Belly ‘shiok’
Celebrate Christmas in true Singaporean style with Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium’s new take-home Shiok Christmas Package. It includes a platter of local roast meat favourites to complement a whole Salt Baked Laksa Turkey, which is cooked in a salt-baked crust after being marinated in the restaurant’s signature laksa paste to lend a spicy kick to the dish. Top it off with the nation’s pride, Tiger, in the new-to-market Black and White Beers.
www.singaporeatrium.holidayinn.com/festive
Contemporary Cantonese
Progressive Cantonese restaurant Mitzo Restaurant and Bar presents its alternative take on the classic Christmas dinner as interpreted by Executive Head Chef Nicky Ng, who spices up the year-end festive feasting with premium ingredients including soya poached foie gras and double-boiled abalone soup with morel mushroom and turkey. Priced at $128++ per person, diners also receive a complimentary glass the restaurant’s holiday exclusive “Spice & Glitter” Festive Cocktail to go with their meal.
www.mitzo.sg
Jewels of the kitchen
From now till 25 Dec, discover a treasure trove of take-home goodies from Orchard Hotel’s Mon Bijou. Those on the hunt for a savoury festive centerpiece should consider the Baby Pork Ribs Glazed with Okinawa Sugar and Balsamic, which is Executive Chef Vincent Aw’s rendition of Chinese sweet & sour pork ribs. For the sweet-toothed, the artisanal bistro’s Pastry Chef Virginia and her team have debuted two new log cake flavours (pictured alongside the Traditional Whole Roasted Turkey): Mango Mousse with Passionfruit Jelly and Vanilla Sponge Log, and Guanaja Chocolate Mousse with Apple and Brownies Log.
www.monbijou.sg
Gather round
Partake in an extensive 11-course Festive Brunch Communal Menu on Christmas Day at The Halia at Singapore Botanic Gardens, featuring Christmas classics such as the Whole Roast Wagyu Striploin, 48 Hours Spare Rib and Slow-cooked Chicken Breast accompanied by hearty side dishes. Priced at $380++ for a group of four (Requires $50++ deposit per adult & $25++ deposit per child), this one-day-only brunch affair runs from 10am to 5pm, and features a wide range of seafood selections served with the restaurant’s homemade ginger flower Sambal & fresh lime, topped off with a series of special festive desserts.
www.thehalia.com
Christmas on the Alps
Experience Christmas in true French style as Chef Jérémy Gillon of Audace Bar & Restaurant presents a 7-course degustation dinner menu ($168++ per person, $26++ for children 6-12 years old) at 7-10pm on 23 & 24 Dec, inclusive of premium Gillardeau oysters, Foie gras and Turkey infused with his signature Alpine herbs. The chef also brings his family favourite to the table this season in the form of a “White Pudding”: a delicious blend of chicken, milk, egg and onions, enriched with cep mushrooms. Dessert is Christmas tree sorbet infused with Génépi, an alpine herbal liqueur.
www.audace.com.sg/reservations
Dreamy indulgences
1872 Clipper Tea Co. has unveiled three new ice-cream flavour inspired tea blends translating to guilt-free decadence in a tea cup: Matcha, Blueberry and Salted Caramel. The loose tea leaves are also decorated with Instagram-worthy festive trimmings such as sugar pastel stars and floral fruit bits in Blueberry, and edible gold glitter in Salted Caramel.
www.clippertea.com.sg
Festive favourites
Artisanal tea company PIN TEA’s Christmas exclusive, Merry Mount, is returning this season for a limited time only. This prized yellow chrysanthemum tea is hand-picked from the snow-capped Kunlun mountains in Tibet, and is to be steeped gently for a blend of floral aromas and golden hues. Available at Isetan’s RE-Style section for local designers as well as Naiise pop-up stores.
www.pintea.sg
Jolly cuppa
This year, Starbucks has introduced an all-new addition to its holiday beverages with the Christmas Tree Dark Mocha, designed to resemble a Christmas tree with its green tea whipped cream topping sprinkled with green and red candies. The base is a decadent dark mocha available hot or iced ($7.10, tall), or as a tall Frappuccino for $7.80.
www.starbucks.com
Gourmet gifting
Japanese confectionery brand Yoku Moku is making its debut in Singapore this Jan 2018 with the opening of its flagship store at ION Orchard. But before that, fans of these famous Sweden-made butter cookies can first get their hands on the brand’s signatures, including the hand-crafted Cigare, at two pop-up stores in December. The cookie tins, adorned in up to 16 layers of paint and crafted with painstaking attention detail, are designed to look like treasure boxes, and make perfect Christmas gifts.
Yoku Moku can be found in Dec 2017 at ION Orchard (Level 1) from 1-31 Dec, 10am to 10pm, and Takashimaya (near Cold Storage, Christmas Fair, B2) from 4-25 Dec, 10am to 9.30pm. www.yokumoku.com