12 Colourful Yusheng You Don’t Want to Miss for Chinese New Year 2011

In the Chinese tradition, there is a seven-coloured dish that is to be eaten on the seventh day of Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival. In Singapore, this dish is presented as a colourful salad with raw fish slices called yusheng. Due to the way yusheng (鱼生) is pronounced in Mandarin, it is viewed as a symbol of prosperity and abundance (余升).

This Chinese New Year, as you are having a meal with your family and friends, don’t forget to include the yusheng as an appetiser to your multi-dish feast! The fun part about eating this delicacy is no doubt the mixing of shredded ingredients. Everyone would use chopsticks to toss the ingredients high in the air enthusiastically while uttering auspicious wishes out loud. This inevitably creates a huge mess on the table but no one cares when it’s all part of the festivity!

Here are 12 restaurants in Singapore where you can indulge in some energetic lo hei action during the festive season. Toss the ingredients as high as you can! I wish you a brand new year of good fortune and good health with every toss!

1. Fairmont Singapore

Fairmont Singapore ushers in the Year of the Rabbit by introducing a bunny-inspired yusheng.

The “Lucky Rabbit” yusheng comprises of salmon, tuna, abalone, pomegranate, jackfruit and beetroot

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Fairmont Singapore Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

2. Red House Seafood Restaurant

At Red House, a seafood restaurant established in 1976, you can start off your reunion lunch/dinner with the perennial favourite Prosperity salmon yusheng (S$38++ for small / S$76++ for large). The yusheng has the usual staples such as raw salmon, white radish, carrots, toasted sesame seeds, golden pillow crackers and more.

If you’re wondering about the name “Red House”, it is derived from the restaurant’s original location in a striking red colonial bungalow formerly located at Upper East Coast Road.

• Read the Sparklette review of the Red House Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.
• Giveaway: 3 lucky Sparklette readers each get to win a set of the Red House yusheng. Take part in the yusheng giveaway!

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Red House Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

3. Sakae Sushi

What comes to mind at the mention of raw salmon? Why, sashimi, of course.

Japanese sushi chain Sakae Sushi has assembled this seasonal dish with ample slices of salmon sashimi in three portions:

• Small (6 slices of salmon, serves 1-2) – S$18.88
• Medium (12 slices of salmon, serves 3-5) – S$32.88
• Large (22 slices of salmon, serves 6-10) – S$48.88

• Read the Sparklette review of the Sakae Sushi yusheng.

4. Putien Restaurant

With its roots traced to Putian, a beautiful coastal town located in the Fujian province of China, Putien is one of the handful of Heng Hwa restaurants in Singapore. The restaurant’s Prosperity yusheng has a foundation of lime, raw salmon, peanut oil, five-spice powder and golden crisps. An obligatory “special” sauce is served alongside as dressing.

What makes the salad unusual is the seaweed. Imported from Putian, a fertile breeding ground for the water plant, it lends much bite and nutritional value to the dish.

• Small (serves 2-3) – S$19.80+
• Medium (serves 4-6) – S$29.80+
• Large (serves 8-10) – S$49.80+

For those of you who are buying the yusheng for a cosy meal at home, it comes in a round red carrier printed with an adorable rabbit character.

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Putien Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

5. Paradise Group

Not so keen on salmon? Go for the fresh seafood yusheng at the Paradise Group, featuring alternatives such as swordfish, kanpachi fish, abalone, lobster or tuna.

These are available at for dine-in as well as takeaway at the company’s various restaurants that include Paradise Dynasty, Taste Paradise, Seafood Paradise, Paradise Inn and Paradise Pavilion.

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Paradise Group Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

6. Standing Sushi Bar

Stand up and toss up the good fortune this Lunar New Year with Standing Sushi Bar‘s yusheng. You have a choice of salmon, tuna, yellowtail or a combination of the three.

• Regular size (9 slices) – S$25.80
• Large size (18 slices) – S$30.80
• Additional sashimi (9 slices) – S$10

7. Conrad Centennial Singapore

If you are going for a healthier choice, the signature Fortune salmon, abalone and fresh fruits yusheng at 5-star hotel Conrad Centennial Singapore would hit the spot.

Want even greater variety? Check out the yusheng galore at Cantonese restaurant Golden Peony:

• Fu Lu Shou Tri-star (small) – S$98
• Lobster and Snow Pear (small) – S$88
• Maguro (small) – S$78
• “10 Head” Quality Australian Abalone (4 pieces) – S$78
• Crispy Coral Weed and Tempura White Bait (small) – S$68
• Arctic Surf Clam with Spring Onions and Ginger (small) – S$68
• Fortune Salmon and Ikan Parang (small) – S$48
• Fresh Fruits with Crispy Golden Mushroom and Taro (Vegetarian) (small) – S$38
• Fortune Salmon, Abalone and Fresh Fruits (small) – S$68

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Conrad Centennial Singapore Chinese New Year goodies 2011.

8. Chen Fu Ji

Chen Fu Ji may be well-known for its fried rice and minced pork noodle, this season it is also complementing its regular menu with yusheng.

For a taste of luxury, you can top it up with abalone. (S$38++ / 58++ / 78++)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Chen Fu Ji Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

9. Peony Jade

The Peony Jade Restaurant at Clarke Quay and Keppel Club combines flavours of the sea in the form of innovative creations. The Reaping Longevity and Abundance Prosperity Rainbow raw fish consists of Hokkaido sweet shrimp, octopus, squid and Atlantic salmon.

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Peony Jade Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

10. Yum Cha

Yum Cha, the restaurant famous for its dim sum has rolled out yusheng. Choose from salmon, ikan parang or abalone. (S$38++ serves 2-6 / S$58++ serves 7-10)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Yum Cha Chinese New Year goodies 2011.

11. Concorde Hotel

For a unique twist to the traditional yusheng, try the salmon and ikan parang (wolf-herring) yusheng at Concorde Hotel.

This special Peranakan version is served with plum or spicy Peranakan sauces, added with ingredients like jellyfish along with a fragrant dressing made from plum sauce, sambal belachan (shrimp paste), lime juice, lime leaves, pink ginger flower and coriander leaves.

Game for a taste of wild adventure?

The Chinese New Year eve reunion buffet dinner at the hotel’s flagship restaurant Spices Cafe boasts crocodile ribs slow-baked with spices along with other festive dishes such as salted duck, honey-glazed roasted Kurobuta pork rack and grilled silver cod fillet. The dinner comes with a complimentary platter of the salmon and ikan parang yusheng. (S$65++ per adult / S$30++ per child)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Concorde Hotel Chinese New Year goodies 2011.

12. Tung Lok

Enjoy Tung Lok‘s healthful rendition of yusheng with salmon, fresh vegetables, golden needle mushrooms, yam and shredded sweet potato, served with plum sauce and a dash of lime. No artificial colouring or sweetener has been used!

If you’re craving for Tung Lok’s yusheng, you can have it at any of the Chinese restaurants under the group, such as Zhou’s Kitchen, Tung Lok Signatures and Lao Beijing.

Bonus: Trattoria Singapore

What if you’re staring at all these images of yusheng salad but you’re really more into western food? Italian restaurant, Trattoria Singapore has specially whipped up this delicacy with a twist. The salmon slices and salad ingredients are all presented on a pizza! (S$16.80++)

Now that’s one pizza with pizzazz!

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Where are you having your Chinese New Year reunion dinner? Do you normally have yusheng? If so, let us know where!