Christmas is a season for festive feasting, and more restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon to offer their takes on Christmas specials and menus. Take a break from the usual suspects such as roast turkey and ham as we suss out restaurants that bring a taste of other cultures into the Christmas dining table.
Get a peek into what internationally-renowned chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur would serve for Christmas at his casual Italian outpost in Fiamma in Capella Singapore. The restaurant’s Christmas menu, which is available from 24 to 26 December, are inspired by homely dishes that are typically served during Christmas in Italian households.
Tuck into comforting Italian fare conceptualised with time-honoured family recipes, such as the Baccala Alla Veneziana, a dish of salted cod and crunchy pave of fried polenta and rosemary oil, cooked Venetian-style. Meanwhile, the exquisite-looking Crudo Di Capesante dish features a delicate Hokkaido scallop carpaccio with tangy ginger honey dressing, topped with pine nuts, dry cherry tomatoes and olives. Fiamma is also bringing out the old chestnut through the Cappelletti Fatti In Casa, a velvety chestnut soup perfumed by black truffles, homemade ricotta and culatello ravioli.
Savour a taste of the sea with the Risotto Ai Gamberi Rossi Di Mazara, a Sicilian red prawn risotto with sea algae, and garnished with refreshing perfumed citrus. Carnivores can dig into the Filetto Di Wagyu Cotto Alla Brace, a wood-fired roasted beef fillet with potatoes dauphiné, black truffles and rubra sauce (not ketchup, but a concoction of fresh tomatoes, sugar and wine).
The Fiamma Christmas Dinner will be held on 24 and 25 December from $198 per person, meanwhile the Fiamma Christmas Brunch will be available on 25 and 26 December from $208 per person.
Find out more: Fiamma
Contemporary Cantonese restaurant Madame Fan joins in the Christmas merriment with a selection of a la carte festive dishes. Curated by Executive Chinese Chef Pak Chee Yit, Christmas fare is elevated with a modern Chinese twist. Savour the Boston Lobster Truffle Dumpling Creamy Soup ($38), tender Pan-seared A4 Wagyu with Foie Gras in Black Miso Sauce ($138). A menu highlight is the Roasted Suckling Pig, which is paired with aromatic black truffle glutinous rice and topped with crisp wok-fried turkey ham and housed in a pumpkin cup.
Meanwhile, Madame Fan’s signature brunch gets a festive spin with the Holiday Dim Sum Brunch ($118 per person). Feast on dishes such as the delectable Claypot Roasted Suckling Pig with Truffle Glutinous Rice, as well as a selection of festive desserts. Complete your brunch experience on a boozy note with the beverage package ($68 per person), which features the seasonal Joyeux Noel cocktail in addition to the free-flow lineup of cocktails, wine and beer. The whisky-based Joyeux Noel is topped off with zesty passion fruit puree and a dash of salted coconut syrup.
The a la carte festive menu is available for lunch and dinner from 1 December 2022 to 2 January 2023, and the Holiday Dim Sum Brunch is available from 24 to 26 December and 31 December 2022 to 2 January 2023.
Find out more: Madame Fan
The one Michelin-starred steakhouse by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck delivers a meaty line-up for its Christmas offerings. Perfect for get-togethers is the Wagyu Tasting platter ($300) that assembles a trio of New York-style and Japanese wagyu that is good for a group of two to four to share (depending on how ravenous you are). The steaks, which are barbecued over apple wood, come in varying marbling and textures. If you prefer something on the leaner side, head for the Stone Axe Australian Full-Blood Wagyu, which has a discerning bite and beefy flavour. The American wagyu from Snake River Farms boasts the best of both worlds — plush and well-marbled mouthfeel, coupled with some heft. Rounding out the trio is the snow-aged Hokkaido steak from Tomakomai in Japan, which has the highest marbling score and a buttery texture.
Pair the steaks with sides such as the addictive fried Peewee potatoes smeared with garlic aioli and crisp shallots, and roasted brussels sprouts with smoked bacon. If you are craving for desserts, head to Bread Street Kitchen & Bar for celebrity chef’s Gordon Ramsay’s traditional Christmas Pudding. The dessert is baked with dried fruits, apples and has a touch of Guinness stout lends a warm fuzzy feeling and darker brown hue.
Find out more: CUT By Wolfgang Puck
Looking for an Asian alternative to roasted turkey? You might be in luck with a duck.
Duck restaurant London Fat Duck is introducing the London Fat Duck Christmas Bundle ($108), a meaty centrepiece for your dinner table.
The bundle includes its signature duck accompanied by festive side dishes. Sink your teeth into the crisp wafer-thin skin of roasted Irish duck, which envelopes the tender duck meat. Pair the duck with side dishes, such as Truffle Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Winter Vegetables, and a Red Wine Cherry Sauce.
The London Fat Duck Christmas Bundle ($108) is available for dine-in or takeaway at all London Fat Duck restaurants.
Find out more: London Fat Duck
Rooftop restaurant and bar CÉ LA VI is presenting a contemporary Asian five-course Christmas menu. Open the meal with the tantalising Zucchini Flower, dressed with a spicy yet refreshing amalgamation of yuzu kosho and green apple. For fans of seafood, slurp up the Irish Premium Oyster, topped with the rich Nomad kaluga hybrid caviar and a dash of tangy ponzu for an Asian twist. In addition, delight in Japanese-inspired dishes including the savoury Truffle & Maitake Chawanmushi, as well as the signature premium A4 Miyazaki Wagyu Striploin.
The five-course Christmas menu is only available on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, 24 and 25 December starting at $198 per person.
Find out more: CÉ LA VI
Have a French Christmas at Clos Pasoh, which is offering a 10-course Christmas Eve dinner ($328) that features an array of French-style festive dishes. Savour the Omelette soufflée à la truffe noire, a dish of fluffy egg souffle omelette served with black truffle. A highlight of the dinner is the magnificent Vol-au-Vent géant, a dramatically giant rendition that’s big enough to feed four diners. The classic puff pastry is filled generously with sweet bread, an assortment of poultry pieces and foie gras.
On Christmas Day, enjoy a Christmas Brunch ($278) with your loved ones. The meal opens with a buffet spread of cold starters, followed by hot mains served with sharing plates for the family. Tuck into the hearty mains, such as the Bar en colère, a dish of crumbed sea bass served with sauce diable as well the Pommes Mont d’Or truffées, a homely dish of classic potato gratin elevated with aromatic truffles.
For those looking to throw a year-end party, the restaurant has special Christmas corporate menus, available from 6 December for both lunch ($78) and dinner ($148).
Find out more: Clos Pasoh
At Rempapa, Chef Damian D’Silva presents four festive dishes in the restaurant’s first Christmas menu. This time, Chef D’Silva has turned to classic British cuisine for inspiration, and injects some Singapore influences in them.
The Festive Platter ($120), which is only available for dine-in, includes the Roast GG French Poulet with Rempapa Spices. The bird is brined with spices, salt, honey and vinegar for 24 hours, and stuffed with aromatics such as pandan leaves, fresh bay leaves, turmeric leaves, ginger flower, garlic cloves and lemongrass.
The Spiced Meatloaf with Sambal Mashed Potatoes features baked pork and vegetables laden with orange-hued mashed potatoes spiced up with a sambal of rempah titek and Bombay onions. Bubble & Squeak, a dish traditionally made with leftovers, has Brussels sprouts, Bombay onions, roasted pork, tossed in a tangy vinegar and black bean sauce and garnished in a heap of caramelised shallots and garlic. Best eaten with rice.
Round up your meal with the Spotted Dick with Gula Melaka Custard. If you are not a fan of log cakes, the British steamed pudding, which is studded with brandy-soaked currants, is a lighter alternative.
The Festive Platter ($120 for four persons) is available exclusively for dine-in. Meanwhile, the Festive Dishes are available for ala carte takeaway and delivery.
Find out more: Rempapa
At Restaurant Gaig, Executive Chef Marti Carlos presents a festive menu of traditional Spanish Christmas dishes. The festive dishes shine a spotlight on roasted meats and seafood. Save stomach space for the popular Stuffed Spring Chicken with Pork Belly, Truffle and Nuts ($36), a traditional Catalan dish typically enjoyed during Christmas. Sink your teeth in the boneless roasted spring chicken, which is stuffed pork belly, black winter truffle, pine nuts, raisins and dried apricots.
Seafood highlights include the Monkfish Tail with Salsa Verde and Clams ($34), a classic Basque dish featuring pan-seared monkfish tail, served with clams cooked in a piquant salsa verde of white wine, white fish stock, garlic and parsley. Savour the comforting Stuffed Squid Stew ($28), a Catalan-style surf and turf. Spanish squid is stuffed with minced beef and squid, steeped in a stew of fish stock and sofrito and then served alongside crispy squid legs and potatoes. Relish in the rich flavours of the Seafood Bisque ($35), a seafood soup infused with the robust flavours of fresh prawns, rockfish and lobster.
The festive offerings are available only for dine-in during lunch and dinner, from 1 to 31 December.
Find out more: Gaig
Osteria Mozza by American celebrity chef Nancy Silverton introduces a festive Christmas menu that features Italian-style dishes.
Start the meal with the classic Affettati Misti, a platter of savoury cold cuts and charcuterie. For primi, prime your bellies for the comforting Tortellini in Brodo and Corzetti Alla Norma, a homely dish of tomato, eggplant and housemade ricotta. For secondi, sink your teeth in the Chicken Porchetta or the luscious Iberico Ham with brown sugar and Manuka honey glaze. To accompany the secondi, a variety of contorni for sharing is available, such as the Fried Brussels Sprouts, Focaccia Stuffing, Hasselback and Japanese Sweet Potatoes.
Revel in the festive spirit with specially concocted Christmas cocktails. Say ‘Merry Christmas’ the Italian way with the Buon Natale ($25) cocktail, comprising a blend of rye whisky, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, citrus, cinnamon, aromatic bitters, and finished with a cinnamon stick and pumpkin ginger bread as garnish. Meanwhile, the Chocolate S’mores ($25) cocktail embodies the spirit of winter with its mixture of vodka vanilla, frangelico, bailey’s, kahlua and chocolate, topped with homemade roasted marshmallow and speculoos garnish.
The festive menus are available for dinner on Christmas Eve, as well as both lunch and dinner on Christmas Day at $148 per person. Guests can also opt for an additional wine pairing starting at $100.
Find out more: Osteria Mozza
Text: Medina Razali and Kenneth SZ Goh/The Peak