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The Chinese Lunar New Year, like all the other major festivals that bring friends and family together is distinguished by serious feasting which has only two category of people agonizing over the thought of THE meal - the cook, and the person who’d much rather have the family secret recipes remain in a vault with the key thrown away.
To make it a happy get-together for all and to cater to the growing number of families who these days take their reunion dinners out of the home, restaurants have set menus and dining schedules galore.
But if tossing Yu Sheng (raw fish salad) and knitting up noodles isn’t quite what your palate is asking for, try the District 10 Bistro Wine Bar.
This is a casual spot converted from a series of old buildings along Winstedt Road, a stone’s throw from Newton Circus and the hub of the Newton Hawker Centre.
Dressed in warm woods that’ll make you feel welcomed whether you are in your chi-chi best or your favourite jeans, District 10 has drawn up a special Chinese New Year menu that is definitely not the usual.
“Chinese New Year is an important festive for most Singaporeans” notes Dean Fisher, head chef and manager at District 10, and Luca Pezzera, Executive Chef and co-owner of the Bontá Group which the bistro is part of.
“We see it as an exciting opportunity to translate our sentiments of this season into a menu and be a part of this celebration!”
The result of their culinary creativity is a menu of eight Chinese New Year dishes, available from 13-28 February, both for dining at the bistro as well as a take-away. My advice, enjoy the ambience, attentive service and a warm meal cooked to be shared by two or up to a group of seven.
Start the meal with either the D10 Prosperity Salad that resembles traditional Yu Sheng with its mix of shredded vegetables and fruits, topped with salmon slices and dressed in sesame orange sauce, or the 8 Treasures Platter which features the signature bistro favourite, pork floss flat bread along with rich but tasty duck-filled spring rolls.
The salad ($38 for 2-4 people) comes to the table in traditional new year style so diners can still choose to toss the salad high with accompanying ditty for good fortune, if anyone at the table knows the drill.
If there’s two of you and both are equally famished (or have healthy appetites) go for the 8 Treasures Platter at $15 per person.
Leave room for the main course, from which there’s five to choose from.
The house special is the roasted baby back which is given a Chinese New Year twist with the ribs cooked in Chinese five spice and barbeque sauce. This is a must-try.
Having had other servings of rib that were dry and tough, I was a little reluctant to take a bite.
Coaxed by the tempting coating of glistening brown sauce, I took a nibble and was won over.
The Louisiana Ribs is a hands-down blue-ribbon winner for ribs and for top main course on the Chinese New Year menu.
The slab of ribs was cooked with finesse that left the sauce-infused meat melting off the bone. Ladies, this is one dish you can safely feast on in elegance.
The Louisiana Ribs well-priced at $27 is available outside the Chinese New Year menu and promises to be just as yummy without the five spice.
The other dish that’s worth a try is the Roast Duck in Plum and Orange Sauce.
This is a take on the traditional Peking Duck with chunks of duck and mandarin orange swimming in orange-based sauce and shredded scallion. It’s served with crepes which work well to mop up the delicious sweet and tart sauce.
Both these dishes can safely be ordered at the same sitting as the orange sauce for the duck isn’t too strong as to clash with the five spice barbeque of the ribs.
The main dish that’s none-too-subtle in its sauce is the the Sweet and Sour Tiger Prawns and Dory.
This is often a dish that’s either a hit or a miss and this version, despite the sizable prawns bordered too closely to what the neighbourhood kitchen would whip up with mixed seafood drenched in a sauce dotted with bell peppers, onion and pineapple.
Beef lovers can look forward to an English roast done differently as the Sizzling Angus Beef served with special black bean sauce.
The garnish of curry leaves lifted this dish with its heady scent, while the meat was tender and with a hint of pink to the sliced beef that showed it had been cooked to perfection.
The sauce however, didn’t hint of the salty Chinese black beans. Perhaps my senses had been deadened by the sweet and sour seafood earlier.
But the strong sauce was definitely not to blame for the unimpressive Crispy Australian Pork Belly despite it's clever presentation on a bed of braised beetroot, red cabbage and golden raisins.
At my table, the medallions of pork were a dry, poor cousin to the crispy pork one finds at the Char Siew pork stall, with the clever accompaniments unable to save the tough contender.
On a better day, this dish could be the useful foil on a dining plate with other strong-sauced mains which are all priced between $24 and $28 per serving.
Wash down the meal with the Bistro’s list of mocktails, cocktails, wines and beers before going on to dessert which, on the Chinese New Year menu is named Tiger’s Fortune.
The dish is attractively served with a slice of pineapple tart stuffed generously with roughly cut and not-too-sweet pineapple filling that isn’t anything like the jam fillings you find in the new year tarts.
It contrasts well with the soft, icy lychee and firm orange jelly.
Since the Chinese New Year period runs into Valentine’s Day this year, diners can have the best of both worlds at District 10.
Apart from the prosperous 8 Menu, a special 4-course Valentine’s menu featuring Salmon or Angus Rib eye, has been put together for $48/- per person.
So if you want your parents to meet your date without missing a Chinese New Year meal or a Valentine’s Day appointment, you know the place and the day. But just make sure you have your reservations in place.
For reservations, call (65) 6738 4788, or email contact@district10.com.sg
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