Royal Pavilion – Impressive Contemporary Cantonese Cuisine

Located on the ground floor of Park Regis Singapore, Royal Pavilion presents modern and timeless Cantonese creations, served within a contemporary dining venue. With intricate chandelier statement pieces and bespoke cloud-motif wall panels within the luxurious looking restaurant, my aunt and I had an intimate dining experience there.

With over 30 years of culinary expertise under his belt, Executive Chef Chung Ho Shi never stops seeking exciting ingredients to enhance his interpretation of modern Cantonese creations whilst honouring the traditional style of Cantonese cooking.

We started our lunch with an assortment of hand-crafted dimsum. Made fresh daily, some of our favourites include Carrot Cake with “Lao Gan Tie” Chilli Sauce ($8.80), Steamed Shrimp Crystal Dumpling ($5), Steamed Prawn Dumpling “Ha Kau” ($5.80), Steamed Diced Vegetables Dumpling ($4.60), Baked Swiss BBQ Snow Bun ($5.50) and Crispy Shredded Radish Pastry Roll ($4.80).

Lao Gan Tie (which means old godfather) chilli sauce is a fragrantly fried chili sauce with crispy mini-whitebait blend. Many other restaurants called it XO sauce instead. The XO sauce definitely added a punch while the bean sprouts add a lovely crunch to the soft radish cake.

Royal Pavilion’s menu features more than 80 refreshingly creative gastronomic delights and well-loved classics, paying tribute to the Cantonese’s love for hot soups, roasted poultry and their natural preference for fresh seafood due to the province’s coastal proximity to the South China Sea.

Making its debut on Royal Pavilion’s maiden menu is the nutritious Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Fish Maw and Macalan ($25/pax). The lightly flavoured brew bears a hint of therapeutic sweetness and epitomizes the essence of the cuisine with its choice combo of fish maw, wolfberries, huai san and maca (Lepidium meyenii – a medicinal herb and a supposed aphrodisiac) with Chef’s blend of noble chicken soup.

Another crowned signature is the Royal Smoked Duck ($35 for half-portion; $68 for full-portion). The smoked crispy skin carries the aroma of the rich lychee wood and leaves that are used and enhances a pleasantly moist and flavoursome red meat without overpowering any palates. The roast duck has a smoky flavour infused into the crispy skin and juicy, tender meat.

No Cantonese cuisine is complete without the treasures of the sea such as Chef Chung’s new seafood creation, Sautéed Seafood Duo Skewer topped with Crab Roe ($14). The pairing of a succulent Hokkaido scallop and giant prawn is skillfully pan-seared on an evergreen stem of crunchy asparagus topped with a splendid dressing of crabmeat and roe.

The Wok-fried Mashed Fish Noodles with Lobster in “Lao Gan Tie” Sauce ($28) is a must-have at Royal Pavilion. The fresh and springy fish paste noodles is addictive and irresistible when it is wok-fried with half of a fresh lobster and Chef Chung’s homemade “Lao Gan Tie” sauce.

Moving on to desserts, Royal Pavilion’s Steamed Mashed Taro with Pumpkin Puree served in Young Coconut ($8.50) exhibits the naturally honeyed aroma of the smooth and rich taro (yam) and pumpkin puree.

Another rich-in-antioxidant sweet treat is the Special Walnut Pastry ($3.80 per piece with a minimum order of 4). Freshly baked with walnuts, dried fruits and melon seeds, the pastry complements a soft buttery texture that melts in the mouth.

Royal Pavilion
Address: Park Regis Singapore, 23 Merchant Road Level 1
Tel: 6818 8851
Website: www.royalpaviliongroup.com
Opening hours: 11:30am to 2:30pm and 6:00pm to 10:30pm, Mondays to Sundays