Daniel Boulud's db Bistro Moderne, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

After lunch at Gunther's and teatime macarons from Antoinette, I have to say so far I was pretty impressed with Singapore's dining scene. Our original plan for dinner was to visit Jason Atherton's Esquina (on Chui Chak Road - I am a big fan of Jason Atherton having eaten his food at Maze when he was Executive Chef there), however we sort of overran on shopping time and because I've read a review that there was limited seating at Esquina and you had to get there early if you wanted a seat, we have to improvise on our plans.

Another restaurant high on my "to eat" list was db Bistro Moderne in Marina Bay Sands (which we were planning on going the next day if we could find time) owned by the famous Daniel Boulud, best known for his 3-star Michelin restaurant Daniel in New York. We got to kill two birds with one stone since Hubby also wanted to view the impressive structures around there.

db Bistro Moderne, Singapore

I think the MRT in Singapore is pretty good (and cheap for transport). We started our journey at Ion Orchard (all nicely lit up in the evening) and stopped at Marina Bay, and from there it was a short 10-minute walk to the The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands where db Bistro Moderne is located. The journey felt pretty short, since we got a nice picturesque view of the banking district and its surroundings.

Ion Orchard, where we started our MRT journey

A view from afar taken from Raffles Hotel in the afternoon

Our first sighting of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel .. pretty impressive, right?

Banking district

Across the water

We didn't make a reservation and were lucky to get a table as the place was pretty packed. The table for two here is pretty small though, so space is limited. The menu here is composed of "seasonal, classical and casual dishes in the spirit of Lyon-New York bistro." You can view the full menu here.

db on the floor

db on the napkins

Hanging globe lights, interior design by Jeffrey Beers

Nice, casual ambience

 I don't usually go into much detail about the bread basket, but I have to say the bread here is really good. They have a slight saltiness to them, for me that makes them very palatable.

A glass of red (S$24)

Other than the dinner menu, they also have a specials menu. We decided to share the Spanish Bluefin Tuna Duo (S$32) from the specials as our appetizer. The dish is very vibrant and all the flavours melded well together. On the left is the Moroccan tartare and on the right is the Provencale carpaccio.

db Bistro Moderne is famous for their burgers. Since Hubby was ordering a burger, I decided to try something else and picked the Roasted Nantucket Bay Scallops with truffle risotto, glazed salsify and turnip with chicken jus (S$46). Nantucket Bay scallops are smaller in size, but very tender. The scallops portion were generous, cooked to perfection and the truffle risotto was very good. All my favorite ingredients in one dish - scallops, risotto and truffle. YUMS!

Scallop, truffle and risotto.. heavenly

There are 4 types of burgers here, but we went for the Original db Burger (S$38). It is a sirloin burger, filled with braised short ribs and foie gras, served on a parmesan bun. Don't expect the patty texture to be same as regular burgers, when you bite into it, you will actually get 3 different textues from the sirloin,short ribs and foie. The foie is pretty small though (a small bit in the centre). This is an excellent gourmet as a burger... very juicy.

Best gourmet burger we've eaten

Couldn't get a better photo, but it was good

Fries

Since we were already full, we skipped dessert and had a walk around the shops. Here are some photos from The Shoppes in Marina Bay Sands.

They have a large water feature and canals around the mall, and I think you can take a sampan ride if you wish.

The Rain Oculus by Ned Kehn

Dior, Marina Bay Sands

Louis Vuitton, Marina Bay Sands

Chanel, Marina Bay Sands

Taking the underground passage to LV Island Maison

The Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Across the water

LV Island Maison (impressive glass structure)

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

The Rain Oculus from the outside (you can stand in opposite directions and talk to your friend though this is not its main function)

Verdict: Another great meal in Singapore! Nice ambience and good casual, fine dining.

Full set of photos available to view here.

Service: Good.

Price: Total bill was S$167.13.

Location: db Bistro Moderne, B1-48, Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956.

Tel: +65 6688 8525

Website: http://www.danielnyc.com/dbbistroSingapore.html

*All photos taken with iPhone4S.