03 May 2011

The Singapore Series (Labor Day Weekend April-May 2011): Sky on 57

Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao at Sky on 57

Sky on 57

I had hoped to land in Singapore and make my way immediately to Yakun Kaya Toast (the original rickety shack - do NOT make Wang at the airport your alternative - poor poor poor fast food kaya toast!). Unfortunately it was a Friday and I had some unfinished business from Manila. Instead, I started the day with a fancy lunch with the lovely Mareng Erika and her lovely Mareng Eunice, at a fancy resto in Marina Bay Sands with a gorgeous overview of the city named Sky on 57.
The view from Sky on 57
Sky on 57 is located at the roof deck of Tower 1 of Marina Bay Sands. Almost 60 levels up in the air, you can imagine the view! The deck pictured here is also open at night - a must do on my next trip! - imagine enjoying a whisky in this setting!



The chef is Justin Quek, a Singaporean chef at the forefront of modern Asian cuisine. I had written about him in Sunday Inquirer Magazine waaay back in 2006 when he launched his book Passion and Inspiration in Singapore. He had moved from Singapore to Taipei to open and run his restaurant Les Petite Cuisine so it was great to finally see him in action back in Singapore!

JQ's Beef Noodle
The lunch menu has the option for an executive lunch set menu OR a la carte. The executive lunch menu offers starters of either 1. prawns and mango salad 2.sauteed duck foie gras escalope or 3. foie gras xiao long bao; ...

... soup of either tomato or bak kut teh; ...

a main course of either 1 kurobuto stuffed with chestnut 2 penne in chilli crab sauce 3 nasi goreng 4 singapore chicken rice or 5 wagyu steak; ... and dessert.

This all sounded very appetizing and encouraging at just Sing. $48. However, I felt that I needed to try something that was not offered in the lunch set menu because the chef's name was attached to it: JQ's Beef Noodle, described this way: "superior herbal beef broth with braised tendon, ribs finger and slices of wagyu beef".

Eunice had the Bak Kut Teh while Erika had the Hainanese chicken ...


Simple as these dishes sound, JQ did put his signature on them. Maybe not so much on the Hainanese chicken, because this was rather straight forward although excellently executed (according to Mareng Erika). But especially on the soups ... into which the servers poured a shot of (tada) Johnny Walker Blue Label. And when they did that, the (soup) Spirit came to Life!

And believe it or not, the wagyu beef took a meager supporting role. It was the broth, prepared for something like a day, that shone. 

Also wowowee was the Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao. This dumpling is exciting enough with pork. Imagine that sensation but with foie gras.
We met THE Justin Quek after the meal. As is the practice in French restaurants, the chef makes the rounds after the meal. Trained in French cuisine, he explained that he is on a mission to upgrade Asian street food, delivering what you would find in the hawkers but fixing the presentation and using European techniques and flavors to deliver a truly first class experience. His secret to all this: passion.

We hope he keeps this passion alive for a very long time!
Waiting lounge

the Bar
SKY ON 57. 
+65 6688 8857 or email skyon57@marinabaysands.com
The operating hours of the restaurant is as follows 
Lunch        12pm to 2.30pm
Dinner        6pm to 10.30pm
Bar        11am to 12 midnight
For dinner at Sky on 57, there is a minimum charge of S$80++ per person. 
A minimum charge of S$30++ per person applies for dining at the bar.

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