Turn your Christmas party into a hands-free occasion with these takeaway turkey treats.
 |
| PHOTO COURTESY OF CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL |
The creative culinary forces at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (+65 6823 5367) are determined to inject some Asian flavor to the very Western affair of eating turkey during Christmas. We love the Cereal Crusted Tom Turkey (S$115.00+ for a 5kg pre-roasted bird), which comes with glutinous rice, sautéed baby Thai lettuce and fragrant, curry leaf-flavored butter sauce. There’s also the 5kg pre-roasted Beggar’s Turkey (S$100.00+) comprising a turkey baked at low temperature, covered with rock salt and flavored rice—delish.
More delectable oven offerings come from Holiday Inn Atrium (317 Outram Road, +65 6733 0188)—the Mediterranean Styled Turkey, stuffed with fresh herbs, lemon and spices, and filled with chestnut stuffing roulade, brings the marinade stakes to a new high. S$150 for 5 to 6kg.
For extra spice factor, Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre’s (formerly Holiday Inn Parkview) award-winning Tandoor North Indian Restaurant (11 Cavenagh Road, +65 6730 0153) offers up the Tandoori US Tom Turkey (S$88++ for 3.5kg), which is marinated overnight, spiked with lemon juice and slow grilled over an open fire to a golden, crisp perfection.
 |
| PHOTO COURTESY OF GOODWOOD PARK HOTEL |
Goodwood Park Hotel’s (22 Scotts Road, +65 6737 7411) Baked Boneless Turkey Stuffed With Shanghai Noodles, on the other hand, is literally a meal within a meal—springy, wok-fried Shanghai noodles with shredded pork and cabbage encased within a moist, well-marinated turkey makes for a fuss-free, no-leftover meal. S$128 for eight to 10 persons. For something more familiar, the Hainanese Turkey, poached for two hours in a superior chicken stock filled with spring onions, pandan leaves, ginger, garlic and other secret condiments, accompanied by 12 Hainanese rice balls, is a surefire pleaser. S$188 for 12 to 16 portions.
SWEET TREATS
Perfect as a Christmas dinner party gift, the 3-in-1 Under The Mistletoe (S$45 for 1kg) logcake from BreadTalk veers away from the predictable chocolate variety to incorporate three flavors—the first, a light vanilla chiffon with a strawberry jam rosette in the center, the second, a mango flavor-infused vanilla chiffon with peach halves, and finally a luxurious chocolate chiffon with chocolate ganache and hazelnut cream. If your hosts are die-hard chocoholics, they will love the Papa Noel (S$48), a trinity of chocolate chiffon, bittersweet dark chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache.
Even better, get the young ones to add in a personal touch with the unique DIY Christmas Log Cake from The Icing Room (www.theicingroom.com). Each mini log cake (S$13.80 for 220g), iced with Chantilly cream in chocolate or strawberry flavor, comes with a decorating set comprising different colored cream piping bags and Christmas garnishes such as pine trees, message tags and Santa figurines.
For party hosts who don’t want their guests to leave empty-handed, check out Do Me A Favour’s festive mementos. The online boutique, which specializes in food-oriented favors for special occasions including weddings, has recently launched five new varieties for the upcoming Christmas and New Year seasons, such as cookies prettily packaged in glass jars or presented with ribbons and cards, complete with customized labeling including corporate logos, making them perfect for office Christmas parties. Different minimum orders apply for different products. Prices range from S$2.10 to S$12 per piece. Log onto www.domeafavour.com.sg for more information.
VALUE FOR MONEY
For a Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner that doesn’t burst your budget, Quality Hotel (201 Balestier Road, +65 6355 9988) is one of the town’s best bets. Its sumptuous buffet dinner features a seafood-on-ice counter with flower crabs, prawns, mussels, oysters and white clams, in addition to cold cuts such as smoked salmon and Japanese octopus, and of course, festive mainstays including roast turkey with cranberry sauce, honey glazed chicken ham with pineapple sauce, roast leg of lamb with mint sauce, seared barramundi laced with lemon butter sauce, braised oxtail stew, teppanyaki unagi, beef medallion, grilled slipper lobster, and the list goes on. The Christmas Eve Dinner is at S$38++ (adult), S$19++ (child). The New Year’s Eve Dinner is at S$42++ (adult), S$19++ (child).
