Forgotten Cantonese Dishes in Golden Peony’s New 2024 Menu

Golden Peony at Conrad Centennial Singapore has just launched a new menu, focusing on nostalgic and time-honored Cantonese recipes. Launched on the 11th of October, the Chinese restaurant which is helmed by Chef Ku Keung makes a deliberate nod to the 28-year old restaurant’s storied heritage. 

I returned to Golden Peony recently for lunch to try out the new menu. It has been a while since I have been to the restaurant.

 

Highlights of the new menu include dim sum items like the hand-minced Steamed Beef Ball (S$10.80), a nostalgic nod to retro Hong Kong dim sum and a masterclass in Cantonese craftsmanship. Here, tenderloin is blended with the subtle crunch of water chestnut and the aromatic warmth of 15-year mandarin orange peel. Achieving
the perfect chewiness requires precise technique: the beef is continually chilled and beaten to ensure an ideal texture, making the preparation a test of skill and patience.

In addition to its Cantonese core, the new menu introduces a curated subset of dishes reflecting cuisines from other parts of China. Dry-fried Sweet and Spicy Szechuan Style Shaved Beef (S$28) brings to life a technically challenging Sichuan classic that has often been eschewed for simpler preparations. Tenderloin is shaved paper-thin, air-dried, and then carefully dehydrated before being gently deep-fried to form crisp, translucent slivers, each coated with a mala blend sauce.

The Panko-Crusted Crab Meat on Crab Shell (S$32) from the main menu is a retro Cantonese classic inspired by French seafood gratins. Delicate flower crab meat is complemented by sautéed mushrooms and onions, encased in a crispy shell of egg wash and fine breadcrumbs. A house blended vinegar dip further lifts the
rich flavors while lending a different dimension to the dish. This luxurious Cantonese classic, once a darling at lavish banquets of Hong Kong, is now brought to diners of Golden Peony as an everyday luxury.

My favorite dish from the new menu is the Braised Glutinous Rice with Sliced Fish Maw (S$98). An elevated take on the rustic classic of glutinous rice chicken, this dish begins with a clear abalone stock, meticulously braised from old hen, pork, ham, and chicken feet over several hours to achieve a pure, unseasoned base. Prized ingredients such as sea cucumber, premium fish maw and conpoy enrich the stock, giving the glutinous rice a perfect translucency and a hint of risotto-like creamy richness. Finished with coriander and wolfberry garnish, it showcases a sophisticated blend of classic techniques and luxurious ingredients.

Even everyday dishes are given the same level of attention to detail. The Imperial Poached Chicken, Sand Ginger reimagines a street-side dish popular in 1960s Hong Kong. A meaty 1.8 kg kampung chicken is first blanched and then poached in a refined abalone brine, seasoned with sand ginger and dried shrimp, and
finished with a fragrant sauce thickened from its cooking juices. This elegant showcase of Cantonese poached chicken exemplifies the evolution of traditional recipes.

I finished the dinner with a not-so-forgotten Double-Boiled Osmanthus with Tang Yuan and Chilled Osmanthus Jelly with Wolfberries. While one can find more dramatic dessert options in Golden Peony’s menu, the tang yuan made for a mild and warm finish to the meal.

The new dishes at Golden Peony are available for both lunch and dinner. The full ala carte menu is available here.

Golden Peony
2 Temasek Boulevard
Singapore 038982

Phone: +65 6432 7482

Opening Hours:

Daily

Monday to Friday, 11:30AM to 2:30PM / 6:30PM to 10:30PM
Saturday to Sunday, 11:30AM to 1PM / 1:30PM to 3PM / 6:30PM to 10:30PM