A taste of Singapore | The CEO Magazine

Flames flicker, smoke smolders and there’s a sense of theatrics as tender premium marbled beef sizzles on a private charcoal grill at Singapore’s bustling Cote Korean Steakhouse, one of the city’s exciting culinary destinations.

Step inside the restaurant on the third floor of the lifestyle hotel, COMO Metropolitan Singapore and you discover it’s an eclectic mix of Korean barbecue and an American steakhouse. Restaurateur Simon Kim, founded his Michelin flagship restaurant in New York and Miami and this is the brand’s first Asian location.

It’s all about fun and fire with moody, seductive interiors designed by acclaimed architecture studio Modellus Novus.

We know we are in for something special as we embark on the Butcher’s Feast. Four best cuts of meat including Prime Hanger steak from the United States and Australian Wagyu Flatiron are served with flair, along with small bowls of piquant sauces and trimmings. The richness of the meat is well balanced with crisp vegetables, kimchi and tangy sauces.

There’s a great atmosphere inside the restaurant that is a partnership with COMO Group and housed within COMO Orchard, where the hotel, restaurants, fashion, wellness and hospitality come together.

From the first mouthful, it’s an exciting culinary journey with tender cuts and seasonal Korean banchan, scallion salad, red leaf lettuce and ssamjang sauce and a savory egg souffle. Serves of spicy kimchi stew and savory doenjang stew follow, with a delicious finale of soft serve ice cream and soy sauce with caramel.

COMO Group Founder Christina Ong says Cote isn’t like any other place she knows.

“There’s performance, showmanship and seriously good food. Beef is like a religion. You learn about all the cuts and origins. You soak up an atmosphere of cocktails and music, of living life to its maximum,” she says.

Later, we head to the hotel’s lofty rooftop Sky Bar, where we sip a Blueberry Jam cocktail made with vodka sour, cherry liqueur, blueberry jam, and limoncello and enjoy Singapore’s twinkling vistas.

Tempting treats

COMO Orchard is also the home of the chic French pastry and coffee shop Cédric Grolet Singapore, the first Asian outpost and the fourth outlet worldwide. Grolet is the executive pastry chef at Le Meurice in Paris and has an Instagram following of more than 14 million.

Flair, imagination and a wonderful combination of flavors feature in all his fruit-and-flower-inspired creations and classic pastries. Glass domes reveal works of art that look like real peaches, mangos and strawberries, but bite into these creations and they are the most delicious patisseries.

They are almost too good to eat, but impossible to resist. We enjoy an indulgent afternoon tea with tasty treats and a special tea menu. You can also purchase from the counter and click and collect.

Fresh and flavorsome authentic recipes star in the relaxed hotel restaurant on level two, designed by acclaimed Italian architect Paola Navone.

The all-day dining restaurant serves breakfast through to dinner, with a long bar serving cocktails inspired by the COMO properties. Asian standouts include hot and sour fish soup, blue swimmer crab curry, nasi goreng and wok-fried spiced rice with chicken, prawn and fried egg.

You can also order from the COMO Shambhala Kitchen menu which showcases the brand’s legendary healthy eating, available across all 18 properties.

Dishes are designed to help to boost concentration and energy, balance blood-sugar levels and satisfy cravings. Favorites include the green goddess dip and the nut and seed crispbread, vegetable minestrone and yellow fin tuna. Salad bowls with combinations of herbs, vegetables, fruit, nuts and flowers have a following.

COMO wellness

An innovative collection of holistic treatments, yoga and fitness facilities are available at the wellness center. If you are in need of a pick-me-up, the hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment helps counter jet lag.

Enter the lobby lounge and meet Bruno, the caffeine-loving barista robot that can whip up a latte, cappuccino or long black, in a flash.

I am also captured by the moving digital art wall showcasing eclectic floral artwork that changes regularly – you will want to linger here. The 156-room hotel, in the heart of the city and just steps from Orchard Road, offers a relaxed haven with super modern rooms and suites with sleeping technology that helps guests nod off.

My elegant room in relaxed muted tones has sleek furnishings by Italy’s Giorgetti brand. It’s all about understated luxury with lots of natural materials and plenty of light from huge windows,

Take time for a dip in the glass-bottomed infinity pool and laze on a sunbed with stunning city views. The hotel is spread across 11 of COMO Orchards’ 19 floors, which also includes the multi-label fashion by Club 21.

Park Royal Collection Marina Bay

Is that really a cigar in a box? You may well ponder this at the elegant Peach Blossoms at Park Royal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore. No, it’s the result of the culinary prowess and creative imagination of Executive Chinese Chef Edward Chong, one of Singapore’s most celebrated Chinese culinary innovators.

Award-winning Chong has helped change the traditional face of Chinese cuisine, while retaining a deep respect for heritage and South-East Asian sensibility.

His lookalike cigar dish, known as a Forbidden Roll, is a whimsical and playful reinterpretation of a traditional Chinese crispy duck spring roll. Each piece is hand-rolled with a filling of foie gras, freshly peeled snow crab, prawn mousse and black truffle paste.

Wrapped tightly with feuille de brick, which is similar to filo pastry, it is deep-fried at a controlled temperature so it stays crisp while the inside remains soft and rich. The verdict? Absolutely delicious and visually intriguing.

Chong is well known for pushing the boundaries of modern Chinese cuisine, having worked with some of Singapore’s pioneers in contemporary Chinese cooking.

He says Peach Blossoms honors the rich heritage of Chinese cuisine while boldly exploring new frontiers through refined technique, premium seasonal produce and modern interpretations rooted in centuries-old traditions.

Contemporary craft, storytelling and culinary artistry take center stage. Other visually stunning dishes include the Braised Mung Bean Noodles in Crab Roe Collagen with sweet crab meat on one side, and a succulent seafood paste of crab, prawns and water chestnut on the other.

The ‘claw’ is served in a rich seafood soup with silky mung bean noodles and delicate vinegar pearls, echoing the Shanghainese tradition of pairing crab with vinegar.

House-made crab roe, which is shaved generously over the dish, adds a final layer of depth. My favorite is the Char-Grilled Sous Vide Lobster with Assam Sauce that is gently slow cooked to seal in the succulence.

The lobster is finished over binchotan charcoal, imparting a gentle smokiness to the meat. It is paired with a tangy, spicy South-East Asian inspired Assam sauce, where tamarind acidity is balanced with subtle sweetness and savory depth.

Situated on level five of the hotel, Peach Blossoms overlooks the iconic Marina Bay skyline. Fun and delicious dining with many ‘wow’ moments.

Bringing nature indoors

From the minute you arrive at the hotel, you can see why it’s known as Singapore’s first ‘Garden-in-a-Hotel’.

There’s lush greenery everywhere and lots of natural light from one of South-East Asia’s largest indoor sky-lit atria, designed by the late architect John Portman. The Green Wall as you walk in is spectacular.

The hotel is known for its biophilic design that connects guests to nature, plus sustainability, restorative wellness and innovative dining. There are more than 2,400 plants, trees, shrubs and groundcovers and 60 varieties of flora spread across the interiors.

A rooftop Urban Farm houses more than 60 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers that appear in many dishes. It’s visually stunning with glass lifts running up and down the interior.

Listen carefully and you may hear birdsong. The late Chia Eng Seng, known as Uncle Chia, took his songbirds to the hotel lobby every morning since 1994; a family member has now taken over. Six Red-whiskered Bulbuls sing to their hearts’ content and are picked up at 3pm.

My spacious, well-designed Collection Club Marina Bay King room features great views over Marina Bay and a balcony, where I watch shimmering fireworks. The soothing decor features soft blues and greys and there’s a work area and large bathroom with drinking water taps.

Dining with atmosphere

Botanical-inspired cocktails and afternoon tea are served at Portman’s Bar, where delicious farm to bar creations star. All day dining is available at Peppermint with international culinary creations, buffet stations and kitchens.

The rooftop Skyline Bar is poolside and especially pretty at night when the large pool is lit with 1,000 fiber-optic lights providing shimmering water beneath a starry sky, and Modern Chinese cuisine is a feature at award-winning Peach Blossoms.

The wooden bird’s nests seats spread throughout the lounge area are a perfect place to sit and admire all the greenery and listen to the birdsong. The Collection Club Lounge serves delicious snacks and refreshments.