The Place There are quite a couple of high-profile new restaurant openings this year within the hotel scene, with the likes of Osteria Mozza, Nobu and one more which I visited recently, Wakuda at Marina Bay Sands. The restaurant is located at the hotel lobby and is 50 Eggs Hospitality Group’s newest concept together with world-renowned, two-Michelin-star chef Tetsuya Wakuda. 

The interior of Wakuda is elegant and contemporary, where there is a beautiful bar area with a proud display of spirits and whiskeys. The main dining area is designed for couples or group dining, with the centrestage being the open concept kitchen counter where the chefs are at work.

I love the mini garden right behind the kitchen counter, which adds that bit of Japanese zen element to the dining ambience. There are also private rooms if you need to host guests. Other than Singapore, Wakuda also has its presence in Las Vegas. 

The Food The cuisine at Wakuda is a blend of traditional and modern Japanese dishes where you can expect to spend approximately S$100-S$200 per person. 

I started off with a series of Appetisers like the Big Eye Tuna (S$32) where you get a Marinated Loin of Tuna set on Toasted Bread with Wasabi. Nice start to the meal, where the fresh wasabi is quite muted. 

The Yuba (S$38) is easily my favourite dish here. Think Fresh Bean Curd Skin from Kyoto mixed with with Hokkaido Sea Urchin and Mountain Caviar. It is served in a cocktail glass, where the vibrant colours make it look visually appetising. The Kyoto yuba is amazing, fresh flavours of the bean curd skin and the combination with the Uni and Caviar is divine. 

Another strong appetiser on the menu, the Canadian Lobsters (S$63) is a great showcase of the freshness of the ingredients used at Wakuda. The fresh lobster is simply marinated in Citrus and Vinegar along with Sea Asparagus and Shellfish Vinaigrette, lending it a light touch in terms of seasoning and garnish as the fresh lobster flavour itself is the star. That said, I polished off every bit of that refreshing shellfish vinaigrette. 

For a carb dish, I had the Cold Soba (S$72) where the Cold Buckwheat Noodle is served with Botan Shrimp, Australian Manjimup Truffles and Fresh Oscietra Caviar. The soba is well-hidden beneath the mountain of black truffles (which I am not complaining about), and the overall flavour of this dish will appeal to any truffle lover. The truffle taste is not too in-your-face, and I recommend mixing it all up and have all the ingredients together. 

There is also a wide selection of sushi on the menu here. I managed to try three of the sushi items. My favourite of the lot is definitely the Otoro (S$38), Supreme Fat Tuna Belly which is rich and beyond tender. 

The Nodoguro (S$36), also known as Blackthroat Sea Perch, is another flavourful sushi I recommend to order. For something more accessible, there is also the Aburi Ora King Salmon (S$15). 

If there is one grilled dish to try, I highly recommend the Carabineros Prawns (S$43) – Roasted Carabineros with Shellfish and Miso Risotto. I love that risotto which is soaked nicely in the prawn jus, lending it a very moist texture and great flavours. As for the prawn, it is not overly grilled such that it still retains that fresh flavour. 

The other grilled dish I had was the Hokkaido Lake Saroma Wagyu (S$120) with smoked eggplant and seasonal vegetables. Japanese Wagyu beef rarely goes wrong, and this Hokkaido breed is succulent and each serving is approximately 100g. 

I am not big on desserts, though I would say save space for desserts here. The Japanese Musk Melon from Shizuoka (S$28) with Cointreau Granita & Fromage Blanc Sorbet sounds heavy but is surprisingly light and refreshing. 

The Green Tea and Azuki Bean Terrine (S$25) with Vanilla Ice Cream, Kuromitsu Syrup & Matcha Lace is my favourite option of the three desserts I tried. You get an intense matcha flavour, well-balanced by the red bean and vanilla ice cream. 

Lastly, the Wakuda’s House Special (S$13) is essentially Soft Serve Miso Coconut Ice Cream. I do find it a tad too sweet and my threshold for sweeteness is quite low these days. 

Rants It will definitely be great if Wakuda can be opened for lunch soon.

Will I Return Again? I would like to think of Wakuda as a more affordable option to have a taste of Chef Tetsuya Wakuda’s cuisine as opposed to Waku Ghin. It is a relaxed dining setting where the dishes are generally very competent, and is an ideal venue for a date night or gathering with friends. 

*Note that some dishes featured in this article are tasting portions and not the actual serving size.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Wakuda 
Marina Bay Sands 
Lobby, Hotel, Bayfront Ave, Tower 2 
Singapore 018972 
Tel: +65 6688 8885 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Sunday: 5pm to 12am 

Ranted by The Ranter