December 2008 / January 2009 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Lifestyle
Festive restaurants
With Christmas approaching that one question which
is asked every year, comes up again: “Where and
what shall we eat on this special day?”
In this article I would like to share some ideas
and suggestions for this year’s Christmas brunch or
dinner. At least for those who will spend the holidays
in Singapore since many of you have travel plans
either here in the region or overseas.
When thinking about which restaurants I would
like to write about I was immediately confronted
with a dilemma. Which restaurants shall I mention
and why? Dear reader, I warn you up forehand, this
is going to be a very subjective article. I can only
write based on my personal experiences, which may
or may not match with your preferences and taste.
In a place like Singapore, choosing a restaurant
and type of food for ‘normal’ lunch or dinner is
already a difficult decision for most of us so I can
imagine selecting a place for a special occasion like
Christmas is even worse. Anyway, I will give it a try
and provide a personal review of 4 restaurants (in
no particular order) and hope it will help you making
your Christmas dining decision for 2008.
For those not in Singapore this holiday season,
the restaurants mentioned are suited to celebrate
any special occasion or even if there is no particular
reason and you just want to escape the ‘regular’
hawker foods which are offered in excess everywhere
on the island.
If you want to have a special experience,
culinary and in ambiance and budget is of less
importance the place to be is Jaan on the 70 th floor
of the Swissôtel The Stamford. (www.fairmont.
com/singapore/GuestServices/Restaurants/Jaan.
htm) Part of the Fairmont Group and located in
the Equinox complex, Jaan is an intimate 60 seat
French restaurant. You think selecting a restaurant
for Christmas is difficult, wait until you see the
menu of Jaan. If you’re in for a real treat, ask sous
chef Michael Muller to decide for you and surprise
you with some of his great creations. Just inform
him how many courses you like and if there are any
ingredients you don’t like. Ask to combine each
course with a nice wine and sit back, relax and
enjoy the magnificent views of Singapore. Actually
being located higher then the Singapore Flyer the
views of the city and the harbour are awesome.
The service is what you can expect from a high-end
place like Jaan, very professional and hospitable.
For those who dine regularly at one of the
restaurants of the Fairmont Group and looking for
a discount, you might want to consider purchasing
the “Feed at Raffles” card. With this card you will
enjoy considerable discounts for unlimited visits to
restaurants at Raffles Hotel, Fairmont Singapore,
Swissôtel The Stamford, Equinox Complex at Raffles
City and the Swissôtel Merchant Court. Please
note that conditions apply and on certain days of
the year (mostly public holidays) the card cannot
be used. Unfortunately Christmas day, including
Christmas Eve, is one of them but this should not
stop you to experience Jaan. For all details and
perks of the “Feed at Raffles” card please check
the Internet: www.hospitalityclubs.com/Raffles_
Plaza_Singapore/
Menu suggestion at Jaan: ask for the “snickers”
ice cream for desert!
Another great place to celebrate special
occasions is Senso Ristorante & Bar located at 21
Club Street in the heart of Chinatown. If you are
in the mood for an authentic Italian fine dining
experience in a colonial style ambiance, this is the
place to be. Senso is located in a former convent
and if you don’t mind dining ‘al fresco’, booking
a table in the courtyard will further enhance your
experience. Senso also does a great Sunday brunch.
A buffet containing a wide range of delicious Italian
dishes at S$78++ inclusive free flow of Prosecco is
quite a good deal. For more information please go
to: www.senso.com.sg
Menu suggestion: Senso serves quite a good
carpaccio classico.
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Vol.18 • No. 10 • December 2008 / January 2009