Summer Palace – Cantonese Restaurant, Conrad Singapore Orchard
Monica Tindall
Summer Palace has held a Michelin Star since it first entered the Singapore Michelin Guide in 2017. On our first visit to this Cantonese restaurant inside Conrad Singapore Orchard, it’s obvious why it has continued to succeed.
The interior, mirroring the elegance of its namesake, has benefited from a recent refurbishment, the food is exceptional, they have a fab wine list and two somms to guide you through it, and they even have a tea sommelier who brews fresh batches tableside. Furthermore, the staff know their stuff, really, right down to the last ingredient. It’s an inspiring place to dine.
Summer Palace Singapore
Executive Chef Liu Ching Hai designs the menu around colour, fragrance and flavour. We find many familiar recipes in the concept, alongside traditional dishes plated with flair and some curious ingredients famous for their beneficial properties in Chinese medicine. (Keep reading to find us slurping up frog tendons for dessert.)
Appetisers
Our meal begins with four small bites: pickled pumpkin, chicken roulade, deep-fried yam, and crispy pork belly marinated in prawn paste. They stimulate every corner of our palate, which is then cleansed with a sparkling tea presented by Liu Tian, Summer Palace’s tea somm.
The next round is dim sum, with a trio of prettily crafted dumplings. It’s recommended to begin with the dumpling basket of wild mushrooms. Plump with shimeji and eryngii mushrooms, the skin is sturdy enough to carry its contents, yet soft and moist thanks to the ala minute preparation. Next, go for the squid ink dumpling, brushed with gold and filled with seafood, wearing a tiara of tiny orange fish roe. It’s both striking and yum. The deep-fried prawn ball is the richest in flavour, so eat this last. Covered in red rice crisps, it resembles a lychee. Inside, chestnuts and prawns give a good springy texture. Don’t forget to dip it in the accompanying wasabi honey sauce for a little sweet zing.
As the next course is being prepared, Chef Liu Ching Hai, who has been leading the kitchen for over 15 years, arrives at the table with a treasure box of dehydrated ingredients used in our upcoming soups. Many of them are highly prized for their medicinal benefits.
The soup duo represents yin and yang. The yin, Chen Yu Luo Yan – for beauty maintenance – contains bird’s nest, fish maw, sea whelk, garoupa, ginseng, conpoy, red dates, dried longan and wolfberries. The Yang, Qi Yu Xuan Ang – for body strength – combines a fat abalone, organic AnXin chicken, sea cucumber, venison tendon and a whole bunch of Chinese medicinal herbs such as maca, cistanche herb, fuzi, dang shen, poria root and wolfberries. The broths are full flavoured and choc-a-block with ingredients.
Chinese Wine (and it’s good!)
Summer Palace’s wine list is fantastic with a range of affordable New and Old World wines alongside the big names for special occasions. Bubbly fans should be happy with close to 50 labels! And… there’s an exciting range of Japanese and Chinese wines worth exploring. Both countries have gained recognition in recent years for producing increasingly delicious, elegant and well-balanced wines. We’re fortunate today to explore several from China.
Bo Xun Wu, Summer Palace’s sommelier introduces the wines. The first is from the Hebei Province, Canaan Winery’s Chapter and Verse, 2016, “Mastery” Chardonnay (SGD180). Apparently, French wine’s introduction to China dates back to the 1300s, although only the French have records of this, as China’s turbulent past saw the destruction of many documents. History was revived several years ago with the French and Chinese governments partaking in a cultural exchange, hence the planting of French varietals in certain parts of China. This chardonnay, in particular, is a deep yellow in colour and has a rather muted bouquet. However, the wine comes alive in the palate, with fruit, fullness and balanced acidity. It’s bold enough to stand alongside the sweetness and spice in the sauce and elegant enough not to overwhelm the delicate fish in our first main course, Chilean Sea Bass.
Main Courses
Gosh, it would be hard to find a more delicious and expertly prepared dish than the Steamed Chilean Sea Bass at Summer Palace. The fish’s healthy fatty acids are preserved by steaming at a low temperature, maintaining the health benefits and also delivering impeccably moist and flaky flesh. The crown of caramelised red bell peppers and oatmeal is gently sweet with a soft, steady thread of spice, lifting the entire profile. So good!
Our tea somm returns to brew a white peony that has benefited from micro fermentation table side. It’s fascinating to watch the ritual as she warms the glass pot and cups with hot water before preparing the tea.
Our carb course is a tangle of braised Japanese Inaniwa noodles. They’re highly absorbent, soaking up the moisture and flavour of the rich sauce. Chinese prosciutto, a plump lobster tail, fat scallops, and tasty conpoy crowd the bowl, looking generous and satisfying. It’s partnered with another exciting wine choice, a red from Ningxia Helan Mountain, Legacy Peak, Marselan, 2021 (SGD228). The high-altitude (1246 MASL) Marselan (a cross of cabernet sauvignon and grenache) has alluring aromas of berries and blooms reaching into the palate with smooth tannins, moderate acidity and a medium finish. It balances the briny seafood flavours, making an excellent complement to the rich noodle dish.
Summer Palace Singapore Dessert Menu
Summer Palace lists a handful of desserts on its menu, but we get a special treat – Hashima in Almond Cream. Served warm, the double-boiled fatty tissue around the frog’s fallopian tubes is a Chinese delicacy with a texture like jelly. They don’t hold much flavour on their own; instead, they absorb the bitter-sweet nuttiness of the almonds.
I’m always grateful for the opportunity to explore new recipes and add another story to tell. However, despite having a pleasant flavour, once is probably enough of this dessert for me. On the other hand, a cocktail finish – is something I’ll repeat.
In collaboration with a local distiller, the restaurant serves its own Brass Lion Summer Palace Edition Gin. We try it in the Summer Palace Martini (SGD28) with white peony tea vermouth and goji berry liqueur. It’s served in a martini glass with a lime peel twist. The spirit is tempered by the gentle sweetness of the vermouth and liqueur, making a very pleasant finish.
Reasons to visit Summer Palace Singapore: Michelin-starred Cantonese cuisine; excellent wine list with several quality Chinese wines worth exploring; hand-crafted dim sum; must order the Chilean Sea Bass.
Summer Palace Singapore
Conrad Orchard
1 Cuscaden Rd Singapore, 249715 Singapore
+65 6733 8888
Link to Summer Palace Singapore on Google Maps
Tip: For weekends and public holidays, reserve up to three weeks in advance.
Summer Palace Singapore Opening Hours
Monday – Friday: 12 pm – 2:30 pm, 6 pm – 10:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, 6 pm – 10:30 pm
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