Singapore’s Chinese dining scene enters a dynamic new chapter, as timeless traditions meet contemporary creativity across institutions and exciting new concepts alike.
Text by Anton D. Javier
HAI TIEN LO
At Pan Pacific Singapore’s celebrated Cantonese restaurant, Hai Tien Lo, a new chapter unfolds with the appointment of Executive Chinese Chef Edden Yap. With three decades of experience spanning kitchens in Dubai, Macau, and China, Chef Yap brings both precision and creativity to the restaurant’s repertoire. His culinary journey, from humble beginnings in Kuala Lumpur to award-winning establishments like Lotus Palace and DIVA in W Macau, informs his philosophy of cooking with the “taste of home,” where comfort and refinement meet.
His menu boasts both tradition and innovation. Dishes like deep-fried Ibérico pork spareribs glazed in creamy sauce and brightened with freshly shredded lime zest exemplify his flair for marrying bold flavours with delicate execution. Classics like braised South African abalone with sea cucumber in oyster abalone sauce, or the restorative double-boiled dendrobium chicken soup, preserve the time-honoured roots of Cantonese cuisine. Every detail, from house-made fish stock and hand-crafted dim sum to sustainable practices like featuring locally farmed Soon Hock, reflects his commitment to freshness and craft.
Visit Hai Tien Lo at Level 3, Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard, Tel: 6826 8240
TÓNG LÈ PRIVATE DINING
Singapore’s only revolving restaurant, Tóng Lè Private Dining, turns with a new rhythm under Senior Executive Chef To Kwok Kim, aka Chef Dicky. A Hong Kong–born culinary veteran with 36 years of experience across Guangzhou, Macau, Shanghai, Tokyo, Paris, and London, Chef Dicky now leads the restaurant’s creative team with a vision that blends tradition with contemporary artistry. His menus revive heirloom recipes with luxurious interpretations, underscored by premium ingredients and masterful technique.
Highlights include snow crab legs presented three ways: Steamed with minced shrimp, wok-fried Typhoon Shelter-style, and reimagined as a cuttlefish ball, as well as a theatrical platter of caviar with black truffle, lobster, and house-made tofu layered over rare Putian seaweed. Comfort is equally celebrated in soulful broths like the double-boiled Australian sea cucumber with Chaoshan pickled plum, while indulgence comes in the form of claypot fried rice rich with Saga Wagyu, foie gras, and smoky caramelised soy.
Visit Tóng Lè Private Dining at Level 10, OUE Tower, 60 Collyer Quay, Tel: +65 6634 3233
XING YUE XUAN
The JUMBO Group makes its foray into premium Cantonese dining with the debut of Xing Yue Xuan, a refined new concept at Resorts World Sentosa. Located within WEAVE, the restaurant presents an elevated interpretation of Cantonese culinary artistry, pairing age-old traditions with contemporary flair in an intimate, elegant setting inspired by Chao Shan architecture.
The menu is built around live seafood and soulful classics, executed with precision and theatre. Begin with the double-boiled fish maw and kampung chicken soup, a broth rich in depth and nourishment, before moving on to signatures like Dong Po pork belly in Hakka style, its tender layers bound in bamboo leaf string and braised to melting perfection. The restaurant’s “Fuss-Free Crab” pays homage to JUMBO’s legacy with three interpretations – iconic chilli, bold black pepper, or a refined steamed version with custard egg and caviar. Equally indulgent is the abalone and sea cucumber fragrant rice, wok-fried before being served sizzling in a stone pot, offering a satisfying finale of texture and flavour.
Visit Xing Yue Xuan at Resorts World Sentosa WEAVE, 26 Sentosa Gateway, #B1-201, Tel: 8031 0096
