When boxes of mandarin oranges go up for sale at your local supermarket, familiar music takes over your local shopping mall and red decorations are put up overnight, it can only mean one thing ­– the Lunar New Year is here! And with the prosperous celebrations comes the delicious food during reunion dinner with friends and family. If you’re stumped picking out a dining spot this Lunar New Year, here’s X auspicious dining options that’s sure to satisfy everyone.

Park Hotel Clarke Quay

The Park Hotel Clarke Quay celebrates the Year of the Rat with a specially curated menu crafted by the hotel's banquet chef, James Wong. Opt for the 8-course Ultimate Success Menu ($768++ per table of 9 to 10 pax), with must-try dishes like the Steamed Garoupa with Yellow Bean Paste, Braised Baby Abalone with Chinese Mushroom, Sea Cucumber and Chinese Spinach, Chicken with Chinese Sausage, Lily Buds, Black and White Fungus and the 2-Style Potato Salad and Golden Almond Flakes. Upgrade to the Auspicious Abundance Yu Sheng (add $38 nett to course menu) to savour premium ingredients like pan-seared US scallops and uniquely crispy “lao shu fen” crackers.

The other set course menus available include the 8-course Prosperity ($698++ per table of 7 to 8 pax), 7-course Longevity ($648++ per table of 6 to 7 pax) and 6-course Harmony ($388++ per table of 4 to 5 pax). These are available from January 10 to February 8 for lunch (12pm to 2pm) and dinner (1st seating: 5.30pm to 7.30pm; 2nd seating: 8.30pm to 10.30pm). Make a reservation before your visit.

Lime Restaurant, Parkroyal on Pickering

There’s no better place to relish the Lunar New Year festivities than in the heart of Chinatown itself. Until February 7, the Lime Restaurant at Parkroyal on Pickering will be hosting a bountiful Feast of Fortune buffet, which includes Braised Longevity Noodles with Crab Meat Sauce, Braised Pork Trotters with Dried Oysters, Mushroom and Sea Moss, and the Steamed Whole Sea Bass in Assam Nenas Sauce, among many other delectable dishes.

Alternatively, there’s the Joyful Reunions menu with crowd-pleasers like the Roasted Angus Tomahawk, Roasted Eel Unagi Platter, Glutinous Rice Suckling Pig and Longevity Noodles with Chopped Truffles and Salted Egg Yolk. Reserve a table to enjoy a complimentary Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and if you book a table for 6 or more, you will also receive a complimentary Prosperity Yu Sheng platter.

Mimi, The Riverhouse

Treat your family to something different this Lunar New Year at Mimi at The Riverhouse, a Chinese tapas restaurant. The Lunar Soirée features 3 festive menus until February 9. Choose between set A ($68++ per pax for 4 to 6 pax), set B ($88++ per pax for 6 to 8 pax) or set C ($108++ per pax for 8 to 10 pax). Some of the delicious options in each set menu are the Superior Collagen Broth with foie gras wantons, braised abalone with mushrooms and Ho See Fat Choy (set A); Mimi's signature roast duck, salmon sabayon, truffle fried rice and scallops (set B); and stewed sea cucumber and duck, black cod and abalone pork trotter (set C). But no matter which you choose, you will kickstart the dinner with the Mimi Prosperity Akagai Yu Sheng.

There are also private dining areas with scenic views overlooking Clarke Quay foundation square. A minimum spend of $400 for lunch and $800 for dinner is required for a group of minimum 6 pax, with the larger room requiring a minimum spend of $800 for lunch and $1,500 for dinner.

Candlenut, COMO Dempsey

Toss to the Lunar New Year with Candlenut’s Yu Sheng “Lo- Hei” Platter before indulging in a full spread of Peranakan delights. In addition to familiar yu sheng favourites, there are also dried orange peel, candied winter melon, golden pillow crackers, pomelo, green mango slices and arrowhead chips. Plus, there’s unique ingreidnets such as gula melaka and ginger flower in homemade plum dressing for a truly Southeast Asian concoction that you can toss for a prosperous new year.

The Yu Sheng “Lo-Hei” Platter is available from January 23 to February 8 for dine-in, or pre-order one day in advance for takeaway. It’s priced at $68++ (for 4 to 6 pax), or add Norwegian salmon slices for an extra $28++ or abalone for an additional $48++.

COMO Cuisine, COMO Dempsey

COMO Cuisine believes in eating well, and its Prosperity Toss Salad Yu Sheng mirrors that motto with market fresh vegetables like shaved white and red cabbage, daikon and cucumber rounds, diced dragon fruit, snake gourd and pomelo, with the highlight being raw Tasmanian Petuna ocean trout slices. Also try their festive specials especially for the Lunar New Year, like the Five Spice Chicken Wings ($14++), Porchetta ($44++), Steamed Fish ($38++), Kailan ($10++) and Pineapple Pie ($14++).

Have the Prosperity Toss Salad Yu Sheng for dine-in lunch or dinner on January 26 and 27, no preorders necessary. Choose between a small platter ($24++ for 2 pax) or large platter ($48 for 4 pax). The festive specials are only available for brunch on January 26 and dinner on January 27, priced from $10++.

Proofer Bakery

Pizza for Lunar New Year? Sounds like a stretch, but Proofer Bakery’s pizzas are a savoury twist to quintessential Chinese New Year tastes and flavours. The Let’s Bakkwa is topped with loads chicken bakkwa, shredded chicken, chicken ham, capsicum, pineapple, and finished with cheese, roasted sesame sauce and chicken floss. There’s also the Bring Yu Prosperity, a seafood variant featuring flecks of kanifumi (crabstick meat), tuna, onions and capsicum, along with creamy cheese and tomato sauce. Each 11-inch pizzas will only set you back $14.90.

4 special Prosperity Buns are also available until January 31. Wealth (hard boiled eggs, ham, corn, sliced cheese, mayonnaise, and celery), Longevity (walnuts, almond flakes, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and raisins), Good Fortune (curry chicken, hard-boiled eggs, topped with bread crumbs) and Abundance (tuna, mayonnaise, white and black sesame). Try one bun at $2 or sample them all for $6.

Unagiya Ichinoji, Suntec City

Especially for Japanese cuisine lovers among the family is the Unagi Yusheng with Crispy Udon ($88++). This yu sheng features with the restaurant’s signature grilled eel and crispy udon made by udon specialist Udon Kamon, along with shredded cucumber, carrot, radish, purple cabbages, Japanese pickles, chuka karrage; ikura, ebiko, yuzu peels and pork floss.

Also introduced for Lunar New Year is the Ichinoji Seafood Treasure Pot with Ginseng Chicken (S$108++), the restaurants take on the traditional pencai. Inside, there’s plenty of grilled unagi, abalone, black tiger prawns, Japanese scallops, fish maw, fish roe fish cake, shiitake mushroom, enoki mushroom and Japanese cabbage. It comes with your choice of Japanese Hokkaido white rice or 16 multi-grain rice too. These dishes are only available at Unagiya Ichinoji Suntec City and must be ordered 4 days in advance. Takeaways are available.

Yàn, National Gallery Singapore

Fish is served every Lunar New Year as a symbol of ample surplus for the coming year. Ensure you get more than your fill of Yàn’s Steamed Star Grouper with Yunnan Preserved Vegetables and Cordyceps Flower. The dish brims with well-wishes for auspiciousness and good health; abundance is denoted by the wild-caught fish, which is filleted and arranged in the shape of a dragon to symbolise power, strength, and good luck. Cordyceps flowers are also believed to replenish one’s energy and strengthen the immune system.

If feasting at home is more your thing, opt to takeaway the Yàn Harvest Pen Cai ($280 for 5 pax; $560 for 10 pax). This grand claypot of 18 ingredients is set to be the highlight at all reunion tables, whether at Yàn or as part of the merriment at home. Available for dine-in too, this dish must be ordered at least 2 days in advance.

Racines, Sofitel Singapore City Centre

Toss to good fortune with Racines’ duo of auspicious Yu Sheng. The Traditional Yu Sheng ($108+) features a harmonious dance of pickled chayote, cornichons and kohlrabi that coalesces with shredded celeriac, caviar lime and homemade cured trout. Meanwhile, the Luxe Abalone Yu Sheng ($138+) brings a touch of opulence with generous helpings of premium sliced abalone. You may even pick your own yu sheng dressing here - authentic plum dressing, a balanced variant infused with yuzu, and a sweet and spicy Thai-style oriental option. The two yu sheng are available for dine-in and takeaway.

Many associate the Lunar New Year to pineapple tarts and there are even those who would get into a heated debate on who has the better pineapple tart. Here at Racines, you’ll be happy to know that you can get your hands on executive pastry chef Sam Leong’s best-selling pineapple tarts with a choice of two flavours: subtly sweet and tangy Coconut Malibu or savoury and creamy Foie Gras.

V Dining, Scotts Square

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a twist at V-Dining, a new concept by V-Zug. Dispense with the traditional with an inventive fine dining experience that brings a fusion of East and West in the best way possible ­­– featuring a new take on the classic yu sheng with dehydrated fruit (made specially with V-Zug appliances) and a sumptuous eight course menu which includes a delectable Drunken Chicken with wolfberry and shaoxing wine; a savoury and rich double boiled crab meat soup with black fungus, tofu, egg; and perfectly cooked and seasoned steamed cod with leeks, Chinese parsley, ginger, and wolfberries, among others.

A true standout of the menu is roast pork belly served three-ways with mustard, apply sauce, and seafood sauce. The crispy crackling skin and melt-in-your-mouth layer of fat is absolutely delightful. An 8-course meal starts at $128++ per person for 8 pax, and up to $1608++ for a 10-course menu for 10 pax.

Grand Shanghai, King’s Centre

If you’re a traditionalist, Chinese New Year would be best spent at the famous Grand Shanghai restaurant, in a menu that sticks close to the roots of fine Shanghainese and Cantonese cuisine. Priced from $588++ to $2,888++ for 4 to 10 pax respectively, usher in the year of the Rat with loved ones and enjoy an exquisite 8 or 9-course menu of elaborate culinary creations prepared with the finest ingredients from around the world.

Feast on standout dishes such as Prosperity Yu Sheng, a classic elevated with fresh and premium seafood like Australian Lobster and 3-head abalone, 6-head Abalone Fortune Pot, a rich and nourishing broth packed with a medley of abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, prawn and pork knuckle; the Crispy Smoked Duck, the restaurant’s signature duck dish infused with Osmanthus tea-leaf; and a Shanghainese take on the traditional Nian Gao with Cane Sugar, a sticky rice-cake lovingly hand-pounded and symbolising increasing prosperity each year. Each menu differs according to price range.

Min Jiang, Goodwood Park Hotel and Dempsey

Toast to longevity this festive season with the Longevity Noodles with Baby Abalones and Roasted Iberico Pork Loin ($201.14 nett for 6 pax) from both Min Jiang outlets in Goodwood Park Hotel and Dempsey. A contemporary twist melding both Asian and Western influences, this dish uses al dente pasta instead of traditional Chinese egg noodles. The pasta is tossed in an umami-laden combination of soya sauce, shallot oil and chopped dried kombu, topped with braised baby abalones and chopped chives. The tender Iberico pork is marinated overnight before being baked.

Over at Min Jiang Dempsey, you will also be able to find some outlet exclusive dishes for takeaway, such as the Min Jiang at Dempsey Five Fortune Takeaway Platter ($104.85 nett), Braised Pork Belly with Tientsin Cabbage Roll and Sea Treasures in Claypot ($318.85 nett, includes claypot) and Fortune Delight Crispy Silver Hill Duck with Glutinous Rice ($211.85 nett). Available for both dine-in and takeaway at Min Jiang dempsey are the Auspicious Deep-fried Pork Knuckle with Pickled Cabbage ($78++ for dine-in; $83.45 nett for takeaway) and Claypot Reunion Rice (from $78++ for dine-in; from $83.45 nett for takeaway.

Yun Nans, Jewel Changi Airport

Make your Lunar New Year celebrations this year extra special by gathering everyone together for a hot pot experience, which also symbolises wealth year-round. The Yun Nans Prosperity Treasure Hot Pot (from $168 for 6 pax) broth is specially boiled for 6 hours using aged hen, aged duck, pork bones and aged dry-cured ham. Then premium-grade ingredients are added, such as Yunnan wheat pumpkin, pig skin, prawn, sea cucumber, abalone and morchella.

As part of Yun Nans’ Chinese New Year menus (from $268++ onwards), you can taste the restaurant’s winning dish, Signature Steam Pot Chicken with Matsutake Mushrooms and Morchella. This soup is brewed without using a single drop of water. Instead, the chicken is pressure-steamed for three hours, and the highly prized matsutake mushroom lends a spicy-aromatic fragrance and tantalising flavour. It pairs impeccably with the delicate and meaty morchella. The soup is surprisingly clear, delicate, nourishing and robust without any hint of greasiness.

Blue Jasmine, Park Hotel

Invite your Muslim friends over to celebrate the Lunar New Year at Blue Jasmin, which is serving pork-free dishes throughout the festivities. It’s Lunar New Year Eve reunion dinner buffet ($58++) combines Chinese and Thai cuisine. Start with the Thai Chin Yu Sheng ($68++) features slices of silky salmon gravlax on a bed of vegetables and fruit including the quintessentially Thai green mango and papaya alongside pomelo and pickles.

Then head to the buffet, featuring festive specials such as the smashed cucumber salad with seafood, fish maw soup, steamed grouper, spice braised duck, claypot rice, and the “wat tan hor fun” from the live station that will cook the noodles upon order. Also, don’t forget to head over to the dessert station, which includes sweets such as mango sticky rice, durian sticky rice, almond bean curd with mixed fruits, sweet glutinous rice ball soup and more.

The Square Restaurant, Novotel Clarke Quay

The Square Restaurant, Novotel Clarke Quay is dishing out a stellar variety of Chinese New Year goodies this year, be sure to indulge yourselves with a crackling lineup of treats featuring popular Chinese New Dishes such as Golden Roasted Chicken, Salted Egg Prawns, Bakkwa Chicken Floss Swiss Roll, Pan-fried Nian Gao and many more.

Chinese New Year Eve Dinner is priced at $88++ per adult, and $68++ per adult if you prefer to dine on the day itself. Discounts are available per children 5-12 years old and senior citizens. Lunch buffet is served at 12:00pm to 2:20pm while the dinner buffet is hosted between 6pm to 10pm.

#ChineseNewYear #LunarNewYear #CNY #CNY2020 #chinesenewyeardinner #Chinesecuisine