Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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SINGAPORE: A culinary adventure awaits at Marina Bay Sands’ Adrift and db Bistro Moderne.

 Known for having the world’s longest elevated swimming pool, Marina Bay Sands has made itself one of Southeast Asia’s most popular hotspots since its opening in 2010.

While there is no shortage of attractions at Marina Bay Sands, the mega resort has also been carefully and, no doubt, pleasurably recruiting a roll call of celebrity chefs from all over the world.

From Michelin-star restaurants to celebrity- chef eateries, Marina Bay Sands has a sumptuous spread of dining establishments.

For Italian cuisine, there are Mario Batali’s Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, both of which are consistently packed out.

Then there is the award-winning Beverly Hills steakhouse, Cut, by Wolfgang Puck.

This outlet is the renowned chef’s sole restaurant in this region.

Others include European- Japanese modern cuisine Waku Ghin by chef Tetsuya Wakuda, David Thompson’s Thai casual dining restaurant Long Chim and Sky on 57 by Franco-Asian cuisine expert Justin Quek.

And a new add-on to this already impressive list will be British chef Gordon Ramsay, who will soon be opening his Bread Street Kitchen here, serving British-European fare.

Recently, we were invited to a gastronomical tour of Marina Bay Sands’ dining playground.

We dined at two restaurants — Adrift and db Bistro Moderne.

A new kid on the block, Adrift’s food is best described as a “kaleidoscope” of flavours while db Bistro Moderne is based on threestar Michelin chef Daniel Boulud’s popu lar New York eatery of the same name.

Here is a tantalising glimpse of Adrift and db Bistro Moderne:

Adrift
Los Angeles-based chef David Myers (also known as the Gypsy Chef) quite literally ate his way around Asia before arriving at Marina Bay Sands from California.

He travelled through places such as Tokyo, Jakarta, Thailand and Vietnam with his executive chef Dong Choi, and the culmination of their journey has presented itself in the bespoke East-meets-West menu at Adrift.

Located in the hotel section itself, the 4,000 sq ft industrial modern space featuring a blend of wood and copper comes with a Ginza-inspired cocktail bar.

Its details reflect hints of Japanese contemporary Zen design philosophy.

Overall, the ambience, while stylish, is not intimidating or stuffy, matching its chic casual, plate-sharing concept.

The food: Because food is best enjoyed in company, Adrift’s “Californian with a modern Asian edge” cuisine is meant for sharing.

The menu reads like Asian fusion tapas, with down-to-earth creations inspired by street food or casual dishes.

The winning factor is in the detail of flavours: Our meal started with a playful nod to an American classic, the Caramel Popcorn with Togarashi, the Japanese blend of chilli pepper.

The result was a fragrant bittersweet caramel flavour balanced with a spicy bite at the end.

Next came chef Choi’s recommended dish, the popular Beef Tartare with Sesame, Egg Yolk and Chilli on Toast, which was a tad underwhelming.

The Pork Tonkatsu Sandwich with Celery Root was for me comfort food at its best, along with the Chicken with Shio Koji and Negi (fermented koji in salt and scallion).

We were also introduced to Myers’ take on ramen, using soba- like rye noodles paired with cabbage, Japanese-style boiled egg and beef.

The savoury beef flavour is reminiscent of a Western palate.

The overall favourite, though, was the Crispy Baby Potatoes with Seaweed and Parmesan.

The simple bowl of round baby potatoes was addictive, indeed.

A must-do while here is to check out the list of reinvented “East-meets-West” cocktails at the bar, which includes a new take on the Singapore Sling.

In short: Adrift is Myers’ introduction of himself to Southeast Asia — bringing his Californian touch in what is also a reintroduction of familiar Asian tastes and flavours in surprising new ways.

The bold effort in culinary creativity yet subtlety in presentation and attention to flavours is worth experiencing.

db Bistro Moderne
The casual New York-influenced French bistro — the third opened by decorated chef Boulud, after New York and Miami — retains the style and energy of the original db Bistro Moderne.

Situated at the Galleria Level of The Shoppes, the restaurant will be expanded soon to focus on its seafood menu, and was renamed db Bistro & Oyster Bar this month.

Chef Boulud said the change was a reflection of the demand for seafood in Asia, as the seafood options have been constant top sellers over the past few years.

The new oyster bar will offer a range of chilled seafood items including oysters, razor clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster and a fresh daily selection of tartares and ceviches, as well as several new hot seafood dishes such as Whole Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass, Steamed Boston Lobster and chef Boulud’s signature Octopus “A la Plancha”.

Nevertheless, signature items such as the Original db Burger, Coq Au Vin and housemade Charcuterie will still be on the menu.

The food: The seafood menu’s signature is the Seafood Platter.

Available in three sizes, the largest Royal version is a twotiered affair.

Featuring a generous portion that includes superbly fresh American Oysters, lobster and jumbo shrimps, the platter also comes with a variety of other shellfish and tartare.

After the platter, a shared main course is an ideal way to move forward with your meal here.

We were served the Herb-Roasted Organic Chicken for two, which is honestly big enough for four.

General manager Chris Williams made sure to show us the pre-broiled organic chicken — sourced fresh from a Malaysian farm — in a pan with wild mushrooms, bitter greens, natural jus and pomme purée, before taking it into the kitchen to be cooked.

Our dessert was by executive pastry chef Benjamin Siwek, who served db Bistro’s version of Baked Alaska with Pistachio, Vanilla and Raspberry Green Chartreuse Flambee.

For a sweet ending, the meal was finished off with Lemon Madeleines as well as a sublime bread basket.

In short: A casual but convivial bistro that has five-star service and impeccable culinary standards.

The oysters are great, and the burger is good for a hearty gourmet meal.

Mae Chan is a writer with the Options desk at The Edge Malaysia.

This article appeared in the Options of Issue 673 (Apr 20) of The Edge Singapore.

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