Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road, Tel: 6431 6156

Operating Hours: 11am – 11 pm

For a meal served with a huge dose of ambience, head to the Raffles Courtyard, a lovely spot for visitors from abroad to sample some Asian fare while basking in the nostalgic environment of the historic Raffles Hotel. With soft jazz and blues music wafting through the night air, dining at this elegant yet informal venue is quite a treat. I recommend the starter of honey sesame prawns with pickled papaya salad – a light, refined dish: the crunchy sour papaya goes with the sweet prawns exceptionally well –  and for mains, you can’t go wrong with a meaty Sri Lankan crab with sweet chilli sauce – sweet, rich and hot, a perfect seafood treat. Service is exemplary.WINE: A limited selection available.