Take a step into the past with the exquisite Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore – in a few short hours we indulged in traditional Asian dishes in a historical setting and learned about the city’s remarkable heritage, history, and rapid change as we embarked on a private heritage tour.
We were looking for somewhere to enjoy lunch on our very first day back in Singapore and several of our friends had recommended a visit to the Fullerton Bay Hotel and dining at the Clifford Pier restaurant, afternoon tea or evening drinks at the hotel’s outdoor bar with a paramount view of the city’s skyline. So when we were invited on a press visit by The Fullerton Bay Hotel to review its restaurant’s three-course lunch menu, we jumped at the chance.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hotel’s gracious staff and automatically awe-struck by the grandeur of Fullerton Bay’s striking and spectacularly decorated lobby, complete with the most magnificent chandelier.
Taking our seats in the main dining room of The Clifford Pier, we opted for the three-course Chinese New Year lunch, however, we were also incredibly tempted to order off the main menu as it features some of the most delicious options such as the spicy jumbo lump crab meat spaghetti, The Pier’s prawn laksa and traditional dishes that never fail to please, such as the Hainanese chicken rice and the HK wonton soup.
Nonetheless, we stayed true to our menu choice and both decided to have the gyoza’s to start, the Chinese prosperity rice bowl main for me and wagyu beef for Lewis. For dessert, we opted not to go for any of the choices on the CNY menu and instead asked if we could choose our third course from the main menu – the staff was more than happy to allow this – and we both went for our favourite, and a rather nostalgic dish, Hong Kong French toast.
The setting in which the Clifford Pier Restaurant is based is luxurious, airy, and extremely spacious – perfect for any occasion, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner with friends and family or for a romantic meal for two.
The restaurant itself occupies the space of the original Clifford Pier, allowing guests to dine in one of Singapore’s most historical settings, a location that used to serve as a landing point for immigrants and other sea passengers between 1933 to 2006.
When the food arrived, it was every bit as heavenly in its presentation as taste, the gyoza’s were perfectly cooked and the pork filling was light yet packed with an array of flavours. The Chinese prosperity rice bowl, was packed with traditional Chinese favourites – Chinese mushroom, bak choi, Chinese sausage, steamed chicken wings, and sliced sea slug.
To book a reservation at the Clifford Pier or one of Fullerton Bay Hotel’s other restaurants, visit their website: https://www.fullertonhotels.com/the-fullerton-bay-hotel/dining.html
The Heritage Tour
With so much history in one restaurant and hotel setting, it is only fitting that The Fullerton Bay has its own daily tours for hotel guests and tourists, and what a perfect way to walk off our indulgent lunch.
We met with Bill, the hotel’s resident heritage guide for our “journey into Singapore’s past” through the Maritime Journey Tour – a walking tour of Singapore’s historic waterfront. 
Bill was an incredibly warm and engaging guide and always more than happy to answer any burning questions we had. With Bill being a local to the city, we learned so much from him in the short one-hour tour – his passion and adoration for the city absolutely shone through as he guided us through the waterfront and the hotel.
The tours, which are both limited to 20 participants, also allows exclusive access to various preserved areas within the hotel, allowing guests to learn and see more of the historical and architectural side of The Fullerton building.
By the end of our Maritime Journey Tour we were left in absolute awe by Singapore’s immense change, all in the last 80 years or so – we were taken on a journey through time and the tour brought the buildings of Singapore to life, allowing us to see the city in a completely different light.
If you’re looking for an informative, fun, and free tour of Singapore that is sure to take you back in time, check out one of Fullerton Bay’s Heritage tours here – https://thefullertonheritage.com/tours
KeiKei is a London-based award-winning journalist and videographer with a degree in Broadcast Media and Journalism from the University of the West of Scotland and an extensive reporting background in news, entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
KeiKei has travelled the globe interviewing, reporting and reviewing. Her work has been published in worldwide media outlets including, The New York Post, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Daily Mail, National Geographic and Conde Nast publications.
