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Marina Bay Sands’ RISE Restaurant Brings You On A Southeast Asian Journey

An all-new buffet concept
By: Agnes / February 3, 2022

RISE, the hallmark restaurant of Marina Bay Sands, has debuted a brand-new buffet concept honouring Southeast Asia’s most cherished foods. RISE, located in the foyer of Hotel Tower 1, enables customers to sample the region’s jewels; starting with Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. Here at Glitz, we bring you everything you need to know about this amazing new offering!

Behind This New Concept

RISE is a culmination of the skills collective of its 52-chef brigade. This gives rise to a spectacular line-up that highlights the region’s most authentic cuisines. RISE is led by Executive Chef Colin Thumboo, who brings more than 40 years of culinary experience. Through this, you can savour comfortable morning meals like Vietnamese pho and Singapore-style laksa. Furthermore, they can taste nasi lemak, lontong. Plus, you can enjoy pan-Asian and Western favourites like quality cold cuts and cheese platters, for lunch and dinner.

Christine Kaelbel-Sheares, Vice President of Food & Beverage, Marina Bay Sands, said: “RISE has always been loved by our diners for providing a home away from home for families and friends to commune over comforting, familiar dishes. Our all-new buffet concept offers a fresh focus and expanded repertoire that showcases the pinnacle of Southeast Asian cuisine. We have also introduced native Thai and Vietnamese chefs as part of our multi-cultural team to dedicate their heritage recipes, as well as a ‘Chef’s Corner’ where guests can witness up close our culinary team’s finesse and showmanship in the live carvings.”

Culinary Stars Galore Amidst Live Chef’s Corner

Thailand

Sous Chef Aumpha Jarutus of Bangkok, Thailand, discusses legendary dishes passed down through his family and culinarians he met over the years before migrating to Singapore in 2011. He used to spend hours in a wooden mortar pounding mint leaves, shrimps, and spices – important elements in his speciality green papaya salad and green curry with chicken. Chef Jarutus also enjoyed going to markets and talking to hawkers, one of whom showed him how to make authentic Thai boat noodles. A secret pig bone soup cooked for hours, boiled with pickled bean curds and a blend of spices, awaits diners.

Vietnam

Chef de Partie Hoang Hong Khua takes you to Vietnam next, where he serves his family’s classic Vietnamese pho with slices of Australian grass-fed beef tenderloin, Thai basil leaves, and beansprouts. Serve with Vietnamese rice paper rolls with prawns, slow-cooked pork belly and lotus sprout salad or responsibly sourced grilled threadfin fillet, a superior protein seasoned in traditional Vietnamese flavours like lemongrass and blue ginger.

Malaysia

Enjoy a mix of rempah (spice paste) and coconut milk dishes as the team presents a melting pot of Malaysian flavours. The Australian beef cheek rendang is the star of the show, with layers of Minangkabau herbs and spices adding to the dish’s extravagantly complex flavour. Choose from a range of complimentary sides including crispy ikan bilis, peanuts, sambal goreng tahu tempeh, rolled egg omelette, and fried chicken wings, or pair it with the stunning blue butterfly pea nasi lemak. A range of curries made in Indian handi pots are also available, including lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, and a full grilled seabass tikka.

Singapore

Finally, return to Singapore and savour the city-renowned state’s local delicacies, ranging from delicious chilli crabs and har cheong gai (fried prawn paste chicken) cooked with a whole spring chicken to Singaporean chef Stella Tan’s grandmother’s Chinese rojak recipe at the live station. Chef Thumboo presents the Peranakan Tok Panjang, a traditional, lavish feast featuring his family’s recipes for ayam buah keluak (chicken in spicy tamarind gravy with native keluak nuts) and bakwan kepeting (pork & crab meatball soup), as well as babi pongtay (Nyonya-style braised pork), ikan gulai (fish curry), Nyon (blue pea glutinous rice).

Southeast Asian Mixology Inspired By RISE’s Herb Garden

Complete the ultimate gastronomic journey at RISE with refreshing Asian-inspired thirst-quenchers which thoughtfully incorporate edible plants from RISE’s herb garden. Led by Head Bartender Jacko Ng, RISE’s all-new beverage line-up features an array of handcrafted cocktails and mocktails, as well as classic beers from the region and locally crafted beers. 

Cocktails lovers will delight in tipples (S$20++ per glass) such as Miss Joaquim, a Tanglin Orchid gin-based cocktail shaken with laksa leaves, flower blossom, Aperol and fresh lemon juice, and the refreshing Siam Margarita, starred by a Cointreau infused kaffir-chilli and lemongrass concoction steeped for days, before being shaken with Patrón Reposado and fresh lime juice. The team has also specially imported bottles like Thailand’s national spirit Mekhong Rum, which is shaken with sour plum peach liqueur in the Mekong Mojito, and topped with Peychaud’s bitters, Vietnamese perilla leaves and fresh lime juice.

These cocktails are ideal for relaxing at RISE, where guests are surrounded by Rising Forest — huge indoor trees contained in stoneware ceramic pots by famous sculptor Zheng Chongbin – and natural-materials furnishings. The soothing tones of emerald blue, jade green, light ash wood, and a touch of elegance with bronze create a luxuriant dining sanctuary that allows guests to rest in comfortable booth chairs partitioned by undulating wooden screens and feel perfectly at home at RISE.

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