Dining guide: Jan 15 to 21

WILD GAME INDULGENCE AT DOLCE VITA. Mandarin Oriental, Singapore’s award-winning Italian restaurant by the pool is showcasing a four-course set menu of wild game meats, specially created by Chef de Cuisine Omar Bernardi. The meal begins with confit rabbit morsels — a tantalising starter of foie gras wrapped in delightful rabbit morsels served with sweet and sour baby vegetables, rainbow cress and mustard. This is followed by a serving of egg pasta, tossed in a homemade sauce of tender venison and cherry tomatoes, topped with cacao truffle sauce and shaved pecorino. The guinea fowl leg takes centre stage as the main course, drizzled with a Madeira wine reduction. A wild strawberry pavlova completes the meal. Available daily for lunch and dinner until Jan 31 at S$108 per person. Call 6885 3500 to make a reservation.

AFFORDABLE LUNCH BUFFET AT AZUR. Drawing inspiration from his travels, childhood hawker haunts, visits to bustling food streets of Malaysia, and delicious fare from rustic traditional warungs in Indonesia, executive chef Andrew Tharm’s new weekday signature buffets (S$29.50 for lunch and S$39.50) for dinner is a smorgasbord of familiar favourites that include Singapore satay, redang daging palembang and ayam panggang sereh, served with complimentary-flow of Asian beverages such as traditional barley and watercress and honey-date. Its new weekend international spread, complete with seafood on ice (from flower crabs to Boston lobster and sushi) is also affordably priced at S$48 for brunch and S$58 for dinner. Call 6823 5354 to make a reservation.

AMERICAN KOBE AT LONG BAR STEAKHOUSE. It’s wagyu beef by the renowned Snake River Farm, to be precise. Available from Jan 19 to 31, this dinner invitation boasts some of the finest cuts of USDA Prime, the highest USDA grade for beef, including the American Kobe filet mignon, American Kobe Gold Grade Manhattan NY filet and American Kobe rib eye filet. These steaks, grilled to perfection by Long Bar Steakhouse’s chef de cuisine Kenny Chung and his team, highlight a buttery texture, complex flavours, subtle sweetness and a lingering finish, and are highly regarded for their superior marbling and quality. Complete the experience with the restaurant’s wine of the month: Chateau Montelena, Napa Valley Zinfandel California, priced at S$128 per bottle and S$30 per glass. Level 2 of the Raffles Hotel Arcade at Raffles Singapore. Call 6412 1816 for details or to make a reservation.

ALSACE WINE DINNER AT DB BISTRO MODERNE. Enjoy an evening discovering wine wines by Hugel & Fils, one of the major producers of Alsace and an important force in the Alsace wine industry during the 20th century. Explore these beautiful wines alongside a seasonal five-course tasting menu featuring exquisite French dishes by Chefs Jonathan Kinsella and Benjamin Siwek. Highlights include pan-roasted trout with mustard-braised pike mousse quenelles paired with the classic Riesling 2012 and the Jubilee Riesling 2008. Available on Jan 22 at S$138 per person. B1-48, Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Call 6688 8525 for a reservation.

SEA WHELK AT SUMMER PAVILION. Delicately crafted by executive chef Cheung Siu Kong, highlights on the a la carte menu celebrating this seafood treasure include chilled marinated sea whelk (S$88 per portion) and double-boiled sea whelk soup (S$38 per person). The former, served Teochew-style is first steamed in Chef Cheung’s special abalone marinade before being left to cool. The result is a sweet appetiser with plenty of bite, served on a bed of ice. Double-boiled for eight hours, the sea whelk soup with fish maw, chicken and Chinese wolfberries presents a more nutritious option. Also on the menu are sea whelk (S$20 per 100g) poached with golden mushrooms and bean sprouts or sauteed with asparagus and lily bulbs. Until Jan 31. Call 6434 5286 to enquire or make a reservation.

ROYAL TREAT FROM TWG TEA. Adding a royal touch to the New Year festivities, the TWG Tea-infused King’s Cake, also known as the Galette des Rois, is a French flaky puff pastry filled with layers of frangipane, cream made from sweet almonds, butter, eggs and sugar and infused with TWG Tea’s signature Vanilla Bourbon Tea — a red tea blended with vanilla bean. The puff pastry cake conceals a hidden token, also known as the feve, and tradition dictates that the person who finds the token, will be crowned “King” or Queen” for a day and given the royal treatment. TWG Tea’s rendition includes a porcelain trinket and a gold crown, retailing at S$78 at all TWG Tea Salon and Boutiques until Feb 1, with the exception of its boutiques at Changi Airport Terminal 1 and 2 and Takashimaya Department Store, Basement 2 Food Hall.

KOO KEE HEADS WEST. Stalwart Gao Ji Food’s new Koo Kee Restaurant located at Bukit Panjang Plaza marks the brand’s first foray into the residential heartlands. Enjoy its signature yong tow foo (S$4.50, S$6 for a set meal), chee cheong fun (S$2 to S$2.80) and other delights at pocket-friendly prices.

NEW REWARDS AT YOSHINOYA. Japan’s Original Beef Bowl restaurant chain has launched its first mobile application campaign. Dubbed Yoshinoya Sugoi, it aims to make the process of collecting rewards hassle-free. The app has been specially designed to provide customers with user-friendly navigation as well features that include a Mobile Wallet to store prizes, rewards, loyalty perks and eVouchers. The patent device at its restaurants provides digital stamp solutions that validate vouchers without the need for QR codes or passwords. Visit any Yoshinoya Singapore outlet for more information.

ALL YOU CAN EAT AT KKONGDON BARBECUE. The name means “best price value” in Korean, and the restaurant chain is spicing up its barbecue buffet menu (priced from S$19.80 per adult; S$12 per child) with its All-You-Can-Eat and Add-On a la carte options. It has a new selection of barbecue favourites from chicken to pork as well as the recently introduced 30-days-aged New Zealand sirloin in three marinades. Diners can also opt to have the kimchi pancake or Kkongdon’s signature serving of steamed egg to share. The meal comes with free flow of side dishes that include kimchi, gyoza, deokbokki (Korean rice cakes) and sliced fruits, to name a few. The K-razy Set Lunches also come complete with free flow of kimchi and side dishes. Besides the ginseng chicken (S$12.80) and pork belly kimchi ramen (S$9.80) sets, each of the five Group Set Lunches, priced at S$12.80 per person (minimum of two orders required), consists of a variety of barbequed meats paired with either kimchi tofu soup or hot noodles. Available at all Kkongdon outlets. Ongoing. For more information, visithttp://www.kkongdon.com.sg/index.php.

OMAKASE AT PORTICO. Portico’s new addition to their regular menu — a bar tasting experience Omakase-style promises to surprise the discerning palate. Guests will not be given a menu — just provide your dietary preferences or restrictions when making a reservation (three days ahead of time). Conceptualised to create an interactive dining session, guests can expect a visual feast as they watch head chef Nixon Low prepare and plate each course. Chef will also explain each course and answer any culinary questions posed. The bar tasting menu starts from S$90 per head for a five-course experience. There is also a seven-course menu (S$110 per head); a nine-course menu (S$130); an 11-course menu (S$150) and a 13-course menu (S$170). A more petite experience created for dessert tasting starts with a three-course menu at S$45 per head. Ongoing. Call 6276 7337 to enquire or make a reservation.

AMERICA’S BEST AT JACK’S PLACE. Well-known for its sizzling beef steaks and food variety, this local stalwart has added a new US Premium selection of six dishes to the menu, featuring USA Brandt steak cuts, chargrilled baby back ribs and Kurobuta pork. The last can be enjoyed in a variety of cuts as well: The rack of pork (S$32), for instance, is served with Jack’s Place house-made caramelised onion brown sauce, while those who prefer a bigger kick of spice can opt for the Kurobuta loin fillet (S$21.80) with the restaurant’s signature black pepper glace, accompanied with roasted onions and new potatoes. There is also the 365-day grain-fed USA Brandt striploin (S$35.80) as well as a well-marbled USA Brandt ribeye (S$36.80), the restaurant’s most prized cut. This US Premium Selection menu is available exclusively at Jack’s Place Great World City (Tel: 6738 5868) and The Grandstand (Tel: 6466 7933). Ongoing. For more information, visithttp://www.jacksplace.com.sg/.

SCADINAVIAN QUICK-FIX IN CBD. Newly opened open-faced sandwich shop Smor is a treat for both the health-conscious racer and the busy gourmet. Its healthy made-to-order creations feature a selection of quality Nordic ingredients that include smoked Norwegian salmon (served with horseradish, dill and parsley topped with salmon roe) and those famously sweet, hand-peeled Norwegian shrimps on a spread of lemon mayonnaise. There’s even a “hot” combination of Swedish herb-roasted sirloin and new toppings such as mushroom and kale; and Norwegian herring, all served on a choice of freshly-baked rye, multi-grain or brioche. From S$6.90 each to S$17.90 for three, all with a side of salad. One Raffles Place B1-23. Call 9430 1500 for catering or delivery enquiries.

KING CRUSTACEAN AT PARKROYAL. Crab connoisseurs will be spoilt for choice as they tuck into local classics such as the Singapore chilli crab, black pepper crab and salted egg yolk crab. Other noteworthy crab dishes include the Teochew cold crab and rock salt baked crab. Available from Thursday to Saturday at S$60 per adult. Parkroyal on Kitchener Road. Call 6428 3160 for more dining details.