Sharing level three with the esteemed Victorian-style Jubilee Hall of Raffles Hotel is Royal China at Raffles, a top Chinese restaurant operator first established in London with branches in Singapore and Shanghai, China. Royal China exudes the same unique charm and grandeur as the famous hotel. Its regulars are currently mostly locals, upper class families who like to dine out as well as smartly dressed corporate personnel. Do not be put off by the staid formal impression of Royal China and miss out on this gem as prices are still affordable.

• The Vibe
  Royal China is furnished the way as how a stereotyped traditional Chinese restaurant should look like in a movie. Fully decked out with red carpeting and dark wooden furniture, Royal China is all swanky and plush. Whether it is the intricate carvings on the furnishings or the paintings of the elegant cranes, the interior of Royal China, although somber, is indicative of the rich Chinese culture.
• The Food
  Royal China made its name with classical Cantonese cooking and is especially renowned for its Dim Sum. The Deep Fried Chinese Spinach Roll with Century Eggs ($4.00) has a paper-thin crispy skin and is delightfully not oily. The Steamed Seafood Roll with Minced Garlic and Spaghettni ($3.50) is a refreshing number that incorporates a modern touch and its sweet freshness certainly appeals to the palate. For vegetarians, the Steamed Mushroom Dumplings ($3.80) must surely be on their list of orders. The fillings of mushrooms and carrots are flavourful and crunchy, will definitely silence those critics who claim ed that vegetarian dishes are boring and bland. The final dim sum item is the Steamed Crystal Dumplings with Dried Scallops and Egg White ($4.00). This proved irresistible as not only were the prawns succulent and fresh, the use of egg white must be inspired for it complemented the seafood perfectly.

  After that handful of bamboo steamers, you may want to try out their main dishes, which were equally satisfying. Start off on the right footing with the Steamed Sea Perch Fish with Bean Sauce and Chilli ($12.00. The tasty bean sauce has a light sweetness that brings out the freshness of the fillet. Sink you teeth into the Pan Fried Beef Tenderloin with Goose Liver Pate on Poached Spinach Greens ($15.00). East meets West makes it a winning formula. Cooked to a right tenderness, the beef remained juicy to the bite and the sprinkling of crushed nuts was the right icing to this already highly delectable dish. Do avoid The Crispy Rice with King Prawn in Spicy Sauce ($12) as the small sole prawn is hardly worth its price tag. The crispy rice cakes although a novelty, taste like “honey stars” and fail to go well with the gravy, which has an uncanny resemblance to the gravy of the local favourite, Chilli Crabs.

  You may be thrilled to know that there is a good range of desserts at Royal China which will be served in grandiose if requested, ice-bed and flowers all inclusive. Hot or cold, take your pick. A must try should definitely be the Chilled Black Glutinous Rice in Japanese Pumpkin Puree and Coconut Ice-cream ($8.00). The Black and White Sesame Mousse ($6.00) comes in a close second, as it is so smooth you can feel it glide down your throat, leaving a lingering fragrance of the sesame. The Chilled Apple Chrysanthemum Tea with Grass Jelly and Diced Aloe Vera ($8.00) and the Sweetened Hot Cream of Almond in Young Coconut ($8.00) did not etch as deep an impression but are still decent choices.

• The Service
  Royal China utilizes wireless technology whereby the service staff can communicate with the kitchen through wireless microphones and headsets, eliminating the need to walk to the kitchen for clarifications and minimizing the time taken to respond to the guests. Not only is service made efficient this way, the waitresses are polite and will be glad to offer recommendations.

SD Food Advisor's Take on Royal China
Taking into consideration Royal China's location and its brand of authentic quality food, the experience is certainly worth it. It is well recommended to all especially if you would like to share this secret with your grandparents who could well be making more trips there subsequently.