It is starting to feel like Christmas. And yes, the hotels and restaurants are starting to roll out their festive collections too. Here’s our guide to some of our recommendations of where you should be heading to for your Christmas and New Year’s indulgences this year!

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Antoinette

This year’s festive collection includes a mirage of 2016’s favourites and new creations from Chef Pang. Amongst the “classics” includes Superlova, from its latest season, which has strong flavours of yuzu, lychee and raspberry. And if you are a fan of chestnut, go for the Marronette. Oh yes, both the Queen’s Salted Egg Yolk Truffle and Crispy Bacon from their Fetish Chocolat season will also be available for the festive period.

Specially curated for this year’s Christmas, the Christmas Tree lookalike Red Rosette stood out as our top choice here at Antoinette. Inside are layers of chocolate, with a mix of almond nougatine, orange confit and chocolate ganache, all these complete with red swirls exterior and gold flakes to give it that magical Christmas vibe. And if you are looking for a savoury cake, chef has prepared the Hivernette which contains layers of wild mushroom rugout, caramelised onions, cornichons and boeuf bourguignon of Wagyu beef brisket.

All items are available from 1st November onwards.

For more information or reservations, please visit Antoinette website.

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Capella Singapore

For an island “getaway”, Cassia restaurant at Capella Singapore will be presenting a distinctive twist on tradition with two six-course festive menus weaving Yuletide elements into classic Cantonese cuisine. This will only be available exclusively on 24 and 25 December for lunch and dinner. Highlights of the dishes include the Doubleboiled Thick Chicken Broth with Fresh Crab Claw, Fish Maw and Dried Scallops, the Baked Spare Ribs with Champagne Sauce, as well as the sweet Melon Puree with Fresh Milk and Deep-fried Sesame Ball with Chocolate. At the Chef’s Table from 3pm to 5pm on weekdays from 1 to 30 December, you can enjoy the Capella Festive Afternoon Tea with a series of Christmas delights, such as the Christmas Feuillete with Parmesan and Dark Chocolate Cheesecake with Gingerbread Crust. For The Knolls restaurant, some of the festive dishes from the set courses include the Foie Gras with Lemon and Orange Marmalade, Caramelised Nuts and Red Endive; Romantic poolside dining; Roasted Barramundi with Gingerbread crust, Yuzu Grenobloise and Leek compote. 

For more information or reservations, please visit Capella Singapore website.

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Conrad Centennial Singapore

At Conrad Centennial Singapore, the highlight at Oscar’s for the festive month will be its ‘live’ stations where chefs will prepare freshly made ravioli with sea prawns or lobster. You can also expect festive roasts of whole turkey with spicy cranberry jus, honey and pineapple glazed Christmas ham with apple sauce, or twice-cooked pork belly with Argentinian spices, served with homemade tomato relish and peri peri sour cream.

For Golden Peony, there will be a Dim Sum Experience lunch including a ‘live’ Cantonese roast station, offering free-flow of roast meats such as Christmas-inspired creation of crispy turkey with minced garlic, roast London duck or barbecued suckling pig stuffed with Hainanese chicken rice.

At The Terrace, its new Executive Pastry Chef Florent Castagnos will introduce four new flavours of log cakes this season- Royale Hazelnut Crunch, Praline Cointreau Chocolate Swirl, Buche de Noël Coffee Hazelnut Macchiato and Buche de Noël Orange Chocolate Duo.

For more information or reservations, please visit Conrad Centennial Singapore website.

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Daniel Tay’s Old Seng Choong and Cat & the Fiddle

Well-known Singapore pastry chef, Daniel Tay’s Old Seng Choong and Cat & the Fiddle also introduces festive delights this season. Make sure you get your hands on the Old Seng Choong’s The Christmas Stump which really is a chocolate devil sponge cake with hazelnut buttercream layers and a middle tier of traditional rum ball cake, complete with an exterior covered with chocolate buttercream! Jolly Rum Balls and Santa’s Log Cake are also available.

Cat & the Fiddle sticks to its cheesecake creation with the Happy, Merry, Boozy!. A decadent chocolate cheesecake composed of premium couverture chocolate mousse sitting snugly atop a layer of heavenly, soft brandy-infused chocolate sponge cake. Sales starts from mid-November through online order.

For more information, please visit Old Seng Choong’s website and Cat & the Fiddle’s website.

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Fairmont Singapore

There are no lack of dining options at Fairmont Singapore, which we are all so familiar with. The Italian restaurant Prego will have a delectable spread of classic Italian favourites such as Roasted Lamb Chop, Butternut Squash Tortellini and Roasted Capon. In addition, the festive brunch buffets will have live stations and highlights including the signature Roasted Whole Turkey, Prego’s Signature Pizzas, Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and seasonal desserts such as the Chestnut Log Cake, Traditional Panettone and Iced Cherry Forest.

Alternatively, Mikuni will have a 7-Course Kaiseki dinner menu by Executive Chef Moon Kyung Soo and his team , with highlights including the Miso-Marinated Kinmedai with Yuzu Daikon, Sake-Steamed Hokkaido Hairy Crab and Kani Miso and Slow-Cooked Kurobuta Pork with Red Miso, Black Garlic and Charcoal-Grilled Leeks.

We all know that it is difficult to land a reservation on the highly popular Anti:dote afternoon tea. We reckoned it will not be any easier this festive period as its afternoon tea set is given a sprinkle of festive magic with Christmas-inspired cakes and pastries including the Eggnog Mini Log Cake, Gingerbread Vanilla Snowman and Sleigh of Chocolate Pecan Brownies & Cream.

For more information or reservations, please visit Fairmont Singapore website.

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Pan Pacific Singapore

At Edge from 18 November, some of the festive highlights this year include the house crafted Christmas charcuterie such as Special Christmas Ham, Hot Smoked Salmon Bella Vista and Wagyu Beef Striploin, Maple Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast, 12-Hour Roasted Whole Pork Leg, Traditional Roasted Whole Norfolk Turkey and Roasted Prime Ribs. Christmas sweets include Santa Hat Chocolate Strawberry Petit Gateau, Earl Grey and Jamaican Pepper Infused Fruitcake, Milk Chocolate and Fresh Raspberry Log Cake and 73% Dark Chocolate and Drambuie Ganache Tartlet.

If you fancy takeaways for home parties instead, Pacific Marketplace will be selling Traditional Roasted Turkey with Cornbread, Sausage, Apple and Pecan Stuffing, Roasted Beef Rib Eye with Fresh Herbs and Truffles Sauce, Healthy Coconut, Honey and Cinnamon Ham and the classic Honey Glazed Ham with Cinnamon and Pear Chutney. Sweet offerings include the Manjari Dark Chocolate Mousse Log Cake with Apricot Spices and Chocolate Muffin Sponge, Red Glossy Milk Chocolate And Raspberry Log Cake with Raspberry Marmalade and Crunchy Peanut Butter or the whimsical Fresh Calamansi Log Cake with Coconut Crémeux and Pandan Sponge for a refreshing twist. Order starts from 15 November 2016, collection from 18 November to 25 December 2016 at Pacific Marketplace.

In addition, Hai Tien Lo and Keyaki will also be having its own Christmas Dim Sum Brunch Buffet and New Year Menu.

For more information or reservations, please visit Pan Pacific Singapore website.

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Raffles Singapore

As one of the most iconic hotel in Singapore, stepping into Raffles Hotel is akin to reliving the British colonial days due to its charming architecture and interior. At Tiffin Room, there is a Festive Afternoon Tea special available from 9th to 25th December 2016, where diners can expect specially curated Christmas delights such as Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Cookies and Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce amongst all.

At Bar & Billiard Room (read more about our amazing Sunday Brunch experience previously here), dinners will be presented on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and showcased as buffets, accompanied by Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve and Billecart-Salmon Rosé. Buffet highlights at the Carving and Live Stations include the Australian Grain Fed Prime Rib on the Bone and Roasted Stuffed Christmas Turkey with Gravy and Cranberry Sauce, complete with an extensive spread of appetisers, fresh seafood, artisanal festive breads and charcuterie, gourmet cheeses and tantalising desserts.

At raffles Grill, there will be a 5-course Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Day Lunch, featuring contemporary French creations like Light Smoked Foie Gras Terrine with Brussel Sprouts and Beet Caramel and Maine Lobster with Romaine Leves, “Sot Ly Laisse” and Black Truffle.

For New year’s eve, there is an ultra-grand event planned for, at a hefty price tag though!  Held in the Grand Hotel Lobby, the New Year’s Eve Gala Ball (S$698++ per adult and S$388++ per child) is a 5-course dinner complete with performances by musicians and deejays where there will also be a traditional balloon drop to welcome the brand new year.

For more information or reservations, please visit Raffles Hotel Singapore website.

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Regent Singapore

We always think Regent Singapore as having some of the best dining concepts in a hotel, so do not expect anything less for this festive season. At the award winning Italian restaurant Basilico, expect the lieks of Chef’s succulent 100-day dry-aged Angus prime rib with rosemary and porcini mushrooms; slow-roasted Roman-style porchetta stuffed with pears, lavender and wild fennel seeds; Hokkaido scallop gratin with young pecorino zabaione; a cheese station with over 40 Italian specialty cheeses, including 10 variations of burrata; and a live station of Alaskan king crab and foie gras rainbow ravioli, among other highlights.

At Tea Lounge, its Culinary Olympic Gold medal winner, Pastry Chef Alex Chong has curated a special Festive Afternoon Tea with highlights such as roasted leg of lamb with caramelised black figs and pistachio mascarpone on rye bread; lobster medallion with mango and green asparagus on squid ink bread; pumpkin mousse with honey-roasted pecan nut in a savoury tart; and smoked turkey breast with chestnuts and cranberry coulis on brioche, among others. For a taste of Christmas, guests can indulge in pistachio and raspberry mont blanc and milk chocolate ginger mini log cake.

At Manhatan Bar, there will be classic wintertime cocktails like Spice and Everything Nice, and Manhattan’s signature Mulled Wine, made with spices and red wine, and served hot. Savour, too, Manhattan’s festive à la carte specials such as country ham with purple moon cheddar on fig biscuit and cranberry marmalade as well as pumpkin corn fritters with pimento cheese and honeycomb.

If you are planning for house parties, you can also drop by the Festive Booth in the hotel or Dolcetto by Basilico, where you can get festive items such as the slow-roasted Roman-style pork belly stuffed with pears, lavender and wild fennel seeds; honey-glazed gammon ham with pineapple Marsala wine sauce and roasted vegetables; festive log cakes including the rich Amedei dark chocolate, almond, hazelnut and cherry Christmas surprise encased in an intricate chocolate box with a gold-dusted chocolate ribbon; the Amalfi lemon delight log cake or the Buon Natale raspberry and Bronte pistachio cake.

For more information or reservations, please visit Regent Singapore website.

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Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

The Line counts as one of the most popular buffet restaurant in Singapore, and we are not expecting anything less for Christmas. Highlights at The Line during this festive period include freshly-shucked oysters, Boston lobster on ice, a Christmas macaron tower, chocolate-coated strawberry tower, profiterole tower and more. At Shang Palace, Chef Steven Ng will be presenting a seven-course festive menu incorporating Christmas elements into classic Cantonese cuisine, which include Braised Bird’s Nest with Chicken and Superior Broth, Stewed Lobster with Eggplant and Wagyu Fillet with Mushrooms. For something Italian at Waterfall restaurant, you can enjoy a six-course dinner medley comprising of traditional Italian dishes such as Roast Foie Gras and Topinambur, Fettucine with Capon Ragout, Procini Emulsion and Alba Truffle Air, and De Bresse Duck Breast with Purple Potato Crackers.

For takeways at The Line Shop, highlights this year include Roasted Turkey with all the Trimmings (from 6.5kg) and Traditional Beef Wellington with Mushrooms and Foie Gras; new Log Cake flavours include Candied Chestnut and Mango and Passionfruit.

For more information or reservations, please visit Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore website.

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Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa

Across all the dining concepts at Sofitel Sentosa, you will be expecting the resort to get into the festive season. Starting from 1st December, both LeBar and The Garden will be introducing their Christmas-themed Afternoon Tea and Festive A la Carte Menu respectively. At LeBar, the Le Goûter de Noel afternoon tea will feature savories such as Alaskan King Crab with Avocado on Basil Tart, Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream on Parmesan Sable, and sweet treats that include the traditional Fruit Cake, Minced Fruit Pie, Mini Log Cake, with specially crafted Cranberry Champagne Macaron and Lavender-Blueberry Pâte de Fruit.

And if you are looking for Christmas and New Year’s celebration both Kwee Zeen and ilLido at the Cliff will be serving up both Brunch and Dinner meals. Do expect their usuals, with the added festive twist in their selections.

For more information or reservations, please visit Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa website.

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Swissôtel The Stamford

At the One-Michelin star JAAN, Chef de Cuisine Kirk Westaway’s Christmas-inspired dishes include the Majestic Oyster with Artichoke Royale and Osetra Caviar and Venison Saddle with Celeriac Ribbons, Madeira Glazed Conference Pear and Perigord Truffle. 

At Equinox restaurant, there are a series of lavish brunches and festive degustation menus specially crafted by Chef de Cuisine Paul Hallett. The festive creations include the Roasted Turkey Breast, Seared Hand-Dived Scallop and Slow-Cooked Beef Short Ribs, complete with desserts such as Festive Eclairs, Traditional Christmas Stollen and a live dessert station serving Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream.

For more information or reservations, please visit Swissôtel The Stamford website.

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Ranted by The Ranter and The Rantee