Food Review: Liberty Singapore At Marina Bay Financial Centre | Asian Cuisine Meets Southern US Barbecue

Posted on January 7, 2024 by theRantingPanda in Food

The Place Located in the heart of Marina Bay Financial District, the newly opened Liberty Singapore from Liberty Group Hong Kong is an Asian smokehouse restaurant concept where Asian cuisine meets Southern US barbecue. The space of Liberty Singapore is contemporary with a good mix of different seating configurations to fit different dining groups. The restaurant is helmed by Canadian-Korean Chef Yong Soo-Do and American Southern Chef Chris Tuthill.

The Food The menu at Liberty Singapore plates up food inspired by the varied terroirs of Asia from Korea and Japan to China and India, cooked up by the wood-fire techniques of a Texas-style barbecue.

For a start, I had the Corn Bread (S$6) which is interestingly shaped like madeleines. The corn bread here is a blend of cornmeal flour, fresh jalapeño, and sweet corn paired with a side dip of fermented cabbage and creamy cream cheese.

Next up, I had the Hamachi (S$28) where the kingfish is lightly grilled and served in mango Ponzu salsa made of pomelo, shallots, and jalapeño. I love the freshly sliced sashimi and the fried shallots and coriander oil really make the dish more appetising.

Another dish I would recommend is the Salmon Tartare (S$23) where the salmon is mixed with bold Thai flavours, fish sauce and smoked avocado puree. Mix it all up and the flavours are tangy and very appetising, along with the pickled daikon and a drizzle of spring onion oil.

If I were to choose a star dish I had, I would vote for the Corn-Rib (S$16). Yes, it does not look very pretty admittedly but this whole Mexican white corn is delicious. The corn is fried before being tossed in butter and local curry spices, so you get that nice buttery flavour and aroma from the spices. It is good on its own but if you fancy a richer taste, dip the corn into the hollandaise sauce with smoked mozzarella cheese.

For carbs, I had the Prawn Tagliatelle (S$32) which comes with two large tiger prawns in a Sambal Bisque sauce, garnished with Tobiko and Negi. This pasta dish is average for me as it would be better if the sauce was spicier.

Another strong Asian flavoured dish is the Short-Rib Dumpling (S$22) with beef brisket and short ribs filling. The dumplings are accompanied by a medley of local black vinegar, chilli sauce, fried garlic, and an Asian salad. A modern interpretation of Chinese Chilli Oil Dumpling (红油抄手) which is not too bad.

For meats, there is the Char Siu Pork Belly (S$24/100g), where the smoked char siu is prepared for over 16 hours, topped with fresh spring onion and accompanied with a green puree of fresh spring onion and ginger. It is quite a fatty cut of char siu here so you can expect a very tender (and sinful) flavour.

There is also the Kalbi Short-Rib (S$32/100g) which serves up tender short ribs smoked for 12 hours in cherry wood and further sous vide for 6 hours. The beef is quite tender with a nice smokiness to it.

A side dish to go along with the meats is the Brussels Sprouts Noccham (S$12) which is roasted and served with Liberty Singapore’s house-made Korean-inspired Noccham sauce.

For dessert, I had the Apple Pie (S$14), a pie of thoroughly caramelised apples in brown butter, sugar and lashings of cinnamon, crowned with a scoop of 5 Spice Smoked Ice-Cream, and finished off with a drizzle of caramel. The smoked ice cream is quite unique in taste and I wouldn’t mind just having the ice cream on its own.

Rants Some hits and misses on the menu for me but nothing overly bad.

Will I Return Again? A hip new spot in the CBD for team lunch or post work dinner or drinks. The Asian elements on the menu work well for me and it is refreshing to see a bistro restaurant in the CBD which does not just serve the typical bar grubs.