Dinner at DB Bistro Moderne, Singapore

Last night was date night! Ozdane and I decided to try a restaurant we hadn’t been to in the Marina Bay Sands Resort and Casino here in Singapore. Marina Bay Sands just opened last year and it is quite an establishment in the city. It includes the casino, luxury shops, high-end hotel, fabulous restaurants from world-renowned chefs, trendy bars and theatres for shows like Cirque du Soleil and The Lion King. Word on the street is they are opening up two nightclubs in the next few months as well. I guess you could say it is Singapore’s version of the Las Vegas hotels and casinos. One of my favorite spots in Marina Bay Sands is the spectacular rooftop bar/restaurant, Ku De Ta. Here you can have dinner or enjoy a fancy cocktail while taking in the most breath-taking view of the Singapore skyline.

Last night we had dinner at DB Bistro Moderne, a contemporary French-American restaurant by Chef Daniel Boulud. Chef Boulud has restaurants in New York, Miami, Palm Beach, London and Beijing. DB Bistro Moderne is his signature New York restaurant. Being the TripAdvisor fanatic I am, I checked out some reviews before we made the reservation. The majority were quite good so we decided to try it out for ourselves and we are very happy we did.

This restaurant like some others in MBS is situated amongst the shops. At a first glance you’d think that would be quite distracting while enjoying dinner, but DB Bistro Moderne is designed in such a way that you don’t really notice once you are inside. We were seated at a table next to the open air windows leading out to the shops. Even then it wasn’t bad and in no way ruined our experience. The interior is a contemporary version of a French bistro with dark wood tables and big, round lamps hanging from the ceiling. There is the dining area, an informal cafe section, a bar and private dining area as well. The restaurant has a casual ambiance to it, not stuffy at all.

Now for the best part, the food! The cuisine is traditional French with a twist. Foie Gras, Coq Au Vin, Terrines are all featured on the dinner menu but so are “NY” burgers including The Original db Burger. Some wonderful fish dishes too like Barramundi Grenobloise, Truffle Crusted John Dory, and Yellow Fin Tun a La Pancha. If you aren’t feeling like beef or fish then you can try the Organic Chicken Breast, Lamb Couscous or Duck Confit. Even if you aren’t a massive French food fan, you will find something to enjoy.

Let’s begin with our starters! I had two oysters which were a perfect size and filled with flavor. I enjoyed them so much I ordered two more! I know not everyone is an oyster fan, but I become one after the first time I tried them. I find people either love them or strongly dislike them. There doesn’t seem to be an in-between. While I enjoyed my oysters Ozdane had a heirloom tomato salad with red and yellow tomatoes with goat cheese.

On to the main course! Ozdane pulled out the big guns and chose one of the specialty burgers. His review: a big thumps up! When I first saw it I was worried it wouldn’t be big enough for him. Maybe that is the American “super-size it” coming out in me?! However, because the meat is very rich and it comes with “pommes frites” on the side, it is a filling meal. In this case looks really were deceiving. I decided on the special which was a rib-eye and beef cheeks combination. Somebody was clearly craving protein! Don’t worry it wasn’t an entire rib-eye and beef cheeks. That would be a bit much for me, even on cheat day. Fortunately, they were reasonable portions so you didn’t feel like you just ate a cow. The rib-eye was juicy and full of flavor. The beef cheeks melted in my mouth. A little potato and vegetable side with different sauces complemented the meat perfectly.

We enjoyed a lovely Australian Shiraz with dinner, a 2007 Mitolo, Savitar, South Australia. We hadn’t had it before we so we gave it a try and weren’t disappointed. Shiraz became my favorite red the minute I tried it during my first trip to Oz back in 2000 and it still is today. Because it is so hot and humid here in Singapore though, I usually opt for a lighter Pinot Noir if I choose a red wine. I save the heavier reds for when I am comfortably sitting in an air-conditioned environment.

Now on to the grand finale, dessert! By that time I felt like a balloon ready to pop so I decided on a lighter dessert option of the Pear-Cassis sorbet. It was the perfect choice for me. Ozdane indulged and had the Profitteroles Au Cafe which came with a beautiful hot chocolate sauce and Dulce de Leche Coffee Rocky Road Ice Cream. Wow, wow, wow! It was gorgeous and needless to say it tasted amazing too. One caveat though, you have to love coffee as it is Coffee Rocky Road Ice Cream. I am not a coffee fan myself so it was a bit strong for my taste but I am sure the rest of the world population would enjoy it as everyone seems to drink coffee but me!

Ozdane and his scrumptious dessert

Pear-Cassis sorbet!

We really enjoyed our dinner at DB Bistro Moderne and would go back again as well as recommend it to friends. Not only did we enjoy the food but we enjoyed the company too! It was a great date night and a perfect way to spend the evening together before Ozdane left for for a business trip today. As for me, I am here in Singapore having a relaxing Sunday evening before jumping back into my fitness and nutrition routine tomorrow morning. After such a satisfying cheat day, I am definitely ready for it!