EMPRESS at the ACM

As an occasion to celebrate my girlfriend's belated birthday and our first anniversary in advance, I picked EMPRESS over the fact that my girlfriend enjoys Chinese cuisine and that "exquisite dining" is googled, EMPRESS showed up in one of the blog reviews in one of the search results.

Located at the Asian Civilisations Museum by the Singapore River, the dining setting at one of the Privé Group brands is a synthesis of vintage and vogue, with a little garnish of traditional Chinese flavor.

Their Empress Signatures Sharing Menu comes with:

• Snack of the Day
• Appetisers (2 per table)
• Soup (choose 1, served in individual bowls)
• Triple Roast Platter
• Mains (choose 2 per table, sharing)
• Rice & Noodles (choose 1 per table, sharing)
• Desserts (choose 1, individual portions)

In essence, the menu serves a 5-course-meal, priced at $65/person, which would total up to $130 for 2 persons.

This is what I find confusing. The menu entails the dishes diner(s) would get, but it doesn't specify the criteria of ordering from the menu (eg. 2 persons). So if I patronized alone, and I ordered from the menu (which I'm eligible as the menu doesn't have any pax-size-restriction), I'd expect to get all the listed item above and pay $65 since I'm the only person at the table. I'd suggest that they simply price the menu at $130.

Nevertheless, dining at EMPRESS was an enjoyable one.

Snack of the Day

APPERTISERS

Deep-Fried Salmon Skin, Tofu & Salted Egg Yolk (front)
Crispy Cod "Bi Feng Tang"-Style (back)

SOUP

Double-Boiled Superior Soup in Young Coconut



King Prawn Dumpling in Supreme Broth


Half pint Archipelago Bohemian Lager @ $7
From Happy Hour Menu (Daily from 5pm to 8pm)


Triple Roast Platter

MAINS

Seared Angus Beef Tenderloin Cubes (left)
'Kung Pao' Crispy Sesame Chicken (right)

RICE & NOODLES

Empress Fried Rice

DESSERTS

Sticky Date & Longan Pudding


Pandan Crème Brûlée

Card written by the staff

As we're enjoying our desserts, my girlfriend surprised me with an anniversary gift, and that's when the restaurant manager (I supposed) dropped by and asked if it's my birthday. We chuckled and answered it's actually my girlfriend's birthday and also our anniversary.

He left and came back delighting us with a slice of matcha cake with a scoop of coconut sorbet, on the house. Kudos to one of the staffs who was persistent in lighting up the candle, but his efforts were fruitless as we're seated near the air curtain with a strong blower.

That's not all, the restaurant manager then took us a Polaroid picture and had it pasted on a card with a handwritten "Happy Birthday and Anniversary" message. We're indeed overwhelmed by their hospitality.

Overall, it was an unforgettable evening at EMPRESS, where we dined through sunset. The dishes were delectable, and my favorite one was the King Prawn Dumpling in Supreme Broth.

Matcha Cake & Coconut Sorbet (on the house)

EMPRESS

1 Empress Place, #01-03
Asian Civilisations Museum
Singapore 179555
Tel: +65 6776 0777

Opening hours:
Mondays to Fridays
Lunch: 11.30am – 3pm
(last order 2.30pm)
Dinner: 6pm – 10.30pm
(last order 10.00pm)

Saturdays & Sundays
Lunch: 11am – 4pm
(last order 2.30pm)
(Dim Sum Brunch last order 3.30pm)
Dinner: 6pm – 10.30pm
(last order 10.00pm)