We received a money off voucher for my birthday to be spent in one of the restaurants of the Tanglin Club in Singapore. Our wedding anniversary is about four weeks later, so we usually combine the two events. Most years I choose the Churchill Room. This is my photo from last year.
The Churchill Room was both Chinese and Wesern style food and a pastry chef who can write happy anniversary or Happy birthday on a plate, with a candle.
This year, for a change, we decided to try the Chinese restaurant upstairs, Tang Yun.
The Delectable Drinks
We chose to go on a Tuesday because that is the night when you can bring your own wine. (The Churchill Room has a different day.) My husband is a wine educator so he knows a lot about wine and buys and collects special bottles.
The tree in front of the Sports centre was lit.
The walkway from the Sports centre to the main building was lit.
The lobby had a huge flower display inviting a photo.
Up the grand staircase.
The Wine
I ordered a glass of Prosecco.
The waiter kept saying, 'Champagne?'
We kept retorting, 'No, not champagne! Prosecco!'
Firstly, the Champagne was dearer.
Secondly, Prosecco is not Champagne, which is a place name. The name is a protected brand so that no other sparkling white wine can claim to be Champagne. Although, there is methode Champenoise, meaning Champagne style.
The Food
Mushrooms starter
We ordered mushrooms for me as a starter. Mushrooms in truffle sauce. I could easily recognize that there were at least two sorts of mushroom. Teeny mushrooms with long thin stalks. Bigger mushrooms, about button mushroom size, were chopped in half.
My husband ordered shellfish as a starter. I am allergic to shellfish. He was very partial to the shellfish. He threatened to come back and sneak into the restaurant for lunch on his own just to enjoy the shellfish.
Main Courses
I ordered chicken with cashew nuts. A classic Chinese dish. I had wanted something unusual. However, I opted for something I was sure I would like.
My husband ordered the beef. Ragu beef. Very tender. Chopped off the bone With a long bone alongside.
We had told them that we were celebrating an anniversary. When I asked whether the chef could write Happy Anniverary on the dessert plate in chocolate for a photo, the waiter looked doubtful and said he was not sure they could do it. It was not normally done.
I frowned and replied, The Churchill Room can do it. Could you ask their chef?
The waiter returned a bit later to whisper to me (perhaps so it would surprise my husband), the chef says we do not have chocolate, but can give you a (I didn[t catch the word) which is traditional chinese for such occasions. Will that be all right?''
I nodded, enthusiastically.
Desserts
Ice cream was off the menu. They had run out. They said they could serve all the dishes without the ice cream. I asked, 'For the same price, or less?"
The desserts arrived. Very shortly afterwards, the Happy Anniversary plate.
Two little dumplings with the top pinched into a peak, and red colour added. Red is good luck or auspicious in Chinese culture.
The words Happy Anniversary were written in the red, maybe from the same dripping or drizzling device.
Not as neat as the plate from the Churchill Room. On the other hand, the new dessert bites were a novelty. My husband was perfectly happy. He said, 'They managed to spell Happy Anniverary correctly." Yes, despite two sets of double letters. They either knew, or carefully checked.
The green decoration was another thoughtfully added touch. Savoury. Odd that. For dessert, in a Western restaurant you might have added mint. Never mind. Visually it was perfect.
Happy anniversary, plate at Tang Yun Restaurant in the Tanglin club. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
The meal was expensive. But we had had two pre-dinner alcoholic drinks, two starters, main courses of chicken, ragu beef, two desserts. Tap water. No added service charge. (Instead, you, members, do get asked to give a specified sum, I think it is a three figure sum, to Club staff at Chinese New Year, for a red packet.)
On the left the white bowl is almond milk with a stuffed dumpling.
On the right is a mango dessert. It has small pieces of fresh mango, in a kind of mango soup. It came up steaming. My husband said that was dry ice. A bit of drama. It went too fast for me to get a photo.
The picture of the chef is on the board outside the restaurant.
The restaurant has two side private rooms if you have a party. Or a business lunch.
Coffee
For coffee we went downstairs to the bar in the Tavern. The bar stools don't have backs. This does not suit me.
My husband was quite happy.
In the bar's favour, I should say that it has a padded edge so you can learn forwards and support yourself on your arms or elbows.
I liked the nifty little Nespresso cups which are designed so that the little white cup sits securely in a deep disc shaped hollow.
As a foodie, I also liked getting a small chocolate chip cookie with the coffee.
If you are living in Singapore, on business or holiday, visiting on a cruise ship, consider the Tanglin Club's restaurants. The Tanglin club website tells you which clubs overseas have reciprocal arrangements. There are loads of them. All around the world. The UK. Australia. The USA.
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