In the blink of an eye, Chinese New Year will be arriving in less than a month! We compiled these 8 dishes you should not miss out having at any Chinese New Year dinner to make sure you HUAT big this year, and here’s where you can enjoy these dishes.

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Yu Sheng

Seems like most restaurants will be inventing their take on the Chicken-lookalike Yu Sheng this year. Nothing quite come close to what we saw at Intercontinental Singapore’s Man Fu Yuan. Done with Black Truffle with Deep Sea Red Crab, Silver Bait Fish and Golden Crackers, the completed look once you “lao” it is complete mess of golden mix.

Another recommended Yu Sheng this year will definitely be Grand Park Orchard’s Mitzo. While it may not be a new creation, it remains one of the most radical Yu Sheng you can find amongst the Chinese restaurants in Singapore. Served with Kanpachi Kingfish, and complete with Lychee jus-filled balls, Crispy Salmon Skin and a concoction prepared with soy sauces, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds and spices – mixed in-style in a cocktail shaker.

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Double Boiled Soup

Nothing comes close to the double boiled soups at Pan Pacific Singapore’s Hai Tien Lo. We have previously been to Hai Tien Lo on a few occasions, and never once have I felt that their soup fell short of my steep expectations. This Chinese New Year, Hai Tien Lo will be steaming out their Double-boiled Buddha Jumps Over the Wall with Maca and Wolf-berries. The umami in the soup will bring much comfort to your palate, just about the perfect way to start the meal.

Heading back to Grand Park Orchard’s Mitzo, their Fish Maw Soup with Pumpkin, Bamboo Pith and Chicken was equally delish. Only available as part of Mitzo’s Chinese New Year Set Menu, you probably shouldn’t give this a miss if possible.

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Pen Cai

Pen Cai, also known as Fortune Pot, is a must during the Chinese New Year. Although the contents of the dish can vary from household to household, most Cantonese restaurants will include premium ingredients such as Sea Cucumber, Goose Web, Abalone, Prawns, Scallops, etc. One of our favourites this year is the Premium Wealth Treasure Pot from Pan Pacific Singapore’s Hai Tien Lo. Serving ten, the pot includes a whole abalone, pork knuckle, roast duck and prawns; this Pen Cai is the highlight of the Set Menu here.

We have heard of Holiday Inn Atrium’s Xin’s Cuisine Pen Cai for many years, and glad we got to savour it this year. Done traditionally, there’s no surprise here and frankly, that’s the beauty of it all. Do visit this long established restaurant to relish the classic Cantonese dishes during the Chinese New Year period.

If you are heading over to Goodwood Park Hotel’s Min Jiang this Chinese New Year, go for the Braised Pork Belly with Sea Treasures in Claypot. Min Jiang serve this up with Australian 10-head Abalones, Sea Cucumber, Dried Oysters, Dried Scallops, Flower Mushrooms, Fa Cai, and Tianjin Cabbage.

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Seafood

Conrad Centennial Singapore’s Golden Peony has been an establishment in the Singapore’s Chinese restaurant scene which you should not missed. This Chinese New Year, Golden Peony will be dishing out their classics including Hong Kong styled Steamed Marble Goby Soon Hock Fish with Superior Soya Sauce, ‘Bi Feng Tang’ Lobster with Spiced Almond Flakes and the below Scallop in Yam Ring.

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Meats

We all love our meats. But no one does it better than Intercontinental Singapore’s Man Fu Yuan this year. Their Barbecued Whole Suckling Pig with Glutinous Rice was so succulent you will not even bother or remember how sinful this dish may be. The glutinous rice soaks up the jus of the meat just right, a perfect last carb dish for your CNY meal this year.

Another meat dish that was well executed this year was Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant. This Cantonese restaurant was closed for a few months in 2016 to revamp itself again with a classic grandeur look, and reopened in late 2016. Try the Stewed Spare Ribs with Hawthorn and Preserved Plum here, which we loved how hearty this dish was. Best to enjoy it along with plain steamed rice.

Another spot to enjoy some meats this CNY season will definitely be Park Hotel Alexandra’s The Carvery. Well known for serving up a meat-focus buffet, Carvery will be dishing out auspicious roasts including Honey-Roasted leg of Lamb, Crispy Pork Belly with Apricot Ginger Sauce and Salt-baked Chicken.

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Carbs

We always end a typical Chinese meal with some carbs, and since it is CNY, rice symbolises a link between heaven and men as a sign of fertility and wealth for the new year. At Fairmont Singapore’s Szechuan Court CNY set menu this year, they have prepared a Glutinous Rice, Baked Cod Fillet with Honey Light Soya Sauce. The rice well seasoned, and accompanied by the well executed cod fillet, you can pinch a small portion of the XO paste served here and you will find yourself asking for more.

If you are planning to get back on rice this year, Pan Pacific Singapore’s Hai Tien Lo got their Keyaki-inspired Stewed Inaniwa Udon with Seafood and Truffle ready for you. Done with that exquisite Japanese flair, and coupled with the excellent Cantonese culinary skills the restaurant enjoys, this Udon dish will cap any CNY meal well with a delightful and light carb.

Another iconic restaurant, the Amara Singapore’s Silk Road have been dishing out authentic provincial Chinese cuisine since. One dish that really impress us this year was the Steamed Fragrant Rice with Salted Fish, Chinese Sausage and Waxed Meat. The water used to boil the sausage, and the other ingredients and used to prepare the rice as well, what gets served thereafter is a claypot rice with much to excite your tastebuds. Make sure you end your dinner at Silk Road with this.

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Nian Gao

If you haven’t already known, eating Nian Gao symbolises increasing prosperity, so please make sure you have a bite of it this year! At Mandarin Oriental’s Cherry Garden, the Nian Gao is prepared as a savoury dish, the Braised Shanghai Nian Gao with Kurobuta Pork and Mixed Vegetables. This will be a good option if you are tired of having nian gao as a dessert, a good alternative way to enjoy this traditional dish.

At Grand Park Orchard’s Mitzo, their Homemade koi-fish Nian Gao is battered and deep-fried, presenting this in a golden crisp finishing with a nice chewy nian gao inside. Good to enjoy this with a sweet cold dessert to wash down the satisfying CNY meal.

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Pineapple Tarts

This year’s pineapple tarts includes Prima Deli’s Supreme Pineapple Tarts, which is amongst my favourite this year with its soft texture and melt-in-your-mouth almost instantly. The square Thye Moh Chan’s Pineapple Tart selections also comes with a Salted Egg Pastry option – a popular trend noted in this year’s CNY goodies. Not to be missed, Bakerzin’s Pineapple Tart comes with two unique flavours this year, including the Lemongrass and Fish Floss tarts. Both shaped in pineapple and fish shapes respectively, guess this year’s pineapple tarts will be anything but boring!

Nothing can beat having a Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list CNY goodies at home, Peony Jade’s will be starting to retail their CNY goodies at their restaurants and the usual festive market at Takashimaya from 9th Jan.

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Ranted by the Rantee