[Review] Fuss Free Halal Festive Feasting with Chilli Api Catering’s Peranakan Delights Mini Buffet

The holiday season in Singapore often means embracing familiar festive fare, but Chilli Api Catering is giving Christmas a local spin with their Frosty Traditions menu.

Known for their Halal certified catering, Chilli Api have curated several options for different types of festive gatherings this year, including full Buffets starting from $26.80 per person, Mini Buffets beginning at $238.80 per set, Bentos from $16.80 per person, and even a Tok Panjang option.

The Christmas menu is available from now to 31 December, with only the Christmas menu offered from 22 to 24 December.

We recently had the pleasure of sampling the Peranakan Delights Mini Buffet, a generous spread designed for 8 to 10 guests, priced at a reasonable $308.80 before GST ($336.59 with GST).

One of the highlights of this menu is the inclusion of their HeatBox-to-Go, a thoughtful self-heating solution that keeps the food warm and ready to serve, which is perfect for fuss free entertaining.

The Peranakan theme is immediately apparent in the appetisers, which include a delightful D.I.Y Beetroot Kueh Pai Ti, to be filled with servings of Smoked Duck & Brunoise Root Vegetables.

We also enjoyed the traditional favourites, Gado Gado and Satay Skewers, which came with a rich, Nutty Peanut Sauce.

For the main courses, the Pandan Rempah Rotisserie Whole Chicken, paired with Charred Buttery Spices Rub Corn Rib, was succulent and flavourful, bringing in the festive cheers.

The seafood offerings were great too, particularly the Pan Seared Prawns with a tangy Tamarind Gula Melaka Sauce and the addictive Homemade Breaded Mackerel Otak.

The fusion elements shine through in the choices offered.

For the main course, we selected the Peranakan Dry Laksa over the Nonya Fried Rice with Turkey Breast. The dry laksa is a signature dish that consistently receives high praise and is our default choice when ordering from Chilli Api. Highly recommend going for this.

Among the meat/fish options, we opted for the Barramundi fillet with Assam Pedas as we wanted somethign lighter, bypassing the hearty Beef Short Ribs Buah Keluak, which is slow cooked with aromatic Indonesian black nut and fresh spices.

The barramundi was a family favourite, its delicate flesh perfectly complemented by the spicy and sour Assam Pedas gravy.

Every item we tried was generally good at this price point and for catered food, with the Peranakan nuances coming through beautifully in these festive fusion dishes, making them a treat to savour.

For a sweet conclusion, the buffet includes the pretty 8 inch Snowy Natural Blue Pea Kueh Salat.

Overall, this festive menu offers something different from the usual western festive fares, with the infusion of Peranakan flavours.

Chilli Api also offers a range of other festive options at various price points for different group sizes, including the Noel Delights Mini Buffet for 10 to 12 people and the Santa’s Delights Mini Buffet for 15 people, which features items like Traditional Roasted Turkey and Royal Hazelnut Log Cake. They also offer platters like the Santa’s Roast a Feast and Santa’s Catch a Feast for smaller groups of 6 to 7 people.

With the increase in GST to 9%, coupled with the ubiquitous 10% service charge, that’s a hefty 19% on top of the final bill when dining out at restaurants in Singapore. This makes catering options with the likes of reputed brands like Chilli Api all the more worthwhile to get the best value, saving on service charge.

You can find more details, including their other Mini Buffet, Buffet, Bento, and Tok Panjang menus, on their website.

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