The Place Located on the 70th floor of Swissôtel The Stamford, I checked out Skai restaurant recently where it welcomed the arrival of Executive Chef Seumas Smith and a brand new à la carte menu. As a contemporary grill focused restaurant, Skai boasts one of the best dining views in Singapore at level 70 and even if you are not seated directly beside the window, the whole dining space is still a great ambience from the high ceiling and ample natural light in the day.

Sunset hour is definitely very charming. Chef Seumas has over a decade of experience that includes stints at Michelin-starred establishments such as Heston Blumenthal’s revered Dinner in London and Ion at Iniala Harbour House Malta, as well as previous stints as Executive Chef of the now-defunct Moosehead Kitchen and Maggie Joans in Singapore. 

The Food The new menu at Skai is series of snacks, appetisers, mains, prime cuts of beef and seafood, all with Japanese influences. Expect dishes to be infused with smoky or charred flavours, a result of the new binchotan grills, the favoured Josper and a charcoal wok. 

My meal started with a complimentary freshly baked Bread And Beef Fat Butter. 

I highly recommend the Shima Aji (S$26) for a start, a fusion of mackerel and hamachi, where the fish undergoes an in-house dry-ageing process for a few days before being cured and lightly torched on the binchotan grill. The dish is complemented by a citrus-forward ponzu sauce, homemade yuzu kosho, and garnished with finger lime and Japanese radish. Fresh, refreshing and deliciously good start to the meal. 

The Hokkaido Scallop (S$42) comes with three well-grilled scallops drenched in a delicious Miso Beurre Blanc along with Peas and Dulse. 

An interesting take on Abalone (S$32), the version at Skai has slices of abalone in a Beef Broth with Morel Mushroom and Kombu. The beef broth is a strong Japanese touch to the dish and adds a different dimension to an otherwise ordinary abalone dish. There is also a little surprise as you dig into the dish where there is also silky Chawanmushi beneath. 

Moving on to mains, the BBQ Brittany Blue Lobster (S$88) should not be missed if you are a lobster lover. A whole lobster is used here, where the lobster claw meat is wrapped in carrot skin alongside with the main lobster meat. Topped with caviar, I love that accompanying sauce which has herbs and spices to help balance to sweetness of the lobster. 

Another highlight of my meal is the good variety of beef on Skai’s menu, with a special focus on Australian and Japanese cuts. The Saga Wagyu A5 (S$166) is one of the most well-marbled option, though I also took a liking to the Westholme Wagyu Flat Iron (S$76) which boosts a rich flavour even though it is less fatty than the Saga Wagyu.

There is also the Wylarah Wagyu Sirloin on the chef’s tasting menu where the beef is slightly more flavourful than the Wagyu Flat Iron. All steaks are served with traditional sauces such as béarnaise, red wine jus, peppercorn, and salsa verde. 

Note that this beef platter is a customised presentation put together for the purpose of this review and it is not representative of the actual presentation.

For desserts, the Greek Yoghurt Sorbet (S$18) is a refreshing mix of lemon and raspberry. I definitely enjoyed the Araguani Chocolate (S$24) which is a rich and intense mix of 72% Chocolate, Pedro Ximenez and Dulce de Leche. 

Rants Be prepared to splurge for a meal at Skai.   

Will I Return Again? I enjoyed my meal at Skai where the seafood and meat dishes are impressive. I like the Japanese elements in most of the dishes I had, and suffice to say the execution of the dishes are good. The impressive city view is still quite unbeatable in Singapore, and this is still very much the ideal venue for a romantic date night. 

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

Make your reservations instantly at Skai here. 

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4.5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Skai 
Level 70, Swissôtel The Stamford 
Singapore 178882 
Tel: +65 6431 6156 

Opening Hours 
Lunch 
Sunday to Friday: 11.30am to 2.30pm 
 
Skai High Tea 
Sunday to Friday: 3pm to 5pm 
Saturday (at Skai Bar): 3pm to 5pm 
Saturday Brunch: 12pm to 3.30pm 
 
Dinner 
Monday to Thursday, Sunday: 6pm to 10.30pm 
Friday to Saturday: 6pm to 11pm 

Ranted by The Ranter