From The Straits Times    |

Best turkeys for Christmas and Thanksgiving 2016

Photo: Jasper Yu. Art Direction & Styling: Nikki Ho

 

1. TURKEY MASALA
$155 (4.5-5.5kg), Royal Plaza on Scotts, 25 Scotts Road, tel: 6589-7788. Available Dec 1-25, from Gourmet Carousel at the lobby. Order three working days in advance.

The robust masala blend permeated the tender meat while the tomato butter sauce added a rich, buttery dimension. The fragrant, cumin-speckled basmati rice was divine. 

2. ROASTED TURKEY WITH AMARENA CHERRY & FOIE GRAS STUFFING, MARINATED WITH SMOKED SEA SALT
$222 (4.5kg), from Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel, 1 Cuscaden Road, tel: 6725-3423. Available Dec 1-31, from the Festive Booth in the lobby. Order three working days in advance. 

This blew our mind with how flavourful and moist it was. The stuffing of foie gras and Amarena cherries made it extra luxe. 

3. TRUFFLE BUTTERED ROAST TURKEY WITH FINANZIERA TERRINE & MADEIRA SAUCE
$238 (4.5-5kg), Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, 320 Orchard Road, tel: 6831-4605. Available Nov 25-Dec 25, from the Forecourt Stall at the hotel entrance. Order three working days in advance.

The meat was so tender, we kept calling it a chicken! For the adventurous, the terrine – veal tongue, pig’s ears, beef lungs and tripe – combined crunch, fat and umami.

4. “WU XI” TURKEY
$218 (5kg), Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road, tel: 6730-1867/1868. Available Dec 1-26, from The Deli in the lobby. Order three working days in advance. Last order on Dec 19, noon. 

Braised with red yeast, dates and a secret spice blend, this looked like soya sauce chicken – and was every bit as silky smooth. The house-made chilli sauce sealed the deal. 

5. LEMONGRASS FLAVOURED RENDANG SPICED TURKEY
$168 (4-5kg), from The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (1 Fullerton Square, tel: 6877-8943) & The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore (80 Collyer Quay, tel: 6877-8943). Available Nov 1-Dec 25. Order three days in advance.

Older folks won’t find this Asian-style turkey too ang moh. It had absorbed the marinade of lemongrass, ginger and turmeric, and smelled heavenly. The tart chunks of achar were just what was needed to liven things up. 

6. JEN’S ASIAN STYLE ROASTED TURKEY (PERCIK STYLE)
$198 (5-6kg), from Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, 1A Cuscaden Road, tel: 6738-2222. Available Nov 24-Dec 31, from the Festive Desk in the lobby. Order two days in advance. 

We loved the feisty hit of spices in the succulent meat, and the lemak gravy was perfect for the accompanying crabmeat fried rice. It also came with crab claws in a piquant chilli crab sauce, a Peranakan-style mango and prawn salad, and a sweet mango-sago-pomelo dessert to round everything off. Sedap!

7. ROASTED TURDUCKEN
$198 (6-7kg), from The Fullerton Hotel Singapore & The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. See previous order information.

This is a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck, further stuffed into a deboned turkey. Every strata was simply juicy and delish. We couldn’t stop raving about the gorgeous jewels of fluffy potatoes, and polished off all the glazed chestnuts that came with it.