Celebrate the season of love with a contemporary Asian twist this year with a specially curated set menu for two, the ‘Great Devotion 只羡鴛鴦不羡仙’ from Mimi at The Riverhouse.

Available from 14 and 15 February, the menu ($138++ per couple, $258++ with wine pairing) is inspired by the great Chinese folktale of Cowherd and the Weaver Girl 牛郎织女. With his expertise and knowledge in Chinese cuisine and traditions, Head Chef Sam Chong designed dishes made for couples with poignant meanings and sentimental significance.

The five-course set menu starts with an amuse-bouche, the Honey, Bee 巧果 – egg biscuits coated in honey. In the past, prized qualities in a bride included being bright and handy around the house and women used to pray to the Weaver Girl to gift them nimble hands 一 双巧手by offering her these biscuits.

 

Leading to the first course, Chef Sam has created Always Be My Dumpling 鸳鸯饺 – a modern take on steamed dumplings stuffed with foie gras and beetroot for a double ‘yuan yang’ treat. As a fun fortune telling game, villagers used to wrap a coin, needle and a red date in three separate handmade dumplings. It is believed that the one who gets the coin will prosper, the receiver of the needle will be gifted with a pair of nimble hands, and a red date indicates early marriage.

 

To help the star-crossed lovers Cowherd and Weaver Girl live happily ever after, every family in China would kill a chicken or rooster to prevent it from crowing at dawn thus ‘helping’ the couple stay together. The second course Don’t Ruffle My Feathers 在天愿做比翼鸟 features truffle roasted chicken stuffed with longans, hazelnuts, peanuts, pine nuts and melon seeds. Diners can also have the option of choosing the Cod In Love 甜蜜的诺言 a honey-baked codfish fillet with ginger.

To embody the saying 一心一意 (to love wholeheartedly), Chef Sam delves into his Malaysian background to revive a traditional Malaysian-Chinese dish in the third course. Sea You Forever 且行且珍惜 showcases flourless noodles handmade from prawn and octopus paste topped with a seared Hokkaido scallop.

 

Created with auspicious saying of harmony and longevity in mind, the final course and dessert of the menu – Rice of a Lifetime 甜在心头 – shows Mimi’s take on the traditional Eight-Treasure Porridge, contains black glutinous rice cakes enriched with lotus seeds, red dates, dried kumquats, barley rice, sunflower seeds, melon seeds, green plum and corn on a bed of rich coconut milk.

Couples that opt for the pairing option will enjoy a beverage with each course such as PerrierJoet champagne, white and red wine, and a dessert wine to finish.

 

Mimi Timing:

Lunch (Tuesday to Friday) – 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm (Last orders at 2:15pm);

Dinner (Tuesday to Sunday) – 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm (Last orders at 10:15 pm)

Closed on Mondays

Address: 3A River Valley Road, Level 2, The Riverhouse, Clarke Quay, Singapore 179020

Reservations: Call +65 6261 1189/ Email mimi@theriverhouse.sg