From The Straits Times    |

Photo: 123RF

When it comes down to Christmas dinner, what really makes the meal is the bird on the table. It could be a big, roasted turkey, or if you’re entertaining a smaller crowd, a chicken can really hit the spot too.

We’ve been seeing a lot of turkeys and chicken at restaurants around town and decided to round up 9 of the best ones that really caught our eye. Read on for our selection of birds to choose this Christmas.

 

1) Salt Encrusted Turkey – One Farrer Hotel & Spa


This year, One Farrer Hotel & Spa’s signature Salt Encrusted Turkey returns with a (literally) fresh addition. Thyme and oregano that’s been freshly harvested from the hotel’s very own rooftop urban farm are used to marinate the turkey.

The salt crust, which shatters as you cut the bird, is great for trapping moisture and making the plump turkey even juicier than the regular, while the spices make for a heavenly scent.

As the farm isn’t very big, there is a finite number of salt-encrusted turkeys available. So make your order soon, at orders.onefarrer.com. Each turkey is about 5kg and costs $148.

 

2) Black Truffle Roast Christmas Turkey – Crowne Plaza

Crowne Plaza from Changi Airport has put together a turkey that will appeal to any truffle lover. It is covered with freshly shaven flakes of with real black truffle that emanates an earthy aroma.

This 6kg turkey is served with roast potatoes, vegetables and of course, truffle sauce. There’s also the options of cranberry sauce and giblet gravy. 

This bird costs $198+ and feeds up to 12 guests. Place your order by calling Crowne Plaza at 6823 5367 between 9.00am and 10.00pm, or email lobbylounge.cpca@ihg.com.

 

3) 12 Treasures Turkey – The Deli, Goodwood Park Hotel


If you and your family love having Chinese food, this turkey is probably the one for you. The 12 Treasures Turkey, created by the Master Chef at Min Jiang at One-North, has exactly 12 types of ingredients in the stuffing, one for each day of Christmas.

You’ll find foods like abalones, roast pork, lotus seeds, salted egg yolk, shiitake mushrooms and more in it. The bird is marinated with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and ginger. 

We know it’s not Chinese New Year yet, but this oriental spin on the turkey sounds like an appetising feast. Bring 8 -10 people to the table if you want to be able to finish it.

It costs $268 and is available for takeaway orders from The Deli in Goodwood Park Hotel.

 

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4) French Slow-Roasted Turkey – Racines

Sofitel Singapore City Centre Hotel’s restaurant, Racines, has a limited edition turkey that is cooked in the traditional French style. It has sweet, earthy and savoury flavours all coming together on one plate. 

The turkey is slow roasted with honey and is served with homemade liver pate, succulent trumpet mushrooms and sauteed potato. Mmm, that certainly sounds like comfort food.

This Magnifique French Slow-Roasted Turkey is an original and authentic recipe by Sofitel’s Executive Chef Jean-Charles Dubois and can be ordered at the restaurant for $138++.

 

5) Jen’s Fully Loaded Turkey – Hotel Jen


If a classic, fuss-free turkey is all you need, we think Hotel Jen’s offerings are on point. The Fully Loaded Turkey comes with apple, chestnut and mixed meat stuffing, roast potatoes, maple glazed chestnuts, seasonal vegetables and three types of sauces – Giblet truffle, brown and cranberry.

What we like best is that the turkey can be taken away in a thermal bag with all the works included. Just bring it back home and you’ve got a Christmas dinner ready to feed a party of 10 to 12 people. 

If the selection is a little too vanilla for your taste, get Jen’s Asian Roasted Turkey – Percik style. It includes chilli crab, fried rice and chilled mango soup for dessert. Each set costs $218 and takeaway orders can be made by calling Hotel Jen Tanglin at 6738 2222.

 

6) Buah Keluak Turkey – Marina Mandarin Singapore


This one’s for those who can’t get enough of the black nut, buah keluak, a mainstay in Peranakan cuisine. 

The turkey marinated with nonya buah keluak paste before being cooked and is brushed and served with a rich buah keluak sauce. The turkey is served with chestnut and mushroom glutinous rice and nonya chap chye (mixed vegetable stew). 

This turkey weighs 5kg and costs $148. You can order the turkey by filling in the form on the website, or calling Marina Mandarin at 6845 1066.

 

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7) Tandoori Turkey and Capon – Song of India


For a flavour-packed turkey, redolent from spices, look to Song of India’s Whole Tandoori Turkey. No prizes for guessing what it’s stuffed with — that’s right, briyani. But instead of meat, the fragrant briyani is enlivened with morel mushrooms.

The turkey is served with a tomato-based wine sauce that is mildly sweet. That’s certainly an interesting twist on the traditional cranberry sauce.

The turkey costs $136 and can feed a group of 8 -10 people but if you want to cater to a smaller group of 4 people, order the Tandoori Capon instead, which costs $68. It’s been prepared the same way, just that it’s a more manageable size.
 

8) Flaming Chicken – Dragon Bowl


Okay, so this one isn’t a turkey, but we thought you shouldn’t miss Cantonese restaurant Dragon Bowl’s Christmas Flaming Chicken. It is priced at $1 with a minimum spend of $80, or $19.80 otherwise.

The chicken is drenched and cooked in Chinese rose wine before being set alight. It’s a fun sight, and it tastes good too. Not only is the chicken juicy and tender, the taste of chinese rose wine lingers on the aromatic chicken.

It’s a nice centrepiece to accompany the dim sum Dragon Bowl offers. This is certainly not for everyone, but we recommend it for families who want a smaller and Asian Christmas dinner.

 

9) Spit-roasted Chicken with Orange and Rosemary – The Carvery


The Carvery at Park Hotel has roast turkey, but we found ourselves completely won over by the spit roast chicken. It was incredibly tender, utterly juicy, aromatic and had flavourful skin that tasted mildly of orange.

What makes for that great taste is the 24 hour marination process of brining the chicken in a blend of white peppercorn, bay leaves and thyme to start off the tenderising process before a generous layer of orange butter and rosemary is stuffed beneath the skin of the bird.

Every order of chicken comes with roasted seasonal vegetables such as brussel sprouts, carrots and yellow squash as well as patatas bravas. Snag your chicken quickly, as orders need to be made three days in advance. You can email thecarvery.phal@parkhotelgroup.com. Pick up can be made at The Carvery between 11am to 9pm.

 

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