Unsurprisingly Singapore has a litany of top-flight Cantonese chefs who can call on a superb range of first-rate ingredients and cheffery techniques that look both backwards and forwards. Thus squid might be deep-fried in traditional manner and served with chilli while scrambled eggs might be counterpointed with caviar and crab meat. Similarly Cantonese food can be fit for a banquet or food on the run. The choice is yours.
Min Jiang, Orchard
What: Bang up-to-date with contemporary elegant furnishings, polished wooden floors and a classy, muted colour scheme, Min Jiang laughs in the face of its years. For almost four decades Min Jiang has been serving some of the best Sichuan and Cantonese dishes in Singapore, today rivalled by dim sum that is served daily from trolleys at lunchtime. In summer, an alfresco dining terrace next to the hotel’s main pool is enviable spot. Check in with the sommelier for the restaurant’s extensive tea selection.
Where: Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road
Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant
What: Consistently voted one of the top restaurants in Singapore, this is refined, elegant and formal dining at its best. Dishes are never short of impressive and you won’t be disappointed with Peking duck or suckling pig, alongside the likes of turbot or fresh crab. Black and gold furnishings and traditional Chinese art means a rather formal showcase atmosphere prevails facilitated by the choice of well-spaced tables or booth seating.
Where: Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza, 320 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238865
Wah Lok
What: An age-old Singapore favourite that currently looks as fresh as ever with its elegant, contemporary decor and attractive floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the bustling Bras Basah Road. Food is high spec and visually stunning so take your time and soak up the ambience of a restaurant continuing to play to the top of its game.
Where: Carlton Hotel Singapore, 76 Bras Basah Road, Level 2
Summer Palace
What: This Michelin one-star churns out classic Cantonese dishes and an extensive array of dim sum delicacies, fit for royalty and consistently applauded by press and guests alike. Traditional oriental interior combines magically with the verdant setting outside.
Where: 1 Cuscaden Road, Singapore
LingZhi
What: Chinese vegetarian gourmet cuisine may still sound novel but at LingZhi it has been hitting the spot ever since 1991. The restaurant continues to innovate and the quality holds as much pull for meat-lovers as it does for confirmed veggies. Whether it’s steamed Lotus bun, mushroom dumpling or a crispy curry puff, the flavours will convert even the most hardened carnivore. Equally, don’t miss their French beans with toona sauce or their wonderful stir-fried Shanghai cabbage. Easy, quotidian surrounds.
Where: LingZhi Vegetarian Liat Towers #05-01, 541 Orchard Road
Candlenut
What: “The world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan” (or Nyonya) restaurant takes a contemporary but authentic approach to traditional Chinese food with delightful Javanese and Indonesian twists. Tangy and spicy, the results are exciting and often elevated, balancing refinement while preserving the essence of traditional Chinese cooking.
Where: 17A Dempsey Road
