DB Bistro Moderne @ The Shoppes Marina Bay Sands

2010 will be known as the year where so many top international fine dining restaurants opened their doors in Singapore, thanks to the 2 IRs. And the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is proving to be a great F&B destination for food lovers in Singapore with the opening of about 5 new and exclusive restaurants in both Singapore and this part of the world.



Although I have been to MBS for a number of times, this is my first time seeing the waterfall in the centre of The Shoppes MBS. Perhaps due to the heavy thunderstorm rain earlier in the day, shoppers were amazed by this visual feast of water crashing down from the half sphere.



Famous celebrity chef Daniel Boulud was in town during the Christmas week (and also New Year week too), and we just had to pay a visit to his upmarket DB Bistro as we knew that he will be supervising the cooking in the kitchen.



If you wonder why the setting looks a bit like American, yet also looks like a French restaurant, then you are correct. DB Bistro combines the best of French with American style of cooking. You won't find tex-mex food here. But the signatures here are their burgers. Diners can almost peep into the kitchen which is behind this long stretch of glass windows, and you may even spot Daniel Boulud inspecting the food through his black frame spectacles.



Upon ordering our dinner, we were presented with quite a few choice of bread. First are 2 pastry rolls which have lot's of crispy cheese being baked into it. Then we were presented with the usual suspects of breads like baguette and sourdough bread with butter. We didn't see them putting a butter knife on our table though.



Edmeades Zinfandel 2007 (S$145) from the Mendocino County in California, USA.



We had the Petit Plateau (S$60), which is basically a chilled seafood platter made up of what is fresh and available for the day. Highlights fro the platter were the fresh oysters, clams and mussels. I like the chopped salmon with basil mayo too.



There were more dips for the seafood. I like the sweet red wine sauce and also the tangy mayo dips.



A signature here at DB Bistro Moderne, we had the Foie Gras Terrine (S$26) which came with their homemade brioche. The brioche was free flow and the creamy foie gras was not too oily and went extremely well with the crisp brioche. However, read some reviews that their brioche is not as good as those served at the DB Bistro New York City. There is a quince (fruit which is a relative to apples and pears) sauce served at the side which helps to reduce the oiliness of the foie gras. A fun fact to note is that the quince is said to be the "apple" offered by Eve to Adam.



We had this off-the-menu soup - Frogs Legs Soup (S$18). They were very very generous with the frog legs meat. Lots and lots of it. When the staff asked us how was the soup, we commented that it was slightly too salty. Immediately, they insisted that we allow them to take back the soup and they change a brand new bowl of soup for us. Now, that is what we call excellent service. 5 stars for their service!



The Butternut Squash soup (S$13) was equally delicious. It's rich and creamy, and I would advise diners to share their soups with each other.



The Original DB Burger (S$35) is what makes DB Bistro Moderne famous all over the world. 2 warm and soft parmesan bread buns covers the juicy meats. It comes with really crisp and tasty french fries. In fact, the whole restaurant smelled of the wonderful fries, and it is addictive.



From this delicious picture, you can see that in the centre there are braised short ribs and a generous piece of foie gras, all wrapped around a juicy piece of sirloin. So is this really the best burger in Singapore? Well, I think it ranks as one of the best burgers in Singapore. Not really The Best, but definitely in the top 3 position.



The burger comes with 3 dips for the fries - Dijon Mustard, Ketchup and Mayo.



We still have some empty spaces for desserts, so we ordered not one, but 2. First is the Coupe Au Poire, a signature dessert made from poached pear.



It was Christmas time and we had a slice of chocolate log cake on the house. The chocolate was creamy and had a tinge of bitterness, and I can taste good quality chocolates being used here.



But but but, the star of all desserts here, are their freshly made Madeleines (S$8). These little morsels are baked upon order, so what you have is freshly baked Madeleines. It's a little crisp on the outside, and really soft in the inside. These are one of the best Madeleines I have eaten in Singapore. I wonder if we are allowed to order just their wonderful madeleines and a cup of coffee during tea breaks here? A must order.



Both DB Bistro Moderne and Pizzeria Mozza are side by side along the theatre wing of the Marina Bay Sands. And these 2 wonderful restaurants will definitely rake in the crowds if they manage to maintain their standards.



And near to the restaurants, the ice-skating ring has opened too.

We will definitely be back for more of their creations very soon!


DB Bistro Moderne
10 Bayfront Avenue
#B1-48
The Shoppes Marina Bay Sands

Lei Garden Restaurant @ Chijmes

Chinese restaurants nowadays no longer look like Chinese restaurants. Lei Gardens at Chijmes, which threw in S$6 million to renovate its flagship restaurant about 1 year go, looks more like a Victorian era mansion in England rather than a Cantonese restaurant. But this is also what attracts diners to come to one of the top tier Chinese restaurant in Singapore.




The whole Lei Gardens looks very classy, almost like a French restaurant. Some would also say that this looks like something out from Grand Shanghai.




As usual, I have a glass of ice water to start off my dinner.



We listened to the service staff and ordered the Roast Suckling Pig (S$38.00 for 1 serving). It was delicious. At first look, the portion seems small, but for 2 people, it's just right as one tends to get sick of eating the skin after some pieces. The outer skin is crusty and you can hear the crunchy sounds through your ears. There is still some creamy lard fats hanging on the skin, which is really essential to a good roast suckling pig.




This is not a common soup - Double boiled Cordyceps and Duck soup (S$68.00 for a pot). Usually you will only find Dang Gui or other common herbs in a duck soup. But having cordyceps in the soup together with the duck is not common here. The soup is not too herby, and has a clear taste to it. The duck meat is slightly dried out from all the double boiling, but it is still acceptable to our standards.




This was their last serving of Lotus Leaf Rice (S$28.00 for small serving), and we managed to catch it. The rice has already absorbed the delicious black sauce, pork, mushrooms, seafood and the fragrance from the lotus leaves. It was not too oily.



Another view of the restaurants with comfortable plush seats.



Beef lovers should not miss the Pan-Fried Rib Eye Beef (S$32.00). Although the beef is the thin at first look, but each bite packs quite a punch with the yummy juice from the beef meat being released with every bite. This will go well with fragrant plain white rice.



The most expensive dishes for the night would be the Giant "Imperial" Prawns Cooked with 2 Styles (S$96 for 2). The first prawn was deep fried and sprinkled with some crispy garlic, onion and crunchy spring onions.



The second prawn was cooked in a spicy sauce, and it tastes like a fusion of our chilli crab sauce with the lemongrass taste of Tom Yum soup.



The flesh is very fresh and sweet.



Lei Garden is a trust worthy place for good Cantonese food in a Victorian classic setting, and definitely a place to dine in if you want to impress your in-laws or your business partners.


Lei Garden Restaurant
30 Victoria Street
#01-24
Chijmes

Pizzeria Mozza @ The Shoppes Marina Bay Sands

With the opening of the theatre wing of Marina Bay Sands, the second wave of new restaurants to operate here has opened in December 2010.



The famous broadway musical "The Lion King" will permanently be staged here in the theatres at MBS, and expect more crowds at these new restaurants early next year when the musical premieres.



Famous celebrity chef Mario Batali, has opened not one, but two of his signature L.A. Italian restaurants - Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza restaurants here in Singapore. He also owns the Otto Enoteca Pizzeria in New York too.



The restaurant is divided into 2 parts. To the left of the restaurant's main door is the Osteria segment (to be open in late December) which is more upscale and serves different types of mozzarellas and cheese together with mains like meats and pastas. Tonight, we will instead be having dinner at the more casual Pizzeria Mozza (now open) on the other side, for their famous pizzas. The whole place is decorated with warm woods and the colour of the day is orange.



Mario Batali is known to be a funny and cheeky guy. And it shows from the dining table. All the forks, knives and serviettes are all packed inside this brown envelope, together with a small card which boasts some of the amazing inventions ever created by the Italians. I shall not spoil the fun for you so that you will be surprised by what is included inside.



The showpiece of all good Italian pizza restaurants is their ovens, and here there is not one, but two ovens which uses real wood as fuel. From the picture above, you can see the woods being stored below the oven.



We ordered a bottle of Prosecco (S$75 per bottle), which went very very well with the pizza.



As recommended by the service staff, we had their signature Cauliflower Fritti (S$12), which is basically deep fried cauliflower in a thin batter. I didn't like this because it tasted oil, looks oily and is really oily. Would be better if they are able to absorb more frying oil out from the cauliflower. The accompanying sauce helped to lessen the oiliness though.



We were given Complimentary crispy bread served in a brown paper bag. These bread sticks were baked with some herbs and cheese.



Als had this Bufala mozzarella in olive oil (S$30) and comes with this buttered crunchy bread. I believe this was off the menu, and although the cheese was good, but we prefer the ones at Pietrasanta.



Now, here comes the best part. The pizzas. And true to its name, this place serves some of the finest pizza in Singapore. Take this mushroomy pizzza which had Funghi misti, fontina, taleggio & thyme (S$25). Not only mushroom lovers will be in heaven, but other pizza lovers will love how crunchy and juicy, not to mention creamy this pizza is. Remember how we hate to eat the thick crust of pizzas? I am pleased to report that the crust here, is indeed the best part of their pizza. They do not add anything special to their crust, just freshly baked pizza crust. This is yummy.



Red alert - This pizza with White anchovy, tomato & fresh red chiles (S$22) is HOT! Although they do not use chilli padi, but non spicy diners should take note that this is a spicy pizza. I was quite hesitant when I found out that anchovy was used, but upon my first bite, I was relief as the anchovies were free of any stale taste and fishy smell. The combination of sweet tomatoes, spicy chillis and salty anchovies really is a match made in heaven. Would recommend this to spice lovers.



Lazzaroni Amaro (S$15 per glass) which is a drink made of alcohol (25%), sugar, herbs and natural mineral water from the Alps. We were told this drink aids digestion and increase appetite. I think most Singaporeans will not be used to the taste as it has a strong herb tastes to it. And those who cannot tolerate alcohol well should take note of its high alcoholic level.



No doubt Pizzeria Mozza serves some of the best pizzas in Singapore, and we will be back for more to try out some of his other pizza creations and also to pop by at his more upscale Osteria section the next time we are here.


Pizzeria Mozza
10 Bayfront Ave
#B1-42 to 46
The Shoppes Marina Bay Sands

Crystal Jade Seafood BBQ @ East Coast Seafood Centre

It has never crossed my mind to patronise the seafood branch of Crystal Jade. But since I received a complimentary Roast Duck voucher, I thought might as well come here for dinner.



Crystal Jade Seafood is located among the seafood restaurants at the UDMC seafood area along East Coast. It's at the very right end, facing the sea. They have 2 dining areas - 1st floor for al fresco dining and 2nd floor for air conditioned dining. While other restaurants (except Jumbo and Red House) packs in moderate crowds, Crystal Jade was quite packed, perhaps due to the brand name.




Staff was prompt to get our order, and within 10 minutes, we started eating. Our first dish was this Deep fried bean curd with salt and pepper (S$6). It is simple to make this dish (tofu, flour, hot oil, salt + pepper), yet very addictive.



Stewed E-fu Noodles (S$14) - It was a birthday dinner, and that is why we had noodles. I doubt chefs in Singapore can do anymore special things to this long time favourite dish in almost all Chinese restaurants in Singapore. The version here is good.



BBQ Tilapia with Nonya Chilli (S$28) - I read on a review that the BBQ Tilapia is a must order. True enough, the fresh live fish was charcoal grilled with a savoury and zesty nonya chilli paste. The end result is sweet fresh meat with spicy tangy chilli paste. Two thumbs up for fans of BBQ seafood.



Since this Charcoal Roast Duck was free, we didn't expect it to be really good. However, this duck dish was so good it became the best dish of the night. The meat was very fragrant and tender, not to mention juicy. Skin was not too oily and crisp due to the charcoal roasting technique. This is a must order here.



避风塘 (Crispy Fried with Garlic) style Sri Lanka Crab (S$48) - This is a very famous and popular way fo eating crabs in Hong Kong. The most popular being at this place which is frequently referred to as "below the bridge" area in Hong Kong, where there is a stall there which cooks very good crabs.

Here at Crystal Jade, the crabs were no doubt big and sweet. However, I think we still prefer the "wet" style of crabs, such as chilli or black pepper style. I do like the crunchy garlic though.



Ended our meal with the Taiwanese Mango Snow Ice (S$4.90) and Fresh Milk Snow Ice (S$2.90) .


Crystal Jade Seafood BBQ
Blk 1202
East Coast Parkway
#01-01
East Coast Seafood Centre

Waku Ghin @ Marina Bay Sands

It is a well known fact that Tetsuya Wakuda is one of the most successful Asian chef in Australia. 4 months is the earliest possible period to book for a table at the Sydney restaurant. And Wakuda has never opened a branch or a 2nd restaurant in other parts of Australia, or around the world... until now.



Singapore became the 2nd place in the world where Wakuda opened his 2nd outlet - Waku Ghin (Waku meaning sprouting, and Ghin meaning silver). As the name suggests, the ingredients and cooking style tends to be influenced by Japanese and Asian cooking.



The 10,000 sq ft restaurant at Marina Bay Sands only has seats for 25 diners, and there are different sections within the restaurant.

The main door of the restaurant was still closed even at 6pm. Later, I found out that the restaurant does not open the main door so that when diners come in, they are immediately transported to Wakuda's culinary heaven.

Upon arriving, the very polite and professional service staff will usher diners to one of the 4 very cosy teppanyaki VIP room, which can sit around 6 diners. Sometimes, you may be sitting with other diners in the same room, but each diner is well assured of being pampered by the chef and the service staff. The teppanyaki grill is gleaming and spotless, and it is hard to imagine that the grill has already been used for a few months here.



Sparkling Water (S$20 per person - Free flow) is preferred tonight for our dinner at Waku Ghin.



The design of each of the 4 teppanyaki VIP room is pleasing to the eyes. The designer must have taken lot's of effort to design the interior of the restaurant. At 10,000 sq ft for 25 diners, it is truly spacious.



Before our culinary feast begins, the chef will first introduce himself to everyone. Then he shows everyone all the seafood and ingredients he will be using over a box full of ice. Noticed that the lobster was still moving in the box!



Terrine of duck and foie gras - I was very hungry and finished this within minutes. The little cubes of duck and foie gras were delicious. There were also bits o crunchy sweet pear which we suspect are from Japan.



One of Wakuda's signature appetizer - Marinated Botan Ebi with Sea Urchin and Oscietra Caviar. And to me, this was one of the most amazing item for that night. The part that is considered as delicacy, and known in Japanese as "Uni", is the roe of sea urchin and it tastes like the ocean. Sweet raw ebi (shrimps) were mixed with a big spoonful of top grade caviar and creamy yolk. The chef recommended us to mix everything together before eating it. I had fun trying not to topple any of the top grade ingredient into the plate. It was heaven when I send the creamy rich and cold mixture into my mouth. This dish, to me, is one of the greates culinary creation on earth. It is that yummy.



Slow cooked Tasmanian Petuna Ocean Trout with Witlof and Yuzu was our next appetizer dish. Although the fish was fresh and sweet, but surprisingly the side dish of Yuzu salad actually stole the limelight from the fish.



This Yuzu salad is one of the most fruity and sweetest salad I have tasted for a long time. If I could only know the recipe behind the salad dressing, I will make this everyday and eat with all kinds of fresh greens.



I took a peep at the "dessert room" next door, and even though we were not even halfway through our appetizer and main course, I was already full of anticipation for our desserts.



Alaskan King Crab with Lemon Scented Extra Virgin Olive Oil - The culinary visual feast was presented to all of us on the teppanyaki grill. First, the chef dumped a whole lot of salt on the grill to form a small "mountain", before adding a few small droplets of water. Then, he put the fresh and raw king crab legs on top of the salt, and covered it with some bamboo leaves. Everything is then covered and sealed tightly with a brass lid and "salt-steamed" for about 5 minutes. No additional water or any liquid is added for the steaming, only using the salt as the base. The crab leg is then removed, deshelled and served.

The sweetness of the crab leg was brought out by using salt for steaming. And the lemon scented olive oil added some zest to this wonderful dish.



I was full of anticipation for our next dish. A bowl full of raw Canadian lobster and lobster claws were presented to us. The chef told us these will be the main ingredient for our next dish.



Over the teppanyaki grill, he first heat up some lobster stock in a brass pot. The lobster stock was earlier prepared using lot's of lobster shell.



Later, he add in the lobster chunks and whole peeled lobster claws to "braise" them in the boiling sauce for a few minutes till fully cooked. Creamy butter is then added to add fragrance, before scooping everything into a deep dish plate.




The end result is the Braised Lobster with Tarragon. It is a no brainer that such a dish can only be successful when using the freshest seafood available. When you bite into the meaty lobster claw, your mouth is immediately filled with the sweet juice streaming out from the thick flesh. The Canadian lobster was sweet and crunchy. And the lobster stock was flavourful and had a nice buttery fragrance.

To me, this was the best highlight of the night.



After the seafood, there was more. The chef carefully pan fried Australian grass fed beef on the grille. The Warm Salad of Cape Grim Grass Fed Beef, had one of the most tender and juciest Australian beef I had. Cooked till medium rare, the Tasmanian meat was very tender and flavourful.



Another beef dish was the Japanese Wagyu with Maitake and Wasabi. The marbling of the Wagyu beef was beautiful. After grilling the beef on the teppanyaki grill, the chef grated fresh wasabi for us. Crisp garlic was also served together with a small bowl of sauce.



There were some surprises inside the grade 9 Wagyu beef - Maitake mushrooms. The crunchy and sweet mushrooms really complimented the tender beef.



Consomme with Rice and Hirame - The final dish was this rice dish soaked in lot's of tasty chicken consomme with freshly cooked Hirame slices. I like how there were some yuzu bits inside this dish, adding some zest to it.



After the dinner, the chef made us each a cup of Gyukuro tea. According to Wikipedia, the very expensive and exclusive Gyukuro tea leaves grow under the shade, unlike the normal green tea which grows under the sun.



The chef performed a beautiful tea brewing process infront of us and I like how smooth and refreshing the tea tasted. The tea leaves was served only with a tiny serving, just right for the precious slightly savory tea to cleanse the palate.



As promised, all diners are now ushered to the dessert room, which boasts a magnificent view of the Marina Bay skyline. There are a few of such rooms here, so not all 26 diners will be packed together.



Mr Hitome who served us in the dessert room, recommended us the 2005 Domaines Schlumberger Cuvee Christine Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, Alsace, France (S$22 per person).



This is a sweet and smooth dessert wine, which I recommend all to try.



Our first dessert was the deconstructed Strawberry Shortcake with strong Japanese influence. There were creamy vanilla ice-cream inside, and I like how the bits of sponge soaking up the mixture.



Our next dessert was the Petit Fours (Raspberry, Chocolate, Rum & Raisins and Passionfruit). These macarons were truly amazing. I think that Pierre Herme has found himself a worthy competitor. The macarons had a touch of Japanese, in which there were not too heavy and too sweet.



Ghin Cheesecake (Birthday Special) - A birthday surprise from the restaurant. The chef took great pains to write out the Happy Birthday using chocolate fudge. But the main item was of course the Ghin Cheesecake.



Unlike its western counterpart, the cheesecake here was lighter with a crisp base. As a tiny piece of edible silver (known as Ghin in Japanese, which is also part of the restaurant's name) was added to decorate the cheesecake.



Mr Hitome then brought us even more macaons, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Our extra serving of Petit Fours (Original 4 + Coffee and Pistachio) were also finished in a flashed.



The damage for the degustation menu? S$400. Yes it is expensive, but from my point of view, it is worth every single cent. Be it the experience, food, tastes, service.

And it's safe to announce that Waku Ghin, is truly our Restaurant of the Year 2010.


Waku Ghin
10 Bayfront Avenue
#L2-02,
Casino Level 2
Marina Bay Sands