asked for butter anyway because BUTTER.

Durian lovers, you need to run down to the Resorts World Sentosa Durian Fest NAO! The festival is back bigger than ever, as aficionados line up to pay tribute to the King of fruits during this annual bonanza.

The world’s largest stack of durians takes center stage, with 21 tonnes of the fruit imported specially from plantations in Pahang, Malaysia. Besides the durians, specialist supplier Durian 36 also provides staff who will expertly pick out the variety of durian you want. Simply walk up to the mounds of durians and ask for the one (or more) of your choice, and the staff will crack those pesky shells open for you. 

Besides the perennial favorite Mao Shan Wang, this year’s durian selection also includes the D13, Red Prawn (Ang Hei), Golden Phoenix (Jin Feng) and the Bamboo (Tekka). Each variety of durian comes with their unique properties- the Mao Shan Wang undisputedly the crowd favorite for its creamy and rich taste. Just 2 seeds and you're mostly full! However, fans have also expressed their love for the sweet and intense flavor of the Ang Hei, a fleshy orange hue fruit with small seeds. 

INSPIRATION. ENTICE. EXCITE. What is your desire this evening?

Follow your inner voice and adventure across the sea to Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora at Resort World Singapore to be inspired, enticed, or excited. Cat Cora, the first female Iron Chef in Singapore is back with new seafood lunch and dinner menus that have just been launched at the restaurant in the S.E.A Aquarium.

Here’s a peek to the ENTICE ($158) menu. Teasers to start the evening are three small bites—Parma Ham Aerated Crème, Kueh Pie Tee and Ravioli.

The Parma Ham Aerated Crème stood out with its savory light cream, sprinkled with sherry onion, crouton and crispy pork skin. I want a dollop of this on my sweet french toast!

Light and fresh on the palates, Ocean - Harmony of Sea Life holds the delights of the ocean. Fresh scallop and roe, smoked oyster, abalone and barramundi, accompanied with salsa vert, charred aioli, ginger essence and a quenelle of cool watermelon sorbet. A summer delight.

The smoked salmon with chilled cauliflower milk and horseradish creme and roe of the Sous Vide Scottish Salmon was beautifully presented. The purple cauliflower pops the dish, giving the dish the crunch and vibrancy.

Well Ocean is not just about seafood! The Crisp Brick Duck Foie Gras and Braised-Seared Beef Short Rib/ Charred Grilled Wagyu Primecuts are dishes that you do not want to miss. Resembling a harmless piece of tofu, the Crisp Brick Duck Foie Gras is a silky piece of liver hidden under a crispy coat. Generously topped with cocoa nib, puffed buckwheat and ginger candy and drizzled with a tamarind-balsamic reduction, this dish is an earthy delight.

The Braised-Seared Beef Short Rib/ Charred Grilled Wagyu Primecuts will convert you into a red meat lover (how can you not be one)! Intense in flavor, the succulent meat on the short rib was easily pulled-apart and devoured; many bites into the blushing centre of the perfectly grilled wagyu did not make me feel like a caveman. How I love the fatty-goodness melting in the mouth~

Back to the marine life. We were served Lobster Milk, a meat-packed lobster ‘wanton’ in lobster milk and topped with spiced roe. A huge seafoodie sigh.

Next up, New Zealand Sustainable Fresh Fish. Look at how white the chunky piece of white fish is, and sandwiched between crispy golden crusts! Served with ratte mash and highlighted with crustacean aioli and caviar vinaigrette, the dish delighted the tastebuds.

Chocolate Ends. Greek yogurt, Grand Marnier mangoes, cocoa nibs, tarragon gelato. Let's not count calories!

The sustainably sourced produce and its preparation contribute towards a delectable and healthy meal at Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora. With a mesmerising view of adorable sea creatures (OOh! There goes the hammerhead! The manta! The tuna!), the only reason for roving eyes are in the enormous tank of blue. Perfect for a date you say?

Dinner menus include INSPIRATION ($208) and EXCITE ($128). If you can’t wait till the evening, there are lunch sets DELIGHT ($58) and LEISURE ($72) for the mid-day blues. Let’s go “Under the sea, under the sea..”

-Zen-

Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora

Resorts World Sentosa S.E.A Aquarium, Level B1M

Tel: +65 6577 6688

Lunch: 11.30am-2.30pm daily 

Dinner: 6-10.30pm daily 

Love dim sum but bored of going to the ‘same old’ restaurant? Fret not, Avenue Joffre’s Master Chef Ge Xian’e, China’s “Queen of Dim Sum” (who also has numerous prestigious Dim Sum titles under her belt!), has introduced many new and creative Dim Sum items for the month of July!

Dig in to traditional Dim Sum items such as Steamed Crystal Prawn Dumpling 冬笋鲜虾饺 ($6), Steamed Minced Pork & Abalone Siew Mai 鲍鱼烧卖($6), Steamed Shanghai Pork Dumpling 上海小笼包 ($7) and Pan-fried Pork Bun filled with Soup 灌汤上海生煎包 ($7).

The traditional items are superb.. and Oh My Dumpling! The Steamed Shanghai Pork Dumpling is THE dream dumpling. Super thin skin yet holding its hearty contents. Check. Juicy pork. Check. Intense and flavourful stock. Check. LOTS of soup and pork. Check. My only thought: Can I have a bigger spoon please?

Are there another outstanding dishes? YES. Rolling off our tongues is the Steamed Preserved Turnip & Sesame Rice Roll 香麻菜脯肠粉 ($6). The delicate layers of rice roll coiled under the mildly spiced and crunchy preserved turnip. Drizzle the roll with savoury-sweet shallot-y sauce and I’m seduced. This must be the best plate of rice roll I have ever tasted—in both texture and taste.

Tuned to the trends, Avenue Joffre has also included Dim Sum varieties to excite the modern palettes.

In need of a hearty meal? Then you gotta go Italian, Jamie's Italian. Yes there have been hits and misses (i kinda hate that they keep updating their menu with the new items and removing old ones) but sticking to the long standing faves will satisfy your need for comfort food.

If you don't know, Jamie Oliver focuses on using the best ingredients, which are meticulously sourced from producers, both in Italy and around the UK. All their staff are very knowledgeable on the dishes they serve and they are more than happy to share with you the origin of each dish, or how they are prepared and all. Meal time entertainment FTW.

On the Cured Meat Plank ($16.50/pax), there's the 18 month aged San Daniele Prosciutto; hot soppressata (Southern Italian dry salami); Mortadella & bresaola; Pecorino & chilli jam on the crunchy music bread; a beautiful selection of Puglia pickles; olives & crunchy salad. 

All meats are sliced to order ensuring maximum freshness and flavor. 

If i have to eat pasta, then they better be hand made and fresh! Of course that's expected at Jamie's Italian.