Binge - Take Home Christmas

Let’s cut to the chase, girls. Here are more suggestions on what to bring home for your Christmas party so you don’t have to get your hands dirty with the cooking. The only thing we’d add is, buy items you can’t make at home easily so you stretch your money’s worth!

Grand Hyatt Singapore

Here’s one place you can always really trust to fork out quality food and great presentation, no matter what you pick from the menu, whether it is a main or dessert - that’s been my experience with this hotel for the last 20 years of my food writing and personal eating. I bought a fig tart for a Christmas party from here almost 10 years ago and people are still talking about it. So what’s available here this year? Whole Christmas Tom Turkey with Giblet Gravy and Cranberry Chutney ($145/ 5kg), whole spit-roasted duckling ($68), roasted goose ($212), salmon fillet baked in brioche with dill and sour cream sauce ($126/1.5 kg). For sweets, take the macaroon log cake with crispy lindt chocolate mousse ($64), and panettone with rum-marinated fruit ($32). Or how about a super indulgent box of 99 chocolate pralines ($198)?

Tel: 6734 6731

Mandarin Orchard

Did you know the original Christmas bird was actually the goose? So don’t let the turkeys get you down if you’re no fan of the gobbler. How about Roasted Kurobuta Pork Rack ($158/1.5 kg) for your festive meat instead? Or Rosemary Roasted Sakura Chicken (1.5kg, $88 nett) with chestnut and green apple stuffing, Lamb Leg with Dried Fruits and Nuts ($168/2.5 kg), or a light Salmon and Scallop Mille-feuille (1.5kg, $150 nett), an impressive dish of salmon layered with scallop mousse and topped with a puff pastry crust? And for dessert, try the Green Tea and Hokkaido Azuki Yule Log or Chocolate Hazelnut Raspberry Yule Log ($65/1 kg).

From now til 1 January 2011

Tel: 6831 6272

Royal Plaza on Scotts

Go a little French with Galette des Rois, or Twelfth Night Cake, which follows a popular French tradition. Served only on the day of Epiphany (or 12 days after Christmas), it’s a confection of almond frangipane paste, sandwiched between layers of puff pastry. Hidden inside is a little token, and whoever gets the slice with this little prize gets to be the King or Queen. He or she wears the gold paper crown that comes with the cake and will host the Galette des Rois the following year. How cool is that? It’s not often seen here in Singapore, but you can get it at Gourmet Carousel from 1 to 6 January 2011 at $52. Meanwhile, check out Carousel’s Christmas sweets like their macaroons, and fantastical cakes in the form of mushrooms and caterpillars. They’re bound to please the kids.

Tel: 6589 7788 or gourmet@royalplaza.com.sg

Coriander Leaf

Get a different spin on Christmas with Coriander Leaf’s goodies. We especially like their desserts –high on uniqueness and value too: Valrhona Chocolate Tartlets (3 dozen @ $84+), Mini Fig Tartlets (3 dozen @ $84+), Fruit Cake with liquor (450gms @ $28+) and Cranberry and Ginger Pudding 450gms @ $32+. While we’re at it, their customized hampers are also perfect for gifting. Give them a budget starting from $35 and Samia will sort it out for you with goodies like homemade chutneys & condiments, cookies, confection and spice mixes. Of these, make sure you get her fabulous Coriander Pesto. There’s also kebsa spice and sumac spice mixes, cumin crisps, almond pralines and flavoured helvas.

3A River Valley Road

#02-03 Clarke Quay

Tel: 6732-3354

De Ste

Here’s the shop the go to when you are superbly artistic confections. Their chocolate Christmas tree (left) is just to die for, so gorgeous you don’t need a real Christmas tree. See the pretty picture? Enough said.

Saint Pierre

So stylish it hurts hostesses must be different, so pick up your party pack from Saint Pierre – foie gras terrine, lobster bisque, 200-day aged angus beef, 72-hour braised beef short rib and Scottish salmon. For sweets, how about a date and raisin pudding or their signature flourless chocolate cake? Available until 20 Dec only.

#01-01 Central Mall

3 Magazine Road

Tel: 64380887

Truffs

For chocolate lovers, check out Truffs’ Christmas Log Cake. A glossy, shiny presentation of moist chocolate sponge cake rolled with chocolate ganache, finished with a shiny dark chocolate glaze and bedecked with fresh fruits and chocolate thins. ($85 / 1.4 kg).

179A Telok Ayer Street

Singapore 068627

Tel: 90882736

- Ee Waun

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Breaking News - Eat at Coriander Leaf and Help Pakistan's Flood Relief Effort!

Simply Fab loves life, and lives it fully. So when we saw this bit of news just in, we just had to write about it to spread the word as best we can in our own little way.

Coriander Leaf and The Screening Room, two restaurants owned by Samia Ahad, are doing their bit to raise funds for the flood relief effort in Pakistan. The restaurants are offering two special menus – one at $60++ and one at $120 ++ – where 20% of the proceeds will go to aiding the disaster relief effort. So whether you’re entertaining clients, or just nipping out for a lunch treat, it’s not a lot to head over there and enjoy your day, knowing that part of your money is going to a good cause.

The $60 menu is a three-course meal with choices like Cold Sesame Noodles with sesame dressing, Salt and Pepper Tempura Calamari with arugula; a main course of Tandoori Chicken, cucumber-yoghurt relish, and butter naan, or Baked White Miso Gratinated Cod, and a dessert of mini Valrhona chocolate cake, plus a glass of wine.

The more expensive menu is good for sharing, comprising four of Samia’s delicious signature sharing platters – Asian, South Asian, Mezze and Dessert platters, perfect for sharing. Served in four courses, they are paired with four wines including prosecco, which makes this a great deal for a good deed! You’ll be sipping wine and enjoying foods like Crab Cakes with homemade tomato chutney, Smoked Duck, Mango and Pomelo Salad, a particularly luscious roasted red pepper and walnut dip, Lamb Kebabs, Manjari Chocolate Fudge Cake and lots more. We’ve had them before and can tell you, it makes very enjoyable sharing-with-friends food.

Of the two restaurants, I like Coriander Leaf in particular, with its laid back, resort feel…plus its high ceiling, spacious setting and windows overlooking the river at Clarke Quay. Ironically, Samia’s offering customers an easy and enjoyable way to help those struck by unimaginable hardship. Further down the road, she's planning art exhibitions and auctions and other activities to help rasie funds. 

When you think that one-fifth of Pakistan’s population has been displaced by what has been known as Pakistan’s worst flooding in 80 years, with perhaps 1600 dead and 20 million people desperately needing help, having a meal and some wine to help is not asking for much. So head over with friends, drink some wine, eat some great food, have a good time and know you’re doing something to help.
- Ee Waun

Coriander Leaf
3A River Valley Rd, Clarke Quay, #02-03
Tel: 6732 3354


The Screening Room
12 Ann Siang Road
Tel: 6221 1694

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