Weekend food list: Nanyang fare from Paradise
When Paradise Inn first opened in 2009, I was a fan because it offered the home-style Cantonese dishes I enjoyed but did not have the time to cook. And the prices could match those at zi char stalls too.
Then, the chain expanded and standards became inconsistent.
But about a month ago, the Inn outlets were changed to Paradise Classic, a new brand that specialises in old-fashioned Nanyang cuisine.
Nanyang refers primarily to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, which is where many Chinese emigrated to in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
And their cuisine developed with local influences and ingredients, giving it a flavour that is different from the original Chinese dishes.
Some items from Paradise Inn, such as stir-fried pork ribs with bitter gourd (from $13.80), are kept on the menu, but there are also many new ones not easily found in eateries here.
Among these is the Silver Needle Noodle With Salted Fish in Claypot (from $13.80), which is inspired by a popular dish from Kuala Lumpur but given a fresh spin by the restaurant's chef, who leaves out the black soya sauce from the original recipe.
Another dish the restaurant has introduced is fish head with spicy bean sauce (above, $22.80), which is topped with crispy lard bits.
WHERE: Paradise Classic, eight outlets including Suntec City Mall and The Seletar Mall
MRT: Promenade (Suntec City Mall), Fernvale LRT (The Seletar Mall)
OPEN: Various times for different outlets
INFO: www.paradisegroup.com.sg
FOOD
PROMOTIONS
Jumbo Seafood
Business Lunch Menu
Jumbo Seafood has launched its Executive Set Menu at three outlets. Its chilli crab is served shelled in a choice of two five-course set menus that change weekly. WHERE (MRT)/TEL: 01-01 Riverside Point, 30 Merchant Road (Clarke Quay)/6532-3435; B1-48 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Road (Clarke Quay)/6534-3435; Block 11 Dempsey Road, 01-16 (Botanic Gardens)/6479-3435
WHEN: Weekdays (except public holidays & festive periods): Noon - 3pm
PRICE: $48++ ($58++ from tomorrow); premium menu: $68++ ($78++ from tomorrow); minimum order of two sets
INFO: jumboseafood.com.sg
Italian Gastro Bar Along Boat Quay
The Vespetta Italian Gastro Bar serves Italian aperitifs, wines, beers, liquors and classic Italian stuzzichini, which are bar bites for sharing.
WHERE: 40 Boat Quay MRT: Clarke Quay/Raffles Place
WHEN: Noon - 1am (weekdays); 4pm - 1am (Sat); happy hour till 8pm
PRICE: Pizza: $16++ - $19++; mains: $19++ - $25++; bar bites: $17++ - $25++; set lunch: $16++ a person; aperitivo promotion: $14++ (cocktail & complimentary stuzzichini); happy-hour drinks: signature Italian cocktail Negroni & Spritz: $11++; wine: $38++ - $500++
TEL: 6532-2374
INFO: E-mail vespettagastrobar@gmail.com
CHRISTMAS
Lewin Terrace Noel Menu
Lewin Terrace's Noel menu featuring Japanese-French cuisine is by executive chef Keisuke Matsumoto. The six courses comprise dishes like abalone, buri and caviar in golden dashi; lobster, vermouth and sea urchin; and roast beef with garlic potatoes. For dessert, there is caramel creme brulee and Christmas cake. Champagne is included.
WHERE: 21 Lewin Terrace (via 23B Coleman Street)
MRT: City Hall WHEN: Tomorrow & Sun, 6 - 11pm
PRICE: $218++ a person
TEL: 6333-9905
INFO: E-mail info@lewinterrace.com.sg
Blend It Up Italian Fusion Dining Festive Dishes
Blend lt Up, an Italian fusion casual dining restaurant helmed by chef Peter Neo, has a new menu for the festive season. Dishes include pumpkin truffle mushroom soup ($11+), stuffed chicken breast with ham ($22+), baked red snapper with lobster sauce ($24+), matcha lava cake ($14+) and braised lamb shank ($42+). Order a German-style whole suckling pig ($250+, about 4kg) or meat cuts such as roasted lamb leg ($130+, 3kg), roasted sirloin beef ($68+, 1kg) and honey-baked ham ($58+, 2kg) for dine-in or takeaway.
WHERE: Quemoy Building, 325 Upper Paya Lebar Road
MRT: Bartley
WHEN: Till Jan 2; lunch: 11.30am - 3pm; dinner: 6 - 10.30pm
PRICE: Selected dishes: $11+ - $42+; meat cuts (order three days in advance): $58+ - $250+
TEL: 6281-2688
INFO: blenditup.sg
Westin Singapore Festive Menus
Festivities at The Westin Singapore's Seasonal Tastes start with a Christmas Eve lunch buffet comprising items such as golden roasted turkey wrapped in smoked bacon, slow-roasted striploin with black pepper crust and a chocolate, whisky and chestnut yule log.
For dinner on Christmas Eve, the buffet features festive roasts and fresh seafood such as oyster, lobster and scallop.
WHERE: The Westin Singapore, Asia Square Tower 2, 12 Marina View
MRT: Downtown
WHEN/PRICE: Lunch tomorrow: $58++ a person; dinner tomorrow/Sun lunch & dinner: $88++ - $158++; Mon lunch & dinner: $88++; Dec 31 dinner: $108++ - $178++; Jan 1 lunch: $88++ - $158++; log cakes: $45++ -$60++
TEL: 6922-6888
Enchanted Black Forest Festive Buffet At The Carvery
The Black Forest-inspired festive buffet at The Carvery has rotational dishes and highlights such as US Black Angus beef prime rib (weekends only), Crown Roast of Pork, spit-roasted chicken with tarragon, roast turkey, buttered brussels sprouts and carrots, gourmet sausages, forest mushroom flatbread, Kartoffelpuffer (German potato pancakes), baked apples with walnut stuffing and a Black Forest trifle.
WHERE: Level 7 Park Hotel Alexandra, 323 Alexandra Road
MRT: Redhill/ Queenstown
WHEN: Till Jan 1; lunch: noon - 3pm; dinner: 6 - 10pm
PRICE: Lunch: $45++ (weekdays), $48++ (weekends); dinner: $58++ (Sun - Thu), $68++ (Fri & Sat); takeaway split-roasted chicken with tarragon: $38+ ($68+ with a bottle of wine)
TEL: 6828-8880
INFO: parkhotelgroup.com/alexandra
Brussels Sprouts'
All-You- Can-Eat-And-Drink Menus
Brussels Sprouts' all-you-can-eat Christmas Eve Dinner Menu features small eats, big eats, mixed mussels and clams and sweet eats. The Christmas Day Menu has all-you-can-eat small eats and a choice of your favourite big eat and sweet eat. End the year with the all-you-can-eat-and-drink New Year's Eve Dinner Menu.
WHERE: 01-12 The Pier @ Robertson, 80 Mohamed Sultan Road
MRT: Clarke Quay
WHEN/PRICE: Tomorrow (7 - 9.30pm): $98++ a person ($68++ all-you-can-drink package); Sun, noon - 2.30pm & 7 - 9.30pm: $88+ all-day Christmas brunch; tomorrow & Dec 25: $68++ all-you-can-drink package; Dec 31 (9.30pm - midnight): $198++ all-you-can-eat-&-drink (children up to nine years old eat free with every two paying adults)
TEL: 6887-4344
INFO: brusselssprouts.com.sg
Quentin's Festive Sets
Quentin's has three festive set menus, each ideal for 10 people and comes with mulligatawny soup and two pitchers of Sprite and iced lemon tea.
WHERE: Level 1 Eurasian Community House, 139 Ceylon Road
MRT: Dakota
WHEN: Till Jan 1; lunch: 11.30am - 2.30pm; dinner: 6.30 - 10.30pm
PRICE: Festive set: $38++ a person; set menus for 10 people: $260.40 - $312.40
TEL: 6348-0327
INFO: E-mail ask@quentins.com.sg
COUNTDOWN TO 2017
Artemis' New Year's Eve Menu
Artemis' New Year's Eve Menu choices for starters include chargrilled Spanish octopus, Alaskan king crab salad, wild seabass sashimi (add $15++) and lobster tagliolini (add $20++).
Mains include slow-roasted Iberico pork, rougie duck breast, Australian bone-in wagyu striploin (add $65++) and venison loin (add $15++).
WHERE: Level 40, 138 Market Street
MRT: Raffles Place
WHEN/PRICE: Dec 31: early seating from 5.30pm ($148++ a person); later seating from 8pm ($198++, includes a glass of champagne); diners may stay till 1am
TEL: 6635-8677
INFO: artemisgrill.com.sg
Jazzy New Year At Montreux Jazz Cafe
Count down to a jazzy New Year at Montreux Jazz Cafe, with an evening of Swiss food and live music.
The five-course menu by executive chef Derek Ang will feature dishes such as ox heart tomato and goat cheese tart and a main-course choice of roasted shoyu marinated cod or Australian beef roulade. Dessert includes Frasier Fromage Blanc and diners will get a complimentary bottle of house red or white wine.
WHERE: Pan Pacific Orchard, 10 Claymore Road
MRT: Orchard
WHEN/PRICE: Dec 31 & Jan 1; 6 - 8pm ($138++ a person), 8.30pm - midnight ($148++ a person )
TEL: 6733-0091
INFO: E-mail singapore@ montreuxjazzcafe.com
Usher In The New Year With Omakase Menu At Adrift
Chef David Myers has curated an eight-course omakase menu to usher in the New Year in style. The menu will feature dishes such as uni with caviar and dashi, Kagoshima beef carpaccio with pickled myoga and fresh wasabi and sauteed abalone with wild mushrooms and brown butter dumplings.
WHERE: Hotel Lobby, Tower 2 Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue
MRT: Bayfront
WHEN: Dec 31 PRICE: $208++ a person
TEL: 6688-5657
INFO: E-mail adrift.reservations@ marinabaysands.com
Bianco - Countdown In The Sky
The second edition of Bianco returns to a new venue, Skyline, with a clear view of the fireworks. Dress up in white and experience this New Year's Eve party with live DJ sets.
WHERE: Level 45 Singapore Land Tower, 50 Raffles Place
MRT: Raffles Place
WHEN: Dec 31, from 8pm (dress code: white)
PRICE: Cover charge includes two standard drinks & two housepours): $88 (7 - 9pm); $108 (from 9pm); table minimum: $1,500
TEL: 9821-9743
INFO: facebook.com/skylinesg
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