The Royal Mail

The histories of Britain and Singapore are intimately intertwined. The very fabric of this bustling metropolis is shot through with traces of 150 years of British rule. It’s not too surprising, therefore, that we should find an outpost of British cuisine at this international crossroads. And what better place to situate such a restaurant than in the luxurious Ascott Raffles Place down Finlayson Green – the name itself is a nod to the British founder of modern Singapore. But just what is British cuisine, and how is it interpreted at The Royal Mail?

The Royal Mail, one the second-floor of Singapore’s Ascott Raffles Place along Finlayson Green, consciously preserves the British heritage of Singapore in its architecture and its cuisine. The Ascott Raffles building is an important piece of Singapore’s architectural history, designed by Ng Keng Siang, a member of the Royal Institute of British architects and one of those responsible for transforming Singapore into the modern city it now is. Entering The Royal Mail, notice the vintage brass mail chute, the historical curiosity from which The Royal Mail takes its name. Continue your procession through to the spacious dining room and opulent circular bar and you immediately feel transported to another time, when Singapore was part of the Commonwealth.

And what does one eat at the Royal Mail? The answer is British cuisine, or rather British modern classics interpreted judiciously by The Royal Mail’s expert chefs. Stepping under the Ascott Raffles Place’s black granite five foot way at Finlayson Green, taking the elevator to the second floor, you are already primed for a royal banquet. Take your pick from such British classics as roast prime rib – highly recommended – with Brussels sprouts and Yorkshire pudding, whole roasted fish, and the famous Eton Mess, a dessert of meringue, strawberries, hazelnut crunch, salted caramel and Devonshire cream. These modern takes on British cuisine will conquer your appetite.