The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands have a super cool buzz going, thanks to 3 celebrity chefs opening their casual outposts in Basement 1 over the last few months. Cut (Wolfgang Puck), Pizzeria & Osteria Mozza (Mario Batali) and DB Bistro Moderne (Daniel Boulud) have been making waves since their opening at MBS in late 2010. During our recent visit to MBS to attend Men’s Fashion Week, we decided to dine at the very swanky DB Bistro Moderne after hearing so much about their famed Original db Burger.
When we arrived for our 8:15pm reservation, the restaurant was just starting its second seating for the night, with tables turning over and filling up very quickly. The crowd was unequivocally cosmopolitan and emanated the pulse and vibe reminiscent of downtown New York or Tokyo. The vibrant crowd, luxe interiors and open restaurant concept made us feel as though we had been transported out of our tiny little island, and dropped right into the centre of Midtown Manhattan.
The menu had a good selection of entrées and mains showcasing Daniel Boulud’s interpretation of classic French bistro fare with contemporary American flavours.
Beet Cured Salmon - Roasted Baby Beets, Horseradish Cream, Mustard Greens
To start, we shared a very delectable Beet Cured Salmon entrée ($18). It comprised 3 petite and tender cuts of salmon and a trio of beets accompanied with a dollop of mild whipped horseradish cream. The lovely pairing of flavours and playful variations of textures created a modern and refreshing twist to this classic salmon and horseradish combo.
Orecchiette Pasta - Venison Ragout, Smoked Bacon, Squash, Brussels Sprouts
Our first main, Orecchiette Pasta ($32) had the perfect balance of flavours. The gamey venison was well accompanied by sweet carrots and squash, lightly charred brussel sprouts, smoked bacon and finished with the rich and sharp flavours of grated parmesan cheese. Unfortunately, despite the wonderfully robust flavours, there simply wasn’t enough sauce, leaving the pasta a tad too dry. The diced venison was also a touch overcooked and too tough for our liking.
Cross Section: The Original db Burger - Sirloin burger filled with braised short ribs & foie gras. Parmesan bun, pommes frites
And then came the burger…our Original db Burger ($38) was cooked to a beautiful medium-rare perfection. The sirloin patty was stuffed with a decadent cube of foie gras and shreads of braised short ribs which lent a hearty bite. However, the parmesan bun was too hard and did not do justice to the burger so dearly loved by many. A little over-rated we felt, and not as good as The Great Burger.
Coupe au poire - Fresh & confit pear, candied walnuts, Verbena tea foam, cassis-pear sorbet
For dessert, we ordered the Coupe au poire ($14) as it sounded refreshing and had an interesting jingle to it. It arrived in a glass sporting a caramelized cap which had to be gently chipped at to get to the goodies below. It was certainly refreshing, in fact, so refreshing that we could have easily mistaken it for a palate cleanser and not a dessert.
Overall, while the food did not wow us as we had hoped, it was still a good meal and we would definitely return again for the overall dining experience; plus there are many more dishes and desserts on the menu which sound terrific. This is the place you want to be if you want to rally up a few friends for a great night out in true style.
Budget $80 per head without alcohol.
DB Bistro Moderne The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Basement 1 | +65 6688 8525
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