With Chinese New Year 2024 less than a month away, now is the time to start planning for the abundant feasts, fêtes, and festivities deserving of the Year of the Dragon — a mythical creature so prized in Chinese culture for its associations with authority, prosperity, and success that its occurrence often ushers in a bumper crop of babies.
Such an auspicious year naturally calls for equally vibrant banquets, which is why the MICHELIN Guide Singapore has curated a handy list of restaurants that have launched their Lunar New Year offerings.
Regardless of whether you’re ringing in the Year of the Dragon from the comfort of home or a restaurant, Chinese New Year gatherings aren’t complete without traditional yu sheng platters and abundant poon choi pots teeming with auspicious goodies — plus good friends and family to share with!
JAG's Yu Sheng is crafted with a French flair.
JAG
One MICHELIN StarMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
To mark the Lunar New Year, MICHELIN-Starred JAG presents exclusive celebratory experiences featuring vegetable-centric gastronomy during both lunch and dinner services.
Guests who make bookings for JAG's private dining room, The Alpine Room, may enjoy the restaurant's version of a yu sheng for S$128++ from 6-25 February 2024. The Alpine Room, which is adorned with dark wood panels and serene greens, provides an elegant setting for four to 16 guests and is perfect for intimate Lunar New Year get-togethers.
JAG's yu sheng is crafted with a French flair and features a lively arrangement of orange and black carrots, yellow and red beetroots, green and red radishes, daikon, and cabbage. These vibrant elements symbolise wishes for fortune, vitality, and prosperity in the upcoming year. Every component is meticulously presented in various iterations, exploring a spectrum of flavours and textures through raw, cured, and pickled forms.
Other elements that signify abundance such as cured Scottish salmon, smoked Hokkaido scallop, and marinated Japanese shrimps, convey wishes for success and wealth; and to enhance these are embellishments of watercress crackers, sesame, peanuts, and delicate gold leaf. The yu sheng is beautifully complemented with a sweet and tart dressing crafted from argousier (sea buckthorn) and blood orange.
JAG's special yu sheng is available from 6-25 February 2024, exclusively for those dining at The Alpine Room. For reservations, call +65 6871 8973 or make your booking online here. JAG is at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute, #02-02, 41 Robertson Quay, 238236, Singapore.
Shisen Hanten's Lunar New Year offerings also include set menus for two.
Shisen Hanten
One MICHELIN StarMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
One-MICHELIN-Starred Sichuan-Cantonese specialist Shisen Hanten offers an intriguing proposition for Chinese New Year revellers outside of the usual convivial set menus and festive takeaway platters — the chance to celebrate the season as an intimate affair requiring just a minimum of two diners, available in three levels of luxury starting at S$158++ per person.
Items on offer for the twosome include a Shisen Hanten signature, Crab Roe Foie Gras Chawanmushi with Bird’s Nest, along with other delights of the sea like Steamed Hybrid Grouper with Red Pickled Peppers, Sautéed Prawns in Superior Garlic Sauce, and Braised South African 4-Head Abalone and Mushrooms in Oyster Sauce.
Set menus for large gatherings, of course, remain a mainstay with eight variations to choose from, running from $158++ per person all the way to a magnificent $438++ each. Every feast begins in a similar way through, ushering in the Year of the Dragon with an auspicious yu sheng platter draped in Dragon Fruit Sauce (comprising pure peanut oil and fresh dragon fruit for indulgence, balanced out by zesty tang) in honour of the season. The festive treat is followed by other delights including deboned Roasted Whole Suckling Pig with Kaluga Caviar; Pan-Fried A5 Wagyu Beef with Spicy Fermented Black Beans; Stewed Turbot Fillet in Rich Stock with Shishito Peppers; and more.
Shisen Hanten’s Chinese New Year offerings are available from 22 January to 24 February 2024. For reservations, call +65 6831 6262 or make your booking online here. Shisen Hanten is at Hilton Orchard, Level 35, 333 Orchard Road, 238867, Singapore.
The luxurious Geoduck Clam with Black Caviar Yu Sheng is the highlight of Summer Pavilion's Lunar New Year offerings.
Summer Pavilion
One MICHELIN StarMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
At Summer Pavilion, welcome the Year of the Dragon in style and elevate the festivities with the restaurant's indulgent Geoduck Clam with Black Caviar Yu Sheng as you usher in auspicious beginnings.
This festive season, the MICHELIN-Starred Cantonese restaurant offers an exclusive array of Lunar New Year delights. Celebrate with dishes such as the Braised 18-head South African Abalone with Pan-fried Oyster, Sautéed Scallop with Sea Cucumber and Seasonal Vegetables, Braised Fish Maw Soup with Bamboo Pith and Crab Meat, and chef Cheung Siu Kong's very special Poached Ibérico Rice Dumplings in a Superior Stock that pays homage to his Lunar New Year celebrations in Hong Kong.
Guests can choose from six- to eight-course set lunch and dinner menus, starting at S$148++ per person, available from 9 through 24 February 2024. Also, those celebrating the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year at Summer Pavilion will be presented with an exclusive set of Ritz-Carlton red packets and a pair of Mandarin oranges for each reservation, with a minimum requirement of two individuals per booking. For those opting for takeaway, both vegetarian yu sheng and poon choi options are also available.
Summer Pavilion's Chinese New Year menu will be available from 9 through 24 February 2024. Call +65 6434 5286 for reservations, book your tables online here, or send an email to rc.sinrz.summerpavilion@ritzcarlton.com. Summer Pavilion is at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, Level 3, 7 Raffles Avenue, 039799, Singapore.
The Chinese New Year menu sets at Golden Peony range from groups for up to ten diners.
Golden Peony
MICHELIN SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
An exquisite selection of festive treasures await at MICHELIN-Selected Golden Peony, where chef Ku Keung will be distilling close to two decades of culinary experience into time-honoured Cantonese fare with modern inflections.
Offerings include a quartet of luxurious set menus for groups of up to ten, kicking off with a ritzy makeover of the traditional yu sheng. The Fortune Gold Flakes Yu Sheng, available with dine-in set menus and takeaway as well, features a swish collection of seasonal morsels including lobster, baby abalone, crispy white bait, golden coin chicken bak kwa, fish skin, and fresh fruit.
Not to be outshone, expect your Chinese New Year banquet at Golden Peony to feature highlights like the Spanish Carabinero Prawn "Yuan Yang" Fish Paste Noodles, Water Bamboo Shoot Stir-fried with Giant Grouper in Signature Home X.O. Sauce, and a magnificent centrepiece of a Roasted Suckling Pig Stuffed with Fried Chicken Kimchi Fried Rice, depending on which menu you opt for. À la carte specials, a vegetarian menu, and intimate set menus for two are also available.
Golden Peony’s Chinese New Year offerings will be available from 15 January to 25 February 2024. For reservations, call +65 6432 7482 or make your reservation online here. Golden Peony is at Conrad Centennial Hotel, Level 3, 2 Temasek Boulevard, 038982, Singapore.
Madame Fan's Prosperity Poon Choi
Madame Fan
MICHELIN SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
MICHELIN-Selected Madame Fan ushers in the Year of the Dragon with a host of celebratory spring set menus, à la carte Lunar New Year specials, and takeaway platters for the home.
Those dining in at its sumptuously appointed premises can expect curated set menus ranging from the value-for-money Lunch Set Menu (S$108++ per person) to the luxurious Prosperity Set Menu (S$388++ per person). Depending on which you go for, these will be stuffed with themed goodies like the Braised Giant Grouper with Beancurd Fupi and Chu Hou Sauce (symbolising stability and abundance) and the Stewed Seafood Beancurd Rice.
Another dine-in exclusive that shouldn’t be missed is Madame Fan’s newly introduced Bountiful Blessings Lobster Yu Sheng (S$238++, feeds eight), an appropriately abundant festive platter laden with homemade bak kwa, crispy lotus root, longan, green mango, honey grain mustard yuzu yogurt dressing, and gold flakes for a touch of ritz.
Authentically Cantonese à la carte creations presented with modern flair include the seasonal Geoduck with Japanese Cucumber, Black Fungus, Aged Vinegar (S$68++ per portion), and prosperous Braised South African 6 Head Abalone, Spiky Sea Cucumber, Broccoli (S$128++ per portion).
Diners may also opt for a special Lunar New Year edition Dim Sum, Drink Sum Brunch (from S$118++ per person) for free-flowing festive-themed dim sum paired with handcrafted cocktails, available on 10 to 12 February, 17 to 18 February, and 24 to 25 February 2024.
Take-home extravaganzas are also available for those celebrating at home by way of premium set menus, or a decadent centrepiece of a Prosperity Poon Choi (S$438, feeds five) stacked with abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, and tiger prawns simmered in a homemade abalone broth from 15 January to 25 February 2024, to order at least two days in advance.
Madame Fan’s Chinese New Year offerings will be available from 15 January to 25 February 2024. For reservations, call +65 6818 1921, book your table online here, or email madamefan.nco@marriott.com for take-home celebration platter inquiries. Madame Fan is at 32 Beach Road, The NCO Club, 189764, Singapore.
The 60-inch Dragon's Wealth Yu Sheng from Man Fu Yuan
Man Fu Yuan
MICHELIN SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Man Fu Yuan, a MICHELIN-Selected restaurant, located at the InterContinental Singapore, commemorates the advent of the auspicious Year of the Dragon with resplendent offerings for both dine-in and takeaway.
The gastronomic festivities within the Cantonese restaurant begin with a Man Fu Yuan tradition — a hulking, 60-inch "Dragon’s Wealth" Yu Sheng (S$888++, feeds 10), aptly adorned with a luxurious golden dragon head, tail, and four lucky numbers as a nod to the mythical beast’s associations with good fortune. The festive platter also features luxurious ingredients from rock lobster, sea urchin, ikura, and shredded dried Hokkaido scallops, to salmon sashimi, crispy fish skin, a splash of honey miso golden peach dressing, and fragrant shallot oil.
Depending on the size and preferences of the party present, there are three smaller yu sheng variations, as well as eight prix-fixe menus for a fuss-free reunion gathering. Highlights from the extravagant seven-course Harvest Prix-Fixe Menu (S$1,498++ for five), for example, include the Double-boiled Collagen Soup with Sakura Chicken; Premium Fish Maw, Steamed Atlantic Cod Fish Fillet; and Smoked Roasted Irish duck with Wild Mushroom and Truffle Sauce.
If appetite permits, there are also returning à la carte favourites like the Roasted Suckling Pig with Five Grain Glutinous Rice (S$528++) and Trio Roast Platter (S$68++), featuring honey-glazed Duroc pork belly char siew, roast Duroc pork belly, and braised Sakura chicken.
Treasures for the home — available for pre-order with three days’ advance notice, from now until 25 February 2024 — include the Man Fu Yuan Abundance Treasure Pot (S$498, feeds five), an 18-ingredient spring bounty stuffed with rock lobster, premium sea cucumber, five-head whole abalone, fish maw, Kurobuta sausage, and more; as well as an all-new sweet finisher in the Baked Purple Sweet Potato Nian Gao Tart (S$48.80 for eight pieces), featuring traditional Chinese New Year sweet rice cake ingots encased in a buttery tart base and topped with shredded coconut and gold leaf.
Man Fu Yuan’s Chinese New Year offerings will be available from 15 January to 29 February 2024. For reservations, call +65 6825 1008 or book your table online here. For inquiries on take-home offerings, email intercontinental.dining@ihg.com.manfuyuan.sg. Man Fu Yuan is at InterContinental Singapore, Level 2, 80 Middle Road, 188966, Singapore.
Don't forget to try Shang Palace's new and handcrafted collection of nian gao.
Shang Palace
MICHELIN SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
Shang Palace ushers in the Year of the Dragon with the lavish set menus and festive takeaways, beginning with four abundant eight-course feasts curated by executive Chinese chef Daniel Cheung. Starting at S$188++ per person, guests can expect to dine on a range of seasonal Cantonese delicacies, such as the customary Fortune Yu Sheng with Norwegian Smoked Salmon and Poached Lobster; Steamed Atlantic Cod Fish Fillet with Crystal Noodles and Black Bean Sauce; Pan-fried Foie Gras and Roasted Suckling Pig; and Sautéed Boston Lobster with Superior Stock.
An inclusive seven-course vegetarian-friendly set menu is also available at S$118++ per person, as are a selection of celebratory à la carte creations to bolster the festivities. These include luxe offerings like the Deep-fried Lobster Meat with Black Bean Sauce served in Golden Ring and Braised Abalone, as well as hearty favourites like the Roasted Peking Duck or Braised Pork Knuckle.
Shang Palace’s take-home offerings are not to be overlooked either. Fans of traditional nian gao will appreciate the restaurant’s new handcrafted selection of sweet rice cakes, ranging from the classic to the innovative: think floral-scented Trehalose, Peach Gum, Rose, and Coconut Milk (S$72.80 for 900g); to the savoury Radish Cake with Dried Scallop, Shrimp, and Preserved Meat (S$42.80 for 900g); and the Traditional Nian Gao with Coconut Milk and Brown Sugar (S$32.80 for 900g). Also available for takeaway or delivery from 12 January to 24 February 2024 (three days in advance) are four variations of its yu sheng platter with assorted oceanic toppings like scallop and lobster, along with a decadent poon choi heavy with sea cucumber, abalone, fish maw, and whole dace fish.
Shang Palace’s Chinese New Year offerings will be available from 29 January to 24 February 2024. For reservations, call +65 6123 4398, book your table online here, or email dining.sls@shangri-la.com for take-away delights. Shang Palace is at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, Lobby Level, 22 Orange Grove Road, 258350, Singapore.
Yì By Jereme Leung's host of curated set menus, à la carte specials, and auspicious home-dining bundles.
Yì By Jereme Leung
MICHELIN SelectedMICHELIN Guide Singapore 2023
MICHELIN-Selected restaurant Yì By Jereme Leung unveils a host of curated set menus, à la carte specials, and auspicious home-dining bundles in service of the convivial reunions of the Lunar New Year. The celebration begins with indulgent yu sheng platters layered with premium seasonal ingredients like salmon sashimi and sakura shrimp in the Fortune Yu Sheng, octopus sashimi and Japanese sweet shrimp for the Longevity Yu Sheng, and an imaginative mix of abalone, Spanish Iberico ham, and honey melon in the Prosperity Yu Sheng. All three are scented with the restaurant’s signature Yunnan rose dressing and available for takeaway in two sizes to cater to different parties.
Sweet Chinese New Year treats like the ingot-shaped Homemade “Yuan Bao” Water Chestnut Cake and Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Cake — an aromatic osmanthus-infused rendition of the classic nian gao — are also available for the home from 3 January to 24 February with at least two days’ notice.
Guests dining in at the restaurant, on the other hand, can look forward to three season-exclusive menus ranging from S$198++ to an opulent S$258++ per person, replete with gourmet dishes including Golden Roasted Duck with Passion Fruit Dressing, Double-boiled Fish Maw, Morel Mushroom & Nostoc Pearl Soup, Baked Green Asian Lobster with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce, and a hearty Steamed Glutinous Rice with Abalone, Diced Roasted Duck, and Salted Egg Yolk wrapped in Lotus Leaves.
Yì By Jereme Leung’s Chinese New Year offerings will be available from 10 January to 24 February 2024. For reservations, call +65 6412 1816, book your table online here, or email yi@raffles.com for celebration at home. Yì By Jereme Leung is at Raffles Arcade, #03-02, 328 North Bridge Road, 188719, Singapore.
All images are from the respective restaurants.
Header images is from Shang Palace.
Header images is from Shang Palace.
