From The Straits Times    |
cny_pork

Welcoming the Year of the Pig with food may seem like an easy task – I mean, pork is a menu staple at local restaurants. Adding bak kwa, pork floss and bacon into your dish is pretty much commonplace this festive season, and no one’s complaining. But shouldn’t festive meals have at least one stand out dish? This Lunar New Year, these five restaurants get creative and are serving pork in all sorts of ways to amp up your reunion dinner.

 

Yan Cantonese Cuisine

The good old suckling pig, it doesn’t get any better than that. Or so you thought. At Yan, the suckling pig is tackled in a refined manner and done in three interesting ways. The skin is separated and served in the way one would eat peking duck – yes, it’s served with fluffy pancakes that are soft and slightly sweet to contrast the crisp skin.

Moving on to the fillet portion, the meat is oven baked and brushed with a generous coating of lemongrass sauce. Don’t think greasy slabs of meat as the lemongrass oil is so lightly flavoured that it is actually refreshing to the tastebuds. It’s sticky, fragrant and you won’t feel jelak even after five pieces of meat.

Lastly, for those who are traditional suckling pig sticklers, the shoulder portion is served crispy and savoury – you’ll love it.

 

Zafferano

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Our popular Saturday brunch is back on 26 January 2019 themed with Chinese Lunar New Year inspired dishes with a live carving station. ‘The Italian Table Saturday Brunch’ offers a magnificent indulgence of classic Italian favourites. Just as food has been enjoyed together by Italian families for generations, tuck into four incredibly generous courses served sharing-style – antipasti, pasta, delish mains and dessert bar – each course comprising a myriad dishes. Priced from $98++, complete the dining experience with free-flow Champagne, spumante, red and white wines and beer. Seats filling up, book your table now to avoid any disappointment. #zafferanosg #brunch #popular #bestbrunch #brunchlover #foodie #eatguide #italian #italianfoodlover #cny #inspired #indulgence #bubbles #bubblies #familybonding #friendship #reunion #freeflow #livecarving #foodcoma #rooftop #level43

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Skip the classic Chinese dishes and go Italian.

Oh, and reunion brunches may very well be a thing this year.

Porchetta is Italy’s answer to our local siew yoke, and Zafferano is serving their version of it at the carving station for their brunch menu. Just like the crispy pork rind we’re so used to, the Porchetta’s fatty meat is wrapped within a thin and crisp layer of roasted skin. It’s fragrant, savoury and absolutely satisfying.

Chef Faggi of Zafferano has spent multiple family meals indulging in Porchetta; it’s the perfect family dish because you can share it and honestly, roast pork is on almost everyone’s list of comfort foods. Your family will love it as much as Chef Faggi’s family so head down to Zafferano if you’re up for a hearty reunion brunch this 2019.

 

Park Hotel

China’s favourite cured meat, Jinhua ham, is making a grand appearance at Park Hotel this Lunar New Year.

You know the confusion you get when both parts of a dish are so good you can’t tell what the star is? Well, that’s what happened when I tried Park Hotel’s Steamed Red Garoupa with Chinese Mushroom and Dry-Cured Jinhua Ham.

The fish was well cooked, done in a light sauce (Teochew style) and the tender flakes came off without resistance. The Jinhua Ham was placed neatly into sliced sections of the whole fish. When eaten together, the salty ham brings out the steamed fish’s natural flavour. It’s a hearty dish and a lighter option if you’re getting too overwhelmed by roasted pork.

 

Brotzeit

As the Germans will say it, Guten Appetit! German cuisine is famous for its amazing pork spreads and who doesn’t love a good pork schnitzel?

This year, Brotzeit has decided to join the festivities. The dish to order is the “Prosperity” Brotzeitplatte; filled with all sorts of meats done in all sorts of ways, there’ll be something for everyone.

You must try the Duo of Ribs marinated with Bavarian Honey sauce and Apple Cider with Chilli Flakes. It’s slightly spicy, tangy and sweet all at the same time. This dish holds its own amongst local favourites (marmite ribs, sweet and sour ribs, etc.).

 

The Butcher’s Kitchen

For all you carb lovers, take heart this Lunar New Year because The Butcher’s Kitchen is putting out pastas with interesting takes on the protein of the year. Their first pasta dish is a Char Siew Pasta. The noodles are dressed in a char siew sauce that makes them sweet and savoury. The pasta is also topped with little chips of pork lard for texture and added flavour.

If you’re not one for sweet food, they have a spicy mala option, which is as spicy as pastas can get.  Served with slices of pork belly, this is an indulgent pasta that’ll leave you going back for more.

ALSO READ: EATERIES THAT WILL BE OPEN DURING CNY WEEKEND