What better way to celebrate Singapore’s 51st than to tuck into hawker food (with a twist) and mod-Sin cuisine, while sipping on Singapore Slings with these unique dining offers?
We all celebrate National Day a different way, but if there’s one thing that brings all Singaporeans together, it’s our vibrant food scene. In poignant celebration of culinary traditions and our burgeoning mod-Sin cuisine, these eight restos have put together some stellar National Day offers that’ll be a hit with lovers of local food.
The Line: Mod-Sin buffet with traditional and fusion offerings
Chef De Cuisine, Vincent Wong of The Line, has done up his signature buffet dinner with a selection of specially-Singaporean delights for National Day (pictured above). Savoury signatures locals will be familiar with include Singapore laksa, oyster omelette, otak-otak, satay and nasi lemak. But he’s also reinterpreted some much-loved classics to create dishes like the chicken rice maki roll, chilli crab brioche and “Chendol Bubbles”, so there’s plenty to love whether you’re a stickler for the classics or a patron of cutting-edge cuisines.
The Line, Shangri-La, 22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258350. p. 6213 4275. Available 18 July-14 August.
Lobby Court: Afternoon tea with a local twist
The English aren’t the only ones who know how to host a posh afternoon tea. Lobby Court’s Afternoon Tea Celebration will allow diners to tuck into a three-tiered tea set featuring a selection of Singaporean-inspired teatime bites. Savouries include quirky nibbles like the chilli crab in tomato bun, brioche roll with beef rendang and a chicken curry bruschetta. Sweet tooths can also sink their teeth into creative pastries and kuihs like pandan scones and orchid macarons.
Lobby Court, Shangri-La, 22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258350. p. 6213 4288. Available in August.
Ding Dong: A Hokkien mee like no other
The best renditions of Hokkien Mee are often found in hot steamy hawker centres around the island, but Ding Dong’s got a special variation that’s piqued our interests. This deconstructed interpretation, the Hokkien Prawn – Prawn Noodle ($18), showcases no small amount of culinary wizardry. The prawn stock, made from methyl cellulose, sets when hot and melts when cold, offering unique textures that’ll dance around your palate. The dish is also chock-full of Iberico pork belly, stir-fried egg, garlic and prawn stock and Ding Dong’s special noodles.
Ding Dong, #01-02, 115 Amoy Street, Singapore 069935. p. 6557 0189. Available only on 9 August.
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Yan: Divine dim sums
This swish Cantonese gem in the iconic National Gallery has something special up its sleeves this August. In conjunction with National Day, Yàn will be launching a special dim sum menu that incorporates uniquely Singaporean flavours. Don’t expect normal dumpling fillings here; try eclectic dishes like pan-fried chilli crab meat buns, xiao long baos with bak kut teh soup and Nanyang prawn soup dumplings.
Yàn, 1 St Andrew’s Road, 02 National Gallery, Singapore 178957. p. 6384 5585. Available 1-31 August.
The Butchers Club Burger: A very Singaporean burger
Burgers are hardly the most Singaporean dish, but The Butchers Club Burger’s latest creation, the Little Red Dot, is Singaporean through and through. This 150g chicken burger is a homage to the much-loved chicken satay and features crunchy cucumber strips, freshly shaved red onions, a rich ginger peanut sauce, and the cherry on top? A luscious slice of caramelised pineapple. Now isn’t that the most patriotic thing you can sink your teeth into?
The Butcher’s Club Burger, 3A River Valley Road, #01-01B Clarke Quay, Singapore 179020. p. 6837 0675. Available 29 July-7 August.
Da Paolo Bistrobar and PizzaBar cook up reinvented classics
Da Paolo’s BistroBar and PizzaBar have something special up their sleeves for National Day as well. Fans of laksa can indulge in the BistroBar’s newest locally inspired creation, the Singapore laksa pasta ($29) – the fusion dish features homemade tagliolini, slipper lobster and fresh cockles. Or try out the new Singapore chilli crab pizza ($32) with soft shell crab, crab meat, homemade chilli sauce, egg and even crispy ‘mantou’. Want a little tipple? Try its boozy take on the classic chendol ($16) instead.
Da Paolo BistroBar and PizzaBar. Available from 21st July to 21st August 2016.
Joe & Dough: #MadeInSingapore cakes from yesteryear
Take yourself back to the good old days at Joe & Dough this August and celebrate Singapore’s 51st with a selection of nostalgic favourites. Treat yourself to an old-school mango lime buttercream cake or a dragonfruit lychee buttercream cake, made with jam from local brand GSH Conserves. Joe & Dough has also initiated a #MadeInSingapore project to promote local brands like Second Helpings, BoxGreen and wheniwasfour, so expect some quirky merch to be on sale (at selected outlets) as well.
Joe & Dough, various locations. Available in August.
50 Raffles Place: A sky-high local dining affair
Celebrate National Day way up high at Sear Steakhouse, Angie’s Oyster Bar and Empire. Carnivores can dive right into the Sear Platter ($31.85, U.P. $65), that showcases mini crab cakes, mini prime cut steak burgers and petite fish fillet sandwiches. Want a little seafood instead? Pop by Angie’s for its signature mussels platter ($18.60++, U.P. $38 for 750g mains), sourced from a local ‘kelong’ and served within a broth of tamarind, dried shrimp, tomato, and chilli. Oh and did we mention? Free-flow fat fries! But if it’s tipples you’re after, make your way to Empire instead and take in the stellar view while sipping 50RP’s Singapore Sling ($8.33++, U.P. $17) instead.
Sear Steakhouse, Angie’s Oyster Bar, Empire. 50 Raffles Place, Singapore 048623. Available 6-9 August.