Whenever we visit Marina Bay Sands, I found it hard to seek for a restaurant which serves quality food without burning a hole in my wallet. Caffé B is just about the right fit for us and business executives with its revamped three-course Set Lunch Menu at S$25++, available between 12pm to 3pm, Monday to Sunday. Caffé B is a social dining and bar concept that offers contemporary Italian cuisine with a Japanese twist in an elegant and relaxed setting, alongside fine Italian and Japanese wines.
We loved the sumptuous yet welcoming interior that beckons with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and the wood and copper setting.
Complimentary warm bread served with tapenade
Potato and Prosciutto Salad
The three-course set menu started off with a chunky potato wrapped in a thinly sliced aged prosciutto ham, topped with bonito flakes and complemented with a side of mesculin salad that was tossed in miso vinaigrette. A starter that combined sweet, sour, bitter and savoury to kickstart our taste buds for the meal.
Chef's Fresh Pot of the Day
Notice that pot of the day changes daily between cauliflower soup, clam chowder and the tomato soup with herbs and croutons shown above. Between the two starters, I would advise to choose the former considering the taste of tomato soup was mediocre.
Tuna Sake Tataki
With four main courses to choose from, one of the options was this quick-seared tuna with sake on homemade hash browns, married with tomato florentine and red pesto. The freshness of the seared tuna was impeccable, but some of the slices were overcooked while others were spot-on. Maybe it is just the perfectionist side of me coming out but the unevenly-sized carrots served was somewhat obtrusive and failed to find harmony with the evenly sliced tuna slices. The crisp hash brown and the fresh condiments that paired the protein served as saving grace.
Beef Verde
Applying the sous-vide method to cook this premium black Angus beef resulted in a tender and moist cut. This might not be your type for those who prefer their steak to bear a seared and caramelised crust. I must say it's cooked to perfect tenderness however it lacked seasoning to elevate the flavours a notch. The beautifully cooked steak was demanding more sauce verde 'green sauce' to go along as the dish seemed somewhat dry. Nonetheless, there were pretty well done ingredients on the plate such as the edamame 'Japanese 枝豆' mash, cheese flake and potatoes with parsley.
Chicken Lasagne Parmegiano
This spinach pasta was layered with chicken, shiitake and eggplants coated in a mix of bechamel sauce and pomodoro 'tomato', topped with a layer of mozzarella and parmesan cheese flakes. As the dish was covered in a generous serving of sauce, I was unable to identify and taste the ingredients sandwiched between, and the creamy sauce was somewhat overpowering.
Vegetarian Pasta Alla Fungi
Surprisingly, the highlight of the night was not a meat dish but this vegetarian pasta. The spaghetti was cooked to al dente in a velvety wild mushroom cream sauce, every mouthful was full of delicate earthy mushroom punch and crunchy texture, superb!
Trio Profiteroles
Freshly baked choux pastries that piped with matcha, chocolate and red bean cream, the proportion of puff to cream was appropriate but the pastry was rather doughy which may suit the liking of some. Of the three, we enjoyed the red bean cream most.
Above the restaurant is an alfresco bar set against the stunning backdrop of Singapore's cityscape
Apparently there were more misses than hits, some tweaks have to be done in the kitchen before it makes a mark on the value-for-money tier. Despite its affordable price tag in the area, what further disappoints were the plates stained with grease or fingerprints, which is a taboo at any high-class dining restaurant. Having said that, it's still worth a try for its premium quality ingredients used if you're around the area!
Overall Verdict: 7.0/10
Caffé B
#B1-15 & 01-83
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
2 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore
http://www.caffeb.com.sg/
P.S. Photos were taken with D610, with thanks to Nikon Singapore!
P.P.S. Special thanks to Petrina for the invite and Caffé B for having us!
