Earlier last month, we had the privilege to hang out with Celebrity IronChef, Cat Cora. She was in town for a week, and we were really stoked to host her. One of our lucky readers also won the chance to dine at the stunning Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora at Resorts World Sentosa.

Together, we spent the evening sampling her new dishes, and the experience of dining at Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora is like no other. Few restaurants in the world have the opportunity to boast about being part of an aquarium, and Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora is one of them.

Dinner was great. We had a ball of a time together. And Chef Catherine is the sweetest lady.

In conjunction with Father’s Day, our readers were tasked to share their fathers’ favourite fruits with us, and the lucky winner (picked at random) will win a dinner for four at Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora. Together, we sampled Chef Catherine’s new creations, and the cherry on top was the special dessert that Chef Catherine prepared using Dad’s favourite fruit. Pineapple and banana it was; very tropical, very local-like.

We started the day with a local-style breakfast to show Chef Catherine all that our Singapore hawkers have to offer. What adjourned after was a round at the wet market, where Chef Catherine shopped for fresh fruits – pineapples and bananas, of course. You have to read on to find out what the special dessert is, because it tasted out of the world and everyone loved it so much that Chef Catherine is considering to place that item permanently in the menu!

It was a typical Friday evening, but it was an atypical one for us. You have no idea how we were so looking forward to dinner because, it is Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora! If you haven’t been, you really should. It is one of those places you must dine at before you die.

As the largest aquarium in the world, Resorts World Sentosa’s S.E.A. Aquarium is home to more than 100,000 marine animals of over 800 species. And the restaurant is right next to and has an unobstructed view of the large aquarium. It is a fascinating experience to say the least.

So what should you expect from the new menu?

No better way to start your meal than with an amuse bouse of Fresh Oysters – Chef Catherine’s version is prepared with passion fruit and watermelon salsa. With this very appetizing and innovative fruity take, who is to say that oysters are just oysters?

The Torched Brown Trout “Farbio” with Smoked Eel is plated with crunchy cucumber and caviar vinaigrette. This appetizer of petite pleasures combines the freshness of the ocean with life’s simplicity.

And then, we have the Sautéed Langoustines. God, how we had loved this one so much! The orange-pink lobster is as sweet as lobsters should be, and it is served with a light crustacean cream, baby fennel, leek and soft herb. Nothing over the top; just a rustic take on the crustacean to create a taste to remember.

You know you are in good hands when the chef does something as simple as corn soup really well. The Charred Corn Soup is surely the best rendition we’ve tried. And your ordinary corn soup is elevated when served with a beignet of blue swimmer crab. So sweet, so hearty. And the cherry, we mean bacon on top is the perfect completion.

From the mains, we sampled the Fresh Sustainable Fish. Farmed in New Zealand, we are all for sustainable food. This fish dish is prepared with burned butter-balsamic emulsion with capers, smoked chives potato and grilled red endives. Totally digging that crispy skin that made such a lovely contrast to the smooth, white fish.

The star dish of the night had to be the dessert that was specially created with the bananas and pineapples. You see, they are really simple ingredients, but Chef Catherine did a brilliant job by creating a chocolate dish with banana ice cream, shaved peanuts and cooked pineapple. If you think it looks pretty, you should try it for yourself to know how it is actually much tastier than it already looks!

Chef Catherine, please put this dessert permanently in your menu.

Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora
SEA Aquarium, Resorts World Sentosa
8 Sentosa Gateway
Tel: +65 6577 8888
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

This post is brought to you by Resorts World Sentosa.

Having a meal at a Joël Robuchon Restaurant is not just about the food; it is about the overall dining experience right from the moment you step in to the restaurant.

When Joël Robuchon was in Singapore back in December, we met up with him for an exclusive session to get an insight, as well as to experience the magic in the restaurant’s kitchen - the sacred ground of haute cuisine. It was an unforgettable afternoon – to interact with the humble man, and to catch glimpses of his talented team at work.

Most people have the misconception that it is expensive to dine at a Joël Robuchon’s establishment. However, that is not necessarily the case. Joël Robuchon Restaurant and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at Resorts World Sentosa have just launched its new weekend set lunches and the prices are super reasonable for the quality of food you will be getting, and the luxe dining experience.

JOËL ROBUCHON RESTAURANT

If you’ve always wanted to dine at a Joël Robuchon Restaurant, the Sunday set lunch (S$78, S$98, S$118) is a great chance for you to sample executive chef Michael Michaelidis’s cooking.

The 3-course set lunch (S$78) includes an amuse-bouche plus an appetiser or soup, a main course, a dessert, as well as coffee or tea served with petit four. Highlights include our favourite Le Bar, a luxurious pairing of Sea Bass and Langoustine with Fennel Foam and Sea Urchin, and Le Bœuf Wagyu, Grilled Wagyu striploin with spices and macaroni stuffed with foie gras and mushrooms.

L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON RESTAURANT

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon also has three set lunches (S$48, S$68, S$108) that are offered every Saturday. At S$48, the 3-course menu is an absolute steal! It features an amuse-bouche, 1 appetiser, 1 main course, 1 dessert and coffee or tea served with petit fours.

With 6 appetisers, 8 main courses and 3 desserts to choose from, it can be quite a headache trying to decide what to eat. So let us help you – the standout dishes include LA SAINT JACQUES, Scallops Carpaccio in duo of Capellini Pasta and LE VACHERIN, Manuka honey parfait, ginger jelly and mango sorbet.

We love how the new set lunches offer plenty of options in each category for everyone, and for the very fact that it is also reasonably-priced; nothing too exorbitant that you have to pay an arm and a leg for it. We will be making regular trips back to L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon for lunch from now on. No reason to say no, right?

Level 1, Hotel Michael
Resorts World Sentosa
8 Sentosa Gateway
Tel: +65 6577 7888
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

This post is brought to you by Resorts World Sentosa.

Chef Marco Pierre White is a legend in the food & beverage industry. He is the godfather of British haute cuisine, and many chefs have trained under him, including Gordon Ramsay. He was also the youngest chef ever to have been awarded three Michelin stars.

Besides his restaurant empire, he is also the brand ambassador for Knorr (by Unilever Food Solutions), which is known for its stock cubes.

Chef Marco Pierre White was in town for a series of Knorr-related culinary activities, and I had the chance to catch up with him. Here’s an extract from the interview:

What is your favourite dining concept?

I like pubs. To me, they are traditional, and the beauty of a pub is that it is a natural environment for eating. The most important aspect of a restaurant is the environment. You have to be comfortable in order to enjoy the food. A fine dining restaurant may serve fantastic food, but if you are not comfortable dining there, it will not be a memorable experience.

How difficult was it to return the Michelin stars?

Winning Michelin stars is the most exciting journey of a chef’s life. Retaining them, however, is the most boring thing to do. Consistency is very mundane; it is not an easy task for chefs to ensure the consistency of the food, day in and day out. All I can say is I am very happy right now.

If you were born today, what do you see yourself doing?

I would have been a toy-maker. I love having fun and making new things.

What is something that you can eat everyday?

Definitely my mom’s Italian food.

Are there any exciting plans coming up?

I am planning for a few restaurants, which will be located in several amazing boutique hotels. They are exciting concepts, and I hope to share the good news with everyone soon.

What advice do you have for aspiring chefs?

The world is changing: the younger generation is not willing to put in effort and work hard to learn; people are coming into the industry for the wrong reasons. They want to be famous, they want to appear on television. There’s one thing I am sure of – it is impossible to succeed with a wrong mindset. If you want to do well in this industry, you have to work hard for it.

Also, people who do not have true love for food, will always be restricted by recipes. I think that recipes should only be used as a guideline. Allow your palate to dictate your cooking. I believe you should listen to the voice that comes from within. Never allow the obvious to blind you, and keep pushing the limits.

Tell us three things that you cannot do without in the kitchen:

Large chopping board. Great pans. And proper lighting.

What is your favourite Singapore food?

We ate at a local seafood restaurant last night, and among the ten dishes that we had, the chilli crab was easily the best dish on the table.

Chef Mario Batali’s first foray into the Singapore food scene is with the opening of Osteria Mozza & Pizzeria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands.

Pizzeria Mozza is probably the most affordable option amongst the Marina Bay Sands celebrity chefs’ restaurants. The pizzas on Pizzeria Mozza’s menu are priced between $18 to $38. I’d think this is extremely good value given that most of the pizza restaurants in Singapore charge around the same price for a pizza.

My foodie friend visited Pizzeria Mozza a while back, and he told me that they have the best pizzas in Singapore. I was sceptical initially, but I finally managed to try it for myself during a recent media tasting at MBS.

The Italian restaurant has two different dining concepts. Pizzeria Mozza comes with a wine bar and it has a variety of pizza selections. Located just beside the pizza bar, the upscale Osteria Mozza features a Mozzarella Bar, and it serves pasta, seafood and meat dishes.

Pizzeria Mozza has quite a few interesting choices on the menu. Amongst the antipasti (priced under $20), there are Bone marrow, fried goat cheese. While some of the pizzas (ranging from $20-30) that caught my eye were the Yukon gold potato & cippolini, and the Burrata with slow roasted tomato.

There are many people who refuse to touch foie gras or pig liver, but I absolutely love it. Naturally, I was quite excited when they served us the Chicken liver bruschetta. Acquired taste was probably the best way to describe this appetiser. The chicken liver was kind of overwhelming and we did not really fancy it.

On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the Cauliflower Fritti which was essentially deep-fried Cauliflower. It was brilliant.

The special thing about the pizzas at Pizzeria Mozza is definitely the big and crispy crust. I know most food lovers in Singapore seem to prefer thin crust or skinny pizzas. But trust me, Pizzeria Mozza’s pizzas are worth a try.

We had the Margherita Pizza (with mozzerella, tomato and basil), Fennel Sausage Pizza, Funghi Pizza (with a generous spread of mushroom) and the Tomato & Oregano pizza. The Funghi pizza was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve had, while I thought that the Margherita was exceptionally ordinary. But still, the light and airy crust was good.

For desserts, we had the famous Butterscotch Budino which was way too sweet for my liking. This is coming from a guy who has an incredibly sweet tooth.

If you want the experience of eating in a Celebrity chef restaurant without breaking a hole in your wallet, both Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro and Mario Batali’s Pizzeria Mozza are your best bet. They are the only casual dining options out of the 7 Celebrity Chef Restaurants in MBS.

Is Pizzeria Mozza the best pizza restaurant in Singapore? I don’t know… It is really hard to say since there are so many pizzerias in Singapore. But I think it is definitely amongst the best. From what I heard, it is quite difficult to get a table during weekends, reservations are required at least a week in advance.

In your opinion, which restaurant has the best pizza in Singapore?

Singapore Food Blog Review
Osteria & Pizzeria Mozza
2 Bayfront Ave #B1-42/46
The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Tel: +65 6688 8522
Note: This was an invited media tasting.

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The Marina Bay Sands Celebrity Chefs’ Press Conference was quite an experience. We had a glimpse of the chefs and their team in action. In many ways, it was like a sneak preview of the greatness to come. I call this – the Celebrity chefs experience in bite size.

There were over 300 media friends from all around the world who attended the Marina Bay Sands Celebrity Chefs Press Conference. Personally, I think it’s great news that people are starting to sit up and take notice of the Singapore Food Scene. With the arrival of the Celebrity Chefs, competition would definitely be inevitable, but it can only serve as a  positive challenge and ‘force’ the local restaurants and chefs to further improve themselves.

Chef Daniel Boulud’s new restaurant is the only ‘bistro’ among the Marina Bay Sands Celebrity chefs restaurants. But judging from the tasting portions that we had, I am very certain that the food at the 120-seater DB Bistro Moderne restaurant promises a lot to come.

I had a sliced of the famed jamon iberico, and the smooth, tender texture of the world’s finest ham quickly won me over. Surprisingly, it was not the iberico ham, but Chef Daniel Boulud’s roasted pork that made a lasting impression. I’m sorry, but I didn’t take a picture of it. It looked and smelled way too good for me to waste another thirty seconds on taking a snap of it – and I dutifully savored it in a mouthful.

OH MY GOD!

We were awe-struck by the intensity and flavor of the roasted pork – how can something so ordinary taste so succulent, crispy, and awesome? Both of us kept quiet for ten seconds which felt like forever, and before anyone could say anything, we savored the second piece of pork — this time, hoping that time would stand still.

By now, all my mind could think of: “Chef Daniel Boulud.. Chef Daniel Boulud..” We walked back to the station, and stared at the roasted pork that one of the chef was handing out. He looked at us and smiled. And we smiled.

After the second round of helping to the excellent roasted pork, my attention turned to the dessert offered at Chef Daniel Boulud’s counter. It was an exceptionally ordinary-looking apple tart. ‘Heavenly’ is an understatement when it comes to describing the dessert. Needless to say, I had two slices of apple tart.

The 300-day dry-aged Angus New York Strip from Chef Wolfgang Puck’s team was one of the first thing that I sampled. I am not sure if it’s a case of my stomach growling, or if it’s the outstanding quality of the beef that shone through; but the angus beef strip was so good that I had to have a second helping of it.

Honestly, I thought it’s the best beef I ever had, until I tried what Tetsuya Wakuda had to offer.

When I was in Sydney for a holiday back in December last year, I actually walked past Tetsuya Wakuda’s restaurant on Kent Street for a few days without realizing it until one of my mate told me about it.

During the Marina Bay Sands Celebrity Chef Press Conference, one particular quote from Tetsuya Wakuda struck me: “I want to be the top among the bottom.” That’s what the man himself replied when asked about the “competition” between him and the other celebrity chefs. His restaurant in Sydney, Tetsuya is known for the long reservation list, and the food lovers in Singapore will be sad to hear that his new restaurant in Marina Bay Sands, Waku Ghin, would be equally, if not harder to get a table.

You are going to take my word for it and believe that the top grade Wagyu beef that I had from Tetsuya Wakuda was one of the best (read: top, unbeatable, out-of-this-world) beef I ever had. Coming from a guy who isn’t a fan of beef, it tells you a lot.

The sheer audacity of  Tetsuya Wakuda’s team to tease us with a tiny slice of wagyu beef, and the long queue was testimonial to how good the beef was.

Free flow of Champagnes, fine wines, caviar, wagyu beef, lobster, angus beef, and so much more – I am really spoilt when it comes to food. Gluttony for life!

I know it seems like I only raved about Daniel Boulud’s roasted pork & apple tart, Wolfgang Puck’s Angus beef and Tetsuya Wakuda’s wagyu beef, and neglected the other Celebrity chefs. While I enjoyed the Poached quail’s egg prepared by Guy Savoy’s team, with the Maine Lobster in Shao Xing Wine by Justin Quek being exceptional, and also Santi Santamaria’s Gazpacho in shooters; at the end of the day, it was the offerings by Daniel Boulud and Tetsuya Wakuda that changed my perception about life. I instantly regretted my decision to attend the Marina Bay Sands Celebrity Chefs Conference.

Roasted pork and beef would never be the same anymore.

If money is not an issue and you are given the opportunity, which Marina Bay Sands Celebrity Chef ‘s restaurant will you try first, and why?

Dining in Marina Bay Sands Celebrity Chefs Restaurant

CUT by Wolfgang Puck (Opening Soon)
Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Retail Mall near Theaters

db Bistro Moderne (Opening Soon)
Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Retail Mall near Theaters

Guy Savoy (Open)
10 Bayfront Avenue #L2-01, Casino Level 2 Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Tel: +65 6688 8513

Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza (Opening Soon)
Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Retail Mall near Theaters

Santi (Open)
10 Bayfront Avenue #L2-03, Casino Level 2, Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Tel: +65 6688 8501

The Sky on 57 (Opening Soon)
10 Bayfront Avenue #L57 Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Waku Ghin (Opening Soon)
10 Bayfront Avenue #L2, Casino Level 2, Marina Bay Sands Singapore