Wrap It Up

The Dragon Boat Festival is fast approaching, with hotels and restaurants gearing up for it with a lineup of rice dumplings in every shape and ingredient from abalone to truffle. At Pan Pacific Singapore's Hai Tien Lo Chinese restaurant, classics reign, from pork belly and salted fish (S$18.80) to the traditional jumbo dumpling (S$33.80) a juggernaut stuffed with pork belly, salted egg yolk, preserved meat and dried scallops. There's also a premium gift set priced at S$68.90 or S$88.90). To order, go to pacificmarketplace.sg

At Crystal Jade, check out its new range of dumplings, featuring roast pork belly and black beans from Taiwan (S$8.80); vegetarian mushrooms and chestnuts in a mix of black and white glutinous rice (S$6.80); or a deluxe Hong Kong-style dumpling studded with Jinhua ham and dried conpoy from Hokkaido. For information, go to www.crystaljade.com.

Marina Mandarin, meanwhile, goes local with its dumpling repertoire this year, with unique fillings such as rendang kurobuta and otah, and the sweet pastel blue dumpling coloured with blue pea flowers and filled with creamy Japanese purple sweet potato and egg custard within. Classic taste buds can also fall back on the classic range of Hong Kong-style dumplings filled with abalone, conpoy, pork belly and mushrooms, or the Peach Blossoms dumpling gift set. For information, go to www.meritushotels.com/marina.