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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Binge - Molecular Meets The Masses at Carousel

Here’s something really quite commendable. Royal Plaza on Scotts has brought ‘avant garde’ cuisine – all that Ferran Adria molecular magic that turns drinks into drumsticks, and drumsticks into caviar – to a more level playing field. They’ve introduced avant garde dishes into their usual buffet spread at Carousel, complete with lab-like action station (pictured above), so people can see it being made and eat it, too.

 

This sort of cooking has always been confined to the hushed, uppity-uppity restaurants that allow people in only if they can pronounce ‘foie gras’, so it’s a real hoot that Royal Plaza on Scotts is serving up molecular morsels and bringing it to more people across the board, Aunties and Uncles, kids and Grandma, included.

I had a tasting of it when they launched the first day it flooded on Orchard Road (remember Orchard River? I waded down there through the rain just to check it out!). While the lab coats on the chefs were a bit campy, overall what they were doing for the diners was quite funky, and very admirable.

(Left: Mango ravioli)

 

I remember the ‘reverse buffalo mozzarella with olive ravioli (minus the ravioli)’ which was a cute bulbous morsel that popped in your mouth into a flavourful soup; the miso spaghetti and a rather pretentious 60-second ‘smoked’ lobster (pictured right) that looked like normal poached lobster blasted with some apple chip wood smoke generated from a handheld 'fogging' machine. This was served with a spray of lavender scent - you're just supposed to smell it, not taste it, I was informed - which threatened to send me to sleep. Then there was the ginger-lemongrass ice cream made with liquid nitrogen that created a real show by encasing everyone in a cloud of mist. It tasted very nice though, with an unusual pairing of gazpacho crumble which had a texture of dry marshmallow.

For avant garde cuisine, this is pretty basic – don’t expect gob-smacking behind it. But just remember, they don’t have the luxury of doing it in small portions like the fine dining restaurants; they are churning it out for a larger crowd, which deserves a pat on the back too. (Left: Tomato Jelly Consomme)

 

But those who have not seen it before would enjoy the novelty of it – plus the fact that it hsa been made affordable. I’d say, bring the kids, Ma and Pa just for the fun of it. The avant garde counter will be available at the buffet only until end September.

 

Available only on weekday and weekend dinners only from $58-$70 per adult and $37 - $42 per child.

- Ee Waun (Credit: Pics from Royal Plaza on Scotts)

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