The Art of Lunar New Year Feasting in the Lion City

As Chinese New Year 2026 approaches, Singapore’s premier restaurants are transforming traditional reunion dinners into extraordinary culinary experiences. Having examined the offerings across 14 establishments, what emerges is a fascinating spectrum of interpretations—from purist Cantonese expressions to bold cross-cultural experiments. This is dining as cultural dialogue, where chefs navigate the delicate balance between honoring ancestral traditions and pushing creative boundaries.

The Traditional Masters: Technique Meets Terroir

Man Fu Yuan – Where Precision Meets Provenance

Executive chef Aaron Tan demonstrates masterful restraint in his seven-menu lineup, allowing ingredients to speak with clarity. The Alaskan King Crab steamed with egg whites and 15-year Chinese wine exemplifies this philosophy. The technique here is deceptively simple: the velvety egg whites create a cloud-like cushion that absorbs the wine’s complex, oxidized notes while the gentle steam preserves the crab’s natural sweetness. This isn’t just cooking—it’s calibration. The 15-year wine adds layers of caramel and umami that would overpower lesser ingredients, but against king crab’s buttery richness, it creates a sophisticated counterpoint.

The Salt-baked Chicken infused with red wine and sand ginger reveals Tan’s understanding of aromatic chemistry. Sand ginger (or galangal) brings a sharp, almost medicinal pungency that could easily dominate, but the red wine’s tannins tame it into something gentler, while the salt-baking method—an ancient Hakka technique—creates an even, penetrating heat that renders the bird impossibly moist. The result tastes simultaneously smoky, tangy, and subtly sweet, a trinity of flavors that shouldn’t work together but do.

Jiang-Nan Chun – The Scholar’s Table

Chef Alan Chan’s approach at Four Seasons speaks to a more scholarly interpretation of Cantonese cuisine. The Fortune Salmon Yu Sheng crowned with abalone immediately signals ambition—yu sheng is already celebratory, but adding abalone elevates it from festive to reverential. This isn’t gratuitous luxury; the abalone’s oceanic depth and chewy texture provide substance against the yu sheng’s typically light, crispy vegetables.

His Superior Chicken Broth with fish maw, conpoy, and shimeji mushrooms represents the apex of Chinese soup-making philosophy. The broth itself requires hours of slow simmering to extract every molecule of flavor from chicken bones. Fish maw (dried fish swim bladder) contributes textural intrigue—slippery yet substantial—while conpoy (dried scallops) dissolves gradually, releasing waves of concentrated umami. The shimeji mushrooms add earthy undertones. This is a soup that demands contemplation, each spoonful revealing new dimensions as ingredients meld on the palate.

The Wok-Fried Scallops showcase wok hei mastery—that elusive “breath of the wok” achieved only through extreme heat and precise timing. Scallops are notoriously unforgiving; seconds too long and they turn rubbery. Chan’s version would exhibit a caramelized crust from the Maillard reaction while maintaining a translucent, barely-set interior.

Jade – Nostalgia Reimagined

Chef Leong Chee Yeng at The Fullerton takes a more romantic approach, describing his menu as honoring “nostalgic classics through exceptional ingredients.” His Gold Rush Yu Sheng, complete with a hand-illustrated galloping horse, transforms the ritual toss from mere tradition into personal artistry.

The Braised Bird’s Nest with Crab Meat, Crab Roe, and Liquor in Superior Broth represents indulgence with purpose. Bird’s nest—the edible nest of swiftlets—is prized for its delicate texture and supposed health benefits. When combined with crab meat’s sweetness, crab roe’s intense brininess, and a splash of liquor (likely Chinese rice wine), the dish achieves a complexity that justifies its premium positioning. The superior broth ties everything together, its richness allowing the disparate elements to harmonize.

His Stir-Fried Australian Lobster demonstrates confidence in simplicity. Australian lobsters are meatier and more robust than their Maine counterparts, standing up well to high-heat wok cooking. The Traditional-Style Braised Pork Belly would be cooked low and slow until fat renders and meat becomes spoon-tender, while the Wok-Fried Glutinous Rice wrapped in thin egg skin shows technical prowess—the egg skin must be thin enough to be translucent yet strong enough to hold the filling.

The Almond Cream with Red Date Paste Glutinous Rice Ball is Leung’s masterstroke. This Cantonese classic typically features smooth almond cream and chewy tang yuan (glutinous rice balls). By filling the balls with red date paste, he introduces natural sweetness and a subtle earthy note that complements almond’s nuttiness. Served warm, it’s the ultimate comfort—silky, sweet, and grounding.

The Innovators: Tradition Meets Technique

Cherry Garden by Chef Fei – Chaoshan Influences

Chef Fei’s reimagined Chaoshan-style Yu Sheng signals regional specificity often lost in Singaporean fusion. Chaoshan (Teochew) cuisine emphasizes purity and restraint. His version with julienned vegetables, crispy taro, house-made Chaoshan sour plum sauce, and live Australian lobster respects this aesthetic. The sour plum sauce—tart, slightly funky, and complex—provides acidity that cuts through the lobster’s richness while crispy taro adds textural contrast.

The Charcoal-grilled New Zealand Live Abalone represents a dramatic departure from traditional braised preparations. Charcoal grilling imparts smokiness and creates slight charring that adds bitterness to balance abalone’s natural sweetness. This is bold cooking—abalone is expensive and delicate, and direct fire risks toughening it. Success requires perfect timing.

Diced Wagyu beef sautéed with Sichuan peppercorn and chili brings Sichuan’s ma la (numbing-spicy) profile to premium Japanese beef. Wagyu’s marbling means it can withstand aggressive seasoning without drying out. The Sichuan peppercorn provides that distinctive tingling numbness, while chilies add heat—a provocative combination for reunion dinner.

The Wok-fried Seafood Fried Rice elevated with sakura ebi (dried baby shrimp) shows attention to detail. Sakura ebi are intensely savory and fragrant; even small amounts amplify umami exponentially. This isn’t filler—it’s a carefully considered finish.

Yi by Jereme Leung – Theatrical Dining

Jereme Leung’s reputation for culinary theater precedes him, and this menu delivers spectacle alongside substance. The Double-boiled Spiky Sea Cucumber Soup exemplifies Chinese double-boiling—a gentle cooking method where ingredients are sealed in a ceramic container and steamed for hours. The result is crystal-clear, intensely flavorful broth where every ingredient’s essence is preserved. Spiky sea cucumber (a more prized variety) contributes unique texture—gelatinous yet slightly crunchy. Wild termite fungus, sea whelk, and Hokkaido conpoy create layers of oceanic, earthy, and sweet notes.

The Stir-fried Green Asian Lobster, Steamed Spotted Garoupa, and Braised Pork Knuckle represent the trilogy of Chinese cooking methods: stir-frying for wok hei, steaming for purity, and braising for depth. The spotted garoupa, steamed simply, would showcase the fish’s delicate sweetness, while the braised pork knuckle—cooked until collagen breaks down into silky gelatin—represents comfort elevated.

The Lunar New Year Weekend Dim Sum Set Menu offers a lighter counterpoint, acknowledging that not every celebration requires eight courses of opulence.

The Luxe Maximalists: No Expense Spared

Shang Palace – Abundance Incarnate

Executive chef Daniel Cheung’s six eight-course menus represent the “everything to everyone” approach. Buddha Jumps Over the Wall alone is a statement dish—a Fujian specialty that traditionally contains abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin (now often substituted), scallops, and numerous other premium ingredients, all braised together in a rich stock. Legend says the aroma is so intoxicating that even a Buddhist monk would “jump over the wall” to taste it.

The Sautéed Lobster and Braised Bird’s Nest Broth continue the luxury parade, while vegetarian options like Braised Bean Curd Puff and Braised Bamboo Pith Fungus Rolls acknowledge dietary diversity without sacrificing sophistication.

The Dim Sum Delights Menu featuring Steamed Snow Crab Dumplings and Golden Abalone Tart shows Cheung’s range. Snow crab in dumplings is a study in restraint—the wrapper must be thin enough to showcase the filling but strong enough to hold together. The Golden Abalone Tart sounds like a fusion of Portuguese pastel de nata technique with Chinese ingredients, creating flaky pastry cradling tender abalone.

Summer Pavilion – The Pen Cai Philosophy

Chef Cheung Siu Kong’s interpretation of traditional pen cai (basin feast) encapsulates reunion dinner’s essence. Pen cai originated from Hakka villages where communal eating from a shared basin symbolized unity. Kong’s version features 10 layers of superior seafood and meats—Hokkaido scallops, fish maw, abalone—arranged strategically so flavors meld as you eat through layers. The bottom layer, having absorbed all the juices from above, becomes the most prized.

The Steamed Dong Xing Grouper with minced pork, preserved vegetables, and black bean showcases Cantonese steaming mastery. Dong Xing grouper (a premium species) has firm, sweet flesh that pairs beautifully with the funky complexity of preserved vegetables and fermented black beans, while minced pork adds richness.

Min Jiang – Comfort Elevated

The Double-boiled Abalone Soup with dried scallops, wawa cabbage, deep-fried grouper slices, and handmade meatballs represents layers of texture and temperature. The rich chicken broth provides foundation, abalone contributes luxury, dried scallops add umami, while deep-fried grouper creates textural contrast against the soup’s silkiness. Handmade meatballs suggest care and craftsmanship.

The boneless pork knuckle braised for over three hours exemplifies patience rewarded. Pork knuckle is tough and gelatinous, requiring prolonged cooking to transform collagen into luscious gelatin. Fork-tender after three hours means it would dissolve on the tongue.

The Claypot Reunion Rice layered with preserved Chinese pork sausages, waxed duck leg, pork belly, and liver is pure nostalgia. Claypot cooking creates crispy rice at the bottom (the prized socarrat), while the preserved meats release their fat and flavor into the rice. This is soul food disguised as fine dining.

The Cross-Cultural Adventurers

Cote Singapore – Korean-American Luxe

The Feast of the Fire Stallion set menu represents bold category disruption—a Korean steakhouse claiming space in the reunion dinner conversation. Beginning with Gogi Cha (USDA Prime beef bone consommé) establishes Korean culinary credentials. Beef bone broth in Korean cuisine is deeply savory and often milky from extended boiling.

The parade of five cuts—USDA Prime, Australian Wagyu, and Korean 1++ Hanwoo BMS 9 Ribeye from Jeju Island—is comparative tasting as theater. Hanwoo, Korea’s indigenous cattle breed, is impossibly rare outside Korea. A 1++ grade with BMS 9 marbling rivals the finest Japanese wagyu. The tableside grilling ritual transforms dining into performance.

Korean accompaniments—scallion salad, savory egg soufflé, spicy kimchi stew, and Tteok Mandu Guk (rice cake dumpling soup traditionally eaten on Lunar New Year)—ground the luxury in cultural authenticity. The Vanilla Soft Serve glazed in soy sauce caramel is a masterstroke, balancing sweet and savory, cold and warm, East and West.

Thanying Restaurant – Thai-Chinese Fusion

Chef Tamawat Itthipornwithool’s Thai-Chinese-inspired menus acknowledge Singapore’s multicultural reality. The signature Phad Kra-Praw Pla (fish maw stir-fried in Thai-Chinese style sauce) marries Chinese delicacy with Thai boldness. Fish maw’s neutral flavor and unique texture provide a canvas for Thai basil’s anise-like aromatics and chili’s heat.

The Chu-Chi Goong with river prawns in Thai Chu Chi curry sauce is gloriously audacious for reunion dinner. Chu Chi curry—rich, coconut-creamy, and chile-forward—is distinctly Thai. River prawns are meatier and more flavorful than ocean varieties, standing up to the assertive sauce. This dish wouldn’t be mistaken for traditional Chinese cuisine, and that’s precisely the point.

Violet Oon Singapore – Peranakan Pride

The VO Fragrant Yu Sheng with kaffir lime leaves, pink ginger flowers, sweet beetroot, crispy fish, and ice plant is Peranakan cuisine asserting itself. Kaffir lime leaves add citrusy aromatics rarely found in Chinese yu sheng, while pink ginger flowers (likely torch ginger) contribute floral notes and subtle heat. Ice plant—a succulent with salty, crunchy leaves—adds modern textural intrigue.

The Hee Peow Soup (fish maw soup) is classic Nyonya Lunar New Year fare, slowly simmered until rich. Hand-formed crab balls and abalone elevate it beyond homestyle into restaurant-worthy territory.

Chap Chye (mixed vegetables stew), Nasi Ulam (herb rice), and Ayam Buah Keluak (chicken with black nuts) represent Peranakan’s greatest hits. Ayam Buah Keluak is particularly significant—the buah keluak nut is toxic until properly prepared, making the dish a display of culinary knowledge and skill. The nut’s paste is earthy, slightly bitter, and utterly unique.

The Wildcard: Cassia’s Dual Personality

Cassia’s Chinese New Year’s Eve Celebration of Spring menu and subsequent multi-day offerings show strategic flexibility. The Prosperity Lo Hei with house-made golden pineapple sauce suggests sweetness and tropical notes unusual in traditional preparations.

The Braised Six-Head South African Abalone (larger abalones are more prized and tender) and Steamed Australian Rock Lobster maintain luxury expectations, while the Dawn of Spring lunch menu at a lower price point (S$168++ versus S$288++) democratizes celebration.

The à la carte offerings—Braised Mapo Tofu and Congee with bird’s nest and abalone—present fascinating juxtapositions. Mapo tofu is Sichuan comfort food, spicy and humble, while bird’s nest congee represents indulgence. Offering both suggests a restaurant confident in its range.

Technical Observations Across Menus

Several patterns emerge across these offerings:

Abalone Ubiquity: Nearly every restaurant features abalone in multiple preparations—braised, steamed, grilled, in soup, in yu sheng. This isn’t mere luxury signaling; abalone’s texture (tender yet chewy), subtle sweetness, and ability to absorb flavors make it incredibly versatile.

Yu Sheng Innovation: The prosperity toss salad receives wildly different treatments—from Jade’s hand-illustrated presentation to Cherry Garden’s Chaoshan interpretation to Violet Oon’s Peranakan herbs. This suggests yu sheng has become a canvas for creative identity.

Double-Boiling Reverence: Multiple menus feature double-boiled soups, acknowledging this technique’s ability to create crystal-clear, intensely flavored broths that showcase premium ingredients.

Wok Hei Worship: Stir-fried dishes across menus emphasize wok cooking, that ineffable “breath of the wok” achieved through restaurant-grade heat impossible to replicate at home.

Textural Complexity: Chinese cuisine’s obsession with texture manifests in the interplay of crispy (fried grouper, taro), slippery (fish maw, bird’s nest), chewy (abalone, sea cucumber), and tender (braised meats, steamed fish).

Value Propositions

Price points range dramatically—from Madame Fan’s accessible S$108++ to Cote’s S$178++ to Jiang-Nan Chun’s S$278++ and Summer Pavilion’s offerings. The question isn’t whether expensive menus are “worth it” but rather what experience you’re purchasing.

Lower-priced menus (S$108-168) typically feature fewer courses, less exotic proteins, and simpler presentations. Mid-range options (S$180-240) introduce premium ingredients and more technical preparations. Top-tier menus (S$250+) are theater, luxury, and culinary achievement combined.

The Verdict

If seeking traditional Cantonese excellence: Jiang-Nan Chun, Man Fu Yuan, or Jade deliver refinement and restraint.

If wanting maximum luxury: Summer Pavilion’s pen cai or Shang Palace’s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall represent peak indulgence.

If craving innovation within tradition: Cherry Garden by Chef Fei or Yi by Jereme Leung push boundaries while respecting roots.

If desiring cross-cultural adventure: Cote Singapore’s Korean steakhouse approach or Thanying’s Thai-Chinese fusion offer novelty.

If celebrating Peranakan heritage: Violet Oon Singapore provides cultural specificity and pride.

Ultimately, the best reunion dinner isn’t determined by ingredient cost or technical complexity but by which culinary philosophy resonates with your celebration. These menus, in their diversity, ensure that every family—whether traditionalist or adventurous, purist or fusion-loving—can find their perfect feast for the Year of the Horse.