A Grand Feast at the Top of the World

You know that you have stepped into one of Singapore’s top Chinese restaurants when upon arrival, you are greeted by amazing interior design that makes you feel like you are on the top of the world. Literally, Hai Tien Lo is located at the top of the Pan Pacific Hotel. Dining on the 37th floor of one of Singapore’s premier hotel makes you feel like you are worth a million dollars. With a view of Singapore’s Central Business District, the Esplanade and the Singapore River, dining at Hai Tien Lo reflects its Chinese name which roughly translates to the building between the sea and the sky.                

A warm and welcoming service staff attended personally to my dinner party's every need. In fact, ordering tea was an event in itself, indicating just how seriously this Chinese restaurant took to provide a complete dining experience. We settled on Golden Cinnamon Tea and boy was it worth every penny. It was fragrant and aromatic, with tinges of cinnamon. It was served individually and at no point did it ever become too thick from steeping the tea leaves too long.             

Hai Tien Lo is primarily a Chinese Cantonese restaurant and its menu reflects this. We were conflicted with whether to go with the ala carte menu or their prefixed menu designed by their executive chef. We decided on the prefixed menu. At $138+++ per person, it included shark’s fin, meat platter, lobster, abalone and bird’s nest. At the end of the meal, we concluded that it was worth every penny.       

We started off with the delightful Suckling Pig with Foie Gras and Drunken Chicken. It was an East meets West affair as the Foie Gras blended together perfectly with the Suckling Pig. Next up was the Braised Shark’s Fin with Shark’s Bone Soup. An unconventional take on a conventional dish, the soup was boiled to perfection, leaving me wanting more. According to our helpful service staff, the soup is good for the knees. But certainly the highlight of the evening had got to be the Braised Whole Abalone with Black Truffles, an understatement to even call it fantastic. It had a myriad of beautiful flavours which heightened the taste buds. The abalone was tender and the accompanying sauce amazing. With the touch of black truffles to go, it was simply a heavenly affair.  

The Fresh Lobster with Garlic was a good (if not refreshing) complement to the previous one. The lobster was fresh and the garlic sauce perfect. Together with the lobster roe, it was a great main course. We completed the main meal with Hai Tien Lo’s famous Handmade Noodles with Seafood. It was a nice finish to the main meal. A wonderful departure from your usual Ee Fu noodles or Fried Rice, the noodles had a light and springy texture that made yearn for more if not for the awareness of over indulgence.  

The evening ended with a spectacular flourish with Hai Tien Lo’s Almond Bird’s Nest. The restaurant was generous with their Bird’s Nest and the almond was well made. It was neither too sweet nor too overpowering. It was perfect. 

Overall, a restaurant that would entice me to return, Hai Tien Lo’s prices may be a little on the higher side but it is definitely value for money. With great food and a great view, Hai Tien Lo is worth more than the occasional visit.