December’s dining promotions offer exceptional value across various cuisines, but the real question is: what are you actually getting on your plate? Here’s an in-depth look at the standout dishes from each deal.
Premium Value: INDOCAFE’s Peranakan Tasting Menu
The Deal: 1-for-1 at $34++ per person (weekdays only)
Dish Analysis: This five-course journey represents authentic Peranakan cuisine at half price. The Trio Platter opener showcases three labor-intensive preparations: the five-spice Ngoh Hiang with its crispy bean curd skin, delicate Kueh Pie Tee cups filled with jicama and prawns, and grilled Otah Otah with its signature blend of fish paste and spices.
The main course choice between Babi Pongteh and Wagyu Beef Rendang is where this deal truly shines. The Babi Pongteh, a Peranakan classic of braised pork with fermented bean paste and cinnamon, requires hours of slow cooking to achieve its rich, caramelized flavor. The Wagyu Beef Rendang option (with $10++ top-up) elevates the traditional spice-laden coconut curry with premium marbling that renders beautifully in the slow-cooked sauce.
The Sayur Lodeh side brings balance with its mild coconut vegetable curry, while dessert options like Kueh Salat (pandan glutinous rice with coconut custard) provide the signature sweet finish Peranakan meals are known for.
Value Verdict: At effectively $34++ for cuisine that typically commands $68++ per person, this is exceptional value for Michelin Bib Gourmand quality.
Nourishing Comfort: BOMUL Samgyetang
The Deal: 1-for-1 (until December 6)
Dish Analysis: Samgyetang is Korean comfort food at its most therapeutic. A whole young chicken is stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng, jujubes, and garlic, then simmered until the meat falls off the bone and the broth becomes deeply nourishing.
The Rejuvenation broth ($36++) uses aged black garlic, which adds umami depth and a subtle sweetness without the pungency of fresh garlic. The fermentation process creates antioxidant-rich compounds that complement the ginseng’s earthy notes. The Energy broth ($36++) incorporates Korean perilla powder, introducing a nutty complexity similar to sesame but with herbaceous undertones.
The recommended Minari Pancake ($22++) is a smart pairing. Korean water parsley has a distinctive crisp texture and peppery flavor that cuts through the richness of the soup, while the thin, crispy pancake provides textural contrast to the tender chicken.
Value Verdict: Samgyetang typically runs $30-40++ per bowl in Singapore, making the 1-for-1 deal essentially a 50% discount on already reasonably priced comfort food.
Crowd-Pleaser: Haidilao Buffet
The Deal: $34.95++ per person for two diners (weekdays 11am-4pm, until December 12)
Dish Analysis: The all-you-can-order format allows for maximum customization. Starting with two soup bases, the Mala Milk option is particularly interesting—the numbing Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil are mellowed by milk, creating a creamy, spicy broth that’s less aggressive than traditional mala.
The 10 meat options include Haidilao Beef and Haidilao Prawn Paste, both house specialties designed for hotpot cooking. The prawn paste, in particular, is hand-minced and shaped into delicate balls that cook quickly while maintaining a bouncy texture. Cheese Tofu and Mini Cheese Sausages lean into the indulgent, Instagram-friendly side of modern hotpot culture.
Value Verdict: At $34.95++ per person with a two-hour dining limit, this undercuts typical Haidilao pricing significantly. The all-you-can-order format means bold eaters can maximize value, though quality remains consistent with regular service.
Unexpected Luxury: YenneY Vietnamese Omakase
The Deal: $39.90++ for 10 courses (regular price $59.90++)
Dish Analysis: The term “omakase” applied to Vietnamese cuisine is unconventional, but the set menu format delivers a comprehensive tour of Vietnam’s culinary regions. The Hanoi Fried Spring Roll represents northern Vietnam’s delicate hand rolls, wrapped tight in rice paper and fried until shattering crisp.
The standout is the YY A5 Wagyu Beef Pho. Traditional pho relies on hours of simmering beef bones to create its signature broth, but here, A5 Wagyu brings unprecedented richness. The high fat content means the beef slices require mere seconds in the hot broth, emerging butter-tender with marbled fat that melts into the soup.
Egg Coffee concludes the meal with Vietnamese ingenuity—whipped egg yolk and condensed milk create a foam similar to Italian zabaglione, sitting atop strong drip coffee. It’s dessert and caffeine in one cup, with the sweet cream tempering the coffee’s bitterness.
Value Verdict: A 10-course meal for under $40++ is remarkable value, especially with A5 Wagyu featured. The CBD location makes it ideal for business lunches with impressive presentations at modest pricing.
Seasonal Specialty: Yakiniku-GO Snow Crab
The Deal: 300g snow crab for $9.90++ with any set meal purchase (until March 3, 2026)
Dish Analysis: Suwaigani (snow crab) season peaks in winter, when the crabs are fattiest and sweetest. At 300g, you’re getting substantial meat content—snow crab legs are prized for their delicate, sweet flesh that’s less briny than king crab but more refined than Dungeness.
Grilling snow crab yakiniku-style allows the sugars in the meat to caramelize slightly, intensifying sweetness while the fat renders. The key is not overcooking—snow crab meat can turn rubbery quickly. The grill-it-yourself format gives you control over doneness.
Value Verdict: Snow crab typically retails for $50-80 per kg in Singapore, making 300g worth roughly $15-24. At $9.90++ with a set meal purchase, this is genuine seasonal value, though you’ll need to order a set to access the deal.
Budget Champion: Jiale Kopitiam
The Deal: $7 weekday lunch buffet (10am-2pm)
Dish Analysis: This is zichar economics at work. The daily rotation of dishes like lychee fish, honey-glazed pork, curry chicken, and stir-fried vegetables represents home-style Chinese cooking optimized for volume. Lychee fish typically features battered white fish in a sweet-sour sauce studded with lychee fruit, balancing crispy coating with syrupy glaze.
The buffet format with fried rice or noodles as the carb base allows for maximum satiety at minimum cost. The key limitation is that dishes rotate daily, so you can’t predict exactly what’s available—but at $7, flexibility is the trade-off for value.
Value Verdict: At $7 for unlimited cai fan-style dishes, this is among Singapore’s cheapest proper lunch options. A typical cai fan meal with three dishes runs $4-6, so the unlimited aspect offers genuine value for hearty eaters.
Anniversary Special: Monster Curry
The Deal: $13++ katsu curry (December 1-7 only, dine-in only)
Dish Analysis: Japanese curry katsu is comfort food engineering: crispy panko-breaded protein meets thick, slightly sweet curry sauce with a base of onions, carrots, and potatoes. The Classic Pork Katsu Curry features a thick-cut pork loin, pounded and breaded, fried until the panko creates a shattering crust that stays crisp even when ladled with curry.
The Big Fish Katsu uses white fish (likely dory or barramundi), which requires careful frying to maintain moisture inside while achieving crunch outside. The Chicken Katsu Curry is the leanest option, using breast meat that benefits from the curry’s richness.
Monster Curry’s sauce is notably sweet compared to traditional Japanese curry houses, with apple and honey often included in the roux for a mellower, kid-friendly profile.
Value Verdict: At $13++, this undercuts Monster Curry’s typical $18-22++ pricing for katsu curry mains. The one-week window creates urgency, and dine-in only ensures restaurant traffic during the anniversary week.
Luxe for Less: Yue Oyster Pairing
The Deal: $1.99++ per Irish oyster (4pm-8pm on select dates)
Dish Analysis: Irish oysters are prized for their clean, mineral-forward flavor profile. The cold Atlantic waters produce oysters with firm meat and a briny finish that’s less aggressive than Pacific varieties. At $1.99++, these are freshly shucked to order, meaning you’re getting live oysters at prices typically reserved for happy hours.
The Half Dozen Irish Oysters with wine pairing at $19.90++ is strategic pricing—six oysters and a glass of wine would typically cost $35-45 at hotel restaurants. The oysters’ brininess pairs particularly well with crisp white wines or sparkling options, which cut through the richness while complementing the sea flavor.
The top-up option at $1.99++ per additional piece means serious oyster lovers can indulge without the usual $4-6 per piece pricing.
Value Verdict: Hotel pricing for oysters is usually premium, making this promotion genuinely generous. The select-date format (December 25, then monthly into 2026) creates anticipation while limiting the restaurant’s exposure.
Final Analysis
December’s deals span the spectrum from $7 buffets to Michelin-recognized tasting menus, but they share a common thread: genuine value through either portion size, ingredient quality, or execution complexity. The INDOCAFE and YenneY promotions offer the best ingredient-to-price ratios, while Jiale Kopitiam and the oyster deal provide maximum bang for buck in their respective categories.
For adventurous eaters, the Haidilao and Yakiniku-GO deals offer quantity and variety. For those seeking refined experiences at accessible prices, INDOCAFE and YenneY deliver restaurant-quality execution at near-hawker pricing.
The key is matching the deal to your dining priorities—whether that’s volume, variety, seasonal ingredients, or culinary technique—because December 2025 offers something for every appetite and budget.