After trying Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie’s Christmas spread last year and walking away genuinely impressed by both the food and the atmosphere, I was more than keen to see how the team would interpret Chinese New Year. As it turns out, their festive instincts translate beautifully to the Lunar New Year table.
Welcoming the Year of the Horse, Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie at Momentus Hotel Alexandra ushers in the season with a celebratory feast inspired by the theme “五谷丰收喜迎春”, a nod to bountiful harvests, renewal and new beginnings. Designed for families and friends to gather, the experience feels intentionally generous, echoing the belief that how you begin the year sets the tone for what follows.
Taking centre stage this year are the restaurant’s festive roasts, crafted to match the robust, celebratory mood of the Chinese New Year. While roast pork is a staple on almost every reunion table, Verandah elevates the familiar with its Vanilla-Scented Crackling Pork Belly. Vanilla pods are used to subtly perfume the meat, lending delicate floral notes that emerge beneath the crunch of impossibly crisp crackling. It is a thoughtful twist that adds intrigue without overpowering the comforting richness of the dish.
Equally impressive is the 14-Day Shio Kombu Butter Aged Angus Ribeye. Aged for two weeks with shio kombu (Japanese seasoned kelp) fortified butter, the beef develops deep savoury complexity, with gentle umami notes enhancing its natural flavour. It is indulgent, satisfying and well-suited to a festive table meant to be shared.
Adding a sense of theatre to the dining experience is Verandah’s highly anticipated ‘Sha Pi’ Suckling Pig live station, available exclusively on Chinese New Year’s Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year. Guests can watch as chefs expertly carve into the roast, revealing crackling golden skin and tender, flavourful meat beneath, a moment that never fails to draw a crowd and heighten the celebratory atmosphere.
Beyond the roasts, the culinary team has curated a wide-ranging spread that symbolically brings together land, air and sea, representing good fortune arriving from every direction. Among the tableside highlights are Golden Lava Cheese Baked Lobster, and Braised Eight-Head Abalone. The lobster is coated in a rich salted egg sauce that complements the sweetness of the shellfish, while the abalone, long associated with abundance and prosperity, is braised until tender in a deeply flavourful sauce.
Set against views of the infinity pool and a glowing sunset skyline, Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie offers a relaxed yet festive setting ideal for multi-generational gatherings. Indoors, the buffet unfolds into a lively reunion meal featuring more than 30 dishes, with live carving and tableside service adding warmth, energy and a sense of occasion to the experience.
Cold appetisers are given just as much attention. The Duo of Murotsu Oysters showcases plump Japanese oysters from Hyogo prefecture, prepared two ways, one that highlights their natural sweetness, and another in traditional Teochew style using a house blend of herbs and aromatics. Rarer traditional dishes such as Drunken Chicken with Aged Shaoxing and Wolfberries, and Cold Pork Trotter Jelly with Pickled Mustard Greens, add layers of sweet, sour and spice that awaken the palate.
The hot dishes continue to impress with both variety and depth. The Black Truffle “Phoenix” Chicken is a crowd-pleasing favourite, fried until golden and infused with squid paste and aromatic truffle. Seafood lovers will appreciate the Poached Prawns served with a sharp ginger-scallion dip, Steamed Scallops, and the Duo of Sea Asparagus and Pacific Clams, a festive braise featuring dried oysters, shiitake mushrooms and black moss, ingredients traditionally associated with wealth and prosperity.
Comforting staples anchor the menu, including Longevity Noodles with Crab Roe and Trout Caviar, as well as Fragrant Cured Meat ‘Lap Mei Fan’ studded with wax sausages, pork belly and duck leg, dishes that evoke a sense of home and nostalgia amid the abundance.
Dessert is a fittingly auspicious finale. Classic favourites like Silky Yam Puree with Caramelised Pumpkin and Steamed Nian Gao with Desiccated Coconut sit alongside a new festive creation: Persimmon Crème Brûlée, topped with sweet dried persimmon for a Lunar New Year twist.
For those hosting lunches with friends or business associates, Verandah also offers Chinese New Year-inspired mains as part of its semi-buffet set lunch. Options include slow-braised “Dong Po” Wagyu Beef Karubi, Pan-Roasted Truffle-Stuffed Chicken, Eight Treasure Duck Leg and Superior Seafood Poached Rice, paired with unlimited access to a complementary buffet of salads, soups, appetisers and desserts.
Home celebrations are equally well catered for, with festive takeaway options available for pre-order. From Prosperity Yu Sheng and Fragrant Cured Meat ‘Lap Mei Fan’ to Twice-Cooked Black Garlic Pork Belly Char Siew and “Dong Po” Wagyu Beef Karubi, the takeaway menu allows hosts to bring restaurant-quality dishes to their own reunion tables with ease.
Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie’s Chinese New Year Semi-Buffet Lunch begins on 2 February 2026, while the Chinese New Year Buffet Dinner runs every weekend from Friday to Sunday starting 6 February 2026, as well as on Chinese New Year’s Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year on 16 and 17 February 2026. Festive takeaway orders open from 31 January 2026.
Guests who confirm reservations before 16 January 2026 will enjoy a 10% discount on their food bill. Tables of four adults or more receive a complimentary yusheng, while groups of six or more are treated to an additional bottle of wine, a generous touch that perfectly captures the spirit of prosperity, togetherness and celebration for the year ahead. To find out more or to make a reservation, visit their website.