RACINES

Folks are friendly and helpful. Lovely place. Sufficient spaces between tables. Lobster bisque was really good. You should give it a try. Steak frites was average. Not sure if it is worth $58? But in all, it is still a good dining experience!

Lovely Racines at Sofitel is a true hidden gem nestled quietly above the MRT in the business district — an oasis of calm and class. The ambience is elegant yet relaxed, making it perfect for both business and social gatherings. What truly made our visit special was the exceptional service, especially from Rey, who went above and beyond to ensure a flawless dining experience. The entire service team was warm, attentive, and professional — exactly what you'd expect from a 5-star restaurant. The food was a delightful blend of French and local Chinese cuisines. We highly recommend the Caesar salad, sea bass fillet, and local-style Hokkien mee — a surprisingly authentic and flavorful dish. From the French side, the steak frites, duck leg confit, and black cod were all outstanding. The soufflé Cointreau — absolutely to die for! Light, fluffy, and the perfect way to end the meal. We were fortunate to visit on the last day of the Accor Plus 50% discount offer, which made the entire experience incredibly memorable and great value for money. Highly recommended for group dinners or a refined evening out. — Dr Sam Lee

Go elsewhere—even with the 50% Eatigo discount or the in-house one-for-one promo. You have been warned. 1. Lobster claws were served at the start of the buffet, but the lobster tails were only brought out much later, almost towards the end of the dining period, when many diners were already full. Weird ‘strategy’ from the chef. 2. Many buffet items were not refilled and left with empty plate, even before we were halfway through the lunch service. 3. Tea and coffee were subpar and pre-brewed, served from a hot water dispenser instead of being freshly made. This was utterly disappointing, especially for a S$138++ festive brunch buffet. The only positive was that the staff were friendly and hardworking—but unfortunately, that alone does not justify the price or the experience. 5 pax visited on 20 Dec 25.

Great food and service. The lobster was nice and juicy and the oysters were nice and fresh. The dessert sections was incredibly nice and great, loved the quirky edible chocolate cup with coconut custard filling. The cheese selections was also quite nice and great, especially the mozzarella salad.

Racines at Sofitel Singapore City Centre @sofitelsingaporecitycentre has just launched a new menu (from 2 Apr 2025) that brings together the best of French and Asian flavours — think fresh ingredients, light touches, and comforting dishes done with finesse. Here are some highlights I tried: Starters Pan Roasted Foie Gras ($36): Rich, melt-in-your-mouth, with a subtle cognac finish. Five Spice Foie Gras Pate ($30): Smooth, flavourful, and perfect with brioche. Lobster Bisque: A zero-waste twist on the classic — rich, buttery, and comes with half a Boston lobster. Mains Salt-Baked Pineapple-Fed Chicken Leg ($46): Juicy and tender, with a good mix of textures from truffle milk cabbage to cordyceps. Pineapple-Fed Yellow Chicken Supreme ($39): Same premium chicken, but done French-style — slow-cooked, creamy truffle sauce, and buttery mash. Soy Baked Black Cod ($51): Light and balanced with that sweet-savoury glaze. Pan Seared Salmon ($49): Crispy skin, soft center, and goes so well with spinach and a comforting clam-potato ragout. Desserts Cempedak Crème Brûlée ($24): A local twist on the French classic — creamy, fragrant, and hits the spot. Ondeh Ondeh ($25): Pandan, gula melaka, coconut — layered, nostalgic, and crunchy from the biscotti. Apple Tartin ($26): Warm, buttery apple tart with ice cream The à la carte menu is available for lunch (Sun–Fri, 12–3pm) and dinner daily (5:30–10pm). This new menu is worth checking out! Location: Racines, Sofitel Singapore City Centre, 9 Wallich Street, Singapore 078885

Absolutely unacceptable Christmas Eve experience I am extremely disappointed with the Christmas Eve buffet at Racines. For a restaurant located in a 5-star hotel and charging $98 per person, this experience was far below even basic expectations. To begin with, the host who checked our reservation behaved oddly. Despite there being no one behind us, he repeatedly asked and told me three separate times that our reservation was for two people, in a manner that felt unnecessary and uncomfortable. We arrived at 6.45pm, well after the buffet had started at 6pm, yet several food stations were either completely empty or almost empty, with no topping up taking place. At the cooked food station, there was steamed fish that barely had any meat left, yet a line was still forming. The fish sat there for an extended period while the cook simply stared at it, appearing unsure of what to do. The fried rice tasted like plain white rice, no seasoning whatsoever, just that it was fried with some soya sauce and the carrots were so undercooked, it was almost raw. The cold seafood station had a noticeable stale smell, and it was unclear which items were already turning bad. The prawns were also not deveined, which is frankly unacceptable at this price point. For a $98 buffet, I expected far more variety. Honestly, my neighbourhood zi char stall probably has twice the menu offered here. I was willing to overlook the limited selection if the food quality had been good, but unfortunately, that was sorely lacking. Still, we tried to remain positive and enjoy dinner since it was Christmas Eve, until we reached the soups. One soup with berries tasted like warmed, watered-down condensed milk. I am not sure if that was intentional or if my taste buds are simply too local, but the pumpkin soup with seafood trio truly TAKES THE CAKE, AND THAT IS NOT A COMPLIMENT. There were chopped pieces of prawn in the soup. The first bite was oddly chewy, but I only realised the real issue on my second spoonful: one side of the prawn was slightly pink, while the other side was grey. That was extremely concerning. I initially did not intend to write a review because mistakes happen. What prompted this review was the appalling handling of feedback. I called over a staff member in a jacket, presumably a manager, to show him the prawn, intending only to give feedback. He dismissed my concern by saying the soup was hot and the prawns were “definitely cooked,” though he would inform the chef to check. The chef later came over, looked at the prawn, and told me that this is how fresh prawns look when they are cooked. Excuse me! but DID I LOOK LIKE I WAS BORN YESTERDAY? Prawns ARE NOT GREY WHEN COOKED. If your chef genuinely believes that, he needs to return to culinary school. What made it worse, was that after confidently dismissing my concern, he walked back to the soup station and began fiddling with the temperature controls. If he was so certain everything was fine, why go back and check? A simple apology and accountability would have sufficed. Instead, your staff chose to gaslight the customer, which I found deeply insulting. Even someone who does not cook, and I do, can verify this with a simple Google search. Lastly, I would genuinely like an explanation as to why your payment counter is also where the soup bowls are placed. From a hygiene perspective, this is baffling. Hands handling payment, sleeves brushing against bowls. Was no thought given to sanitation? I am seriously appalled that a restaurant in a 5-star hotel operates at this standard. Management needs to urgently review food safety, service training, and overall operations. Definitely wished I had gone through all the reviews, especially the bad ones, because even with all the replies from the owner/management, no feedback has actually been taken in. My money would have been better spent elsewhere for sure. Thank you for ruining our Christmas Eve dinner.

Racines – Sofitel Absolutely delicious food and a very pleasant dining experience. The restaurant feels spacious and comfortable, though it did seem a little understaffed in the evening. That said, the food quality was excellent, and with the Accor Plus promotion, it’s truly great value for money. My only small wish is that the complimentary bread could be served warm — it would make the experience even better.

Empty trays, lack of initiative and attentiveness, really slow to top up when levels are low. Many long instances of no seafood, no cheese, no fruits, no desserts and even no milk for coffee. Regret coming to this buffet especially after realising that there are many similar feedbacks since months ago too. Wouldn't have brought my loved ones or VIPs here had I known better.

Went here for lunch on a weekend. It's in the Sofitel at the city center. They have definitely toned down and adapted well for post COVID era. The three set lunch menu for $38 is a steal. I tried the chili crab starter, pork bao and the mango purée with vanilla ice cream combo and was very impressed. Service is excellent as well.

Modern dining room in a modern hotel. Very good service staff once they appear, because there's not many of them, with almost everything being done via an efficient-but-impersonal app. The set lunch is reasonably priced. We went à la carte in order to use our Entertainer voucher. The $48++ wagyu steak is chewy and not good. The crab rillettes is yummy. If not for the 1-for-1 offer, it's terrible value. There are so many yummy restaurants in the neighbourhood, so I guess we will not go back.

So today taking a break from virus madness hubby and I decided a nice lunch is in order. We went to Racines. It's quite a cool concept. It is both a French and a Chinese restaurant. The same main ingredient is used but cooked in different cuisines. We had the set lunch, see the menu. I had the carpaccio, yellowtail and poached pears, the French side of the menu. Hubby had the duck roll, pork and chocolate cigar. All good and great value as well. Service was great too. I would definitely go there again. #maneklady #manekeats