I've eaten at all the Chinese restaurants at Marina Bay Sands, from Canton Paradise to Jumbo Seafood- here's how Mott 32 Singapore stacks up against them!
There are several restaurants at Marina Bay Sands that serve authentic Chinese food- from casual dining options such as Pu Tien and Ding Tai Fung, to posher ones such as Imperial Treasures, Jumbo (one of my faves) and Blossom. (You can also Chinese food from in-room dining to the MBS hotel rooms.) However, the Chinese restaurant Mott 32 is definitely the fanciest of them all.
Imperial Treasures, Jumbo, and Blossom are also on the pricier end but Mott 32 has the trendiest and plushest interiors, so it feels the most fancy. The colour scheme is dark and luxrious, sort-of like modern Chinoiserie. I'd say it's quite similar to Koma in feel, in that it's the best Chinese restaurant to go with friends for drinks and a fun nigh out.
Note: The name Mott 32 comes from 32 Mott Street in New York/. It's where the city’s first Chinese convenience store opened in 1891. and is the centre of Chinatown. There is also Mott 32 in other major cities, such as Seoul, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, and Dubai.
The Food
We ordered from the a la carte menu, which has a wide range of favourites, such as Char Siew.
Some of Mott 32's signature dishes include:
- 42-day Apple Wood Roasted Peking Duck
- Barbecue Iberico Pork Glazed with Yellow Mountain Honey
- Iberico Pork with Soft Quail Egg
- Black Truffle Siu Mai
- Crispy Triple Cooked Wagyu Beef Short Rib.
It takes time-honoured recipes with a modern twist, often with high quality, premium ingredients. For example, the Ma Po Tofu is mixed with lobster- this dish was recommended by the waitress but, to be honest, I wasn't that impressed by it. (It also cost $128- the priciest dish we tried.)
Similarly, the soup was good but nothing spectacular.
The homemade dim sum, on the other hand, was delicious. (Singapore's Cantonese food scene is pretty good- maybe not in the same league as Hong Kong but definitely SO much better than Kualu Lumpur's.) They have iconic dishes such as Cheung Fan and Turnip Cake, but also a small selection of modern spins on classics, such as Peking Duck buns and the finest wagyu beef puffs.
I also really enjoyed the Shanghainese Noodles with Dried Shrimp and Scallion Oil ($26)- another dish recommended by our waitress.
The most disapppointing dish was the dessert. I wasn't a fan of the Bamboo Green Forest (also no indication on the menu/ explanation by the waitress what it was meant to be)- it turned out to be a cake, which I found on the dry side. Next time, I'll try the traditional Chinese dessert such as tang yuan and egg tarts instead.
Service
Good service in general but some of the waiters could do with a bit more training (for example, one of them kept trying to take away my plates even when there was still food on it.)
I wouldn't say it was an unforgettable dining experience- but I wouldn't be adverse to returning. In fact, talking about everything I ate there is making me want to go back and eat!
Need to Know
- There's a dress code: Smart Casual, No Slippers allowed
- There is a time slot for dining: you get 1.5 hours for lunch and 2 hours for dinner. This isn't the place if you want to spend hours lingering over your meal.
- You can get late night snacks here too: on Friday and Saturday, the kitchen closes at 11.30pm.
Location
In the heart of Singapore, inside Marina Bay Sands Shoppes mall
- B1-42-44, The Shoppes
- Nearest carpark: North (Green zone)
- MRT: Bayfront
Things to Do Nearby
- Visit the Artscience Museum
- Walk around the Bay or, if you're on a budget, try one of these free things to do at Marina Bay Sands
Any questions about this Mott 32 Singapore review? Let me know in the comments! If you're thinking of staying at Marina Bay Sands hotel, here's my review after staying there 6 times in 2024 (and it's only July!)
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