How to eat Yu Sheng differently at Amara Hotel in 2018

Every Singaporean knows that Yu Sheng is a traditional must-have dish for Chinese New Year. In recent years, this festive dish has taken a positive spin and it's no longer presented in a huge pile of mess. I headed to Amara Hotel (it's my third time!) to celebrate the year of the dog with their eight-course meal. Executive Chef Charles Goh is the brain behind the festive menu and he is one of the quirkiest chef I've ever met. He jokes in both mandarin and english, and his infectious joy is clearly translated in the presentation of his food. Amara Hotel might just be the perfect spot for a Chinese New Year get-together as the menu is specifically created for the coming celebration!

Don't miss my previous reviews on Amara's Buffet Spread and 2017's festive menu.

Summary of Amara Hotel

Chinese New Year Festive Menu Review

Ambience: 8/10
Hygiene: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Food: 7/10
Value for money: 9/10
Cuisine: Chinese
Payment methods: Cash, Credit Card & NETS

Chef Goh's fervour rubs off the diners as he introduces his personal rendition of the Yusheng in the form of an adorable dog.

Yu Sheng shaped as the year of the dog

Doggy Yu Sheng

How best should one celebrate the Chinese New Year? Nothing beats digging into the year of the dog with this delightful Yu Sheng.

Vegetarian Treasure Pot (Pen Cai)

Pen Cai, is a Cantonese cuisine served in large porcelain basin and is a braised treasure pot of goodness. This pot consists of luncheon meat, shiitake mushroom, fat choy, fishcake, prawns and more. Each slice bore a neat cut and was thoroughly and consistently cooked. 

Homemade Mandarin Orange Salmon

I first encounter using oranges to give the added citrusy flavour in a google recipe. It's not very common to use orange juice in replacement of lemon or lime juice as part of a recipe in Singapore. Healthy and delicious, the orange juice adds a lot of zest and citrusy taste to the salmon. Refreshing!

Homemade Beetroot Salmon

Here's a must-try of the CNY Festive dish! The beetroot lightly taints the tip of the salmon and each piece is carefully rolled by hand for a stunning visual display. 

Cucumber with Sesame Dressing

Unmixed

Mixed

The cucumber may not be as appealing when compared to other dishes, but it's a necessary part of the festive menu for us to cool and refresh our palate.

Drunken Chicken

The drunken chicken is exceedingly moist an juicy— cooked with a special blend of herb and chinese wine. Wolf berries are added for a visual contrast and a slight sweet twist.

Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea Leaves (Whole)

One of the uniquely interesting dishes is this plate of smoked duck. It's my first time eating Camphor... in fact, I had to google it to find out more about the ingredient and there were limited information on that. The skin was crispy and the duck meat was juicy.

Beef Bourguignon

"The beef is good," says everyone at the table. Biting into the juicy, tender hunk of meat is certainly not to be missed.

Roasted Chicken with Spicy Sichuan Sauce (Whole)

Roasted chicken with spicy sichuan sauce

Expect no less from this dish, which comes to life like an explosion in your mouth. No firecrackers, you say? That's okay because you can experience a fire-worthy experience with your tastebuds.

Black Pepper Crayfish

Black pepper crabs are the second most popular local dish, so it makes a lot of sense to bring the sauce over to crayfish! The crayfish meat is well coated with the black pepper sauce, and together with the

Chilled Angel Hair Pasta with Truffle Oil and Kombu

This dish wasn't as consistent as I hoped to be — during the first round of tasting, it was really flavourful and the truffle oil was pretty evident. After the refill, it was lacking flavour. Hopefully there will be more consistency!

Pomelo Tang Yuen

The pomelo tang yuen was my favourite — an easy-to-drink-and-eat dish after the savoury meal. Refreshing!

Amara Hotel Chinese New Year Promotions

15 January – 15 February 2018, 11am– 8pm, daily
100AM mall, atrium
*Refer to CNY Goodies Order Form

Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner

15 February 2018, 6pm
Grand Ballroom, level 3
Adult: S$88++ | Child (6-12 years old): $43++

The Golden Prosperity Menu at S$68++ (Min. 6 pax)
Joyous Abundance at S$88 per person (Min. 6 pax)

For reservations on the reunion dinner at Grand Ballroom:
call: +65 6879 2598

email: events@amarahotels.com

“Cai Qing” Lion Dance Performance

16 February 2018, 11.38am
Hotel Lobby

Fulfill your first Chope reservation and earn a SGD$10 restaurant voucher after dining.

Simply book through Chope using this link https://cho.pe/hbLei and you're all set.