Level 5, Marina Mandarin Hotel, 6 Raffles Boulevard
Tel: 6845 1111 / 1000
Operating Hours: Lunch: Noon – 2.30pm (Mon – Sat) 11 am – 2.30pm (Sun & PH) Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm

This elegant restaurant in the Marina Mandarin hotel is a reliable place for a tasty Chinese lunch or dinner. My starter of clear abalone and mushroom soup was soft, subtle and dainty, and showed a real light touch from the chef, whilst my main dish of unctuous stewed belly pork satiated my fatty, carnivorous instincts with is gooey richness. On the recommendation of my waitress, I went for the savoury-sour cold red plum noodles as a pre-dessert: they really refreshed my palate ready for the real show-stealers here. Desserts at Chinese restaurants are so often afterthoughts that it is a real pleasure to find them given real care and attention. Forget the run-of-the-mill longans, almond jelly and nut creams: desserts here are innovative and delicious. If you want proof, try the luxurious creamy avocado mousse dressed with glistening, gummy sago pearls and a dollop of ice cream. Another, a red plum served with yoghurt, serves as a palate cleanser after a meal of rich Cantonese dishes, while the pumpkin cream with black glutinous rice delivers a rich, natural sugar hit that does not cloy.