Beng Thin @ OCBC Centre

A restaurant of the times, Hokkien restaurant Beng Thin Hoon Kee is a grand old dame and a favourite amongst many Singaporeans. Located in OCBC towers, Beng Thin is without fail packed every weekend night with her loyal customers in search for good, hearty, old-fashioned Hokkien dishes. A favourite of our families, my cousins and I used to remember Beng Thin as “that suckling pig restaurant” in association with their signature dish which we would have without fail.

Eight Treasures Cold Dish $60

To begin the meal, we had a traditional Hokkien cold dish platter with Prawn Rolls, Fried Egg with Vegetables, Century Egg, Stuffed Beancurd Rolls, Chilled Jellyfish and a Prawn Salad. Compared to other restaurants, I felt the quality of Beng Thin’s cold dish is still on par with the better ones out there. I particularly enjoyed the prawn rolls (Ngoh Hiang) which were stuffed with juicy and tender minced pork and was crisp on the outside yet moist on the inside, going splendidly with the special sweet sauce.

Roasted Suckling Pig $180

Yan Ting @ St Regis

Reputed to be one of the better Chinese restaurants in Singapore, Yan Ting serves a fusion cuisine of Cantonese dishes with Western influences. Set in the posh St Regis hotel, Yan Ting is located on the second floor in a quiet little corner that overlooks the hotel’s grand lobby.

Stepping into the restaurant through a walkway not unlike those inspired by Chinese corridors, we were greeted with chandeliers and an array of tables in the central dining area.

With little booths located along the sides that offer diners a little more privacy, the whole place exuded a very chic and posh vibe.

Appetizer Trio

db Bistro Moderne @ Marina Bay Sands

Enclosed within a stylized monochromatic exterior, db Bistro Moderne is French chef extraordinaire Daniel Bouloud’s first foray into the Singapore food scene. Less than a year old, db Bistro Moderne has already been making waves in the Singapore food scene making it onto many to-watch lists.

Its glossy white finishing with black paned windows were tres chic and screamed French. Stepping into the restaurant with its dimmed lighting and red, black and white colour scheme, it felt like entering one of those stylish cafes on the sidewalks of Paris. Like Mozza, the two wings were centred by a central reception area. With a bar area for patrons looking for a quick bite or drinks, the restaurant also had 2 private rooms near the wine cellars that could sit eight in each.