With hand-painted de Gournay wallpapers depicting landscaped gardens in a Chinese palace, and soft furnishings in regal emerald, aubergine, and lilac, the one-Michelin-starred Summer Palace at Conrad Singapore Orchard feels as grand as its Qing-era Beijing namesake. But the cuisine here is firmly Cantonese rather than northern imperial.

Executive chef Liu Ching Hai updates some familiar classics with a lighter, more modern edge. For instance, antioxidant-rich pomegranates replace the pineapple cubes in sweet and sour pork. He also incorporates the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, especially the balance of yin and yang, in the double-boiled soups. The Yang version is a robust consommé made with cordyceps, venison tendon, sea cucumber, and maca, while the milder Yin soup features maw, sea whelk, ginseng, and jujube. Purists can still count on good old Cantonese favorites being done well here, even if the pork used in char siu is from the Ibérico pig, with its charred bits glazed by osmanthus flower honey instead of maltose.

As for drinks, the specialty tea bar showcases 32 artisanal green, black, white, and flower teas served in a Chinese tea ceremony. These are paired with dishes and used in tea-inspired cocktails like the Tie Guan Yin Old Fashioned and Summer Palace Martini. Curated by sister bar Park90, the restaurant’s wine list features a notable selection of Chinese labels. —Mavis Teo

hilton.com
+65 6725 3288
Level 3, Conrad Singapore Orchard, 1 Cuscaden Rd., Singapore

Summer Palace: Opulent Chinese Classics

Singapore Dining

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