Set in the midst of Singapore’s Botanic Gardens, this restaurant occupies a refurbished colonial style-house decorated by local artist Chua Mia Tee. The cooking is imaginative contemporary French, with starters such as grilled langoustines with caviar and mango accompanied by a bonito gelée, and Alaskan crab in a radish "ravioli" dressed in a honey-mustard vinaigrette. Main courses include sea bream baked in a salt crust with truffle butter, a lobster scented with curry leaves, and roast suckling pig with a side of crisp skin, cider apples and a small salad. If your appetite is ambitious, you can order a seven-course tasting menu. There is also a three-course table d’hôte menu. The wine list is extensive — and expensive.
CONTACT OUR TRAVEL EXPERTS (800) 375-4685 | (630) 734-4610
Traveling the World in Search
of Truly Enchanting Places
Asia - South East
Overview
From Andrew Harper
Southeast Asia continues to enthrall and delight. Very few areas of the world offer such a profound sense of peace; most return from their visits stirred by the beauty of the landscape and the generosity of their hosts. Our most recent trip included a visit to Burma, which has languished under a military dictatorship for 40 years, and as a result, received just 200,000 visitors last year. The country is safe for foreigners, but there is no outside cell reception, local airlines are prone to delay, and credit cards and ATMs are nonexistent. Sadly, the money the regime gains from tourism is a small percentage of the revenue it earns from Burma’s vast natural resources, so the potential for leverage is minimal. However, the Burmese people themselves welcome the opportunity to share their exceptionally beautiful and culturally fascinating country.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in Asia - South East
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AmandariExquisite sanctuary overlooking the Ayung River Gorge near the artists’ village of Ubud. High, moss-covered walls conceal 30 pavilion suites entered through temple-like gateways. |
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AmankilaEnchanting resort descending a tropical hillside above the Badung Strait. Thirty-four stone/thatched-roof villas are linked by a network of raised walkways, each featuring a pitched ceiling of woven bamboo, a carved king canopy bed and an inviting veranda. |
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AmanusaRefined resort overlooking the Bali Golf & Country Club, 20 minutes south of Denpasar airport. Thirty-five suites come with four-poster beds, sumptuous baths and walled garden courtyards. |
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COMO Shambhala Estate By COMOLavish health retreat overlooking the most spectacular section of the Ayung River Gorge, near Ubud. Five exquisite traditional residences each contain four or five suites and a sizeable swimming pool. |
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Four Seasons Resort Bali at SayanCreatively designed hideaway overlooking the Ayung River. Arriving guests cross a treetop-level footbridge to a huge rooftop lotus pond concealing the hotel’s three-tiered main building beneath. |
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AmanjiwoSerene and elegant resort looking out to majestic Borobudur (the largest Buddhist monument in the world) in the lush heartland of Central Java. |
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The DharmawangsaStylish 100-room hotel 15 minutes from the Central Business District. Public spaces have a colonial Javanese décor enhanced by Asian art and antiques. |
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AmanwanaWilderness retreat on the remote jungle-covered island of Moyo, an hour by floatplane east of Bali. |
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Raffles Hotel Le RoyalRenowned historic property with 170 guest quarters divided among an Old World main building and low-profile wings overlooking a tree-lined courtyard and 80-foot swimming pool. |
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AmansaraTranquil villa enclave in the grounds of a grand guesthouse that once belonged to King Norodom Sihanouk, 10 minutes from the ruins of Angkor Wat. |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in Asia - South East
AU JARDIN LES AMIS
EJH Corner House, Singapore Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre, 1 Cluny Road
Singapore
259569
Malaysia
US$85
BAAN KHANITHA
This Bangkok favorite occupies a converted house that offers a traditional Thai atmosphere. The menu covers a wide range of Thai dishes, and the curries, especially those with seafood, are excellent. Try the stir-fried tiger prawns with cashews, ginkgo nuts and roasted chili. The level of spice intensity can be adjusted to suit your palate. Unlike many upscale Thai restaurants in the city, the Thais themselves patronize this one, so it is always full, and reservations are essential.
69 South Sathorn Road
Bangkok
10120
Thailand
US$60
BLUE GINGER
One of the great culinary traditions of Singapore is Peranakan cooking, a striking blend of Chinese and Malaysian styles (also known as Nonya and Straits-Chinese). It is generally considered the province of home cooks, but Blue Ginger has brought it to the fore in this handsome restaurant set in a restored shophouse. Peranakan cooking relies heavily on spices. House specialties include braised chicken flavored with a blend of seasonings and cooked with Indonesian black nuts, deep-fried eggplant with chili paste and soy sauce, and sautéed prawns with coarse black pepper and soy sauce. This is an upscale restaurant that will nonetheless give you a real taste of local cuisine.
97 Tanjong Pagar Road
Singapore
088518
Malaysia
US$40
BO.LAN
Inspired by working with David Thompson at nahm in London , Duangporn Songvisava and Dylan Jones opened this restaurant dedicated to preserving the traditions of Thai cooking. The menu is full of authentic dishes such as salt-baked prawns with chili relish and coriander, and stir-fried tender pork with peanuts, pickled mustard greens and melon.
42 Soi Pichai Ronnarong
Bangkok
Thailand
US$55
HAI TIEN LO
The stunning views of the city and harbor from this 37th-floor aerie alone make a visit worthwhile. The food here is Cantonese, with some of the standout preparations being deep-fried prawns with wasabi mayonnaise, and over-the-top crisp Peking duck skin served with seared foie gras. The restaurant is also noted for its wonderful dim sum. The wine list is good, with most of its selections coming from New World wineries.
Pan Pacific Hotel, 7 Raffles Boulevard
Singapore
039595
Malaysia
US$120
INAGIKU
For top-quality Japanese food, this is the place to go. Where you sit determines what you eat. There are a sushi and sashimi bar, a teppanyaki area and a tempura counter, as well as private tatami rooms and the main dining room. The sashimi platter is a swirl of exquisitely presented seafood that includes swordfish, yellowtail, salmon and tuna nestled on ice packed into a seashell. The tempura assortment is just as impressive. A notable dish is the lobster in special creamy “Inagiku” golden sauce. Choose from among a good selection of wines and sakes.
Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road
Singapore
189560
Malaysia
US$120
NAHM
Chef David Thompson is the author of the encyclopedic “ThaiFood” and “Thai Street Food.” He also opened the first Thai restaurant to earn a Michelin star, nahm at The Halkin hotel in London. Here in Bangkok, he builds on that success with dishes such as minced prawn and cucumber salad, and a sublime curry of coconut and turmeric with blue swimmer crab and southern lime.
Metropolitan Hotel
27 South Sathorn Road
Bangkok
Thailand
US$65
SPICE MARKET
One of the most atmospheric restaurants in the city, Spice Market is a marvelous stage set that recreates a traditional Thai spice shop, with burlap sacks, glass jars, ceramic pots and aged wooden shelves. The menu features dishes from all over the country. Some of the standouts are deep-fried spring rolls with crabmeat, roasted duck in a red curry with coconut milk, and steamed sea bass with chili and lime. Each evening, there are demonstrations in the art of fruit carving.
Four Seasons Hotel
155 Rajadamri Road
Bangkok
10330
Thailand
US$55
SUPATRA RIVER HOUSE
A prime location in Bangkok means being on the Chao Phraya River, and this lovely restaurant has one of the choicest riverfront spots of all — almost directly across from the Grand Palace. Once home to a Thai woman of consequence, the house has been transformed by her daughter into an inviting place with a large river terrace. The menu features classic Thai dishes, and I particularly recommend the selection of house hors d’oeuvres — deep- fried shrimp with rice noodles, a zesty chicken salad in a crisp pastry dish, and vegetarian spring rolls with a dash of mint and a chili sauce. Supatra’s version of the classic shrimp soup with lemongrass is perfect. And the green curry with chicken has an ideal balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet that are the hallmarks of the Thai kitchen.
266 Soi Wat Rakhang, Arunamarin Road
Bangkok
Thailand
US$55
THANYING
Here, you’ll find authentic Thai food in a serene, elegant setting. Prawns in a red curry sauce come with just the right bite of heat. Deep-fried grouper is classically prepared and perfectly spiced. Also try the papaya salad, a skillful blend of sweet and salty with a nice touch of nuttiness from fragments of toasted coconut. The dessert buffet is hard to pass up, with custards, tapioca and the sweetest seasonal fruits.
Amara Hotel, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road
Singapore
088539
Malaysia
US$30-$50
Special Offers
Special Offers
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COMO Shambhala Estate Ubud, Bali |
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The Peninsula Bangkok - Stay Two Nights, Receive the Third Night ComplimentaryConfirm a minimum of two consecutive nights in any room category and enjoy a complimentary third night. |
Itineraries
Burma Itinerary: Images of a Golden Land
As the government of Burma (Myanmar) slowly unclenches its grip, travel in this remarkable country becomes even more of a joy. But the secret of Burma’s beauty is out. The time to visit is now, when the mystery of Bagan and the magic of Mandalay remain unspoiled.
Birthday - Vietnam Itinerary
Americans have obvious reason to be curious abut Vietnam, and most return from their visits stirred by the beauty of the landscape and the generosity of their hosts. Vietnam is a mixture of modern life and ancient traditions with some iconic cities and sites not to be missed.
Seeking opinions on either property as well as beach conditions and hotel location.
I spent some time at the RC Krabi and can give you details if interested. Let me know. Either I can write something for you, refer you to a post elsewhere I made on a different forum or I'd be happy to chat via phone.
Thank you very much for the info. On another matter, I have just contacted the travel office regarding any favorable rates at La Residence Hotel & Spa in Hue.
Again, thank you.
Hello,
Be sure to take into consideration the season when you are traveling. The dry season for Koh Samui (November to March) is different from the dry season for Krabi (March to October).
Please also note that Mr. Harper does not officially recommend the Ritz-Carlton Krabi. His choice in that area is Rayavadee, set on the Phra Nang Peninsula.
For more information and assistance with travel arrangements, feel free to contact the Travel Office at (800) 375-4685, (630) 734-4610 or reservations@andrewharper.com.
Best Regards,
The Travel Office