Foodie Paradise

Marina Bay Sands keeps upping the gastronomic ante with new establishments and revamped menus. Alyssa Choo discovers a multitude of reasons why foodies keep going back to this lifestyle destination to fulfil their cravings

1 NEW ZEALAND FISH MARKET AT DB BISTRO & OYSTER BAR

To the north of Auckland in New Zealand is a small coastal village called Leigh, a picturesque town better known for its fresh fish. For a taste of Leigh’s sustainable catch, chef Daniel Boulud of DB Bistro & Oyster Bar (tel: 6688 8525) brings wild-caught seafood to its New Zealand Fish Market every Thursday. The fish is chilled immediately after being caught and then air-freighted directly to Singapore to preserve its freshness. Diners can opt for premium fish such as snapper, tarakihi, trevally and John Dory, or a whole bigeye tuna weighing up to 160 kg, and savour them grilled, fried, roasted or steamed.

2 DA PAOLO GASTRONOMIA @ MARINA BAY SANDS

Born out of the deep desire to make palatable dishes easily and readily available to everyone, Da Paolo Gastronomia combines a gourmet cafe with all-day dining and retail at accessible points all over Singapore. Now, Gastronomia is finally making its debut at Marina Bay Sands. Gastronomia @ MBS (tel: 6224 4148) will be the very first outlet in Singapore to offer luscious gelato, as it has teamed up with an artisanal gelato partner from Italy. Additionally, you’ll find seasonal gift items straight from Europe that were previously not available here. Grab yourself some of Gastronomia’s bestsellers, including its signature oversized croissants, scones and Crodos, a croissant-donut hybrid creation, and get a whiff of Italian coffee made with its own signature blend.

3 THE BAR AT WAKU GHIN

Light on the palate, the new creations at The Bar at Waku Ghin (tel: 6688 8507) complement the two-michelinstarred restaurant’s culinary experience. The revamped menu was inspired from the natural produce available in chef Tetsuya Wakuda’s hometown of Shizuoka in Japan. For example, the vegetable salad features wild asparagus, tomatoes and sweet chillies from Shizuoka, and comes with a bagna cauda dip. Another must-try is one of chef Tetsuya’s favourites, the sea urchin and salmon roe set on rice (pictured below). Wash these culinary masterpieces down with your pick from over 85 handcrafted Japanese-style cocktails, premium sake or spirits.

4 THE BIRD SOUTHERN TABLE & BAR

Paying tribute to Southern hospitality, Marina Bay Sands has teamed up with renowned restaurateur John Kunkel, founder and CEO of 50 Eggs, to unveil the first international outpost of award-winning Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, under the name of The Bird Southern Table & Bar (tel: 6688 9959). The two-storey restaurant uses fresh farm ingredients that play a starring role in classic favourites from southern US such as fried chicken, shrimp and grits, as well as buttermilk biscuits. The Bird also boasts one of Asia’s most impressive assortments of bourbon, including its own Old Fashioned with bacon-infused bourbon.

5

TWG TEA ON THE BAY

TWG Tea, the luxury tea brand, is relocating its current TWG Tea on the Bridge in Marina Bay Sands to a new 50-seat Salon & Boutique on the Bay (tel: 6565 1837). This exclusive flagship complements its other outpost within the mall, the TWG Tea Garden, and will offer an exclusive range of signature teas, modern tea accessories, as well as a delectable tea-infused chocolate counter. Along with the opening of this new store, TWG Tea has created a new selection of Haute Couture Teas, including Breakfast Yuzu Tea, Eternal Summer Tea and African Ball Tea.

6 EPICUREAN MARKET

Back for the fifth year running, from August 11 to 13, the Epicurean Market has become a hotly anticipated culinary event that offers diverse local and international flavours under one roof. The aim of this year’s market is to celebrate Singapore’s rich tapestry of flavours and culture. This new Singaporean street food experience will be complete with a Kampung Bar featuring cocktails inspired by local hawker fare designed by Diageo World Class bartenders. Local favourites such as roti prata will be available, as well as local treats with an added twist such as banana fritter gula melaka ice cream. Award-winning chefs including Wolfgang Puck and Gordon Ramsay will also present their mouth-watering dishes, while the finest wine and spirit experts in the industry will be offering 30 connoisseur masterclasses.

7 LAVO

It has been a while since an upscale club opened on our shores, and it is no surprise that it comes courtesy of Marina Bay Sands. Lavo, the exclusive nightclub from New York and Las Vegas, makes its first foray into Asia under the Tao Group, which owns several restaurant and nightlife establishments in the US and Australia. It was only a matter of time that this wildly successful, ultimate subterranean playground came to Singapore. Of course, at Marina Bay Sands, it will come perched 200m above ground at the Sands Sky Park. As part of the Lavo dining experience, there will be live entertainment every night that will take guests from dinner to latenight partying.