Royal China At Raffles, Raffles Hotel, Singapore

Had dinner with family at Royal China At Raffles (1 Beach Road, #03-09 Raffles Hotel, Singapore 189673) last night. This is a Chinese restaurant that was opened in 2003 by Royal China, a top international Chinese restaurant operator based in London. In its place used to be The Empress, which I wasn't too impressed. But Royal China is distinctively different.

We had crispy duck as appetizer, scallop and seafood soup, seafood wrap, champagne prawns, stir-fried asparagus with garoupa filet, deep-fried monkey-head mushrooms with walnuts, and seafood noodles. All of the dishes was very well done. I especially like the champagne prawns, which taste richly of champagne. However, my sister find the amount of alcohol too high.

As dessert, we had deep-fried ice cream, milk pudding, almond milk double-boiled in young coconut, and hasma double-boiled in young coconut. My dad liked the deep-fried ice cream and I find the almond milk in young coconut nice. My mom found the hasma in coconut a little bland though.

The ambience of Royal China At Raffles is cosy and plush, with a wood-finished interior. The service is also friend and out-to-please, although the waitresses can be a little inattentive at times, but nothing that can't be put right with a wave of hand.

I should point out that the service is also made more efficient through the use of wireless technology. The waitresses could communicate with the kitchen through wireless microphones and headsets, and thereby eliminating the need to walk to the kitchen for clarifications and minimizing the time taken to respond to guests.

Royal China At Raffles has certainly left a good impression.

Posted by ymchee at December 12, 2004 01:10 PM | TrackBack