These past few weeks, I’ve been in more traffic jams than the entire year combined, and the human traffic at malls has been even worse. And when it comes to dining, for most restaurants, it’s been necessary to make a reservation, if not one must be prepared to wait in line for a long time — which is why, with social distancing in mind, I’m ordering in for Christmas. Also, since the Circuit Breaker, there have been more options for food delivery than ever before, and one of the platforms with a really wide offering is GrabFood. There’s a good selection of restaurants that do island-wide delivery — even those with Michelin Plate and some that I’ve been dying to try — and it was quite a feat to narrow my Editor’s picks down to just three places, but here they are… my choices for festive meals available for order and delivery on GrabFood. 😋

GUNTHER’S

Gunther’s opened in 2007 by Chef Gunther Hubrechsen, and many locals consider it one of the best French restaurants in Singapore. This is Modern French cuisine that hits all the right notes with simple, but luxurious flavours that are well executed.  If you want a romantic meal at home for Christmas, Gunther’s is my recommendation; they do island-wide delivery on GrabFood, and I’d say go for the Signature Chef’s Menu ($158.36 for single pax), which gives a variety of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.

Above: Gunther’s Signature Chef’s Menu for one (wine not included)

When fine dining at home, it is important to plate your meal when it arrives (it took 40 minutes for delivery from Gunther’s at Purvis Street to my place in Paya Lebar). Do the food some justice and take it out of the tupperware, even if you’re dining alone.

Above: Signature COld Angel Hair Pasta wth Truffle and Caviar, roasted Spanish Carabinero gambas with tomato infused rice

This pasta is arguably Gunther’s most famous dish and for good reason — it has just the right amount of each flavour without being overpowering. There are subtle hints of the truffle oil and this goes exceptionally well with the caviar. If you’re just after this pasta, you can order it ala carte on GrabFood ($64.20) for a larger serving.

Above: Char-Grilled Australian Wagyu with roasted sweet corn and Bordelaise sauce

The steak is an Australian Wagyu striploin that was nicely char-grilled to a medium-rare. The side of grilled corn went surprisingly well with the smokey flavour of the beef, and the classic Bordelaise sauce.

Above: Fine apple tart “à La dragées” salted caramel

I thoroughly enjoyed the apple tart, which was light, crispy and not too sweet — a really nice ending to the meal. And because it’s not terribly sweet, I would match this with a Moscato.

Gunther’s is available for island-wide delivery on GRABFOOD. The restaurant is open for orders mon-fri from 11.30am-2pm for lunch, 6-9pm for dinner, and on sat 5.30-9pm for dinner. closed on sun.

OVEREASY

Everyone loves the classic all-American diner, and it has always been a festive favourite. And if dining in with your loved ones is your idea of a great Christmas meal, Overeasy is a good choice; it offers quintessential Western food including good ‘ol Mac and Cheese, burgers and shakes. The restaurant has just revealed their Christmas offerings and if everything on the menu looks good, go for one of their signature dishes, such as their linguine and ribs.

Above: Overeasy signature dishes — Baby Back Ribs (Half rack), $36.38 / Linguine with prawns, chili and lemon butter sauce, $25.68 / strawberry milkshake, $12.84

Above: Baby Back Ribs

This half rack of BBQ pork ribs is slow cooked until tender to the bone, and glazed with a tangy sauce that is a perfect accompaniment to the meat. The dish comes with coleslaw and a side of sweet potato fries that on their own are excellent — it survives the delivery journey well; the fries are soft in the middle and crispy at the ends, and have a light dusting of sea salt that balances the sweetness of the sweet potato.

Above: Linguine with prawns, chili and lemon butter sauce

This is a popular pasta dish that Overeasy does well; it’s flavourful with the chili and lemon butter sauce, while the prawns are generous and fresh.

OVEREASY is available for island-wide delivery on GRABFOOD. The restaurant is open for orders Tue-Sun from 11.30am-9pm. closed on Mon.

MADAME FAN

Not everyone wants traditional “Christmas food” for their festive meal (we’re talking stuffed turkeys and cranberry sauce here). If you’re looking for Chinese cuisine instead, you’ll love Madame Fan; this Michelin Plate restaurant serves popular dim sum, congees and familiar wok-fried Cantonese dishes. Yes, no doubt they have a beautiful restaurant at South Beach, there’s just something about ordering in from this place; as an occasional celebratory treat, it feels really special.

Above: The food arriving in boxes.

Above: Black pepper Sri Lankan Mud Crab, $128.40 / Crispy aromatic Duck, $$62.06 / salted fish & chicken fried rice, $19.26

It’s nice to do the food justice by plating it, especially food from a Michelin Plate restaurant and for a delicious festive meal. After all, the eyes (and camera) eat first.

Above: Crispy aromatic Duck

This is one of Madame Fan’s most hyped dishes, and is not to be mistaken for Peking Duck. The meat is marinated for 17 hours, and then confit rather than roasted; this gives the duck its tender, almost break-away texture. It is constructed similar to Peking Duck, with a thin pancake, sweet hoisin sauce, shredded spring onions and cucumbers. The kids absolutely love this one.

Above: Black pepper Sri Lankan Mud Crab

Crab is one of my favourite foods to eat, and Madame Fan nails it with their classic Black Pepper version; the spiciness of the black pepper is just right, while the mud crab is meaty, with a marvellously sweet flavour.

Above: salted fish & chicken fried rice

Madame Fan has a few options for adding on carbs to the meal (like E-Fu Noodles and Vermicelli), and I recommend the salted fish and chicken fried rice. This simple dish is a familiar favourite just done well; the chef has gone a bit lighter on the overall taste, so the ingredients stand out and balance the flavour; but more surprisingly, it doesn’t have the “salted fish smell” that would usually accompany any dish with this ingredient cooked in. While the crab and crispy duck is certainly a real treat for Christmas, the fried rice stands out on its own as a great addition and complement to round-up the festive meal.

Madame Fan is available for island-wide delivery on GRABFOOD. The restaurant is open for orders Mon-Sun from 12pm-2.30pm for lunch, and 6pm-9.30pm for dinner, subject to how busy the restaurant is, So order early.

So there you have it; my top three picks from GrabFood featuring different cuisines. There are of course tons more options and many of the restaurants have rolled out special festive menus for all group sizes: individuals, couples and families. Simply open your Grab app, tap on the Food. To check out any deals, you can also click on the Xmas Treats icon. Jiak!

Tips on plating food:

• Use crockery according to the cuisine. For example, Chinese food on Chinese-style plates (refer to the plating for my order from Madame Fan).
• Create height on the plate to make it visually appealing. (eg. The pasta from Gunther’s.)
• Add colour and extra garnishes — it makes the entire dish much prettier and better for photos. (eg. I added carrots and a long spring onion to the steak from Gunther’s for a better picture.)
• Follow the shape of the food. (eg. The round pancakes from Madame Fan were placed on a round plate.)
• Finally, when in doubt, just search for pictures of similar dishes online, and see how the professionals plate it, then just follow accordingly.

🍽️