Foodgasm in the Lion City

MANILA, Philippines - There are no lions native to Singapore but they have so much great food enough to whet an appetite as huge as a lion’s. The Malay name Singapura literally translates to Lion City.

Singapore used to be part of Malaya now Malaysia and is one of the four leading financial centers of the world. I have traveled to Singapore countless times on business and pleasure. Like Hong Kong, Singapore has been an Asian bastion of high-end cuisine. Since the entry of Marina Bay Sands in the Singapore scene a few years ago, celebrity chefs like Mario Batali, Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Bouloud and the like have set up their gastronomic temples within the complex.

A decade ago, it was only Chatterbox at Mandarin Orchard that was known to most Pinoy foodies. Chatterbox served a killer Hainanese Chicken meal that was available 24 hours. Nowadays, the choices for gourmet and fine-dining outlets are endless. On the main shopping area, Orchard St., there are hundreds of choices: From Pinoy carinderias at Lucky Plaza mall to the high-end Michelin-rated restaurants. Three of my favorite restaurants are located at the Mandarin Orchard hotel complex. They are Chatterbox, open 24 hours and serving one of the best Hainanese Chicken in Singapore; Jones The Grocer, a deli-cum-cafe that serves gourmet coffee, French cheese, great salads, unique sandwiches and Jamon Iberico; and Lawry’s Prime Rib. Of late, I’ve only patronized Jones and Lawry’s. 

Lawry’s, founded by Lawrence L. Frank, has been a landmark in Beverly Hills since 1938 and serves one of the best prime rib steaks I’ve ever tasted. I was so happy to find one in Singapore. Besides the original in Beverly Hills, Lawry’s has restaurants in Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei and Hong Kong. They serve prime rib in a unique way. They start with the signature salad. Greens are tossed table side by a server in a spinning metal bowl atop a bed of ice and served with a complement of Yorkshire pudding. Nothing spectacular about the salad that is drizzled with a sweet and sour house dressing except the fact that the greens are crunchier, which is the after-effect of being tossed atop a bed of ice. The prime rib (whichever size you order) is wheeled table side and sliced in a Lawry’s patented solid-metal wagon (which I heard costs around $120,000 each) that also contains all the prime rib garnishes like veggies and mashed potatoes. The great thing about Lawry’s prime rib is the taste and flavor is wonderfully consistent every time. 

For breakfast or a late afternoon snack, I never fail to go to the Jones The Grocer at the fourth level of Mandarin Orchard even if I stay at a different hotel. The goodies are high-end and yet the atmosphere is down-to-earth casual. Their selection of unique gourmet French and Italian cheese is vast. In fact, this is the only place I could find a soft French cheese with white truffles sandwiched at the center. Their salads, sandwiches, coffee blends and teas are wonderful and a must-try. 

The biggest concentration of fine-dining restaurants with Michelin-starred chefs are located in two casino complexes in Singapore. One is at the Resorts World/Universal studios in Sentosa where the icon Joel Robuchon who has a total of 28 Michelin stars (the most awarded) has two signature restaurants, namely L’Ateller de Joel Robuchon and Joel Robuchon’s Restaurant; Chef Cat Cora’s Ocean Restaurant; Osia, which I tried a year ago with John Ford Coley; and Feng Shui Inn.

The other complex is, of course, at Marina Bay Sands where my idols Mario Batali’s Pizzeria Mozza, Wolfgang Puck’s Cut Steakhouse, Guy Savoy’s Restaurant and Daniel Bouloud’s DB Bistro Moderene are located.

Having dined at all these restaurants in the past, I decided to return to Daniel Bouloud’s Bistro Moderne where the dominantly Pinoy staff are always happy to serve kababayan. As always, it is always full but the Pinay receptionist found a way to get me a table when I spoke to her in Tagalog. I skipped the house specialty burgers which I tried the last time and ordered penne with a thick Foie Gras sauce infused with a black truffle reduction. The combination of pasta that was cooked al dente with the velvety smooth Foie Gras sauce was a feast for the mouth while the scent of black truffles gave my nose an olfactory orgasm. To heighten the experience, I ordered a Foie Gras tasting platter and finished off with a soft cheese sampler.

After the meal and still high on Foie Gras, I wandered around the Marina Bay Sands lobby where a string quartet of young ladies were playing Mozart’s violin concerti before taking my ride to the airport. I actually stayed in Singapore for only 36 hours but the â€œfoodgasm” lasted much longer.