The coming Chinese New Year in 2025 – the Year of the Snake – will fall on the 29th January 2025. Given the current situation, you can expect an abundant selection from some of the top Chinese restaurants and hotels for pen cai for your reunion dinner. As with previous years, there are establishments offering takeaway or islandwide delivery services for Chinese New Year reunion dinners. If you choose to dine-in, try to reserve early as many of the popular restaurants get booked out weeks in advance.
Pen cai or Poon Choi is a traditional Cantonese dish comprised of a number of ingredients including meat, seafood and vegetables. Contrary to popular belief in Singapore, pen cai is not just consumed during Chinese New Year by Cantonese communities. Traditionally, pen cai is eaten during major festivals, religious rituals and even wedding banquets. In Singapore however, it is mostly eaten during the Lunar New Year as a symbol of harmony.
Without further ado, I’ve tried my best to list them down here for your convenience. This list will be expanded over the next few days as new establishments come onboard with their pen cai for CNY 2025 so bookmark this page for future reference.
You can also join our telegram channel here and receive updates on price drops, exclusive promotions not found anywhere else as well as flash deals for CNY dishes and other F&B promotions.
Eu Yan Sang
eu yan sang pen cai (source: eu yan sang)
*Free Electric Pot* Choose from one of Eu Yan Sang’s pen cai or treasure pots which come with FREE non-stick 3 liter electric pot. The Royal Imperial Abalone Treasure Pot (S$139.90) comes with abalones, dried mushrooms, vegetarian fish balls, abalone mushroom slices, razor clams, plant-based- protein meat, millets, dried scallops and cordyceps flowers in a golden soup. The Royal Dynasty Abalone Treasure Pot (S$139.90) has a mala-flavored soup and comes with abalones, shiitake balls, abalone mushrooms slices, coprinus mushrooms, sea asparagus, bamboo shoots, jinhua rolls, white snow mushrooms, tofu skin and cordyceps flowers.
Eu Yan Sang’s pen cai do not come with artificial colors or preservatives. Before serving, the ingredients need to be poured out into a pot and heated.
Dates: Ongoing
Order here
Shangri-la Singapore (Shang Palace)
abundance treasure pot pen cai (source: shangri-la singapore)
Guests may indulge in seasonal specials such as the takeaway Abundance Treasure Pot (S$528). Good for 8 persons, it hosts a treasure trove of prized ingredients including abalone, fish maw, whole dace fish, sea cucumber, roasted pork and more, epitomizing its symbolism of abundance and prosperity. The dish is laboriously prepared over six hours to bring out the best flavors of each ingredient.
Dates: Now to 9th February 2025
Order here
InterContinental Singapore (Man Fu Yuan)
man fu yuan pen cai (source: the hotel)
Man Fu Yuan’s decadent Abundance Treasure Pot (S$538) brims with over 18 premium choice ingredients, including some that were specially procured overseas. Expect delights such as 5-head abalone, rock lobster, dried scallops, pig’s trotters and goose web inside this luxuriant pot. E
Dates: Now until 12th February 2025
Order here
Tam Kah
tam kah pen cai (source: tam kah)
Tam Kah is a seafood wholesaler that also prepares cooked seafood dishes for delivery. For CNY 2025, they are offering either the Prosperity (from S$168) or the Superior (from S$218) pen cai. Both types of pen cai come in 5-pax and 10-pax versions. Expect ingredients such as 6-head abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, dried and fresh scallops and more. This is quite a good value pen cai if you are looking for a less expensive option this year.
Dates: Ongoing
Order here
Tung Lok
Tung Lok’s pen cai, the Prosperity Pen Cai (S$354), is good for 10 persons and comes with ingredients such as abalone, prawn, fish maw, roasted pork belly, braised pork shank, fish puff, bean dough and more. Each order of their pen cai also comes with a free claypot, vegetable dumplings and traditional nian gao.
Delivery: Free pen cai delivery with minimum order of S$100
Dates: Ongoing (ordering starts now)
Order here
New Moon
new moon pen cai (source: new moon)
One of Singapore’s most popular canned pen cai, New Moon’s Premium Prosperity Abalone Treasure Pot (S$115.79) weighs 1.8kg and comes with 10 whole pieces of abalone, bamboo pith, fish maw, scallops, mushrooms, white fungus and more. Their pen cai does not contain MSG or preservatives.
Dates: Ongoing
Order here
Ming Kitchen
Ming Kitchen is a seafood restaurant / food court stall with outlets all over Singapore. Their Auspicious Pen Cai (from S$238) comes with ingredients such as 10-head abalone, prawns, oysters, fish maw, sea cucumber, mushrooms, pig trotters, black moss and more. Each pen cai order also comes with a free pot and warmer bag. Currently, their pen cai are open for self-collection only but the good news is that customers have at least 15 collection points to choose from – all located in heartland locations such as Pasir Ris, Tampines, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Batok and more.
Dates: Ongoing
Order here
Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium (Xin Cuisine)
xin’s traditional pen cai (source: holiday inn sg atrium)
For an authentic pen cai, the restaurant’s Xin’s Traditional Pen Cai (S$398) for takeaway brims with premium ingredients such as whole abalone, fresh scallop, deep-fried fish maw, sea cucumber, live prawn and roast meat to name a few. You can also lux it up and opt for the Xin’s Prosperity Pen Cai (S$428 / S$788) which has the same ingredients as the traditional pen cai but with added lobster and no duck.
Dates: 3 January to 12th February 2025 (ordering starts now)
Order here
Pan Pacific Singapore (Hai Tien Lo)
hai tien lo superior treasure pot (source: hai tien lo)
For CNY 2025, Hai Tien Lo at Pan Pacific Singapore is offering two types of pen cai. The Classic Treasure Pot (starts from S$368) features 8 Head Whole Abalone, Bird’s Nest, Sakura Chicken, Dried Scallops, Wontons and Broccoli. The Double Blessings Treasure Pot (starts from S$628), on the other hand, comes with 14 stellar ingredients like 8 Head Abalone, Lobster, Roast Duck, Pork Knuckle, Dried Oyster, Black Moss and more.
Dates: 8 January to 12 February 2025
Order here
Carlton Hotel (Wah Lok)
wah lok longevity poon choi (source: wah lok)
Making a return this year is Wah Lok’s Longevity Poon Choi (from S$488). This is an elaborate three-layer dish consisting of premium ingredients such as whole abalone, sea cucumber, scallops and dried oysters with superior stock in a casserole pot. Wah Lok’s pen cai has remained relatively unchanged over the years as it attracts a steady stream of regulars each CNY.
Dates: 2nd January to 12th February 2025
Order here
