Friday, August 1, 2014

Halia at Raffles Hotel

I am always on the look out for good food in pretty places and I am sharing one of such restaurants today! A couple of weeks back, I was invited to Halia at Raffles Hotel with Nadia for their new Communal Dinner menu!

Raffles Hotel is such a beautiful building. I love the white washed elegance and colonial design.  I had dined at Halia in Botanic Gardens last year and loved the quiet ambience among the foliage. Although the restaurant at Raffles Hotel is located in a more contemporary environment, it does not venture far from it's original style, with a garden themed dining hall interior.



We started off with Goat's Cheese Mousse served with heirloom tomato, olive, wild honey and dried brioche. I didn't quite like the strong taste but cheese-lovers like Nadia would love this dish!


Chef's soup came in a pot which was promptly divided into individual portions and served with bread selections. Initially I thought I wouldn't like it when I heard it was cauliflower soup that day because I am not a fan of the veggie. However, the soup turned out pleasant and was a great start to the following feast.


Oriental Pulled Duck on soba noodle was an interesting dish which I really enjoyed, and whetted my appetite for more yummy dishes coming along.


It only gets better. The house smoked salmon pate came in a jar that releases smoke upon opening the cover. Not only it is instagram worthy, it is also very tasty!


One of the best dish that day was the Chilli Crab dip with toasted baguette. I am very picky when it comes to Chilli Crab sauce, but Halia does it well, with a generous serving of crab meat in its sauce. I couldn't stop myself from a 2nd serving!


Next up is the Wagyu Beef Zha Jiang Mian, which I didn't try because I don't eat beef. What's different about this Zha Jiang Mian is that the "noodles" are vegetables instead!


The Baked Kingfish Collar was well marinated but slightly salty. However, I love its tender meat very much and ate almost the entire piece! It came with the very unique orange miso sauce.


And my favourite dish is the Twice Cooked Spatchcock of Spring Chicken. The flavor was well absorbed into the meat, plus the chicken was juicy and tender too. Thumbs up for this dish!


Another dish I couldn't eat...

"The Mayura Station Full Blood MBS 9+ 'Gunpowder' Wagyu Rump Cap is marinated for 4 to 6 hours with elements similar to gunpowder (mainly charcoal and nitrate salt), to cure the meat by preventing oxidation as well as to add a touch of smokiness. The meat is then cooked sous-vide in a water bath at 59 degrees Celsius for 30 to 45 minutes before it is quickly grilled on the grill to finish before it is served directly. However, kindly note that sulphur and potassium nitrate are not included in the marinate."


The Coconut parfait was an interested dessert (it has popping candy!!!), but I loved the second dessert even more.


Yep, the Sticky Toffee Pudding had me finishing everything even though I was already so full from all the food, because it was just too good. It was a sweet and heavenly end to our feast.


Diid you noticed the lovely paper mat we had under our food? It was designed specially for the communal dining menu and it caught my eye first thing when I arrived!


The communal menu is $270 and serves 4. The price is extremely reasonable for its ambience and quality food. I highly recommend it for family gatherings! Actually, I think the food portion is enough for 5-6 pax too! Our table had four and we were very full after the meal. The set also comes with a jug of lemongrass drink or ice tea. The lemongrass drink had all my dining companions raving it!

Halia
1 Beach Road,
#01-22/23,
Raffles Hotel
Singapore 189673

Was great to catch up with Nadia over good food again!


Dressed myself in neutral tones that day. My top is from www.earthdoll.co! Really liked the versatile design which goes well with anything. Do check out the site for more lovely tops!


A flatlay of my outfit that day for a clearer look :)


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