Top Dining Spots in Singapore for Chinese New Year 2015

Summary

With Chinese New Year fast approaching, securing a reservation for a reunion dinner in Singapore is becoming increasingly challenging. Many top Chinese restaurants and zi char eateries are already fully booked, with some having been reserved since last July. This article highlights the best dining spots in Singapore for Chinese New Year 2015, the rising costs of premium ingredients, and the unique dishes you can expect to find on the festive menus.

High Demand for Chinese New Year Reservations

Fully Booked Restaurants

Several renowned Chinese restaurants have been fully booked for Chinese New Year Eve dinner since last July. For instance, Hua Ting Restaurant at Orchard Hotel saw 40% of its customers make reservations for this year while dining last year. Other fully booked venues include:

• Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant at Carlton Hotel
• Yan Ting at The St Regis Singapore
• Keng Eng Kee in Alexandra Village

Limited Availability

Some restaurants still have limited availability. Min Jiang at Goodwood Park Hotel has tables only on its outdoor terrace. Wan Hao Cantonese Restaurant at Singapore Marriott Hotel and Jiang-nan Chun at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore are fully booked for their first seating at 6 PM but have limited space for their second seatings. Additionally, all three hotels will offer reunion dinners in their ballrooms.

Hai Tien Lo at Pan Pacific Singapore is nearly full, and around 90% of the restaurants run by the TungLok Group are at capacity.

Rising Costs and Premium Ingredients

Price Increases

Most of the 45 surveyed restaurants report menu price increases ranging from 5% to 25% this year. This is attributed to the higher cost of premium ingredients like seafood and traditional Chinese delicacies, as well as increased labor costs during the festive period.

Specific Ingredient Costs

• Lobster and Pea Shoots: Prices have risen by approximately 10%, according to a representative from The Regent Singapore.
• Fish Throat: Adrian Lee, manager of Tao Seafood Asia, notes a 20% increase in the cost of fish throat from New Zealand.
• Bird’s Nest: Prices have surged by 8% to 10%, primarily sourced from Vietnam and Indonesia, as stated by Lee Kelly, the executive of food and beverage at Four Seasons Hotel.

These price hikes are driven by the increased demand for auspicious ingredients like fish throat and abalone in the lead-up to Chinese New Year.

Unique Festive Dishes

In addition to traditional offerings, many menus feature lamb and goat dishes to align with the Chinese zodiac of the Goat. These include:

• Natural Tonic Lamb Soup
• Lamb Shank
• Sheep with Sliced Ginger and Spring Onion

Top Restaurants to Book in Advance

Peony Jade

What to Eat:

• Themed 8 Rhapsodies Of Spring: New dishes include baked rack of lamb with roasted yam strips seasoned with truffle oil ($78.88, serves up to six diners).
• Flourishing Fortune: Steamed black-eyed pea cake with golden pumpkin, Jinhua ham, dried shrimps, and mushrooms ($38.88).
• Prosperity And Smooth-sailing: Goat-shaped deep-fried glutinous rice with minced pork and mushroom ($9.88 for three).

Man Fu Yuan

What to Eat:

• Salmon and Japanese Hokkigai Yusheng: Served with ponzu sauce, Japanese surf clams, salmon, fried vermicelli, minced vegetables, and topped with gold chips ($98+ or $148+).
• Special Yusheng Platter: Created by Executive Chef Kwan Yiu Kan for gatherings of up to 30 diners (extra $688+).
• Mango and Pineapple-flavored Koi Fish Nian Gao: ($56+).

Keng Eng Kee Seafood

What to Eat:

• Set Menus: Available at $428 or $528 for eight to ten diners. Dishes include yusheng, shark's fin, and Marmite pork ribs.

Kimly Live Seafood

What to Eat:

• Menu Highlights: Steamed marble goby in fragrant celery sauce, crispy yam with salted egg crab, steamed kampung chicken with rose wine, and fried mee sua with salted fish and shredded duck.
• Set Menus: Starting from $288+ for six people, available from February 6 to March 5.

Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House

What to Eat:

• Set Menus: Starting from $88++ (minimum four people). Each menu begins with tea-smoked salmon yusheng with Japanese cabbage, sweet pomelo, salmon skin, and white bait.
• Menu Highlights: Pan-fried marble goby with salted bean chili sauce, braised pig trotter with jus, wok-fried Kagoshima wagyu beef with peppercorn, and chili pomelo crab claw.
• Special Offer: Lunch bookings made until January 31 for festive set menus (20 people or more) receive a complimentary suckling pig.

Conclusion

With the high demand and rising costs, it's essential to book your Chinese New Year dinner reservations as soon as possible. Whether you prefer traditional dishes or unique festive offerings, these top restaurants in Singapore promise a memorable dining experience.

For more information on Chinese New Year dining options, you can visit The Straits Times and Time Out Singapore.

Sources:

• The Straits Times
• Time Out Singapore
• Four Seasons Hotel
• Pan Pacific Singapore