For gourmands lamenting last year’s closure of DB Bistro & Oyster Bar by Daniel Boulud at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, there’s excellent news for you: the renowned French chef and restaurateur has opened a new culinary concept at the iconic integrated resort. Maison Boulud Singapore—a two-storied 146-seater restaurant set on Marina Bay Sands’ South Promenade— launched in early February, with lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menus that offer what Boulud describes as “a journey through the rich tapestry of French cuisine”.
This is Maison Boulud’s second international location, with its award-winning flagship located in Montreal, Canada. It’s designed by London- and Hong Kong-based designer Joyce channeling the glitz and glamour of the French Riviera. It’s just the right sort of dining environment (complemented by a view of the glittering waterfront promenade) in which to enjoy Boulud’s classic French dishes, accented with ultra-fresh seasonal ingredients and nods to his culinary globetrotting experiences.
“The beauty of French cuisine is not only that we have an amazing classic repertoire, but we also have a way of adapting other cuisines with subtlety and refinement,” Boulud said. “Even if we’re offering a dish that might not belong to French cuisine, there will always be an element of flavour, texture or taste that shows it’s definitely been refined by a French chef—it’s their interpretation of it.”
Star attractions on Maison Boulud’s menu include a Mediterranean-style claypot rice with confit Chilean seabass in a black pepper squid ink sauce, with piquant flavours that allude to adventures in sun-soaked corners of Europe.
A free-range poulet with vadouvan jus and mushroom spätzle traces France’s colonial influences in India, while a citron pistachio vacherin incorporates Sicilian pistachio Chantilly cream into an iconic French dessert. As can be expected of any of Boulud’s restaurants, the freshest seafood takes prime position at Maison Boulud—their signature seafood platter presents a tantalising assortment of oysters, Maine lobsters, crabs, clams, mussels, prawns, and tartars.
The restaurant’s wine selection is also infused with the spirit of travel and exploration, having been sourced not just from France, but also from around the world. Likewise, Maison Boulud’s mixology programme is filled with classic and original aromatic aperitifs, all designed to partner dishes created under Executive Chef Rémy Carmignani’s keen culinary eye. At the heart of the restaurant, ultimately, is Boulud’s innate understanding of simplicity and elegance: “We’re not building an iPhone, we’re just making something pleasurable,” he said. “It can be complex, but a chef doesn’t always have to keep adding things when they create a dish.”
That isn’t to say he shies away from going all-out in certain situations, particularly after celebrating the 30th anniversary of Restaurant Daniel—his flagship French restaurant in New York City—last year. “There has never been a dull moment in this business,” he said with a smile. “Sometimes, we may have to close a restaurant—but then we open two instead!”
