Although some might write it off as "way too man-made", I'm actually quite liking Gardens By The Bay. Come on, how many natural attractions are there in urban Singapore? A day in the huge gardens will probably make you hungry too, so its great that there's a pretty interesting restaurant lineup. Fancy some fresh seafood after checking out the greenery? Head over to Majestic Bay then!
Located at the ground floor of the flower domes, the chinese seafood restaurant is Owner-Chef Yong Bing Ngen's latest addition after Jing and Majestic Restaurant (which has an interesting claypot chicken rice btw!). Greeting you at the entrance will be the rows of fresh seafood for your picking later, as the main dining hall is decked in a blue-ish, nautical theme.
If you prefer a more intimate setting, the 14-seater private room will be a good choice too.
Herbal Tea ($4.00)
Before we went on with the tasting menu, I had a glass of homemade liang teh which was suitably sweetened and cooled me down nicely.
Soup of the Day - 瓦煲老火汤 ($18.00 for 2-4 pax, $27.00 for 5-8 pax)
Serving the classic cantonese Arrowroot Pork Ribs Soup (粉葛排骨汤), it was flavourful and had a homely feel to it. Eh don't let the ingredients go to waste, great with a dip in soy sauce!
Steamed Live Prawns in Minced Garlic - 金银蒜蒸开边生虾 (Market price: ~$70.00/kg)
While I prefer my fresh live prawns to be served simply boiled, a dash of garlic and soy sauce did enhance its taste.
Live Crabs in Bay’s Signature “Kopi” Sauce - 冠华咖啡焗肉蟹 (Market price: ~$56.00/kg)
Now this is coffee-loving Chef Yong's signature creation for Majestic Bay! Using a blend of Arabica, Brazilian and White coffee beans, you will smell the dish before it even appears in front of you. The aroma gets brought out further with the tableside flambe of coffee liquor.
The result is a unique crab dish that is both savoury and sweet, as the chunks of crab meat are complemented with sticky coffee sauce that has a strong touch of caramel. Sounds a tad odd on paper, but worked out pretty well!
Sauteed Wild Mushrooms and Asparagus - 蒜茸野菌炒芦笋 ($18.00 for 2-4 pax, $27.00 for 5-8 pax)
Crunchy greens and mushrooms, nothing spectacular but a good break from all that seafood.
Baked Rice with Assorted Seafood - 海鲜大烩焗饭 ($68.00 for 4-6 pax, $88.00 for 7-12 pax)
This is one hell of a baked rice, I'll say. Apart from the humongous size, we were pleasantly surprised with the amount and variety of toppings. Prawns, mussels, squid rings, scallops and baby abalones all baked together in a curry-like sauce and served with a truckload of fried rice.
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Messy goodness!
Sweet’s Temptation - 甜品诱惑 ($20.00 for 4 pax)
Always leave some space for desserts eh? If you have enough diners (or you simply can't get enough of sweets on your own), the dessert platter will let you have a bit of everything.
With a mix of traditional items and modern creations, the red bean pancakes and Salted Egg Custard Bun were pretty average, while the rice dumpling with fresh cream and fruit bits were a tad too light in taste.
What did impress me, however, was the last item; a rice dumpling made with pulut hitam, stuffed with yam paste and sprinkled with coconut shavings. Another combo that worked!
Given the ambiance and quality, prices at Majestic Bay are actually quite reasonable. There is also a dimsum menu available for lunch. A fan of coffee and crabs? Then you need to make a visit someday!
Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant
Flower Dome, Gardens By The Bay
18 Marina Gardens Drive #01-10
Singapore 018953
Tel: 6604 6604
Note: Market price for live seafood differs daily
Special thanks to Janice of FoodNews for the invite!
Taken with Nikon D70
2 comments:
wa the presentation of the
fresh live prawns looks good!
Yes it does! But we did have heavy garlic breath after that haha
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