Just when you thought diners here were more than adequately spoilt for choice, Suntec City has added 13 new restaurants to its already-diverse F&B stable, nine of which are new-to-market concepts.

The 13 make up the Sky Garden, a new 6,750-sqm dining enclave that crowns the mega mall’s S$410 million makeover. Situated on the third level between Towers 1 and 5, the area boasts views of the civic and cultural district on one side and the iconic Fountain of Wealth on the other.

The cuisines featured at Sky Garden have been selected to represent a broad selection that stand out in Singapore’s saturated market.

The restaurants include IndoChine Group’s new Arn Nan bar and bistro and Saint Ma restaurant, Sumiya, Kuishin Bo, Dallas Restaurant and Bar, and Terra (slated to open later this month), along with seven establishments at the Eat At Seven dining cluster.

Both IndoChine establishments are taking advantage of the area’s unique outdoor charms to feature al fresco dining and proffer a cuisine style that is focused on dishes brimming with “nutritional and pharmaceutical benefits”, reflecting a growing trend among many food and beverage ventures looking to leverage on a renewed interest in conscious dining.

Buffet restaurant Kuishin Bo, famed for its snow crabs and wide array of sushi, sashimi, desserts and hot dishes such as the kaminabe served in a paper pot, also has something new to offer: A dedicated section just for children. Not only are the counters height-adjusted for children below 1.4m in height, also included in the children’s section is a popcorn and candy floss machine.

Dallas will feature the same generously-portioned American bar and bistro food, but in a far more elegant space than its seven-year-old outlet at Boat Quay. Here, diners break bread in an airy glass-walled setting, and have the option of having both the fiery baby back ribs and a prime rib steak (the latter is only available at the Sky Garden outlet).

Terra, on the other hand, is a casual rooftop bar that explores its culinary and drinks propositions with a touch of South American quintessence and botanical influences, said its marketing manager Charmaine Leow. It is the latest addition to entertainment and lifestyle group Limited Edition Concepts’ collection, which includes Kyo and Refuge.

JAPANESE ADVANTAGE

At first glance, the inclusion of more Japanese restaurants seems rather like an overenthusiastic push to make the most of Singapore’s obsession with the cuisine. But Eat At Seven is not your typical cluster of chain restaurants. While only four eateries are currently up and running (the remaining three will be confirmed by year’s end), all seven are said to be new-to-market concepts.

“Unlike other Japanese food establishments, Eat At Seven provides a unique combination of well-priced gourmet food, an exciting variety of interesting Japanese fine food concepts and star chef’s advisory from the top restaurants in Japan, as well as the freshest ingredients brought in directly from Japan by our main partner ANA Trading,” said Michelle Loh of Komars Group, which operates Eat At Seven, as well as the Ramen Champion chain.

The bulk of the 1,300-sqm area is currently shared by successful concepts with unique specialities, from sustainable tuna at Maguro Donya Miura Misakikou to charcoal-grilled fare Warayaki-style at Enbu (which uses imported hay to impart a light smoky flavour), and even a Japanese version of a Korean barbeque, NikuNohi: A yakiniku restaurant featuring Kagoshima and Australian beef served with a side of house-made kimchi and inspired condiments.

The last is the brainchild of Kensuke Sakai, who was the youngest to compete on the popular television show Iron Chef when he was only 26 years old. Now a chef-restaurateur, Kensuke has made the Sky Garden the home of his first international outpost of his famed Tokyo cafe, Nigiro, which specialises in Japanese-Italian cuisine. Helming the kitchen here is Osamu Takashima, who has 20 years of experience in kitchens across Japan and Australia.

As for the remaining three eateries, Komars’ business development manager Yuya Egawa shared that they will likely offer quick meals such as ramen.

“These seven concepts are recession-proof. Their offerings are affordable for the masses,” said Eat At Seven’s founder Andrew Tan, who is also the owner of Tomo F&B which runs Tomo Izakaya. He added that these were chosen because each restaurant boasts a strong reputation and often has long queues back in Japan.

Whether these restaurants at Eat At Seven will also attract long queues here is anybody’s guess, but Loh is confident, noting that because these concepts are making their overseas debut, “there is a high commitment from the owners”.

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