Lunar New Year. What is the first thing that comes to your mind? Bak kwa? Mandarin oranges? Pineapple tarts? Ang bao? Mah jong? It is definitely Lo Hei (prosperity toss) for me! I love it when family and friends gather around the table with a pair of chopsticks in hand, all ready to toss the salmon yusheng. It is a very enjoyable process tossing the ingredients high up in the air while shouting out various auspicious wishes. This year, indulge in the culinary treasures as you usher in the Lunar New Year with Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant at Holiday Inn Atrium Singapore. With 9 different types of set menus that have been specially designed to cater to the various budget and group size, you get to experience the best of Xin Cuisine! We had the Xin’s Gold Leaf Australian Lobster, Canadian Geoduck Clam and Salmon Yusheng which is only available from the Bountiful Harvest ($3999++ for 10) set menu. It is indeed very aesthetically pleasing, with the ingredients planted in a magnificent ice sculpture.

The various shredded vegetables such as carrots, red capsicum, white radish and red pickled ginger take the form of a majestic dragon. What better way to welcome the Year of the Dragon?

I have always loved the sweet and tangy taste of yusheng and this time, it was no different. For the record, I had at least 3 servings that night!

The Pan-Fried Scallop with Eggplant in Japanese Miso Sauce was a mix of taste and textures. Coated with sweet yet savory miso sauce, it was a delight biting into the firm scallop and crunchy eggplant at the same time.

I’m a scuba diver and have stopped consuming shark’s fin for obvious reasons which I shall not elaborate here. My friend provided feedback on the Double-Boiled Shark’s Fin and Baby Cabbage in Chicken Broth that, “It is like trying to be too many things.” To cut the long story short, she felt that the double-boiled broth was already very nourishing and the wanton, being overly salty, spoiled the dish.

The best way to enjoy a piece of fresh fish is to steam it! Light soya sauce, coupled with chestnut beancurd, made the Steamed Garoupa Fillet with Beancurd in Light Soya Sauce all the more appetizing.

The pen cai is typically filled with food bearing auspicious meanings. Each ingredient is layered and stacked very carefully in the huge pot. Xin’s Prosperity Seafood Pen Cai ($298++ for 6, $398++ for 10) is a treasure trove brimming with lobster, abalone, shark’s fin, fish maw, sea cucumber, dried oyster, dried scallop, wolf berry, fresh scallop, jelly fish, mushroom, sea moss, bamboo pith, radish, sea whelk and Chinese cabbage. My heart is filled with love just by looking at it.

Each layer has different ingredients and everyone had at least two servings of the pen cai. As all the juices blended with each other, the broth tasted very rich and flavorsome. Ingredients were fresh and of the finest quality.

Moving on to desserts, we were each treated to a bowl of Bird’s Nest with Almond Cream. I admit that I do have a very sweet tooth and was slightly disappointed that it was not at all sweet. However, the almond cream had a very delicate and nutty fragrance and I liked that.

This sticky sweet snack is one of my favorite items every Lunar New Year! Coated in a thin batter, the Deep Fried Xin’s Nian Gao is slightly crispy on the outside while remaining chewy and pasty. Simply marvelous!

They may look like your typical sesame balls but these Fried Sesame Balls with Red Bean and Chocolate Liqueur Filling were truly mind-blowing!

This exemplary dessert had me won over with its rich, bittersweet molten chocolate liqueur.

If you have not made plans for the eve of Lunar New Year, do check with Xin Cuisine. The last we heard, there are slots available! Thank you Holiday Inn Atrium for the kind invitation.

Xin Cuisine
Holiday Inn Atrium Singapore
317 Orchard Road
Level 4
Singapore 169075
Tel: 6731 7173

Opening Hours:
Weekdays
12pm – 3pm
6.30pm – 11pm
Weekends
11.30am – 3pm
6.30pm – 11pm