There are some restaurants that one goes regularly, places that serve decent food at affordable prices. Then there are other places you go for special occasions – like a hot date, birthday celebration, or wedding anniversary.
When you are looking for somewhere to have a romantic dinner, Equinox Restaurant at Swissôtel The Stamford is one of those places that always come to mind. It has one of the best locations in Singapore, overlooking the beautiful city. But that aside, I also love that it is very versatile. You can bring your clients there for a business luncheon; hang out with your girlfriends over a leisure afternoon tea; or have a romantic date – it is a restaurant that is suitable for all occasions.
I recently sampled the new menu by Chef de Cuisine Lee Bennett, and it was a good meal. If you haven’t yet had the chance to try Equinox, give it a shot. If you have and it has been some time, it’s time to go back again.
Our amuse-bouche was a duo of lobster bisque and crab mayonnaise shooter. The lobster bisque was fantastic. If you are a fan of the smooth and creamy French soup, you must order the regular portion ($26) from the ala carte menu.
Next we had a salad ($24) – tasting of beetroot with braeburn apple, aged balsamic dressing, St. Maure goat’s cheese and toasted pine kernels. It was good, but nothing special.
The highlight of our meal was the 900g Dover Sole Meuniere. The fish was, without exaggerating, very very good. At $180 (sharing portion for two), it is not cheap. In fact, I think it is crazy to spend so much on fish. But the truth is, it was one of the best that I’ve had, and I would save up and come back for this.
We also tried the Gressingham duck breast ($70), but it did not leave a strong impression. The other main course, Rhug estate tenderloin of pork ($65) was much more interesting. It was served with scotch egg, prunes, celeriac puree, and whisky sauce. I thought that the whole combination went pretty well.
After we were done with the main courses, we had crêpes suzeïm ($34), and it came with tableside service – the server pushed a trolley out and prepared the crêpes right in front of us. It was really fun, and I would order this just for the “show”.
This was followed by a seasonal crème brûlée ($24), which after dipping our spoon into, we agreed was one of the best in town.
That’s not all. Besides the crepes and crème brûlée, Chef Lee also sent out a platter of desserts ($52 for two): pineapple carpaccio with lime, chilli syrup and coconut sorbet; Madagascar vanilla mousse with toasted sweet brioche and caramelised apple jelly; Jivara milk chocolate delice with a dark cherry sorbet; dark rum savarin with mascarpone espuma and crystallised orange; and citrus posset. While there were hits and misses, it was a wonderful way to finish on a sweet note.
A meal at Equinox is not cheap, but for the view and ambience of the place, it is definitely a place where you should go for a special occasion. If you are on a budget, I would suggest trying the 3 course set menu at $108.
For those of you who love champagne brunch, you must also check out their special Pink brunch – which is only available on the last Sunday of each month.
Equinox Restaurant
2 Stamford Road
70F Swissotel The Stamford Singapore
Tel: +65 6431 5669
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 11am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: City Hall
Note: This was an invited media tasting.
The dessert platter looks really lovely!
Hi Thanks for all the lovely pics and honest comments! I am bringing my wife to be after our wedding Dinner for a surprise Lunch the following day. Am considering either Salt Grill & Sky Bar or Equinox. Which one would you recommend? I have read some reviews, and it seems like the quality for Equinox has dropped.. but view is good. Would Salt Grill and Sky Bar a better choice? Thanks!