Singapore Restaurants|Singapore, Singapore

yì by Jereme Leung

Name: yì by Jereme Leung
Telephone: 65-64121816

VERIFIED LUXURY

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yì by Jereme Leung brings provincial Chinese gastronomy by the celebrated Singaporean chef to the Lion City’s most iconic hotel, Raffles Hotel Singapore — a rare offering in a landscape dominated by southern Chinese cuisine. Here, artful, contemporary interpretations of culinary masterpieces from China’s diverse regions are presented using precious seasonal ingredients and traditional cooking techniques, occasionally with a local twist.

The 111-seat space itself — discreetly on the top floor of the storied, 200-year-old Raffles Arcade and designed by noted firm Aedas — is just as exquisite. You enter through a dreamy tunnel bedecked in a thousand hand-crafted paper petals before emerging in an elegant dining room dressed in tones of soft gray, blue and gold, wrapped in fabric Chinoiserie panels celebrating the beauty of nature. A cloud-like installation floats above the stone and timber furnishings and flooring, symbolizing the balance of sky and earth as in Chinese mythology. The artistry that flows through both the decor and kitchen offerings is reflected in the restaurant’s name: yì means “art” and “craftsmanship” in Chinese.

Our Inspector's Highlights

It’s rare for chefs to master all four cornerstones of Chinese cooking (dim sum, Chinese barbecue, wok cooking and knife work), but Leung — a former judge on MasterChef China — has done it all. You can taste his prowess in the restaurant’s refined dumplings, tender roast meats and smoky fried rice, and see it in the precise presentations.
The showstopping paper craft at the entrance is by Toronto-based art studio Moss & Lam. Titled Pale Garden, it features an astounding 90 feet of hand-cut and -folded flowers individually strung across the entryway.
The dim sum, only available at lunch, is a standout. The array includes sophisticated renditions of classics like prawn dumplings and egg custard buns, as well as original creations, like the blush-hued steamed red rice rolls filled with crispy rice crackers and soft, savory radish.
Three private rooms can accommodate eight to 10 people, and a thoughtful semi-private area for two tables of eight combines a degree of privacy with the buzz of the main dining hall.
Alongside a focus on Burgundy wines, the 150-strong wine list features a curated selection of excellent Chinese labels, which are fast gaining recognition in the wine world. It includes whites from Shangri-La in Yunnan, reds from Helan Mountain in Ningxia and a high-quality cabernet franc from Shandong’s Mystic Island winery.

The Food

yì’s modern Chinese cuisine draws inspiration mainly from across China, but some dishes are imbued with influences from closer to home. For example, instead of minced pork, traditional xiao long bao soup dumplings are filled here with a generous amount of chilli crab, one of Singapore’s national dishes.
The chef has a penchant for rare, boundary-pushing ingredients that are generally only available from a single source, like earthy, umami termite fungus gathered from nests in Yunnan’s forests, and edible roses, also from Yunnan.
Must-tries include the fabulously succulent and smoky char siew (barbecued pork) done in two styles; the tender poached prawns brined in Chinese wine and topped with sweet sea urchin; and a refreshing dessert of kumquat and sour plum sorbet with lemongrass jelly.

Amenities