The epitome of any Chinese feast and something that sets a good Chinese restaurant apart from a great one is the iconic Peking duck. A treat for the whole family, this delightful dish is loved for its crackly skin and tender meat that overwhelms the palate—in a good way of course.

Complete with the addition of hoisin sauce, sliced cucumbers and scallions before being wrapped in a thin crepe, Peking ducks that are well executed always boasts a delightful crunch on the first bite, followed by an addictive tenderness and flavour which takes your palate to a magical place. It’s no wonder this dish is regarded as China’s national dish.

Given its culinary complexity, not all Chinese restaurants serve Peking duck, but if you know where to look, then enjoying this dish on a regular basis need not be so hard. Here is our list of the best Peking duck restaurants in Singapore.

#1 HUA TING

New to Hua Ting’s menu is their ambrosial Smoked Peking Duck infused with Aged Pu-Erh served with Yuzu Sauce (S$45++/half).

This aromatic rendition is taken a notch higher than your average Peking duck with the infusion of fragrant pu-erh tea leaves that, aside from perfuming the meat as it cooks, add another layer of flavour that might intrigue the palate at first, but no doubt tastes brilliant.

442 Orchard Road
Orchard Hotel Singapore, Level 2
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 6739 6666
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#2 IMPERIAL TREASURE FINE CHINESE CUISINE

Well-known for roasting their Peking duck (S$90++/whole) to perfection, Imperial Treasure serves one of the finest and most authentic iterations of this prized roast dish around.

With a solemn dedication to preserving the centuries-old methods of the Emperor’s imperial kitchen, the chefs take special care in ensuring that each whole duck is roasted to crisp perfection and sliced on the platter before your eyes.

10 Bayfront Avenue, L2-04,
Marina Bay Sands,
Singapore 018972
Tel: +65 6688 7788
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Bayfront

#3 MIN JIANG

Celebrated for its outstanding Cantonese dishes, this immaculately kept restaurant in Goodwood Park hotel is where many go to satisfy their cravings for dim sum that is served on trolleys during lunch.

But if you do find yourself hankering for Peking duck (S$70++/whole), you should probably also know that Min Jiang is an excellent place to get just that.

22 Scotts Road,
Goodwood Park Hotel,
Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 6730 1704
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 11am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Newton

Photo Credit: Si Chuan Dou Hua PARKROYAL On Kitchener Road

#4 SI CHUAN DOU HUA

As one of our favourite Chinese restaurants in town, Si Chuan Dou Hua at PARKROYAL On Kitchener Road is where you can find top-notch grub that always impresses.

Each of its three outlets boasts a different menu to cater to specific clientele but the one at Kitchener sees a relatively stronger dedication to Sichuan and Cantonese dishes and is the one we flock to for better than ordinary Peking Roast Duck (S$ 40 for half, S$70 for whole).

181 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208533
Tel: +65 6428 3170
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#5 TUNGLOK XIHÉ PEKING DUCK

Peking duck (S$66++/whole) is serious business at TungLok XiHé Peking Duck Restaurant—if its name wasn’t already enough of an indication. The restaurant sources a very specific breed all the way from Ireland, one that is specially aged to produce dense and porous skin along with the succulent meat.

Cured in a mix of spices and seasoned before being hung to roast in a traditional oven, the end result is always a perfectly roasted duck. Unlike your typical Peking duck, theirs is highlighted with a unique blueberry sauce and pop rocks dip, giving a whole new meaning to culinary innovation.

181 Orchard Road
#07-07/08/09
Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6736 0006
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Photo Credit: Yàn

#6 YÀN

Boasting an authentic Cantonese menu and a prime rooftop location that allows for a scenic view of the city, Yàn at the National Gallery Singapore is the perfect spot for Cantonese fine dining in Singapore.

Cooking up a visual storm backed by 20 years of experience, Chef Chan Kung Lai astounds with his masterful culinary prowess that can be seen in the way he designs his dishes from his ingredient choices right down to the way he presents them. We find their Peking roast duck (S$90++/whole) impressive in the sense that it was classically prepared devoid of any modern flavour touches—that seems to be the trend in many Chinese restaurants these days.

1 Saint Andrew’s Road, #05-02
National Gallery
Singapore 178957
Tel: +65 6384 5585
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

For more recommendations, read our guide on the best dim sum restaurants in Singapore.

Established in 1992, Orchard Hotel Singapore’s signature restaurant Hua Ting has built a firm reputation as one of the top Cantonese fine dining restaurants in Singapore. Many spirits were shaken at the news of its closure some months ago but finally, after an extensive four-month facelift, Hua Ting Restaurant returns with a sophisticated new look and an improved menu to match.

At the helm of this grande dame is Masterchef Chung Lap Fai, and along with his team of veteran Chinese chefs, a brand new menu is introduced—one that aims to impart traditional flavours in a contemporary fashion. Look forward to a myriad of intriguing new dishes and creative tea-and-food pairing menus alongside the restaurant’s signatures and crowd-pleasers, all plated and presented in a sleek, artistic fashion.

New to Hua Ting Restaurant’s menu is their Smoked Peking Duck infused with Aged Pu-Erh served with Yuzu Sauce. Aromatic, succulent and everything you could ever want in a Peking duck dish (and more), it is one of those dishes that you’ll find yourself hankering over for days.

We are definitely loving Hua Ting Restaurant even more than we already did!

To match the restaurant’s modern furnishing and finer decorative outfits, the menu has been totally revamped but rest assured that the old favourites are still very much in place.

Having spent the restaurant’s downtime revising the menu, Masterchef Lap Fai might have elevated the look and presentation of his dishes, but at its heart, the menu still stays true to its traditional Cantonese roots.

DONG XING GAROUPA AND CRISPY RICE

Nothing defines ’comfort’ like rice in hot soup and Hua Ting Restaurant’s version will blow your mind with its wild-caught Dong Xing Garoupa and Crispy Rice in Superior Stock.

Inspired by Korean bibimbap, the dish is first presented in a piping-hot stone bowl displaying only rice with a layer of raw fish slices, to which the server pours over the hot stock that instantly cooks the fish.

At the side, you can help yourself to freshly diced scallions, fried fish bones as well as crispy puffed rice to give the indulgent rice porridge an extra punch of flavour.

Hands down, this was easily our favourite dish of all. The dish was comforting with a mixture of sweet, delicate flavours and the different textures present in the dish itself made it all the more delightful to eat.

CHILLED MARINATED 16-HEAD SOUTH AFRICAN ABALONE

True luxury knows no equal as far as the Chilled Marinated 16-head South African Abalone is concerned. A true delight to look at (let alone eat), this ocean gem is marinated with sake over a long period to give it a more intense flavour boost.

Served cold, we really enjoyed the harmony of textures and sensations that were present in our mouth upon each bite.

SMOKED PEKING DUCK INFUSED WITH AGED PU-ERH

New to Hua Ting Restaurant’s menu is the ambrosial Smoked Peking Duck infused with Aged Pu-Erh served with Yuzu Sauce. What else can we say? We are suckers when it comes to Peking duck—from its irresistibly crispy skin and succulent flesh right down to the decadent hoisin sauce that just ties in all the flavours.

This aromatic rendition is taken a notch higher than your average Peking duck with the strong infusion of fragrant pu-erh tea leaves that, aside from perfuming the meat as it cooks, add another layer of flavour that might intrigue the palate at first, but no doubt tastes brilliant.

HUA TING RESTAURANT SIGNATURE ROAST TRIO PLATTER

Boasting a similar profile to the Smoked Peking Duck, Hua Ting Restaurant’s Signature Roast Trio Platter—that features crispy roasted duck, crispy roasted pork and charcoal-grilled Spanish Iberico pork char siew—is true indulgence at its finest.

Neither gamy nor tough, every bite of the roasted duck promises an aromatic punch that is further accented by the decadent fat that oozes out from the meat. And as far as roasted pork dishes go, we dare admit that very few can beat their stellar char siew and roasted pork.

BAKED EMPRESS CHICKEN DRUMSTICK IN HAND-MOULDED BREAD

With a distinguished career that spanned more than three decades, Master Chef Lap Fai is more than just a chef; he is an artist in his own right. And the restaurant’s Baked Empress Chicken Drumstick, Abalone, Fungus and Chinese Herbs is a testament to that.

This dish is as much as a culinary masterpiece as it is a melting pot of unbelievable flavours. Encased in a hen-shaped bread bowl, of which Chef Lap Fai moulds himself daily, hides a fork-tender chicken drumstick as well as mushrooms and other edible goodies—all stewed down to tender perfection.

DIM SUM DELIGHTS

A signature on their dim sum menu and a true representative of the restaurant is Hua Ting Restaurant’s Signature Baked Mango Chicken Tartlet. Encased in a crispy, buttery bo lo bun hides bits of sweet, minced chicken and diced up ripe mangoes. While many might flinch at the thought of this unlikely pairing, we promise you that it is good.

Another item to look forward to is the Wok-fried Turnip Cake with House-made X.O. Sauce in Hot Stone Bowl. Brimming with delicious savoury, slightly spicy qualities and exuding a strong wok-hei flavour, this dish is a great accompaniment to have alongside the sweeter dim sum options.

STEAMED FRESH CRAB CLAW, EGG WHITE, SPRING ONION AND GINGER PURÉE

For something that looks presumably simple, we were rather impressed by the complexity of flavours present in the Steamed Fresh Crab Claw, Egg White, Spring Onion and Ginger Purée.

Sitting on a bed of firm and silky egg white, the crab claw was meaty and sweet. But what truly made this dish divine was the combination of the assertive, subtly spicy house-made ginger purée and salty ikura.

CRISPY SQUID TENTACLE, CHILLI PADI, ALMOND FLAKE

The Crispy Squid Tentacle, Chilli Padi, Almond Flake is something that comes highly recommended. A slight derivative of the iconic salted egg yolk crispy squid that we’re used to, this rendition features flakes of almond that add a nice crunch and nutty note to the dish.

Battered and fried till golden and crispy, the battered squid takes on the flavours of its accompaniments pretty well without being overly greasy.

Photo Credit: Hua Ting Restaurant

BRAND NEW TEA PAIRING

A new addition to Hua Ting Restaurant is their specially curated tea-pairing menu that is crafted by Masterchef Lap Fai himself. Like wine, he believes that tea has the ability to provide a new dimension to a meal, either by complementing certain dishes or enhancing them.

For S$98++ per pax, savour a whole array of fine dishes matched with premium brews, such as Fried Rice with Conpoy and Organic Black Garlic in Lotus Leaf, infused with Jasmine Pearls tea—a pairing which he believes is the most suitable in bringing out the subtleties—and more!

The entire experience will heighten your love for tea and it is the best way to truly appreciate fine tea and food.

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Hua Ting Restaurant
442 Orchard Road
Orchard Hotel Singapore, Level 2
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 6739 6666
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

This post was brought to you by Hua Ting Restaurant.

Where do you go to when you are beat from a whole day of shopping, laden with shopping bags and famished from all the walking? And you are just beat from the whole day of hubbub that you want nothing but familiar and hearty food to soothe the senses?

Well, if your craving is leaning towards Chinese food, then your answer is TungLok XiHe Peking Duck Restaurant, an outlet that offers a classic menu of modern Beijing cuisine. Conveniently located at Orchard Central and The Grandstand (Turf Club Road), the outlet is one that is clean and spacious, with a modern Chinese décor that is minimalistic and elegant.

There are many Chinese establishments that impressed us and left us good memories, but TungLok XiHe is one that is timeless. We love its concise menu and how it does not differ too much from its origins – nothing but the comforting familiarity of Chinese food at competitive prices. It is the kind of place that you can host your business associates, throw a celebration or to simply gather with your close ones.

When we had our meal, our tummies were so pleased with the quality meal that we were thinking about all the flowery adjectives and phrases to document the experience, but looking back now, we want nothing but to present TungLok XiHe Peking Duck as it is – unpretentious and classy. Here are our picks from the very good meal we had:

[ GIVEAWAY ] We are giving away 5 x TungLok XiHe Peking Duck vouchers (worth S$91.80 each). Leave a comment below, and share this post on your Facebook timeline to win. More details on the giveaway at the end of this post.

The meal began with the Rose Cherry Tomato (S$10). It looks unassuming, but it is going to be a pleasant surprise when you pop your first in your mouth. Lightly marinated with sour plum and chilled to a nice coolness, this is one great snack to whet your appetite for the great meal ahead. We have previously shared about the infinite benefits of consuming tomatoes, and we are sure even non-tomato lovers will be pleased with this appetiser.

Another appetiser that we would recommend is the Deep-fried Huai Shan with Dried Chilli (S$8). Huai Shan, for the uninitiated, is Chinese yam and a type of Chinese medicinal herb that is known to be really beneficial for our health. We cannot stop munching on this!

The Stewed Duck Tongue in X.O. Sauce (S$14) is an acquired taste and not something that everyone will appreciate, but it is finely executed and it makes a good starter while waiting for your Peking duck.

The food at TungLok XiHe can be described as modern Beijing cuisine. While the focus is on its signature peking duck, TungLok XiHe is more than that. It serves a delectable selection of authentic Chinese classic dishes, cooked with recipes that have been refined over years in the kitchen by the chefs from TungLok Group and Beijing’s XiHe Group.

Some of the seafood dishes that you must try include the Smoked Sliced Fish in Sweet Sauce (S$12), Poached Sliced Fish in Chilli Spicy Sauce (S$22), Bamboo Clams (S$10/pc), and the Sichuan-style Steam ‘Soon Hock’ (S$9/100g).

A dish that the chefs at TungLok XiHe have mastered perfectly is Mrs Zhang’s Braised Lion’s Head Meatballs (S$6/pax). For those of you who have no clue, Lion’s Head Meatballs originated from Hangzhou as a banquet dish reserved for royalty. The chefs have improvised on the recipe by adding bits of mantou with the minced pork to add texture to the meatballs.

The Stewed Mushroom with Minced Pork and Chilli (S$18) is quite unlikely to get your attention among the many meat and seafood dishes, and it may seem pricey, but it really isn’t quite like your usual predictable fungi dish. The whole mushrooms are plump and juicy; the lightly stir-fried minced pork and chilli so fragrant. The seemingly simple combination is really quite a party in the mouth and not so simple after all!

And of course, the star of the show and what everyone must order when dining at TungLok XiHe is most definitely the Peking Duck. To maintain the age-old roasting method, the duck is hung and roasted in a traditional oven for 50 minutes at 200 degree Celsius.

What we really love about TungLok XiHe’s Peking Duck (S$78 for a whole duck) is that it not only comes with the usual sweet sauce, but also a specially-blended blueberry sauce which goes really well with the duck, as well as mustard and popping sugar. Yes, the very same popping sugar that we used to have when we were kids!

There are three ways to enjoy TungLok XiHe’s Peking Duck. Start with the highly-prized duck skin. Dip the crispy skin into the blueberry sauce, followed by the popping sugar. Never in our wildest dreams would we have thought of this combination. Yet, the marriage of peking duck, blueberry sauce and popping sugar is so impressively good!

Next is the tender and succulent duck breast meat which you can eat with the wheat wrap, together with other ingredients from TungLok XiHe’s ‘Eight Treasures Box’ – a variety of condiments and sweet sauce. Last but not least is the duck thigh which you can eat it directly by dipping it in the sweet sauce. But if we had to pick, we would prefer the aforementioned blueberry sauce which goes unbelievably well with the savoury duck meat. Actually, the blueberry sauce is really a miraculous invention and we believe it goes well with anything!

For the second dish of the Peking Duck, there are three options – cereal, ginger and onion, and TungLok XiHe’s signature salt & pepper.

If you need another reason to visit TungLok XiHe Peking Duck, they are having special promotions at 50% off different signature dishes every day from now till 30 September 2014. On Mondays, TungLok XiHe’s whole Peking Duck is available at half the price for just a whopping S$39++. What a steal!

On Tuesdays, you can sample the Wok-fried Australian Wagyu Beef at S$19++, while Crispy Pork Shank (S$14++) will make a special appearance on Wednesdays. How about having Sautéed Honey Glazed Prawns for just S$13++? Make a reservation for a table on Saturdays! With so many irresistible daily deals, you will be seeing us at TungLok XiHe regularly.

As with the other TungLok restaurants, there is no extra charge for booking of the private dining room. The only condition is to fulfil the minimum number of 10 people, so if you are planning a birthday celebration or to celebrate a special occasion, make a booking at TungLok XiHe!

TUNGLOK XIHE PEKING DUCK GIVEAWAY

1. TungLok XiHe Peking Duck is giving away 5 x Peking Duck vouchers (worth S$91.80 each).
2. Leave a comment in this post and tell us why you want to try TungLok XiHe’s Peking Duck.
3. ‘Like’ TungLok Group on Facebook.
4. Share the link of this post on your Facebook timeline.
5. The contest starts from now till 10 September 2014, 2359 hrs.
6. Winners will be notified by email.

Updated // The five winners are Lim Li Ting, Wenyi, Zoe, Sheryl Teo, and Kathryn.

TungLok XiHe Peking Duck
Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road, #07-07/09
Tel: +65 6736 0006
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Road, #01-23/26
Tel: +65 6466 3363
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Botanic Gardens

This feature is brought to you by TungLok Group.

Regular readers will know that I am a fan of Paradise Pavilion at Marina Bay Financial Centre. Not only is it one of the most gorgeous Chinese restaurants in town, it also serves Chinese food of unimpeachable quality. I have been to Paradise Pavilion on several occasions, and they have always maintained a high standard.

Besides having a wide range of traditional dim sum, Paradise Pavilion also has new innovative creations, and one of my favourite dim sum on the menu is the grilled Siew Mai Skewers.

We also sampled the Steamed Scallop & Mushroom Dumpling and Black Truffle Chicken Pie. They were decent, but nothing to shout about.

From the modern Chinese starters menu, we were tempted to get the Combination of Pan-seared Foie Gras, Wasabi Prawn and Char-grilled Hokkaido Scallop ($22), but decided to save room for Peking Duck, so we got our favourite Pan-seared Foie Gras ($16) with caramelised apple.

This was followed by the Double-boiled Sea Whelk Soup ($22/pax) with fish maw. It’s warming, comforting and immeasurably soothing, the kind of soup that you want to drink on a cold day.

The highlight of our meal was Paradise Pavilion’s apple wood Roasted Peking Duck ($88 for whole duck) which is prepared by chefs formerly from Quan Ju De, Beijing’s famous Peking Duck Restaurant. I have not been to Beijing before so I can’t tell you how authentic the duck really is. But based on the ones that I’ve eaten before, Paradise Pavilion’s Peking Duck easily topped the list.

The first layer of the Peking duck – the fatty and crispy duck skin – was eaten with sugar. It was delicious. This was followed by the second layer of duck served with rice flour crepes, cucumber slices, spring onion, sugar and a homemade sweet sauce. And instead of using the remaining meat to cook the second dish, like most restaurants do, the chef carved out the meat and served it on the side.

After having the Peking duck, we were almost filled to the brim, but we still managed to finish the excellent Wok-fried Mashed Fish Noodle ($28) with pan seared shrimp stock.

The restaurant also offers very interesting desserts. Other than the usual Chinese desserts – such as Mango Pudding ($5) and Chilled Mango Sago Pomelo ($6.50) – Paradise Pavilion also has sweet temptations like Deep-fried Durian Ice Cream with Mango Puree ($8.50), Steamed Mashed Toro with Almond Cream ($8.50), and Crispy Custard Lava Man Tou ($8.80) with vanilla ice cream.

The Custard Lava Man Tou combined three of my favourite things, and it was more than we could have ever asked for.

Paradise Pavilion is a great place for family and friends to come together for a scrumptious meal. The restaurant has launched their Lunar New Year set menu, and it starts from $88/pax. If you are thinking of where to go for Chinese New Year, I’d highly recommend celebrating the occasion at Paradise Pavilion.

Paradise Pavilion
8A Marina Boulevard
#02-01 Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: +65 6509 9308
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 4pm, 6pm – 11pm
Note: This was an invited media tasting.

Poon Choi (also known as Pen Cai) is a traditional Chinese New Year dish originating from Hong Kong. It has become a popular Chinese New Year Takeaway dish in Singapore during recent years, with most Chinese restaurants and hotels offering Pen Cai and yusheng in their Chinese New Year Dinner menu.

When the waitress opened the cover of the Poon Choi, there were three reactions from the table: Woah, Wow, and OMG! Our Chinese New Year Dinner started with a bang, and we knew we were in for a treat at Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant.

It is easy to understand why the Pen Cai is a popular option for Chinese New Year Takeaway. The pot is filled with items bearing auspicious meanings, and it has a lot of food to feed the whole family. Furthermore, who can resist the lure of Chinese delicacies braised to perfection?

There is something irresistible about one-pot dishes, I love the idea of cooking everything in a pot. Just imagine all the ingredients mingling inside and the essence of the different flavours being fully absorbed into the food.

Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant’s Peng Cai includes: abalone, sea cucumber, shark’s fin, fish maw, oyster, Chinese Sausage, prawn, goose web, dried oyster,  roasted pork, and scallop. There is only one word to describe it — magnificent!

Other than the Pen Chai, Jia Wei Restaurant’s signature Peking Duck was the other outstanding dish of our meal. It was quite entertaining to watch as the staff carved the duck in front of our table. Dipped with sweet sauce, the crispy skin was wrapped in the paper-thin pancakes, and delivered right into our stomach. Delicious!

We rounded up the dinner with Sauteed Fresh Scallops with X.O Sauce, gigantic King Prawns and Double Boiled Hasma with Ginseng and Lily Bulbs.

At Grand Mercure Hotel, Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant has 7 different Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner set menus to cater for every family. The Chinese New Year Dinner promotion is available from 3rd to 17th Feb 2011, so if you are looking for a Chinese restaurant to lo-hei with your friends or colleagues, Jia Wei is the place to go.

Chinese New Year is just another excuse for me to eat more.

Singapore Food Blog
Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant
50 East Coast Road 2F
Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6340 5678
Note: This is an invited review.