Celebrate Christmas and dine-in at these 10 restaurants for some much needed dose of Yuletide cheer
SINGAPORE — I know I risk sounding like a major cliche, but has it really been a year? It seems like only yesterday that I published the most number of listicles in a month, back during the darkest moment of Singapore’s history where every single F&B eatery was forced to temporarily shutter in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19 amongst the community. It was a time when food delivery suddenly became a much needed necessity and everyone had to stay home through Hari Raya Puasa, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.
Well, not anymore. As the country slowly but surely opens up, restaurants are observing record reservations for dining-in to cater to a restless populace with nowhere to go and not much else to do. And now, with Christmas barely a month away, restaurants are quickly doling out attractive festive menus for the Yuletide revellers looking for a slice of much needed holiday cheer—here’s a selection of ten for your dining perusal to cap off a very eventful 2020.
Gaig Restaurant Singapore
Christmas takes on a Catalan twist with a seven-course set menu at Gaig restaurant Singapore, under the culinary leadership of Chef Carles Gaig. Gaig Singapore is, of course, the first international outpost of the original Michelin-starred restaurant in Barcelona, so expect a lot of finely crafted dishes to bring Yuletide cheer.
Gaig’s 7-course menu features festive favourites with a twist. Think tartare of sea bass, prawn, and caviar, quail escabetx served with warm salad, and GAIG’s traditional cannelloni stuffed with beef and pork, borne out of a family recipe that dates back to 1869. No Christmas meal is complete without some much-deserved sweets in the form of a Christmas Yule Log and Christmas turrón.
7-course Christmas Eve Dinner Menu
S$118++ per diner; 24th December
Website | 16 Stanley St, Singapore 068735
Chico Loco and Super Loco
What happens when fun and spirited Mexican food meets Christmas? You get the festive offerings of Super Loco and Chico Loco, where classic Mexican sides such as Esquites, Chips & Guacamole, Chico Chicken Multigrain Rice, Chico Slaw and the Green & Clean Salad Bowl meet well-loved festive favourites of roast chicken, turkey, and ham.
At Chico Loco, look forward to hearty and timeless mains like the Smoked Maple Agave Gammon Ham, Ancho Roast Beef Striploin, and Rotisserie Lamb Leg. Over at Super Loco, Tacos De Pavo takes centre stage—a spiced orange pulled turkey and nesting on a purple cabbage salad. Teetotallers would love the environmentally-friendly Pomegranate Margarita, and Cinnamon Lime Tommy Margaritas made with The Loco Group’s low-carbon and low-waste Arquitecto Tequila.
Chico Loco
Loco Mexmas Bundle (S$135); good for 4 – 5 people
Fiesta Grande Feast (S$265); good for 8 – 10 people
Lucha Loco & Super Loco
El Loco (S$45++ per diner); four-course set dinner menu;
Head Honcho (S$65++ per diner); six-course set dinner menu
Available: 26th November 2020 – 26th December 2020
Website | Various locations
Se7enth, Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore
If you’ve never tried a Turducken, then you need to make your way down to Se7enth for their four-course Christmas set menu. Choose from a Smoked Turducken Roulade or a Pan Seared Salmon in Apple Glazed Butter Cream—either way, you can’t and won’t go wrong. This set menu is inclusive of a nibbles platter, a mini Chocolate log cake with berries, a welcome glass of Mimosa, and a Christmas classic, the Snowball cocktail.
A more wallet-friendly option would be the Festive Executive Set Lunch available only from 21st to 24th December. Diners can look forward to festive mains such as Christmas gnocchi with Spinach and Basil and Turkey Ham with honey-glazed carrots, Brussel sprouts and cranberry sauce.
Ode to Christmas Set Menu
S$88++ per diner; available for dinners on weekdays, lunch and dinner on 25th December and weekends
Festive Executive Set Lunch
S$25++ per diner; 21st - 24th December 2020, 12 – 2pm
Website | 6 Shenton Way OUE Downtown 1, Level 7, 068809
The Knolls, Capella Singapore
With borders still tightly and firmly closed, I'll take whatever opportunity I can get to bask in the impression of leaving it all behind for some much needed time off. It literally doesn't get anymore further than dining at The Knolls Capella on the island of Sentosa.
This year, The Knolls presents an impressive Christmas line-up of a 3-course lunch or 4-course dinner on Christmas Eve and a 4-course lunch or a 3-course dinner on Christmas Day. It's a spread that will surely get food lovers giddy with excitement. We're talking Oven Roasted Turkey with Sautéed Chestnuts, Winter Vegetables, Cranberry Sauce, Gravy, Pine Nut-Sage and Onion Bread Stuffing.
More impressively, and in the spirit of inclusivity, The Knolls has also curated a vegetarian set menu so that everyone can partake in Yuletide merriment together. Some highlights include Porcini and Cheese Ravioli with Black Winter Truffle, Spinach, Asparagus, Green Peas, Arugula and Parmesan Cheese.
Christmas Eve Menus (24th Dec 2020)
S$85++ per diner; 3 course lunch
S$138++ per diner; 4-course dinner
Christmas Day Menus (25th Dec 2020)
S$158++ per diner; 4 course lunch
S$85++ per diner; 3-course dinner
Festive Vegetarian
S$118++ per diner
Website | 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island, 098297
So Sofitel Singapore
If you’ve always wondered how a High Tea tiered tray looks like with mains, look no further than So Sofitel’s Xperience Restaurant. In a creative twist on the expected, Xperience has come up with a 3-tier brunch tower served to your table, overflowing with a selection of festive sweet and savoury offerings. It’s like High Tea, only more indulgent.
Their Christmas and Hangover Brunch features Pate en Croute, artisanal cold cuts and cheeses, garlic butter roasted Boston lobster, “Otah” stuffed squid and garlic soy glaze, poached Alaskan King Crab leg, and Panettone with chantilly cream, and brown butter and maple syrup.
If that doesn’t seem sufficient, all the brunch towers also include free-flow servings of meat and seafood from the carving station, where diners can look forward to hearty mains such as whole roasted turkey, homemade honey baked ham, Australian grain-fed Tomahawk, and Seabass fillet.
Christmas Brunch
S$88++ per diner, 25th and 26th December 2020
Hangover Brunch
S$78++ per diner, 1st and 2nd January 2021
Website | 35 Robinson Rd, Singapore 068876
Oxwell & Clan
This Christmas, Amoy Street favourite, Oxwell & Co, is back with an exciting partnership with Straits Clan. This limited-time pop-up is all about spreading the Yuletide cheer with family and friends and features a communal-style spread of Christmas-inspired dishes. Diners can look forward to hearty meats such as Turkey Roulade with celery, chestnuts, sage, mushrooms and gravy and the Crackled Belly of Pork with savoy cabbage, apple sauce and roasting juices.
There are also crowd favourites like the Yorkshire pudding, brandy-baked carrots, Brussel sprouts with bacon and maple, baked cauliflower cheese, roasted potatoes, and roasted parsnip, turnip, and swede. Ring in the Christmas spirit with seasonally-inspired cocktails like the Winta Colada, Spiced Pear Spritz, and the Unusual Eggnog made with a concoction of Gin, milk, honey, egg, and spices.
Oxwell & Clan Festive Lunch & Dinner Menu
S$98++ per diner; 11th November to 26th December
Website | 31 Bukit Pasoh Rd, Singapore 089845
Fat Prince
Not that anyone has anything severely against more traditional and classic Christmas fare, but if you’re looking for festive goodies that are more exciting than your usual Roast Turkey and Ham, then perhaps what Fat Prince offers would be right up your alley.
Christmas at Fat Prince is a two-week affair with a competitively priced set menu where diners can enjoy a glass of cava, one mezze, a main dish, one side, and a dessert. Apart from the usual Fat Prince favourites, diners can also choose other festive specials like the Flame Grilled Argentinian Red Prawns ($24++ on à la carte) with Green Gazpacho and Spiced Roasted Duck Breast ($42++ on à la carte) with Caramelised Endive and Pumpkin Puree.
Fat Prince Christmas Special Menu
S$98++ per diner; 14th – 24th December 2020
Website | 48 Peck Seah St #01-01, 079317
Summerlong
At Summerlong by the riverfront of Robertson Quay, Christmas is a Greek and Mediterranean delight. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, diners can partake in a six-course dinner set menu that starts with a Fine de Claire Oysters with Italian Prosecco Foam, followed by an Artichoke Dip.
For mains, diners can choose from Grass-fed Australian Angus Beef with Grilled Asparagus & Jerusalem Artichoke Puree or Mediterranean Coldwater Scampi with Greek Orzo Pasta.
Summerlong Christmas Dinner Menu
S$75++ per diner; 24th and 25th December 2020
Website | 60 Robertson Quay, #01-04, Singapore 238252
Zafferano
Zafferano celebrates Christmas in a big way by rewarding customers with special restaurant vouchers when you dine here on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Under Head Chef Andrea De Paola, Zafferano has curated a spread of contemporary Italian festive fare that is sure to bring 2020 to a fitting close.
There are two timings and set menus to choose from. Their 3-course dinner spans 5.30 pm – 7.30 pm and includes dishes such as the pan-seared Hokkaido scallop with Riesling and oscietra caviar and an MBS 4-5 ‘Sher’ wagyu beef tenderloin served with a charcoal baked cabbage and chestnut Barolo jus. The 3-course dinner menu also comes with a dining voucher worth S$20 for each paying adult.
For a more leisurely dinner, the 5-course menu starts at 5.30 pm with no time limit and, in addition to the items from the 3-course menu, includes other delectable selections such as charcoal baked black cod and a house-made ‘tagliolini’ pasta. Similarly, each paying adult savouring the 5-course menu will receive a S$50 dining voucher.
Zafferano Christmas Eve & Day Dinner Menu
S$128++ per diner; 3-course dinner, 5.30pm–7.30pm
S$248++ per diner, 5-course dinner, 5.30 pm till late
Website | 10 Collyer Quay, Level 43 Ocean Financial Centre, Singapore 049315
ParkRoyal Collection
At ParkRoyal Collection, Christmas merriment comes in two forms. There’s an extensive a la carte buffet at Lime Restaurant where diners can partake in traditional favourites such as Roasted Turkey in three flavours (traditional, Mongolian mustard, and red wine miso), Honey Baked Ham, Seafood on ice, and Lime’s signature Christmas Log Cakes that Parkroyal insists are worth every calorie.
Then, kick things up a notch on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a line-up of mouth-watering treats such as Boston Lobsters on Ice, Caramelised Foie Gras with Cherry Morello and Ginger Crumble, and Oven Baked Pork Ribs with Spicy Tomato Paste. There are also desserts like the Durian Pengat, Crème Brûlée, and Strawberry Chiffon Yule Log to look forward to.
Lime Restaurant Lunch & Dinner Festive Buffet Menu
S$69++ onwards per diner; 27th November 2020 – 2nd January 2021
Lime Restaurant Brunch & Dinner Christmas Buffet Menu
S$109++ per diner; 24th December 2020
S$129++ per diner; 25th December 2020
Website | 3 Upper Pickering Street, Singapore 058289
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