It was an especially difficult morning, and a couple of us decided to treat ourselves to a good lunch at Empress, a beautiful fusion restaurant situated at the Asian Civilisation Museum.
We opted for their Executive Lunch Set, which has a fixed main course, but allows you to choose between two starters and desserts.
Since it was my first visit to Empress, I decided to go for their Appetiser Platter, which would allow me to have a taste of four of their more popular dishes. I have to say, I really enjoyed all of them, particularly the crispy skin of the roasted duck. The tofu was smooth beneath the crispy exterior, and the siew mai had juicy plump prawn bits within.
There was no option for mains, which wasn’t a problem for me, since I eat pretty much everything. A colleague did not eat abalone so I was the beneficiary of that unwanted abalone.
The glutinous rice was served piping hot, and while good, wasn’t spectacular.
They seemed to like serving food on long rectangular dishes that don’t fit well into a square frame, so I’ve had to take photos from both ends of the dish.
The halibut smelled rather strongly of fish when it was served, but it actually tasted really good. The sauce was tangy, just slightly spicy.
For dessert, we opted for the matcha cake, which was served with a scoop of coconut ice cream, a smattering of thick red bean paste, and crispy salted almond flakes.
The matcha was slightly bitter, but paired well with the sweet red bean paste.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable meal, and certainly well-deserved for a hard morning’s work. The best part – it actually filled me up, for I am a big eater.
I was told that the view at night is beautiful (it overlooks the river), so I am definitely planning a visit back one of these evenings.
Here’s a picture of the Executive Set Lunch, but their latest menu is easily accessible on their website.
