Since the opening of the Marina Bay Sands, I've always wanted to go to the Sands Skypark that everyone has been talking and posting about. It never did happen because of the $20 entrance fee (which I felt was unwarranted initially but am now convinced the price should increase! Explain later.) Hence, what better way to avoid the fee than to have dinner at the Ku Dé Ta restaurant? =p Situated on Level 57, one would expect that the restaurant boast a breath-taking, unobstructed view of the Singapore skyline. Sure enough, Singapore never looked more beautiful. Best to arrive just before sunset.
S and I were there to celebrate a special occasion. We walked around the deck for 5 mins before heading to the restaurant. Wanting to admire the view while dining, we naturally reserved the outdoor seating (which is actually the Skybar). But, 5 seconds into warming our butts, the wind was so strong that I said to her, "How to eat with all this hair flying in my face?" Ha Ha. So we moved indoors and all was fine. *Take note: if you really want the view, request in advance for tables on the outest edge of the deck. Anywhere else you wouldn't be able to see much; just plain alfresco.
We ordered the tasting menu (min. 2 persons) which consists of 14 dishes. Served in common plates to be shared. 14 sounds like a lot, so we expected the portions to be tiny but they were surprisingly significant and we ended up having to doggie bag some! I love the selection & fusion style of the food and each course was suited to my taste. I guess if I had to choose some must-trys, I'd go for the black cod, the beef tenderloin, the baby squid and the pencil asparagus. I also like the eggplant with caviar but S didn't quite fancy that. Overall, even at $148 per person, I'd say the menu was rather value-for-money :)
Name: Ku Dé Ta
Location: SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands North Tower (1 Bayfront Avenue)
Expenditure: S$450 incl. a bottle of wine
Oh, right, I'm supposed to explain why the entrance fee should increase. Thinking that Ku Dé Ta is a fine-dining place, we expected a more romantic & exclusive ambience. BUT, on arrival, we found the place swamped with crowds of tourists and hotel guests. Which is fine since the observation deck is touted as an attraction. What shocked us was the proximity between the restaurant and the deck. Depending on where you sit, I think you could practically feel the crowd next to you watching you eat. Not very romantic eh? Thank goodness our table was tucked in a deeper corner of the restaurant. So yes, they should control the no. of people allowed there at any one time, or at least the area just outside the restaurant. Or perhaps they could cordon it off specially for restaurant guests only?
