Nearly three years since its opening, The Royal Mail Restaurant & Bar turns to revamp its lunch and dinner menus for the second time, giving regular customers a new selection of its modern British cuisine alongside signature mainstays. Your dining experience starts with a heritage walk up the blue carpeted stairs of the iconic Ascott Raffles Place, with an original James Cutler designed brass mail chute standing proudly to your right. Once in, the serene atmosphere and table clothed surroundings lead you to expect nothing but quality from there on. The only thing missing – a piano-playing professional in a tuxedo.

New and worth a try

My choice starter, the Seafood Bouillbaisse ($28, first image), is where the lobster’s underrated cousin – langoustine – gets its moments of fame along with the red malabar snapper and blue mussel. The tangy broth carries hints of seafood sweetness, and you’ll find it hard not to lick your bowl clean. For lighter and cleaner flavours, opt for the Scallop Carpaccio and Tuna ($26, above) instead.

Joining their signature main – Honey Glazed Kurobuta Pork ($56) – are additions like Herb Crusted Lamb Rack ($78) and Whole Roasted Japanese Yellow Sea Bream ($78), which is specially flown in from Japan. Even though chefs liken miso cods to the overplayed song on the radio, I’ll admit that the Miso Black Cod ($42) was one of my favourites that afternoon. Smothered in seaweed butter with leek fondue, bonito flakes and a crisp sesame tuile, it has got the perfect balance of miso and cod, without either one overpowering the other.

A dessert perfect for those without a sweet tooth, the new Enhanced Bergamot Earl Grey Jelly ($15) is a tangy and refreshing mix of frozen yoghurt, passionfruit coulis and macerated berries. And standing on the other side of the sugar spectrum, is a deconstructed Peanut Butter Jelly ($18) that we would recommend sharing. While we could give the toasted brioche a miss, the stack of cranberry jelly, chocolate ganache, peanut butter mousse with caramelized bananas on the side, finished off with an edible spoon, is a nostalgic and sinful combination. Note: For first-timers, the classic English dessert, Eton Mess ($18) is a must-try. The Royal Mail Restaurant & Bar, Ascott Raffles Place, 2 Finlayson Green, Singapore 049247 See also: Favourite Restaurants and Bars in Singapore Best Fine Dining in Singapore

Written by Peh Yi Wen