Daniel Boulud’s name is synonymous with fine dining in New York, and his signature Manhattan restaurant DB Bistro Moderne at Marina Bay Sands needs no introduction.

While the general taste is not fantastically out of the world, the food is always consistently good. These days, sadly, even the better restaurants have neglected this point. There is nothing more disappointing than to return to a restaurant only to find that your favourite dish is not as good as before. And it is especially not acceptable at fine dining restaurants where we have to pay so much for a meal.

However, this is not the case at DB Bistro Moderne. we have dined there on many occasions and we are glad to say that they have always maintained a high standard.

The Wild Mushroom Soup ($15) came first. It was decent, but nothing much to speak about. This was followed by the Seared Foie Gras ($39) with a brioche toast and spiced apple marmalade. The foie gras was a mouthful of delicious richness bite after bite. I would be hard-pressed to find a better one in town.

The Lobster Salad ($36) – with avocado, tomatoes, green beans, artichoke and basil aioli – while good, was nothing fantastic. DB Bistro also features other salads such as the Frisee Salad Lyonnaise ($24), Roasted Beetroot Salad ($25), Iceberg & Blue Cheese ($23).

For appetisers, we would recommend the Ratatouille ($20). The classic vegetable stew was hearty and very comforting. It was the perfect start to the meal and whetted my appetite for the main courses.

Rested on a bed of greens – tomatoes, artichokes, carrots and salsa verde – the Line Caught Tuna ($39( was meaty and very fresh.

The Saffron Tagliolini ($24 appetiser, $36 main course), on the other hand, did not leave a strong impression. It was not mindbogglingly good, but it was decent with the delicious spanner crab. The other pasta option on the menu is the Tagliatelle Nero ($24 appetiser, $36 main course), but if I was you, I would skip the pastas and go for the main courses.

Coq au Vin ($34), a traditional French dish, is one of the highlights of the menu. DB Bistro’s rendition was very good. I would strongly recommend to go for this.

Our favourite dish was DB Bistro’s Duck Confit ($36), cooked so that the skin was crisp, but the meat tender and flavourful, and served with savoy cabbage and olive oil crushed potatoes.

The DB Burger ($42), pictured in the first photo, also lived up to its name. A juicy and superb burger with seared foie gras in the middle. This was heaven on a plate. Definitely one of the best burgers around. That said, I am not sure if I would pay so much for a burger.

We had the Australian Flank ($45) and USDA Prime Ribeye ($80). The former was pretty decent, but in no way comparable to the latter. The ribeye was tender and full of flavour, with a good proportion of fat to lean meat. If I close my eyes, I can still imagine the tender steak. The fries were excellent, too.

For their winter menu, DB Bistro had a Chestnut Souffle ($15). It was nicely paired with a blackcurrant sorbet, which provided a good counterbalance to the hot chocolate sauce. However, on a recent visit, we found out that it was replaced by a Durian Royal Souffle ($15) with mangosteen sorbet.

We also sampled the Chocolate Passionfruit Fondant – a luscious mix of the rich and sweet dark chocolate with a slightly sourish passionfruit.

The de-constructed Apple Mille-Feuille ($15) — apple confit, phyllo dough, mascarpone mousse, green apple sorbet — was also delightful with its contrast of textures and flavours.

If you are too full for desserts, you must at least order the Madeleine ($8) for the table to share.

A meal at DB Bistro Moderne, I must say, is not cheap. But it offers an excellent value considering that it is all delivered well on the plates in a sexy venue. For those who are on a budget, go for their pre-theatre dinner (5.30pm – 7pm) at $68++/pax for a three course prix fixe menu.

DB Bistro Moderne
10 Bayfront Avenue
#B1-48 Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 8525

Mon to Fri (Lunch): 12pm – 5pm
Sat & Sun (Brunch): 11am – 5pm
Sun & Mon (Dinner): 5.30pm – 10pm
Tue to Sat (Dinner): 5.30pm – 11pm

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