PUBLISHED November 28th, 2018 11:40 am
All I want for Christmas is a hassle-free meal – don’t you? Let go of the stress this Christmas Eve by letting someone else prepare dinner, because these top-notch restaurants in Singapore have your back with some impressive festive offerings. From classic holiday roasts to endless helpings of indulgent desserts across all-you-can-eat buffet spreads and extravagant set menus, this is how you really enjoy the holidays!
Sky22
Take a trip up into the air at Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena’s Sky22 restaurant. For Christmas Eve, they’re serving up a family-friendly buffet feast with festive classics such as Duck Rillettes and Prosciutto with Rock Melon — not to mention a merry seafood-on-ice bar counter. Indulge in hearty carvings of Roasted Lamb Leg and and Salmon Coulibiac, and of course, the quintessential Classic Roasted Whole Turkey stuffed with chestnut. And with desserts like Red Velvet Yule Log Cake, Winter Berry Tarts, and Eggnog Pudding, how can you pass on this place?
What it costs: $68++ per pax (top up $28++ for free-flow beers or $38++ for free-flow house reds and whites, and Prosecco)
Festive buffet lunch and dinner is available from 1 December to 31 December from $48++. A small festive semi-buffet lunch and dinner is available from 2 to 28 December from $28++. Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena is located at 99 Irrawaddy Rd, Singapore 329568. For reservations, please call +65 6378 2040 or email to fnb.courtyardsg@marriott.com.
Botanico at The Garage
Have you ever dreamt of celebrating Christmas inside a UNESCO World Heritage Site? The Garage at the Singapore Botanic Gardens is your best bet as you take in the fresh air at this rustic 1920s Art Deco building. Botanico’s Head Chef Sujatha goes full festive with a woody and smoky fireplace-style 7-course communal dinner – think traditional Turkey Roulade that’s been smoked with oak chips alongside curried mash, or an Inka-grilled Sanchoku Wagyu Rump presented with spiced roasted potatoes and winter slaw. For dessert, the Quince Christmas Pudding amps things up with a spectacular kopi soil.
On the ground floor, Bee Knee’s too will be in Yuletide revelry with festive a la carte offerings like a humble Smoked Turkey Sandwich laden with stuffing and cranberry sauce.
What it costs: $88++ per pax (7-course Communal Dinner) and between $10++ and $28++ (a la carte)
Botanico’s communal dinner is available from 23 to 25 December. Botanico and Bee’s Knee’s festive a la carte menu is available from 5 to 25 December. The Garage is located at 50 Cluny Park Rd, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore 257488. For reservations, please call +65 9831 1106 or email to reservation@thegarage.sg.
the kitchen table
With giant overturned tables suspended from the ceiling and pops of colour all around, it’s clear that the kitchen table is a fun place to celebrate Christmas. The massive buffet sees all the splendour and conviviality of its original menu, as well as special offerings just for the season. Out to shine is the ever-popular salad bar alongside luscious seafood on ice: half lobsters, oysters, king crabs, mussels, and prawns. Get your fill of French cheeses, Foie Gras Ballotine from the charcuterie bar, and dishes like Mozzarella Bocconcini from the Cold Table. Your proteins await: Turkey and Chestnut Vellute, Truffle and Mushroom Barley Risotto, and perhaps a spicy Pork Vindaloo? There are also grilled items, such as Canadian Lobster and Lamb T-Bone, not forgetting a whole-roasted Turkey and festive desserts galore!
What it costs: $148++ per pax (add $20++ for free-flow bubbly, wines, and cocktails)
Available on 24 and 25 December, prices differ on Christmas Day. the kitchen table is located at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, 21 Ocean Way, Singapore 098374. For reservations, please call +65 6808 7268.
Marriott Cafe
A Christmas buffet dinner at Marriott Cafe is like a gastronomic heaven brimming with an extensive spread of festive favourites and international delights. The dishes are luxurious of course, but also hearty, delicious, and full of warm feelings. There are the quintessential turkeys, roast beefs and hams, as well as opulent Pan-fried Foie Gras, vivacious Milanese Lamb Chops, and highly-raved jewels of the sea — think Lobster Thermidor, Oyster Florentine, and Crayfish with Chilli Herb Butter alongside fresh seafood on ice. Complete with sweet desserts, nothing says Yule like a White Forest Bûche de Noël or Christmas Pudding with Rum-infused Sauce. Festive buffets are also available throughout the month of December.
What it costs: $160++ per adult (inclusive of free-flow sparkling wines, red & white wines, beers, cocktails and juices) or $70++ per child
Available from 1 to 30 December 2018, prices vary. Marriott Cafe is located at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, 320 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238865. For reservations, please call +65 6831 4605 or visit here.
Pince & Pints
Did you know that lobster dinners are a holiday tradition in Italy? Even if we’re on the other side of the world, it’s still the festive dish you never knew you needed. Make your way down to Pince & Pints and treat yourself to live Maine lobsters from the Atlantic, where the sweet, succulent, and tender flesh are turned into new creations like the Cantonese-style Steamed Lobster with fragrant white rice and absolutely aromatic Black Pepper Lobster. Want some good ol’ fashioned Lobster Rolls? You won’t be disappointed with these sweet gems.
What it costs: From $32++ for Lobster Mac & Cheese to $58++ for Lobster Rolls and Whole Lobsters
Available all-year round. Pince & Pints is located at 32-33 Duxton Rd and 95 East Coast Rd (Katong). See here for full outlet details.
Monti
Monti brings you a luxurious Italian Christmas Eve with eight new a la carte specials that capture the soul of Italy’s diverse culinary culture.
Look forward to handmade pastas like the Tagliatelle with Smoked Eel and Hokkaido Octopus in light tomato sauce and follow up with the Maine Lobster with eggplant caponata and sweet cranberry foam or a yummy Spatchcock wrapped with Parma Ham.
For the ultimate cherry on top? A splendid whole chestnut ‘Mont Blanc’ with Coconut Snow and Truffle Gelato as you rein in the Yuletide cheer by the Singapore River!
What it costs: $18++ to $38++ (a la carte) or $158++ per pax (festive set menu)
Festive set menu available only on 25 December for dinner. A Christmas brunch buffet is available from 22 to 25 December from $98++ (add $48++ for free-flow Prosecco). Monti is located at Fullerton Pavilion, 82 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049327. For reservations, please call +65 65350724 or email to enquiries@monti.sg.
Madame Fan
The NCO Club’s anchor Chinese restaurant – Madame Fan by famed restaurateur Alan Yau – presents its very first festive menu ever since its opening in April. This progressive establishment will take you through an experiential gourmet journey in its lush theatrical setting – there’s even a live DJ to spin things up a notch. The first of two menus sees elegant creations like Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crab with spicy crispy cereal and the invigorating Double-Boiled Sakura Chicken Soup served in a hollowed coconut. Want to take it a step up? The more premium course offers more extravagant festive delights – think Boston Lobster Soup with koshihikari rice, and for dessert, a whopping Pavlova with lemongrass espuma and vanilla ice cream!
What it costs: $138++ or $238++ per pax
The festive menu is available from 1 to 30 December 2018, prices vary. Madame Fan is located at 32 Beach Rd, Singapore 189764. For reservations, please call +65 6818 1921 or email to dining.reservations@thencoclub.com.
Stellar at 1-Altitude
Stellar at 1-Altitude is presenting a lavish six-course festive dinner that’s true to Chef Christopher Miller’s progressive Australian style, especially for the yuletide season. The set starts with a selection of hors d’oeuvre like the Duck and Foie Gras Sandwich served with exquisite Mirabelle plums. Then, look out for mains like the Mayura Full-Blood Wagyu Tri-Tip, Slow-cooked Kurobuta Pork Neck, and Steamed Turkey Breast with pistachio and pancetta. The winter-themed desserts quite the experience, be it the sweet Pine Tree with pistachio dacquoise and pine-infused Valrhona bahibé or Snowball with vanilla viennois and yuzu mousse.
What it costs: $160++ per pax on 22 and 23 December, or $180++ per pax on 24 and 25 December
Available from 22 to 25 December. Stellar at 1-Altitude is located at 1 Raffles Place, Singapore 048616. For reservations, please call +65 6438 0410 or email to info@1-altitude.com.
Folklore
How do the Eurasians celebrate Christmas? Let Folklore’s Chef Damian D’Silva (one of the judges for MasterChef Singapore) show you by whipping up some of his family traditions, including lesser known creations like the White Debal, his rendition of the popular Eurasian stew Devil’s Curry. It’s safe to say you haven’t had pie like the Eurasian Christmas Pie, filled with scrumptious chicken, meat balls, pork sausages, potatoes, and carrots either. Other time-honoured traditional creations include Feng (an assorted pig’s offal stew with 18 spices), Pork Vindaloo, and the buttery Sugee Cake.
What it costs: From $30++ for a Eurasian Christmas Pie to $42++ for a White Debal
Available from 14 to 31 December 2018. Folklore is located at Destination Singapore Beach Road, 700 Beach Rd, Singapore 199598. For reservations, please call +65 6679 2900 or email to reserve@folklore.sg.
OverEasy
A Christmas dinner at OverEasy is hardly conventional, but it’s really fun. Available at both its Orchard and Fullerton outlets, celebrate the season with a fabulous Festive Fowl (the return of their irresistibly succulent beer-can chicken!) that’s been marinated with beer and a secret blend of spices for 18 hours and roasted to juicy glory. Just right for small-sized parties, the sexy bird is served with garlic mashed potatoes and a garden-fresh tomato and mint salad. Toast to Christmas with jolly concoctions like the Gin-gle Jangle and Keep It Toast, the restaurant’s festive interpretations of the classic Clover Club and Old Fashioned.
What it costs: $68++ for the Festive Fowl, $16++ for festive cocktails
Available from 17 to 31 December. OverEasy is located at 541 Orchard Rd, #01-01 Liat Towers, Singapore 238881, and 1 Fullerton Rd #01-06 One Fullerton, Singapore 049213. For reservations, please call +65 6684 1453.
Top Image: Botanico at The Garage