For folks like us who will always be down for seafood in a heartbeat, The Pelican at One Fullerton is a top-of-mind restaurant whenever we crave quality, reasonable price point and ambience all in one.

For those of you hankering for a tipple post-work, The Pelican also has killer happy hour 1-for-1 deals. Offering diners a gorgeous view of the Marina Bay skyline, The Pelican is a dining spot we have always loved over the years.

A place that sees a frequent gathering of cocktail lovers, seafood aficionados, and hopeless romantics, the restaurant boasts both an indoor and al fresco dining area.

Regulars to The Pelican will know that seafood is the focus here. Most of their seafood and ingredients are from sustainable sources—a daunting feat yet one that highlights the responsible and committed nature of the restaurant’s team. However, not many people know that The Pelican also offers an array of incredible steaks and burgers on the menu.

And on top of these all, the all-new Upper Deck is an intimate event space that can cater to up to 20 persons—suitable for private parties, big-group gatherings and luncheons.

From now until May 2018, quote ‘ladyironchef’ to enjoy a complimentary bottle of Italian Sparkling (Piccini, Vino Spumante, Brut Prosecco, Col Dorato and Rose Brut Prosecco) when you dine in a group of minimum 4 pax.

THE PELICAN GRILLED SEAFOOD PLATTER

A dish so visually stunning that we totally wanted it to be our phone’s wallpaper, The Pelican’s stellar Grilled Seafood Platter (S$158++) comprises a whole barramundi, baked oysters, grilled squid, whole baked lobster, grilled corn, and tomatoes.

The individual ingredients were treated simply with minimal fuss to best bring out their natural flavour profiles. The standouts for us, however, were the whole fish and the grilled squid.

Take it from us, their namesake dish is best enjoyed with a friend or two at the al fresco dining area by the river as you soak in the sights and sounds of the Marina Bay Skyline.

THE FRESHEST OYSTERS

Any oyster fanatics here? The Pelican is one place we can always trust for fresh, plump and juicy oysters. There are occasional oyster deals too, so be sure to check with the wait staff on the latest promotion.

GOOD OLD FASHIONED CRAB CAKES

Nothing overly fancy about these Old Fashioned Crab Cakes (S$24), just well-executed balls of sweet crab meat deep-fried to a gorgeous golden hue, accompanied with the housemade tartare sauce for an enhanced flavour.

CHILLI CRAB LINGUINI

The Pelican’s Chilli Crab Linguini (S$32) comes with a generous portion of jumbo crab meat and an unbeatable homemade chilli crab sauce that strongly reminds us of our national dish. The sauce is particularly tangy if you are a fan of strong flavours.

OUR ULTIMATE FAVOURITE – THE SNAPPER PIE

Warm, creamy, crusty and aromatic with subtle nuances from truffle, the Snapper Pie (S$40++) is truly a marvellous dish that also happens to be our favourite on the entire menu. Crack open the glorious puff pastry lid to unveil a beautifully cooked white snapper and tender vegetables in the creamy, truffle-infused sauce.

We’ve had it several times before during previous visits but still, this delightful dish hasn’t gone out of style. The flaky crust is buttery and simply irresistible when eaten together with the luscious sauce.

BEAUTIFUL RIBEYE STEAK

Considered one of the tastiest and most elegantly flavoured cuts of beef due to its ratio between fat and tender meat, the ribeye is our all-time favourite steak cuts and because it is our favourite, our standards as far as ribeyes are concerned are considerably high.

Thankfully, their Ribeye Steak (S$58++) did not disappoint. On the contrary, we were very impressed by how perfectly executed the steak was. Beautifully seared on the outside and perfectly pink in the middle, every mouthful was an explosion of intense beefy flavours.

As if that wasn’t heavenly enough, the steak is complemented with an umami-rich anchovy butter that boasts tremendously deep and rounded flavours.

LOBSTER LOVERS, YOUR “SURF & TURF”

To enjoy the full “Surf & Turf” experience, diners are able to top-up an additional S$58++ to enjoy a whole baked lobster, mixed salad and fries in addition to one of their steakhouse selections—choose from Ribeye Steak, NY Strip Steak, Grilled Pork T Bone or The Pelican Burger.

Without overdoing the lobster, the top layer is charred just enough to achieve a crispy crust while the lobster flesh beneath it is allowed to steam in its juices, resulting in meat that is succulent and tender.

THE BEST LOBSTER BURGER

While the appearance of The Pelican Lobster Burger (S$58++) was nothing much to brag about, it left a huge impression on us. Appealing in its flavours and textures, the unique patty—made entirely out of lobster—was succulent and full of natural sweetness.

However, the real deal here is undoubtedly the bacon. Candied and baked till crispy, the bacon adds a delightful crunch to the burger and a unique savoury-sweet aftertaste.

WHOOPIE PIE FOR THE CHOCO LOVERS

If there was any physical object or food that best epitomises the word ‘decadent’, it would be the restaurant’s highly acclaimed dessert—the Whoopie Pie (S$16++).

Essentially chocolate stuffed in between more chocolate and topped with even more chocolate, this decadent dessert is Miranda Kerr’s worst nightmare and every chocolate lover’s dream come true.

Luscious chocolate ganache is stuffed between two chocolate cakes and the entire thing is topped with flakes of—you guessed it—chocolate. Very sweet, very rich, very sinful, but very satisfying.

DAILY HAPPY HOUR 1-FOR-1 DEALS

If the stresses of your job have got you craving a tipple or possibly ten, then let The Pelican’s daily happy hour 1-for-1 promotion help to take the edge off.

From Mondays to Thursdays, enjoy 1-for-1 deals for beers, spirits, and wines between 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 9pm, and on Fridays between 12pm to 9pm—that’s 10 full hours of non-stop boozy indulgence!

YOUR NEW EVENT SPACE – THE UPPER DECK

New to restaurant’s interior is their new Upper Deck seating area that features a long communal table intended for semi-private dining.

This is your next new spot to throw a party—be it a hen’s night dinner, a birthday celebration, a small ROM ceremony, a business luncheon or anything fanciful and chichi. You know it’d be a good one when food and drinks are taken care of, and your guests are going to have nothing but wonderful memories of a round of fun, booze and great food.

To book the Upper Deck, a minimum of 10 pax is required and the maximum capacity is 20. There is a minimum spend of S$1,600—before GST and service charge.

Special degustation menus are also available if you are booking the entire upper deck. The prices are as follows:

7-course menu @ S$78++ per pax
9-course menu @ S$128++ per pax
10-course menu @ S$148++ per pax
*the menu is available upon enquiry

EXCLUSIVE PROMOTION

If you are dining in a group of 4 to 6 pax, simply quote ‘ladyironchef’ to enjoy a bottle of Italian Sparkling. Choose from Piccini, Vino Spumante, Brut Prosecco, Col Dorato and Rose Brut Prosecco.

Every diner must order a main course in order to qualify. This is not applicable with The Entertainer and any other promotions.

For The Pelican Deck’s opening hours, please go to www.thepelican.com.sg/contact/

The Pelican
1 Fullerton Road, #01-01
One Fullerton
Singapore 04921
Tel: +65 6438 0400
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11.30pm
Sun: 12pm – 4pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
Website: www.thepelican.com.sg/contact/

This post was brought to you by The Pelican. 

Tucked away in a little corner in Telok Blangah is what used to be a retreat bungalow owned by the Yemeni Alkaff family. Alkaff Mansion Ristorante provides a nice respite from the fast paced city areas in Singapore, perching on top of Telok Blangah Hill (used to be known as Washington Hill). This well-known location was once the centre of high society parties and other events, besides being a family home to the Alkaff family.

Since the mid 1990s, Alkaff Mansion Ristorante has been known to serve award-winning cuisine to patrons but ever since LHN Culinary Concepts took over the reigns in 2010, the restaurant finally restored its splendour and has become one of Singapore’s go-to dining spots and event venue for corporate, private events and weddings.

Here is what we enjoyed the most from Executive Chef Simone Depalmas’ intricately crafted menu, strongly influenced by his Italian roots.

To kick-start your gastronomic adventure here at Alkaff Mansion Ristorante, a popular antipasti to start with is the Fresh Octopus Carpaccio (S$24). This dish, according to Chef Depalmas, is one of the most frequently ordered starters at the restaurant.

Sliced thinly into delicate and translucent pieces, the octopus is enhanced with the added frisee salad and San Marzano cherry tomatoes on top, and dressed sparingly with balsamic reduction for a hint of tanginess to the dish. Chef imports his seafood fresh directly from his hometown of Sardinia, an island in Italy, so you are guaranteed only the freshest seafood will be served here.

If you are dining in a pair, pick the Seafood Platter (S$68) instead to try a variety of seafood dishes. Dig into plump tiger prawns, a generous serving of tuna tartare with croutons crowning it, thinly sliced sea bass carpaccio, chunky octopus salad and fresh lobster chunks dressed in a tart citrus sauce. The platter is exceptionally big so it can be shared up to four diners.

Moving on to the fresh pasta dishes, the Sardinian Fregola with Assorted Seafood (S$28) is a stunner. Fregola is essentially a ‘cous cous’-like pasta, imported all the way from Italy. The mussels that are tossed in with the pasta is exceptionally juicy as they are fresh from Sardinian waters, without being frozen when flown over. Cooked with other fresh seafood such as squid and clams, the rich flavours of the pasta shone through with the added use of herbs and dried tomatoes.

We were served this next dish wrapped up in a thin sheet of plastic. Yes, the Homemade Squid Ink Tagliatelle (S$32) is skillfully prepared in the hands of chef as he tosses this pasta dish into the oven for a couple of minutes before serving to bring out the robust flavours.

Adding an oomph to this marvellous pasta dish are the plump and juicy mussels and an assortment of other fresh Sardinian seafood.

It is hard to come by really good risotto in Singapore as many restaurants here do not use the correct grains to cook the dish, or simply fare poorly in execution. Thankfully, the Porcini Mushroom Risotto Superfino Acquerello (S$28) here at Alkaff Mansion Ristorante exceeded our expectations.

Chef uses the Superfino Acquerello grains in this risotto dish and it is a high quality grain prized for producing the best risotto dishes. The porcini mushrooms and thyme also enhanced the flavours of the dish.

Served flambéed, the Oven Baked Sea Bass in Salt (S$48/600g, S$56/700g, S$64/800g) produced the most tender and juicy flesh. As the fish was baked in salt, the inner ‘meat’ of the sea bass has absorbed a great part of it, making it good to eat even on its own.

We were served the sea bass with a tangy squeeze of lemon, some fresh vegetables and delicious dried tomatoes; they all make great companions to the fish.

If red meats are your go-to choice for a hearty (or romantic) dinner here at Alkaff Mansion Ristorante, the Oven-Baked Lamb Rack (S$45) or the Sliced Beef Tenderloin (S$45) should be your top picks.

Cooked to a perfect medium pink, the lamb rack is served with a smooth dollop of mashed potatoes, pearl onions and a rich prune sauce that has been reduced overnight to bring out the most intensive flavours to complement the meat.

For steak lovers, a guaranteed satisfying meal will be made better with the sliced tenderloin; cooked to your preferred doneness, of course. The steak is sliced up for easier consumption and served alongside roasted potatoes and fresh or grilled vegetables.

What makes a good suckling pig? A crisp skin outer layer with flavourful and tender meat inside. This is exactly what Chef Depalmas brought to the table with an Italian spin to this classic dish. And you bet we fell head over heels in love.

The Slow Cooked Sardinian Style Suckling Pig (S$46) is roasted for several hours at a specific temperature of 70 degree Celsius to produce fork-tender meat and a divine crisp to the skin. Served with a sweet berry compote to balance out the salty-rich flavours of the pork, we couldn’t help but believe that we must have done something so darn right in our past lives to be able to enjoy such a heavenly suckling pig.

Every good meal must end with an equally or even better tasting dessert. Chef puts in the same amount of love and care into his savoury dishes and sweet desserts, hence producing incredibly decadent desserts that you will polish off even if you were already ‘full’ from your mains.

Chef Depalmas’ Alkaff Mansion Tiramisu (S$14) is a simple dish but done the traditional and authentic way without any addition of cream – only light and premium mascarpone cheese. The added acidity of the fruits and berries adds dimensions to this otherwise light dessert.

The clear winner of the desserts is none other than the Fresh Mint Vanilla Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries and Raspberry Sauce (S$14). The Panna Cotta itself was as wobbly as a good Panna Cotta should be, and the fragrance of the mint was refreshing without being over-powering. This is a nice palate cleanser for your hearty meal.

It was a really splendid experience at Alkaff Mansion Ristorante, and one that we will not soon forget. It is little wonder this place is so popular among couples for wedding ceremonies and dinners, and yes, it is an ideal romantic dining location indeed.

For the latest updates, go to www.alkaff.com.sg, like Alkaff Mansion Ristorante on Facebook and Instagram.

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante
10 Telok Blangah Green
Singapore 109178
Reservations: +65 6510 3068
Events: +65 6510 1010
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 3.00pm, 6pm – 11.00pm
Sat & Sun: 11.30am – 3.00pm, 6pm – 11.00pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront or Telok Blangah

This post is brought to you by Alkaff Mansion Ristorante.