New Majestic Restaurant

Brought my parents here on Mother's Day and had a really enjoyable dinner. Service was a tad slow and we were seated in the expanded seating section in the lobby of the hotel outside the restaurant but that didn't really spoil the experience. Guess they wanted to create a bigger capacity for additional revenue, who can blame them?

We decided to go ala carte since it was just the three of us. Ordered the Crispy Silver bait with garlic and spring onions because that's my dad's favourite. It's a little salty, but always a good snack. For the rest of the dishes, we stuck to the Chef recommendations on the menu.

My favourite dish that night was the Sea Perch with mui choy. The sea perch comes in individual portions and you can choose how you'd like it prepared. Sea Perch tastes like a lighter version of cod fish to me, and this one was well done. Melt-in-your-mouth yummy!

I also recommend the Crispy Wasabi prawns. Not too strong a wasabi taste, crispy on the outside, plump and juicy on the inside.

Tofu with whole garlic, another chef recommendation, was rather plain to me, and the wok-fried japanese la mian too greasy. And for desserts, the red bean pancake had more of a puff pastry crust and so I didn't enjoy it as much. I saw lots of people ordering the Cripsy Durian Ice Cream, so that's something I'll have to check out the next time I'm there.

I was very disappointed to see sharkfin soup being reviewed and eaten. As soon as I hear about it or see it on the menu - I feel disgusted and angry and leave straight away.

I encourage others to do the same.

As an avid scuba diver who sees the beautiful fish in the ocean, it is heart wrenching to know how the slaughter occurs:

"Sharks are often still alive when their fins are sliced off, and their bodies are thrown back into the sea." from: http://www.wildsingapore.com/news/20060910/060926-3.htm and seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4t9vX9IyFA Search on youtube for sharkfin slaughter and you will find many more pleas to protect these wonderful creatures and the envirnoment they live in.

And weddings celebrate by eating the soup?! Horrible... please resist:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iO5eHwvCAYYt7QxIZE2cgPTXUdTw

IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE!

Yet another positive review!

I'll probably say the same things as the past few reviewers, but I do have pictures of my fantastic meal here if you're interested!

I absolutely loved my experience at The Majestic.  It was my first time there, after reading about it, and was totally delighted when I stepped out of the cab to see a very quaint, post-colonial hotel with some people lounging outdorrs having drinks.  The Majestic bar was the first stop, and it is a very cosy area with egg-cushions for patrons to rest on while enjoying their exotic cocktails.  I had the White Cosmopolitan as a pre-prandial and then the GingerBread Man for a nightcap.  There are two more floors above which can be converted to private but funky function rooms.We adjourned to the Majestic Restaurant, and at first, my boyfriend was a bit apprehensive about the modern Cantonese cuisine, worried that the portions wouldn't be substantial enough for his Aussie appetite.  But we didn't need to worry about that.  We had the crispy prawn with wasabi-mayo dressing to start.  It was just HEAVENLY!  The prawns were crunchy and fat, and the wasabi in the sauce was not over-powering but perfectly complemented the meat of the giant prawns.  For the second starter, we each had a jumbo canadian oyster which was steamed to just right, with the signature ginger-soy sauce as a condiment.  Lots of texture to it and I relished it.  My aussie boyfriend though, would opt to have it just fresh next time.  Next, we had the "black hog" belly in the house 7-spice salt, and the roast duck with plum sauce.  We weren't disappointed at all, and the meat was succulent and moist.  We had the asparugus with garlic and that was a brilliant balance to the meal.  Their cantonese desserts are authentic Cantonese delights which I know my Dad will love when we bring him there next time.  We washed the meal down with a Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc which is one of my fav white wines,I'm looking forward to trying the steamed perch, scallops, and one of the chicken dishes whenever we are going there again.  The service was sharp, and prompt, no-frill but attentive.  The whole meal cost about $250, but we did splash out on the bottle of wine.  It would prob be more economical to have a bigger group of 4 - 6 people, so that more dishes can be ordered and shared,  Absolutely worth it!  <!-- Converted from text/rtf format -->

My parents were huge fans of the former Majestic Restaurant, back in its day. They'd wax lyrical about the steamed fish and the roasted chicken, and how much of a pity it was that it had to close down. So I figured that I just had to bring them to the New Majestic Restaurant, to help them relive the nostalgia.

Unfortunately, my parents - and I guess, to a certain extent, me - don't really appreciate the melding of fine-dining and Chinese food. My father actually had great trouble deciding what to order from the menu; he seemed confused by the terms being used and the portions being served.

We settled for 4 dishes:

1) the combination starter of wasabi prawn, Peking duck and pan-fried foie gras, at $15 per person

2) the shark's fin fried with egg in lettuce, at $36 per portion

3) the roasted chicken with five spiced salt, at $18 per portion

4) the homemade tofu with lufta melon, crab meat and crab roe, at $14 per portion

It was the starter that was the stunner. There is no doubt that the food served here is indeed good. It's just that perhaps, we don't feel comfortable paying fine-dining prices for fine-dining portions for Chinese food. Our first dish was exactly what was described in the menu - one square piece of Peking duck skin perched atop a small square of pan-fried foie gras, and one wasabi-mayonnaise prawn settled on a water melon bed.

The taste was exquisite, to be honest. The singular wasabi prawn was well-done and the tangy sweetness of the wasabi mayonnaise provided and edge to the sweet crunchy watermelon beneath. And the pan-fried foie gras was a-mazing; literally crispy on the outside, and oh-so-soft and melt-in-your-mouth within. The Peking duck skin was crispy as well, so tastewise there was no disappointment there. It was just the portion-size that was jaw-dropping. On hindsight, maybe we should have just ordered the portion of wasabi prawns for $24. We would have had much more prawns, and even save $21 on our starter.

I do however, love the second dish - the shark's fin fried with egg in lettuce. They were really generous with their shark's fin; I was biting into chunks of shark's fin, fried with really fluffy egg. And I like that - the fact that the egg was fluffy rather than limp dry, the way it usually is with most of the other such dishes that other restaurants serve. I felt as if the eggs were half-scrambled. Yummy. Oh, and there was also a lot of crunchy bean sprouts and lots of crab meat shavings to go around. And the lettuce was really fresh. To me, this dish is a must-try.

Our third dish - the roasted chicken - won accolades from my parents. According to them, the standard of the chicken has not changed inspite of the rest of the character of the restaurant. The chicken is really nicely done - the meat is tender and juicy. Even the white meat, which I otherwise never touch, is actually more tender than I've known, and can actually be edible with the five spiced salt. The roasted skin is also really browned and crispy. Who can resist?

Our last dish - the homemade tofu - was also really good. At least, the tofu was. I found the gluten sauce a bit too thick and heavy. And even though it was chock-full of crab meat and roe, and lots of lufta melon, I felt that it wasn't very tasty. But this could simply have been because the tofu is really what provides the flavour. Bite into one of the homemade tofus, and you can understand why it's so special. It's crispy on the outside, amazingly soft and silken on the inside, and it has this subtle flavour that makes it perfect to pair with all the other stuff that comes on its dish. It can flavour anything, without being overpowering.

For dessert, I got the chilled mango puree with sago and pomelo for $6. It came as thick mango puree served with a scoop of ice-cream, peppered with sago and pomelo bits. On its own, the mango puree was overpowering, and a little too intense to take. But once you started mixing the ice-cream into everything, somehow the flavours just melded and grew on you. The end result was a rather pleasant one; however, I guess the impression being left on me wasn't all that great. While I think this dessert is nice, it's not something I'll want to come back to this restaurant for.

Decor-wise, the restaurant is really upmarket and chi chi. I guess this is part of the whole New Majestic Hotel look - modern, yet classy and edgy; the way a boutique hotel ought to be, I suppose. The look's really nice, I must admit. It's really welcoming and comfortable.

The service is also very efficient, I must say. Orders are taken quickly, tea is promptly refilled all the time (the quality of tea is quite good too), the food comes really quickly, request for cut chilli also get attended to efficiently... I honestly cannot complain there.

All in all, the New Majestic Restaurant does serve quite good quality Chinese food. However, this food does come at a very hefty price, and one that perhaps, I may not be all that willing to pay because it is possible to get food of equal quality at lower prices elsewhere (discounting the decor costs).

Have been to New Majestic twice for dinner. And this place just never disappoints. We always order their degustation menus when we're there.

I have written my reviews on my own blog ( complete with pix )

1st visit:

http://eatshopbemerry.livejournal.com/5502.html

2nd visit:

http://eatshopbemerry.livejournal.com/74862.html

Wait staff are uber attentive too. Great ambience Great food... wat can we ask for.

Unique, refreshing, not to be missed!

Ambience - Must reserve as seats are very limited. Open concept chinese fusion restaurant in an up market boutique hotel. On weekends, the management opens a few more tables, spilling out into the lobby area of New Majestic Hotel. Circular glass panels in the ceiling affords a view into the swimming pool directly above. Friendly chef greets you on arrival/ departure.

Food - Chinese fusion, similar to Club Chinois. We had the Crispy Wasabi Prawn with Peking Duck & Pan-fried Foie Gras. The strong after taste of wasabi combines very well with the freshness of the prawn. The foie gras wasn't too oily. The wagyu beef was fantastic as well, served as a thin fillet, matched with a fiery kimichi. Never had expected kimichi to go well with beef! The highlight was the sea perch with garlic, drenched in light soya sauce. The succulent flesh just melted into my mouth. They also do another version with mei chye (preserved vegetables) instead of garlic. And finally, go for the fried durian ice cream - so thick and flavourful, it felt as if we were eating the real thing!

Damage - $75 per pax. Worth this and more (we chanced upon Moses Lim wetting his palate there as well)!

Aftermath - Walk around Chinatown for some old world charm, or adjourn to the nearby Jazz @ Southbridge to round off a fantastic evening!

Absolutely one of the best dining experiences I have had at this place!  I don't remember the dish names but I enjoyed the lamb rack, asparagus and prawns.  I also liked a durian based dessert they have - again can't remember the name =).

My first experience at Majestic came about curiously enough.  A friend decided she didn't want the whole hotel banquet thing and decided to book the restaurant for the wedding dinner.  That first experience with Majestic whetted my appetite for more and the mother-in-law's birthday gave us the perfect excuse to return.

The first problem is locating the hotel.  It's located at Bukit Pasoh Road, which is just behind Outram Park MRT station.  The hotel doesn't have its own parking so you'll have to make to with the nearby parallel parking lots, or the reverse lots in the public carpark a few more steps away.

When you step into the restaurant, you'll feel like you've stepped into a eclectic design gallery.  The hotel lobby is filled with individualistic works of art and oddly placed furniture.  The restaurant is located towards the rear of the hotel lobby and located directly underneath the hotel swimming pool.  (There are holes in the ceiling of the hotel which look into the water and you may catch someone swimming past as you enjoy a meal.)

The restaurant offers set dinner menus (various choices are available depending on the number of diners and budget), but we opted for the a la carte menu instead.  We had:-

* Peking duck: This was pretty decent, and each of the 5 of us had at least 2 helpings.  I would say that I've had better (e.g. Teahouse at China Square) as I found the crepe that was used to wrap the duck a bit too dry for my liking.  

* Combination starter platter: This came with 4 pieces each of wasabi prawns, soft-shelled crab, shark's fin crab meat scrambled egg and drunken chicken.  Of the 4, the one worth noting is the wasabi prawns which came light and savoury with the right touch of spiciness from the wasabi.  I personally liked the drunken chicken, but this is not for everyone as the taste/smell of rice wine was particularly strong.

* Rack of lamb and carrot cake: This is one of the restaurant's signature dishes, and one of the few East-West fusion dishes which I was pleasantly surprised by.  The rack of lamb was deliciously tender and coated with a layer of thick smoky sweet honey that went perfectly with the carrot cake.  Pity the portion was small-ish - I could have done with a bit more lamb.  

* Fish head bee hoon: This wasn't on the menu but was recommended to us by the waitress as the chef had gotten his hands on fresh fish head earlier that day.  This went down well with everyone - the fish was indeed fresh and the accompanying broth was delicious.  

Be intrigued by the desserts on offer.  We had five, including the avocado snow, which is served in a coconut husk.  The fresh coconut flesh goes great with the creamy avocado.   I also enjoyed the mango pudding (creamy, firm with juicy bits of mango) and homemade sorbets.

Service was good and the service staff were attentive.  We had plates cleared discreetly after every "course".  The staff also kept a close eye on our drinks, and would come by to top up tea/water/wine regularly.  

Unfortunately, because the restaurant is rather small, unless you manage to get a seat in the alcoves or in the private rooms, you'll be forced to seat - canteen style - in the centre of the restaurant.  Even the single tables around the perimeter of the restaurant are placed close to each other, which means that you spend the evening overhearing your neighbour's conversation and vice versa.

The New Majestic Restaurant is famous for one thing. Chef Yong. The exquisite cuisine needs no pictures to describe it, for what you enjoy is an experience that transcends you from old to new as you walk in through the hotel lobby.
You feel very welcome when you walk in to this restaurant and get greeted by the Chef and his friendly team who are always on a lookout for their regular diners. The open concept kitchen is always kept immaculately clean, which is in line with the clean yet stylish lines set by the restaurant decor.
The food is exceptional. Everyone who wants to pick a restaurant and not be disappointed with the kind of food served can rest assured that with Chef Yong's deft culinary creations, the palate is delighted with every morsel that you scoop up from his designs.
Here I will mention that I trust the Chef so much that I usually let him decide what I should eat depending on whom I bring along to his restaurant. Mother will get her usual make-no-mistake Cantonese fare and the ang-mohs and trendy will get his light and healthy recipes.
But for those who really would want to try something unique, ask for his wasabi prawns, lamb, or handmade tofu. Ask him to make you a surprise starter. And to top it all off, I would suggest one of his cooling desserts which will continue to make you light-headed and happy that you would want to come back for more!