Awesome Value Christmas Feasts

Christmas and the festivities often mean inflated prices all around town. But you don’t have to bust your budget with these simplyfab deals we sniffed out. Thank goodness for restaurants and hotels who are firm on doling out good value. And trust us to pick out only the swanky spots…

Heart Bistro

This ultimate tai tai hang out is serving up a classy, classic Christmas in its spacious spot in Palais Renaissance. Start with a glass of  warm Christmas spiced wine, followed by an appetiser of cured carpaccio of salmon with a dijon dill dressing or Slow roasted pumpkin soup with aromatics + honey. Mains is a choice of roasted turkey roll stuffed with porcini mushrooms + chestnuts with a giblet sauce or roasted shoulder of lamb with a caper mint sauce. End off with Christmas pudding with brandy caramel. See, you don’t need to stuff yourself like a turkey to have a great Christmas – here’s all the good things rolled in a nice, healthy, bikini-friendly menu. (May we suggest a girls’ afternoon out? First a shopping spree or a facial at Sothys next door, then an elegant slither over to the restaurant for yums. How’s that for picking up the Christmas spirit?) The menu is priced at $43++ for lunch, $53++ for dinner. $68++ on Christmas eve and New Year’s eve. By the way, if you want to get a turkey for Christmas lunch, here’s one of the best takeaway deals in town – $100 per bird (4kg) in Szechuan peppercorn with Chinese wine & giblet sauce.

atrium @ palais renaissance

390, Orchard Road, B1-08/09/10C

Tel : 6737-2148

Wangz Hotel

Away from the crush of the Orchard Road crowds, this relatively new family run boutique hotel is a quaint spot to find some tranquility. It’s great for a Christmas date as there’s lots of old  streets nearby to walk around, and a cute rooftop bar for sundowners with a view before heading downstairs to Nectar for dinner. At $140++ for two, their 6 course Christmas eve menu starts with pan seared duck foie gras with caramelised pineapples, a Roasted Tomato Soup with sweet peppers and spinach dumplings, then a green apple sorbet. Main dishes is a choice of beef wellington with mushrooms and asparagus with sherry wine sauce, or red snapper and scallops with carrots and orange confit. End with a raspberry logcake with gingerbread panna cotta.

231 Outram Road

Tel: 6595 1388 or email inquiry@wangzhotel.com

Klapsons, the Boutique Hotel

Until Christmas Eve, this boutique hotel in Tanjong Pagar is serving up a nice little ‘semi buffet’ in its avant garde restaurant, Lucas. A cosy spot, it’s a favourite for corporate do’s, so make sure you call ahead for reservations before turning up with your colleagues! For $48++ at lunch and $68++ for dinner, pick on a spread of appetisers, soups, salads and desserts on the buffet table. You then choose a main course – Duet of Maine Lobster Tail in Vermouth and Normandy Butter and Pan Seared Supreme of Chicken with Glazed Blueberries on Parsnip Puree and Organic Baby Spinach or ‘55’ Degree Veal Tenderloin with Pan Seared Foie Gras and Glazed Raspberries with Baby Vegetables and a Morel Port Wine Sauce to be served. Lunch includes a little gift for each guest, while dinner includes an additional glass of wine. Lunch is priced at $48++ per person with every paying diner entitled to a Christmas gift, and is available from 12noon to 2.30pm. The semi-buffet spread is also available during dinner, priced at $68++ per person with every paying diner entitled to a glass of house pouring wine and a Christmas gift.

15 Hoe Chiang Road

Tel:  6521 9001 or email fnb@klapsons.com

Jade, The Fullerton Hotel

Bet you didn’t expect Jade, an incredibly polished fine dining Chinese restaurant, to be listed among places to go for great value. But it is and it does. I just keep wondering why more people don’t rave over it like I do. The food is great, the presentation splendid, and the service is perfect and the setting just blows you away – and none of it pretentious, and just the way I like it. Plus, all this is immersed in one of the most historical settings in Singapore. This Christmas, do it Chinese style under the able hands of Master Chef Leong Chee Yeng, a young,  super creative force in my books, thank you. Ask for the festive six-course dinner (from $88 per person) which I am assuming is served in single portions, gorgeously plated western style as is their usual practice. Here’s what’s on the menu – Sliced Roasted Suckling Pig, Braised Shark’s Fin with Baby Abalone and Scallop in Golden Broth, Sautéed Sliced Turkey with Foie Gras, Shimeiji Mushroom and Capsicum and Pan-fried Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Barbeque Sauce Served with Fragrant Fried Rice with Bacon, Pumpkin and Ginger. You know, you always get absolutely great value from Chinese food. Available only on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

1 Fullerton Square

Tel:  68778188

Szechuan Court

Speaking of Chinese, Szechuan Court at Fairmont Hotel Singapore is hiding another wonderful talent in the form of  Chef Sebastian Goh. He’s got some Yuletide meals going on with Christmas set menus from S$78++ per person. Expect  Salmon Tartar with Smoked Duck Roll; Braised Shredded Fish Lips, Dried Scallop and Turkey in Superior Thick Broth; Slow-Boiled Tonic Soup with Fish Belly, Fish Cartilage and Thorny Sea Cucumber;; Grilled Wagyu Beef Roll with Golden Mushroom and Avocado Mocha Ice-Cream with Bird’s Nest. On Christmas day and eve, guests get treated to complimentary servings of Christmas turkey and ham and live carving station too. If grandma is coming along, how about Christmas Day dim sum buffet at $33.80 per person (kids at $16.80)?

Introbar

Of course, Christmas is when we all get as stuffed as the turkey, so it’s forgiveable if we just want to meet up for a drink. Head to Swissotel The Stamford’s street level bar, Introbar at the Equinox Complex, and fuel up on Moët & Chandon Brut at a  happy price of $84++ per bottle, or for a bit of pink indulgence, Moët & Chandon Rosé at $105++ per bottle. Chin Chin!

80 Bras Basah Complex

Tel: 6837 3322