Celebrity Chefs' Restaurants (Part I) @ Marina Bay Sands

It's every foodie's dream to dine at some of the worlds' best Celebrity Chefs' restaurants at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. After all for a Malaysian like me, the nearest destination for such a culinary indulgence would be just an hour flight away. I can forget about breakfast in London and lunch in Paris but lunch in KL and dinner in Singapore is not impossible.

From Left: Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, Justin Quek, Guy Savoy and Tetsuya Wakuda.

There's not just one but six celebrity chefs restaurants available in MBS for my picky palate! I think it must have been my lucky day as I get to tour some of these restaurants as well as sample some of the best dishes with some of the Malaysian media members.

Waku Ghin

This is the only establishment by Chef Tetsuya Wakuda outside his world-famous Sydney restaurant on Kent St. How lucky we are to be able to sample Tetsuya's culinary brillance without having to fly to down under for a seat at his restaurant.

Located on the Level 2 of the casino building, Waku Ghin is accessible from both the casino and the mall. I first heard about Waku Ghin from Leon and he told me that I should really pay this place a visit. This 8,000 sqf restaurant has a capacity of 25 people at only one time, offering you the most exclusive and luxurious dining experience. Huh only 25 people?!! No wonder he couldn't make a reservation for both of us even when it's two weeks in advance.

The restaurant has a sake bar and a caviar lounge, private dining rooms and a drawing room which serves desserts, coffee & teas and cognacs. It's truly a bespoke experience as the guests will get to move from the bar to the dining room where there are 3 enclosed rooms helmed by a chef each to cook your meal in front of you and then to the drawing room to relax over dessert.

Chef de Partie, is none other than our Malaccan born Chef Sia Kok Hong. We all know about Chef Tetsuya's quest for perfection and I was quite proud that a Malaysian is part of the "World's 50 Best Restaurants" list where Waku Ghin @ Marina Bay Sands is ranked 39th among the industry's best. He was there to demonstrate how a Braised Canadian Lobster is done and then we all were given a chance to taste it as well. The dish truly brings out Tetsuya's culinary philosophy which centres on pure, clean flavours that are decisive, yet completely refined.

I liked the idea of having a chef to cook in front of you and here they do it right from the raw ingredients. It is also where you can see the culminated discipline towards cleanliness of the kitchen and all I saw was their obsession towards clean and sparkly kitchen utensils. The hot plate was probably the cleanest I've seen anywhere and I'm sure if you run your finger across it, it wouldn't be more oily than your face.

One of the signature dishes include this Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea-Urchin and Caviar. Isn't it a pretty sight? There's also a mother-of-pearl spoon too. Wow... just by looking at this sends me to cloud 9. The good news is, Waku Ghin is now open for Lunch but only on Fridays where guests will be served a 6-course degustation menu priced at S$250++/person and it's available from 12 noon to 2pm. For dinners, 2 seatings are available at 6pm and 8.30pm with a 10-course degustation menu priced at S$400 not inclusive of drinks.

Waku Ghin also has an impressive range of wine and sake in its cellar. The wine list was probably 1-inch thick and I guess there will be no wine aficionado that they can't satisfy here. They are also currently building its cocktail bar concept with a focus on Japanese-styled cocktails which are lighter and more delicate.

Looking at these pictures make me hungry again. I told them that I.WILL.BE.BACK! For now, I just have to live with bread and water for sometime.

For my personal visit to Waku Ghin, full review here.

For reservations : 

Tel: +65 6688 8507

wakughinreservation@marinabaysands.com

 
GUY SAVOY

This is the 5th restaurant by one of France's most celebrated chefs - Chef Guy Savoy (pronounced as 'ghee sah-vwah'). He believes that "Cooking is the art of instantly transforming historical products into pleasure". His eponymous restaurant in Paris has garnered 3 Michelin Stars while the other restaurant in Las Vegas has 2 Michelin Stars. 

I liked the exterior of the restaurant where there are 2 see-through windows that allow guests to peer into them and see all the action going on in the kitchen. Well, I can truly say that their kitchen is spanking clean!

The restaurant epitomises a sexy, opulent and yet warm dining area has a seating capacity of up to 80 people and there are also 2 private rooms available to cater to small events and intimate dinners. I love the colourful glass ornaments on the tables. Their table cloth somehow resembles my egyptian cotton bed sheets. Hmm...

Chef Savoy has profound respect for his carefully selected ingredients. We can truly see that as the restaurant even have more than 7-8 types of tomatoes for its ingredients. To some people,they only knew 1 type of tomato in the world and that's the one we can find at the supermarkets! 

Chef Charles-Benoit Lacour was there to show us how he created such a wonderful entree using tomatoes and creating a dish that not only appeals to the palate but the eyes as well. This dish is presented in 3 ways - Heirloom Tomato Facon Tartare, Seeds & Leaves, Tomato Tarte and a Granita. He's actually quite a shy chef!

Chef Savoy is said to have a profound respect towards ingredients as the flavours he creates are gently coaxed so that every bite of his dish is a statement.

We put his philosophy to a test simply by tasting one of his signature soup - the Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup with Brioche. See the thick black truffle slices and parmesan cheese shavings? This is the one you will get for a full entree but of course for sampling purposes, we were served a mini-version of it. AlaCarte @ S$70

The proof of the pudding is in the eating! The black-truffle artichoke soup was a layered with earthy and nutty flavours and creamy texture. It's smooth and not too overpowering while the black-truffle brioche slathered in truffle butter was buttery, flaky and heavenly. I don't mind having another 3 more servings of this, thank you! Chef Guy Savoy proves that he is a master in creating a interesting mix of aromas and flavours that will tantalise our tastebuds.

 

 Virgin Blue Lagoon

Guy Savoy is opened for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays from 12noon to 2.30pm. From Tuiesdays to Saturdays, it is available for bar dining and dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm. Prices are around S$375/pax (set menu) or S$1,000 for 2, incl drinks & taxes. For a price like that, one should be prepared to be swept off the feet by even their pre-dinner aperitif at the champagne bar before proceeding to the dinner table.

For reservations:

Tel : +65 6688 8513

guy.savoy@marinabaysands.com

P/S: You know how I felt after all these Celebrity Chefs Kitchen tours?!! Hmm.. how can I put this? You know, this is like foreplay and it leaves you wanting more! Or a striptease with no touching allowed. This is just terrible!

Marina Bay Sands

Casino Level 2

10 Bayfront Avenue, 

Singapore 018956

Tel: +65-6688 8868

Website

Dawn to Dusk @ Sands Skypark // Sky on 57 // Ku De Ta

Have you ever tried to spend a day on a sky deck of a hotel? It is not impossible to spend the whole day on a 380-metre long rooftop deck which spans across 3 skyscrapers of Marina Bay Sands on the 57th floor. If you really want to know how big it is, it's actually the size of 3 football fields connected end to end. I might sound like a crazy woman but I ain't one yet!

Morning Swim @ Sands Skypark

The day for me started at 7am where I forced myself to get out from the comfy bed, put Bangsarbabe on the line, adorn my bikini and head towards 57th floor. How about a swim at the 150m long infinity pool at 7.30 in the morning? It was pretty chilling in the morning BUT if I had not taken the swim at that hour, I'll never have a chance to due to the hectic schedule and crowd.

Guest hotel keycards are needed to access Sands Skypark. If you're visiting the restaurants on 57th floor, you'll need to get access cards from the MBS lobby for non-staying-guests.

Let me warn you, this is probably the most-photographed pool as you can see everyone here is swimming with an iPhone or camera. It's not a place to do your laps but rather a place where photographs are a must! The pool opens at 7am and closes at midnight and mornings are the best time to have a swim here and to enjoy its bird's eye view of the city.

Morning Breakfast @ Sky on 57

At 9am, we were at one of  the Celebrity Chef's restaurant by Chef Justin Quek for breakfast and then have a chat with Tamir Shanel, Vice-President for the overall F&B operation at MBS on just about anything we want to know about the restaurants and its operations of the hotel.

We were greeted with Chinese-doll-like images on these beautiful plates as we entered the room.I thought we would be using these plates to dine but those are just for deco as the staff collected the plates when they served us our breakfast. Looks like they don't trust us with these beautiful china.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Tonkotsu Ramen - "Char Siu" Pork Ramen, seaweed, soft-boiled egg and leeks. 2. Slow-Cooked Organic Eggs - Sauteed mushroom, spanish ham and chicken jus. 3. Laksa - thick rice vermicelli with spicy coconut broth. 4. Egg "Benedict".

Apparently one of the must try here is Chef Justin's Laksa. According to Sue Lynn, it's like the Laksa Katong style but this one here is more flavourful and the taste of coconut is stronger. However, I have one complaint - the bean sprouts are just too thin! They need to get some juicy ones from Ipoh. Justin did told us that of course the laksa at his restaurant could not be compared with the stalls as the price determines the quality of the ingredients that you are going to put into the cooking. Breakfast is available at Sky on 57 for S$38++ a person with a selection of one breakfast dish and a cup of Vittoria Gourmet Coffee or a Gryphon Selections of Fine Tea.

The Pirramimma, Marina Bay Sands' own bottling of red & white wines.

While we indulge in our delectable breakfast which comprises baskets of freshly baked breads and a platter of an array of tropical fruits, we had the chance to ask Tamir on just anything! He joined MBS in March 2009, the year it was opened bringing over 25 years of experience. It's just amazing that this man here has a team of 2000 staff handling 60 different food concepts in a 1.2m square feet of F&B space. On the latest developments of the F&B section of MBS, he let us on a secret - one more Celebrity Chef restaurant will be introduced soon. This would be an Asian chef who has been running a Michelin-star restaurant but he ain't revealing the name of the chef! To Tamir, "food is so creative, it's like an art" and there's never a limited number of artists. Therefore, under his leadership, the menu is a constant evolution and he continues to seek iconic, highly recognised restaurants, unique and interesting restaurants to add to the already gourmet heaven in MBS.

Come in early January 2013 would be a 3-day Epicurean Market where they hope to hold it annually to encourage people from all walks of life to come and sample the food of every restaurant in MBS for a nominal ticket fee. This event would be marketed in late November, so gourmands out there, do take note!


Lunch @ Sky on 57

Of course we didn't have lunch right after breakfast. We did something interesting and I shall only reveal it soon as it's probably one of MBS' best kept secrets. Anyways, coming back to Sky on 57, it's helmed by Singaporean Chef Justin Quek, who has a take on traditional Asian and local cuisine - using premium ingredients, refined techniques and served with a hearty dose of Asian hospitality. It's a place where you can bring your overseas guest and wow them with the local cuisine admist stunning views from the highest point of MBS. Offering an unparalleled vista in dining be it night or day, this is the place to go!

 
We were quite lucky to be able to catch Justin in his restaurant. You'll be surprised that Chef Justin is quite a friendly and chatty chap. There's so few airs about him and he got comfortable with us eventhough we have just met for a minute or two. I can see the passion he has for the perfection of his food and his offerings such as his own wine labels and even cigars.

He mesmerized us with his stories and more importantly, his food!

Demitasse of fresh mushroom cappuccino. Served in an espresso cup, I wished I can have a bigger cup! It's one of the most refined "mushroom soup" I've had. Light textured, foamy & smooth, packed with fresh mushroom and earthy flavours with mushroom bits on the finish.

Slow cooked organic egg. With artichoke puree, foie gras emulsion and runny egg. I love the sauce which has robust earthy and nutty flavours from the mushroom.

 Oriental Seafood Fried Rice "Mui Fan". The rice was wok-fried with egg, and then immersed in a light starch broth with asparagus, big scallops, grouper fillets, tiger prawns and bok choy. I love the silky texture of the starchy broth which resembled the porridge except that the rice was still in perfect grain and slightly burnt on the edges due to the frying. Scallops were a little overcooked but the prawns were just juicy, succulent and fresh!

 

Australian lamb cutlet. Served with wok-fried julienne vegetables and tapenade jus. Perfectly grilled to a medium, tender and juicy.

Jack Fruit Tart with Crumble. Paired with cream anglaise and accacia honey ice-cream. Although I'm not a dessert-kinda-girl, I have to give this a try. I love the filo pastry that was so crispy and went crumbly when I sank my teeth into it. The tart has a base of jack fruit and topped with red raspberries. Goes extremely well with the honey ice-cream. I thought I would die of sugar rush but I didn't and I've even managed to finish up the dessert. For that, I deserved a pat on my back.

Gosh! Writing all these at 12 midnight makes me hungry especially when I didn't have any dinner tonight. My eyes are squinting already but I am determined to write my longest blog post ever on this historical day.

Cocktails @ Outdoor Terrace of Sky on 57

With Joyce sipping on cocktails & other media members.

I can't count the number of times I've been stepping into Sky on 57. At 4pm, we are already on happy hour at the pinnacle of pleasure and prestige on the highest floor of MBS. This is also the place to savour an exquisite pairing of Krug Grande Cuvee and steamed Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao for a limited time only at S$88.

 There's no lack of good drinks here. See those Cristal bottles?!!

 Sky on 57 has a total seating capacity of 240 seats in the entire venue. That includes 150 seats in the main restaurant and 90 seats at the outdoor terrace.

Signature cocktails - Pink Gin Asiana, Raspberry & Nutmeg Martini, and Mango Tango. 

All for $18++.

Bar Menu - Clockwise from top right : 1. Wok-Fried US Kurobuta Pork fillet in black pepper sauce (S$20) 2. Croque Monsieur with classic French ham and Gruyere cheese sandwich and potato chips in wasabi flavour (S$22) 3. Sauteed King Prawn with Chilli Sauce "Singapore style" (S$49). Time: 2.30pm - 11.45pm

I like all the dishes served during our cocktail session particularly the Croque Monsieur (minus the wasabi potato chips). What I don't get is Singapore's rave about the wasabi-flavoured chips. Why?!! Anyways, I wished I could get some of these finger food in the KL bar scene too.

Do you know that they even provide binoculars for your to appreciate its panoramic sky view. Ask and you shall be granted!

Night Cap @ Skybar KU DÉ TA

One of the best places to have a drink at night would be the Skybar at KU DÉ TA due to its iconic bar that is perched on the obeservation deck of Marina Bay Sands. You get music, DJ, panoramic views and a long list of drinks.

Just remember to get the access card from the lobby of Tower 3 if you are not a staying guest. There's cover charge of S$38 on Fridays and Saturdays after 9pm which does not come with any drinks.

The drinks aren't too expensive. Cocktails are priced from S$22 and above and I had a glass of Suntory Hibiki 17yo for S$20. The bartenders are very nice people as well and of course nothing beats the view. This is really a happening drinking scene in Singapore!

 Sue Lynn looking all posh and pretty for the party!

You can really spend the whole day on Sands Skypark! I've not even mentioned the Chocolate Buffet that one could indulge in the afternoons at The Club @ Skypark. I'm glad I've tried my best to summarize everything that I can do on 57th floor in one post. The post could be longer but I'm having a difficult to keep my eyes open. Good night peeps!

Marina Bay Sands

57th Floor

10 Bayfront Avenue, 

Singapore 018956

Tel: +65-6688 8868

Website

It's NOT just another HOTEL @ Marina Bay Sands Singapore

When I receive the itinerary to my 3D2N stay at the Marina Bay Sands, I thought to myself, "is there so much to do in MBS? Am I going to be caged there for 3 days?!!" Oh well, the first thought that came into my mind was that Marina Bay Sands is just another hotel with a casino and its rave reviews of the Skypark on 57th floor. 

The only way to find out whether I have misconstrued this destination as one of Asia's leading destination for business and entertainment is to truly experience it myself. It's funny that after so many countless visits to Singapore and seeing Marina Bay Sands perched not too far away from Singapore Flyer during my taxi journey into town from the airport, I've never really taken the initiative to step into this magnificent building.

A warm welcome by the staff were extended to us once we arrived at the coach waiting area. And with just 10 minutes to freshen up ourselves in our rooms, all I've managed to do was to take a peek at the room, the view and snap some photos before I messed it up!

 

I was really lucky to be put on the 46th floor of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Tower 3 overlooking the Gardens by the Bay which is one of the newest attraction in Singapore. There's even a bridge linking the hotel to the garden which provides easy access to the guests staying there. What a view to wake up to every morning!

 

My room was a deluxe room which comes with a nice comfy bed, spacious bathroom and electronically adjustable sheer and blackout curtains. The key to a good hotel stay is the spaciousness of the rooms. It's not that I'm claustrophobic but I do prefer big rooms and not HUGE rooms. It's scary to have a suite if you're staying alone. 

Toilet amenities such as shampoo, bath gel, soap, comb, tooth brush, cotton pads and cotton buds are provided. I have a check-list for any hotels I stayed at and I'm particularly fussy when it comes to amenities. The bedroom slippers are of good quality, the hair dryer was powerful enough for my shoulder length hair and thankfully I did not fell asleep while trying to blow dry my hair unlike some minuscule dryers that are provided in some hotels. Pillows are comfy and firm, lighting is tastefully done and the wardrobe space is sufficient for a week's stay too! One downside though - the water pressure for the shower is not powerful enough and too bad that there's no rain shower for my garden view room!

To fully experience the hotel, one will have to find out what it has to offer. The right thing to do is to explore the hotel and exploring MBS is no easy feat. Due to its size, you might really need some assistance from the concierge on the directions for the first day. I too was quite lost in a maze of lifts and corridors leading to the Banyan Tree Spa and Fitness Centre.

I am one who would not utilise a gym at the hotel. Why waste your time working out when you can check out the restaurants at the hotel, ask for the nearest bar for a Gin & Tonic, test out the level of comfort of the bed and do some channel surfing? Probably the healthiest activity I've ever done at any hotels was to swim.

I don't mind swimming in this infinity pool on the 57th floor!

I'll cover the Sands Skypark and its awesome view in the coming post.

To be fair, I know many people who do utilise the gym and one good reason why you should work out here at the Banyan Tree Fitness Club is that the view from above is just fantastic. Imagine running on tread mills with a view of the marina or why not try attending their yoga sessions with a panoramic view of the city? This place just take working out to another level. I was just there to pick up some well-built-good-looking hunks.

*pic courtesy of Marina Bay Sands

Their machines are sophisticated and not to mention there's a hot pool too!

The gym instructor showing us how to use one of the sophisticated machines.

If I don't want to work out (simply because I didn't bring proper shoes as stilettos are of top priority in my luggage) but I want to look good. So what should I do? Well, don't worry because a visit to the Banyan Tree Spa, located on 55th floor of Tower 1 will not only turn you into a princess, it'll take away all that dullness and tiredness you have and it rejuvenates your mind, body and soul.

*pic courtesy of Marina Bay Sands 

Just looking at the rooms itself makes me want to spend the whole afternoon here being pampered and spoilt like a goddess. I just have that urge to hide in one of those rooms and no one would notice that I've gone missing but reality is always a cruel truth. I will be back!

The lights are so pretty, I wanted to bring it home!

The hotel is really huge. If I were to bring along a pedometer, I'm sure I'll see myself clocking at least a few kilometers a day walking from the shops to the room. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes if you plan to explore the premises as you'll be mesmerized with all the retail therapy you can get at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. With a reported of 800,000 sq ft of retail and restaurants space, a mix of luxury and affordable labels, the shopping experience here sets the other malls apart. Just make sure that you have your credit cards at your disposal!

Don't have a camera? Can't take shots of yourself at the Marina Bay Sands? Worry not...

The Social Pavilion located at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (South Promenade, Bay Level) is a must visit place for everyone who loves instant shots. This is where you can can capture yourself with a variety of iconic views at MBS and then have it sent to your email, published on Facebook and even have it printed out in high quality colours.

Cute photo of Bangsarbabe doing her thing at the Social Pavilion

It's NOT just another HOTEL because there's just so much to do and see at MBS. Definitely one day would not be enough and boy I was glad that I have at least another day to see what this place has to offer. I've a list of things you can do at MBS and this is just the beginning so stay tuned for the coming posts!


Who would have thought that those 3 days there would really open my eyes and heart towards this confident-tall-standing architecture by the bay!

Marina Bay Sands

10 Bayfront Avenue, 

Singapore 018956

Tel: +65-6688 8868

Website