This tradition of Yu Sheng has come a long way from its origin in South China and is not much practised in other parts of the world. But Singapore cannot think of ushering in the Chinese New Year without this practice. Lo Hei restaurants in Singapore join in to celebrate this tradition of family reunion and feasting.
The custom of Lo Hei or ‘tossing up the good fortune’ has originated from a simple raw fish and vegetable salad tossed with some condiments. Modern interpretation of it has added a level of finesse to the celebration. Here is our list of Lo Hei restaurants in Singapore that are a must-visit with friends and family.
Auspicious Abundance Yu Sheng is the name of the festive dish to welcome the year of the rat. A vibrant dish with layers of vegetables topped high, bordered by scallops, caviar and noodles, it is flavoured in pomelo juice, zesty lemon, and served with traditional plum sauce and pomelo chunks.
There are six, seven and eight courses on offer.
When: 10 January to 8 February 2020
Cost: Around $388+ for 4/5 persons on a table for a 6-course meal
$38 per table for Auspicious Abundance Yu Sheng
For more information and to reserve, please visit here.
Alaskan Crab Lo Hei or Hamachi Yu Sheng is the celebratory offer. Steamed live Soon Hock, braised whole abalone, pan-fried Hokkaido scallop, dried oysters with vegetables are some of the attractions from the wide menu. Try the traditional
three-layered Longevity Poon Choi.
When: 13 January to 8 February 2020
Cost: From $398 onwards for 4 persons, $1688 for 10 persons
Make your reservations here.
These are available in regular and large sizes. There are vegetarian options as well. You may have your Yu Sheng as a takeaway too.
When: 6 January to 8 February 2020
Cost:
$88+ per person for vegetarian meal.
$498++ for a table of 4 to $2380++ for a table of 8.
$108 for regular sized Yu Sheng to $168 for large.
Cost:
This French patisserie has a unique offer called the Queen’s Yu Sheng. There is a golden milk chocolate egg stuffed with fruits like Thai green mango, honey pineapple, pomelo, mandarin orange, dragon fruit etc. It sits on a plate of chocolate
fish, orange cake, yam & sweet potato chips, nuts and meringue.
You are given a wooden hammer to break the egg and dressings of gula melaka, plum and orange to pour over it.
When: While stocks last
Cost: $88
Make your reservations at sweets@sugardaddy.com.sg
Cost: $23.90 for dine-in regular and $36.90 for takeaway large
Lunar New Year Eve Dinner
24 January 2020 | 6:30pm to 10:30pm
$158 per adult | $79 per child
Lunar New Year Lunch
27 January to 8 February 2020 | 12pm to 2:30pm
$65 per adult | $32.50 per child
Lunar New Year Dinner
25 January to 8 February 2020 | 6:30pm to 10:30pm
$98 per adult | $49 per child
Cost:
$158 for 4-6 pax, $188 for 8-10 pax
$68 for 4-6 pax, $98 for 8-10 pax
$68 for 4-6 pax, $98 for 8-10 pax
$98 for 4-6 pax, $138 for 8-10 pax
From now to 8 February 2020 (for takeaway)
$98+ for Ma-Luck Fa Cai Yu Sheng
$88+ for Garden of Gold Fruits Yu Sheng
$68+ for Fortune Salmon Yu Sheng
The interesting blend of Chinese and Thai cuisine starts with the Thai Chin Yu Sheng presenting its salmon gravlax, Thai green mango and papaya. The buffet spread has attractions like smashed cucumber salad with seafood, fish maw soup, spiced braised duck rounded off with claypot rice.
Wan Tan Hor Fun and deep-fried Nian Gao are the other charms.
When: 24 January 2020
Cost: $58 per adult, $29 per child below 12
Make your reservations here.
The Chinese New Year here will take your nostalgia towards Nanyang dishes with signature crystal chicken and deep-fried marble goby with chinchalok. They are ushering in the year of the rat with Prosperity salmon and abalone Yu Sheng and signature Famous Treasure Pen Cai. Other features are braised abalone with black moss and sea cucumber, glutinous rice in lotus leaf with waxed meat and many more.
When: 13 January to 8 February 2020
Cost: $258+ for 4 persons, $1498+ for 10 persons
Reservations at www.thefamoustreasure.com
With Lo Hei banquets in the hotel ballrooms, toss the fortune with a celebratory menu at this Michelin-starred restaurant. The Abundance lobster, abalone and salmon Yu Sheng is complemented by special dishes like braised rice vermicelli with three-head abalone, wok-fried Boston lobster in black bean sauce and more. There are options of 7 and 8 course lunch and dinner menus.
When: 6 January to 8 February 2020
Cost: $128+ per person, $6888++ for 10 persons
Reservations at https://www.fourseasons.com/singapore/dining/
Usher in the Chinese New Year by tossing good fortune with the Gold Rush salmon Yu Sheng at Jade restaurant. This has the delectable champagne jelly, olive oil and honey pineapple dressing. Stars of the set menu are hot stone silver needle noodles with truffle meat and ‘full of luck’ deep-fried Chilean seabass in peach sauce.
A-la-carte festive items are also available. The special image of the rat, crafted on the Yu Sheng platter, will be available only on three days’ advance order.
When: 6 January to 8 February 2020
Cost: $98 per person for individual set menu, $118 per person for family style set menu
Enquiries at www.fullertonhotels.com
Home-style cuisine is the real draw here, whether set menu or a-la-carte. This New Year is celebrated with the Prosperity Gold Coin Premium baby abalone Yu Sheng. Deep-fried prawn balls with Japanese yuzu sauce and Teochew-style steamed seabass fillet are the attractions. So is the roasted duck with chef’s tangerine-infused Hoi-xin sauce.
When: 3 January to 9 February 2020
Cost: $359 for 4 persons, $1399 for 10 persons
Enquiries at www.grandmercureroxy.com.sg
This recently refurbished restaurant specialises in Shanghainese food. Their Prosperity Yu Sheng offers Australian lobster or 3-head abalone and 6-head abalone fortune pot. The crispy smoked duck in Osmanthus tea leaf is artistically presented.
The Shanghainese-style Nian gao with cane sugar is another draw.
When: 17 January to 9 February 2020 (except 20 January)
Cost: $588+ for 4 persons, $2888+ for 10 persons
Enquiries at www.grandshanghai.com.sg
The Chui Huay Lim Teochew cuisine and Zui Yu Xuan Teochew cuisine have the Teochew Prosperity salmon Yu Sheng and Teochew Festive Pen Cai on offer this festive time. Whether it is chef’s recommendations or set menus or celebratory
reunion, every spread is mouth-watering. At Jumbo Seafood, the spread includes steamed live Boston lobster, Sakura Ebi and Chinese preserved meat rice.
At Singapore Seafood Republic, the star is the braised 3-head abalone with Fatt choy.
When: 6 January to 9 February 2020
Cost: $158+ for 2 persons, $1398+ for 10 persons
Enquiries at www.jumbogroup.sg
Welcome the New Year with five delicious Yu Sheng platters, all serving rosella fruit juliennes and the signature spring onion sauce. The spread is wide and varied starting from the Bountiful Yu Sheng with Alaskan crab meat, salmon, black truffle and black caviar, to the Garden of Health Yu Sheng with fresh fruits and vegetables.
The set menu is completed by Pen Cai, Singapore’s largest traditional dish.
When: 08 January to 09 February 2020
Cost: $128 per person for table of 8-10
Enquiries at www.mandarinoriental.com/singapore
Enjoy a luxurious new year with six artistic Yu Sheng platters. The star is the dramatic Abundant Wealth Yu Sheng with lobster, abalone and gold & Silver flakes. The Hai Tien Lo set menus celebrate dishes like baked fillet of sea perch in champagne sauce and double-boiled chicken soup with whole abalone, sea conch and Korean ginseng.
The ballroom opens a reunion buffet dinner on New Year eve.
When: 9 January to 8 February 2020
Cost: $128+ per person, $3388+ for 10 persons
Enquiries at www.panpacific.com/singapore
Ring in the new year with the Prosperity Yu Sheng (salmon belly) with organic vegetables and wolfberries here. The indulgent Prosperity set menus include braised bird’s nest with fish maw and fungus, golden suckling pig and stewed inaniwa udon with Boston lobster. The fortune set menu at Hua Ting steamboat has hotpot sessions.
When: 1 January to 8 February 2020
Cost:
$108+ per person, $1388+ for 10 persons
$728 per table Prosperity festive lunch, $828 per table festive dinner
Enquiries at www.orchardhotel.com.sg
Here comes a Yu Sheng with a difference. Feel indulgent to try the Prosperity silver bait and homemade Bakkwa with their Fresh Greens Yu Sheng. It can be topped with ‘fugu’ sashimi. There are New year set menus. Top of UOB plaza has braised Mee tai mak with fresh lobster. Parkroyal on beach road offers deep-fried spare ribs in Sichuan spices.
The attraction at Parkroyal on Kitchener road is the double-boiled kampung chicken with snow lotus, sea whelk and conpoy.
When: 3 January to 8 February 2020
Cost: $88+ per person to $148+ per person
Enquiries at www.sichuandouhua.com
When: 20 January to 9 February 2020
Cost:
PROSPERITY YU SHENG SALAD ($24.95)
BRAISED DUCK LEG WITH MUSHROOM & CHESTNUT ($29.95)
HONEY SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS ($69.95) - great for sharing
ORH NEE WITH PUMPKIN PASTE & GINKGO NUTS ($14.95)
GINGER MOON ($22.95)
MANDARIN MULE ($23.95)
PROSPERI-TEA ($23.95)
Enquiries at Hard Rock Hotel.
When: Available now
Cost: Party set is priced at $318 (serves 8 to 10 people)
To place orders, please call +65 6694 1717 or visit their website.
The whole tradition of Lo Hei is about tossing the Yu Sheng ingredients high up in the air and shouting auspicious phrases. Singapore is fond of ushering in the New Year with this ritual.
Every ingredient in the Yu Sheng salad has a meaning and has to be tossed with the right phrase. If you are in doubt about the items as well as what to say, we are here to help with the basic ingredients.
Symbolises abundance throughout the year and surplus year after year.
Say – ‘Nian Nian You Yu.’
Symbolises great prosperity, good fortune and luck.
Say – ‘Da Ji Da Li.’