The Halia @ Raffles Hotel

Back in February, I was seeking a dining venue for our anniversary celebration. It has to have the perfect ambience and food for our special day. When I read about the Halia's new outlet at the Raffles Hotel, I just had to make a reservation to avoid disappointment.

Celeriac "lasagna", S$12

If you're wondering what's celeriac, it's a root vegetable which tastes like a cross between turnip and radish. I have read ravings by other food bloggers over this creation, and I'm glad to say it lives up to its name as the must-try here. The celeriac is sliced thinly to resemble lasagne, but with a semi-crunchy texture. The madeira cream sauce melds the mushrooms, baby spinach and celeriac together perfectly.

Halia chili crab spaghettini, S$25

This is some serious stuff for chili crab lovers who are looking for a lazy way to satisfy their chili crab craving. The crab meat flakes are plump and juicy after taking in the spicy-sweet gravy, and gives texture to the otherwise nondescript spaghetti noodles. Maybe we should start having spaghetti instead of steamed rice with our chili crab!

I fell in love with the country-style, stay-home interior at The Halia. The black-white floor tiles, the solid wooden tables and the warm lighting creates a cosy ambience for any occasion. The service was impeccable - they acceded to the little surprise I requested for my partner.

sticky toffee pudding, S$10

We finished our dessert to the very last morsel. The warm date pudding is chewy yet not overly sweet, and married well with the smooth vanilla ice-cream and toffee sauce. The well-wishing words were specially requested when I made my booking with the restaurant. I will go back for more of this.

Eat where:
The Halia @ Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road, #01-22/23 Raffles Hotel
Tel: 96391148
www.thehalia.com
Mondays to Fridays: 11.30am to 10pm
Weekends and Public Holidays: 10am to 10pm