The Moluccas Room @ The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

Talking about fine dining establishments, most people would not think of Malay or Indonesian food as the cuisine of choice. Most would probably think of French or Italian on the top of their list.

How many times have you wished that you can bring your friends to a fine dining food that serves really good Indonesian food? Somewhere classy, and when you dress up, you would not be out of place.

The folks at The Moluccas Room have done a pretty good job!



Located at Marina Bay Sands, it's at the same complex that house many celebrity chef restaurants.
I was there during the day and found the place very cosy and yet classy chic.



The deco is modern Indonesian. Clean lines with warm tones all around.
Ladies will be glad to note that their chairs have a hook for handbags too!



This place serve alcohol so it is not halal.
If you are coming, ask them about that piece of granite table top! I heard there's a story behind it.

PR firm FoodNews hosted a few of us for the lunch.



Our lunch has been prepared by Chef Alicia Tivey. She's Australian with an Indonesian mother. Her mother is where she learn all her Indonesian food and secrets.

Chef Alicia had even trained under Chef Tetsuya Wakuda in the 90s in Sydney. There she served French-Japanese food. With over 20 years of experience, she is now at The Moluccas Room, combining her classic training with the food of her heritage. Indonesian food prepared in classic French techniques.

Here's what we delighted our tongues to:

Starters and nibbling

A Nasi Ulam Amuse-bouche.
Experience different Amuse-bouche when you dine here. This was so pretty and delicious as well.




An array of dips to go with your food.
I know not many people will try them, but if you are one that loves some heat in your food, try them all!



(Click on the photo to see a bigger photo of it)




These are sampling portions of the sate. The real set comes in sticks of 5 and is about 30g each.
I like how they arranged each satay and their individual sauces for us.

(From left to right)
Sate Padang Lidah Sapi ($27)
Buttery rich Angus beef tongue sate done Padang style served with warm and thickened beef broth sauce

Sate Ayam Madura ($22)
An Eastern Java delicacy-grilled chicken tenders served with creamy roasted peanut sauce

Sate Angus ($25)
Sweet and savoury Angus beef sate with a touch of citrusy lightness served with a peanut and sweet soy sauce.



(Click on photos to view them in full glory.)

If you ask me which one I like most, I like them all! The one that I particularly like is something really different. The Sate Padang Lidah sapi. Beef Tongue can be so good. You won't know that it's tongue if no one told you. The texture is delicious and perfect for sate!

Soup

Next for us to savour was Soto Ayam Lamongan. ($15)
This is the smaller tasting portion.



I like how they pour out the chicken soup right in front of you.



The humble Soto Ayam with the aromatic herbs and spices.
When it's served fine dining style, I can't slurp it the usual way I eat this. I had to slowly enjoy it. ;-)



On the first sip of the soup, some might find it a little light. Well if you like it more sour or spicy, they have condiments for you to add. The taste of the soup really changes with these different condiments!

Entrees

Again, tasting portions of the entrees.




Udang Blado Padang ($35)
Fried king prawn topped an aromatic Western Sumatra sauteed chilli sambal.

I liked this prawn! My dining companion, found it a bit under salted. But I think it's fine for my taste.




Ayam Sakura Tangkap Aceh Selada Mangga ($19)
Tangy green mango salad and aceh styled deep fried shrimp paste marinated chicken chunks garnished with a mix of aromatic fresh herbs and crispy shallot flakes




This is an Indonesian rendition of shrimp paste chicken!

Mains

We were served three tasting portions of the main courses.



Ikan Bakar Jimbaran ($35)
Sweet and spicy grilled fresh fish fillet.

The sea bass was so soft and delicate. I wonder how they do it in the kitchen, ikan bakar never tasted so nice! Most ikan bakar we try are always dry. The sweet and spicy sauce over it goes so well with fish. It reminds me of nyonya style fish. 

I have not been to Jimbaran, Bali. Maybe I should to try out dishes like this!




Angus Steak Rendang ($35)
Tender beef steak tenderloin topped with an extremely flavourful Javanese style rendang curry sauce

I also liked this dish! If you try this dish you would be wondering how did it turn out this way? The meat just taste 'different'. Well, the beef steak was cooked using vacuum. It was done using the sous vide cooking method. Definitely not the usual beef rendang we are used to.

The rendang sauce was also different. It has been strained to give it a smooth texture. I was secretly hoping this was not the tasting portion but the full portion!

Most of us won't be able to prepare this at home. We don't have the equipment and also the time to prepare this dish! Worth every penny paid for it!





Confit Sakura Ayam Tuturaga ($33)
A light citrusy confit chicken curry from the Northern Sulawesi region

If you have bought Sakura chicken and prepare them at home, you know they already taste different. I have bought them and find that they have very little fat.  Chef Alicia says this dish was prepared using the chicken fat. I asked how on earth could you get the fat to cook it? The chicken itself has so little fat!

The chicken was firm yet tender and the curry was light citrusy. It's somehow the kind of curry that you can drink it all up! Try this for classic french technique chicken with Indonesian flavour.

Desserts

I was a bit too full for desserts after eating a little of everything. It can be quite filling!
When the dessert appeared, my heart melted and I relented. 

Sri Kaya Creme Brulee ($17)
Creamy coconut custard fragrantly flavoured with pandanus and topped with the perfect caramelised crust accompanied with a scoop of our home made Indonesian flavoured sorbet.



Creme brulee with Indonesian flavour.
It's quite good you know!



This sorbet was really really sweet! Reminds me of Indonesian desserts in Indonesia.
I like it though. Probably because it was only a bit of it. Palm Sugar sorbet.

I am sure you will get a mad sugar rush.
Probably a good idea to order tea or coffee and have it without sugar.
I think that makes a delightful ending to it.


If you can't decide what to eat, you can try their set lunches. A degustation dinner menu is also available. Call the restaurant to check out what they have. I noticed the table beside us having the set lunch and it looked quite good.

For their full menu, visit their website at: http://www.themoluccasroom.com/

The Moluccas Room 2 Bayfront Avenue #01-81 Marina Bay Sands Singapore 018956 Tel: +65 6688-7367 Hours: Daily - Lunch 11.30am to 3pm, Dinner 6.30pm to 10pm

Scan QR Code for Address Details.

Todai @ Marina Bay Sands

This is my 2nd time to Todai since it opened. My first time was during the first few weeks that they  opened. This time round, I tagged along thanks to the folks from HungryGoWhere.Com

Todai says on its website, it's an international seafood and sushi buffet restaurant. In my two trips there, I think of it more as a Korean Buffet plus International Seafood restaurant.

The first time I was here, I ate probably half of the things served here. This time round, I tried more with some overlap. Meaning I might come back in a few months time to try other things.

I don't think it's wise to try every single thing. By the time you eat them all, you would be too full and be too full to appreciate what you have eaten. I noticed that there's a Korea Promotion on and decided that I shall try those special food plus a few 'must try' things here.

They call themselves a sushi buffet restaurant so expect to lots of it. They do have a huge variety of sushi on the buffet tables! You know sushi is mostly rice, it makes you really full. So I was quite selective. I picked those that stood out and also those with Korea Festival on it.



The above I think was the White Dragon Roll. I was tempted by the mushroom on top.
It had my favourite ingredient and I went back for thirds!



If you are a Kimchi fan, this Kimchi Sushi roll is a must try!
Wrapped in kimchi cabbage leaves and also some kimchi on top of it! I like kimchi and find their kimchi not too fermented, so it's to my liking. I had 3 of this!




If you watch Korean soaps, they always talk about Korean Beef. (韩牛)
These are marinated BBQ Korean Short Ribs! Verified it with the Manager that these are all imported from Korea!

The taste, you can't get enough of it! Probably because of the marinate and also the slight char smell. It's not sinewy and cuts easily with the fork and knife.

The get wiped out by fellow diners quite quickly though. So when you see them, take a few pieces to try.




This is another thing that you must try. Deep fried Ginseng!
If you hate the smell of Ginseng, then skip it. I am OK with it.

Fried Ginseng does taste better than small ginseng pieces that mum forces us to suck like sweets when I was a kid studying for exams! It's just skinny pieces of ginseng roots with tempura batter. Not the super potent kind.




Tuesdays and Thursday are Oyster Nights. (We went on  Tuesday night).
I am not an fresh oyster fan and I ate it just because it's expensive. I ate one and passed the next one to my wife!




I like the Alaskan Crabs though. It's lots of work trying to cut the thing out. I think these are easier to cut than the usual Sri Lankan varieties we have with chilli or pepper crabs.

It's therapeutic sometimes to slowly cut and snip the crab up! I think I do quite a good job didn't I?

By the way, I was told, that Todai Singapore might be ending their Alaskan Crab on the menu quite soon. Todai in other countries like Korea and US are already removing it from their menu. Prices of Alaskan crabs are getting too high to be viable to serve them as buffet now.

(you can check the prices yourself for example in Fairprice Finest, it's getting very expensive!)




Something from their Korean Cooked Food section.
I was told they were Korean Beef, so I took 2 pieces. Yummy!



Chilli crabs and fried mantou.
It's deliciously, but not really spectacular. Go to your favourite chilli crab stall.




They have a churrasco section too. I like the pineapple and the fattier portions of pork.

They are kind of lightly salted, so you might need sauces. This might sound weird, but the kimchi station has nice pickles to go with these brazilian styles of meat!


(Note: the beef in this section is from US and not the Korean beef.)




There are the usual fresh sashimi station as well.




More cold seafood, do you find that the smaller the shell fish, the sweeter it taste?
The common stuff that you get in many other buffets around.




These are some Korean Rice cake snacks in conjunction with the Korea Festival.
Some are nicer than the rest and probably an acquired taste to some people. The texture is chewy!

For desserts, I had some cakes. What I liked was the self service sundae machine!
I can't resist ice cream!




Check out the promotion that they are running now.

Todai Marina Bay Sands (Singapore) B2-01 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands 2 Bayfront Avenue Singapore 018972 Tel: +65 6688 7771

Scan QR Code for Address Details.

db Bistro Moderne @ Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Daniel Boulud. We have all watched him on television. One of those few that's so calm, gentle and does not spew 'you know what' on television. The wife and I have wanted to dine at his restaurant here in Singapore but have not found the time to do it.

He was in town recently and came an email invite from Marina Bay Sands about an opportunity to have a meal cooked by the Chef himself. How could I decline? I applied for 1 day leave from work and had such an enjoyable lunch. It was even better when I later found out that Justin and Camemberu and I were sitting on the same table. Good food and friends make a meal extra delicious.



This is the man himself. Chef Daniel Boulud, the celebrity chef that has gained fame for "Daniel", his Michelin 3-Star restaurant in New York City.

Chef Daniel was in town last week and will be back in town together with other celebrity chefs for the Singapore Grand Prix. Hint: If you book your meals now at the restaurants in Marina Bay Sands, you might get to meet them when you dine at their restaurants.

We were at db Bistro Moderne to try out dishes from Boulud Sud in New York. They were Mediterranean themed dishes that Chef Daniel came out with when he went for a vacation. These dishes that we tried will be introduced in db Bistro Moderne as special add-ons to the main menu. Just ask the service staff when you dine there.

Talking about service staff, their staff here knows exactly what was being served. Try asking them how it is prepared and what's inside each dish. We were quite impressed.

Appetizers

A range of Mediterranean tapas like appetizers that we had. I kind of like what he has created. It's definitely nicer than what I had in Spain's Mediterranean Andalusia region. It's probably the ingredients he used here ;-)
 



Vitello Tonnato.
DB's version of the Italian cold dish. The sliced veal served medium rare with the creamy sauce is such a wonderful delight. A summer time Italian dish, it's just right for forever summer Singapore!





Chickpea & Eggplant
An elegant platter of Herb Falafel, Fresh Hummus, Babaganoush, Lavash.
I have to admit that falafel is not my favourite kind of food. But Catherine raves about it. She loves it.



But I love these Lavash (flat bread) that goes with the fresh hummus (chickpeas) and babaanoush (eggplant mash).  Look at the lavash, are you tempted?




Cured Anchovies.
On a nice kidney shaped platter, Shaved Fennel, Tomato and Crispy Socca was served. My favourite of all the shared dishes. Probably because I love cured anchovies. If you are an anchovies person, order this. The socca (thin unleavened crepe), tomato goes well with the salty anchovies.





Grilled Octopus
This ensemble of marcona almonds with grilled octopus topped arugula and Jerez Vinegar (Spanish Sherry Vinegar) was rather captivating as well. It had a strong smoky flavour to it. It's something I want others to prepare for me and not do it in my own kitchen.





Seared Spanish Mackerel.
A slightly charred mackerel that's served with Piquillo (Spanish chilli) Vinaigrette. 





Spiced Duck Kataifi
Duck wrapped in Kataifi (phyllo sheets that has been shredded till vermicelli like) and deep fried. So crispy and yet not that oily. With date chutney that's savoury and sweet to go with it, it's an enjoyment munching on the crispiness.

Mains

Daurade a la Plancha
This beautifully plated dish is a grilled bream looks a little petite. It was packed with flavour through and through. I took this photo because I like that plate!



I like how Chef Daniel will explains how he cooks the dish and a little history about it. It makes you appreciate the food so much more.

The Daurade (bream) was only seared on one side and it is left to cook through. The co-star was the Romesco Sauce. It's a sauce that originated from Catalonia Spain that made from different nuts, roasted tomatoes and red pepper. The sauce was really nice! I wonder how much time was used to make it! 



It's just so beautifully visually isn't it? It tasted gorgeous too.
The fish was crispy on the top and the bottom was a combination of softness and firm.


(Note: Just got to know that this dish is now available for the lunch menu if you visit them now)




Chef Daniel did cook for us!
Halfway through lunch then did I realise I was sitting in front of the semi frosted glass with the kitchen behind me. We started to 'peep' at the chefs in the kitchen. That's Chef Daniel cooking our next dish!




Tuscan Style Dry-Aged Ribeye
The last 'main' meal before desserts for us. The medium rare dry-aged ribeye was ooooo yummy!
As you expect from dry-aged meat, the flavour of the meat is concentrated. After aging, the natural enzymes break down and we have very tender meat.



I like the salsa verde on top of the meat and the stir fried crushed fava beans below. I was delighted with that anchovy on top! The whole dish just blends nicely.

Desserts

Grapefruit Givre
So pretty! That was what all of us said when this was served! Givre means frozen.

Chef Daniel when the dessert was served came out to introduce the dessert, told us that this was a creation by his pastry chef Ghaya Oliveria who hails from Tunisia.



How to eat it? Break the Sesame Halva top! Inside you will taste Rose Loukoum and Grapefruit Sorbet. You just got to try it!

I was just told it's now on permanently on the Lunch and Dinner menu.

Thanks to Justin, he found online a video showing how this is made.



Also served with the grapefruit, Moroccan Mint Tea to be served with the following Turkish Delight.



From Italy: Panforte Di Siena – A Italian fruit cake lookalike, made with Dark Chocolate Paste, Roasted Almonds, Ginger, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Cinnamon, Black Pepper.

I like the taste of this! It's an acquired taste, but I like it!




From Italy: Torrone. Italian meringue (what we usually call nougat) with roasted hazelnut.




From Greece: Bakiava – Phyllo layers with a mixture of green pistachios served with thick syrup.
It was so so sweet! I know you want to try it too right, despite it being so sweet. Greek desserts are usually very sweet!



If you have realised, I like serving plates etc. I saw the platter that the Turkish Delight was served on and since we were dining in Marina Bay Sands, I got naughty, and lined them up on 3 glasses. Familiar?




For the meal, these wine were paired with the dishes.
Cuvee Daniel Champagne
Chateau la Rouvière Bandol Rosé 2007
Bodegas Naia, Naiades, Rueda 2007
Querciabella, Chianti Classico, Tuscany 2007




db Bistro Moderne
Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Galleria Level, B1-60
2 Bayfront Avenue,
Singapore 018956

Tel: +65 6688 8525
Hours:
Weekday Lunch: 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM (Mon-Fri)
Weekend Brunch: 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM (Sat, Sun)
Dinner 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM (Sun, Mon), 10:30 PM (Tue-Sat)