It’s certainly rare to see a proper bar in Cantonese restaurants, and rarer still for the drinks menu to have multiple pages dedicated to Asian-inspired cocktails with elements like ginseng-infused vodka, chrysanthemum syrup and kaffir lime leaves. That’s what you get in Mitzo and it certainly sets the tone for what you can expect out of this restaurant, both for their food and drinks.

 Oriental Julep. Photo: Cheryl Tan

Take a swig out of the Oriental Julep, a fruitier take on the classic Mint Julep cocktail. The taste of the BuffaloTrace bourbon whiskey comes out immediately, but quickly intermingles with the fruitiness of the blackberry pulp that’s been muddled into the drink. There’s a hint of freshness from the mint leaves, and a subtle herbaceousness from the herbal tea that lingers for a moment in the mouth before dissipating.

Soup is an essential part of Cantonese cuisine, and the Double-boiled Maca with Lobster and Cabbage in Chicken Consomme ($18) fits the bill for a clear, traditional Cantonese soup. Except for the lobster of course, but in truth, the chunk of sweet lobster meat that was tender and not at all rubbery was the highlight of the dish for me.

Mitzo Premium Steamed Dim Sum Platter. Photo: Cheryl Tan

The Mitzo Premium Steamed Dim Sum Platter comes with two pieces each of Royal Shrimp Dumpling with Caviar, Shrimp and Pork Dumpling with Baby Abalone and Steamed Dumpling with Shrimp, Scallop and Sea Urchin. Startingwith the Shrimp and Pork Dumpling with Baby Abalone, it definitely has a wealth of textures, from the salty flying fish roe that pops in the mouth, to the piece of chewy abalone that tops the dumpling.

You would imagine the Royal Shrimp Dumpling with Caviar to be quite similar, but no. The caviar used here is actually a Japanese caviar, which doesn’t have the same salinity as the caviar most people are used to. The eggs don’t quite explode the same way either, with a seemingly thinner skin that almost melts in the mouth to reveal a creamy texture.

The Steamed Dumpling with Shrimp, Scallop and Sea Urchin is the most luxurious of the bunch. The taste of the shrimp is what comes through first, and then the sweetness of the scallop shows itself. When everything else has faded, that’s when the subtle flavours of the sea urchin come to the forefront. Unfortunately, that silky texture is somewhat lost amongst the rest of the elements. All in all though, it’s definitely worth a try.

Mitzo Special Barbecued Pork. Photo: Cheryl Tan

Nobody should leave Mitzo without trying their specialty, the Mitzo Special Barbecued Pork. The cuts of pork were thick, but the meat to fat ratio was absolutely spot-on. With a crisp, slightly charred honey glaze that provides a great crunch, char siewlovers will be delightedwith Mitzo’s rendition of this traditional Cantonese roast meat.

Mitzo’s Stir-fried Wild Mushrooms with Chinese Kai Lan and Pine Nuts. Photo: Cheryl Tan

Need vegetables to pair with all that meat? Mitzo’s Stir-fried Wild Mushrooms with Chinese Kai Lan and Pine Nuts will hit the spot. Both the pine nuts and mushrooms add a beautiful earthiness to the dish, while the crunchy kai lan stems add a hint of bitterness that brings the dish together. There’s a good amount of wok hei, which is essential for really bringing out the flavours of the greens.

XO Fried Rice with Lobster Meat, Vegetables and Mushroom. Photo: Cheryl Tan

There’s usually always a carb componentto every Cantonese dinner, and here at Mitzo, their XO Fried Rice with Lobster Meat, Vegetables and Mushroom is the one to go for. Mitzo’s housemade XO sauce has a nice heat that envelops the mouth while the chunks of lobster meat are very tender and not at all stringy or chewy. There were bits of crunchy Hong Kong Kai Lan stems which broke up the monotony and provided colour to the dish. Each rice grain was separated and well-coated with the XO sauce, and there were no clumps of rice to be found, which was nice.

Chilled Avocado Milkshake with Rum & Raisin Ice Cream served with Deep-fried Chocolate Truffle Liqueur Dumpling . Photo: Cheryl Tan

Ending off with dessert, the Chilled Avocado Milkshake with Rum & Raisin Ice Cream served with Deep-fried Chocolate Truffle Liqueur Dumpling stole my heart. The avocado puree was creamy and rich, with the chocolate biscuit crumble atop adding a nice crunch. The rum and raisin ice cream melted into the puree, resulting in an even creamier mixture that had bits of chewy raisin inside. But the star was the dumpling, with the crisp shell and a liquid centre of Mitzo’s housemade chocolate liqueur that tasted quite like Baileys and had just enough alcohol to taste.

• Opening hours & menu: See here 
• Address: 270 Orchard Rd, Level 4 Grand Park, Orchard, Singapore 238857