Man Fu Yuan

Man Fu Yuan at Intercontinental Hotel is renowned for its fine and elegant Cantonese cuisine. Executive Chinese Chef Kong Hing Sun dishes up a varied menu studded with traditional Cantonese staples to whet your appetite.

Discerning regulars know to order the rich, nourishing double-boiled shark's fin soups (from S$54), Man Fu Yuan's signatures. Alternatively, try the black chicken double-boiled soup, a hearty choice with a well-balanced stock that is mildly flavoured with ginseng and other spices. At just S$18, it is quite an affordable choice, too. For mains, the perch fillet (S$14) in Chinese rice wine is a supremely comforting dish - fresh to the bite, with tender flakes of flesh that melt in the mouth. The broth is a tad salty, but otherwise the dish is truly scrumptious.

For a little spice, the braised lobster with glass noodles in X.O sauce (S$30) is a winner with generous chunks of crunchy lobster meat. Still, the most enthralling dish must be the deep-fried pork ribs with Zhen Jiang vinegar (S$20) with its smoky and alluring aroma. Superbly tender, the meat falls easily off the bone and each bite is a robust blend of smoky, sweet and sour flavours.

The restaurant also serves a dim sum menu that includes favourites like steamed jumbo prawn dumpling (S$5); steamed Shanghai pork dumpling (S$3.80); and deep-fried filo pastry and crispy sugar cane wrapped with minced scallops (S$5). - Rachel Raeburn

L2 Intercontinental Hotel, 80 Middle Road. Tel: 6825-1062